Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural. If I did, Season 9 would have been out years ago.
Fallen Angels and Demons
"Angels. They're falling," Dean said softly, his voice tinged with surprise and sadness. An angel fell into the lake nearby, splashing water everywhere. Sam tried to shift himself over so he could see the sky, but Dean stopped him. "You're too sick to move." Sam protested but he was interrupted by a cough. When he removed his hand after the cough subsided, he noticed it was covered in blood. Dean looked at him worriedly.
"I'm going to be okay, I think. Whatever I had in me during the trials had to get out of my system. We need to go find Cas and-" Sam started coughing again even harder, turning away from Dean. He gagged, vomiting blood onto the ground. "Dean, help me," he whispered painfully. Dean hugged him, using his shirt to wipe the blood away.
"Sammy, how? I want to help you, but I don't know what I can do." Sam opened his mouth to answer but he started coughing again. He closed his eyes as he slipped into unconsciousness. Dean picked him up and placed him in the back of the Impala, smiling at him fondly. "You better not get my backseat dirty, Sammy." He checked in the church to make sure Crowley was still secured then got in the driver's seat and drove away from the church.
"He's my brother. I want to see him," Dean protested. A nurse with blue spectacles and a cheerful smile shook her head apologetically.
"I know, sir. I wish you could see him, but he's in surgery. That mysterious accident you said he was in left him in pretty bad shape, and our doctors are trying to help him recover. You should be able to visit him in a few hours." Dean sighed, accepting the fact that he'd have to wait, and sat in a waiting room chair. Finally able to relax slightly after the frantic drive to the hospital, his thoughts turned to Cas.
Cas, I feel ridiculous doing this, but I need your help. If you weren't one of those angels who fell- if there were any angels who didn't fall- can you please come find me? I'm in St. Peter's Hospital on 50th Street in Lebanon, Kansas. Sammy needs help, he's hurting, and I don't know if the doctors can save him. Please.
Dean waited a few seconds, then stood when he didn't see Cas. He asked the receptionist to call him once he could visit Sam, then left the hospital and walked to the Impala. On the drive back to the church, he thought of a million bad things that could have happened to Cas. He always came when Dean prayed for him. Turning on the radio, he listened to conspiracy theorists talk about why people had fallen out of the sky.
"Maybe it's God's will. He's punishing us for our sins," one person speculated. Dean laughed, doubting that was true. He parked at the church and entered it warily.
"Crowley? You here?" Crowley yelled for him to come in.
"You planning on untying me? I've been sitting here alone for an hour. I'm lonely."
"Yeah, right. You're lonely," Dean said sarcastically. Crowley looked at him, frowning. Dean groaned. "You're kidding me. You can't actually feel lonely. How much human blood did you get?"
Crowley shrugged. "There was only one needle left. I'm part human and part demon right now, I think. I know I'm at least partially human because I feel emotions… sadness, regret, horror at what I've done." Dean looked at him, feeling slightly sympathetic, then picked up the needle containing the last of Sam's blood.
"I'll finish what Sam started, then. I'm not doing the trials so I doubt it'll affect me." Crowley bared his neck and Dean injected the blood. There was no flash of light or huge transformation, but Crowley gasped as he became human.
"Dean, I'm human. I can feel it. What have I done? I've caused people so much pain, killed so many innocents. How can I ever gain forgiveness?" Dean untied Crowley and helped him up. Crowley stretched his back and smiled as it cracked, enjoying the small inconveniences that came with being human again.
"It's up to you how you repent for your sins, but while you're figuring that out, why not do your first good deed and help me find Cas? I think he's human too. While you were tied up in here, a bunch of angels fell." Dean led Crowley out of the church and he followed obediently.
"What happened to the angels? Didn't people notice them fall?"
"Yeah, it's all over the news. Some people think they're aliens, some are saying it's a government experiment. The angels have the sense to keep quiet about their past, at least."
Crowley nodded, taking in this information. "How are we going to find the angel? Do you have any idea where he is?"
"No," Dean said, sounding disappointed. "He could be anywhere. Some news shows are posting pictures of all the angels, though, and I looked through those. Cas wasn't listed there. I'm hoping he fell somewhere near here."
"I'll help you. If we split up we can search faster. I'll take the west half of the woods and you take the east half, then we'll meet back at the church when we're done looking."
"Alright, that works. I like you human. I think you and I could be friends someday. You know, if you hadn't killed the people I love or tried to kill me."
Crowley smirked. "Don't act like you haven't reciprocated the favor." Dean laughed, punching Crowley in the shoulder before he walked off into the forest. Crowley stared after him, perturbed by his playful action, then went into the west side of the woods. I just want to be loved. Would Dean actually be my friend after everything I did to him?
