His Brother

Sam was soulless. And now he's not. Ivy tries to process everything Sam told her as he drives to his home. "Master?" she asks softly.

"Ivy, I told you not to call me that anymore. Call me Sam."

"I'm sorry...Sam."

"No need to be sorry, Ivy. Now, what were you going to say?"

"I was going to ask...am I free now?"

"Yes, Ivy. You are. I just want you to stay with me until we get you a place of your own. I won't make you stay in that house anymore, with the bad memories."

"...Okay. Thank you."

"You're welcome." He parks at what he called "the bunker," and turns to her. "Ivy...I'm so sorry. I really, really am. I know I can't ever fix it...but I'm going to do everything I can for you from now on. Okay?"

Ivy considers his words, and nods. "Okay, Sam," she says softly.

He hops out of the car, runs around to the passenger side and opens her door. She gets out and follows him inside.

"Dean," he calls, and a man walks in from another room, drying his hands on a towel.

"'Sup, Sammy?" His eyes meet hers, and a look of shock crosses his face.

"Dean?" she asks.

"Ivy?" He drops the towel and strides over to her.

She reaches out to wind her arms around his neck as his strong, comforting arms wrap around her torso.

"...You guys know eachother?" asks Sam.

"Yeah," Dean says softly, his breath tickling her ear, his sexy voice sending shivers down her spine. "We do."

Ivy buries her face in his neck, finding comfort and safety there, as she did years ago.

When they reluctantly pull back, Dean's hands still hold onto hers, and his eyes stay on her, as he explains to Sam how they were friends when they were in high school. "And now...you're even more beautiful. Didn't think that was even possible."

She blushes and clings to his hands for all she's worth.

"Well. Good then. Dean, can I talk to you alone for a minute?"

Ivy's eyes shoot to him fearfully. "You sound annoyed," she says softly.

Sam gives her a small smile. "I'm not annoyed, Ivy. Don't worry. Wait here, and we'll be right back."

Dean is frowning as he looks from her to his brother and back again. He gives Ivy's hands a gentle squeeze before following Sam out of the room.
_ _ _ _
The brothers speak in whispers.

"What the hell's goin' on, Sam?!" Dean demands.

Sam sighs and explains everything. By the time he's done, Dean is shaking with fury.

"I'm so sorry, Dean," Sam says, defeated. "I don't even deserve to live after what I've done. I should be sent back to Hell."

Dean takes deep, slow breaths until he's calm...-ish. Then he pulls Sam into a hug. "You do deserve to live, Sam. You don't deserve Hell. It wasn't your fault."

Sam doesn't say anything, hugging Dean back tightly.
_ _ _ _

Back in the room with Ivy, Dean takes her hand and smiles. "Come on. I'll show you where you can sleep."

Ivy follows him without hesitation. She would follow him anywhere.
_ _ _ _

In her new room, Dean sits on the bed with her and lets her rest against him, safely nestled in his side as his arm holds her close.

"Ivy...."

"Sam told you?" she asks softly.

He swallows hard. "Yeah."

After a moment of silence, she speaks. "You know...up until I saw you out there, I couldn't imagine that anything could ever be worse than what I went through with...soulless Sam. But now...." She looks up at him. "I think that losing you again would be much worse."

Dean stares at her with awe-filled eyes.... He takes the side of her face in his hand, leans in and kisses her. It's soft and slow, but deep and filled with more passion than two people should be able to produce. Ivy's arms lock around his neck, and suddenly she's on her back, and he's on top of her, kissing her as if he's a dying man in a desert, and she's an oasis. Their clothes are soon off and Dean is kissing down her body, and Ivy can't remember a time when she was this happy.

When he makes it back up to her face, he looks into her eyes and, in a hushed voice, says, "Let me make love with you, show you how you deserve to be treated."

She nods, and he kisses her fervently, holding her face in both hands.
_ _ _ _

Ivy wakes sometime after, tangled up with the perfect man. She looks up at him to see his hooded eyes watching her. He smiles and softly kisses her, his hold gentle yet fiercely protective.

When they break apart, he touches his forehead to hers, and whispers, "God, I'm so glad I found you again."

"Please say you don't want me to go," she whispers back.

Shaking his head, Dean pulls her as close to him as he can get her. "No. No, please don't ever go."

She presses her face into his neck, breathes in his scent. "You still smell the same as you did back then."

"I'll smell the same as long as you're with me," he vows.

Ivy smiles and nods. "Deal."

He rubs her back and kisses her hair. They stay in bed together for the rest of the night and the next day, and no one dares disturb them.