"So you think dad would have been here?" Sam asked, turning away from the running water below them.

"Well, he's chasing the same story, and we're chasing him." Dean pulled away from the warped wooden rail. He moved his was down the bridge, ready to get this hunt over with, and move onto the next clue.

"Okay, so now what?" Sam spoke, following Dean.

"We keep digging until we find him, it might take a while.,"

"Dean, I told you I've got to get back by-"

"Monday." Dean cut him off, and Sam couldn't help the spike of annoyance thrummed through him. "Right. The interview. You're really serious about this, aren't you? You think you're just gonna become some lawyer, marry your boy?"

"Maybe, why not?"

"Does Danny know everything you've done? You're just planning to settle down and mix the apple pie life with the hunting life?" Dean completely turned to him, his harsh emotions clear through his words. "You think that'll work out?"

"Danny knows enough, and why won't it." Sam grounded out, taking a step forward. Dean was trying to pick out apart the life he's made, a life that actually makes him feel happy. He had no right, not after how long they've been apart. Not after everything that happened, after that night.

"You can pretend all you want, Sammy." Dean spoke, his resolved didn't waiver. "Sooner, or later, you're gonna have to face up to who you really are."

"And whose that?" Sam asked, not letting the conversation drop. The crunching of the gravel under their shoes only seemed to help fuel his anger. Even if Dean wanted to pretend he wasn't, Sam knows when he's brothers picking a fight. Intentional, or not.

"One of us."

"No, I'm not like you. This is not going to be my life." Dean all but scoffed in Sam's face.

"You're not? But you're looking to settle with a hunter, an active one Sammy." Dean shot back. "You have a responsibility."

"To dad and his crusade? If it weren't for pictures I wouldn't even know what mom looks like." Sam stopped their walk, Dean didn't deserve the right to delve into his and Danny's relationship. It didn't matter he was done with hunting, what mattered was what Danny wanted. This arrangement was perfect for both of them. "What difference would it make? Even if we do find the thing that killed her, mom's gone, and she isn't coming back."

Sam can't say he was that surprise when a tight grip was taken on his coat and his back met rusted metal. The look in Dean's eyes did make him regret saying those words.

"Don't talk about her like that." Sam stayed quiet, the urge to fight slipping from him quickly. "Sam." He glanced up, but his focus shifted quickly to the figure on the ledge. That was quick. Sam caught her eyes, the young woman in white was dead in her eyes before she let go.

In sync the two of the were against the rails, eyes searching below for any sign of her. "Where'd she go?" The rev of the Impala drew their attention from the water. Sam squinted through the glare of the headlights, glancing towards Dean.

"Who's driving your car?" The only response he got was keys dangling in the air.

"Go."

"Okay, here's where dad went. It's called Blackbottle Ridge, Colorado." Sam spoked, eyes trained on the map through the light the small flashlight offered. The slight aches of the hunt still reverberating through his muscles. It wasn't the smoothest hunt, but it could have gone a lot worse. He'd rather Dean not get arrested, but if he hadn't they might not have found this clue.

"Sounds charming. How far?" The streetlights flashing in the room as scenery flew by, the day already much too late. Sam's mind reminding him of the ticking clock, just how much longer he had before he needed to be home.

"About six hundred miles." Sam adjusted the flashlight, gliding through the map from their estimated location and dad's latest known stop.

"If we shag ass, we can make it by morning." Dean shrugged, glancing towards the taller man. Sam paused, exhaling. He should have expected this.

"Dean, um..." The slight shift in Dean's face told him enough. His brother was hurt.

"You're not going." He couldn't.

"The interview's in ten hours. I got to be there." He couldn't miss it, not now.

"Yea, yea, whatever." The mood in the car shifted drastically, heavier. "I'll take you home." Sam turned away from Dean, clicking the flashlight off. He should have known that Dean would hope he'd change his mind, but one hunt isn't enough. He had a home, a life. Danny. A solid future.

He wasn't going to walk away from this, not now, not ever.

The rest of the drive was silent, awkward, and tense. Even with the atmosphere it didn't feel long for him to find the car coming to the stop in front of his building. Sam silently got out, closing the door behind him with a thud. He missed the sound of the old metal creaking with every movement. He paused, turning to his brother.

"Maybe I can meet up with you later, huh?" Sam threw the bait first, he was hoping his brother would bite. He didn't want this to end here, he missed him. Seeing him again brought back all those feels he buried deep down. Even if Dean irritated him in a way no one else could, he missed him too much.

"Yea, all right." The response didn't give him much hope, but he still tried to keep hold of that hope. Even was he tapped the cold metal, turning to head back home. The sound of the engine revving back on left him melancholy. He expected it to end there, so when he heard his name being called out surprised him. But in a good way.

"You know, we made a hell of a team back there."

"Yeah." Sam couldn't deny it, it felt somewhat good to be back at it with Dean. But he couldn't do that life anymore. He sighed, watching his brother drive off. He didn't want to be stuck at arms length with the man that was once his best friend, but they wanted different things in their life. Sam wanted a life, friends, love, a family.

Not just hoping from hotel to hotel, state to state, saving lives or not. Risking his own on the daily.

The walk to his door was done on autopilot, but once his key was clicking in the lock all he could think about was seeing Danny again. All he wants right now is to curl up in bed with Danny and wash the day away. He barely spoke to him while he was away, things weren't that hectic, but it felt weird knowing he could easily call Danny and talk to him about the hunt. There was no need lie, it was still a new feeling. Not one he really wanted to revisit.

"Danny?" Sam called out, closing the door behind him. "You home?" The apartment was dark, and the lack of response told him his better half wasn't home. He was probably out with Riley if Sam had to guess. He made his way to their room, falling to sit on the bed. The sound of the shower running hit his ears, a smile escaped him knowing Danny was actually home.

All he wanted right now was him, and he was more than happy to know that he could have him. He exhaled, flopping back onto the bed with closed eyes. In a few seconds the tension in him slipped away slowly. Even with his slightly aching muscles, he was just happy to be home. He's looking forward to the peaceful night.

The relaxation shifted quickly when two warm droplets landed on his forehead, pulling him from his thoughts.

His heart seized the moment his eyes opened, body jerking upwards. His eyes bored holes into the still face of Danny, his body pinned to the ceiling. Instantly all pleasant feels fled him, only fear and disbelief in it's place.

"NO!" Sam cried out, every part of him yelling to wake up. This had to be a nightmare. Danny wasn't, he couldn't be. He couldn't pull himself from the bed, even as flames erupted around the body of his loved one. "DANNY!" The flames moved fast, consuming the room around him. He couldn't much more that shield his face with his arms, eyes still staring. This couldn't be real.

He vaguely heard his name being called, didn't give the voice a second thought. Not until he felt familiar arms pulling him out of bed and away from danger. Away from Danny.

"NO!" Sam called, pulling away from Dean. He couldn't leave Danny, he couldn't just let him burn there. Danny wouldn't leave him, he couldn't do that to him. Even against his struggles Dean still managed to pull him away. Once with the fire and those eyes were out of his view Sam stopped. The image burned into his mind. This was all his fault.

The officers and firefighters moved in a blur around him, his mind had one mission. He lost Dean somewhere in the crowd but he didn't care. He knew. After years of his dad talking about, after years of hunting down the thing that killed his mom, he knew exactly what did this.

Sam shifted through the trunk, making sure everything was as it should be. Every gun loaded, every knife sharpen. He met Dean's eyes when he stopped next to him, the look he saw told him the same thing. They both had the same goal in mind. The bastard who did this is going to die.

"We got work to do."