Brothers Apart 1

Background: In this fic, Sam was hit with a witch's curse when he was 10 and Dean was 14. Unable to find him or his attacker anywhere when the dust settled, John and Dean Winchester were eventually forced to give him up for dead. Unbeknownst to them, Sam was saved from the witch and adopted into a new family, and they've trained him to take care of himself as best he can in the world, and protected him from the witch's gaze all these years. And now...

---

August, 2005

Sam stood at the entrance to the motel room, surreptitiously scanning to make sure he was alone. The last thing he needed was to get captured by a human on one of his morning forays. Neither of his adopted parents approved of his choice to explore the motel during the day. But he'd found that when a room was vacant, humans weren't likely to 'check in' in the morning or early afternoon. For the most part, people would start to arrive in the early evening and night. It was incredibly rare to see anyone sooner. So, he kept an eye out to be safe, but always did his run through of the motel rooms during the day. It made him stand out in the family, of course. Everyone else stuck to nighttime runs for supplies unless they were desperate. But he would stand out no matter what, simply because of where he came from.

Once he was satisfied the room was indeed vacant, he darted in, keeping close to the wall and hugging the shadows the whole way. With any luck, he would have the good fortune to stumble on a forgotten book. It was so long now that he'd been able to hold a book in his hands, feel the soft paper and delve into the knowledge contained within, that he was starting to forget what it even felt like. The hunger in him for more knowledge was always there, searching out more information than his adopted parents could possibly give him to satisfy that need.

The first place he focused on was along the wall the dresser was pushed against. There was enough room between it and the wall that Sam was able to easily walk through, keeping a careful eye out for any lost or discarded trinkets in the smattering of dust bunnies back there. What humans considered trash often ended up being some of the most useful items you could find for someone his size.

For instance, he had fishing line attached to his satchel, and a small fishhook hanging down from it - both kept in case he needed to climb down from any unforgiving heights. And considering he was only four inches tall, almost everything towered over him like tall cliffs, monuments of humanity. Even a simple nightstand became a harrowing climb. Those great items had been left in a room by a fisherman last August, who'd come to town for the summers catch. Sam doubted he ever even noticed that it was left behind.

Not finding anything against that wall, he slowly edged to the center of the room. It was the only place that he ever felt in danger, being too small to reach any hiding spaces if any humans came into the room. Four inches tall meant his legs were too small to outdistance any of the giant humans. He'd had some close calls in the past, and he wasn't planning on repeating those today. Or ever, if he could avoid it.

He felt a weight off his shoulders when he finally reached the edge of the bed. At least here he had some cover. Spotting a small glitter on the ground underneath the bed ahead of him, he sped up into a jog. He smiled when he reached it... a forgotten earing. Diamond, from the look of it. His adopted mother had always wanted a diamond. Such finds were rare, since diamonds were coveted by the humans. He brushed off the dust bunnies it was buried in, revealing the true luminosity of the gem, for once glad that the maids that worked the motel were for the most part, incompetent. The woman this had once belonged too probably hadn't been able to find it under all the damn dust buildup.

He tucked it into the satchel he had with him. With such a huge find, this trip was already a success. Though now he was hoping to stumble over a forgotten candy bar. Chocolate was such a rare find, it was to be savored anytime he had the chance. It was one of his fondest childhood memories. All the memories it was associated with were happy, the carefree days he'd spent side-by-side with his brother.

He continued on, reaching the nightstand that was placed in between the two looming beds. Using the phone cord that stretched down to the floor behind it, he carefully climbed up, a talent he'd honed until it became one of his best skills. He'd always been a natural climber, even before... the incident. Back in the days before he lived here with his adopted family.

He could remember happier, lighthearted days where he and his brother would test each other’s limits. He'd always been the better climber, since he didn't have any fear of heights holding him back. He could easily reach the highest branches of the tree, waving carelessly at his family below. Those days had been far too short... before he discovered the truth about what their father did, and before the attack. And before being saved by his adopted parents and learning to see the world differently. It had been so long since he'd seen his true family he was starting to forget what they looked like.

Not to mention, he was so different now from that fatal day thirteen years ago he doubted they would recognize him. He might even fall into the category of creatures they hunt. And damn, that was an awful feeling to have inside.

