AN: I immediately began writing this after the finale. Most of it is pretty finished but I keep adding chapters to it. This is speculative season 9 as in I do not know anything about season 9, I've kept myself spoiler free and I intend to keep it that way. Self imposed deadline...hopefully I'll finish before you lucky state-siders get to watch the awesomeness that is Supernatural season 9. Thanks to MissMe13 for beta-ing :)

10 MINUTES AFTER THE ANGELS BEGAN TO FALL

The angels, they're falling…

Sam gasped again, struggling to take in a breath and drew Dean's attention away from the night sky. "De'n…" he wheezed. Curling onto his side sent a spike of pain through his body. He felt strong hands running down his arms, nestling around his back and his chest, dragging him up.

"I gotta get you home, Sammy. Just hold on, little brother."The words were spoken quietly and with assurance, Dean's breath puffing onto his cheek. Even though they were caked in mud, drenched in rain and, in his case, sweat, he wanted to stay for some inexplicable reason. The sky shining as the angels fell, as horrible as it seemed, was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. "Sam, c'mon you giant, I need some help. Just a few steps, kiddo."

Sluggishly, he stepped towards the car, feeling pain radiating through his legs and settling heavily in the pit of his stomach. His stomach rolled and he didn't have time to warn Dean as bile filled his mouth and spilled onto the rain-sodden ground. The acid burned his throat, adding another level to his discomfort and shit, death would have been pleasant right about now. He groaned in pain, couching forward with Dean rubbing soothing circles on his back. Right…Dean; the reason why death wasn't an option… goddamn him. After one last dry heave, he spat out the remaining saliva and wiped his mouth.

"Shit!" Dean cursed. The metallic taste in his mouth meant that Dean probably sawred staining his chin. "Sammy...I gotta get you to a hospital." Dean hauled him the last few steps to the car and placed gingerly into the passenger seat. He curled in on himself, head resting against the cool glass windows, noting that the surface had suddenly fogged up. Wow, so that was kind of cool; he was a walking radiator.

The tires screeched as the surface changed from gravel to asphalt. Sam watched Dean stare hard at the road, sparing glances in his direction every few minutes. "I don' wanna go…" he breathed, clutching his stomach "...I - no hospital." Another wave of pain washed over him, his body spasming as he lurched forwards, hands clutching the dashboard. It was as if he didn't have the strength to even yell anymore, his body letting out whimpers and low groans instead.

Panic raced through Dean. "Sam! Man, I gotta take you. I don't know what's happening in your body...shit, I don't even think we've got enough pain meds to get you under control."

Maybe he was dying. Maybe there wasn't an either-or about it and not completing the trials had secured his death. If so, he sure as hell didn't want to die in a hospital. They finally had a home and if he was going to die, then he damn well better die in it. He watched Dean frantically drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, brows creased in worry and mouth set into a grim line. "Please," he gasped, chest heaving as he fought to breathe. Blindly, he dropped a hand from the dash, his fingers searching for Dean. When he found Dean's knee, he gripped it with as much strength as he could and begged again, giving a little shake.

Tentative fingertips brushed against his hand and then Dean's warm, calloused palm covered his hand briefly, squeezing back. "Okay, just stay with me, I promise S-" Dean's voice broke. He didn't like it when Dean cried. "Sammy, I promise alright? See, you gotta stay with me now. I promise no hospitals." He felt Dean's hand squeeze his tighter, desperate for him to stay awake. He managed to slump back into the seat, head lolling to Dean's side. He gritted his teeth, feverish eyes taking in Dean's profile which was illuminated by the still falling angels.

"Thanks. I'm get'n sleepy De-" He managed softly as Dean swam out of vision, one lone streak of light falling in front of his vision before darkness claimed him and his hand slipped from Dean's knee.

_?_?_

"Sam! Crap, Sammy wake up!" Dean yelled. He grabbed Sam's wrist, his skin, still hot to the touch and felt around for a pulse. For a few irrational moments, he swore he would drive the Impala off the road and crash it if he couldn't find a beat. Life without Sam was not an option and something he probably would never verbalize to said brother for the sole fact that it was the ultimate end-zone of chick-flick moments. With his fingers still pressed into Sam's wrist, he let out the breath he had been holding; the sluggish thrum of blood still running through his veins was good enough for him to let go. At least for now.

_?_?_

Forgive me Father…

All Castiel could offer was a litany of silent apologies as he watched his brothers and sisters being cast down from above. He had single-handedly destroyed Heaven, practically offering the paradise on a silver platter for Metatron to take, no questions asked because he just wanted everything to be right again. His own reign over heaven had killed thousands, blackened shadows of angel wings littering the expanse of Heaven with bodies lying there and faces frozen in shock. He had been unrelenting, unrepentant and oh-so-very blind. But this? This was...unimaginable…

At least when he went crazy, there were still angels in heaven, as unsure and afraid as they were. Now there was just one, driven by revenge and an unhealthy thirst for story.

He would have gladly settled for being cast down alone, tortured, killed.

Anything but this.

Alone, with tears still falling from his eyes, his first night as a proper human was spent with his neck craned upwards. He brought his knees to his chest, feeling the cold wet ground squelching under his weight and leaning with his back against a tree. He watched the lights fall to earth, even as his eyes started to close from exhaustion, he wouldn't allow for it but then again, he was human…

...and all humans need their sleep.

AN: Hope you enjoy, would love to hear your thoughts :) Hopefully I'll be able to update quickly...depends on, well life. But as I said, hope you enjoyed it :)