Back in Blackberry

Chapter thirteen

Dean's mind wasn't working. He didn't know what he'd expected when he opened the door, but it wasn't Sam. He hadn't seen Sam in so long.

"Hey Dean," Sam said softly. Dean just stared at him.

"How... what... why?" Dean fumbled out.

"Dean, I came to apologize. Can I... can I come in?" Sam asked. That jerked Dean back to reality.

"Of course. I... I wasn't sure I'd ever see you again," Dean said. He held the door wide open and Sam walked in, nodding to Cas, who still sat on the couch.

"I'll be in my room," Cas said, standing up and making his way along the wall to his room. Dean watched him go, wishing he didn't have to do this alone. Sam turned to look at Dean, who just stared back. Sam had said he wanted to apologize. Dean felt a bubble of hope growing in his chest and hated himself for it. He couldn't get his hopes up.

"Dean, I... What I said... I'm sorry," Sam said. Dean desperately tried to stop the ever growing bubble.

"You... you are?" He asked. Sam nodded.

"The stuff I said was horrible, but Dean... it was just... I was scared. Dad was there, I didn't know what to do, I didn't mean it, Dean I'm so sorry," Sam said, his eyes glistening with tears.

"You didn't... mean it?" Dean echoed his eyes filling with tears of their own. Sam shook his head.

"I know that this is too little, and way too late, but... I'm sorry," he said. He opened his mouth to say something else, but before he could, Dean grabbed him and pulled him into a hug, a tear spilling over onto Dean's cheek. Sam wrapped his arms around Dean.

"I'm so glad you're back," Dean said.

"I am too. I've missed you," Sam told him.

"Why didn't you come back sooner?" Dean asked as they let go of each other. Sam looked at the ground.

"I didn't think you would forgive me," he said.

"What changed?" Dean asked. Sam looked back up at him.

"Cas called me. You've got something special there, Dean," Sam said. It was Dean's turn to look at the ground.

"We aren't together. He isn't... gay," Dean said. Sam smiled slightly.

"I wouldn't give up on him just yet," he said. Dean looked up at Sam.

"Really?" He asked.

"The way he talked about you... don't give up, man," Sam said. Dean smiled. He would never give up on Cas.