Morgana07's Dungeons and Chains (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9340757/1/Dungeons-and-Chains)

Summary: After finding a clearly confused and not fully with it Sam chained in their new dungeon, Dean soon begins to learn why his brother's scared of the chains and also why Sam's so determined to stay chained up as something from Sam's year alone returns to try to claim him no matter who has to die. *Limp/ groggy/in shock/hurt!Sam & Over-protective/angry/worried!Dean. (OOC Amelia too)*

Thanks! I've read a lot of Morgana07's stuff but I had never seen this one. I will check it out!

Turn of Events (http://archiveofourown.org/works/1309906) by Lanri: "Dean had spent one year in Purgatory imagining that Sam was fine. Probably hunting and trying to get Dean out. Only, Sam wasn't doing either. Turned out, there were far worse options that Dean had never considered."

And I missed the part where you said AUs were ok. The Winchester Way (http://brightly-lit.livejournal.com/46689.html), by brightly_lit, is brilliant: "Third: act disappointed to learn your brother was alive. Oh, the look on Dean’s face ... Lucifer savored it still. When he played it right, he was able to draw it out of him any old day, knowing the pain of that was still as fresh for Dean as it was the very first time."

Also love this one - Kevin Tran, for President (http://glovered.livejournal.com/84598.html) by glovered: "Dean comes back from Purgatory to find Sam working as a barista at a coffee shop near Princeton, watching over Kevin Tran." (This one is Sam/Dean, the other two are gen)

Edited 2015-01-13 08:16 pm (UTC)

Oh Em Gee Winchester Way is amazing. I will check out the other two. Thanks!

There's
Shattered (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9670271/1/Shattered).
Sam didn't look for Dean the year they were apart. He didn't now he was supposed to. Warning: It's Sam/Jody Mills. (I thought it was very sweet)

Hm. I don't know if you like crossovers but I've got one with Criminal Minds that deals with this.
Swerve (http://spn-summergen.livejournal.com/178744.html)
swerve (swûrv): to cause to turn aside or deviate: an abrupt change of direction.
During the year Dean’s in Purgatory, Sam ends up back in FBI custody.

I've got others I think but I can't find them. :3

Edit: I knew I had others
This one is not so much seeing Sam between s07 and s08 but Dean discovering.
Dreaming is Believing (http://glenien.livejournal.com/134284.html)
So this is what Sam wanted, huh? What was he calling that again, something he never had… a normal life.

Edited 2015-01-13 08:30 pm (UTC)

I um kinda wrote Shattered. But thank you, that is totally awesome that someone recced my story. I will definitely check out the other two. :)

Omg. I'm so sorry. I didn't check the names. :3

no, really, I'm honored that someone liked my story enough to rec it! <3

The Lines Between Brotherhood and Blood (http://archiveofourown.org/works/851792/chapters/1628720) by jasmineisland.

Dean discovers that his brother has been hanging on by a thread, and the year he was in Purgatory was much worse on Sam than he ever suspected

These aren't all necessarily about Sam when Dean was gone but they do explore what happened and his mindset at that time in a secondary way. All are wincest, no Sam hate.
This one is my all time favorite:
http://archiveofourown.org/works/1137551?view_adult=true
These two are also excellent:
http://infatuated-ink.livejournal.com/83333.htm
http://archiveofourown.org/works/1323280/chapters/2754055?view_adult=true
And these are great as well:
http://archiveofourown.org/works/1172126?view_adult=true
http://zempasuchil.livejournal.com/316122.html?format=light
http://checkthemargins.livejournal.com/55869.html

This one is also a really good exploration of Sam's headspace and actions in s8. Gen, focuses on Sam and his broken relationship with Dean at this time in canon through they eyes of Benny Lafitte. It's a bit Dean critical and sort of exaggerates some of his canon behavior towards Sam in this season (think moc!Dean), but the author's intention was to just make clearer why certain things Dean says and does a lot aren't healthy.
http://archiveofourown.org/works/1925820/chapters/4157142?view_adult=true