Title: Be Strong
By: Swissalo
Pairing: gen
Rating: G
Summary: Dean understands.

***

Dean understands...

When his mother died it was war against her murderer.

When his father made him start learning how to fight, it was for protection.

When his baby brother wanted to stop, he couldn't let their father know.

When his baby brother left, he was heartbroken.

Now he has his baby brother back and he's still heartbroken. The one who use to always answer to Sammy hates the old nickname and Dean understands because it was his fault.

And while he sits and watches his little brother sweat through another one of his nightmares, Dean thinks back to when he broke into his brother's apartment. Dean understands that he did what he had to do, but does his baby brother. Does Sammy know that he did it because he was frightened when he didn't hear back from their father. That he needed the support more than the help, even if it was only the help that he wanted and not some chick flick style moment.

Dean understands that everything that he had done is not his fault, everything he had to kill was for the job. That there is no one to blame but the creature, the thing that killed his mother and took away his and his family's life. However, Dean understands that that is something he can't tell Sam, because Sam even now takes everything to heart.

And Dean understands that if they're going to find their father, that he's going to have to continue to be strong because not only is he protecting himself from losing hope but he has to be strong for his baby brother.

***