"Sam!" Dean's deep exclamation made the little plastic window shutters quiver. He pressed his face up against the side of the house with one eye peering into the window Sam had just fallen away from. He finally spotted the tiny man lying in a heap on the floor. He was so small, he could barely make out the expression on his face.

"Holy shit Dean!" Yelled Sam, as his brother closed in, his words came out in a quick stutter as he felt the all too familiar fear settle in. Scrambling to back up and stand up at the same time, Sam ended up tumbling a few more times before he could stand. Dean's enormous eye blocked the window, making the emerald pool all that was visible.

"Space," breathed Sam, worried he would start hyperventilating, "I need space."

Dean immediately backed off, and filtered light returned through the open window. He drug a hand over his face, ready to tear his hair out from sheer frustration.
"But I... The card..." Dean remembered clearly it had said "reset" on it. But... That didn't make sense, given the current arrangements. He shook his head. "I didn't ask for this."

"We'll figure it out, Dean," shouted Sam, trying to comfort himself as much as he tried to comfort Dean. "But," He sighed throwing up a hand, trying to take in his brother's size. "One thing at a time."

Taking in deep breaths, he could feel his heart beat slow. Good. As the silence crept up on them, an idea occurred to Sam. A terrifying idea.
"Dean... Is Cas," he paused, trying to word the question, "Is Cas in any of the other rooms?"

"If he is, he's not making a fuss about about it."
The smallest sound of Dean's shirt and jacket crumpling as he craned his neck lower was now amplified to an almost alien loudness for the younger Winchester. Dean started to peer into each room with one big green eye. He did a double take when he recognized the kitchen on the first floor as the one from his childhood. Complete with a half drunk sippie cup of chocolate milk. It made his blood boil to know Gabriel had been digging around in his personal memories.

It would be so much easier if Sam could move around the house on his own... But the dude couldn't even open the door. Dean noticed a line running along he side of the house and straightened up. It was a hinge.

"Hold tight, Sammy. I'm about to open it up." He waited a second to give Sam time to brace himself. Then he pulled. The whole plastic house gave a jolt as it opened up along a seam down the middle.

The feeling of the house splitting was incredibly sickening. Omitting the fact that the whole motion made Sam feel dizzy, it was more so the fact that his brother was so big, or he was so small... that he could easily move the house. Sam grasped the chair for support as he took in a deep breath. He felt pathetic, but more than that, he was tired. Tired of this whole mess.

Remembering which room Sam was in, Dean pinched the teeny plastic doorknob from the inside. It took a while of rattling and a few muttered "dammit!"s before his big fingers finally got a good grip on the doorknob. The tiny door swung open.

"Do you want to come out?" Dean rumbled quietly. "I'm not dying to get my hands on you persay, but just gimme a sign you're still kicking."

Embarrased by his lacking stature, Sam avoided Dean's eyes as he made his way to the drop off by the door. Dean was big.

Huge.

Massive.

Sam breathed in sharply. It continued to get worse.

"The sooner we get out of this mess, the better..."

Dean just stared, mouth agape as the microscopic version of his brother talked. He could hear him... Whichever was crazy in and of itself. He could Barely see those tiny lips moving.

Dean looked around at the room, then at his brother. Then he did a double take. Where the wall had been blank, there was now a black door.
"I think I found us a way out of here." Dean whispered. Very, very slowly, he moved his hand up to the edge of the platform.

Sam pursed his lips. His distaste for being carried was stronger than ever. Taking in a deep breath Sam stepped into the massive palm. The heat that rose from Dean's skin was nauseating. Forget getting back to his old size, he would settle for his prior size of six inches.

Sam could feel Dean's hand tremble under his step. The thought worried him, Dean had always been dextrous and agile with his hands, and to see him strugglr to keep his palm steady... that in itself was terrifying

As he glanced at the drop, Sam groaned. Too high. Heights had never been a major issue for him, but his new size would soon change that.

"D-dude," stuttered Sam, looking up towards Dean as he grasped his thumb for support, "Pocket, please."