Reaching the top, Sam hauled himself over the edge with a huff. Standing on the nightstand, he gazed around the room. From here, he could see that everything was in its place. No left or forgotten items hanging around. Grumbling to himself, he settled into a crouch for a few moments so he could rest before taking on the climb again. It was a pity he hadn't been able to hit the room before it was cleaned out by the maid. The family that had been there last had been messy livers. But they'd waited until the last minute to check out, resulting in the room being cleaned almost instantly, a bad break for Sam. At least he'd found the earring... The trip hadn't been a total waste. There would be other rooms today, other chances. He just hated wasting the time he'd spent here.

Noticing that the TV remote was sitting right next to him, he smiled. It had been so long since he had a few uninterrupted moments of peace like this, and since it was still morning he should have a good long while before anyone arrived at the motel to check in... Pushing down hard on a large red button the size of his hand, he turned on the TV. He practically jumped out of his skin when the sound boomed on, rattling straight through him to shake his bones. Hurriedly, he stomped on the volume button, turning it down to where even he could barely hear anything. Better to hear humans coming than let himself be caught off guard and captured for such a silly reason. His life wasn't worth a better sounding TV.

While browsing the channels, he stopped when he found a movie he remembered watching with his brother back when they were young. He smiled at the memories it brought to the surface. Settling down, he took in Godzilla vs. Mothra in all its glory. And at this size, the TV in the room, even at a distance, was almost movie theater sized. Another experience he hadn't been able to enjoy since being downsized all those years ago. All he was missing was the popcorn.

For a while, he didn't pay any mind to how much time passed, caught up in both the movie and his memories of the last time he'd seen it. Then he heard a worrying sound. The familiar sound of an engine stopped right outside. He heard a car door creak open, then slam shut. Standing quickly, he glanced around, making sure he hadn't left anything behind that would point to his presence. A dark shadow fell across the entrance. Hearing a key jingle in the lock and the door start to creak open, he grabbed the phone cord, swinging himself off fast to get out of sight. Once hanging, he froze when he heard the door slam shut. No need to alert the human that anyone was there. If he was careful he could still get away undetected. He'd just have to get down from the nightstand and lay low until the human left or went to sleep. It wouldn't be the first time he'd done that, and it probably wouldn't be his last. As long as he made it through today.

The human was on the phone when he came in. "Yeah, Dad. I'm not seeing anything going on in this town. If you can send me something more to go on than just coordinates, I'd appreciate it. I need to know that you're alright, dammit! Just... give me a sign, anything... at least check your voicemail for once and get back to me!" Huge boots stomped into the room, the trembling ground matching the annoyance in the humans tone.

Sam almost slipped off the cord in surprise when a huge bang echoed through the room. Carefully he peered around the edge, nerves on edge from all the unexpected motion in the room. He saw the huge shadow of the human walking away from a duffle bag carelessly left on the floor. The banging noise must have been him tossing it on the floor. When the human hung his phone up, Sam could see him glance around the room, sharp green eyes taking in every detail. Sam ducked out of sight again when the human’s eyes crossed over his hiding place. The look in them was so intense he was surprised when the human didn't notice him right away. It was like the human was expecting someone to be lurking in the room, a complication Sam wasn't prepared for. Humans never reacted that way - they were always completely self-absorbed in their own little worlds to notice anything happening right under their feet. Sam gulped. Getting out of here might be harder than he thought.

He was tall, even for a human, wearing a thick leather jacket and dark, dirty blond hair. From where he was hiding, that was all Sam could make out. The human tossed the jacket onto the bed the moment he was off the phone. "Huh." The human went over to the TV, sounding amused. "Wonder if the maid's a Godzilla fan..." He turned up the volume.

Sam's hands were starting to ache from hanging in place so long. With the human’s attention on the TV across the room, he decided his chance had come. It was now or never. He started to carefully climb down, hand over hand. He went even slower than before to avoid making any unnecessary noises that might alert the human that he was there. As long as he was out in the open like this, he was vulnerable.

Huge, booming footsteps suddenly came closer to the nightstand, shaking Sam's entire world. Brief panic rose up in him as he grabbed a thick splinter sticking out of the nightstand for balance. He froze in place. His heart pounded in his ears with the human so close. The human was tall enough he might be able to see Sam by just glancing in the right direction... if that happened, Sam would be screwed. No buts about it. He heard the loud jingle of keys being dropped on the table above him, and a lamp far overhead lit up the room, illuminating his hiding spot along with everything else. Sam blinked rapidly in the sudden light, temporarily blinded. A loud squeak came from the bed when the human sat down right next to his hiding place, leaning back against the pillows near the nightstand.

