Title: Light Up
Author: Blazeorfade
Rating: PG
Summary: Castiel thinks on Dean in the moments before the Archangels decend on him.
A/N: Slashy overtones and spoilers for season finale. Italics text comes from Snow patrol song.

To think I might not see those eyes, makes it so hard not to cry.

He'd lied when he asked what was so worth saving here. Castiel couldn't imagine not fighting when he saw the pain and the passion and the sheer faith in Dean's eyes when he spoke those words to him. He couldn't keep fooling himself into believing what Zacharia and the others said was right.

As he and the prophet waited for heavens fury he ket himself sink into the memories of the past year. All the battles all the suffering he saw, most of it crushing down on Dean Winchester's overburdened shoulders.

Light tore through the small house and he looked calmly into the Prophet's terrified eyes.

"This is the right path." He told him.

Chuck gave him a shaky nod and back into the table behind it clutching it with a white knuckle when the ground shook so hard it was a wonder the house hadn't been torn apart already. Castiel gathered himself, let his wings spread. He looked back at Chuck one more time.

"Go."

To his credit the prophet, his eyes tightly shut and mumbling to himself, shook his head furiously. Castiel smiled.

He wasn't fighting for all of man, just one man and he wondered what they would do to him for that. What punishment would Castiel incur for going against the Archangels' plans for this war? He had no doubt that he would die, trying to buy Dean enough time to stop his misguided brother. What happened to Angels when they died? Would he be imprisoned like Lucifer or would he simply cease to be? Just days ago the possibilites would have terrified him. Now he just felt a sense of calm determination. This was this path he chosen and he was sure that it was truly right.

His only regret was that he may never see him again. Dean had changed everything about who Castiel believed himself to be. No, Castiel's only fear was that they'd take away the memory of Dean, of the strength and light he'd found in his eyes. So he relished all the past moments as he stepped quietly into battle and he thought maybe this was why angels were distant from humans.

How could they be close and not fall in love?

-Fin