"Cas? Where the hell are you Cas?!" Dean calls out to dark empty space. Or at least, it was empty in the way the the circling shadows of god knows what hadn't immediately swarmed him just yet. His eyes were wide, heart hammering, cold sweat pouring from his hands. Cas was gone and he was alone yet again.
The next he knew, he was jolting awake and suffocating under intense heat and an oppressive scent of dark shadows of Purgatory had vanished, replaced by fire, agony and he could hear the wails of misery and suffering... he was back in Hell.
There was a chuckle above him. The dark and twisted form of Alistair came to view.
"Rise and shine, Grasshopper. It's a new day, full of fun and exciting new games to play."
"Alistair? What the hell, you're supposed to be dead!" Dean spat. The demon blinked before grinning.
"Not today, Dean." he said quietly (and maybe a little smug). Dean's eye's widened and he forced himself up. He could feel his stomach twist unpleasantly in his gut.
"But...but I saw you! You're dead, Sammy killed you after Cas-"
"Cas?" the demon interrupted. "I don't know any Cas." Alistair began to pick at his tools idly, wondering what to use on the hunter first. "Perhaps it was a dream."
"It wasn't you dick! It was real! Cas flew down here and he.."he trailed off as doubt began to nip at him. Alistair's grin broadened as he watched the Winchester's face fall and his words fumble. "We saved the world together. He..opened Purgatory...and..the leviathans."
"Leviathans? Really?" Alistair let out a chuckle at that.
"We were in Purgatory." Dean finished, then glared as the demon howled in laughter.
"Oh goodness Dean," the demon managed between peals of laughter. "Dean, Dean, Dean.." He straightened and leaned over the man on the rack. Cold clammy hands gripped the man's chin and he forced Dean to meet his gaze.
"Believe me when I say that you never left."