Castiel was lying on a table in the center of a dark room. He was staring straight up at the only light in the room which was a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling. He tried to move his arms but found them chained to the table as well as his legs.
He sighed to himself as he heard footsteps coming closers.
The door to the room flung open and in stepped a tall dark figure. Judging from the height and the way they carried themselves, Castiel guessed it was a man.
"How are you doing Castiel?" The dark figure asked sounding a little too polite. A deep chuckle emitted from the figure. "I have to say I was surprise to see you out walking by yourself."
Castiel sat in silence. Why had he been so stupid?
Dean had taken him to a bar where they were supposed to be gathering information, but Dean's idea of information getting wasn't exactly what Castiel thought they would be doing. After a long time of just sitting next to Dean as he "interrogated his informants", Castiel decided to take some matters into his own hands.
Leaving the bar was probably not the best thing to do and Castiel, now looking back on it, wished he had just stayed there with Dean. At least he wouldn't have gotten into this situation.
After leaving the bar, Castiel wandered the street looking for anyone who might be of some use unlike the women Dean was talking to.
Castiel had been walking around for over an hour when he saw a dark figure walk into an alleyway. It was strange to see people walk into dark place like that, especially at night. So without any other thought, Castiel followed the figure. Not two seconds after he entered the alleyway, a woman appeared before him.
"Hey there, handsome."
Castiel looked at the figure in utter confusion, but before he could say or do anything she pressed her lips up against his. It was a strange feeling. Suddenly she started to pull his trench coat off. She pulled away from his lips to smile at him as she took one of his hands and placed it on her leg. She slowly started to push his hand upwards underneath her skirt. Castiel was very confused by this motion and wondered what she could be doing. She leaned up to his ear and bit it. She moved his hand all the way up his leg when suddenly his hand touched what he assumed was her underwear. "You can go further if you want."
Finally Castiel jerked his hand away.
"What's the matter? Not what you like?"
Castiel tried to move away from the woman but to no avail. His back hit the wall behind him. This wasn't good. Castiel never really liked small spaces to begin with and with his emotions being heightened from his slow transformation into a human, it seemed to be growing worse. He looked up at the woman in front of him with a small tint of nervousness in his eyes. She was smiling at him. Then suddenly a fist collided with his stomach. Castiel fell to a hunching position.
"My master would like to see you Castiel." With that the woman's eyes turned black and the next thing Castiel knew, he was in his current situation.
"Did you enjoy the messenger I sent to greet you?" The voice seemed to float through the air like a solo melody in a song.
Castiel remained silent. He knew that was probably his best option at this point.
"Don't give me the silent treatment. It has been quite a long time since you and I spoke to one another." With that the figure moved into the light.
Castiel tried to stay calm but his eyes betrayed his act, surprise shining in them. "Lucifer."
"Hello brother." Lucifer started to circle Castiel.
"Go to hell." Castiel spat as Lucifer walked closer.
"I'd rather not, thanks, since I've only just gotten out." Castiel shivered as one of Lucifer's hands brushed his arm. "Now that we've gotten the formalities out of the way, shall we get started?"
Castiel looked at him with confusion. What did he mean get started?
There was a bright flash as Lucifer pulled something out of his pocket. Castiel knew that shine anywhere. It was a knife.
Lifting the knife up so he could examine the blade better, Lucifer smiled.
Castiel's shouts echoed through the small chamber. He was no longer lying on the table but chained up in the middle of the room so his back was exposed. Blood dripped down his back from where the blade had pierced his skin. This probably wouldn't hurt as much if Castiel's powers weren't slowly dissipating.
At the moment all that could be heard were the echoing shouts save for the quiet pants of Castiel breathing and Lucifer's voice in a low chant. The chant slowly started to increase in volume over shadowing the echoing. As it got louder the pain in Castiel's back got steadily worse and worse. Suddenly, and with no warning at all, wings appeared on Castiel's back. Lucifer's voice quieted as he walked toward Castiel.
Lucifer ran his hand along the bone of Castiel's right wing. In response to this touch, Castiel started flapping his wings, trying desperately to get the fallen angel to back away. Instead he caused the opposite response. Lucifer grabbed his right wing and started pushing on the bone with all his strength. There was a sickening crack followed by a yelp of agony as the bone gave way to the fallen angel's strength. The wing drooped from its original position.
