Disclaimer: This is a transformative work of fiction based on the original by E. Kripke. Completely acceptable under Canadian UGC copyright. But all hail the master anyway...
A/N: Picks up right where 8.23 ended and will speculate on some known spoilers for the coming season. However, you won't KNOW they are spoilers, so really, just spoilers up to 8.23...
This began on the E/O CHALLENGE as a series of drabbles. As this ended up being over 2500 words in total, that would have taken too long to finish drabble style. The first section before the cut is the drabbles – so if you've read them, you can skip ahead – or re-read them to refresh your memory.
The look of shock on Dean's face was mirrored on Sam's before Sam's face crumpled in another grimace of pain.
"Dammit! Why is Cas never here when we really need him," Dean covered his concern for his brother with annoyance for the angel.
"Seems like there's angels all around us now," Sam pointed out.
"And when was that ever a good thing?" Dean kept a tight grip on his brother as he scanned the area and tried to form a coherent plan.
Even as he rose to his feet, a figure emerged from the woods right in front of them...
The streaks of light that signalled the angels raining out of Heaven still illuminated the sky as an unfamiliar figure stepped out of the woods. Dean had no doubt this was a fallen angel – he reeked of heavenly power even if he had been stripped of his wings. Dean felt Sam's hand close on his ankle in a cautionary squeeze. Dean had no love for the heavenly host, but he wasn't going to endanger his brother by shooting of his mouth, either – unless it would draw unwanted attention to himself...
"Who the hell are you, and what do you want?"
"Why was I not surprised to learn that the Winchesters were once again at the center of this latest crisis?"
"Matter of opinion..." Dean hedged.
"Silence!"
Dean wracked his brain for any information he might have filed away that could give him a clue as to who this latest threat might be. He had to admit he had nothing.
"Where is Castiel?" the angel demanded.
"No idea," Dean answered honestly, glancing anxiously at Sam as he felt the hand fall away from his ankle. Sam's face had gone lax.
"Sam? Sammy!" Dean turned quickly and bent to his unconscious brother.
"NOnononononononono," was the most coherent thought swirling through Dean's head as he bent over his unconscious brother whose breathing had become erratic and labored.
Dean whirled on the angel.
"Do something, you son of a bitch! Help him! Just for once do what a damn angel is supposed to do!"
"And still you have learned nothing of what it means to be a part of the heavenly host," the angel stood, arms crossed, neither moving nor moved.
"Please," Dean pleaded. There was no point in pride if it meant he lost Sam.
And then, another figure emerged from the woods...
Cas stepped from the trees looking even more dishevelled than usual and somehow less substantial. He seemed to take longer than usual to evaluate the situation. His eyes locked immediately on the brothers, and he moved to join them, seemingly oblivious to the threat of the angel.
"Cas!" Dean shouted, "Get out of here, you idiot!" He knew it was futile. It was too late to evade the angel even if Cas would listen to him.
"Dean?" Cas merely looked puzzled.
"Castiel!" the angel boomed.
If the situation hadn't been so dire, Dean would have laughed at the classic double take.
"Look, can the two of you simply sort out your differences after one of you helps my brother? We weren't doing anything other than trying to lock all the damn demons in hell and throw away the key."
"Castiel! What have you done now?" This new angel was just annoying broken record.
"Oriel," Cas clearly recognized the angel. "It was not my doing – it was Metatron and Naomi..."
"And you had no hand in it at all, I suppose?"
"I tried to stop it once I realized what was going on..."
"As effective as always. And now you conveniently have no grace to help restore the balance. How typical."
"What? What's he talking about, you have no grace? Cas?" Dean looked from the one to the other.
"It's true. Metatron took my grace in order to throw the heavenly host out of heaven." Cas looked steadfastly at his feet.
"But we can get it back, right? I mean we got Anna's back," Dean insisted.
"It's locked in Heaven with Metatron, Dean. I have no way to get back to Heaven."
"It's possible he'll let you in when you die," Oriel helpfully suggested.
"Actually, he's promised me that when I die, I will go to Heaven just so I can tell him my story."
"What do you mean, when you die?"
"I'm mortal, Dean. I have no grace. When this vessel wears out, I will die."
"But the other angels can go back to Heaven and get it for you. And someone needs to help Sam right now!" Dean turned his attention back to his brother. Sam was burning with fever and each breath seemed to saw painfully in and out of his chest.
"I cannot, Dean," Cas intoned sorrowfully.
"And I will not. As for returning to Heaven, your friend has insured that that is impossible. Even if the door were not shut to us, we have had our wings taken away from us."
"But you have the rest of your powers, don't you? I can feel them on you," Dean insisted.
"Yes. I believe that I retain many of my blessings. As do my brethren. They are gathering, Castiel, and they insist that you come with me to answer for your transgressions."