Dean finally clamped his mouth shut and managed a weak nod. He swallowed as Sam shifted his barely perceptible weight, the sound more audible to tiny Sam than he knew.
As fragile as Sam had been at six inches... That had been hard enough. Now a frown was slowly tattooing itself onto Dean's face- afraid to even breath too deeply, lest he inhale his own brother.

With painstaking care to his movements, the hunter sat up and spread open the pocket of his shirt. He wanted Sam closer this time, not where he could easily fall out. When he tilted his hand to lower him in, Sam when tumbling into the curve of his fingers.
"Shit, I'm sorry!" He clenched his teeth so hard it hurt.

The tumble had came as more of a shock than actually painful. The skin was oddly spongy and soft, taking out the brute force of the impact. Shaking Sam rolled into a sitting position, flinching at the thunderous rumbling of his brother`s voice. He could feel Dean`s voice resound in his chest, a sensation that was absolutely terrifying.

I'm fine. Totally fine. Don't worry.

He wanted so badly to push out those words, to calm Dean... to calm himself, but his voice would catch in his throat upon each attempt. He was shaking. It wasn`t the fall. Nor the voice. It was the crushing weight of the world around him. His pitiful insignificance. It all seemed to attack him at once, building up into a heavy ball in the pit of his stomach.

His voice finally escaped his chest, sounding choked. No words fled his lips. To his surprise, he sobbed. Even if he could see through the rapidly forming tears that clouded his vision, Sam wouldnt have looked towards Dean. He was pathetic enough as is. No need to add to it.

Rare was the day when the brothers let the other know of a painful secret. Even rarer was seeing the other cry. It had been years since Sam had broken down in front of him, and here he was, falling to pieces in his very own hand.

Dean's heart shattered in an instant when he realized those tiny noises were. His Adam's apple bobbed and he tilted his head to the side, looking closer at him with an ever present self-blame for Sammy's pain. He waned to comfort him, but what could he do at this size?

"Hey... I've gotcha..." Chick flick moments disregarded, Sam was suddenly that little boy who came home from a sucky day at school. Dean hesitated, then lifted his hand closer to his neck, giving him a hug of sorts.

"I'm sorry, Sammy." Dean murmured, afraid to deafen him. "I'm sorry I can't seem to get anything right here. Not like that's news to you, I guess... But I'm gonna fix this."

Dean`s comforting only made the tears flow harder. He was drowning in self loathing and desperation. He could care less about how he looked to Dean. He couldn't possibly think of him as any less.

Sam could only guess at what Dean was whispering to him. The sound came to low, too close, for him to make out. The rumbling that built up in Dean`s throat passed through Sam, a sensation that reminded him of his insignificance, yet also seemed oddly comforting.

Sam held tightly to what he assumed was one of Dean`s fingers, trying ridiculously to slow the continuous flow of tears.

"Dean..." Groaned Sam, still refusing to meet his gaze. No more words escaped his lips. He was done. He was torn between his desire for the much needed comfort, and his natural instinct to hide his emotions. He wanted so badly to crawl into the pocket and stay there until he awoke from this nightmare.

Dean clenched his eyes shut. Tiny pinpricks of pressure that could only be fingers nearly made him gasp. Dammit, Gabriel... What the fuck was his problem, screwing so bad with Sam anyways?

"I never meant to hurt you." A final, thundering whisper rattled through Sam's body before the house-sized hand began to move again. Soon enough, more features of Dean's face came into view, still uncomfortably close with the occasional breeze of warm exhalation. His eyes looked as helpless as he was angry.

Sam stared at his feet, as he sat Indian style on his older brothers immense palm. He couldnt look into those eyes. Those huge pools of devastation. He couldnt look at the magnified emotion that so rarely showed on his brother's face.

Rubbing his forearm to his eyes, the wave of tears slowed. He could practically hear the judgmental tone of his father's voice as it droned out the all too familiar order.

Take care of Sammy.

