A/N: Sequel to "Defiant"

Betrayal for love is sometimes the deepest cut of all.

Strange how one phrase somehow morphed into this painful chapter. I hope my muse is kinder for the next one. Warning: My heart goes out to the many women affected by infertility. I've only seen the pain as an outsider and that was difficult enough. I do not intend this work to make light of it.

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction using characters from the Supernatural universe. I do not claim any ownership. This work is solely for entertainment purposes and is not considered film or tv canon (not by a long shot).

"Dammit, Cas," Dean growls as he stalks down the stairs leading from his loft apartment to the floor below. The warehouse has been converted into a repair, fabrication and restoration shop. Dean threads his way through the many chassis parked in various states of repair. The cars the Novaks have collected over the years had to be moved into an adjacent warehouse where they sit shining and in perfect condition thanks to Dean's attention.

Normally walks through the floor of his shop would calm the elder Winchester, but he is focused on one destination and his anger will not let him waver. At the far end of the shop is an office where one of the Novak brothers – Balthazar – works with their Beta computer genius, Ash. They create all manner of software code there and hack into systems long thought impenetrable. Today, they review files from the last retrieval with Castiel, Dean's Mate. Balthazar happens to glance up and look out the wide office window.

"Cas, dear, whatever you did, I would start apologizing right now," Balthazar says quietly.

"What are you - ?" Castiel begins and turns to see Dean stalking toward the office.

Dean pulls open the door to the office and snarls, "Out."

"Dude, I can't just …" Ash starts.

Balthazar, however, pulls the young man with a mullet out of his chair and pushes him out the office door despite his protests. Once the door is slammed none too gently behind them, Balthazar sighs and looks at the computer tech. "Ash, darling, we have to work on your sense of self-preservation."

Dean stands in the office staring at his Mate, willing him to breach the topic first. Castiel purses his lips and sits down. He crosses his arms and stares back at Dean, his blue eyes flashing.

"I did this for us, Dean," Castiel says evenly. "Surely you know that."

Dean blinks. "For us? No, Cas … if it was for us, you would have asked my fucking permission. If it was for us, you wouldn't have tricked me. How – you know – "

Dean throws his hands up in frustration and turns to lean heavily on the desk. Castiel sighs.

"Dean …"

"You know … I told you I didn't want the procedure, Cas. I told you every time you asked," Dean says hoarsely.

"This isn't just about you, Dean … don't you think I have the right to explore every option?" Castiel snaps.

"Oh, well pardon me, Alpha. Should I just go assume the position upstairs or would you rather assert your dominance here over the desk?" Dean retorts.

Castiel grimaces. Dean's words stab deeply. In all of their three year relationship, Castiel has never used his Alpha position over Dean outside the privacy of their bedroom where it serves an enjoyable purpose. He promised Dean he would never force Dean to submit to his will. Yet, with his recent actions, he has betrayed that promise.

"Dean, I'm sorry … I just – I had to know if we had a chance," Castiel says unhappily. He drops his head to his hands. When he looks up, Dean sees deep pain in the blue eyes he loves so much.

Unfortunately, Dean feels betrayed on so many levels he cannot even bear to look at his Mate. "So … what did you find out?"

Castiel looks up, hopeful and eager to tell Dean the news. "Viable eggs exist, Dean … we would just have to find a surrogate."

"Whaddya know … my body isn't completely worthless after all," Dean says sarcastically.

"What? Dean, I never said that you were –" Castiel starts but Dean is sudden standing over him, hands braced on the chair's armrests.

"No, Castiel, that's exactly what this little mission of yours tells me - I can't carry pups so what good am I? Oh wait … I still have good eggs so it ain't all for nothing … you can still carry on your precious Novak line!" Dean snarls. He pushes off the chair, turns and storms out of the office.

Castiel sits alone in the office for a long time before he has the strength to go back to the loft he shares with Dean. He heard the Impala engine earlier so it isn't a complete surprise to find their room in a state of disarray and most of Dean's clothes gone. He walks back to the kitchen, numb. On the island, he sees a piece of paper held down by a salt shaker. Castiel's hands shake as he picks it up to read.

Don't follow me. Don't call me. Fuck you.

Castiel sits heavily on one of the kitchen stools. It is dark when he hears someone coming up the stairs to the loft. His heart lifts briefly until he sees the angry countenance of his older brother, Balthazar. He sighs. His day is getting better by the minute.

"I assume you've spoken to Gabriel," Castiel says quietly.

"Bloody hell, Castiel … how the fuck could you do that to him?" Balthazar says, his voice rough.

"I thought he was merely being his usual stubborn self … I thought if I could just make him see that he was still capable of bringing life into the world he would be happier," Castiel says.

Balthazar helps himself to a beer from the fridge and hands one to his younger brother. He stares at the countertop for a minute, formulating his reply.