Castiel's yells continued to echo through the room even after the angel had finished and silently hung there panting and gasping in pain.
"Now I'm going to ask you one more time, Castiel. Where are Sam and Dean Winchester?" Lucifer ran a hand down Castiel's face. Castiel jerked away from the touch. He knew that this gesture was normally a sign of kindness or longing, but not in this case. He knew Lucifer knew nothing of those emotions and that this was a touch of torture in its own way.
"I will..never...tell you..." Castiel gasped through gritted teeth.
"Well that's a real shame. I guess I'll just have to persuade you some more." and with that Lucifer took the knife from earlier and plunged it into the muscles of the already injured wing. He then dragged the knife towards the broken part of the bone.
All the while Castiel shouted and prayed. He prayed that Sam and Dean were safe and that they wouldn't come looking for him. He prayed that they went on with their lives and that this horrible destiny of theirs would become just a dream. And he prayed for this horrible nightmare to end.
"Dean, come on let's go."
Dean turned from the bar and the two beautiful young ladies next to him to look at his younger brother. "If you ladies don't mind, I need a word with my brother." Dean said after catching the disapproving look in Sam's eyes. With that he followed his brother outside.
"Dean, what are you doing? You're supposed to be at the hotel researching." Sam asked as he watched his drunken brother take another drink from the beer he was holding.
"I am doing research." Dean stated playfully as he watched a group of women walk by.
"I don't think two women are going to be able to tell you about if there have been any signs of the apocalypse." Sam scoffed.
"Can't I have a little bit of fun? C'mon Sam, we've been working our ass off. Don't you think we deserve a break?" Dean retorted. He leaned back against the wall of the bar.
It was true that they had been working almost none stop for at least two months now. But Sam didn't see the time to enjoy themselves when the apocalypse was happening. Not to mention two angels are trying desperately to get their bodies.
"Okay look, I understand that you want some fun but we are also in the middle of trying to stop the apocalypse." Sam turned and looked away from Dean. "Besides you had some "fun" just two nights ago."
"Sammy, I'm an adult male and like many other adult males I enjoy my "fun"." Dean said.
"Dean..."
"If you don't remember, I went to hell. I spent what felt like 40 years being abstinent. I think I earned my "fun"."
Dean always seemed to bring this up. No matter what they were talking about and Sam felt horrible ever time.
It was quiet for a while and finally, Dean sighed.
"Okay, fine. I'll go back to the motel with you. Just please stop making that face."
Sam looked surprised. He hadn't realized he was making a face, but whatever it was he was just glad it got Dean to come with him.
"Let me go get Cas and then we'll get out of here." Dean said walking back towards the doors of the bar.
"Cas? Dean, I didn't see Cas in there." Sam looked confused.
"What are you talking about? He was sitting next to me the entire time." Dean pulled open the door and looked toward where he had left the two ladies. There was no one sitting next to them. It was just the two of them whispering to one another and laughing as they saw Dean enter again. "Oh no..."
"You've surprised me Castiel. I thought that after all I've done you would have told me something but you continue to keep the Winchesters from me." Lucifer was sitting in a chair looking at Castiel, who was hanging from the ceiling by his wings alone. Lucifer had decided to take a break while he let gravity do his work for him.
Castiel didn't respond to the fallen angel. It's not that he had nothing to say, but the fact he couldn't say anything because of the pain from his wings. Below him a pool of blood and feathers was slowly getting larger and larger. He didn't know how much time had passed or what of his wounds had healed and what hadn't. All he was focused on was praying that Sam and Dean don't come looking for him.
Lucifer stood up from his perch and walked toward the other angel. He unhooked him and allowed Castiel to smack the ground as well as land in his own blood. Castiel tried pushed himself up off the ground but found he was too weak to do so. Suddenly he was sent flying to the other side of the room by a kick to the stomach.
Next thing Castiel felt was a hand grab a handful of feathers and start pulling him up by them. He was now on his knees looking up at Lucifer. Lucifer was smiling at him. If it had been any other person and situation, Castiel would have called it a comforting and warming smile. But this smile was twisted and cruel and held no comfort.
The smile had never once faded. Not even now as Lucifer grabbed a hold of Castiel's left wing bone which he then proceeded to break multiple times. He ripped out some of the feathers.