Dad was right. Dean always had to take care of him. Dean always had to fix his mess. Dean always had to take care of Sammy. Sam cleched his fists. He wished he had something to hit.

Though, something Dean had said struck Sam. The weight of his words seemed to clench his heart in an icy embrace.

"I never meant to hurt you."

Sams head snapped upwards. How could Dean pin this on himself? On shaky tired legs, Sam forced himself to stand,

"Dean... How can you -why would you think..." Sam wiped his eyes, and against his prior resolve, he made contact with the massive green eyes, "I'm okay Dean," spoke Sam, choking a bit on his words, "Its not your fault..."

"I picked the wrong card. I shoulda.." Dean trailed off and shook his head, trying to muffle a loud cough into his shoulder before it came out. He kept his eyes low for a moment, then looked back at the inch-high brother in his hand. He didn't know what to do. That was a certainty, and it was a heavy weight upon his shoulders. But he couldn't tell Sam that.
"Listen, there's a door here. I'm going to move you down again so you can ride it out till I deep fry us an arch angel. Got it?" Emotions relaxed by a game face, Dean gave Sam a gentle look to be brave.

"You can't predict the out come of the tricks..." mumbled Sam... he sure as hell knew that. As he was lowered into the pocket Sam felt a certain kind of battle calm set in, emotions forgotten, it was all game face now.

Though, Sam couldnt help but consider that had he not grabbed the deck, none of this trouble would have happened.

The deck...

Sam prayed to someone, certainly not Gabriel, that Cas would have the deck. They were in desperate need of some wild luck.

Dean very slowly rose to his feet, every step feeling like lead with the knowledge of the fragility of his precious family member riding in his pocket. He just hoped he wasn't about to screw things up again.

The hallway was dark, lit by medieval looking torches every six feet. At the end was a light. Not THE light, but another opening. A curved doorway of sorts.

Dean was just about done. He was done fighting, done resisting, done screwing with the trickster's plan. It was hurting Sammy. What would happen next? Would he shrink out of sight entirely? His blood chilled at the thought. How the hell was he supposed to take care of him like this?

His footsteps echoed eerily and alone in the hallway as he progressed towards the light. This was it.

The pocket was roomier than it had been prior too his even more reduced stature, and while the leg room was appreciated, the sheer emptiness of the space forced an empty feeling into his chest. Curling into the corner of the pocket, Sam pressed himself against Dean's chest. It was as much for physical support against the swaying as it was mental support against the whole ordeal.

Sam could feel Dean's heart beating beside him. Hell, he could hear it. The sound seemed to lull his nerves to sleep. Forcing him to remember the days when they were kids, and he would fall asleep glued to Dean's side, praying their dad would come home okay.

Sam sighed. Despite the swaying of the pocket and impending doom of what was to come, Sam felt tired. It seemed like an eternity since he's last slept. The constant drumming of Dean's heart beat seemed to push him further and further towards sleep.

"Dean?" Shouted Sam, unsure if his brother could hear him. He needed a distraction. There was no way he was going to sleep through the upcoming ... something.

The footsteps scuffed to a loud stop, then the flap was opened by a questioning index finger.
"You say something?" Dean's quiet voice rumbled.

The more Dean walked, the more Sam's nerves had begun to reappear. He could feel them buzz to life like a shot of adrenaline. He began to feel claustrophobic. A flash of relief filled him when Dean opened the flap.

"What's it look like out there?" Asked Sam, not liking being kept in the dark, literally.

Dean glanced up at the hallway.
"Just a hallway. All medieval looking. Surprised your inner geek radar hasn't gone off yet."
A smirk crossed his face, though he doubted Sam could even realy see him at the moment. "I've got you, Sammy. This is almost over." Dean said, reassuring himself equally.

Sam forced a smile to his face, happy to have Dean's support. Sam figited in the pocket, the upcoming grand showdown making him antsy. He shoved at the fabric that seemed to be more and more like an enclosure than a hide away.

