Present Day

He glared fiercely at his phone on the first ring. No way in hell was he answering that. He knew exactly who it was and he’d rather burn in hell for all eternity then answer it. 

Sam was lying on a random hotel bed, his back pressed up against the wall and his ever loyal computer on his lap. Images and reports of the local folklore covered the screen.

He’d been hunting on his own for a grand total of three weeks and he missed his brother terribly.

The phone died for a moment, signalling to Sam that his voice mail had been activated. Twelve seconds later his phone screamed again. Sam gave a heavily sigh, pushed his computer to the empty side of the bed and reached for the small cell phone.

He blinked in surprise when the name on the tiny screen read ‘Dad’. It was pressed against his ear before he could even realize it. “Dad?”

“Sam.” His father’s voice sighed. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for three days are you hurt?”

A sudden wave of guilt flooded Sam, he lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck. “No…um…I thought you were Dean.”

“No but he’s the reason I’m calling.” John started his voice hard full of authority, just the way Sam remembered from his childhood.

“Dad, look I appreciate what you’re-“

“I’m not trying to get you two back together,” John stepped on his sentence. “But I got a call from him early this morning. He said he was hurt and couldn’t finish a job. Asked me to come and get him.”

“What?” Sam gasped, his fingers tightening around the phone. “How bad? What happened? Where is he? Dad we have to get to him! Dean would never ask you to come and get him and he’d never admit to you that he couldn’t finish a job!”

He heard his father’s heavily sigh, “I know Sammy that’s why I’m calling you. I’m in Florida…and I can’t leave this hunt. I need you to get him.”

Sam felt his concern for his brother vanish in the temporary rage against his father. “Why am I not surprised? Your son could be dying but it’s more important to save other people.”

“You’re the one who left him.” John shot back.

“What? I thought you were happy when we ended things. Ya know…I didn’t think you wanted your sons to fuck.” Sam snarled, in the back of his mind he knew he was just trying to hurt his father. For no reason at all other then he was in pain himself. It only seemed fair.

“You’re right I don’t. But I don’t want you on your own either. We live in a dangerous world and what just happened to Dean is proof enough. So swallow your god damn pride and apologize or whatever go get him and get back to work. That’s an order.”

Sam ground his jaw angrily as he listened to the dial tone for a brief second then slammed the phone closed. Three minutes later he was closing the motel, his backpack swung over one shoulder and his computer bag in hand.

He slide into his rental car and tried not to remind himself that he was suppose to be avoiding his brother.

Eighteen hours and forty five minutes later he’s almost there. He wanted to spend the entire trip going over how all he was going to do was help his brother, patch the son of a bitch up then leave. This didn’t change anything. He was still mad as hell at him and seeing Dean a little bruised and bloodily wasn’t going to change that.

He scanned the small town of Powell WY. There were only three different motels and his brother’s car was as easily spotted as the neo lights. Toward the middle of town Sam pulled into the cheap motel and parked beside his brother’s impala.

Despite himself Sam sighed with relief upon seeing the car again. It was the closest thing to home he ever had, and seeing it again reminded him of everything he was giving up.

Sam groaned inwardly. If simply seeing the damn car made him waver, seeing Dean was going to make him throw the whole thing to the wind and fall back into his brothers’ arms.

Sam walked toward the door, glancing briefly toward the Curtin windows. He raised his fist to the door and silently repeated to himself all the reasons he was done with his brother.

He cheated. He lied. He cheated. He risked their lives. He cheated. He risked the lives of the people they were trying to save. He cheated. He didn’t care when Sam left.

He cheated.

His fist made contact with the cheaply made door. “Dean, open the door!”

He heard a brief scramble. The sounds of his brother falling off the bed, followed by a string of curse actually made Sam smile for the first time in three weeks.

He forced the smile from his face as the door swung open. At the first sight of his brother all traces of amusement left Sam’s mind.

His brother’s jaw was bruised; both his lips were swollen and ripped. His left eye was beaten to nearly closure. His arm hung in a homemade sling that once was a pillow case. His bare chest revealed a huge bandage covering the better part of his stomach, the middle of the clean white cloth was drenched in blood.

