Hi all. This is my first Supernatural fanfiction and hopefully it won't be the worst story ever. I of course do not own anything associated to SPN, just wanted to see where my imagination takes the boys! I hope you enjoy!

Sam stands with his brother looking into yet another open coffin engulfed in flames in yet another ramshackle cemetery in yet another small town in somewhere U.S.A. Another vengeful spirit, another successful hunt, another town saved, another battle where Dean is left battered and bruised.

He chances a glance over to his left, quietly taking in the state of his brother. Thankful that Dean still seems to be concentrating on the fire and not feeling his stare, the youngest Winchester takes a moment to inventory his brother's latest battle scars. Head...bleeding. Face...bruising. Right hand...wrapped around his waist. Left hand...gripping the headstone so tight his knuckles are white. Field evaluation done, Sam decides it's time to go so he can get a better look at his big brother back at the motel.

"Dean?"

No response, eyes still staring into the fire.

"Dean, you OK, man?"

A flinch, a blink, another blink.

"I'm fine Sammy, just enjoying the campfire for a minute. Got any marshmellows?"

There's the smirk and Sam knows Dean is busy getting his walls built back up to hide the pain he's in. Gotta get going now.

"Not on me but I think I left a stash back at the motel... which is where we should be headin'."

No acknowledgment, just staring into the fire.

"We should start bringin' mellows on our hunts. I love mellows, charred...burning...burnt."

Definiteley not okay. Concussion maybe?

"Oh..kay but not today. Time to go."

"Gotta make sure it's dead. Gotta make sure it stays dead. Gotta make sure it doesn't hurt anyone else. Gotta make sure."

This is going to be harder than he thought. He hates to pull out the 'Sammy' card but he needs to get Dean back to the motel to have a good look at him.

"It's dead Dean, not gonna hurt anyone else. Salted, burned, taken care of. But me, I am feelin' really burnt out and in need of some rest. We've been on our feet all day, tracking, hunting and if I don't get to rest soon I might just collapse."

Sam is startled at the quickness in which his brother turns towards him. Not lost on him however is the fact that if Dean hadn't been gripping the headstone he was pretty sure he would have done a face plant right then and there. What did he see in Dean's eyes? Panic? Oh, that is just not good.

"You okay Sammy? Are you hurt? Did it get you? Why didn't you tell me? What did it do to you? I'm sorry, I didn't notice, why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling okay?"

Definitely not pulling out the Sammy card again anytime soon. That had been a bad idea. Dean was busy looking into Sam's eyes, looking him over, trying to find the wounds that he thought he'd missed, that he didn't notice, that he didn't bother to check for earlier. Wild eyes searched and searched until Sam reached out a hand to his brother's shoulder and squeezed.

"Dean! Look, calm down, I am fine. No wounds, you didn't miss anything. I am just tired, that's all."

Sam looked directly into Dean's eyes, willing him to look into his. When their eyes locked, he hoped he had him.

"I think you and I both need to get some rest. I think you and I both need to get back to the motel, clean ourselves up and relax. Understand what I am saying to you?"

A blink. Another blink. A slight tilt of the head.

"Of course I understand what you are saying to me! God Sam, I am not an idiot you know!"

Sam notices the wince that accompanies his brother's outburst and figures that his head must really be pounding. Biting back the urge within him to confront Dean on the pain he knows he is in, on how he is acting kinda strange, and how he knows he isn't fine, Sam opts to leave it alone. All that would accomplish would be Dean's usual lines about how he is fine and that he is acting like he always acts..and so on... and so on. And, Sam really wanted nothing more than to get to the car, get outta this damn cemetery, get back to the motel and try and figure out what is going on with his brother. And, right now, the gettin' seems as good as it will ever get.

TBC...

Well, that's it for the first chapter. Thanks to any and all who decide to give this story a read.