DISCLAIMER: *sigh* Do I have to say it? I don't own ANYTHING!! *cries* It's so unfair!!

SPOILERS: 4.21When The Levee Breaks

A/N: God, my heart is so broken. And I miss old Cas… oh, Cas… what happened to you? And… Dean - I can't even talk about Dean… (also, the titles lame, but eh.)

BROKEN LEVEES

"Dean."

He was still lying on the floor when the angel showed up. He can't stand, can't make his body work the way it should.

Broken things don't work like they're supposed to. It's how you know they're broken.

"I screwed up, Cas." He's surprised he can still speak. Tears have been rolling in a steady stream from the corners of his eyes. "He's not coming back."

"You must rise."

Dean can't even turn his head to Castiel. He was sure he knew what would be required of him next. What the angels would want him to do. "He's my brother…" His tears started anew, heavier and falling more rapidly. "I can't… I can't."

"Dean, you must rise."

With trembling lips, Dean spat out, "Did you see what just happened? Can't I get a freakin' break?" He hated the way his voice pleaded.

"No, Dean. I'm sorry."

Finally, Dean gained some control over himself. His head swiveled to the right, towards the door Sam had closed behind him as he walked out of Dean's life. Castiel was in the corner, hands at his sides. For half a heartbeat, Dean thought he saw the old Cas there. Dark head slightly down, eyes every where but Dean.

"He's my brother." is all Dean could think. Sammy is his brother, his baby brother, how had it gotten to this? The angel in the corner shifted enough for Dean to notice, and a new though flashed into his head. "He's still my brother, right? He's not…" Was he already too late? Was Sam already… the next thing Dean would be compelled to kill?

There was no response from the angel. "Cas!" Blue eyes came up for a brief second before darting off again. "Can you find him?" Dean asked.

"Yes." Castiel's voice was low, almost soft.

"Can you… angel his ass back here?" His voice was pleading without his permission again. He'd of chastised himself if he'd had the will power.

Castiel finally met Dean's gaze. "I won't."

"Cause it's not your orders?" Dean spat. Somehow he didn't think it would have had the same effect had he been standing. Lying in bits of wood and shards of glass, bleeding from a beating your brother gave you… how was he supposed to be intimidating? "Cas…"

He must have struck some chord, because Castiel blinked slowly, saying, "Dean…"

"Take this to him?" Dean dropped a hand onto his own chest, dragged it up to his neck and wrapped his fingers around a leather thong he'd worn for ages. Then he pulled at it until it came off, and he balled the necklace, trinket and all, in his fist. "Please, Cas?"

The angel walked forward and squatted by Dean. He tilted his head and took in the eldest Winchester. Dean hated being looked at like that. With pity.

But Cas brought his hand out and took the necklace. "You must rise."

Dean nodded weakly.

"I am sorry."

Dean nodded again, and turned his head away. He knew Cas had already seen him cry, but he didn't need to keep seeing it.

Dean heard the angel go.

~*~*~*~*~

Sam hadn't gotten far. He may have seemed like he didn't care anymore, but he dragged about the hotel. Walking slowly, but surely. Somewhere inside that sadly misled man had to be the little brother that Dean seemed to think was still savable.

Castiel wanted to believe that, but he knew better. Sam had chosen his path. Who were the angels to take Sam's free will from him? It was, after all, God given.

Sam stepped out of the front door of the hotel, rounded the corner into an ally that would lead him to Ruby.

Castiel was waiting.

"I'm sorry, Sam." He seemed to be saying that a lot. He didn't think he was supposed to be.

Sam was defensive. His shoulders hunched, but he seemed to have a new attitude about him. He stared the angel down. "Come to stop me?"

"No."

Sam started to move forward. "Good."

As he neared, Castiel said, "What you're doing… it's going to damn your soul. You will never be with Dean again."

He saw Sam's step falter, if only for an instant. Then the boy was on his way, bitterness in his voice as he said, "He thinks I'm a monster."

Castiel turned to watch Sam's retreat. "You blame him?" This time Sam stopped, cast a worried glance at the hotel, and the angel said, "He isn't coming. He can't make himself rise to even his knees." He stepped closer to Sam, walked around to face him. "You've won."

The young man's jaw worked as his muscles contracted. Castiel ticked his head to his side and continued, "Dean's… defeated. I will help him as well as I can." He extended his fist out, fingers toward the ground. Sam looked at him, fear peeking through his eyes. "He wanted you to have this."

Sam held his fingers out, and Castiel heard him suck in a sharp breath as cool brass met heated flesh. He could see tears building in the man's eyes, and for the first time he thought, that perhaps that little innocent boy was still there. But he didn't know how to help him. He didn't think he could.

"He loved you. He wanted you to know that." The lie came easy because it wasn't a lie per se, Dean hadn't needed to speak the words, Castiel knew them. He waited until Sam looked up, and finished, "Because down this path… you will die."

Then he left. Sam was beyond his help.

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