Sam sucked in a breath as he pulled his bedroom door open and took a glance out into the main room. The bunker was quiet and the table just as cluttered as it had been the night before. He let out a sigh as he mentally prepared himself for the hostility he would face following last nights moment of truth, when Dean asked if he'd have done the same to save him had the situation been reversed... and he said no. While the revelation had lifted a load off his chest, he knew his harsh yet true words would without a doubt haunt his older brother. They didn't see eye to eye anymore and while he was ready to accept that, Dean just wasn't willing to.

He eyed his brother's closed bedroom door as he passed, wondering if the other man had even made it that far after the bombshell he'd dropped last night. It was like debating politics or religion, different people had different views and that's all there was to it. Sam made his way into the small kitchen, relieved to find that Dean had at some point gone to bed, but not before downing half a bottle of Whisky. He grabbed a plate from the counter and started on his breakfast, his eyes glancing back towards his brother's closed door. Bottom line was that after everything they'd been through together, he'd do what he could to respect the other man's wishes. He'd expected the same in return, but Dean had done nothing but prove he'd do whatever he could not to end up alone. Sam let out a heavy sigh as he thought it all over in his head, dreading the moment Dean's door would open. Because after last night, he knew things between them would never be the same.

Dean eyed the room carefully and his grip on the angel's blade tightened as the low snarl of a Hell Hound echoed down the hall. "Just stay in the circle and you'll be fine." He whispered to the man cowering in the corner behind him. Though the stranger had brought this down upon himself when he made that deal ten years ago to the day, Dean was there to save him because that's what he did. Saving people, hunting things. That was his job or at least it use to be, back when things were that simple. Sam's words the night before had cut him right to the core, truth just as sharp as the blade in his hand. Sam was right and it was time to face it, he did fear being alone and being the hero was the only thing that gave him a sense of purpose, a reason for him to keep going. It was one line after another, excuses to justify his actions; he had no other choice, it was his job to look out for Sammy, they were blood, they were family. Reality was that he had no one else, and letting go of Sam would mean he'd be left to face his own demons alone.

He swallowed hard as the menacing snarl of the beast grew closer, its massive steps coming to a stop just outside the door. He drove hours just to get there, it was the only case he could find that would give him what he needed. "Whatever you do, stay in the circle." He whispered to the man as he stepped out of it to face the demonic dog head on. In a matter of only seconds, sharp claws were in his chest and he was knocked to the floor. Powerful jaws clamped down around his forearm and he let out a cry, his mind racing back to when such a beast had dragged him to Hell. It pulled him near with a jerk of it's head and when Dean felt the beast's sharp teeth pull free from his torn flesh, he knew now was the time to strike. Before it could clamp down around his throat, the hunter plunged the blade deep into its chest. He could feel the warmth of its blood as it ran down the sharp blade and onto his hand, trailing down his arm like a stream and pooling on his chest. Bearing the dead weight of the Hellhound, Dean struggled to sit up, tossing the beast aside as he pulled the long silver blade free. This is how it should have gone down the first time around, this is the way it was supposed to be all along. He swore under his breath as he put a hand to his chest, feeling the gouges in both his clothes and his flesh. *One down, two more to go.* He thought to himself as he eyed the blood on his hands and the Hellhound on the floor.

Sam paused for a moment as he eyed the closed door in front of him. "I'm gonna go out to pick up a few supplies, you want anything?" He asked simply. When he didn't get a reply, he leaned in close to see if he could hear the other man. "Look, I know you're still mad about last night, but I can't change the way I feel. Doesn't mean I don't love you because I do, you're my brother. If anything I love you so much that I'm willing to let you go when your time comes... I just wish you could do the same for me." He paused for a moment and when he still didn't get some sort of response, he gave the door another knock. "Dean?" He waited a few more seconds and when he still didn't get a reply, he turned the knob and pushed the door open. Dean wasn't there and after last night's conversation, Sam had to admit to himself that he wasn't all that surprised. It wasn't that uncommon for his brother to just take off when he was faced with something he had no control over, something he couldn't change. What struck Sam as strange however, was the state of chaos he'd left his room in. Dean's laptop was open on the night stand table, books and papers where strewn about his bed, and among the clutter sat Kevin's backpack. He took a step inside to have a better look and grabbed one of the many papers on the bed in front of him. They were Kevin's notes and translations, what the young prophet had been working on before he was killed.