Shit, he thought to himself. Now what? Climb and he might see me. Stay here and I might fall. And he might see me anyway. Great choices. He peered around the edge at the human again. The human's back was turned to him, and from what Sam could tell, he was taking off his boots at that moment. He started edging down the cord again, taking advantage of the human’s distraction. Not a sound... he encouraged himself silently. If only he hadn't gotten so distracted watching the movie, losing track of time...

When he was less than a foot away from the floor, his hand, sweaty from nerves and fear, slipped on the cord. It twisted around his arm, wrapping painfully around his wrist. Gasping at the unexpected jolt, he reflexively let go, only realizing his mistake midair. He slammed onto the ground a few seconds later with a small "Uff!” favoring his hand. At the very least, he must have sprained it, the way it had been twisted. On the bright side, he hadn't broken anything when he fell. One of the few perks of being so small and light.

As he hauled himself painfully back to his feet, he heard the human start moving. "Who's there?" A deep voice called, drowning out the TV.

Sam froze.

Massive footsteps came closer, shaking the ground around him. The dust on the ground rose up in a small cloud, disturbed by the vibrations. A sound Sam recognized from his former life as a gun being cocked echoed in the still room.

Who the hell cocks a gun at a thump against the ground? Sam balked, backing away from the edge of the nightstand, still hoping to evade detection. His hopes of getting out of there in one piece were dwindling fast. Just my luck, stuck in the same room as a paranoid, gun-toting nutjob...

Desperately, he wished there was a crack underneath the nightstand for him to hide under. No matter what direction he picked to run, there was a half foot gap between the nightstand and either of the beds where he'd be visible and vulnerable. This was one of the worst places in the room to get trapped, nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. And a human that knew he was there. A chill ran up his spine at the hopelessness of his situation.

"Hello?" Came the voice again, softer but closer to Sam's hiding spot this time. Sam tried to silence his footsteps, slowly distancing himself from where the voice was coming from. Maybe the human would think he'd imagined it....

His train of thought was cut off when something massive grabbed him from behind unexpectedly. The human must have reached around the nightstand while he was lost in his thoughts! Not to mention that he'd heard the human on the other side seconds before... Smart, very smart... that way I wouldn't see him coming.

His satchel and the items inside dug into his back, compressed into him by fingers as long as his entire body was tall as they clenched shut around him, and far more powerful. A wave of helplessness and fear hit Sam, when he felt the sheer power in the fingers closed around him... this was far worse than his last close call. He had only been spotted that time, by a kid no one believed, thankfully.

Sam gasped in pain as the pressure increased, writhing to try and free his arms before the human could see what he'd caught. The wrist he'd injured falling was twisted even farther in the overpowering grasp, shoved harshly against his ribs. He'd already failed one of the first and most important lessons his adopted father had taught him growing up... 'Never let a human get their hands on you.' Once they did, it was almost impossible to escape, simply because of the sheer size difference. And this human was larger than most, making Sam's chances of escape plummet even further... If only he could get his knife out, he might at least have a fighting chance to escape...

And then it was too late. The grip solidified around him and he was yanked backwards, out from behind the nightstand and into open air.

Blinking as the bright, unfiltered light of the room hit him, Sam realized his eyes had to adjust to the new light. A huge voice echoed around him, deeper than he thought possible. "Son of a bitch... what the Hell are you?"

Still struggling to free either of his arms, Sam finally brought his eyes into focus in the light. Two huge green eyes were only inches away from him, sharp, dangerous eyes that almost seemed to be able to see right through him. Sam tried to jerk away with a shocked gasp at how close he was, but was held motionless by the powerful fist. The human was crouched on the floor, one hand on the ground, still clutching the handgun, the other hand propped up on an elbow, wrapped around Sam.

Sam was only suspended a few inches in the air at most, thankfully. The floor wasn't far under his trapped feet. At least he'd survive if he managed to get out of the grip of the fingers from this height. He still held out some hope of escape. His entire line of sight was taken up by the human... he was so big it was unreal, like staring up at a living wall. Since being cursed, Sam had never been this close to a human to fully appreciate how much height he'd lost and exactly how small he really was in comparison. Complete avoidance was the best way to survive in this world when you're so small. His heart dropped at the knowledge that his fate was out of his own hands.

