~~~WHO ELSE SAW THE SEASON FINALE? Well good, then we're on the same page. If you didn't, then this is filled with TOO MANY spoilers for you to handle. Turn back now and don't look back!

Anyway...This is my continuation. Basically, what I think should happen in 9x01. Enjoy~~~

Chapter 1
Counting Stars

"The angel's...their falling..."

When another angel's body hurdled to earth, another star dimmed and fell. The sight was horrifying, but so incredibly beautiful that it was hard not to stare. The sky opened, clouds parting to shine an array of Heaven's glow, as every winged brother and sister shot down onto the earths hard sinful surface like small but powerful meteors. Anyone who didn't know the true meaning behind tonight's indescribable event, just thought of this as an unpredicted shower. Dean's emerald-green eyes widened at the sight, watching the sky fall piece by piece. Sam gripped tighter onto Dean's arm, trying to ignore the intense pain that shot through his body like a million thick needles piercing through his bones. They were both terrified, never having imagined something so remarkable yet, horrible could happen to the city above the clouds…But this wasn't even the worst of it. Who knows what Metatron was doing on the other side of the pearly gates?

That's when the Winchesters realized, it was getting hard to look. Sure they were never on good terms with the angels but, watching them all being casted down was just as bad as seeing someone die. Maybe worse. Especially when you could have done something to stop it. Dean lowered his head and closed his eyes, lashing hitting cheeks while the edges of his lips shook with disappointment. But he had to stick with the root of the problem, and that was his Brother's chance of dying in his arms. The hunter stood, making sure not to cause anymore shocks of pain towards the taller man while bringing him closer to the back seat of the Impala. Dean opened the door and helped him in. Sam laid down across the seat the best he could, coughing into his palm violently. He needed to get back to the bunker, he needed to find a way to keep him breathing…but something else came to the man's mind…Dean turned his head to look back up at the sky, the color of his eyes shifting from green to gold when focused on the flashes of light. A memory began to play back in his mind, of when Castiel almost beat him to death when Naomi was controlling him. Dean was on his knees, gripping tightly onto the ends of the angel's trench coat. His face coated with blood, skin broken and swelling from how fracturing the beatings were. Castiel had his hand raised to his side, the angel blade clenched between his red stained fist. Time seemed to stop, just in that moment of clarity. We're family…I need you.

Dean turned back to face the impala, looking back at Sam who held his mouth against his palm, head rested against the window. The decision was obvious, who was the priority in this situation, but blood or not, family is family. The hunter slammed the car door shut, his hand furiously hitting the side of the door in frustration before it clicked closed. He turned and made a run for it, not knowing exactly where he was going at this point. The sound of an angel's crash reminded Dean of the Fourth of July, except the fireworks had a more permanent destination. And here he was again, back in the woods, pushing branches aside and jumping over logs to find the one person he can never seem to leave behind.

A flash back of Purgatory transitioned with present actions. Everything was colored grey, dark, like running through an old black and white painting. Dean was filthy, some parts of his wet, the others were dry, but mostly all of his clothing was coated in either red or black blood from whatever abomination he slaughtered to survive. His eyes were darkened with rage, but his body was fueled with determination as he headed towards a goal which was never successful from the start. "CASTIEL!"

"Dean!"

The scene of Purgatory faded back to where Dean had been running in the woods. The sound of his name being called back in return lifted his anxiety. He was out of breath, tired, weary, so stressed that he could hear his heart pulse loudly through his ears. But he didn't stop running, he couldn't. Not until he found Castiel. Just then, another ball of light came down from the sky, gaining Dean's attention. It was right above him, coming fast, like a bolt of lightning. It hit the ground seconds after it was noticed, landing only five or so feet away from the hunter, sending him to fall hard on his back. Dean struggled to his side, lifting his weight onto one arm to try and sit up. A small crater formed just inches away, holding the body of God's most outstanding creatures inside of it. He grained his strength to stand, not caring about whatever pain he had, since these guys and Sam back at the car have it worse. Dean inched closer, leaning in to look into the large rabbit hole. And like expected, there was the body of a man lying in the dirt, his eyes inching opened. He slowly rose his hand, hoping Dean could help him…but all the hunter could think about was if something similar had happened to his angel.

Back at the car, Sam had stopped coughing and finally closed his eyes. He wanted to rest, but he was afraid that he might not ever wake up again. He slowly raised his head from the cold metal of the door to look up at the falling stars. He remembered sitting out in a field, Dean beside him while they watched the midnight sky. So many questions raced through their minds…some that could be answered and others that couldn't. That was back when everything wasn't as bad. The days when their only troubles were their stupid decisions and useless mistakes. It felt good to save people, to win a battle even if they knew the war was even bigger than they could ever be. But they still tried. Memories like these of which Sam thought about while watching fire rain from the black dusty clouds were unforgettable, sometimes even reassuring. Sure Sam loved Amelia, and sure he felt bad when he didn't look for Dean during that year he was gone…but he knew in fair game, that his brother gave up just as much, maybe more, to save Sam's life a dozen times over. Apologies were something the Winchester's mastered when it came to each other, but something inside of the larger man ached. He confessed his sins only hours ago, things he never imagined anyone would forgive him for…but he still wasn't satisfied. No. Not until he confronts Dean one last time.