Castiel knew why he was targeting the wings. The wings were the only spot of an angel in a vessel that could be damaged and hurt the true from of the angel.
"I find it very interesting that you, out of all the angels, were the one to become so attached to the humans. If I remember correctly, Castiel, you wanted nothing to do with them when you were younger. You used to get so thrilled to go to earth and teach some of those humans a lesson. Teach them what an angel really is like."
Castiel continued to bite his tongue. He, of course, remembered. All those years ago Castiel wouldn't have batted an eye at a suffering human, much less protect them. He used to despise humans, almost as much as Lucifer. He looked down on humans as a lower creature and killed them without a second thought.
But he was different now. He no longer saw humans as lower life forms but as equals. They were very different from angels but that was just their nature. They were created to be different. God had created them to have emotions and not rely on logic. He created them to be able to handle hardships and to feel guilt if they did something immoral. And most of all, He created them to have free will, to be what they wished to be. That is what Castiel had learned through the short time he had been on earth. That is what Dean and Sam Winchester had taught him.
Castiel turned his head toward Lucifer. "I pity you."
Lucifer looked back at him, his eyes cold and his smile fading from his face.
"I pity you because you don't understand anything. You don't understand what the humans were created to for, what they have to teach us. Humans are not to be ruled over. Humans are supposed to be free from the strict tyranny that we angels have. That is why God created them. He created them to show us what we could be come and I pity you for not seeing it."
Castiel's eyes seemed to shine with pride as he spoke these words. He felt joy as he spoke of his father and what amazing things He has given them.
Lucifer grabbed Castiel's recently broken wing and twisted the bone. Castiel let out a cry, all the pride in his eyes disappeared and was replaced with anger. At this the fallen angel's smile returned.
"I don't care about what you think about me. But I will make you come to fear me, just I will make the humans submit and bow down before me. Do you know why that is?" He waited for Castiel to answer. When none came, he twisted the bone a little bit more. He let the new cry of pain fill the room. "It's because I love God. And I will not sit back and watch my father's world be destroyed be these abominations. It's the same with you, my dear brother."
Lucifer walked slowly way from Castiel. He's foots steps growing fainter as he headed towards the door of the room that was now Castiel's prison. "I will make you come to understand me and you will tell me where the Winchesters are. It doesn't matter how long it takes because I will break you." With that the door slammed shut.
Castiel slumped down on the floor where he had previously been kneeling. He stared out across the dimly lit room. Without even thinking about it, Castiel buried his head into his arms. He just wanted this to be over.
Sam and Dean raced into their motel room only to find it empty. It didn't look any different from when Dean had left that evening.
When Cas and I left. He thought guiltily. Why did Cas leave the bar? Where could he have gone? What if he gets dragged back to heaven or worse killed? All these questions were buzzing around in Dean's skull.
"Well he couldn't of gotten too far right?"
"Sam, you're forgetting one very important detail." Dean sat down on one of the two motel beds. "He can teleport. If he wanted to, he could be half way across the world right now."
Sam sat down on the opposite bed looking defeated.
Silence filled the room. It stayed that way for quite a while until finally Sam spoke.
"Why don't you pray to him? He seems to show up when you do that."
"Sam, I know you are just trying to help, but something tells me he isn't going to answer."
"Well it's worth a shoot."
Dean looked at his brother. He looked absolutely exhausted.
"Okay, fine I'll try but don't listen to me okay? I don't feel comfortable with you standing over me."
Sam sighed and stood up. "Fine, I'm going to go get cleaned up."
Once Sam had left the room, Dean waited for the bathroom sink to turn on. After the water started running Dean walked to the center of the room and looked up at the ceiling.
"Hey, Cas. It's..uh..it's Dean. I need your help Cas so if you could come back to the motel that would be great. Hurry up okay?" Dean looked around awkwardly. He always felt so strange when he prayed. He guessed it was because he just wasn't use to praying and the fact he really didn't know how to pray.
He waited a long while. He kept waiting even after Sam came out of the bathroom. He kept waiting for any sign, but nothing came. No knock at the door. No sudden intrusion of space. Nothing.
"Dean, we need to get some sleep. You never know, he could just show up tomorrow morning. He's done it before." Sam laid a hand on Dean's shoulder. "I'm sure whatever is keeping him is something important."
