Author's Note:

A chapter dedicated to Sammy and of course Michael who (for those of you who read it) know he was a big part of Jar of Hearts. Regardless, thank you to the reviewers and I am so touched that you guys are even still reading. I love you ^_^

Health Note: I'm feeling better but I still have to wait another week before my blood tests and things come back so we'll see how I'm doing then.

School starts up again on Monday so I hope to keep up a good pace but again, we shall see.

Jar of Hearts World: Part 2

Sam found himself on his back staring at a strangely lit ceiling above him. It was damp, the area smelled funny and Sam was pretty damn sure he was laying on something wet. He slowly sat up, his eyes attempted to adjust to the dim lighting around him but it took him a little while. It sounded hollow around him and as he took in the sights he realized he was in some sort of tunnel.

He stood up and tried to reorient himself, since Dean and Cas had a bit more power the transfer to the new world was much more out of control than usual. He didn't mind so much but he would've liked a softer landing.

What his came to focus on his surroundings properly he saw that it was definitely a tunnel and it had been roughly carved out of stone with some strange luminescent slime that brought the light. It wasn't very well lit but it was enough for him to see, and for that he was grateful. Sam could barely feel a draft and the air felt stale, like he were deep underground. The thought of that wasn't appealing to him but he had no way of just backtracking and getting out, he'd have to find his way.

Sam didn't waste any more time he started walking and quickly found himself at a crossroad, there were at least four other different directions to go not including the path he'd come from. Two of them were immediately declining while the others seemed to be relatively straight, he didn't want to go any further down so he enie-meenie-miney-moed his way through the flat passages. After several yards however he find himself on a steep slope going down. It made him angry but his stubbornness rose and he stuck to his path.

As he walked he thought to himself, about him and Dean, how far they'd come since it all began, where they'd come from. His parents were around there somewhere; his mom and dad were roaming the mainline and taking out the Void like Dean, like Castiel. But Sam wasn't a high priest, he didn't have any special powers or abilities, he just had a weak immune system that made him sick more often than not. It was kind of unfair but what could he do? He couldn't just become a priest and start fighting off the monsters, he was just a man who found himself in the strangest situations and the worst kinds of trouble.

But he didn't care. He had everything he wanted with him, he had a family that cared about him and looked out for him and needed him. Hell, someone had fallen in love with him; Sam never thought it was possible since he'd gotten sick. But there he was, healthy, on an adventure, and in love with his brother's best friend – his best friend. Sam smiled to himself as he made his way down, he could picture Jet's face when they realized he was missing, how he'd demand they 'go find Sam right now.' And then Dean would completely agree and Cas would be saying something like 'what are we waiting for.' He wasn't worried; his family was looking for him.

A muffled and strained groan echoed ahead and at first Sam stopped to try and make it out, it sounded like someone was struggling. But it could have easily been some sort of monster as well; he had no way of knowing. Sam weighed his options quickly but the cry came again and he couldn't stay put knowing someone might be in trouble. He darted down the passage as quietly as he could, just in case it really was some kind of monster instead.

As he got closer he realized that the tunnel opened up to some sort of larger space so he pinned himself to the wall and crept closer. Sam ran his hand through his hair to get it out of his face, he really needed a haircut and the short hair over the forehead look was starting to hurt his eyes. He inched closer to the room and peered inside; the first thing he noticed was some strange worm-centipede-like thing and it was massive, at least the size of the tunnels he was crawling through. That was probably the creature responsible for such an elaborate labyrinth and he dared not move another inch.

Sam observed the room from his hiding spot, which wasn't such a great hiding spot but who was paying attention to that? The room was massive and filled with weird little sacs of the same slime he'd found on the walls, and they were filled with something. He squinted at the far away ones then turned his attention to the closer piles and realized that there were people inside them.

He remained frozen as he watched the thing spit up more of that weird ooze onto a sac that was still moving slightly. The monster finished up and in a about a minute disappeared into another tunnel. Sam waited a moment until he couldn't hear it anymore and bolted for the imprisoned person that still fought against his cage. "I'll get you out, hold on." He hissed quietly and found a rock that looked sharp enough to use.

It took a bit of cutting but he managed to rip open the hardened outer casing and reached inside, the person grasped his arms and held on tight as Sam dragged him. It took a bit of effort but once he'd gotten the captive far enough out there was no longer any friction holding him inside and they both fell. The dark haired male coughed and sputtered out some of the slime, gasping for air desperately until he managed to get enough to calm down.

"Are you alright?" Sam tried to help the guy up and they both finally looked at each other. "Michael?"

"Sam?" Michael breathed heavily and stumbled up to his feet with Sam's assistance, "How… why are you… what's going on? I thought you were with Gabriel on your trip?" His eyes widened with what Sam saw as complete horror, "Gabriel's not here is he?"

"Uhm, no." He smiled sheepishly, "I'll explain later, for now we gotta get out of here, that thing's crawling around and I don't like the look of it." Michael didn't argue and so they chose the opposite tunnel from where the monster had gone. The two hurried along until they felt like they were alone again and couldn't hear anything other than a vaguely echoing cavern. Michael started to wipe off his suit once they'd stopped to take a break, his eyes were wide as he glanced back down the passage.