Dean found five imprints in the ground where angels had fallen, but the actual angels had left. Giving up, he started to turn and head back to the church.
"Don't move!" a voice cried, interrupting his thoughts. A naked man swung a stick in Dean's face and Dean jumped backward. When he saw who it was, he groaned.
"Not you again." The Cupid threw the stick away and sank to the ground crying.
"You don't want to see me? I thought we were friends!" Dean rolled his eyes then sat next to the Cupid.
"Hey, relax, okay? I was just… surprised to see you. Of course we're friends."
"Oh, good. I've missed you, Dean." The Cupid hugged Dean and Dean winced. "It's too bad I've fallen. I was about to match you with someone."
"Me? It was a hot girl, right? Like some celebrity?"
"No, it was… I probably shouldn't tell you. Nature has to get you and him together now that I can't do it."
"Him? I'm not gay. You've got the wrong Dean." The Cupid shrugged.
"Love is love."
"I'm as straight as it gets. Trust me, I only love women. I need to go, so why don't you walk in that direction-" Dean pointed in a direction opposite to the direction he was going- "and find some more of your angel buddies. Also, you'll need clothes. People wear those here." The Cupid hugged him again, sniffing back tears, and walked away. Dean jogged back to the church, trying to get as far away from the Cupid as possible.
Crowley was already waiting near the church, leaning against the Impala.
"Did you find him?" Dean asked. Crowley pointed towards the church.
"He's in there. I don't know what he's doing, but he said he wanted to feel close to his family. He's not hurt or anything, but he's pretty upset. Did you find anyone?"
"A Cupid," Dean said, wrinkling his nose in disgust. Crowley nodded sympathetically. Dean took a deep breath then opened the church door. Cas sat in the middle of the floor with his head between his knees. Quiet sobs racked his body. "Cas? Cas, it's me, Dean."
"Dean?" Cas said, looking up hopefully. Tears ran down his face, dripping onto his shirt. "Dean, it's you! Crowley said you were here but I didn't trust him and I hoped you'd come but I couldn't be sure." Dean shushed him, sitting next to him and giving him a one-armed hug. Cas leaned against him, and the sobs slowly quieted.
"I can feel now. I feel depressed and lost. I didn't know emotions could be this painful."
"They aren't always painful. There are good emotions too. Happiness, love, joy. You'll feel those emotions soon." Cas looked up at Dean hopefully.
"Really?"
Dean squeezed Cas' shoulder reassuringly and stood up. "Yeah. I promise." He helped Cas up and they walked outside. Crowley walked over to them.
"Nice job getting him to stop crying. He started crying even harder when I tried to comfort him." Dean snorted with laughter at the idea of Crowley trying to comfort anyone, but stopped laughing when Crowley looked hurt. "What's so funny? I used to be a father, you know. I'm not the emotionless demon you seem to think I am."
Dean apologized. "Sorry. It's just hard to see you as anything but a demon."
Crowley shrugged. "I know. It's hard for me to believe I'm human too. But try, okay? I feel bad enough about what I did without you reminding me about it every two seconds."
The conversation was interrupted by a phone call. "Hello?" Dean answered, opening his cellphone."
"Is this Dean Winchester? Your brother's out of surgery. He wants to see you."
"I'm on my way." Dean snapped the phone closed and looked at Crowley and Cas. "I guess you guys are coming with me. This will be an interesting ride."
"Can I ride shotgun?" Cas asked.
"Sure." Cas smiled and got into the passenger seat. Crowley glared at Cas, a small amount of his former personality returning, before he sighed and sat in the back seat. Dean sat in the front and laughed at Crowley's expression. Cas looked at Dean for a moment before he joined in.
"I've never seen you laugh before," Dean said a few minutes later.
"I didn't know how to laugh. Like you said, I had a stick up my ass."
"You mean that metaphorically, right?"
"Yeah. I think being human is helping me understand metaphors better."
"Cas, you'll understand metaphors when pigs fly."
"But pigs can't fly… Wait, that was a metaphor, wasn't it?" Dean's laughter was enough of an answer for Cas. He turned away, pretending to sulk.
"Would you lovebirds stop arguing for a minute? Some of us have centuries of sleep to catch up on."
"Shut up, assbutt," Cas said, laughing again. Crowley's eyes widened at the ridiculous insult and the corner of his mouth twitched. He kept a straight face for half a second before he and Dean both dissolved into laughter.
I'm in a car joking with the former king of Hell and the former God. I must be insane, Dean thought to himself. But for some reason I don't care.