A/N: Written before 4.16 (and angel-fu) aired.

Enjoy, and please let me know about any mistakes!


´We´ve warned you,´ says Castiel and Dean can´t help himself but think back to that time when he threatened to send him back to hell, because his voice is too much like then, full of hidden power and cool fury.

It isn´t directed at him this time, though. It´s Sam they´re after.

When they arrived to their motel room, tired and weary after yet another false lead to Lilith, they didn´t expect to find the angels there, ready to fulfil Castiel´s promise about stopping Sam. His continueing to use his powers has, apparently, pissed them off.

And pissed off angels are dangerous ones.

Dean tries to reason with them, while Sam stays silent. He knows they won´t listen.

Surprisingly, they don´t.

In the end, it all happens very quickly. Uriel goes after Sam, and Dean turns to Castiel. He doesn´t know how to fight off an angel, but he tries, throwing punches like it was an ordinary guy. It doesn´t seem to have any effect except angering Castiel more, and yet he doesn´t give up, because it´s for Sam, Sammy, and he figures if he has to die, it may as well be like this. Protecting him.

Or at least trying to.

In one swift fluid motion the angel blocks Dean´s blow, and raises a hand to his forehead. He doesn´t finish his sleeping trick, though. Instead, he freezes on the spot, eyes fixed on something behind Dean. Dean is immediately overflown by panic – Sam – and wiggles out of his grip. The sight makes him gasp.

Sam is standing over Uriel´s body, holding one hand in front of him, power radiating from the gesture as Uriel writhes on the floor and then goes limp.

He has been practising, realises Dean, and now he is, apparently, strong enough to be able to take out even an angel.

Castiel stares into Sam´s eyes, his look intensive and electric. He steps forward, concentrating on Sam. Their eyes are locked and there seems to be some king of a struggle behind it. Dean doesn´t know who´s winning, if he should help Sam and hit Castiel with something, or if that would interfere with them both. He chooses to stand aside for the moment, ready to act.

The tension in the air grows, until he feels almost suffocated. The lamps start to flicker on and off, as well as the TV and radio. For a split second, he imagines he could see the shadow of Castiel´s wings. Through all of that Sam stands there like the only steady thing in the universe.

And finally, Castiel´s strength seems to be weakening. He falls to his knees, though he manages to keep the eye contact. As if in reaction to this, Sam´s nose starts dripping blood, and when it doesn´t stop, Dean begins to worry.

Castiel is now breathing harshly, struggling to get up. Sam´s nosebleed doubles, and he flinches with every flicker of the light, his eyes mere slits. A moan escapes his lips and that´s it, Dean has had it, he marches to him and places a hand on his shoulder.

´Sam?´ a million things asked in one question.

Then something strange happens. Sam´s eyes snap open, his nose stops bleeding and he straightens up, one hand coming to squeeze Dean´s. And the power in his stare, mirrored as the thickness and elecrticity of the air, intensifies.

Castiel falls to the floor with a whimper, his breath knocked out of him and screws his face in pain. Small tremors ran through his body, and grow larger and more violent, until he is all but convulsing, all his attempts to oppose Sam forgotten.

Sam doesn´t stop. He has this look on his face, of utter concentration, and seems intent on sending Castiel back to wherever he came from. Or worse.

´Sam,´ says Dean again, this time without reaction. ´Sam,´ he repeats, louder. ´Let him go.´

It takes a few seconds for his words to sink in, but Sam eventually breaks the contact and the lamps stop flickering and the tension disappears. He breathes like he has just ran a marathon, but looks Dean in the eyes and says: ´Thank you.´

And again, there´s a million different things that he is thankful for, but that´s alright. Dean understands.

The angel is slowly recuperating, blinking and trying to get up. His eyes fall on Uriel.

´He´s alive – yet,´ says Sam and Castiel´s head turns to him. ´Take him and leave. Don´t oppose me or my brother again. Ever.´

His voice is dangerous, razor sharp, with a hint of something dark and deadly under the surface. He steps closer for emphasis, and adds: ´Or bear the consequences.´

Sam looks so threatening then, his voice full with such power, that it makes goosebumps appear on Dean´s skin, and holy crap, did the angel just hid a flinch?

A second later they are alone.

Sam lets out a heavy breath and staggers to the nearest chair, sighing. It somehow makes him look smaller. Weaker. More Sammy.

´Guess it´s you and me against the world again, bro,´ says Dean, sitting down on his bed. ´No pressure there.´

Sam snorts.

´If it only was that simple.´

´Maybe it is,´ offers Dean and then they just sit there in silence that speaks about too many things.

Just another crappy day.