November 2nd, 2015. Dean makes a mental note of that. Why did it have to be today?

Dean is laying on his back in God knows where. His head is spinning so fast he can barely even open his eyes. He hears a familiar voice, but he can't quite make out what they're saying.

"...een...nn...d...Dean." Dean. That's it. He can hear it now. But who's...Dean? Oh. It's him. Who's voice is that? He can barely hear it over all the screams. He listens more intently; he needs to know who that is. But why? Why is he so keen on figuring it out? It doesn't matter anymore. It's over. All of it. He should just lay here and let the darkness wash over him.

No. He can't do that. He has a job to do. What was it again? Oh yeah, listen.

"...dean..."

It's Cas. It has to be. He just couldn't recognize it. He sounds so feeble; so weak. He sounds like Jimmy. He lolls his head to the side, opens his eyes weakly. He sees Sam a few feet away, looking back at him. His eyes, why do they look like that? They look so...blank. Dean's eyes wander, falling on Sam's chest. It's torn to shreds. Hellhounds? The thought crosses his mind without him realizing it. He quickly sends it away.

Why did it have to be today?

Dean opens his mouth to call out to him, but all that comes out is blood and a hoarse whimper. It's then that he realizes he's crying. He reaches out his hand, but realizes that he only has half of his arm.

He hears that voice again. Crap, who was it? Oh yeah, Cas. He turns his head to the side, only to see Cas laying on his stomach, his head facing Dean.

"Dean." Cas is crying, too. Dean's never seen Cas cry before. It almost makes Dean want to cry. Wait, he already is. Cas slides his hand over to Deans and takes hold of it. Dean tries to squeeze back but he only has the energy to move his thumb.

They stare at each other for a while, eyes blurred and unfocused, tears streaming down their faces. The ash-filled air only makes it that much harder to see. Cas' eyes have almost no color left, they're so faded. He almost looks like he's blind. Probably is, now that he thinks of it. They are dying, after all.

Dean closes his eyes. About ten minutes pass, with them just laying there, bleeding out, anonymous screams piercing the air nonstop. That's when Dean feels Cas' hand go limp. He doesn't need to open his eyes to know that he's dead. He does it anyway. He needs closure. Why? Who knows. Maybe some deep part of him thought -no, hoped, that they could make it out alive.

Dean's lost a lot of blood. He can feel himself slowly shutting down, inch by inch. He's paralyzed from the waist down, and he can feel his breathing grow slower, more ragged. He gives up. There's no use in living anymore anyways. They've lost. Team Free Will is dead, everyone is dead, he's dead.

Suddenly, almost immediately, the pain is gone. His arm is back, and his clothes are clean and hole-free. He looks down to see his brother and best friend's bodies, along with his own. He knows what happened.

He turns around to find Tessa standing there, along with that sympathetic smile she always carries with her. He wades toward her and she pulls him in for a hug. He weeps silently into the crook of her neck, and she rubs his back and whispers nonsensical soothing words into his ear.

"Why did it have to be today?"

"I know, Dean, I know."

Dean pulls away, his eyes rimmed red. "Sammy's in Heaven, right?"

"Of course, Dean. Castiel, too."

Dean smiles and gives Tessa a quick, chaste kiss.

"This better be the last time I see you." Tessa teases lightly, trying to bring Dean up to his normal self.

"Yeah, well, promise to visit?" Dean teases back, knowing all too well how impossible that is.

Tessa smiles at her victory at lightening the mood, but quickly turns serious.

"It's time, Dean."

Dean looks down at his body, as if contemplating running from his reaper, but instead he nods and walks toward Tessa, into the light.

When Dean arrives in Heaven, or should I say, the Roadhouse, he is greeted happily by his family. Surrounding him are Ash, Jo, Ellen, Bobby, Sam, Jess, Mom, Dad, Cas, and...wait. Who's that? There's a girl clinging to Castiel's arm. No. It can't be...Meg.

"I told you we were going to Heaven, Clarence."