ATTENTION:

If the scene/mood/perspective suddenly changes with no notice it's because FanFictionNet decided to change their formatting and somehow delete some of the formatting that indicated a scene change. (I used to use three asterisks between scenes. Oh and they also took out the line that separates the story from the darn author's note at the end.)

Just wanted to let you know so if you're thrown off you know it's because of the formatting change and not because you're going crazy or I'm a totally spastic writer.

I would reupload the chapters with new breaks but it would be too time consuming with all that I've written now. Sorry.

Okay... Let the story now commence!

* OoOoO *

1. Before the Dawn

Sam cradled his head in his hands, guilt and disgust swirling in his head. The motel door banged open, he looked up through his bangs to see his older brother framed in the doorway.

"Why so glum, Sammy?" Dean asked brightly, giving his little brother a punch in the arm. He sprawled out on the bed, knocking into Sam who quickly stood up and moved to the other bed.

"Dude, seriously, why are you being so pissy?"

"It's nothing," Sam answered moodily. He could feel Dean's eyes on him, studying his discomfort. "I'm gonna go for a walk." He stood, pulling his jacket out from under Dean and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

"Whatever," Dean muttered to himself as he stood and peeked through the window's shabby curtains. The sun had just gone down and Dean watched as his brother took off down a dirt path that led into the woods. Crap, I better go after him. Dad'll kill me if anything happens to him.

Within a minute Dean had caught up with Sam. He grabbed him by the shoulder and swung him around. "You can't go wandering off by yourself, Sammy!" he said, the usual playfulness gone from his voice. Sam jerked away from his brother's touch, he wanted to take a swing at him but he held back.

"J-Just leave me alone," he murmured, not looking Dean straight in the eye.

"Fine, just come back to the room," Dean said, reaching for his brother's arm to make sure he didn't run off again.

"I mean it!" Sam yelled. His voice echoed in the woods and a few birds took flight, startled from their nests. Dean backed away slowly with his arms up in the air, a playful smile spreading across his face. He chuckled softly, unintentionally infuriating Sam even more.

"Come on, man. Dad's gonna kill us if he gets back and we're nowhere to be found." Dean said, trying to reason with his brother. Without a word, Sam began walking back to the motel, hurrying along the path so he wouldn't have to talk to Dean anymore. Dean followed after him, bewildered by his behavior.

* O *

Sam was scribbling furiously on his bed, mapping out an essay he was preparing to write while Dean kept changing the channels on the little TV across from their beds.

"Can you lower the volume?" Sam snapped.

"Sure thing," Dean said as his finger pummeled the button that raised the sound.

"Lower the volume!" Sam yelled, slamming his textbook shut and crumpling the paper that had the notes for his essay on it. Dean shook his head exasperatedly and turned off the television.

Sam uncrumpled his paper and flattened it out against the now-closed textbook in his lap. He began writing again, his pencil scratching against the paper. Snap. The pencil tip broke and rolled off the page.

"Crap!" Sam muttered under his breath as he grabbed his backpack off the floor and rifled through it, trying to find another pencil. "Crap," he said again.

"Okay, dude, what the hell is your problem?" Dean asked, completely bored by his brother's mood.

"I don't have another pencil," Sam answered curtly.

"Oh, yeah, that's it. No, really - what's your issue?"

"You are!" Sam finally yelled.

"What the hell did I do?" Dean asked, clearly offended.

"You didn't do anything. Just forget it, oka-"

The door opened, revealing the boys' father, John Winchester. "What are you boys yelling about?" he asked, looking from one to the other. He shed his coat, still waiting for an answer.

"Nothing, sir," Sam and Dean said in unison. He studied his sons' faces for a moment then spoke.

"Fine. Get to bed. We're leaving before dawn." John said as he pulled his shoes off and sat down on the bed that Dean occupied.

"Yes, sir," the boys said together again. Dean quickly sat up from the bed and moved over to Sam's.

"Move your junk."

Sam obliged, standing and putting his schoolwork on the dresser next to the TV. He slowly turned back to the bed that Dean had settled into and eyed it awkwardly. He stepped forward hesitantly.

"Um, Dean, it's your turn to take the floor." he informed his brother, a note of pleading in his voice.

"Sammy, it's like four hours 'til the sun comes up and the bed's huge. Just get over here." Dean said. Sam could feel his cheeks begin to flush with color. John patted Sam's shoulder as he made his way to the bathroom to take a shower. When the bathroom door had closed Sam shook his head and grabbed the pillow next to Dean's head and threw it to the floor.

"Um, I'll just take the floor for tonight, I guess," he mumbled, kneeling down and pummeling the pillow into a more comfortable shape.

"You don't need t-"

"No, it's fine," Sam said coldly, interrupting Dean as he curled up on the floor.

"Sammy -"

"No, Dean, stop. Just go to bed. You're right, we barely have four hours before we have to go."

* O *

Dean could hear his father's quiet snores filling the room. He glanced between the beds to where his little brother lay. Dean quietly pulled the blanket off of himself and placed it on top of Sam. He leaned down and gently kissed Sam's head, a gesture that seemed completely out of character for the cocky eighteen-year-old.

Sam felt his heart leap in his chest. He knew his brother must have thought he was asleep for Dean to show him any affection. Sam sighed quietly into the blanket that covered him now and wished he could erase all the sick thoughts in his head and just fall into a dreamless sleep.

* OoOoO *

- A/N: So basically, Sam is wrestling with what he's feeling towards his brother. Yeah, I'm taking it slow.

My Quick Reference Source: SupernaturalWiki (Best thing ever.)

Please, please, please comment and tell me what you think.

By the way, I also have this story up on MibbaCom with all the proper formatting and extras like links to deleted scenes. So if you have the time to get an account on that site check me out - I'm Break the Silence.
~aep