When Castiel broke the wall Death had put in his mind, everything came crashing down. Dean was understandably furious. Sam was too broken to really focus on just what Castiel had actually done to him so it was understandable that the older brother decided to take on the anger for the both of them.
Sam had been rendered useless for a while by the time Bobby one day came and offered them a seaside home to stay at for a while. A rich couple that gladly owed him something from the past. It had been much needed for both the brothers even though Sam would still have hallucinations and break down, but with his brother there for him. Helping him with kind touches to chase the evil away rather than with pain like before.
The Leviathans couldn’t be ignored for long though and what a mess they caused. Despite all this Sam was starting to do better for a while. Even able to do hunts with his brother again. Until they lost someone who had meant everything to them. All to this bastard calling himself Dick Roman.
Losing Bobby sent Sam back in a downward spiral and understandably Dean was following soon after, but they stayed together.
All that changed after Sam ended up in the psych ward. Dean tried to find him help. Castiel turned out the be alive, but lo and behold, could do nothing to heal him. Then a young boy named Kevin was unfortunate enough to be chosen as a prophet which meant he had both angels and demons on his tail
Then one day Dean just didn’t show up anymore. Cas was who knew where and when Meg of all people showed up he really figured he was doomed. Instead she let him out of the psych ward, telling him that Crowley got his hands on the prophet and he needed to find them.
What Meg didn’t seem to realize was that Sam was in no condition to look for Kevin against the King of Hell. Not without getting himself killed. Which, in fair points, Meg didn’t care about. She just hated Crowley even more.
Instead Sam fell deeper once Dean was gone off the face of the earth. So many times he had called for him with his mind. Their connection no longer there and Sam could only fear the worst. Yet the times he did find sleep. Or nightmares - he would subconsciously still call for his brother. Hoping for an answer that never came.
Dean. You can’t be dead. You can’t leave me like this. Not you. Not without a trace. Sam cried out and woke up to a smashed room. Not for the first time. He knew he had been the one to cause the damage.He sat up slowly. Digging his fingers through his messy, dark hair. Letting out a broken sob. Then something tickled. In his head. He paused everything he was doing and just listened.