Dean was pissed. This saving the world thing was not working out in his favor. At all. Now, the ace up his sleeve, the angel who went by the name of Castiel, was drunk off his ass at all hours of every day, spouting off defeatist jibes and not doing much of anything other than bringing everyone down. ….all because he lost his 'angel powers' and became human ...well, ok, mostly because he couldn't find his 'dead-beat Dad.'

Yea, I know all about those, Dean thought as he looked over the crumpled, griping form perched on the corner of Sammy's bed .

"C'mon man, we can do this," Sammy was saying to Castiel with those large, brown puppy eyes of his.

Dean knew this maneuver. It was the one Sammy used whenever he was feeling lost, or powerless, or in need of redemption....or like the scared little girl he sometimes was.

The phrase wasn't said about any particular plan, just in regards to general demeanor. Although Sammy himself often brooded about for days at a time, and had done so since he was a little kid, he'd never grown capable dealing with anyone else doing it. It shook the very foundations of his world.

The correct response to give whenever Sammy said such a phrase was to concede with a small grin, an affectionate light punch to the shoulder and then a positive change of the subject. Dean had given this response countless times during his life. It always worked.

Castiel did not give the correct response.

In fact, Castiel gave the worst possible response in the history of worst possible responses: "Oh, of course we can," Castiel started sarcastically. "With the abomination of God's plan on our side, how can we fail?" Then he shook his head and grunted out a laugh, showing just how ridiculous he thought Sam really was.

Son Of A BITCH, Dean thought to himself as Sammy's face twitched repeatedly in anguish. Dean watched as Sammy visibly deflated, brows knit together in deep sadness as he self hugged, walked over to sit quietly by the window and stared out into nothing as he wrestled with his own despair.

Stomping to the bed to tower over the disheveled former angel, Dean glared down at him. "You aren't helping," Dean growled. "Now, why don't you grow a pair and get over Daddy's disappearing act," he said as he did his best impression of his own father.

Castiel looked up at him with wide, innocent – albeit irritated - eyes before turning his head ever so slightly to one side. "You're one to give advice, Dean. Hasn't that been what your entire existence has been about?"

Dean's eyes shot wide as several differing emotions flared over his features, until barely contained rage finally won out. With his left hand he grabbed Castiel by the collar of his trench coat, while his right pulled back in a fist as Castiel giggled....

"Dean!" Sammy yelled from his seat by the window, causing both Dean and Castiel to look at him in unison. "Don't – he's an angel. You can't punch him!"

"He had no problem pounding my face," Dean rasped out with his fist still raised.

"Dean," Sammy pleaded, "c'mon, don't. He's new to this whole being human thing." Sammy motioned desperately, hoping to get his point across with imploring eyes.

"So? He isn't new to this whole asshat thing he has going on," Dean said with pure seriousness.

Sammy rolled his eyes as he sighed, "Look, it wouldn't be fair – half the time he hasn't got a clue what's going on around here. He can barely even use a damn cell phone! It'd be like beating up a kid, dude."

Dean cocked his head to one side as he pulled an amused face, finally seeing some humor in the situation – mostly because it was obvious that Sammy wasn't as damaged by the earlier exchange as he had thought.

"True. But that doesn't mean he gets away with talking to you like that," Dean said as he tightened his grip on Castiel's collar.

Castiel, all the while, had been quietly and curiously watching the exchange between the two brothers, seemingly fascinated and very amused. ...amused until Dean focused his attention fully on him once more, the tightened grip on his collar irritating him.

"What do you think you're going to do, Dean? I dragged you out of hell..." Castiel threatened.

"Yea, I know – and you can throw me back in. ...oh wait, you can't," Dean smiled widely, tugging on the collar. "Loss of angel status and all," he mocked.

Castiel glared up at him and grabbed Dean's hand as it held his collar. "What I said to Sam was true..."

"Cas," Dean warned, glancing over to see the hurt look return to Sammy's face.

"...you know it to be true," Castiel continued.

"Stop it, Cas – don't you tell me what I know," Dean warned again, shaking him hard by his collar.

"Sam is an abomination in God's eyes," Castiel insisted.

"Oh, that's it!" Dean yelled as he grabbed Castiel with both hands and hauled him up, causing Castiel to smile in amused irritation.

"Dean!" Sammy called out again in a panic, jumping out of his chair but not quite going to Castiel's aid. His eyes went wide at what happened next.

Dean sat on the bed where Castiel had been a moment before, and in a split second had pulled the amused angel face down over his lap.

