Disclaimer: Not mine.

Chapter 3

"Stay over there, I need room for this. Just…..don't be scared please." Sam pleaded and Dean nodded, giving him room. Sam began stripping off, not wanting to lose more clothes, and he could feel Dean's eyes on him, studying his body. He could feel Dean staring at his tattoo and hid a smirk, remembering the time Dean had gotten him drunk and taken him to a tattoo parlour, Sam had refused and Dean had called him a chicken. Now he had a tattoo many times larger than the one Dean had dared him to get. Sam took a deep breath as he removed his socks and Dean nodded. Sam managed a shaky smile for him before shifting. He heard Dean gasp as he crouched on the ground and smelt a flash of fear. He whined, his tail drooping but then Dean held out his hand to him though Sam could see it was shaking a little.

"Sam? Can you understand me? Its okay little brother." Dean called and Sam crawled closer on his belly, trying to show Dean that he wasn't a threat, that he could understand him. Sam moved slowly closer, not wanting to startle Dean and have him shy away, that would kill him. He was surprised and happy when Dean's hand sank into his fur and Dean smiled. Sam finally lifted his head, licking Dean's cheek and getting a smile for the action. He took in Dean's unique scent, fighting the want to lick him again even as Dean began to pet him.
"This is why you ran?" He asked and Sam nodded. Dean knelt and wrapped his arms around Sam's neck, hugging him and Sam laid his head on Dean's shoulder, wishing he was a cat o he could purr, instead he let his tail wag. Sure it was a dog thing but it would let Dean know he was happy.
"You could have told me Sam, I would have come. You're still you, I can tell." Dean whispered and Sam whimpered, moving to lie in Dean's lap as much as he could. He couldn't smell any fear anymore, just pain, grief and happiness. Hr got as close to Dean as he could, needing him and Dean let him, starting to pet him again and it felt wonderful.
"You're heavy kiddo." Dean murmured but kept petting him. Knowing Dean was right about his weight Sam focused on being human, happy that Dean didn't even flinch as the change happened. Sam lay still in Dean's lap even as Dean wrapped his arms around him. Sam finally moved, wrapping his arms around Dean in return and burying his face in Dean's shirt. Dean moved a hand to run through Sam's hair and Sam sighed, relaxing fully, making Dean chuckle.
"Missed you so much Sammy, please don't leave me again." Dena breathed and Sam knew that two years ago he wouldn't have been able to hear the plea but his hearing was a lot better now. He sat up and Dean's arms dropped from him, his brother looking at him, fearing Sam would leave.

"You want me to stay? Even with…." Sam trailed off and Dean nodded, reaching out a hand and Sam grabbed it in his own, feeling Dean relax a bit.
"Okay." Sam told him, smiling and Dean grinned.
"Right….I'm gonna get dressed." Sam muttered and got up, Dean following him.

"So….tattoo?" Dean asked, eyeing it again as Sam started pulling his clothes back on. Sam chuckled but nodded.

"Yeah, it…its part of the whole thing. It's….well it's a really long story." Sam admitted, moving back to sit on the bed.

"A story I get to hear, right?" Dean asked and Sam nodded.

"You uh…..you get a room yet?" Sam asked and Dean smiled, seeing the question for the offer it was.

"Nope, the Impala's near the coffee shop. Care to go for another walk?" Dean asked and Sam smiled back, getting up. They walked in silence but it was a comfortable silence unlike when they'd walked to the room. Dean led Sam to the Impala, watching as Sam reached out to run his hand along the roof.
"Missed her huh?" Dean asked and Sam looked at him in surprise.

"Surprisingly, yes. Though 'she' could do with more leg room." Sam teased and Dean laughed. Dean opened the drivers' door and then waited when Sam showed no sign of opening the passenger door.

"Dude, you comin' or what?" He asked and Sam started but nodded, getting in. they drove back to the room and got out, Dean going to the trunk to get his bag. He turned to find Sam staring at the weapons as he got out his usual. Sam looked up at him again and Dean saw the fear in his eyes.
"Sam…..no." Dean whispered, grabbing Sam's shoulder and pulling him closer.
"I'd never….we still have a lot to talk about but I know it's you, wolf or not. You know me, feel naked unarmed. I am not going to hunt you." Dean promised and Sam looked down at the ground, ashamed at the way he'd reacted.
"Come on, let's get inside." Dean urged and Sam nodded, letting Dean open the door. Sam sat on his bed, knees up beneath his chin and arms wrapped around them, chin on his knees while Dean put his stuff down. Dean flopped down on his bed and Sam smiled at the sight.
"So how long did you get the room for?"

"Three nights, I got here yesterday." Sam answered, stretching out on the bed. Dean looked over at him and grinned at seeing Sam relaxing.
"So….what happens now?" Sam asked quietly and Dean shrugged.

