The Road to Hell.

Hell hath no fury like an angry Winchester, especially when his brother's been hurt by angelic incompetence. Castiel steps into the firing line and hears a few home truths.

Set towards the end of On the Head of a Pin… sort of a missing scene, but not really. Not entirely sure what it is, to tell the truth.

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A short one-shot that wouldn't leave me alone, just kept on nagging at me.

This is purely my perspective so no offence meant.

Unbeta'd therefore all mistakes are mine.

No Sam or Dean Haters, please. I love both boys and will not tolerate any abuse against either of them. The same goes for Jared and Jensen Haters; you're all dicks with the collective IQ lower than that of a common house plant.

And that's an insult to plant life in general.

(nods) Harsh but fair…

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"Sam..."

Sam turned halfway and eyed him with suspicion.

Castiel's breath caught in his throat for a second. I guess pride is not just a human trait.

"I... wanted... to thank you. You saved me. You could have let me die, my grace ripped away, but instead..."

"Instead..?" Sam looked... well... insulted.

Castiel regarded the youngest Winchester with confusion. Sam looked... angry.

He was used to seeing Dean like this, it was practically his raison d'être, but not Sam.

"Ya know, I used to pray," Sam whispered, menacingly. "Every night, without fail, I prayed. I fought for what was right, for what was just."

Castiel nodded. "And we heard every single prayer."

"Oh I don't doubt that," Sam responded, sarcastically. "You heard, all right, but you sure didn't listen."

"Sam…"

"And you have the nerve…" Sam panted out furiously, "to suggest that I would…"

He couldn't finish that sentence, but he did add "it crossed my mind, sure, but that's a hell of a distance from actually leaving you to a demon." Sam's eyes narrowed, mouth curling up into a humourless smirk. "Ya know? Like you Angel dicks did for me?"

Castiel was shaking his head "I don't know what you're…"

"Talking about?" Sam interrupted, angrily. "I think you do. You coulda stopped it, right from the get go." An accusing finger shot out and poked the stunned Angel. "You must've all stood by, and watched that yellow eye bastard bleed into my mouth and ruin my life… and not just mine. How many others, huh, Castiel? How many other innocent families did you destroy by doing nothing!"

"We didn't know," the Angel's response was curt and to the point.

"Liar!" Sam barked out. "You can't stand there and tell me no one up there" again that finger, but this time punching the air "knew what was going on down here!" His sneer made Castiel inwardly wince. "And I thought God was omnipresent… omnipotent."

Sam's eyes gleamed in the overhead lighting. He took a calming breath and slowly let it out.

"I'm human, and we're not infallible. So what's your excuse?"

Castiel raised his chin and met that intense stare. "We don't need an excuse. Everything we do is for a reason."

Sam didn't even bother to ask, knew he wouldn't get a straight answer. But he nodded sharply. "Same here." Pushing into the Angel's personal space, Sam hissed. "And Dean's my reason. He's no one's bitch, bait, torturer or sacrifice. Now get in there and heal him."

The Angel tilted his head to one side and studied the younger brother for a long moment.

"You are one of Father's creations, both beautiful and deadly. Flawed, yet loved," Castiel nodded slowly. "I'm beginning to see why."

Castiel could see the boy's love for his brother burning fiercely in his soul, and it was the driving force behind all Sam's actions. But there was an old saying.

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions…

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Author's notes:

That's it. Not much but it's something.

Cheers guys.

Kind regards,

ST xxx