Disclaimer: I play with them but return them, unharmed (by and large).

Author's note: Ok, I originally came up with an idea for an introspective one-shot, based around Sam suddenly realising that he's how Dean used to be and Dean has essentially become him. This is just a drabble based around a similar idea. Takes place in 5x17/5x18.


Independent – II

When did he become Dean, he wondered. That was the problem with Dean leaving – it gave him too much time to think about things rather than checking Dean was ok every minute.

Not that he wasn't panicking about Dean; this just furthered his point. When did he become Dean? When did he futilely want to protect Dean? When did he get insecurities and when did demons become the centre of his world?

He recalls a time when he was independent of demons but Dean? He guessed Dean had always been his life – it just took him time to realise it.