Sam forced himself to sit up, his face looked sickly and his hair was stuck to his skin from sweat. Every bit of him wanted to give up and die, but he knew he couldn't, not yet. Besides, what is heaven without any angel's there to protect it? But he couldn't move. Everything, every muscle, every bone, every nerve was shocked with volts of electricity. Sam jolted in the seat, panting and screaming out from the pain that tore him open. He quickly began to unbutton his shirt, practically ripping the buttons out of their stitches and tearing the cloth in the process. That's when the review mirror caught his eyes…All the veins connected to his heart that were spread across his chest glowed a bright golden orange with every pulse that bumped blood through them. When the beat would rest, his chest would remain normal, though it would happen again and again. Sam stared with widened hazel eyes, unsure whether or not to be terrified or concerned. The pain came back, acting as a wave of birthing contractions which sent the youngest Winchester onto his side against the back seat. He tried to yell out for his brother, but the intensity of what he was feeling wouldn't allow him to speak.

Dean continued through the woods, listening to the fireworks play out behind him. "Cas!" He tried again, but this time, he didn't hear a response. The hunter quickened his pace, using every last drop of energy he had saved for a moment like this. Though, the sound of a stream is what gave it all away…Another Purgatory transition slid by, showing where Dean had found Castiel by a river between the lines of trees that hid it. The memory lasted only the seconds it took for the green eyed man to finally push branches out of the way, revealing the stream. And as expected, there was Castiel, standing by the water, looking up at the sky with wide blue eyes.

Castiel has been calling for Dean, both mentally and verbally, but he was sure that this is what it felt like to be ignored by someone who can save you. He couldn't poof over to him, he couldn't use any special type of signal to show him where he had been all this time. So he waited, just as Dean would wait for him. The emotions that showered the poor man were heartbreaking, a mix of everything that wouldn't allow a normal human to get out of bed when the sun came out again. He never felt anything like this before, never experienced what a man without grace could feel, see, touch, do…Castiel used to envy the Winchester's for their ability to interact with human nature. But now, he just didn't want any part of it, now that he knew what it was like to hurt.

"Castiel!"

When hearing his name, the newly beating heart in his chest pulsed, but broke at the same time. He turned his head to the side to be able to look back at Dean. Though the sight was shocking. Dean's breath caught in his throat, and every bone in his body shook down to its core with grief. The overall emotion from the man who could never feel remorse made the hunter's world turn up-side-down. Those blue eyes were filled with sorrow, as tears began to form across Castiel's water line. Dean could only walk closer, slowly, just to make sure he had the space he needed…All those angels hurdling down to earth, all those balls of light coming down from the clouds, were his brothers and sisters…the family that taught him everything he knows about everything he does. Even if some choices he's made in the past were bad, those angels were his last and final hope. Dean knew how it felt, to lose all you've ever cared for, worked for. But this, this was unimaginable. I guess, you could say, that now it was the ones that Castiel loved who were burning above him.

The stare between green and blue eyes remained strong and focused, just as it always was…but this time, there was something beyond those heaven-sent pools of determination. There was sadness, failure, betrayal, loss…Finally, a single tear rolled off of Castiel's bottom lash and down his cheek. The droplet of warm water stung, but now that it had started, it wouldn't stop…soon both blue eyes rained with disgrace, but no thought pushed it away. Dean rushed towards his friend, wrapping his arms around his body protectively, embracing him to try and ease the pain. Castiel stayed numb for however long it took for him to realize that he was once again in Dean's warming arms, and right now, he wanted to be nowhere but here. Instead of keeping his hands to himself like the many other times before, Castiel tightly clawed his fingers into the hunter's jacket, feeling more and more tears fall down his face and onto the other man's shoulder. The pattern in his breath changed, it got faster. Castiel couldn't help himself, he couldn't keep quiet, not this time. The sudden burst of loud sobs rang against Dean's ear, and it was something he never thought he'd ever witness. The sound had him in tears, a few taking time to fall when he closed his eyes, only to hold the other closer. He rose a hand and placed it against the back of Castiel's head, tangling his fingers in his short dark brown locks… And for the first time in history, an angel…no, a new man, cried.

~~~So what did you think? Feel free to leave me a review! I love those. The next chapter will be posted soon, I promise!~~~