Sam took in the shock on the humans face briefly. Not many humans had ever seen people as small as Sam, and it didn't seem like this guy was any exception. And truthfully, Sam's face probably had the same shock painted all over it. He'd never gotten caught like this... completely helpless and with no way out, no hope of escape. The biggest problem he'd run into before today was being spotted from afar. He'd gotten out of that room long before the kid was able to convince anyone of what he'd seen and had stayed away from that room until long after they were gone, just to be safe. This time, he'd been overconfident, assured of his escape if anyone came into the room. Stupid, stupid, stupid. If his arms were free, he'd slap himself in the face for being so overconfident and letting his guard down like that.

For a long moment, Sam and the human stared at each other in silence, faces unconsciously echoing the same expression of disbelief.

Between the two of them, the human was the first to get his voice back. "Where did you come from?" The huge eyes darted up and down Sam's small frame, some of the anger fading with surprise at the unusual find. Sam's fear didn't go down at all. He knew a human, angry or not, was incredibly dangerous to him. Some of the pressure on his back released as the human loosened his grip. Sam gasped in a breath of fresh air with the pressure gone from his lungs, renewing his struggles. The fingers still kept his arms and legs in a solid hold, though. The grip was so strong that every effort, every move that Sam made seemed so small and inconsequential the human barely noticed them.

"Struggling’s not gonna do you any good there, pint size." A half-smile quirked at the human’s mouth. So close to the human, the huge voice drowned out Sam's train of thought, reinforcing his fears. Hesitantly, he met the huge green eyes that were far too close for comfort, his struggles dying down in resignation. The intense glare in them almost made him look away again, fearful of what was going to become of him now.

The human shifted position, clicking the safety back on his gun without looking and letting it drop to the floor with a bang beside him in favor of freeing his hand. One of the fingers trapping Sam relaxed its hold enough for him to pull out his good arm, unfortunately without his knife, which was still being crushed into his side by another finger. His injured arm was still twisted painfully against his ribs.

Before he could try anything the other hand reached for him, dwarfing Sam's tiny body with its shadow. Fingers closed curiously around his free hand and arm. A callused thumb brushed against his jacket sleeve, surprisingly gentle. It stretched out his arm to its full extent, careful to not push too hard. Sam held his breath, feeling the ridges on the humans skin rub against his far more delicate arm with surprising accuracy. It was surreal.

"No way," the human muttered softly, eyes wide and full of curiosity as he held the tiny arm, carefully examining Sam's almost microscopic fingers.

Sam stopped struggling completely, heart in his throat. He realized there was nothing he could do to free himself while he was trapped like this. For the moment he was completely at this stranger’s mercy, unable to do anything to save himself. The fingers that were closed around his arm were massive and unyielding, far stronger than Sam could ever hope to fight against, never mind the fist that was still clenched around the rest of him. He fought against any desire to flinch away, not wanting to injure his good arm with pointless gestures. Who knew how the human might react, and his arm was so much smaller than the finger and thumb restraining it, the human could snap it purely by accident. He hated the feeling of helplessness that overcame him with this realization.

So far at least, the human simply seemed curious. And slightly awed at Sam's size. After all, the hands weren't crushing him yet. It was a start.

A moment later Sam found himself being lowered a bit more to the floor while the human shifted into a more comfortable position. The intense greens squinted at Sam. "Where the hell did you come from? And what are you? Can you talk?"

Sam still hadn't managed to get his voice back from the shock of being grabbed. While the huge man shifted in place, still flat against the floor, Sam was distracted by a small amulet that slipped out of his shirt. Sam's mouth went dry. It was far larger than the last time he'd seen it, half the length of his arm now, easily, whereas he'd once held it in the palm of his hand, a lifetime ago, but he'd recognize it anywhere... Looking up into those intense and intimidating greens that were suddenly so damn familiar, Sam could feel his heart stop.

It can't be... It's just not possible... how can he be so big now...

He blinked his small hazel eyes up at the human in disbelief. Unable to manage more than a shocked whisper, he stuttered out "D-D-Dean?"

His brother.

The human's eyes widened at his utterance. The massive fingers went slack around him as the human’s mouth dropped open in surprise. "What?" He gasped, blinking rapidly.

