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As he towered over she stared with wide eyes, holding her hand out in a desperate attempt to stop him.

“Sam, this isn’t you.”

“This is me! The REAL me, the one deep down that everyone tries to push aside!”

Sam swiped at her with his knife and she fell to the floor. Tears streamed down her face and she held her palm outstretched toward him, shielding her face with her shoulder.

“Sam listen to me. This isn’t you and you know that; a Leviathan has control over you but I know you’re still in there somewhere. Castiel has Dean, Dean’s safe-“

“-I’m so tired of hearing about Dean! It’s always Dean this, Dean that! How about for once it be Sam this, oh Sammy’s got this? Dean can go back to hell for all I care; in all the years I’ve been there for him all he’s done is shove me around, punch me, talk me down. Not anymore.”

Well shit. Dean had been her trump card.

“I know he’s not the best person in the world. I know he treats you like shit sometimes, but he loves you, Sam. Deep down you know that too. He would do anything for you, and he’s demonstrated that time and time again.”

Cas appeared behind and held a wooden pick close to Sam’s neck, a finger to his lips. She swallowed, rolling out of the way to dodge the knife Sam still had. The Leviathan in him was quick but they weren’t that quick. As she dodged again Castiel leapt forward, taking a hold of Sam by the neck before he shoved the wooden pick in. The Leviathan showed its true form and Castiel was quick to kill it, shoving his angel blade between its eyes. The creature screeched, dissipating into the air as Sam collapsed. His body was still, no visible signs of Sam breathing and she stared at Cas, wide eyed. Cas frowned and knelt beside his friend, nudging his shoulder. She crawled over, giving his shoulder a shake.

“S-Sam- Sam?”

With no response Castiel rolled him over on to his back, ripping the wood out as he fast as he could. Sam gasped for air as he woke, grasping at his neck where Castiel had removed the object.

“Sam, I need you to relax. I’m going to help you, but you need to close your eyes.”

Castiel nodded at the girl cradling his head.

“You too.”

Even through her closed eyes, she could still see and feel the golden warmth of Cas using his grace.

“Red?”

She span on her heel, coming face to face with Dean. His eyes were dark and it was obvious he’d been crying. When he went to speak she realised something was playing on his mind.

“Red, I, uh- well, I- I heard what… I heard what Sam was saying while you were trying to get through to him, and I was just- do you think he really thinks that?”

Dean had the look of a kicked puppy- something Red had never seen before- and she shook her head.

“That wasn’t Sam talking; it wasn’t your brother or my boyfriend, or Cas’s best friend or Jack’s father. That was a Leviathan Dean, you know they manipulate the host’s thoughts and feelings to wield them into something harmful. Sam does get annoyed sometimes, yeah, but I’d really doubt he felt that strongly about you. He’s your brother, Dean.”

“Yeah, but maybe- maybe I dunno, maybe I pushed him around too much. Maybe I asked too much and I never returned the favour.”

“Dean, you saved his life. Countless times. Sam’s so grateful for that.”

Red took Dean by the arms, giving him a squeeze.

“You can talk to Sam about it tomorrow, okay? Let Jack have his dad back for a little while before we start questioning him.”

“Yeah. I guess so. Thanks, Red.”

“SAM!”

Jack barrelled down the hallway a mile a minute when he heard the bunker door open, navigating the long corridors with very little consideration as he ran to see Sam. When he got there Sam was waiting for him and he wrapped Jack in a hug, sighing into his shoulder.

“Holy shit kid,” he murmured. Red placed her hand on Sam’s shoulder, and when he looked at her she just sent him a small smile. Jack released Sam and Sam ruffled his hair.

“What’s been goin’ on while we were gone?”

“Nothing interesting. I missed you, Sam.”

“I missed you too dude.”

Sam wrapped an arm around Jack’s shoulders, nudging Red’s side. She took his free hand, giving it a squeeze. Dean and Cas appeared, carrying all of the duffle bags. When Red went to take hers Cas just shook his head.

“No need, I have this.”

He snapped his fingers and the bag disappeared. Dean rolled his eyes, heaving his and Sam’s duffels over his shoulders.

“Guess I’ll do it the human way then.”

Everyone laughed, watching as Dean walked down the hallway. He turned the corner and Cas sighed, making a brief gesture with his hand.

“Thanks man!”

Dean’s voice could be heard from where they were and everyone smiled. Sam gave Jack’s shoulder and Red’s hand simultaneous squeezes, simply living in the moment.

“Sam?”

“Yeah?”

Sam looked up from his phone, surprised to see Dean hanging around the entrance to the war room. His face was pinched tight into worry, the lines from his eyes Sam usually connected to a smile now told him Dean was upset.

“Dean?”

“We gotta talk man.”

Sam hummed, watching as Dean sat. His brother opened a new beer, tossing the cap to the table as usual. The younger Winchester regarded his brother with curiosity when he realised something was really eating at Dean.

“Dude… what happened? Are you good?”

“Oh, yeah man, we’re good.”

Dean took a sip of his beer, Sam putting his cup of tea on to the table.