Dean looked around the room once more hoping to see Castiel hiding in a corner somewhere but to his dismay he saw nothing unusual. He knew Sam was right. And no matter how much he wished he could stay up and wait for Cas, he knew his body wouldn't allow him too. "You're right, Sammy. Let's get some sleep. If we are going to kill the devil we are going to need to sleep."
Sam smiled sadly at his brother. He knew this was bothering him but Dean needed sleep. He looked horrible. His eyes had dark circles under them as well as he could finally see that Dean was becoming less drunk by the second.
Both of the brothers laid down in their respected beds. In seconds they both fell sleep.
Dean was standing on the beach, staring out at the ocean. The wave washed over his feet and the water was cold and refreshing. He couldn't help but feel relaxed and care free as he looked out over the ocean.
Suddenly a hand grabbed his shoulder. Dean jumped at the touch and turned to see Castiel standing behind him.
"Cas!" Dean shouted as he grabbed Castiel's shoulders.
"Dean, I don't have much time." Castiel looked horrible. He looked pretty drained and ready to collapse. Dean wondered how he could be standing.
"Cas, where are you? Why didn't you come back to the motel when I called for you? Why the hell did you leave the bar without telling me?" a flurry of questions flooded Dean's mind. He was happy to see Cas but at the same time he was angered the angel left without telling him anything.
"I'll explain later, right now. You and Sam need to get out of that motel. Pack up and leave." Castiel put his hands on Dean's shoulders as he steadied himself. "Don't come looking for me."
Suddenly Dean was lying in the dark motel looking at the ceiling. Cas must have come to him in a dream. But why tell him not to come looking for him?
"Sam, wake up." Dean shook Sam's arm.
"what?" Sam mumbled as he sat up on the bed.
"It's Cas. He came to me in a dream."
"What? Is he okay? What did he say?"
Dean hesitated before he answered. "He said to get out of here and not to go looking for him. He looked terrible Sammy."
Sam looked at Dean, worry written all over his face. "Let's go to Bobby's. That way if Cas needs us he can find us."
Dean nodded.
The door swung open to Castiel's "prison cell". Lucifer entered, smiling his sinister smile as always. Castiel was sitting at the back of the room, wings still out.
"Are you ready to talk now, brother?"
Castiel's response was not what Lucifer had expected. Castiel jumped up from the ground and rushed Lucifer. Taken by surprise, the fallen angel hit the ground hard, knocking the breath out of him. Castiel took this chance to try to escape. As he scrambled off Lucifer, he smiled. Maybe he could make it away. All he had to do was get outside this room and teleport. However as soon as he was standing, he felt a hand grab his leg and yank him down.
Lucifer was now pinning Castiel down with his body. His hand trailed down Castiel's back to his wing to his back. With a swift move of his hand Lucifer pulled out the knife from earlier. The fallen angel pushed the knife against Castiel's back. He started to laugh.
"Well I didn't think you had that in you. It's been a while since I've had this much fun."
Castiel yelped in pain as the blade was pushed into the muscles of his right wing. He couldn't control his body as it thrashed around on the ground even while being pinned.
The cutting didn't stop there. Lucifer made sure to do the same to both wings as well as slicing Castiel's arms. Even though he knew that those wounds would heal faster, it still got the point across.
Lucifer grabbed Castiel and dragged him back to the center of the room where he hooked him once more. Again Castiel was hanging by his wings, yelling in pain with each movement.
"This is what happens when a certain angel forgets his place."
Castiel gritted his teeth together as Lucifer pulled on the chains hold his hands making Castiel's wings over extend. He stayed that way until Lucifer let go of him, shouting out cries of pain the entire time.
"Please...stop..." Castiel whispered his throat feeling raw and scratchy from all the cries.
"I'll stop once you tell me where the Winchesters are."
Castiel was silent for a moment deciding what to tell him.
"They are in a motel in North Dakota. Room 124, the Oasis Motel." Castiel looked down at the ground. He felt a hand pull his head up until he was eye to eye with the devil.
"Thank you for your help, Castiel." Lucifer turned away from the chained up angel. The door slammed close leaving Castiel alone once more.
The sun was rising when Dean and Sam pulled up into Bobby's. They walked up to the front door and knocked.
It was a moment later when the door finally opened. A gun was pointed right at Sam's face. Bobby soon realized who they were and lowered the rifle. "You could have called you know."