Sam slammed into the ground, unable to catch his balance in time. He groaned with pain when he tried to stop his fall with his bad hand. Rocketing to his feet, he slowly backed away, keeping an eye on the human’s free hand and clutching his injured wrist, which felt like it was on fire now that the pressure was gone from it. The human seemed too shell-shocked to respond to Sam's sudden freedom, lowering his hands to the ground.

As soon as he recovered, Sam wasted no time. No matter who this human was, he wouldn't be safe until he was out of sight, out of reach. That had been drilled into his head for over thirteen years now, and he knew how true it was. Back in control of his own destiny, away from giant, crushing hands and dangerous humans.

Turning fast, he ran for the bed, intending to reach a small hideaway his parents had made years ago. There was a deep exclamation of surprise behind him at his dash, shaking the air itself. He didn't look back, afraid of what he'd see. Hands reaching for him, fingers grabbing at him... he didn't want to know. There was a small escape path behind the bed if he could just get there.

"Wait! Come back!" He heard the human shout. But Sam didn't slow down until he was out of the room, using a small crawlway to escape.

---

Standing near the motel room, she gazed at the familiar black car parked outside it, a smile curling up her ancient lips. It had been such a long time since she'd last seen that car, she'd almost forgot what it looked like. But now, her chance had once again come. To finish the job she'd begun so long ago, foiled by a hunter and his brats.

She'd long suspected that the child her spell had hit had still been in the area, since his family had chased her down so ruthlessly until she managed to shake them off her trail at last. They wouldn't have been able to do that if they found the child and the condition he was in.

The torture she'd endured afterwards had been devastating, every molten lash burning into her the depth of her failure. A simple job and she'd failed to do it. And she was chased out of her own hunting grounds by the bastards.

But now, with any luck she might be able to make up for all of that. A simple call to her master to tell him who'd wandered back into her web - Dean Winchester, the boy that got away - and she would be able to take him easily. The last time she'd been caught off guard. She hadn't expected such resistance from such a young boy, or such a fast response from his father. Every other child she took cried and hid. Dean had fought back. Even little Sammy had given his best, before her spell had caught him.

What she couldn't figure out was where he'd gone. One second he'd been lying next to her shoe, collapsed out of his brother's line of sight, and the next the father had come in and attacked her. When she'd fought him off and checked for Sammy again, he'd been gone.

Maybe, with his brother back, she'd be able to lure him out of hiding once more.

The smile that crossed her face at this thought was horrific.

---

Sam stumbled while going back to his home. He was still recovering from everything that had happened, the fall, hurting his wrist, almost being crushed in a hand bigger than his entire body... The residual shaking from the close call hadn't worn off yet. There's no way that's really Dean... It's been at least thirteen years since I saw him last, and he and Dad travel everywhere. They never go somewhere more than once. The world is too big. It was just such a foreign thought that his brother would come back to this motel after all this time, he couldn't let himself believe it. And I'm too small... the thought alone was painful. It had been years since he'd thought that way. He'd become used to this life. Even happy, after so many years spent this way.

He couldn't stop shaking from his close encounter. Feeling the huge fingers curled around him, knowing there was nothing he could do to save himself... it was a sobering reminder of everything he'd lost so long ago. Dean or not, the human could have easily crushed or captured him, with him helpless the whole time. After all it's not like Dean would have expected to find his brother at four inches tall... It wasn't his fault he'd grabbed Sam, anyone would have done the same. Sam's shoulders slumped. What a great thought.

All Sam had for self-defense was his silver knife from his birthday so long ago... great for defending against mice and bugs, not so great for defending against a human twenty times his size. Death by paper cuts, he thought to himself wryly. He didn't have the power to stop a single finger, never mind a full grown human. He wished that night so long ago had gone differently... that their Dad had shown up to save him, or the witch hadn't tracked them down to the motel room...

When Sam had originally got hit by the curse, it had knocked him out for over a week. By the time he woke up and remembered what was going on, the family that had saved him from the witch had lost track of the other humans he'd been with. They were too busy trying to avoid notice in the aftermath, since they would be in danger if anyone at the motel got a whiff of them. Especially a hunter like Sam's dad, considering how he felt about anything supernatural. Not to mention pest control, full of people who would happily wipe out any 'pests' from the motel, even if they were harmless.

