The seconds dragged out as Sam stared down at Dean, unable to say a word. Having trouble even thinking.

The words that the strange little man he’d found in his room resounded in his head, taking root in his mind.

He left and he never came back and I got stuck here!

Not that you’d have any idea how it feels to be left behind by your family!

And of course, he was remembering what motel he was staying at. Trails West; the same motel they’d been staying at when his big brother Dean had died. He saw his brother in his mind’s eye, leaping into the witch’s attack and shoving Sam out of the way.

He saw the attack hit yet again, the air warping around Dean as he vanished. Protecting his baby brother to the last second.

“Holy shit,” Sam whispered in realization. His fingers almost leapt away from that tiny, frail body he’d just grabbed moments ago. His brother. He’d grabbed his brother. “Holy shit… I mean, fuck.”

Sam leaned in close, wanting to see all the features of the small person he was holding captive. “Dean… is it really you?”

Dean shuffled back a few steps, a look of fear briefly overriding his aggravation. Guilt hit Sam at that, realizing after the way he’d grabbed the man and trapped him, he deserved that fear.

Dean didn’t say a thing, but he reached inside the small black t-shirt he was wearing. Hesitantly, he pulled out a small necklace. Sam couldn’t see what it was since it was barely the size of a grain of sand, but his eyes widened in realization as the light glimmered off of a brass amulet.

And then he knew.

It was the amulet he’d given his brother.

“Dean…”

Original Ask || Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4 || Part 5 || Part 6 (here)