Written for this prompt: Sam's method of grounding himself and keeping reality straight is pain. Problem is, his hand has healed. So he's got to get creative. I don't necessarily mean serious self-harm, just little things. But then other people (hotel clerks, waitresses, etc) start noticing the creepy tall guy who zones out, occasionally talks to air, and randomly pinches or slaps himself. I don't imagine Dean would take to kindly to people using words like 'freak' or 'psycho' behind Sam's back. Bonus points if one day he snaps and tell them exactly the kind of monumental sacrifice Sam made for the world that left him this way, even if it means they think Dean is crazy too.

Freak

"Oh, shit. Sarah look, he's back." Karin grabs her co-worker's wrist in a tight grip.

"Who is?

"That freaky guy from yesterday."

"The one who ordered the hard boiled egg and water; then spent the whole meal digging his fork into his arm and talking to his invisible friend, the Devil?" Sarah'd been looking over her shoulder for the nutbag all the way home.

"That's the one."

"Shit. Should we call security?"

"I don't know. I mean, he hasn't done anything, really."

"Except act like a freakin' escaped mental patient! He's huge too. If he goes apeshit, who's going to stop him. Us?"

"Damn it, he just sat at my table. Want to switch?"

"Hell no, I waited on him yesterday. You're on psycho duty today."

"Problem, ladies?"

Sarah half jumps as she spins and takes a step back, bumping shoulders with the other waitress. She's got a snide remark about sneaking up on people all set to fling, but a look at the face of the man who'd startled her has her sending him a flirty smile instead. This guy's big and looks like he could handle himself. Maybe if the freak causes any trouble, she could sweet talk handsome here, into helping out.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

"Not a problem," Sarah laughs a little nervously. He doesn't look sorry. "You can startle me any time…."

"Dean. Nice to meet you, um, Sarah and Karin. Nice nametags, by the way." Dean leans an elbow on the counter and looks past the waitresses to where's Sam's arguing with Lucifer in a back booth. "So, is there a problem here?"

Sarah leans in conspiratorially. "That guy in the last booth is a psycho and we're afraid to go wait on him."

"Yeah," Karin adds; eager to not lose Dean's attention. "He was in here yesterday, muttering about the Devil and stabbing himself with his fork. The guy's a total freak."

"A freak." Dean's voice is flat, but neither girl seems to notice.

"A total freak. Hey," Sarah lays a hand on Dean's arm and smiles coyly. "Why don't you take this booth up here and Karin and me will both be your waitresses. Maybe the crazy guy will just go away if we all ignore him."

"You're going to ignore him?" God, but he's had enough of fucking ignorant civilians. Dean takes Sarah's hand in his, ignoring her whimper as he squeezes it. "Tell me ladies, have either of you ever been to hell?"

"I lived in Detroit," Karin tries to lighten things up. "Does that count?"

"Almost," Dean grates out.

"What are you, one of those religious nuts that tries to save everyone? I'm Episcopalian and I'm not interested in your spiel." Sarah's trying to pull her hand away, but Dean's gripping it tight.

"I'm not really that interested in saving you right about now sweetheart, so just answer the question."

"No I haven't been to Hell! Have you?" You freak she wants to add, but this guy's scaring her even more than the whacko in the back. God, why did Jack have to run his errand now, leaving her and Karin alone so they could be murdered by crazy people.

"Yeah, I have actually," Dean lets out a short breath, then goes on, "and so has my brother back there. So maybe you should just shut the fuck up about people when you've got no idea what they're going through."

"That's nuts," Karin whispers. "People don't come back from Hell."

"Yeah, well what can I tell you."

"Why did you go there?" Sarah's clearly humoring him. "You know, if you were really bad in your last life, you should maybe make up for it now. By, you know, not hurting us?"

"I went for him." Dean nods toward Sam and is rewarded with a puzzled smile before Sam goes back to pinching the back of his hand.

"So he was really bad."

"No, he was not really bad. He died. And I sold my soul to a demon to bring him back to life." Dean smiles and both women edge back. "It's not something I'd ever recommend to anyone else."

"What was it like?" Karin's voice is hushed and Sarah rolls her eyes.

"It was hot, right? Full of screams and tortured souls?" Sarah's mocking tone dissolves at the look on Dean's face. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry, don't kill me."

"Yeah it was really fucking hot and the screaming? I still hear it. I got sprung from there because a bunch of fucking angels made a deal with a bunch of fucking demons to get Lucifer topside and turn this planet into gigantic ball of rotting flesh. It almost happened too. The Devil was walking the same ground as you were a year ago. Know why you never heard anything about it? Your psycho freak back there. My brother trapped that son of a bitch and carried him straight back to hell. Time's different down there, you know? No, you don't that's right." His voice is low and savage and both women are on the edge of tears. "Well Sam spent a hundred years locked in a cage with the most evil being ever created. Do you know what he did?"

"No. Please let us go!"

"In a minute. Think of the worst things you can imagine, the worst things you've ever heard of happening to someone. Then imagine all of them plus thousands more happening to one person. Over and over for a hundred fucking years. That's what happened to my brother and if he's a little out of his mind right now, I think it's perfectly understandable, don't you?"

"Yes, of course." They're nodding frantically and Dean smiles grimly.

"Good. Now Karin, you go take my brother's order, make it to go, would you? And Sarah, I'd really like it if you'd get me some pie."

"To go?"

"That'd be fine."

Karin's back in moments. "He says he doesn't want anything, he's just waiting for you."

Dean raises his eyebrows and calls to Sam. "Hey, Sammy you good to go?"

Sam nods and head toward the door. He smiles at the waitresses as he passes and says, "thanks anyway."

Dean takes his pie and hands Sarah a five. "Gonna watch who you're calling freak from now on?" he asks, turning to follow Sam.

"Yeah," she whispers and takes a step back when Sam turns as he reaches the doorway.

"Did you tell them, Dean?"

"Yeah, yeah he told us." Karin's quick to reassure him.

"So you know to stay in tonight, right? Don't go out after dark."

"Because you'll be out there?" Sarah's voice is shaking.

"Yeah, but don't worry. As long as you stay inside you'll be safe."

Sam turns to leave and Dean smiles before he follows him. "We'll be out there. But so will some very nasty things. Do as my brother says and stay in tonight. If you've got any friends you like, you might want to tell them to be home before dark. So…not exactly religious, but we are saving you." Dean pauses before he pushes the door open. "And on the off chance that my brother comes in here again? Serve him whatever he wants, respectfully, and maybe tell him thank you. Or I'll be back."