Episode: Season 7 - Hello, Cruel World Pt. 1

I knew something was bothering Sammy - even before he revealed that he had been "seeing" Lucifer. I guess it was because we'd always been close - ever since children. You always know when your best friend's hurting. So when I came back to the house to find Bobby and Sam both gone, I knew something was wrong. I cursed under my breath as I hurriedly hot-wired one of the cars in his junk-yard. I had specifically told Bobby not to leave him alone while Dean was gone and what does he do? The exact opposite!

Gee, thanks, Bobby, I thought to myself sarcastically as the engine hummed to life and I climbed into the car, now I have to find him myself. Thank goodness Dean had had that GPS installed on Sam's phone. This way I could track him, at least. It was a long drive but finally, the GPS led me to an abandoned warehouse on 5th. I frowned, shutting the engine off before stepping out onto the cracked pavement. Why would Sam go here?

The heel of my boots click-clacked on the ground as I made my way inside. It was dark in here except for the lights hanging overhead, giving the place an eerie, empty feel. Perhaps that's because it was empty. But just as I had walked in, I heard the door squeak open loudly behind me. I whipped around to find Dean looking back at me. Huffing, I faced away from him.

"Why are you here?" I growled in annoyance.

"Because Sam's my baby brother and he needed me," Dean bit back before shrugging, "Besides, I kind of followed you on the way here - you drive like a bat out of-"

I waved him off, "Yeah, yeah, so I've been told,"

"Sam?" Dean called out into the building as we walked alongside each other, his voice echoing off the walls, "Sam?"

I scanned the room for any sign of him, looking behind crates and shelves before finally, my eyes landed on a tall, brunette standing smack-dab in the middle of the room.

"Sam!" I called out to him then, relief washing over me as Dean and I came closer.

But as we neared, I could tell something was wrong. Sam's eyes shifted from me to Dean and then back again warily.

"Sam, what are you doing?" Dean asked him, looking around briefly for any intruders.

Suddenly, a gun cocked and my head snapped to the sound, eyes widening when I saw that Sam was the one holding it, aimed straight for my chest.

"Whoa, whoa!" Dean said, putting up his hands in surrender as he side-stepped in front of me protectively.

I bristled at the action but let it slide. Now was really not the time for our bickering.

"I thought I was with you guys, Dean," Sam told him, eyes shifting to me briefly before focusing once more on his brother.

"Okay. Well, here we are," Dean said slowly, gesturing to himself and me.

"No. No, I don't- l-" Sam stuttered, glancing beside him at seemingly nothing before turning back to face us, "I can't know that for sure. You understand me?"

My heart pounded in my chest, scared for Sam's safety as Dean replied, "Okay, then we're gonna have to start small,"

The gun in his hand shook as did his next words, "I don't remember driving here..."

But suddenly, without any warning, Sam quickly moved his hand and shot at thin air beside him. A shriek erupted from my mouth unbidden and involuntarily, my fingers clenched at the back of Dean's dark jacket.

"Whoa, whoa, Sam! This discussion does not require a weapons discharge," he told his brother loudly, trying to take control of the situation.

Sam lowered his gun, breathing heavily. My heart broke in my chest for my best friend, the look in his hazel eyes terrifying me. Taking a deep breath, I cautiously stepped out from behind Dean. Dean tried to make a grab for me to pull me back behind him but I side-stepped his advances, slowly making my way over to Sam.

"Look at me. Come on," I told him softly, coaxing him to relax.

"You don't know what's real? Look, man, I've been to hell, okay? I know a thing or two about torture," Dean said to him, walking up beside me slowly, "Enough to know that it feels different than the pain of this-this regular, stupid...this,"

"No, no," Sam shook his head adamantly, fear seeping into his voice, "How can you know that for sure?"

"Let me see your hand," I told him, stepping up to stand in front of him.

He glanced down at his good hand and I rolled my eyes.

"No, no, no. The gimp hand. Let me see it," I said more forcefully this time.

Sam looked away then, staring off into nothing and I took that time to grab his large hand in mine.

"Hey! This is real!" I told him seriously, "Not a year ago, not in hell. Now. I was with you when you cut it. Dean sewed it up... Look!"

I pressed my fingers down hard on his palm then and he hissed in pain. Remorse coursed through me for doing that to him but I knew it was the only way to make him come back to reality, if only temporarily.

"This is different, right? Than the mess that's tearing at your walnut? I'm different. Right?" Dean asked his brother, stepping up beside me now.

Sam shook off my hand then, easing the pain from his wound before he glanced down at me again briefly before looking at Dean.

"Yeah, I think so," he nodded slightly, still uncertain.

But he still looked behind us at nothing, making me wary for him, for his sanity. He mashed down on his cut again, this time making blood seep through the bandage.

"Hey, I am your flesh-and-blood brother, okay? The only one who can legitimately kick your behind in real time. You got away," Dean tried to get through to him.

"We got you out, Sammy," I said quietly before speaking up louder, "Believe in that. Believe ME, okay? You gotta believe me,"

"You gotta make it stone number one and build on it. You understand?" Dean backed me up.

Finally, Sam began to nod, "Yeah, yeah, agreed..."