Title: The Truth Behind Reality

Rating: PG

Characters: Sam, Dean, Lucifer. Could be seen as vague one sided Lucifer/Sam but that's not intended, Lucifer is just a creepy bastard.

Warnings: Sam's usual Season Seven issues, Angst.

Spoilers: Season 6&7

Summary: Sam is still trying to figure things out; Dean can only wait.

Lucifer was always around, Sam could do nothing to make him go away and it was getting harder to ignore him. Dean's concept of pain wasn't working anymore and making himself bleed only pleased the devil so Sam stopped. He couldn't focus like this though, with Lucifer always so close to him, always touching him or taking advantage of their time alone to back him into walls and taunt him.

Not that Sam was left alone much anymore. Dean was almost always with him, seemingly reluctant to leave his brother any length of time. Sam understood the feeling, he didn't really want Dean to leave either. He didn't want to be left alone.

"Sam. Come on, let's go." Dean said, pausing in the motel doorway to quirk an eyebrow at him before disappearing with the duffel bag in hand, headed for the Impala. Sam was sitting on his bed, all ready to leave but Lucifer wouldn't let go of the back of his neck. The devil construct was holding him still in such a way that he couldn't have broken away without attracting Dean's attention but now that his brother was out, Sam was free to twist out of the hold with a jerk and get to his feet.

He heard Lucifer chuckle and climb off the bed behind him while Sam gathered the last of his things and made sure they were leaving nothing behind the Leviathans could use to track them. They were at an disadvantage again, the whole world was really, as these ancient things began to make their own play for the Earth. Sam and Dean didn't know yet what they wanted beyond eating people but it was only a matter of time until something happened to reveal their intentions. Until then, he and his brother could do nothing more then keep themselves and as many other people alive as possible.

Sam took one last look around the room, eyes skipping over Lucifer's smirking face and headed out, closing and locking the door with the devil inside. He was unsurprised when he looked over his shoulder a few steps away and watched Lucifer walk right through the motel door. Sam sighed and looked toward the Impala, where Dean was leaning against Sam's passenger side door.

"Hey. All set?" Dean asked, pushing off the car and grabbing one of the bags from Sam.

"Yeah, you said we were heading back to Bobby's?" Sam asked as they snapped the trunk closed and got in.

Dean started the engine with a nod, eyes flickering to the rear view mirror but showing no indication that he could see Lucifer wave from the backseat. "He said he may have found something that hurts 'em."

Sam knew instantly what he meant. "Seriously? What?"

"Didn't say, just that it was the last thing he'd expected."

"Huh."

They both let the conversation end there as Sam leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, trying to ignore the crawling shiver down his spine as Lucifer combed his fingers through Sam's hair.

Sam couldn't sleep, not like this but it was quiet and he felt a bit more relaxed then usual, knowing Dean to be right beside him.

The miles stretched and after a time Sam became vaguely aware, in his half-drifting mind, that he could hear the low sound of someone speaking. It wasn't Lucifer, the devil was never quiet when he spoke, had no reason to be.

The voice sounded quite like Dean, even if he couldn't hear the words. Sam opened his eyes and looked at his brother but Dean's mouth was closed, eyes on the road in a way Sam recognized as him being in deep thought.

Sam resisted a sign and closed his eyes again, acknowledging that the faint voice as another hallucination. Behind him, Lucifer tucked the hair he'd ruffled back behind Sam's ears and Sam ignored it all.

"C'mon Sammy, please." Dean muttered for the thousandth time, leaning over his brother and stroking through the too long hair. It was obvious that Dean hadn't slept in a long time or shaved in about the same amount of time.

He'd only ever left the panic room long enough to use the bathroom. Bobby was forced to bring him food and threaten him in order for Dean to eat it.

"Please, Sam. Please."

It had been over two months since Death returned Sam's soul to his body. And the youngest Winchester showed no sign of ever waking up.