As soon as the flap closed, the feeling of claustrophobia returned ten fold. Sam breathed out trying to calm himself, but nothing seemed to do the trick. The air was muggy with his exhalations and still possessed that god-awful stench.

He started to feel light headed, and had to force himself to breath normally. All his concerns were barreling at him at the speed of light. What if Dean fell? Where was Cas? Would they ever get home?

Trying to ease his agitation, San lifted the flap, letting fresh air soak the inside of the pocket. Taking it in, Sam felt his head clear.

Wait.

He could reach the flap?

He could peek his head out?

"Uh, Dean?"

"Just hang in there, Sammy." Dean muttered, pushing through the orange curtains.

The room was large enough, with high ceilings and and stone walls. The decor was sparse and eccentric in nature, favoring the color indigo. Overall, it reminded Dean of Willy Wonka's private office. And in the high-backed chair behind the desk, sat the Trickster himself. He watched Dean with a piercing intensity. It always threw the hunter off guard to be the subject of the angel's serious side.
"About time you got here." Gabriel nodded at the chair in front of the desk. Dean stood before him instead. His hands clenched into fists, but he controlled himself.
"I'm done." Dean said.
Gabriel say up straight, interested.
"Whatever you want me to I'll do it. Just fix my brother... Please"
"Ah, all complaints go to our human resources department." A spotlight moved to show Castiel- or rather, a frozen, statuesque version of the angel. Dean ignored the dread in his stomach as Gabriel went on.
"Besides... Isn't this what you wanted? Little Sammy needs you again. Really looks up to his big brother... You can keep an eye on him, keep the lil guy under your thumb and out of harm." Gabriel paused, then added for dark humor, "Well... Assuming you're careful."
Dean felt his blood boil.
"You're... Just sick. Really." Dean spat "You're outta your mind. I don't need my brother in the palm of my hand to know he's not going anywhere. I never... I never wanted him helpless. He's strong. Stronger than me, and the best hunter I know."

Sam sat in the pocket, stunned. Dean's words had certainly hit home. He'd always believed he was, well, as the trickster put it. To hear Dean say that he was strong. Well, Sam was having his own private chick flick moment to say the least. He knew that Dean missed being the big brother, being relied on, looked up too... it was always the little things that his brother appreciated, and to hear him shove those aside without a second thought... He could feel himself growing with pride... and literally growing.

"Fix him?" Laughed the Angel, leaning back in his seat. "Now why would I do that?"

Sam could feel Dean's body tense, Hell, he could hear his heart miss a beat.

"Don't get your pretty pink panties in a knot," continued Gabriel, "I don't need to fix anything. Never did."

It was a slow process but Sam was well aware if it now. He now filled the pocket to the point he had to sit down to remain inside.

Dean was going to ask him what the hell he was talking about... But the movement in his pocket finally got his attention. He pulled open the flap and to his astonishment, Sam's head and shoulders poked out as the tiny hunter raised his eyes upward. Dean's severe frown deepened, green eyes as wide as the little hazel ones below.
In an instant, he had scooped Sam up between his big hands held him up in front of him. Maybe Gabriel didn't need to snap his fingers this time... Sam was growing on his own. Soon enough, the little guy took up both hands.

"How're you doing that?" Dean murmured urgently. There was hope in his desperacy now.

Sam stared back at his brother, too confused by his growing to voice his distaste for being held. He could feel all eyes on him...

"I..." Sam paused, ideas bubbled in his mind, but he couldnt get passed that he was doing it himself. "I don't know!"

He heard the snap of the tricksters fingers, and in a flash, he was seated, miniaturized, on Dean's shoulder, a wide smile plastered on his face.

"No lying Sammy," sighed the trickster, over exaggerating his eye roll. "You're a smart kid. You know why."

Dean bristled as he came into direct contact with the source of their problems. It almost caused him physical pain to bite back the spiteful comments at this point.

