Note: It always bothered me that the Amulet was never addressed after Dean discovered Sam had it the whole time. In fact it drives me nuts – not even a word between them at all? This is a small conversation – something, anything to just acknowledge it!

Safekeeping

Sam is a whirlwind of activity in the library, books are piled high on the table as he pulls them out of the shelves seemingly at random. Perched atop the ladder, he is in the process of extracting a particularly large old tomb when Dean enters the room with a couple of beers and a look of determination on his face.

"Sam? Come down here and take a break for sec." Dean calls out, twisting the lids off of the bottles before setting them on the table. Clearing a space free of books, he watches as Sam climbs down the ladder. "We need to talk." He continues, brows raised when his little brother hunches his shoulders and ducks his head down, hair falling into his face.

"We don't need to, I mean, not about that. It's no big deal." Sam mumbles, placing his latest book on top of the heaping pile.

"You don't even know what I was going to say." Dean responds.

Sam hitches a shoulder up in a shrug, "I can guess."

Sighing, Dean takes a seat, indicating for Sam to do the same. He slides a beer towards his brother, ignoring the singing coming from Chuck, who's in the showers. So much shit going on, God is in their freaking bathroom – and here they are, Dean with a little brother who won't meet his eye. All because of a little piece of jewellery that meant more than either of them wanted to admit.

Placing the Amulet between their beers, Dean frowns when Sam somehow manages to hide his face even more thoroughly.

"Really Dean, we've got enough going on with the Darkness and Chuck, I real –"

The older hunter cuts his brother off before he can finish his sentence. "Sammy. Just listen for a sec, alright?" Dean waits a moment, but Sam doesn't speak, his eyes still downcast.

"I went back for it. That same night. Once I calmed down enough to realize how stupid I was to throw it away like that. I even went through the motel dumpster and shook down the housekeeping, trying to find it. I thought then that maybe you took it after I left the room, but when a few years passed and it never showed up…" Dean trails off with a sigh.

Sam twitches, eyes flicking up for a second before landing on the necklace between them. "Before…before I said yes to Lucifer…I hid it. Stuck it up underneath the passenger seat in the car. I was afraid to lose it, afraid Lucifer might use it to taunt you or something," He speaks quietly, "When I was soulless – I guess I just forgot about it, or didn't care. Once you got me back in one piece I took it back."

Dean swallows past the lump burning in his throat, that whole shitty nightmare without his brother, and the amulet had been there the whole time?

He opens his mouth to say something, but Sam is still speaking.

"I wanted to give it back to you then, but I just couldn't Dean. I'm sorry. I wasn't sure, well, you know."

That I'd want it back, yeah I know Sammy. I know.

"Then the Trials came along and I think it helped a bit. With the pain, I dunno. Whenever I had it on me I felt a little less sick, so I kept it around my wrist as much as I could."

Pausing, Sam takes a long pull of his beer, placing it back on the table before looking at his brother. "I'm sorry Dean, I should have given it back so many times but there was just too much. Lucifer, the Trials, and then the Mark. I just, I wasn't sure if you would even want it back, we had buried all that crap and I didn't want to drag up the past."

Dean reaches out and grabs the Amulet, rolling it around in his palm. "I'm glad you had it, Sammy. That it helped with the Trials. I can't believe I didn't notice you wearing it."

Sam smiles slightly, "Sometimes I stashed it in my room, for hunts, you know? I only just started carrying it again, I thought maybe since we were on the lookout for Chuck again – well, I thought it might work, even if Castiel said it didn't."

The water turns off in the bunker, the faint singing of their latest guest fades into silence as Chuck finishes using up all of their hot water.

Dean grins, placing the necklace back in front of his brother. "Here."

Brows creased, Sam shakes his head. "I want you to have it." If you want, Dean.

"Sam…you sure?" Dean hesitates, hand hovering, green eyes unsure.

Picking it up, Sam drops it back into his big brothers outstretched palm. "Yeah, positive."

Throwing it back around his neck, Dean admires the horned face for a few seconds before tucking it beneath his shirt. "Sammy…thanks for keeping it safe, man."

"Anytime, jerk."

There's an exaggerated cough at the library door, both brothers looking up to see Chuck leaning against the wall with a knowing smile on his face. Dean rolls his eyes at God, collecting his beer as he stands up. "I'll make us some grub, you keep doing your geek boy thing." He calls over his shoulder as he heads for the kitchen.

Sam shakes his head, only his big brother would roll his eyes at the Creator of the entire universe and somehow get away with it.

"I made everyone different, but your brother really is one of a kind." Chuck comments once Dean is gone.

Pulling a book towards him, Sam laughs at the statement. He really is.

END

Let me know what you thought, and thanks for reading!