"Well you could tell me the whole story on what happened, you could come with on the hunt on I'm meant to be on, I don't know." Dean answered.

"Dad's letting you hunt alone?" Sam asked and Dean rolled his eyes.

"I'm twenty four Sam." Dean grumbled and Sam laughed but nodded.
"So?"

"I…I don't know. I mean, you need to know cause…..it's…..it's genetic Dean. What happened to me, it could happen to you." Sam admitted and Dean sat up, staring at Sam in shock. He might turn into a wolf too?

"How?" He whispered and Sam moved, coming to sit beside him on the bed.

"Dean its okay, odds are it never will. The thing I went after, that's what caused me to shift. If you never run into one then chances are you won't change." Sam rushed out, trying to reassure Dean even though it hurt a little. He supposed it was one thing to accept Sam was different and another to realise it could happen to him too.

"Does it hurt?"

"Not really, first time does. After that it feels pretty natural." Sam answered.

"So you didn't hurt yourself showing me?"

"No."

"Good." Dean reached over and took Sam's hand in his, giving it a comforting squeeze.
"Is there….from your little demonstration earlier you don't seem to react to silver but anything else?" Dean asked, feeling Sam beginning to tense.
"I don't want to leave something around or toss you something and accidentally hurt you." Dean assured him, feeling Sam relax again.

"Nothing weird. I still get hurt and all but I heal really fast."

"Really? How fast? Like seconds or what?" Dean asked, getting really in to the discussion and Sam was happy to see him excited and not disgusted.

"Well I broke my arm and it healed in a few days. I'm stronger and faster too, no matter what form though it's better as a wolf. My senses are sharper too." Sam explained.

"Sounds good….for the most part. Bet there are times you'd trade the senses." Dean offered and Sam nodded. Dean tugged on his hand and Sam lay down beside him, willing to do anything to make Dean happy and want him to stay.
"I wish you'd called me earlier Sammy, you didn't have to go through all this alone." Dean whispered, tugging Sam closer. Dean didn't know why he was being so touchy feely but it felt right after so long without his baby brother by his side.

"I was scared Dean. I stayed away from people, scared I'd hurt someone. I didn't want to hurt you or Dad or have you hurt by having to hunt me." Sam whispered. At that Dean pulled Sam into a full hug, holing him close.

"We would have worked something out Sam but you didn't hurt anyone. I would never hunt you." Dean swore and Sam nodded.
"So you wanna tell me what happened with the weird staring when you looked at me for the first time or the rest of the story?" Dean asked and Sam tensed.

"I'm not entirely sure…..I have a theory but I'd really like to ask on of the Elders about it first." Sam admitted and Dean frowned.

"Elders?"

"Tribal Elders Dean, I've been staying with our very distant cousins on the Reservation for the last year. Even they don't know everything…..it's been a while since anyone's changed, they were thinking the gene had been bred out or something till they found me."

"So this wolf thing…it comes from that great-great grandmother that was related to Mom?" Dean asked and Sam nodded.

"There's this whole tribal legend and all but I'll skip that since you tend to just like the facts. SO Mom's ancestor Mary Clearwater came from the Quileute tribe who live in La Push. There's a legend that they were spirit warriors first and then like me. The whole shifting thing is to defend the tribe from their enemies, these days it's pretty much the ones they call the Cold Ones. From what I saw of the one I hunted down and the legends they seem to be vampires. Drink blood, super fast and strong, avoid daylight. Except a stake to the heart would just shatter the stake. In wolf form I could kill them, at leat according to the legends."

"So it's genetic and to protect people?" Dean clarified and Sam nodded.

"When they found out about me…..it was kinda creepy actually, I'm just glad they didn't tell everyone. So far it's pretty much just the Elders who know and Sue cause she's the one that I saved. But Harry, her husband, is a Council member anyway and since we're related…"

"They carry the gene too?"

"Harry does so their kids do though apparently only guys change. They have a son Seth, he's a good kid and I don't want him to ever have to go through this."

"Sounds like you like them." Dean commented and Sam smiled.

"They took me in Dean, I was a mess. Couldn't even sleep on a bed, I was stammering cause I hadn't talked in so long…." Sam trailed off and Dean tightened his grip on him, realising somewhat just how bad things had been for Sam.
"It's okay Dean, it took time but I'm alright now." Sam assured him and Dean nodded.

"You're officially not allowed to ever disappear again because it seems to turn us into girls." Dean mumbled and Sam laughed, he was glad Dean was letting him have the chick-flicks, he needed them. And if he was right about what had happened….he was so screwed. The white picket fence had pretty much gone out the window when he shifted but this? He knew Dean had noticed something so he couldn't hide what had happened but it would have been easier if he could have. Would it stop Sam from ever being able to have a relationship with someone? Because there was no way Dean would ever want that with him.

TBC….