"Sorry Bobby. We really didn't have the time." Sam stated looking around cautiously relaxing some now that Bobby's gun wasn't in his face.
"Well get in here then." Bobby moved his wheelchair out of the way so the two could enter.
Once inside the three men went into what was supposed to be the sitting room; however the amount of books and other various items stacked up around the room left almost nowhere to sit. Bobby wheeled his way behind his desk and looked up at the two boys.
"Mind explaining to me why you're here?" Bobby asked.
The brothers looked at one another and nodded.
"Cas came to me in a dream. He told me and Sam to leave and go somewhere safe." Dean looked at Bobby. He could see Bobby thinking it over. "Bobby, whatever Cas was trying to warn us of, it can't be good." Dean thought back to how tired and worn out Castiel had looked standing there in front of him.
"So what do you think he was warning you of?" Bobby asked still in thought.
"We don't know. See Cas went missing yesterday and the only thing that we can think of is that someone caught him." Sam sighed, running a hand through his hair. He wished there was some sign of where Castiel had gone off to. Just something to let them know that he was okay.
Dean was standing over by the window, staring out at the piles of old banged up cars waiting to be used for a project that might never come. He slowly passed his eyes over each stack, not really paying much attention to the cars. Suddenly something moved past one of the stacks. Dean tensed.
"Quiet."
Sam and Bobby looked at Dean, immediately stopping their conversation. Silence fell over the room save for the cracking of the fire in the fireplace. Dean moved out of the window. Sam did so as well.
"Boys you need to get into the safety room."
"Bobby, we are not leaving you here to fend for yourself." Dean argued.
"We don't have time to do this now. Your lives are much more valuable than mine so get your ass down in that room or so help me I'll shoot you myself."
Dean looked at Sam and sighed. "Okay we're going."
The two of them started creeping out of the room. Sam was heading down into the basement when suddenly the front door burst open. Dean instinctively grabbed the door to the basement and slammed it close as well as switching the lock, locking Sam inside.
"Hello Dean Winchester." A woman with dark brown hair walked up to him. She smiled at him. "It's been a while. Last time we saw each other Death was being summoned by my father."
"Meg. What are you doing here?" Dean demanded.
"I'm just delivering a message to Sam. Mind going and getting him for me?"
"Go to hell."
Meg rolled her eyes. "Why is that the only thing you ever say to me? It is getting really old."
Bobby came rolling into the front hall, pointing his gun at Meg.
"Whoa, there tiger! As I said I'm just here to give Sam a message."
"Does it really look like we care?" Dean stated not backing down.
"Listen, Dean, I don't want to have to fight you. I was told not to hurt you boys unless I have no choice."
"Well then, bring it bitch."
Meg sighed, placing her hands on her hips. "Fine you asked for it."
Meg's hand shot up and grabbed Dean's neck. She slammed him against the basement door. "Now open the door or I slam your skull in right here, right now."
"B…Bobby!" Dean gasped as Meg's hand tightened. Looking passed Meg, Dean could see Bobby trying to move his wheelchair but to no avail.
"Now I'll ask again. Bring me Sam."
"N..n..never." Dean's vision was starting to blur.
Meg then slammed Dean into the door once more, but this time with much more force behind it. The sheer power of this action caused the door to break and Dean went flying into Sam who was just on the other side. The two boys fell down the stairs, Dean landing on top of Sam.
"Hello Sammy. My you are looking handsome nowadays."
"What do you want to tell me?" Sam said finally climbing out from under Dean.
Dean coughed as he regained the ability to breath. Sam leaned down and helped Dean up onto his feet.
"Lucifer says he wants to meet you. He doesn't care if you are alone or not, all he asks is that you come to the Sacred Heart Church tomorrow night at 9." Meg smiled sinisterly at the two boys.
"And if I refuse?"
"Then he'll just have to kill your little angel friend. Castiel is his name right?" Meg said the smile not disappearing. With that she turned toward the door. "See ya later, Sammy. You too Dean."
The door closed and the two men were left standing in the basement.
"Damn it!" Dean yelled as he punched the wall next to him. He got lucky he didn't make a dent.
"I guess we have no choice but to go. If we want to get Castiel back then we have to." Sam said as he helped Dean up the stairs and out of the basement.
