The Bunker was clean, the bodies burned, the blood washed, the night almost over and finally they were heading to bed. Dean found Sam standing in the doorway to his room, Dean's room, looking around.

"Hey, what's going on?" Dean asked. "What're you looking for?"

"Um – nothing. No. Just – I was just - thinking about Walt. Walt and Roy. About the first time, the last time, we saw them. You know? There was – there was a lot going on then."

"Yeah, yeah, there was. That was –" Dean struggled to find the right sentiment. " – not a good time."

"No, it wasn't."

Okay, this was clearly a 'Little Brother' moment. Dean wasn't feeling very sorry for Walt losing Roy in taking out the Brit's bunker, not after they'd killed Sam, killed them both, but Sam was feeling sorry for them, feeling sorry and probably guilty and he was at Dean's door clearly needing some Big Brother reassurance.

But before Dean could say anything else, Sam surprised him with, "I'll see you in the morning," and walked away. If he'd been looking for reassurance, he was making a fast cut and run.

"Yeah, see you in the morning," Dean said.

He hated remembering that time. First seeing Sammy shot to death, then the hell that was heaven and finding out they were on their own because nobody upstairs gave a crap. And that was after Anna killed Sam, after Sam went through his second withdrawal, after Bobby's wife came back to life and Bobby had to kill her again, while taking on the Four Horseman, finding and losing Adam again, and Sam sacrificing himself to save the world.

'A lot going on' didn't even begin to cover it, did it? Dean really hated remembering that time. He'd been pretty shitty to Sam, most of the time, too. Especially when they got back from heaven and -

Dean reached into his pocket and pulled out the amulet. He'd thrown it out. Right in front of Sam, specifically in front of Sam, he thrown the amulet out when they got back from heaven. As though the heavenly apathy was Sam's fault. As though he'd been tossing Sammy away right along with it.

But Sam'd pulled it out of the trash and never told Dean. Never commented on how worthless it had to make him feel. Never mentioned how it was probably one of the reasons he could sacrifice himself - thought he needed to sacrifice himself - over and over again. One of the reasons 'following was easier than leading.'

He'd never mentioned it at all.

Dean hurried out of his room and down the hall. Sam hadn't gotten to his own room yet.

"Hey," Dean said and held up the amulet when Sam turned. "I still have it."

"Oh – yeah, no – I wasn't – I didn't –" Sam immediately replied then almost as immediately gave up the pretense. His mouth twitched in a brief, small smile, but not so brief or small that Dean didn't recognize the relief and gratitude in it. "Night, Dean."

Yeah, Big Brother reassurance for the win.

"Goodnight, Sammy."