“Look, I’m just gonna come straight out with it. When the Leviathan had you, and I know they dig through your subconscious thoughts to manipulate them and all, but… that Leviathan told Red that you would prefer I was back in hell. I know that, like… we have our differences and all, but I didn’t-“

“-dude. What are you talking about?”

Sam straightened his posture, holding up a hand to stop Dean’s rambling.

“Dean, I don’t… I don’t get where the hell you got that from. I’ve never felt that way, okay?”

“Bullshit, Sam!”

Dean slammed his hand on the table, Sam almost jumping out of his seat. He shook his head, focusing on Dean.

“Dean I swear… I have never felt that way-“

“-Dean, stop. Now.”

Castiel had appeared and he seemed irritated, fully dressed but sleepy for some reason. Dean shoved his chair back as he stood, and stormed away. Sam frowned, resting his head on the table.

“Sorry, Cas, you were probably busy-“

“-no, I wasn’t, but Jack heard Dean. He’s with Red now.”

Sam’s eyes widened, and he headed for his room. He stopped on his heel and spun to face Cas.

“Really, I have no idea what Dean was talking about.”

“I do. Get some rest Sam.”

Castiel nodded at him and Sam opened his mouth to respond, then chose to head to his room.

Red and Jack were sitting on the end of Sam and Red’s bed. Jack was mumbling something and Red had herself wrapped around him- it had almost become her job at that point to mother Jack just as Sam and Cas fathered the Nephilim. She looked up and saw Sam, a smile reaching her lips for a moment before it fell. She rubbed Jack’s back and leaned in to whisper in his ear. His head shot up, and he whipped around to face Sam.

“Sam…”

“Jack, hey, I uh…”

“Is it true? Were you really thinking of sending Dean back to hell? I haven’t always gotten along with him, I’m pretty sure he wants to kill me still, but even I haven’t considered-“

“-Jack I swear to you here and now that I have never- I would never… I wouldn’t do that to Dean. You know I’ve been there, a couple times apparently, and I wouldn’t wish that kind of pain on anyone.”

“But the Leviathan had to have leverage from somewhere! They don’t make that up Sam, you know that!”

“Look, Jack, I didn’t wish Dean back to hell, okay?! As I told you I wouldn’t wish that on anyone!”

“Then what did you wish for?!” Jack yelled back, his entire body shaking with anger and the nephilim’s eyes glowed gold. Red grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling him to sit down.

“Jack, you need to calm down and listen to Sam.”

By now Sam was close to tears, his head hung low.

“We were fighting… it was a bad one, this time. I know we say that kind of often, but… this was definitely up there in the worst fights section.”

His voice was croaky and weak, but Jack kept his head away.

“It was just- I dunno, I wanted to hurt him, but- but it just slipped out, and it wasn’t a conscious thought, but I was so mad, and-“

“-Sam…”

“- just the idea that I wished my own brother to die, even after fighting so hard to bring him back so many times, it just… I feel sick.”

His body was shaking and he stumbled to his desk chair, collapsing on to it in a flurry of arms and legs. His shoulders caved in on himself and he breathed heavily. He had never expected to feel this way, but now that he’d started he didn’t think he could stop. Red got off the bed and strode over to kneel in front of Sam, taking his hands.

“What happened, Sam?”

“It- it was something that I’m really not proud of, Jack, it’s something that I pushed to the back of my mind but I guess the Leviathan really brought out the worst in me.”

“Hm.”

Red kept her eyes on Sam, but reached out behind her.

“C’mere Jack.”

Jack stepped forward cautiously, kneeling down beside Red. She hugged him close, Sam looking up.

“Jack, I need you to know that wasn’t me. The things that Leviathan blurted out were complete bullshit.”

“I know Sam. M’sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry dude, please don’t be sorry.”

“Gah, chick flick moments.”

Dean and Castiel stood at the doorway, leaning on the doorframe. Red poked her head up and glared, surprised when Dean crossed into the room. His arms wrapped carefully around Sam’s neck from behind, giving him a gentle hug.

“It’s okay man, it’s okay. I believe you.”

Castiel entered and stood beside Jack, his hand in Jack’s hair brushing through carefully. His free hand held on to Red’s shoulder, and when she looked up at him he sent her a small, Cas-smile. Red knew exactly what he was telling her and stood back, taking Jack with her. The three watched as Sam and Dean hugged their argument out, surprised when Sam got up to apolgise to Dean. Dean held his tall brother, sighing against his shoulder.

“Sam I know you, and I know we can get in each other’s hair sometimes. I’m sorry too, sometimes you need space and I don’t get the hint.”

“Sometimes it’s the other way around,” Sam admitted, feeling Dean chuckle.

“Sometimes. But right now, we’re cool. I won’t kill you if you don’t kill me, deal?”

“Deal.”

Castiel gave Red’s hip a squeeze and she nudged Jack’s side.

“Aren’t you hungry? I doubt you’ve eaten anything healthy since we left.”

“You said you wouldn’t tell Sam! And Red!”

Jack’s voice trailed down the hallway as he followed Red to the kitchen. With the original trio together, the brothers let Cas into their hug.

“Thanks for saving my ass Cas, I owe you one,” Sam murmured. Cas laughed.