"Ignore him." He told Sam. "Just keep doing whatever you're doing."
The growing had slowed for a moment, but as Dean's certainty and confidence shine through, it picked up pace enough, Sam passed the foot high mark.
"Just five and a half to go," dean said, crouching down and setting his brother on his own two feet. He really had outgrown his big brother, in more ways than one..
Even at eighteen freaking inches, Dean added to himself. Bittersweet.

Sam nodded, not quite sure how to continue something he had no idea how he started. He watch as his surroundings seemed to shrink around him. It was disorienting to watch it happen so slowly. As Dean crouched infront of him, Sam bit his lip. Those huge eyes stared passed him... stared into him. He suddenly felt like a kid again. The growing stopped.

No.

Don't think like that.

Dean knows I'm not a kid. Dean believes in me.

Sam sucked in a deep breath, and shut his eyes, trying to replay everything that had been said earlier. Something else to focus on...

"Chop chop Moose, we dont have all day!"Giggled the trickster, as he leaned against Dean's neck.

"Knock it off." Dean plucked Gabriel off his shoulder. He was temporarily thrown off guard that the little angel actually let himself be grabbed at all,.. But he caught ain't of Sam and brightened. He was halfway there. He scrutnizd Sam'e face for any sign of exhaustion or pain... If any was there, he deserved an Oscar for covering it up.
"You're in final laps , man. Come on.."

"You better watch that grip, Winchester." Cautioned the Angel, "I quite like this vessel."

Sam shot Dean a smile. The encouragement was appreciated, as was getting the trickster to pipe down. He could feel a warm buzzing in his chest as the growing picked up pace. Still moving slowly, but fast enough that it was making him dizzy to keep his eyes open.

Shutting his eyes again Sam focused on his breathing. He could do this. This was about to be over!

Dean returned the grin, eyes darting over his little brother's expanding body. Damn, this was weird. But he didn't linger on that thought.

Dean raised an eyebrow Down at the mini Gabriel, arching a light eyebrow at him as he held him in an unrelenting fist.

"Are you seriously gonna tell me this was like that Ruby slippers crap? Sam could've changed back any time he wanted?"

"You're gettin warmer, I'll give you that. Sammy boy can fill you in on the rest."

Sam's eyes shot open at the words,
"What are you talking about?" his growing slowed. Dammit Sam. Focus.

The angel vanished from Dean's grasp and reappeared in front of Sam. Right in front of Sam. Or better yet, on Sam. The miniature trickster was balanced on Sam's nose, each hand held a fist full of hair for balance. With one hand he gestured to himself,

"Omnipotent. I'm in that thick skull of yours whenever I want." laughed Gabriel, his motions playful, but his eyes darkly serious. Sam reddened at the lack of personal space, both mental and physical.

Was it true ? Did he really know the answer? Was it as simple as that? He had to overcome his own mental blockages, and poof it was done?

He was strong.

He is strong.

And Dean knows it.

The tricksters face lit up, and seemingly instantly Sam shot up a disorienting 6 inches. Sam stumbled, landing awkwardly on his bottom, with the trickster awkwardly splayed out on his face.

Gabriel dusted himself off, standing up on Sam's cheek.
"Don't." He gave Dean a look of warning, ignoring Sam's uncomfortable expression. Touching Sam would reverse the progress he had made. Obviously. humans, sheesh! It was like teaching calculus to infants sometimes.
Dean stood up now, watching from above. Gabriel slid down to talk into Sam's ear.
"You two are worse than a soap opera!" He jeered impatiently.

"Well you're not exactly helping." mumbled Sam, scooping the trickster in his hands so he could sit up.

"Do you expect me to spoon feed you information?" Groaned the Angel, as he strolled around the span of Sam's hand with an eerie lack of caution. Though he was no more than 6 inches, the tricksters voice seemed to carry perfectly. A fact that unnerved Sam.

Pushing himself to standing, Sam was face to face with Dean's chest. Looking up at Dean, he tried to the best of his ability not to imagine how similar this was to when he was a kid.

"Gunna miss being tall?" Laughed Sam, as he sprouted another few inches, hoping to cover up the weird with humor.

