The endless piles of souls mesmerized Castiel. How could so many have been lost so quickly? Was this really heaven's plan? He tore his eyes away from them with great difficulty. He was on a search and he had no time to waste. Pushing through the mangled, bloodied, screaming souls that surrounded his feet Castiel fought with his instinct to comfort them all. It would take hours to get them all to peace and send them to heaven, and that was time he didn't have. They tore at him. The grabbed in an attempt to hold him there. To keep him from moving forward. He pushed onward, ignoring the burning, the ripping, and their screams. The inhuman, bloodcurdling screams beat against his ears. It was horrible, the suffering all around him. Sorrow washed through Castiel as a child, a small little girl with bloodied blonde curls, clung to his leg. He shook her off trying to ignore he wailing cries for her mother. Castiel turned his head from left to right, searching. Everywhere his eyes met with unfamiliar faces, twisted and torn in pain. Still he pushed on. He had to find what he was looking for. He could not let it end like this, even if it was heaven's plan.
How in his fathers name had this happened? So many were suffering, making his goal seem more impossible by the minute. Three hours he had been searching and still he had nothing. Nothing but a thousand suffering souls he had no time to help burnt into his mind. While he searched Castiel had time to rethink his earlier decisions. No matter what he had done to try and stop it, it seemed fated he should go against heaven's will. If he had realized that sooner he wouldn't be down in the pits of despair trying to complete and impossible rescue. The whole horrible situation could have been avoided. The world and everyone in it would have been safe. Now he realized how responsible he was for these people's suffering. A shudder ran through his angelic grace. Castiel attempted to stop the feeling of dread and guilt as they washed through him strong and fast. He didn't know how to react. Never before had he felt the emotions, he wasn't supposed to feel them. He felt his steps falter and he feel to the ground. He felt the souls crawling over him, he ignored it. He lay motionless attacked by powerful emotions. They flowed threw him, one at a time. Guilt, anger, fear, sorrow, regret, love. The last fueled him. The emotions were still waging a war, trying to win out over the others, inside of his mind as Castiel stood. He had not the time to let such human things bother him at the moment. Power renewed flowed through his veins as he realized this was love's doing. The emotion love was pushing him forward while his other's were trying to hold him back. He focused not on the screaming, the burning, and the suffering around him but on the pleasant warmth in his chest as Castiel pushed forward. His thought were confused, he did not understand what he felt. Trying not to think to hard on the why's Castiel continued to search. Finally a pulling inside of him told him he was close. He felt in, the bond forged through his mark. His brand. He moved faster now, almost running towards the direction of the pull. Finally he caught sight of his target.
Dean Winchester lay broken, suffering in silence. His lack of movement and noise was a startling contrast to the chaos around him. Castiel moved to him, taking Dean's soul into his arms. Relief flooded Castiel. More confusion. His head was spinning with the unaccustomed emotions as he carried Dean Winchester in his arms. With his grace he pushed back spirits to make a clear circle and in moments they were flying straight out of the gates of purgatory. As they landed on earth Dean's soul dissipated from Castiel. It was returning to it's newly healed body no doubt. Castiel in response disappeared as well. Wishing to speak to Dean as quickly as possible. He reappeared and the first thing he saw was Dean holding Sam in his arms. Both brothers were laughing together, what seemed to be a permanent smiled on their faces. This in turn brought a smile to Castiel's face and he knew he had done the right thing. He was about to leave, give the brothers some time before he interrupted when he heard his name. "Castiel!" He turned back to Dean to find him smiling, at the angel this time. His heart swelled in response to the smile. Dean was waling toward him now. "I remember." Castiel's head tilted to the side in confusion. "I was too out of it to try and do anything but I remember. You found me and brought me back." Castiel nodded, his face soft. His was surprised to see Dean's eyes shine with unshed tears. "Thank You." Castiel's throat was tight for a moment and he was unable to speak. "You are welcome Dean." And the tightness around his heart felt good, it made Castiel happy thought he could not understand it. Dean took Castiel in his arms and Castiel had an all to human response. He hugged him back.