Scene from 'Goodbye Stranger' from Dean's perspective

The crypt was dark, filled with spider webs, dust and whispers in the air that haunted Dean as if Lucifer were still in here. Even though there was something up with Cas, he was glad to have him here with him. Glad to have him back in general. Cas was standing at the entrance to the crypt quite still, looking around. Dean shone the torch around, examining all the many worn and tattered boxes and jars that lay strewn through the room.

"Dean, that's it," Cas said bluntly, pointing at a box on the shelf next to Dean.

Dean turned around and shone the torch upon the face of the box.

"How do you know?" slight suspicion in his voice. He eyed Cas waiting for an answer.

'It's the only thing in here warded against Angels."

He doesn't seem right. Why was Cas standing so far away? Usually he was quite intent on standing as close to Dean as possible but not today. Dean turned around and grasped the box never the less. He could now hear Cas' steps coming closer but they were slow and intimidating sounding. Dean picked it up and placed in on the middle table so as to face Cas. Cas had now stopped and was looking at Dean eagerly. Dean could feel Cas watching him and for the first time, Dean didn't like it. He placed the torch under his arm and grabbed a silver knife from the table. It was beautiful, long and shining. Dean stabbed it into the lock, bashed it with his hand and jerked it up, breaking the lock. He threw it aside and opened the box carefully. There it was. A large piece of worthless looking stone.

"Winner, winner, chicken dinner," said Dean with a light smile on his face. He looked up at Cas, almost forgetting the circumstance, expecting to see Cas only inches away looking at Dean innocently and intently. But he wasn't. Cas was standing a few metres away looking dark. Dean pulled out the stone containing the tablet delicately, brushed off the timeless ages of dust and shut the lid. The Angel tablet. If the demon tablet could close the gates of Hell, then what the hell could the Angel tablet do?

"Good," came a deep, husky voice from beside him, "Hand it to me and I'll take it to Heaven."

Cas was staring at the tablet hungrily. He looked up and met Dean's eyes. Dean stared back with a confused expression, seeing Cas' expectant glare.

"No," Dean said hesitantly looking directly at the tablet and back to Cas, "We will take it to Kevin, so he can translate it."

Dean's voice was lathered in questioning, as was his mind. Cas' head coked ever so slightly, bringing back memories to Dean of those first few months of their growing friendship and bond. He used to be so innocent and ignorant, like a child. In some ways he still was, but not right now. All that was in his eyes was an empty look of corruption.

"Right, of course. I'll take it to him right away," Cas said in a monotone voice never losing eye contact with Dean, "No time to waste."

Dean's grasp on the tablet tightens before he even realises. On most occasions his first instinct from this point would be to put the tablet down and kill the threat. However that was not the case today. Today the threat stood opposite him clad in a trench coat and backward blue tie that was so familiarly part of his life now. Dean was panicking. Maybe he could talk his way out of this and try and help Cas later when the situation was less dire.

"He's not that far. I've been meaning to check up on him, bring him some supplies." Dean grasped the tablet firmly under his arm and tried to give Cas his normal smile. The same smile he gave him whenever Cas said or did something so childish or alien. The smile he gave him when Cas didn't understand his references and coked his head with a quizzical look. The same smile he gave him when Cas wasn't looking and Dean saw him by his side or across the room, just being himself. But he couldn't muster it. The smile faltered and broke. He wanted to give Cas a sense of familiarity. Maybe it would help him snap out of it.

"I can resupply the prophet, Dean," Cas said gruffly as he slowly stepped towards Dean around the middle table, Dean shadowing his steps away.

"You know why don't uh, why don't Sam and I take it over to him and you can get back to your mission," Cas stopped and Dean then continued, "Finding the other half of the demon tablet. That is priority isn't it?" Dean could hear the blatantly suspicion in his own voice now.

Cas' head lowered slightly and his seemingly casual façade disappeared entirely. Dean could now see the true Cas behind the mask. The corrupted Cas.

"I can't let you take that Dean," the threat rose in Cas' voice.

Dean stood still and silent, also dropping his casual mask. They were raw now and both knew where they stood.

"Can't or won't?" questioned Dean, his eyebrows deeply furrowed.