Once he was well enough, Sam had searched every corner of the motel, but had never caught a glimpse of his father or his brother anywhere. Eventually, he'd had to accept that they'd left him behind. That they probably thought he was dead. And he might as well have been as far as they were concerned.

For a while he'd hoped they'd come back. Even if it was just for a night. He'd kept a careful eye on all the massive cars in the parking lot, staring for the familiar black Impala, with the recognizable engine purr he'd grown up too. Hoping to see his father and brother walk into a room, even though they'd be unfathomably immense compared to him now, they were still his family. They could help him, he knew it. They would help him.

In the end, his adopted father had put a stop to that, telling him it was far too dangerous for a child his size to go outside and watch for the cars. There were any number of dangers out there... humans, birds, cats... all things he wouldn't have had a problem with before this curse. He had finally stopped searching and begun to adjust to his new life, resigned to his fate.

Finally reaching the small hole where his family had made themselves a small hidden entrance, Sam pushed aside a bit of siding. The home was hidden under the floorboards of the least used room in the motel, so they were almost never disturbed by humans above them. Three tunnels, one on each side except the side facing the room they were under lead away, giving them the ability to go almost anywhere in the motel undetected. And wherever the tunnels didn't reach, the ventilation system did.

Which gave him an idea for later to check the human out undetected. He needed to know if it was Dean. Somehow.

Without getting himself captured again, of course.

Sam pushed aside a flat piece of wood his mother had propped up against the entryway opening to keep out pests. The room was softly lit from the cracks in the ceiling, leaking in a bit of sunlight from the motel room above. It gave the area a peaceful, relaxing feel.

The small house was furnished from years of scraping by. Some of it had been made from bits and pieces of things they found around the motel, like a laundry basket made from a cut-up plastic cup. Other parts they'd scavenged from an abandoned dollhouse they'd been lucky enough to find. Sam's bed, the kitchen table, the desk he had in his room had all been from that, along with the dishes they were currently using. He liked that. It felt more familiar, more like his old life when he used those items without knowing how much he'd miss them. Before he knew how lucky he'd been.

Glancing around, Sam called out, "Mom! Dad! You guys home?"

Though he called them his parents, in truth it was only out of respect. They'd saved his life all those years ago, giving him a second chance in a world turned hostile. Without them, he had not doubt that he would have died, either at the witches hand or any of the various threats to a person his size... humans, animals, heights... They'd raised him as their own, adopting him as a son and treated him as close as family. He saw no reason to not do the same. Though he remembered his true father well, it had been years since he'd seen him last, and now he lived in a world apart. He wasn't even human anymore. And of his true mother... he had only been 6 months old when she'd passed away. Dean had told him what happened. In Sam's heart, he couldn't help feeling that it had been his fault how she'd died. Even though there was nothing he could have done, she'd died over his crib. Protecting him to the end.

He had no memories of what she was like.

"In here, darling!" His mother’s voice rang out from the living room.

Sam hid a smile at her voice, knowing how excited she'd be when he showed her the earing he'd found. On the other hand, his adopted dad would be pissed when he discovered how Sam had been injured. He was damn lucky the human had opened his fist like that, giving Sam an opportunity for escape. Still... was it really Dean? Why else would he have let me go? A nagging feeling was tugging at him. He had to know for sure if it was his brother or not. That much he knew.

His mother bustled around the corner. Spotting the way he was favoring his arm, she gasped aloud. "Sam, what have you been getting up too?!" She took hold of his hand, dexterous fingers checking for breaks.

"Mom!" He tried to pull his hand out of her grip unsuccessfully. She grabbed his wrist, pulling him reluctantly into the kitchen, where all the first aid supplies were kept. Sam couldn't break free of her grip, anchored as she was on his bad hand.

She inspected it in the light coming down from above. "Just a sprain..." she muttered to herself, as she pulled out some gauze they'd found a year back. Her eyes met his. "How did this happen?" She asked.

"Yea, that's what I'd like to know." His adopted father came around the wall, following them into the kitchen.

"Uhh... I was out, checking some of the empty rooms..." Sam said, suddenly nervous. He'd never been captured before.

