"Cas!" Dean called as he hurled through the library watching in slow motion as his Angel fell down the bunker stairs, then landed with a thud.

"Dean…" Cas breathed, coughing blood. He tried painfully to lift his prone body from the floor as he reached for his love. The pain in Castiel's face made Dean nauseous; he was going to be sick. Swallowing it down he skidded on his knees and slammed to a halt in the pool of sticky scarlet blood. "Jesus Cas." He cursed as anger and pain bubbled to the surface. Dean tore off his flannel shirt and tried to stop the flow coming from Cas' stomach with it.

"Dean, Raziel…he tried…"

"Don't speak babe, its okay I'm going to kill that SOB. Just watch me… you're going to be okay. Hold on...oh god Cas, hold on. You'll be okay…" He tried to smile reassuringly through the cascade of tears but knew he'd failed when Cas said, "Bad liar…" and coughed up more blood.

"Dean?!" Sam yelled flying down the stairs and landed hard with a wince.

"Sam? Sammy! Help me!" Each word was louder and more desperate than the next, his hands were a brilliant red as he pressed on the gaping wound. Then it hit him, he had no idea how to stop it. Why wasn't he healing?

"What the hell happened, Sam?" Dean asked, more out of habit than caring. He was helpless and needed to do something other than watching his soul mate pant for breath and die on the cold tile floor.

"Shit!" Sam slammed to his knees and helped cover the wound.

Cas was pale. Blood soaked Dean's shirt. As each drop left the beautiful vessel his golden pallor dulled. Dean was petrified.

"They came out of nowhere and trapped me against a wall; I couldn't move Dean, god damn Angels. They asked- no, told Cas to return to heaven... to be "re-augmented" Like he's some broken fucking toy and when he said no…Raziel…he bound him to his vessel and stabbed him. I couldn't move Dean…I…" He choked on tears, trying to be strong for his brother who was a visible and understandable mess.

Cas had passed out and Dean was frantic trying to think of a way to fix it, Cas could actually die. He could actually fucking die.

The room spun as panic pounded through his chest. Dean knew they didn't have long and he couldn't lose Cas, he wouldn't survive it.
Then it came to him in a flash.

"Anna!" he screamed, "Anna, if you can hear me, please come, please, its Cas…" He didn't even get to finish the sentence.
"Dean whats-? Oh no, Castiel…" she glanced at Dean, "Raziel…Damn it, I'm so sorry Dean…"

"Don't be sorry damn it, fix him!"

She recoiled at Dean's words, "Dean, I can't, you know that…" Dean's stomach heaved. "but, I know who can…" she added and then vanished.

Dean could feel Cas fading, his soul cracking with each passing second. The move to Cas' face was a split second decision and he cradled it in his lap, begging for a miracle under his breath.

Sam was still trying to stop the blood.

Rocking back and forth Dean could feel Cas waning. His stomach rolled again. Oh god, oh god, he thought, Cas was going to die and so was he. He could feel himself falling apart, cracking, shattering like glass.

Sammy had faded away, only a shadow at his side. All of his attention was on the man in his lap.

The room faded around the edges and darkness closed in, he was going to pass out.

Sammy was shouting but he couldn't hear a thing over the roar of blood through his veins. The world was nothing without Cas'. Dean was nothing without Cas. How had he ever functioned? How had he ever breathed without his walking miracle? Cas was his light, his hope, his saviour. Sat there, dripping scarlet onto Cas' face, he died a slow emotional death. Cas faded from the world. Dean faded with him, his light, his happiness and anything good he'd ever felt his entire life. Fissures of darkness consumed his soul.

Suddenly, a hand touched his shoulder. If it had been anyone else he wouldn't have noticed, he was too far gone.

"Hi Dean, Sam." Chuck smiled, "Anna said you needed a hand…"

"Please…" the sorrow and desolation in the plea from Dean had Chuck's face dropping.

"Of course." God looked at Cas with a pure unfiltered love on his face. A snap of his fingers and Cas's dragged in an almost painfully ragged breath, his first word; "Father?"

Dean sobbed as relief barrelled through his veins. The tears kept coming as he pulled Cas close. The huge tears soaked into his angels leather jacket; Dean's fathers jacked which Cas had taken to wearing.

"Thank you…" Dean whimpered and Sam echoed it, looking just as relieved as his brother.

"Babe, can you stand?" the words were broken and soft. That had been too fucking close.

"I'm okay Dean. Chuck healed me, I'm fine."

Dean wasn't, not even a little. His legs wouldn't move. Cas rolled to his side and wrapped himself around Dean, their knees touching as they embraced. Dean took his Angels mouth in his and kissed him like it would be the last time. It could have been. Christ, it could have been. His stomach churned at that thought. It hadn't been the last time and thank God for that, literally.

Dean broke away, standing violently and embraced Chuck, throwing himself at the deity with a thousand years worth of gratitude.

"You're welcome Dean" he laughed then added, "Castiel, come here for a moment." and the Angel moved forward.

Dean turned to Sam and embraced him, taking the time to compose himself trying not to hyperventilate.

Chuck looked at Cas closely for a few seconds and then clicked his fingers again. The Angel's glowed a hot white and then it faded out.

"What was that?" Cas asked, "I feel, different."

"Raziel is being punished as we speak." Chuck started, "I like you Castiel, you've embraced my creation and I value that above, well almost everything…" he paced the room casually, "This was over the line and I'm sorry, I didn't think that Raziel would take it this far. Anna warned me, but, I was hoping he would come around."

Cas shuffled into Dean as he wrapped his arms around the hunter's waist.

"I've made you blade proof. You're not indestructible but this vessel is no longer vulnerable to the angel blades."

All three of them stared at him.

"Thank you, Chuck." Castiel smiled, "That was very generous of you."

"I like you Cas, stay in one piece okay?"

Cas nodded and nuzzled into Dean's neck.

"Dean, can we go to bed, please? I'm tired." The words from Cas were like music to Dean's aching body. Cas laughed when Dean picked him up. There wasn't much difference in height or weight but Dean always managed to cradle Cas in his strong arms. The smile he flashed back was worth letting him have his way and he started talking about giving him the scare of his life and threatening to cuff him to the bed for the rest of eternity. It took Cas to much more interesting places in his mind.

"Sam, we're busy until tomorrow." Dean threw over his shoulder. He couldn't see his brother's smile as he carried Cas away but it was there.

Sam sighed, relieved and grateful.
Beer, I need beer he thought and started towards the kitchen.