"Both."

Still holding the tablet close, Dean took two loping strides towards Cas. Cas wouldn't hurt him, surely. Dean could save him.

Dean's voice was now barely a whisper as he said "How did you get out of Purgatory Cas?"

Cas was still, silent and stoic.

"Just tell me how you got out of Purgatory," Dean persisted as he began to back away, Cas nearing closer, "Be honest with me, since the first time you've been back and this is yours."

Dean felt his voice raise, becoming more gruff and assertive. He was angry now. Not angry at Cas, but angry at whoever or whatever had done this to him. Dean knew Cas better than anyone and this certainly wasn't his doing.

Cas didn't move and his glare remained fixed on Dean as the bright silver Angel sword fell from his coat sleeve into his hand. Dean's eye caught that of the blade and his widened in shock. This wasn't happening.

"Cas," pleaded Dean softly, so softly. Dean's eyes adopted that puppy dog glow suddenly without him even realising.

"Cas I don't know what the hell is wrong with you but if you're in there and you can hear me, you don't have to do this!" Dean started to back away faster now, his voice panicking, raised and the tablet held securely in both hands. Dean could have sworn that as he said this, he could see his Cas behind the eyes of this intruder, trying to break free.

"Cas!" Dean raised the tablet as a shield as Cas brought his clasped fist holding the sword down upon him. Not a strike to kill, only to maim. Lightening cracked as the sword hit the tablet.

Dean couldn't look away from Cas. He kept their eyes locked the whole time. He had to help him, he couldn't lose him and he wouldn't give up trying.

"Cas fight this, this is not you!" Dean shouts at him, only the eyes of a puppet staring back, "Fight it!"

Cas strikes again, hitting the tablet. Suddenly Cas pulls sharply to the side, away from Dean and his body curls over, his hands clawing at his head. Dean steps forward towards him in instinct to protect him.

"What have you done to me Naomi?" Cas groans in hatred.

"Who's Naomi?" Dean demands.

He put his right hand comfortingly on Cas' shoulder and griped him tight, letting him know that he won't leave him; he's here to help. That name. Naomi. It seared into Dean's brain before he even knew what or who she was. She was the culprit behind all this. She was the one who had hurt his Cas.

"Cas?" Dean leaned his head around to catch Cas' eye, to make sure he is okay. He doesn't look okay and this only fills Dean with a burning hatred for this Naomi.

Cas' face was tainted with horror and sorrow. He looked at Dean, pleading in his eyes. Suddenly he sharpened and his left fist collided with Dean, throwing him across the room. Dean felt a gutting pain as he hit the table and pots and crumbled to the floor. He pushed himself up quickly grabbing the tablet and peered around for Cas hurriedly. Dean jumped up only to be greeted with a rapidly appearing Cas a few inches from him, looking fearsome and intimidating, not an expression Dean was used to seeing on his face. Fear rose up in Deans body and he pulled his fist back to punch Cas. He didn't want to do it but he didn't really have any other choice at this point. Cas' reflexes however were unparalleled and he grabbed Dean's wrist faster than light. Dean gasped as Cas held onto him, gripping him tightly. With a hollow look in his eyes Cas twisted Dean's arm at an unnatural angle and a snap resounded through the room. Dean screamed with the pain and crumpled to the floor in front of Cas, dropping the tablet. It smashed open with a crack of lightening and the tablet fell out unharmed. Dean had never imagined in his wildest nightmares that Cas would ever hurt him this way, had never imagined the look of cruelty upon his face. The pain of his broken arm bled into the background and was overwhelmed by the pain of seeing Cas like this. Holding the sword in his right hand but not poised to kill, Cas slammed his fist down upon Dean's face. Blood spurted from his mouth and Dean could feel a tooth dislodge. Tears were clouding his eyes. But they were not tears of pain. Cas looked down dominantly at Dean and across to where the tablet lay, exposed.

"You want it, take it!" shouted Dean through the swelling and the blood. His heart ha suck now and he knelt there I front of Cas, so defeated, so lost. He just wanted it to be over. Cas looked back at Dean now.

"But you're gonna have to kill me first."