"Answer how?" Dean didn't like where this was going. "He already told you, he's mortal now. He can't possibly help you."
"He's just told you. We can send him back to Heaven."
With that, Oriel was done talking and he strode over to Cas, grabbed him by the back of the collar and marched him back into the forest. Dean was momentarily stunned, but the departure was so mundane and lacked the awe of the angels usual simply exit.
"Hey! Wait a minute! Come back you son of a bitch! CAS! Damn it!" Dean slammed his fist into the ground, but quickly turned all of his attention back to his brother, who was by now turning slightly blue around his lips.
"Aw, shit, Sammy. Let's get you to a hospital. Seems like that's our only option just now." Dean gathered his brother into his arms and gently manoeuvred him into the car. Within moments he was speeding toward the nearest hospital.
SNSNSNSNSNSNSN
The doctors had been and gone several times, and each time, the answers were the same. They were doing everything they could, but they were at a loss to discover the real root of Sam's problem. He was in a coma. They didn't know why, and they couldn't wake him up. They did know he wasn't in any pain – being unconscious and all... In the end, they just couldn't do anything.
Dean had tried praying to Cas. Of course, if he was really mortal, and Dean was pretty sure that he was, there was no way that Cas could hear him. He was desperate, so he widened the net. He sent out a general prayer, and he did it in the hospital's chapel to signal boost it. Dean had every reason to believe in God, but he also had every reason to believe that God was long gone, so he didn't hold out any hope from that quarter. But surely they wanted something he could trade. Damn angels always wanted something from them. But if he played his one card for Sam, what would happen to Cas? Dean shook his head. Cas would have to look after himself – at least for the time being until he could fix Sam.
Dean let his head sink into his hands. His eyes were gritty from lack of sleep. They'd been at the hospital for almost two full days, and Dean had had too many cups of coffee to count, but he'd only had half of one very stale sandwich.
"I will help your brother." Dean's head shot up out of his hands and he leapt to his feet, heart pounding.
"Oriel! Jesus! Do angels go to school to learn how to scare people to death? Shit!"
"No," the angel looked puzzled.
"You're the last person I thought would answer me. Do you mean it? You'll heal Sammy? Permanently?"
"Yes. But you must agree to help us."
"Always a catch with you assholes, right?"
"What is it you humans say? You get what you pay for?"
"Seems like you're pretty in touch with your human side – been slumming, have you?"
"Insults will get you nowhere," the angel's haughty attitude was beginning to wear on Dean's non-existent patience.
"What do you want?" Dean let the cockiness drop. They both knew he's do whatever the angels wanted.
"We want you to say yes to Michael."
Dean stared at the angel, speechless for the moment. After everything he'd been through, everything they'd all been through. Rescued by Sam, beaten by Cas, killing Zachariah. But Michael was locked in the pit...
"Why?"
"You don't need to know why, other than we won't heal your brother unless you do, and if we don't heal him, he will die. Soon. Perhaps within the hour." Angels were nothing if not brutal.
"What good will it do you? He's locked in the Pit."
"None of this is news. Do you say yes?"
"If, and I do mean if, I say yes, does that mean I go directly to the Pit. Isn't Adam still there? Isn't Michael still in Adam?"
"Of course not. Michael released Adam the minute he began to fall into the Pit. Adam's soul never was in the Pit. Lucifer held tightly to Sam's all the way down, only really releasing it so that he could alternate between fighting with Michael and tormenting Sam for his amusement. Do you say yes?"
"How can you even know that?"
"We are angels. Do you say yes?"
"Where's Adam? Prove it, you son of a bitch." Dean could hardly breathe. He'd tried to save both his brothers, and the guilt of abandoning Adam had been a burning coal in his gut for so long.
"It is not the right of humans to know the ultimate fate of another. Perhaps one day, you will be reunited with him. Do you say yes?"
"If I don't go directly to the Pit, does my saying yes somehow suck Michael out of the Pit?"
"No. Do you say yes?"
"Then what's the point? And why do you need Michael?"
"Michael can lead us back into Heaven. He's the key. Once we release him from the Pit, he will need a vessel. Do you say yes?"
Dean was still reeling from the thought that Adam had never been stuck in the Pit. He hadn't been the one to save his brother, but at least he hadn't been tortured. At least, not in the Pit. Saying yes to Michael didn't really seem to have a downside. After all, Oriel said saying yes wouldn't automatically pull Michael out or put Dean in the Pit. So they'd still have to break Michael out of the Pit. Dean knew first hand how hard that was. There'd be wiggle room to reneg on the deal. To find a way out.
"Do you say yes? Time is of the essence. Your brother's life force is slipping away."
"What about Cas? Where is he? Have you harmed him? Can you help him?"
"We cannot help restore Castiel's grace. Metatron holds it. And..." the angel hesitated and looked uncomfortable.
"What? If you bastards have hurt him..." Dean interrupted, glaring at the angel.
