Setting : Takes place near the end of season six after Sam gets his soul back. In this story Bobby doesn't die and there is no leviathan to deal with. It's basically an AU story because in the series they don't get together.

Story outline: During a deadly injury Sam lets Dean know how he really feels about him and is surprised when Dean reciprocates.

Warnings: The usual swearing. Wincest.

Disclaimers: I don't own any Supernatural characters and make no money from this story.

Authors note: Places and people used are references only. Any additional characters are based on the writer's imagination. All details are fictional. Unrelated to any of my other stories.

This story was finished over eight months ago.

Yeah! This story is now being betaed by JudithRose26

Super Dean

Chapter 1 My hero, My protector.

Sam Winchester had seen a lot in his life. A lot of it with his brother Dean who was kneeling to his right at the present moment. Dean grinned over at him when he saw him looking and gave him an encouraging nod. Something he had been doing since Sam went on his first hunt at twelve years of age. But before that when he was three and needed help standing back up after a fall. Of course there were times before that when Sam was learning to walk and Dean had helped him up, but he had no clear memory of those times. Lately Sam had found himself looking at Dean closer than he ever had before. Sam had recently got his soul back and they had fallen back in the groove of hunting together again. But it was different this time and Sam knew it would never be the same as it had been. In hopeless situations where they could not even think to win, Dean had been there making Sam believe and do the impossible. Like controlling Lucifer inside his body for those few seconds, allowing him to send them both to the pit.

If that wasn't enough, Dean had dealt with death himself and had had his soul returned to him. When the odds were stacked against them, Sam, without a soul, had been cruel and mean to the one person he loved the most in the world. He didn't know if it was the way his soul was returned to him but the pure love he felt for Dean in his teens had returned after years of blocking and pushing it away. Sam desperately wanted to show Dean the way he felt before one of them died again. Especially if it was for good, which had to be coming soon, but he knew he would not be able to handle the rejection his brother would give him if he tried. In love with a guy that was your brother - so not happening. Especially when your brother was the all-woman-lover, Dean Winchester. Dean went out with more women than he could imagine. Okay, so he hadn't for a while, but they were kind of hip deep in monsters at every turn and way too busy to think about themselves.

Speaking of busy, Sam could see the dark shadows under Dean's eyes and tiredness emitting from him even as he kneeled in the dark. He knew he was no better, but the way they were going, they were going to break down or fall down. He hoped Dean would see the Impala needed servicing and a tune-up soon because that would give them a day or two to have a breather.

Dean's slight movement got his attention and he knew the coast was clear. They approached the third gravesite of the night and Dean tossed Sam a shotgun as he began to dig. This cemetery had recently buried a well- known mobster from Chicago and he had been stirring up some residents as soon as he had been planted. This had resulted in research day and night and then five salt and burns in two days. The plot that Dean was currently digging was the last one before they could head out to their next job.

Even though Dean had dug four of the five graves, Sam still liked watching his brother dig. Dean had taken his outer shirt off and was digging in his T shirt mesmerizing Sam a little. He loved the way his brother moved. Efficiently and gracefully. All muscle and pure strength. Sam liked the way just a small amount of work had the muscles out and working hard. The more he worked, the bigger he got. Sam knew that by the way Dean had to struggle to fit his arms into his jacket sleeves each time he had done the digging. Sam was snapped back to reality by Dean climbing out of the grave fast, snagging up a loaded shot shotgun and firing to Sam's left and behind him. Sam had a stumbled apology on his lips but Dean gave a grin.
"It's okay Sammy. The spook was sneaking up on you, sneaky bastard. Can't have that, can we? Lucky I was done, hey?"

As Dean spoke, he shook salt and lighter fluid down into the hole and struck a match lighting the bones without preamble. Sam had to grin at Dean's words even as he scooped up the spare shovel and helped fill the grave quickly. As the dirt filled the hole, Sam noticed Dean showing small signs of lethargy. If someone else had looked they would have thought the man was merely tired, but Sam knew that if Dean was showing signs, he was very tired indeed. He was tired himself, but Dean had been doing twice the work he had been lately. He had even taken up the slack of research, when Sam had been too tired, without comment. Sam had woken a few times in the back of the Impala and found Dean pouring over notes or tapping away on the laptop in the front. Sam was suddenly determined they needed a rest even if it was a night's sleep in a motel. They hadn't had one in over two weeks and Sam felt they were way overdue.

Dean packed the tools away as Sam rubbed at his eyes and pulled out beers for them as they stood by the car. At least this was one tradition they had kept. Dean had finally stopped drinking as much, but they still did this one thing and Dean didn't seem to want to go back to anything stronger. They sipped quietly for some time before Sam, as always, broke the silence.
"Man I'm glad this job is done. I think we need a break from digging graves." Sam held out a calloused hand for Dean to see in the moonlight.
"Ha, well I don't think we are going to get a break Sammy. We have that angry spirit in Tennessee to get to."

Sam sighed loudly before having a pull at his beer. Dean hadn't bothered to wrestle with his jacket tonight and his biceps looked huge as he lifted the can to his lips. Sam found himself staring and he startled when Dean spoke again.
"Cheer up; it could be just one angry spirit you know. Now that would be a nice change."
Dean grinned at Sam as he tossed his empty can in the cooler and slipped behind the wheel. Sam finished the last gulp of beer from his can and followed Dean's lead, slipping into the passenger seat with a groan of exhaustion.

Dean looked over at his brother five minutes later to see him asleep with his head against the glass. It didn't look too comfortable so Dean scooped a jacket from the back seat an, without slowing the car or letting it veer from its position on the road, slipped the jacket between the glass and Sam's head. Sam immediately cuddled into the jacket with a soft murmur.
"Thanks Dean."

The words were so soft and automatic they could have easily been missed, but Dean heard them and turned the radio down to almost nothing as his lips held a small smile. Dean got a warm feeling every time he helped his brother and small acts, like making sure he is comfortable whenever he can, are no exception. Dean wasn't stupid by a long shot. For three months now, he had seen the way Sam had been looking at him when he thought he wasn't looking. Several times he had asked Sam if he had anything on his mind, but Sam had bit his lip and shook his head. A few times, worryingly, with tears in his eyes.

Dean had decided to wait for Sam to stop blocking himself from saying something and spit it out. Dean had noticed Sam keeping an extra close eye on him like he was afraid Dean was going to up and leave him. Dean at first thought it could be a hang-up from getting his soul back and expected it to dissolve away, but it seemed to be getting worse as time went on. Dean had churned it over in his mind and felt he hadn't shown any desire to take off in any way since Sam was back to normal, so it couldn't be that.

Just when he thought it couldn't get any weirder, Dean had felt Sam's eyes on him in the shower a few times. Dean had given Sam plenty of opportunity to say something when he came out but Sam pretty much ignored him and all attempts at conversation. Dean sighed as he came to the conclusion that maybe Sam felt as over worked as he was and was getting a bit loopy and overprotective. Maybe they just needed a break.

TBC