"Dean?" Sammy asked, his face scrunched up in sheer disbelief at what his older brother was obviously about to do.

"Quiet Sammy," Dean gently commanded as he arranged the very confused, and still slightly intoxicated, Castiel over his lap. "...you didn't want me punching him – I'm not punching him."

As soon as Dean tugged the angel to his hip, Castiel found his tongue. "Dean, what do you think you are doing?"

He received no answer.

When Dean flipped up the trench coat, Castiel began to struggle. Without his powers, his thin frame was no match for Dean, and so he tried another route.

"Let me go," Castiel warned as he looked over his shoulder up at Dean.

Dean smiled smugly at him, "Oh, catch on to what you're in for, did ya?"

Castiel's eyes went unbelievably wide, the deep blue orbs staring up at Dean in disbelief. "You shouldn't be doing this," he nearly whispered.

"Well, someone needs to," Dean answered as he reached under Castiel to unfasten the belt and the black slacks that fit snugly to the angel's slim hips. Castiel again tried and failed to struggle away from him.

"Pray I never get my Grace back," Castiel growled, turning away from Dean to face forward. His eyes flit around shooting daggers before coming to rest on Sam's.

"I take it I won't be in for another face pounding, huh?" Dean asked in amusement.

Sam was holding his breath, standing rooted in place as he watched what was happening. When Castiel's eyes met his, he gave a sympathetic shrug as his features displayed an unintentionally comedic look of apologetic surprise.

Castiel's focus was brought back to Dean as he felt his pants and boxers being tugged down. "This is inappropriate," he said blandly.

Just as Castiel was bared, Sam spoke up. "OK, I-uh-um...gonna go ….for some fresh air," he stammered while nearly tripping on his way to the door, "...back later."

"Sammy! Sit," Dean barked before answering Castiel: "Kind of like your comments, Cas?"

Sammy reluctantly sat back down, giving his brother big, nervous eyes in which he tried to convey just how very wrong he thought this all was.

"No. My comments were appropriate and factual," Castiel answered, though he was beginning to figure out why Dean was so angry.

"Wrong answer," Dean growled as he suddenly brought his hand down sharply to the middle of Castiel's ass.

"Ah," Castiel called out, in spite of himself, shock showing in his widened eyes.

Dean grinned at the response and smacked him again.

"Ow," Castiel said in a simple tone before letting out a deep breath, his face a peculiar mixture of irritation, indignation and attempted boredom.

Dean glanced over to Sammy, only to see him grasping the chair nervously with white knuckles, eyebrows wrenched high, eyes huge and mouth pooched in panic. Catching Dean's gaze, he frantically shook his head and mouthed the word 'NO'. Dean had to try hard not to laugh.

"It's ok, Sammy," Dean said before looking back to his work. "Calm down."

Castiel looked at Sam when he heard Dean speak, and – seeing how much against all of this Sam was – he began to feel bad about speaking so openly. Sam couldn't help what had happened to him. In all, Sam had fared pretty well and had done a lot of good with his life, despite the odds. Castiel liked him. Before he could think any further, Dean's hand landed five times in quick succession to the same area.

Castiel, who until now had had his right hand on the floor propping him up and his left clenching the strewn sheets on the bed, grabbed ahold of Dean's left knee with both as he hissed in his discomfort.

One side of Dean's mouth tugged up in a satisfied half grin at the reaction that had gotten, and he did it again, this time getting a faint high pitched moan from Castiel. Then he proceeded to stagger his spanks all over Castiel's ass. It didn't take long before Castiel began to lightly jerk every time Dean's hand made contact, his fingers soon clenching Dean's kneecap in time with the spanks. Dean stopped abruptly, wrung out his hand to the side of him and then rubbed and inspected the now pink globes that lay across his lap, causing Castiel's breath to catch ever so slightly.

Castiel was relieved when the blows stopped landing. It had been painful, but only mildly so – easily tolerable, but he was still glad that Dean was finished with this ridiculous punishment. He bit his lip when Dean began inspecting his handiwork, trying to remain silent to the renewed pain the attention caused on the inflamed skin.

Dean nodded smugly. The globes were hot – perfectly warmed up. Having been on the receiving end plenty of times with both his father and Bobby, and having done this to Sammy on more than one occasion, Dean knew he could move on to the real punishment now.

Sam, understanding where this would go next, mewed in worry. Castiel's head shot up to look at him intensely, eyebrows knit together in confusion. He slightly shook his head at Sam to question what was going to happen next that had Sam so worried.