Dean chuckled for Sam's benefit. He kept his eyes on Sam, unable to look away even if he wanted to.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, little brother." He said with a calm mask that his he turmiltuous emotions within. He felt somewhat of a need to steel up a bit after his vulnerable exchange.
"Though... I am gonna miss being able to drop you in my pocket whenever you're being a lousy nag." He cracked a small smile, watching as Sam shifted, raised his head. Eye to eye now.

Sam smiled. His heart felt as if it was being squeezed. He wasn't too sure why he felt such a strong feeling of melancholy. The trickster groaned impatiently from Sam's palm as he slowly began to surpass Dean.

"Jerk."

"Bitch." Dean leveled back.

And then it was over. Sam was standing his natural six feet four inches high. And dean was back to looking up at his little brother. They stared at each other a moment, relishing the normalcy without crossing over into queer town. With a subtle narrowing of his eyes, Dean silently told Sam to trap the tiny angel. Communication had to be subtle for this to work.

"You know, personally, I liked you best as a moose.." Gabriel said, clearly ready to wrap up.

Without warning, Sam's hand closed around him and Dean forced a ring over the miniature arch angels head. Gabriel looked downright murderous. He summoned the energy to transport across the room... But nothing happened. He looked down at the ring constructing around his waist. Enochian symbols were roughly etched into its exterior.

Dean looked rather proud of himself- but not cockily so, for a change. "Asked Cas about the terminology back I New York. And we both know there's plenty of down time when you're traveling by pocket."

They shared a grimace at the memory.

The grimace turned into a smile as Sam stared at his older brother. It felt right to be looking at him from his height. Normal.

"Cas..." Sam's smile faded as he turned to the angel, still frozen in his statuesque stance. After briefly sharing a look with Dean, Sam focused his attention on the angel in his hand.

Gabriel eyed him furiously. He's stopped squirming and instead stared at the brothers hatefully.

"Change him back. " Sam ordered.

"Or what?" Gabriel spat.
"Or we'll dunk you in holy oil and roast you like a marshmallow." Dean answered evenly. The little angel eyed him up and down, trying to tell if there was a flask hidden away in that bulky jacket of his.
"..You're bluffing." Gabriel decided. Dean immediately reached into his deep inner pocket and pulled out a hip flask. Recognizing the scent of holy oil the moment it was open, Gabe gave in.

"OKAY. Fine." He said with as much venom as he could muster. Without looking away. From them, Castiel was unfrozen behind them. Dean whirled and hastened to his side.
"You okay?" He demanded

The angel coughed, his throaty voice sounding like gravel in cement mixer. When no coherent words formed, Castiel simply nodded as he continued to clear his throat.

"Well chuckleheads," started Gabriel, pulling Dean's attention back to Sam's hands. "Now that we've had our fun, I suggest popping me out of your little trap. You know, before I start to hold a grudge."

His words were filled with a confident sarcasm, but the venom in the undertones was unmistakable. Sam glared down at the tiny angel. He did have a fear for him welling up inside of himm making his chest tighten with a sort of anxiety, but his loathing for the ridiculous... idiotic... embarrassing... MOCKERY that he had been put through seemed to overlap any sort of fear that remained.

His hand closed around the angel, grip slowly tightening.
"You think YOU have a grudge?" growled the younger Winchester.

"Cas, can you beam us outta here?" Dean asked.

Castiel gauged the surrounding energy versus his own, then nodded. He placed a hand on each of them. In the blink of an eye, they were back in the motel room. The beds were half made.. It was still morning. Like they had never left.

"You're making a huge mistake." Gabriel hissed.
"Wouldn't be the first time." Dean said back. He picked up his duffel bag, more than ready to put all this behind him. He nodded the others toward the door.
"Y'know, he'd make a good rear view mirror ornament... What do you think, Sammy?"

Sam followed Dean out to the impala, sending the trapped angel in his hand a pleased and slightly sadistic smile.

"Oh- definitely."