even though sam is in the panic room, dean can still hear him screaming, it's loud and hits dean in the right place to make him consider going down there and setting his brother free. he can't, though, and that tears him apart.

the eldest winchester shakes his head with a scoff, as he tightened his grip around the bottle of jack daniel's tennessee whisky in his hand. his liver handles what his mind cannot, and he knows that he would have died from liver failure many months ago had it not been for castiel.

he throws his head back and takes a swig, relishing in the sting that numbs his throat. then, he pulled away from the bottle, his face scrunched in discomfort from the feeling of the liquor sliding into his empty stomach.

he faintly hears bobby step outside, and then the hunter is alone again, with sam's screams ringing in his head.