Just something short and sweet. I stayed purposefully vague on details so it can fit in any of the later seasons during times of hardship.

Sam looked up from his laptop about to tell Dean about what he'd found when something stopped him. His brother was already looking at him, laid back on his chair with his feet up on the table and a whiskey in his hand. The expression on Deans face wasn't one of sadness, indifference, anger or exhaustion which were so often plastering the still young face of his biggest hero these days. Dean looked content. Happy even. And then to Sams disbelief he chuckled.

Sam felt a swell in his chest at the rare sight and even grinned himself. "Wanna share with the rest of the class?" he asked, a touch of humour in his tone.

Dean shrugged. "Nothing to tell man." he took a drink and pulled a face of satisfaction with the swallow.

"Oh really? Come on Dean, you've been the lowest of the low recently and haven't so much as made one of your crappy jokes or pulled any stupid pranks. What is it that's finally made you smile again?" Sam pressed curiously sitting forward. Whatever it was, Sam needed some too, though right now just seeing Dean actually looking okay was enough.

"You." Dean said shortly with another shrug. His cheeks had reddened only slightly. Nobody else would have noticed but Sam knew all Deans tells.

Sam cleared his throat and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He pulled up the camera on his phone and looked at himself on the front facing view. There was nothing out of place that he could see that might cause his brother to start spontaneously chuckling but then Dean could usually find anything amusing when it came to his younger brothers appearance. "My hair?" he asked self consciously smoothing down his chestnut mop.

Dean rolled his eyes. "No, but now you mention it is looking a little-"

"Shut up. What about me then?"

Dean sighed seemingly reluctant to share. "I was just sitting here thinking about how much more I could possibly take, you know. Its been endless. Hit after hit after hit. There's been no let up. Every time there's even a glimmer of light at the end of this tunnel, someone or something blocks it back up again or sends us straight back to the beginning and the whole thing starts again. It's like we're always working toward the big boss fight but when we get past that, there's another even worse waiting behind."

Sam looked down, the nice swell in his chest deflating rapidly. He wished he'd taken up Deans offer of alcohol earlier after all. "I know." he murmured quietly. There wasn't much more he could add. Dean was right and it kept him awake at night too.

Dean smiled again and gestured to the glass in his hand. "Anyway, I angrily poured myself a whiskey, just feeling pissed off with the world and stomped down over here ready to listen to whatever it is that's caught your eye and then I looked at you."

"Yeah?" Sam was fully invested now, curiosity at full peak. What had he done to break Deans weeks long depression cycle?

"Yeah."

"What did I do Dean?" Sam asked, realising immediately how childlike he sounded.

Deans smile widened at the eagerness of his brother. "I just realised that everything that's happened hasn't just happened to me, but to both of us and I can chose to be angry and bitter and selfish and a dick to everyone or I can be more like you."

Sam was lost now. He didn't feel like he was faring a great deal better than Dean himself. "Me?" he frowned in confusion.

Dean glanced at his watch. "It's almost midnight and you're still working your ass off trying to make things easier for me. And I know you're struggling with all this too man, I've got eyes and I know you're not sleeping and eating right but what I'm saying is, despite everything, you don't ever give up. You keep going no matter how bad it gets and- and you take the hits different than me. You're strong..." The older Winchester trailed off and scratched the back of his head, perhaps some embarrassment prickling through and looked down, swirling the amber liquid around in the crystal glass before draining it.

Sam was quiet, the compliments taking him by surprise. Dean had been crabby and argumentative for a while so this was a complete U-turn. He was about to reply but Dean began first. "I don't know, maybe the drink has finally gone to my head but when I think of everyone I've loved and lost I- I'm just so damn glad that I've still got you."

Sam swallowed thickly, his own cheeks heating now. He had so much to say in return. The adoration he had for his brother was no secret but it wasn't something they spoke about often and Dean especially didn't like sharing his own feelings because it wasn't how they were raised. Since Dean had come to get Sam in Palo Alto years ago, the brothers had been through many trials and perils and their relationship had been tested to the extreme on more than a few occasions. They had learned to live and work together, building up mutual trust, respecting boundaries and strengthening their bond until each knew how the other worked inside out.

"Dean." Sam began. He cleared his throat. "You know that if it wasn't for you I'd be rocking in a corner in my room right?"

Dean raised his eyebrows unconvinced and let out a small scoff.

"Dude I'm serious. You say I'm strong right? Why do you think I'm strong? Who do you think I learnt it from?" Dean opened his mouth to speak but Sam cut over him knowing exactly what his reply would be. "Don't say dad. It's not dad."

Dean stood and went to get the bottle of whiskey from the side. He brought it over to the table along with a glass for Sam and poured him a drink before topping up his own. "You know you don't need to say all this, you asked me a question and I answered it. Lets leave it there." he said dismissively as if the moment had passed.

Sam shook his head as he took a sip from his glass. It was good stuff, usually reserved for celebrations but those were few and far between recently. "No. Dean I'm not just saying this because you said something nice to me and I want to return the favour. I'm explaining to you that all of the good things in me are there because of the influence you've had over me since I was born. Look, it's alright to be pissed off at our life sometimes man. If you need to be angry and reckless that's fine, I'll hold the fort and clean up the mess until you're done because I know you'd do and have done the same for me in the past." Sam looked at his brother sincerely needing to get through to him. "You are the reason I'm strong Dean. I keep fighting because of you. For you. Always."

"I know Sammy." came Deans quiet reply after a short pause. He could easily dish out the praise but Dean didn't know what to do when he was presented with it himself and didn't that just break Sams heart.

"And I'm grateful you're still here too." Sam added.

Neither Sam nor Dean said anything else about it and sat in the quiet for a few moments, the unspoken words further strengthening what they'd just shared with each other. After a little while Sam closed his laptop and stretched in a signal that it was time to get some rest and perhaps his brother should do the same. The research and plotting of their next move could continue in the morning but right now they could close their eyes feeling secure in the knowledge that even if the world was burning, as long as they were together, they'd figure out a way to save it.