"I do not know where Castiel is at this moment. He... he slipped away while we were deciding on a course of action. Do you say yes?"
"Ha! He gave you the slip! Way to go Cas!" Dean smiled and shook his head. His friend had learned something from him along the way after all.
"Do you say yes?"
"You won't harm Cas." Dean made it a statement, not a question.
"I cannot speak for the entire heavenly host, but of those who stand with me, I will avouch his safety. Do you say yes?"
"I don't want this as common knowledge. No one, including my brother and Cas are to know that I've said it. If, I say it."
"Angels are not in the habit of gossiping about their affairs. Do you say yes?"
Dean sighed. It was the most he'd get out of the angel. Dean gave the answer, they both knew he would.
"Yes."
"Say, 'Yes, I give myself over to the service of the archangel Michael to be his vessel.'"
Dean rolled his eyes.
"Yes. I give myself over to the service of the archangel Michael to be his vessel."
Oriel smiled. It reminded Dean of a shark and gave him no comfort whatsoever.
"Quickly, we must go to your brother."
When they arrived in Sam's room, Oriel went immediately to his side, placing a palm on Sam's forehead. Dean hovered anxiously nearby.
"We are almost too late. I do not think that I have the power to heal him completely."
"What? You lying sack of shit! I take it..."
"Enough! Do not say it! It is too late for you to take back your promise. And I can heal your brother completely, but only with your help."
Dean glared at the angel. "I thought I already helped you?"
"I will need a portion of your life force in order to restore your brother's. Once Michael has taken possession of his vessel, his grace will completely heal you."
"What about before that?"
"You will be dying. Slowly, but a little faster than the simple process of aging."
"What the hell does that mean?"
"The symptoms that your brother experienced during the trials?"
"Yeah."
"You may experience those. You will be more subject to illness and will heal more slowly from injuries. You would do well to avoid both."
Dean snorted. Illness and injuries went hand in hand with their day jobs.
"Whatever. Do what you need to to heal my brother."
Dean stepped closer to the other side of Sam's bed. Oriel placed one hand back on Sam's forehead and reached to touch Dean's. Dean pulled back.
"One last thing. This stays between just you and I too."
"Fine."
Oriel completed the connection between the brothers. Dean immediately felt what seemed like an electric current course through his entire body. Pain thrilled through every cell and he had to clench his teeth together to keep from crying out. White light exploded behind his eyelids and he crumpled to the floor.
SNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSN
When Dean woke, he was alone on the floor of Sam's hospital room. He ached everywhere like he'd been beaten by the holy host. Which in a way, he had. He groaned and reached up to use Sam's hospital bed to drag himself upright.
His brother still lay in the hospital bed with his eyes shut.
"Son of a bitch!" Dean breathed. He scowled as he reached a hand to his brother's chest, anger coursing through him at being betrayed by an angel yet again. But as he touched his brother, Dean realized two things. His brother no longer burned with fever and his breathing was relaxed and easy. Dean felt his own chest constrict. He reached for the call button and waited for the medical staff to arrive.
Somewhere in the middle of a flurry of medical activity, Sam woke up.
"Dean!" he croaked, trying to see around the sea of medical personnel.
"Here," Dean wormed his way in and grabbed his brother's hand. They took a moment to settle, then Dean stepped back and let the doctors and nurses do their jobs. He was already hearing the word miracle muttered under almost everyone's breath.
Finally, the brothers were alone. Dean caught Sam up. Mostly...
"So, the angels got thrown out of heaven? And you have no idea where Cas is?"
"Yes and no. That angel showed up, then Cas showed up, and then they both took off."
"And somehow you got me here, and they were able to heal me?" Dean wished, not for the first time, that his brother was a lot less smart than he was.
"Yeah. Maybe it was more a time delay. You know, like the spell had to work its way out of you..." Dean tried his most sincere look.
"Does that really seem plausible to you?"
"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Sammy. You're better. That's all that matters. Now we need to concentrate on what the angels are up to – and likely put a stop to it. And find Cas. We really need to get on that. I mean, think of the trouble he'll get in as a human!"
Sam laughed in spite of himself at the thought.
"Given that you're his primary role model, that could be a hell of a lot of trouble!"
Dean's laughter turned into a hacking cough.
"Hey! You ok?" Sam's worried gaze took in his brother's pallor and strained breathing.
"Yeah," Dean gasped. "You know how I hate hospitals! I think I probably picked up a bug waiting for you to get your lazy ass out of that bed. What say we spring you and head for home? I'm missing my memory foam."
"Sure, Dean. Sounds like a good idea," Sam agreed, but continued to observe his brother closely.
"Great. I'll get the doc back, and get you sprung," Dean took the opportunity to escape his brother's gaze. He was going to have to keep Sam focused on something other than himself.
FIN
For now...