Eyeing the rest of the paperwork on the bed in front of him, it didn't take long for everything to fall into place. The trials, closing the gates of Hell. Sam grabbed the phone from his pocket and quickly punched down Dean's number, his heart sinking like a stone when he heard the cell phone ring somewhere on the bed in front of him. Pushing papers aside he grabbed Dean's cell phone and swore under his breath. "Damn it Dean." He growled as he turned on his heels and raced towards the garage. When his eyes fell on the empty space where the Impala had been parked, his mind starting to race. What could he do to stop his older brother from going through with this? He started to pace, almost hating the other man for setting out just to prove a point. Of course Dean was going to go through with the trials, how could he have NOT seen this coming? He came to stop and passed a hand through his hair as he once again reached for his cellphone. It only rang once before the other end picked up. "Cas I need your help, It's about Dean..." He blurted into the phone.

"What about him?" Castiel replied simply. "Is everything alright?"

Sam swallowed hard as he tried to keep the panic out of his voice. "He's gone Cas, I need your help to find him." He said without going into too much detail. "Just please come quick..."

Dean stood before the mirror in his dingy motel room and eyed the notes he'd taken from Kevin's things. He glanced up at his reflection before taking a deep breath and reciting the script that would launch him into the Trials. No sooner had the ancient words left his mouth, he felt a pain unlike anything he'd ever felt before. It felt like fire flowing through his veins, with a heat so intense he thought for sure his flesh would sear. He swore under his breath as he leaned forward to steady himself against the vanity, if Sam could do this then so could he. When the pain finally subsided, Dean straightened out, his eyes once again focusing on his reflection in the mirror. The pain had left no physical marks but deep down inside he knew the damage was done. These trials had taken a lot out of Sam and he knew they would do the same to him. The longer it took, the weaker he'd get, so he had to hurry his way through them, before his body could no longer physically handle the load. Pulling his blood soaked shirt off and tossing it to the floor, he passed a hand over the open gouges in his chest. Castiel could have those fixed with his borrowed grace, but there was no way he could convince Cas to let him go through with these trials... So there was no way he was going to let the angel know where he was or what he was up to. He gabbed a silver blade from his duffle bag and a drawing of the sigil Castiel had had tattooed on his abdomen. This wasn't going to be a tattoo, but it would hurt just the same.

By the time Castiel arrived at the bunker, Sam had already gone through his brother's things searching for the slightest hint that might give him away. "He didn't take his phone with him so I can't even use the GPS to find out where he is. I checked the history on his laptop but he looked up so many cases last night, I don't know where to start. I just need you to help me find him." Sam explained as he started to pace the floor of his older brother's bedroom.

"What is all this about?" Castiel asked as he studied the mix of papers scattered on Dean's bed. "Why are you so desperate to find him?"

Sam came to a stop as he turned to catch the angel's eyes. "The Gates of Hell." He started without missing a beat. "I think Dean's going to try and close the Gates of Hell."

"Why? We know now that the trials will kill..."

"Because it's Dean, Cas." Sam interrupted as he leaned back against the small sink. "Last night he asked what I would have done had I been in his situation and I couldn't lie to him. I told him I wouldn't have saved him, I wouldn't have let some angel in to fix him." Sam paused for a moment as he realized those might just be the last words he'd ever say to his older brother. "Being the hero is what's always given him purpose, take that away and..." The younger man couldn't help but trail off as his breath caught in the back of his throat. "I just need you to find him, before he does anything stupid."

"I know how complex your brother is." Castiel replied as he caught Sam's eyes. "Don't regret telling him how you feel when he asks you for the truth. He only hears what he wants to hear anyway."

Sam sucked in a breath. "Maybe we're not too late to stop him from doing this... just because I wouldn't have done what he did to save me, it doesn't mean I want him dead."

Castiel offered a nod before closing his eyes and focusing his energy on trying to find the missing man. It only took a moment for him to realize that something was wrong. "I can't see him, I don't know where he is." The angel started, the concern starting to seep into the sound of his voice. "My grace may be weak, but I can't even sense a trace of his presence or soul."

"What do you mean?" Sam was quick to ask.

"He must have done something to ward off angels or conceal himself." Castiel said quietly. "Sam, I don't think he wants to be found."