Sam just gave him a sorrowful look before letting his eyes fall to the ground while running his hands through his hair and then clasping them in front of him. Castiel's stomach began to churn when he realized that Sam was purposely refusing to make any more eye contact.

Reaching under Castiel, Dean grabbed the loosened belt and pulled it free. Castiel looked over his shoulder at Dean in wonderment just in time to see Dean double the belt over, causing Castiel's eyes to go unbelievably wide, mouth slightly agape. He had thought they were done.

Dean gave him a grin. "Now the fun starts," he said darkly as he raised the belt high.

Castiel glared at him after first giving him a hurt expression, and then turned to face forward again just as the belt landed.

"Ow!" Castiel couldn't help but yell out, forehead wrinkled in pain, eyes wide in shock. The next swipe of the belt had him baring his teeth, gnashing them together as he grunted. The third landed low, causing him to buck with his eyes squeezed shut, nose wrinkled in a sneer, making a noise between a desperate moan and a grunt, the tendons in his neck stretching out as the third stripe of dark red rose over his cheeks. He opened his eyes and saw that Sam was looking at him from under his messy bangs with sad, almost guilty eyes just before Dean struck him with the belt again.

"Oww!" Castiel yelled and then turned to glare up at Dean, a snarl on his lips.

"Betcha wish you'd kept your damn mouth shut now, doncha sunshine?" Dean asked with a self righteous grin.

Castiel growled at him, his growl becoming another exclamation of pain as another stripe of the belt landed.

Dean was not holding back. He was swinging the belt hard, focusing his anger and desperation to keep Sammy from fulfilling his destiny into the spanking. He didn't know how Castiel could say the things he had – he might as well offer Sammy up to Lucifer on a silver platter, and that pissed Dean off.

Sam watched as the belt kept landing, making Castiel shudder and jerk his body from pain. Their eyes met, Castiel looking up at him with huge blue eyes that took on a sorry look as they bore into his own.

A part of Dean was impressed. Sammy had always begun pleading as soon as the belt came out, and he himself didn't last long with a belt being applied to his ass before he began his own begging. But not Castiel. There weren't even any yells of 'no' or of 'stop.' It was impressive, but Dean had only worked past part of his irritation and so he kept going.

"You have any idea why I'm doing this?" He asked gruffly.

"I think so," Castiel answered simply, his voice raspier than normal.

Dean rolled his eyes, realizing that Castiel didn't know that he wanted an elaboration. "You mind filling me in on what you think is the reason?"

Castiel huffed, "I suppose not."

Dean took the plain answer as being sarcastic, and responded with a sharp connection of the belt that had Castiel bucking once more.

"OW!" Castiel yelled in a high pitch before looking back questioningly at Dean.

Dean nodded his head to indicate that he wanted an answer immediately.

"You aren't happy with my honesty. Apparently I was supposed to lie – I didn't realize that at the time," he added with his eyebrows raised innocently before continuing off-handedly, "...just because he's an abomination doesn't mean there is no hope for his soul, Dean."

"C'mon man, he didn't know," Sam chimed in. "That's enough!"

"Sammy, I told you to be quiet," Dean warned, pointing the belt at Sammy to make his point.

Sammy ducked his head and gave him puppy eyes, but quieted.

"And you," Dean said, looking back at Castiel as he let the belt fly again, "stop calling him that!"

"OWWW!" Castiel yelled out before taking a few heavy breaths, looking up again at Sam with guilty eyes.

"....Cas," Dean warned, wanting an answer.

"...I'll stop," he said, giving Sam as much of a small smile as he could muster, which Sam returned.

"Good," Dean said, "Now, why did you say it to begin with? What's going on with you, man?"

Castiel started to answer, eyebrows raised, and then stopped. He looked at Dean and swallowed, "That doesn't matter."

"Like hell it doesn't," Dean growled out, letting the belt fly in a flurry, connecting multiple times to the under curve of Castiel's ass.

Castiel screamed and lurched forward, eyes screwed shut and mouth wide. When the blows kept coming he began to kick and squirm, and soon the trench coat was nearly over his shoulders as he twisted this way and that.

"You know, I'm getting pretty tired of your shit, Cas," Dean lectured as the belt kept flying. "First you come here with all your angelic bullshit: 'Do this' 'Do that' 'There's a bigger picture – but I'm not tellin' you what it is,' and now that you don't have your powers, it's all doom and gloom with you....and booze. That's not gonna cut it, so you better tell me what the hell is going on with you."

