Everything seemed to be in slow motion and hyper speed all at the same time. There was glass and metal bits flying everywhere, and then it was over. Cas was fine, just some minor scrapes and bruises, but it was Sam and Dean he was worried about.
The front end of the Impala was taken almost completely off; both of them knocked unconscious from the impact of the large truck hitting them.
"Sam, Dean." Cas tried to yell, but his voice was horse.
Sam started to wake up, slowly taking inventory of his brother first, then himself. He seemed to be okay, possibly a few broken ribs and wrist, but he could move enough to climb out of the broken window of the Impala.
Cas mimicked him from the back seat, meeting him outside of the driver's door, where Dean was trapped. They could hear sirens in the distance, so they didn't try to move Dean, fearing they would hurt him even further.
At the hospital, both Sam and Dean were treated. Sam got by with a few cracked ribs and a broken arm, but Dean was still unconscious after emergency surgery to stop internal bleeding. When Dean started to wake up Cas sat outside of the small room, letting Sam have a moment with his brother.
Cas was at the end of the hall, pacing back and forth when he saw Sam come out of the room, his face pale, dark purple circles visible under both of his eyes, tears running down his cheeks. Cas tried to push past Sam to get into the room, but a large strong hand on his chest stopped him.
"Sam I need to go see Dean. I can heal him." Sam looked upset, like there was no way Cas could help.
"You don't wanna go in there Cas, trust me. He…um…he doesn't remember anything. He has amnesia. He doesn't even know who I am." Cas could see the fresh tears welling up in Sam's eyes and he knew it was killing him inside, not having the only person he had left in the world know who he was.
Cas sat down next to Sam, trying his best to comfort the younger brother.
"I can try to heal him." Cas said, even though he knew there was no way he could heal the amnesia. Cas was powerful, but he couldn't bring back Dean's memories. No matter what Cas did, Dean wouldn't remember them until his mind was ready to. Which could be never.
Cas got up, heading into the small hospital room. He stopped just shy of the bed Dean was laying on, hardly able to look at him. There were wires and tubes attached to every open inch of skin he could see. Machines beeped beside him, indicating that he was still alive. Cas sent a quick silent prayer up to heaven, thanking God that Dean was still alive. It was horrible seeing Dean that way, but he knew it was better than seeing his corpse, lifeless and bloody.
Dean was asleep, so Cas took the opportunity to lightly touch his finger to his forehead, taking away any pain and increasing the speed of his healing. He didn't want to heal everything completely and make the doctors and nurses suspicious. Dean began to stir, so Cas ducked out of the room, not wanting to look in Dean's eyes and know that he had no idea who he was.
4 days later, Dean was allowed to leave the hospital. He still didn't remember Sam or Cas, but he accepted that Sam was his brother and Cas his friend. When they had gotten to the hotel, Sam tried explaining what they had done their entire life, trying to jog Dean's memory. All he managed to accomplish was getting a "are you crazy" look and dean laughing in his face.
Neither Sam nor Cas knew what to do. The doctor had said his memory would come back slowly; starting with things he knew the best, which they had figured would be Sam. Sam was tearing his hair out waiting for Dean to get his memory back. Trying to get Dean to remember his life was like teaching an ant how to read, impossible and pointless.
For the next week Dean hadn't remembered anything and Cas and Sam had all but given up on him ever remembering. Until a nest of vampires, who had seemed to have heard that they were minus Dean, decided to attack them at the hotel.
Sam and Cas had pushed Dean into the bathroom, not wanting him to get in the way of the fight and end up getting hurt again. They had killed all of the vampires but one, who had managed to break the bathroom door down and was now going after Dean.
To everyone's shock and horror, Dean tried to stake the vampire; full on, wooden stake through the heart. The vampire let out a laugh, then lunged at Dean, not getting 2 inches before Cas barely touched him, killing him by sending his grace throughout the vampire.
"Dean, what the hell was that?" Sam asked, momentarily forgetting Dean had forgotten everything about fighting monsters.
"I don't know. I started remember that I was supposed to fight those things, and I just figured, ya know, the basic stake through the heart would work." He shrugged his shoulders, looking completely innocent.
"I'm glad you're remembering some stuff man, but next time, just chop its head off okay?" Sam walked out of the room, going to call Bobby to come help clean up the mess. Dean had a look of disgust on his face, then excitement at the thought of decapitating a vampire. For a split moment, he looked like the same old Dean and it made Cas' heart ache.
"I'll go grab some dinner." Cas said when Sam got back in the room. He needed to get away from Dean for a bit. He couldn't take looking at him anymore knowing that there was a chance Dean would never remember him again.
"Ooh burgers!" Dean smiled thinking about a bacon double cheeseburger and a beer.
"At least he has the same appetite." Sam laughed. Cas managed a half smile that didn't touch his eyes, then left, deciding to walk instead of just teleporting there. He needed time to clear his head and come up with a way to get Dean's memories back.
Cas got to the small fast food restaurant and ordered dinner for the 3 of them, knowing Bobby would be long gone before he got back and he wouldn't want to eat the food anyway. Bobby hated greasy fast food.
"Balthazar." Cas turned around, feeling his brother and friend behind him.
"Cassy. How are you?" Balthazar smiled at him knowingly.
"I'm great." Cas said, attempting sarcasm. Balthazar seemed to approve, so Cas figured he had done it correctly.
"Well I know you aren't. What with your boyfriend stuck in lala land, having no clue who the hell you are. Does he even know you're an angel? That you pulled him out of hell?" Balthazar knew the answer to all of his questions, but for some reason he loved to cause Cas pain. Must be an older brother thing.
"Just go Balthazar." Cas took the food from the man behind the counter and walked out of the restaurant, hoping Balthazar wouldn't follow him. But this was Balthazar, so of course he followed him.
"You're too attached to that boy Cas. He's going to end up getting you hurt or killed. You don't see clearly around him. You need to be doing things for you, not for some bloody hunter!" Cas knew Balthazar wasn't fond of the Winchesters, but this was the first time he had actually brought it up with Castiel.
"Balthazar, I can't just leave them and you know that."
"Why is that again Castiel? Is it because they're poor defenseless humans? Are Lucifer and Lilith after them again? No, it's because…"
"Shut up Balthazar!" Castiel cut him off, ready to fight his brother if he had to.
"You're in love with the stupid human!" Cas didn't hesitate for a second. He punched Balthazar squarely in the jaw, then flew off, back to the hotel. Back to Dean.
Castiel knew Balthazar was right. Cas staying with the Winchesters had nothing to do with needing to protect them. He couldn't leave because he had fallen in love with Dean.