Dean has been depressed since a young age of 14, eventually he learns pain can take away his emotional distress. He doesn't take his pills until John returns broken from a hunt, when he was 19. Now dads gone missing, how can Sam protect him?

#7 - We need each other

“Dean?” Sam whispered, shutting the engine off and gently shaking his brother,” Wake up!”

He quietly yawned, stretched and sighed heavily.

“How long was I out for?” He grunted.

“A good few hours.” Sam replied, not impressed that his brother practically asked the question he should have been asking.

They both climbed out of the car, closing the door’s behind them in typical brotherly fashion, raided the trunk for any guns or blades and headed to the check-in house.

“One room please.” Dean asked, lacking his usual cocky confidence.

“King or two queens honey?” asked a short woman behind the counter, raising an eyebrow.

“Two queens.”

He gave her his visa under the name Mr Minsk. Taking the key, he wandered by Sam, whom was closely watching for signs of his normal older brother. Dean slogged yes but not like this, he looked weak almost sickly. It made Sam wants to carry him, hold him up but instead he just waddled behind. Doing anything would result in Dean getting angry and these days it’s the last thing Sam wants.

His stride had changed, the way he carried himself, the paces he took, the way his rib cage and lower anatomy shifted. It wasn’t his older brothers cocky ‘Im-sexy-‘cos-I-know-i-am-baby’ walk, and it hurt. Sam kept telling himself that if only Dean took his pills then he would get better for good, he would have his walk back and would no dought be back to ‘wooing’ women in no time. Because with the loss of his confidence it’s no big surprise that his sex drive has gone too.

The motel room was modern but small with two beds, a wardrobe, a kitchen and a bathroom. No TV sat on any off the small desks, only a radio took its place proudly on the kitchen table. It was nothing to write home about but for the amount of time they planned to stay there it would do.

Dean through his bag onto the bed nearest the bathroom and lay down, with his arms behind his head.

“Your going back to sleep?” Sam asked his tone disbelieving.

“Um-hmmm.”

“Dude! What’s wrong with you?!”

“What do you mean? I tired is all?”

“Your drove us into a ditch because something ‘hit the car’ so I took over the wheel in hope that freaking 5 hours of sleep would have you ready and able to sit up and do research maybe even get some food, so that I could sleep. So why are you still tired, why are you still pale and weak?!”

“Where are you going with this?” Dean asked raising an eyebrow and sitting on his elbows.

“Your pills!! Take the god-damn things. Then you wouldn’t be so tired, then you wouldn’t be so weak and maybe you wouldn’t act so insane and...and...crazy!”

Anger bubbled in Dean’s blood. How dare his brother, his little brother stand in front

Of him and lecture him.

“Okay! Sam I’ve had enough of your bullshit today!! Enough of your lectures, seriously im twenty six not a little kid. So shut up and get your god damn sleep okay!!”

“You know what your problem is?” Sam snapped,” You can’t take that im the one basically looking after you, you can’t admit Dad is gone, he’s ran off! You won’t let your feelings out and because you haven’t taken your pills the problem is building, up and up. You’re going to crack, sooner if not later! And yes, Dean, yes you are twenty six so why don’t you start acting like it?”

Dean stood up like lightning. He wasn’t happy. He didn’t like Sam’s new found attitude, didn’t like all this little ‘reality check’, he didn’t like the truth.

“Sammy! Stop it! Stop trying to read me, stop trying to tell me your little version of reality. I don’t care, I don’t care! I DON’T CARE! So give up!”

There was silence; it wasn’t awkward but full of hate. It hung in the air like a bad smell. They kept eye contact, and it stung. Eventually Sam looked away and went to sit-down on the other bed, Dean lay back down also. His back to Sam and to the front door.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t care. Im not going to stop trying. You’re my brother; I would never give up on you. I love you so much,” Sam’s voice broke.

Dean heard bed springs shift and suddenly, with out warning, there was an arm linked around his waist. Sam’s head rested on his shoulder, his long legs tangling protectively in Dean’s. Dean took hold of his hand.

“Im here for you Dean, Im always here.” Sam whispered into his ear.

“Im not the one who needs you, you need me. You’re the one that needs me Sammy. I love you too.”

“We need each other Dean.”

Sam held tight even as Dean tried to squirm out of hid grip, he still held on. Dean elbowed Sam in the ribs, which didn’t work, he, by accident, elbowed his eye too. Eventually he pushed himself off, so he was laying on his back beside his little brother, with his arms around his shoulders and his head on his shoulder.

This wasn’t Dean; Dean didn’t do things like this. But Sam played along anyway, stroking his brothers, short, brown hair.

End