Cas' eyes do not shift or move and he shows no sign of anything but emptiness.

"Come on you coward. Do it. DO IT!" Dean shouts at Cas, just wanting him to finish it. He can't do this anymore. He's just so tired. He has always hurt the people he loves most. The only thing that Dean felt anymore was that those he loved deserved to hurt him back. A small part of him wanted Cas to strike. To strike again and again until the blood filled up his mouth and the last thing Dean would get to see would be Cas. That was a blessing enough. Cas strikes again and Dean can feel his left eye explode with pain. Dean whipped his head around to look at Cas, wanting to see his face as much as possible before he was finished. Dean saw something though. He could see the Cas he knew, the Cas he loved, pleading behind those cold eyes. He could see them screaming 'Make me stop! Make me stop!' At this moment Dean realised that he had to save him. He was the only one who could do it. This wasn't Cas. The last person he saw could not be of an impersonator of the one he loved. This was the moment that Dean realised he didn't want to die. The memories of Hell flooded his mind and filled him with fear. But most of all Dean realised that he wouldn't get to see Sam again. He wouldn't be able to go back to his home and lay on his bed that remembered him and make Sam a sandwich as watch him eat it with a smile on his little brothers face. He wouldn't be by Sam's side as he went through these trials…He wouldn't ever see Cas again.

"Cas this isn't you, this isn't you!" Dean groans through the tears and blood, his voice shaking with overwhelming fear. Cas brought his fist down upon Dean once more. Dean's arm screamed in protest as he pulled it up to grab onto Cas' hand. He clasped their fingers together and could feel Cas' clammy, warm palm beneath. He had been sweating with fear this whole time also. Cas pulled the sword upwards, posing to kill this time. With his left hand, Dean reached out to Cas, just brushing against his coat. He looked up at Cas, not as an intruder, but as his friend, as someone he loves.

"I know you're in there, I know you can hear me," Dean mumbles, struggling to speak through the pain and fear of losing Cas forever.

"Cas, it's me," he begged.

Cas' arm remained perfectly still with the sword tightly in his grasp.

"We're family," Dean's voice was so soft, and crackled with tears. He looked up at Cas with love pouring from his eyes.

"We need you."

Dean's mind became a sudden mosaic of every moment he had spent with Cas. Imbedded in his mind he saw Cas' smile after Dean pulled his finger, he saw Cas' quizzical stare from inches away, he saw Cas' sorrowful eyes after he had returned the souls, he could smell Cas' coat as he hugged him and he could feel the material of Cas' tie under his finger as he straightened it adoringly on so many occasions. The words played over and over again in his head, a mere soft whisper like a promise and a confession. I love you. I love you. I love you.

Dean tried to form those own words with his mouth but instead something came out that meant exactly the same thing.

"I need you."

Tears are clouded his eyes and Dean suddenly saw his Angel break through. The sword dropped from his hand onto the floor with a final clang. Dean let go of his hand, his fingers gliding over Cas', to grasp at his broken arm. Dean groaned in pain. Cas' glance moved over to the tablet, which he bent to pick up. The inscriptions glowed and Cas along with them. Dean shielded his eyes from the glare and then the light dulled. The hand holding the tablet swung to the side and Cas reached forward to Dean with his right hand, a look of sorrow on his face. What is happening? Is Cas back? Dean's mind rushed with sudden horror that he had not fixed Cas at all.

"Cas no, Cas, Cas," Dean groaned through the pain and he gropes out with his good hand to grab onto Cas' arm, clenching the material of the coat in his fist. Like Cas is his anchor, which truth be told he really is. Cas cupped Dean's face lovingly, carefully and softly, making sure not to hurt him anymore. Dean can feel the hot touch of his fingers against his skin and an electric current passes through his body. Everything stings at once and then all is gone. The swelling, the blood and the broken bones. Cas' hand drags away from Dean's face, his fingers brushing against his jaw. Dean leaves his grasp against Cas' coat until his arm pulls away. Dean looks up at Cas with an overwhelming mixture of sadness and relief.

"I'm so sorry Dean."

And he means it. Dean can see that. He only hopes that Cas doesn't feel the weight of this as much as Dean does for his mistakes.