"You've never gotten hurt like this before," his dad said, coming around. It figured that'd be the first thing he'd hone in on. "In all your years here." There were many times Sam had compared his adopted dad to his true father. In looks, they couldn't be more dissimilar. Whereas his true father was rugged and muscled, his adopted dad was all sinew and bone, no fat on him at all from years spent scaling around human sized furniture and fixtures. Where his father had dark brown hair and matching eyes, his adopted dad had blond hair and blue eyes just like his adopted mom. When it came to caution and carelessness, they were the same. All he heard when he wanted to go out exploring was 'It only takes one mistake!' If both his dads ever met at the same level, he thought they'd either get along great or try to kill each other.

Sam met those piercing blue eyes with trepidation. "I was in one of the rooms," he flinched as his mom started to wrap up the arm, "checking for anything that got left behind when a human showed up."

His mom froze. "Did... did he see you?" She asked, voice quavering. It had been years since any of them had been spotted by a human.

Sam lowered his eyes. "I slipped off the nightstand and fell, that's how my hand got hurt. And he heard me fall. Grabbed me before I could get to safety."

His dad gave a hiss of fear. "How did you get away?" He knew from first-hand experience exactly how hard it was to escape a human once you were seen, having been captured when he was younger. He'd always used the tale of how he'd been locked up in a cage for weeks before being able to escape to frighten Sam away from exploring the motel.

"He, he let me go." Sam raised his eyes to meet his dads. "Dad, he was wearing the necklace I gave my brother years ago... I'd recognize it anywhere." The disbelief was still there in his voice, unable to trust that the human was truly his brother after all this time. But still... he'd let Sam go. And he'd reacted to the name Dean...

His dad sat down in a chair with a thump. "You're sure?"

"Yeah, I think so. The person who originally gave me the amulet told me it was one of a kind. And I've never seen anything like it before or after." Sam pulled his hand away from his mother when she finished bandaging it up. "What do you think?"

"Sam, I think you need to be careful. Whether it's your brother or not... you're not who you used to be, or what. He could easily capture you against your will, or hurt you without ever meaning to. Humans are dangerous, period. ALL humans. And you risk all of us if you go to see him again. You need to remember that what you do here affects us all. You put more than just our family at risk if he sees you again. Think about what your actions could mean for everyone who lives in just this motel alone... more if the word gets out that we exist! Families just like ours would be hunted and captured. And killed.

"We took you in as a child, even though you were a human, and raised you as our own. Don't let us down."

Sam tucked his head against his chest, somber. He knew they were right... any human was a risk. And if any of them were captured, it could easily lead to the rest of the families being discovered. But still... the feeling that he knew the human nagged at him. Those green eyes might have been intimidating, but they were so damn familiar... He sighed. These were thoughts for later. In the meantime...

"Mom, I found something for you when I went out today." He drew open his satchel, pulling out the earring. She gasped in surprise at the size.

"Someone actually forgot this?"

"Yeah, I found it in the room the human who captured me checked into, before he got there. Not even the maid noticed it under all the dust age never cleans." He couldn't stop the grin from covering his face at her obvious excitement. He handed it over. She rubbed the gem, brushing off the dust he'd missed earlier.

She took it over to a box they used as a table and placed it down. "Later we'll have to see if we can't get the gem off the stud. We can use the stud for other things." She grinned. "Don't want to waste anything!"

Laughing, Sam excused himself and went to where his room was walled off from the rest of the house to empty his satchel for his next trip later on that day. Unconsciously, he rubbed his sprained wrist while he took everything in. For some reason, he felt like everything was about to change, and he wanted to remember his home like this. Adopted parents in the living room, all his stuff put away nice and neat. He had an idea that this feeling stemmed from seeing that human earlier.

He moved over to the small dollhouse desk he used most days when he had nothing to do. A little padded building block made a small seat for it. He pulled out one of the drawers, grabbing his most beloved item, next to the little silver knife his brother had made for his birthday so long ago.

A small journal.

It had been with the discarded dollhouse items they'd found in an abandoned room. So far as he could tell, it was just supposed to be a replica of the larger books that humans read. But... it was full of soft, blank pages. Even though it was a little oversized for him, about the size of an Atlas, he coveted it. Nothing else at this size was good for writing on, unless he took paper from the humans, and that was nowhere near as nice as writing in a bound book. And the little people he lived with didn't have need for such inventions as books. He dug out the tip of a pencil he kept nearby for writing. It was thick and messy, getting graphite all over his hands but it was well worth it. He used his knife to sharpen the tip so it would write fine.

He mulled over the events of that day, distractedly tapping the graphite against the desk.

If it was his brother in that room... what would happen to Sam?