"What the hell is going on?" He managed to speak though his tongue was tied. "Where's Gabriel?"

"I wasn't with him." Sam shook his head and flicked the goo off his arms from pulling Michael free. "Like I said it's a long story but to sum it up I'm from a different dimension, I'm not the same Sam that you know." He tried to smile like it was normal but he knew how crazy it sounded, so many times they looked insane already. He wasn't sure what Michael's reaction would be but when he saw the look of sadness come across the other man's face, Sam didn't know what to do. Michael even hid that look of concern with a smile and nod, like it made complete sense to him and that might have even been a normal occurrence.

"Good, then at least I know Gabriel's safe. Let's keep moving, I should probably try and help you get home." He had that sort of big brother tone that Sam recognized immediately and all expression dropped out of his face.

"I'm serious."

"I'm sure you are, but we don't have time for the story right now, as you said." Sam took note; Michael was a smooth motherfucker. "Let's go." With that Michael took the lead, Sam felt irked by it but he couldn't blame Michael for the whole thing. If Cas, Dean, or Jet showed up spouting nonsense in a dangerous situation Sam would probably have done something similar. He liked to think so, anyway. Michael didn't want him to get hurt, especially with a supposed mental handicap.

"You take care of people often, don't you?" Sam asked a little distracted by Michael's sudden character trait.

Michael laughed softly, "Often enough, just when they need it." He looked back at Sam again, this time his eyes scanned over the young Winchester more systematically, seriously taking him in. "You really aren't the same, are you?"

"No," Sam smiled he knew Michael didn't fully buy it though. "What makes you say that now though?"

"I just don't get the same feeling, not to mention you look different."

"Are you really going to question me about it though? I mean a giant worm tried to eat you."

"It did eat me, it just spat me back out again." Michael shuddered and tried to shake off the feeling it gave him, "Trying not to think about it."

"Understandable." Sam chuckled and squinted as he tried to see ahead of them, "We should keep moving though, I don't want that thing to notice you're missing."

"Deal." Michael followed Sam's lead and fell in stride beside him. Sam took a second glance at Michael and had to admit the guy had some appeal to him. He had himself together, for the most part; he was smart enough to pick inclining paths with a subtle breeze coming from them. They were looking for a way out after all so that was a bonus. He was handsome, well dressed, and he had an amicable personality but Sam already knew his type. Michael was great, but just not what Sam was looking for in a person, and that thought passed as he reminded himself what his type was.

Sam smiled at the recollection; he didn't have to look for someone anymore, a type or something silly like that. "What's with the face?" Michael had leaned around just a little to ask and Sam saw the expression, that look that older brothers got when they just knew something. Something particular like knowing a little brother had a crush on someone.

"Anyone ever tell you do make an amazing older brother, bad quirks and all?" Sam replied with a laugh.

"Sometimes. So, who is it?"

"Well I don't know if you know this one but his name's Jet." Sam shrugged and felt his face heat up, he didn't admit that very often it seemed.

"Jet, really?" Michael mused and smirked again, "So what's appealing about him?"

"You really want me to-"

"Yeah, I want to hear it."

Sam curled his lips into his mouth and bit at the lower one until he could come close to describing it. "There's a lot more to him than what you see. Each time I think I get him he surprises me. He makes me feel like there's nothing more important than me, he isn't scared to tell me when I'm wrong, he's strong enough to protect but vulnerable enough that he needs me. Jet makes me laugh, he can be an idiot but he's clever and good at planning." He smiled as he went through the list of qualities he liked in Jet as if he were just discovering them all over again. "Of course he's cute, too."

"Just cute?" Michael inquired innocently though Sam could see right through him.

"He can be cute, hot, sexy if he wants to. I like that, that I almost can't describe him as one thing."

"Sounds like love to me, makes me wonder if the Sam I know could describe Gabriel."

"Your Sam dates Gabriel?" Sam wondered briefly if he should have been keeping track of all the Sam and Gabriel partners he saw along the way. Hell, he hadn't even asked the corrupted timeline Sam and Jet if they were together, it wouldn't have made a difference if he knew who was dating who. But that did make him curious, "What about you? Who do you like?"

"Me?" Michael smiled and shook his head, eyes kept forward, "No, not me. I'm not interested in anyone."

"Why?"

"Well why should I? I haven't met anyone that makes me feel that way, the way you do about Jet. I'm waiting for that, I guess. Someone that makes me want to jump into action, to go out of my way to find them, call them, make them happy. Until almost a year ago I was dedicated to looking after my brothers but they've been doing so well, I might look soon."

"No rush," Sam smiled, remembering how he'd freaked out over just dancing with Jet a while back. "If you aren't ready then you aren't, but it's nice once you find that someone."

"I've noticed, my brother, Cas, lit up like nothing else when he found his partner." Michael grinned and shrugged his shoulders, "I thought it was just a him thing but hearing you talk… maybe it's possible for me too."

"It's possible, I didn't expect it to happen to me but… I love him, I don't want to think about not having him around in my life." The two shared a look and both smiled. "You'll find them."

"Thanks, Sam."