“What the hell happened to you?” Sam whispered, shocked 
Dean leaned against the door, a smile on his face at seeing his brother. “Oh this and that. You know how it goes. Those damn girl scouts just won’t take no for an answer. I swear I had to buy a semi load of cookies before they’d stop kicking the shit out of me.”

Sam rolled his eyes at his brother’s attempt to ignore the seriousness of his injures.

“You’re a stupid jackass you know that right? If you needed help you should have called me.”

“Didn’t think you’d come, even if I asked.” Dean responded slowly, his eyes greedily scanning his brother’s form.

Sam froze, his brother had a point. He probably wouldn’t have. “So you called Dad?”

Dean turned and stumbled back to the bed, Sam stepped in. He scanned the room then let his eyes fall back to his brother. Only then realizing Dean was limping because his left pant leg was ripped off, revealing another wound.

“You forgive me yet?” Dean asked, falling back onto the bed, careful to avoid eye contact with him.

Sam stepped into the room and slammed the door closed behind him. “Not even close you slimy bastard. But Dad called me and told me to get here and make sure you didn’t die on him. So here I am. God knows what would happen if John Winchester lost one of his precious soldiers.”

Dean rested against the head board, “Wow, good to know hunting alone hasn’t changed you Sammy.”

“It’s Sam.” Sam snarled. “You need to get to the hospital. You’re gonna get an infection and die.” Sam dug into his pocket and pulled his cell phone from his coat pocket. “I’m calling an ambulance and getting your ass to hospital.”

Dean was off the bed faster then either realized. It wasn’t until his entire body twitched and stumbled did Dean reach out to the nightstand for support. “Don’t think so Sammy. I’m just fine. Don’t need no hospital. I took good care of myself…we’ve been doing it for years-“

Despite his weaning desires to still be angry with his brother, Sam rushed forward, dropping his phone to the floor and slide his arms around Dean to help him stand.

Sam half lifted his brother and took the few steps back to the bed. He rested Dean on the bed, helped his slide back into position then yanked the blankets to cover him.

“Fine we’ll do it your way. But I’m going to redo all those bandages...I know you suck at that and I’m not going to let you die from some stupid infection.”

Dean rolled his eyes, “I do know how to apply disinfected you over grown freak.”

Sam stepped back and rested both hands on his hips. “But did you?”

The older brother looked away, “Bitch.”

Sam smiled, “Jerk.”

Sam tore off his jacket and threw it toward the table. “I’m going to get my first aid kit, think you can manage to survive while I’m gone?”

“Only if you promise to come back with a burger. I haven’t eaten in days.” Dean rolled his head to the side to look better at his brother.

Sam groaned, “Fine. I’ll be back in twenty minutes. Don’t die on me.”

Dean watched his brother head toward the door; he stopped him with a single word.

“Sorry.”

Sam stopped in shock then turned slowly. “What?”

Dean stared at Sam from the bed, “For everything. For making you come out here even though you want me to die a slow and painful death-“

“Dean I didn’t mean that.” Sam gasped quickly. Remembering the words he had used at his last confrontation with his brother.

Dean went on as if he hadn’t said a thing. “And I know how hard it must have been for you to give everything up and come to make sure I was ok. Especially since you thought I was screwing around.”

Sam’s fist tightened, “Just let it go. This isn’t the time-“

“But you have to know I wasn’t! She was just making you think so because-“ Dean continued desperately.

“Just stop Dean!” Sam swore out. “This isn’t the time for you to lie to me! Can’t you once just admit it?”

“I’m not going to admit to something I didn’t do! You really want to know what happened little brother? I got wasted and flirted. That was all. She was there and all to willing to cooperate. So I made a mistake! Fine I admit it! But not the mistake you thought.” Dean said his tone high and full of the desperation that was apparent in his features.

Sam studied his brother with a quiet eye. “You told me to leave because you wanted to-“

“I wanted to hurt you. I was still pissed about you saving my ass from that hunt. It was good old fashion hurt pride. You saved my ass in front of Dad, Sammy. I was embarrassed.” Dean muttered, resting one arm over his bruised and wrapped stomach. “I was so angry with you.”