"Castiel … when I found out I was sterile, it killed me. I would have done anything to bear a pup. I wanted what you did to Dean … I wanted to know if there was even the slimmest possibility that my eggs could be fertilized by my Mate even if I didn't carry the pup." Balthazar pauses, clearing his throat. "When they weren't viable … I knew. I knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that I would never be able to give my Mate children. It was … well, for an Omega, that's pretty much the worst-case-scenario. When he left … it told me I wasn't worth anything outside of my ability to bear pups or even to provide the genetic material for a pup to be started. Do you blame Dean for being so adamant about not finding out?"

Castiel cannot stop the tears now. "I just wanted … every time he sees a child he goes quiet. It's been three years and he is still so sad, Balthazar. I've asked him so many times to go through this procedure … so we would know. So we could move forward and look into adoption or egg donors or whatever is out there … I didn't do it to prove he was worthless." Castiel groans as he realizes how this would look from Dean's perspective. "I love him, Balthazar ... whether he can carry a pup isn't why I stay with him. He's my Mate ... I just couldn't stand by and watch him long for something he thinks he can never have."

"Castiel … Dean will never take the easy path to anything. You know this. I can't speak for him, but from my own experience, the thought that your Mate might just leave if you can't carry on the bloodline is pretty fucking frightening." Balthazar holds up his hand to forestall the protest. "I know, Castiel ... I know you would never do that to Dean. Somewhere in that Winchester brain of his, he knows it too ... or he did. Right now, I have a feeling he thinks his world just ended because you proved to him that he isn't more than a womb and a wet hole to fuck."

Castiel growls in fierce denial of this. "How could you think I would be that cruel? Dean is ... Dean is amazing. He's so much more than the sum of his parts. I thought he knew ... I thought he understood."

"Did you tell him that? Repeatedly? Again, Cassy, your Mate is amazing but he's also amazingly hard-headed and three years is hardly enough time for him to overcome a lifetime of less than stellar life experiences." Balthazar says softly.

"Brother, what do I do now?" Castiel says. Hunched over, Castiel looks about as sad and lost as Balthazar has ever seen him.

"Oh little brother, this is one problem you will have to fix on your own. None of us can help you - I will, however, flail Lucifer for helping you with this fucked up idea of yours." Balthazar replies sadly. "Give him a few days. He might at least listen then … but Cassy, you betrayed the only thing Dean Winchester has ever had that was all his - his trust. He might never forgive you for that."

"God help me then …" Castiel replies.

Sam Winchester thinks that Castiel Novak has managed to do what several million dollars worth of bioware could not – he's managed to break Dean. Break his will, break his heart, and break his trust – Sam thinks that Castiel has completely crushed a man Sam believed was near-invincible.

Dean appeared in Sam's doorway two nights ago. He was drunk and he was grief-stricken. Sam said, "Dean, what are you doing here?" Dean had responded by throwing up on his brother.

Now, Dean lies on Sam's bed, curled into the fetal position. He's still crying. Dean's breath is coming in hitches and hiccups like a small child's. It's so deep a grief, Sam wonders if it has a bottom. He sits beside Dean and gently runs his fingers through his brother's short hair. Dean presses closer and Sam can see the tears sparkling on his cheeks. Sam doesn't say anything - what on Earth could he possibly say? Sam knows Dean can't be comforted right now anyway.

Sam's phone rings and Dean goes very still and quiet. Sam keeps one hand on his brother's head and glances at the caller ID. Balthazar.

"Hey," Sam says lightly. "How do you think, Balthazar? You're where? I'll be there in a sec," Sam hangs up and looks down at Dean. "It's Balthazar. He wants to see you … see how you're doing … " Dean shakes his head. He hasn't spoken since he arrived. Sam sighs. "He wasn't part of it, Dean. And if anyone can understand, it'll be him."

Dean doesn't respond. Then he gives a one shoulder shrug. Sam takes that as the most encouraging sign he's seen yet. He gets up slowly and walks to the front door. Balthazar stands there, hands in pockets, rocking back and forth on his heels. He gives Sam a wan smile. Now is not the time for sarcastic wit.

"He's in the back bedroom … Balthazar … go easy with him. I've never … I've never seen Dean like this. Not even those weeks after Crowley." Sam says.

"I will, Sam. Promise." Balthazar says softly.

Balthazar goes to the back bedroom and sees Dean curled up with his back to the door. He takes off his jacket, toes off his shoes and slides in behind Dean. Dean freezes and shakes his head. Balthazar just murmurs softly to him until Dean's body relaxes and he begins to cry again. Balthazar just holds him. The irony that this is exactly what Castiel did to comfort Dean when they Mated does not escape Sam's notice as he watches the pair. He sighs and goes to get a quick nap.