"Ok, ok, ok," Castiel cried out, angry that tears were welling in his eyes.

Dean stopped swinging, "Go ahead."

It took Castiel a few moments to steady his breathing enough to speak. But when he did, it was concise and to the point, "I'm feeling desolate and hopeless, and I got angry. I took it out on Sam; I shouldn't have and I'm sorry." Castiel looked straight at Sam, "I'm sorry, Sam."

Dean kept his head facing Castiel, but peeked up at Sammy to gauge his reaction.

Sammy was looking at Castiel with teary eyes as his face twitched, then he looked at Dean to see if the answer would suffice. When he saw Dean looking to him, he rolled his eyes and nodded as though to convey how stupid he thought Dean was for having to check.

Dean nodded and pouted for a moment, thinking. "Well Cas, that takes care of that – now we gotta talk about you being drunk all the time," he said as he patted Castiel's ass with the belt to indicate how that talk was going to go.

Castiel let out a breath and closed his eyes.

"Dean, this is stupid – stop already," Sammy snapped. "You're way out of line here."

Dean glared at Sammy, "Oh, I'm the one who's outta line here? Me? Correct me if I'm wrong Sammy, but I'm not the one keepin' up a drunken stupor twenty-four seven during the freakin' Apocalypse..." Dean wanted to continue on about drinking demon blood, trusting demons and more, but for once was able to stop himself. He just grit his teeth and continued to glare his brother down.

"It's ok Sam," Castiel said to take the pressure off of the other man and bring it back upon himself. "You don't have to be afraid."

Sam just huffed and shook his head at Castiel, "You should be."

Castiel cocked his head to one side and raised an eyebrow in unhappy agreeance.

"Damn right he should be," Dean said in a cocky tone. "Now Cas, I'm all one for drinkin' – but not when it gets in the way of you doing your job. And man is it gettin' in the way."

Before Castiel could even reply, Dean started swinging again, favoring landing blows in quick succession to the under curve.

Castiel shrieked at the first connection before moving to more dignified raspy yells, hollers and screams. His teeth flashed as he bared them, his blue eyes spilling over with tears as he fought to get away from Dean. But, Dean was having none of it. His hold was true.

"We still need your help, Cas – powers or not. I don't give a damn if you can't find God; that's no reason to give up. Now, you're gonna clean up enough to be useful – I know it's shit, but that's the way it's gonna be," Dean lectured as he spanked.

Castiel had taken all he could handle, and in a fit of desperation threw his hand back to block the onslaught of the belt.

"None of that," Dean chided somewhat gently as he grabbed the hand out of harms way, pinning it to the small of Castiel's back while still spanking. "You could break a finger that way, Cas."

"Dean," Castiel finally pleaded, but stopped there in between gasps of air and cries of pain.

"Almost done," Dean soothed, still letting the belt fly.

Castiel lowered his head, giving way to silent sobs.

"This all ends now, right?" Dean asked after a few more stripes of the belt.

Castiel nodded.

"Ok," Dean said and finally stopped. He set the belt on the bed next to him and then patted Castiel on the back. "You ok?"

Castiel looked up at him in shock. "No," he said tightly, as though it should be quite obvious.

Sammy couldn't help but laugh from across the room. After having succumbed to his own tears, that reaction from Castiel seemed hilarious.

Dean and Castiel both began to give him an incredulous look, but then saw his face wet with tears. They both laughed, Dean much easier than Castiel.

"You wanna get off me now?" Dean asked sarcastically.

"Definitely," Castiel answered, fully serious as he scrubbed at his face and then slid to his knees while yanking up his boxers and slacks.

Dean chuckled and Castiel eyed him suspiciously.

"I just beat your angelic ass...that's funny," Dean said proudly.

Castiel glared at him before humor shone in his eyes. "I meant what I said Dean, pray I don't get my Grace back...you've taught me well what to do," he said with a gleam in his eyes.

Dean tried to smile and keep a brave face as he looked at Castiel, pitifully showing his fear as he swallowed. "That's only if I screw up, right Cas?" Dean asked nervously.

Castiel gave him a satisfied look. "No," he answered and then stood up and walked to Sam.

Dean's eyebrows tugged together as his breath caught, clearly worried. He watched Castiel walk stiffly up to Sammy and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I believe in you, Sam, and I am sorry," Castiel said as he squeezed Sam's shoulder. "I consider you a friend."

Sam looked up at him and smiled, "Thanks Cas."