“So because I saved your ungrateful ass in front of dad you decided to let some woman all but rape you? What the hell Dean?” Sam glared at his brother and tried to ignore the tears beaming in his eyes.

Dean rolled his head back to the center of the board. “You’re missing the point Sam. I was a jackass but I didn’t sleep with her.”

“You know what? I can’t deal with this. I’m here to make sure you’re not going to die anytime soon and that’s it.” Sam turned to the door.

Dean clamped his eyes closed and whispered the words he’d been whispering into the darkness every night for the past three weeks. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”

Sam’s hand flinched as it reached for the door handle. Sam bit his lip and allowed the tears to roll down his cheek. He wiped furiously at his face then turned.

Dean sensed his eyes on him and looked back at his brother. Sam stared at him with all his fears and emotions spread across his face. “I’m going to get food…we’ll deal with this when you’re feeling better Ok?”

“You gonna be here when I’m feeling better?”

Sam gave a single nod. “Can’t seem to ever get far from you Dean. Can’t seem to ever want to either.”

Dean nodded silently and watched his brother yank the door open and flee. Seconds later he heard his brother’s car roar to life and move from the parking lot.

He allowed himself a smile. Whether Sam knew it or not he was here to stay, Dean knew enough of his brother to know he’d already been forgiven.

Before Dean could continue to relish the feeling of his lover being back with him, he heard a shrill sound of a phone ringing. Dean groaned and lifted his head to look around the room. His phone was sitting silently on the table, another piercing ring directed Dean’s glaze to the floor.

“Crap…”Dean muttered and he carefully began prying himself from the bed. The phone fall silent just as Dean stood. “Shit,” he swore, annoyed by the object. Just as he attempted to seat himself it rang again. This time he caught it in time. He lifted the phone stiffly to his ear. “Yeah?” he answered.

“Um…I’m calling for Sam Winchester.” A gentle female voice asked with a shaking voice.

Dean moved back to the bed and sat down, “This is his brother I can take a message.”

“It’s- um…not really something I can leave in a message. Do you know when he’s going to be back?”

Dean smirked, assuming with all certainty it was a call for help concerning a pheromone. “Listen, he’s not gonna be back for a while. It’s alright you can leave the message with me and I can help you.”

“This is actually a personal matter…” the woman went on, “And I really need to talk to Sam.”

Dean gripped the phone tighter in annoyances, “Listen, lady, whatever you have to say to my brother you can say to me.”

Silence filled the other end for a tense moment, “Your Dean right? He mentioned you a few times. Just tell Sam that Julie called and he needs to give me a call back as soon as possible. Ok Dean?” she added the last part in a patronizing tone that would have put Sam to shame.

Dean’s fist went white on the phone. “Unless you tell me what’s so damn important and private Sammy ain’t ever gonna hear you called, got it?”

“Just tell him-“

“Not happening Lady. Either tell me what’s going on or I hang up and forget you ever called.” Dean snapped.

“Fine,” Julie’s voice gasped, sobs filled her voice, “I’m….”

Dean heard the rest of the sentence then nothing more. He clamped the phone closed before the woman could go on. He fell into the bed, his mind flooding so fast with thoughts he felt his body begin to panic.

He’d just got him back. Sammy had just walked back into his life after three weeks of agonizing loneliness. Dean had spent every single day of that time missing his brother and praying to any god that would listen to bring back his Sammy.

Now he was going to lose him again. Just like that. Not a full ten minutes and he was already going to leave again. Dean didn’t care when the hot tears poured down his face.

His fist tightened around the phone until he heard the crack of the outer plastic. The image of the last time his brother walked away, slamming the door in his wake flooded Dean’s mind. He couldn’t go through it again.

Dean’s lifted his hand and threw the phone into the wall; he fell back and listened to it crack and break.

Twenty minutes later Sam walked through the door with a medical bag in one hand and a bag of subs in the other. Dean greeted him with a smile and complained that he wanted a burger not some wannabe chick sub.

It wasn’t until that night when Sam rested half naked against his brother’s body did he even realize he was missing his phone. Dean never coppd to the knowledge of its whereabouts.