Not much, just a simple tag for "…And Then There Were None." A lot of people died, some good, some bad. I just think the boys needed to deal with it.

Front Line

"You think he'll be okay?"

Dean tore his eyes away from the rearview mirror at the sound of his brother's voice, throwing a quick glance to his right before refocusing on the dark pavement before them.

"He'll be fine," he responded softly as his attention wandered back to the headlights of the sedan following them.

They had emptied the weapons and personal effects from Rufus' truck, loading them into Bobby's 'fed car' before leaving the cemetery. The older hunter hadn't said anything more since leaving his friend's grave and both brothers had known better than to offer anything other than their supporting presence. Rufus wasn't the first friend who'd been taken by the job, and he probably wouldn't be the last, but that didn't make the loss any easier to swallow.

"What about you?"

Dean frowned and turned to look at his brother full on. He shrugged at the concern on Sam's face, highlighted by the reflection of Bobby's headlights, before turning back to the road. "What about me? I'm fine, Sam."

"I just thought since we didn't really know anything about the… herpes worm thing…" Sam shrugged, his voice faltering as he stumbled around his explanation. "I mean, we have no idea what kind of damage it can do squirming around in someone's head…"

Dean shook his head, wincing slightly at the dull ache that he'd managed not to notice before now. "I'm fine, Sam."

"You have a headache."

Damned observant, little, re-souled brothers.

"It's been a shitty day."

Sam nodded, his sigh carrying across the hum of the Impala's engine. "It wasn't your fault, you know."

Dean rolled his eyes, not really in the mood to play 'care-n-share' at the moment. It wasn't hard to figure out what Sam was talking about. He'd tried not to think about it – which, for once, had been pretty easy since he didn't really remember what he'd done when the slug had jumped him. He remembered talking to Gwen in the hall, he remembered how shocked she'd been when he'd confirmed Samuel's actions, and then – nothing. So, for once he really wasn't beating himself up about something… but he didn't want to think about it too much either.

"I know," he said quietly. He could sense his brother's gaze on him and sighed, realizing he wasn't going to escape the conversation. "I don't even remember it, Sammy." He shook his head sadly, remembering the few times he'd interacted with Gwen. He had disliked Christian on sight, the condescending little comments eating at his nerves only moments after meeting for the first time. He hadn't had a chance to get to know any of the other Campbells, but he'd been stuck in the back with Gwen on the vamp hunt, and although she had voiced her displeasure at the situation, he kind of thought she'd changed her mind eventually. Even though she'd chosen to stay with Samuel, Dean had kind of liked her. For a Campbell, she hadn't been half bad. "I just wish…"

Sam shifted, laying his arm across the back of the leather seat. "Wish what?"

Dean swallowed, not really wanting to talk, but more than thankful that the brother sitting next to him was one who did. "I just wish that me shooting her wasn't the last thing she saw." He shrugged, uncomfortable at the revelation.

"It wasn't you."

"I know. It's just… she didn't know what Samuel did. I'm sure of that." He turned toward his brother who nodded, confirming his suspicion. "I actually kind of liked her. I guess I just wish that she had known it wasn't really me."

Sam sighed again, not sure what to say to ease his brother's mind.

"What about you?"

The younger man's head shot up at the question? "Me? That thing was never in my head."

"No," Dean agreed, "But it was in Samuel's. And you did have to shoot him." At Sam's uncomfortable look he continued. "I'm not saying you were wrong, Sam. Hell, I would've – tried to do it myself. But I know you. " He softened the statement with a grin. "I know that big, geeky brain is playing the blame-game about ganking the guy."

"He was our grandfather, Dean."

Dean shook his head, wincing again as the dull throb notched up a bit. "He was nothing to us, Sammy. He used you to do his dirty work and he had no problem screwing us over then turning us over to a demon. Like I said before, man, he may have been blood, but that doesn't make him family."

"Yeah, maybe."

"No maybe about it." Dean shook his head, his voice hardening as he thought of the man who had threw them to the demon without apology or a second thought. "Would you chose to save him over Bobby?"

Sam's reply was immediate. "No!"

Dean nodded. "Okay then. That's my point. Bobby may not be blood related, but he's family none the less. Samuel, he didn't know the meaning of the word. Case closed."

"It's that simple, huh?" Sam grinned at his brother, and Dean was pleased to see the look of guilt ease from his brother's face.

"It is to me."

"So you meant what you said back there then? Clean slate? Even if it turned out Samuel was right and I did things that were unforgivable?"

Dean took a deep breath. "I meant it. No matter what you did when you were with Samuel, for that year, Sam, you weren't you. And from everything I saw, he did nothing to help you. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he knew about your soul all along and was using you to get what he wanted from Crowley." He glanced at his brother, wondering if the younger man would ever be able to stop punishing himself for what he couldn't control. "It wasn't your fault, Sammy. Just like killing Samuel wasn't. That thing was in him, you did the only thing you could do."

"Maybe," Sam admitted. "I just wish we knew what the hell was going on. I really hate flying blind."

Dean sorted a laugh. "Seems to be SOP as of late, dude. We're on the front line. Whatever's coming already has us in its sights. All we can do is stick together and make sure that whatever happens, we protect our own."

Sam nodded, turning his head to regard the headlights of the car trailing them. "Think he'll let us help him?"

Dean's eyes glanced in the rearview mirror. "We'll make him."

"Whether he wants us to or not?"

Dean shrugged. "It's what family does."

The End