"I'll help you get ready then." Bobby said finally being able to move now that he was not being held by Meg's power. "If you guys are going in there then you are going to need every weapon you've got."
Castiel didn't know how long it had been since Lucifer's last appearance but at the moment he was enjoying the time alone. He was still in pain but at least for now he could slowly heal the parts of his body that weren't being hooked and chained to the ceiling.
The angel tried not to move much since he knew pain would follow, but he found it difficult to just stay still. His wings continued to ache with pain from the pressure of supporting his body weight. Blood continued to pool underneath him adding another layer on top of the already dried blood.
As he hung there, Castiel thought of the Winchesters. He may not have told Lucifer the complete truth but at least it would give the boys sometime to get to a safe place. Lucifer wasn't an idiot. He knew that Castiel wasn't going to give the boys up no matter what he did. Castiel knew it too, but he had to give it a shot.
The door to the room swung open. Castiel didn't look up. He knew what was coming and he was preparing himself for it.
"I really have to thank you Castiel. If you hadn't of told us where Sam and Dean were then I would have had to kill you. I don't think I could have brought myself to do that."
Castiel looked up surprise flickering in his eyes. He could see Lucifer standing a few feet away, the smile still on his face. He watched as the fallen angel moved closer and closer. He saw the cold, dark eyes staring at him, no warmth within their embrace.
Lucifer raised a hand and ran it up to Castiel's hair. "Do you remember my time in heaven, Castiel?"
Castiel remained silent staring into those eyes with a burning hatred.
"You use to follow me around, watching my every move. Your eyes would light up whenever I addressed you. You were so young back then, just like a child." Lucifer ran his hand through Castiel's hair. "I have to say when I saw you for the first time since my imprisonment in hell, I was quite surprised. You've grow up so much since then. You use to have such an innocent air about you, such a pure spirit. Michael used to say there was no need for us to involve ourselves with the younger angels, but I took a real liking to you, Castiel."
Castiel jerked his head away from Lucifer's hand. He tried desperately to get as far from his torturer as he could. But the more he moved the more pain he felt through his body.
Lucifer grabbed the chains holding Castiel up. He ripped them out of the once white feathers that were now smeared with blood and dirt. He allowed Castiel to slam into the ground. Once the shouts had died down, Lucifer continued.
"You were one the closest people to me, Castiel. I cared deeply for you, much more deeply then Michael ever cared for me. And then, the rebellion happened. You wouldn't even look at me. In fact if I even came close to you, you would back away from me, fear in your eyes."
"Why are you telling me all this?" Castiel asked wiping blood off his face.
"I care for you Castiel, I really do, but this rebellious streak is not good for you. First you rebel against heaven and the other angels and now you rebel against me. You really should start looking out for yourself. Tell you what; if you do what I say from now on then I'll stop torturing you and things can go back to the way they were before this whole thing happened, before any rebellion. I could take you under my wing just like in the past. Well what do you say?"
"Screw you…" Castiel spat.
Lucifer sighed. "Fine, if that is how you want it. Then let the torture continue."
Time.
Time was of no importance in this hell hole of a place.
All that was reality here was pain and fear, nothing more nothing less.
Castiel was lying on his stomach in the middle of the room covered in blood. His eyes were glazed over and empty. The pain in his back and wings was almost nonexistent as long as he stayed that way.
More pain was being inflicted on his already battered body, but nothing escaped Castiel's lips. No shouts or exclamations. Nothing.
Lucifer walked around the angel's almost motionless form. "Look at what you've made me do, Castiel. If you had just accepted my proposal this could have been avoided, but you always have to be stubborn don't you?"
Castiel's eyes looked out across the room. He stared at nothing and responded to nothing. All he could see were blurs of what lay in front of him.
"My father, I've returned."
Castiel heard this but he ignored it.
"Welcome back, my child. Tell me, did you find the Winchesters?"
"Yes, father. I gave them your message. I'm almost positive that they'll come."
"Good. Shall we get ready to meet them then?"
Suddenly Castiel felt himself lift of the ground. He was being dragged somewhere. The objects that pass by his eyes were unidentifiable. He could tell where ever he was going was a ways away from his prison. Again he felt himself being lifted up. He collided with something metal and heard two loud banging sounds. Darkness enveloped Castiel. A low rumble sounded in the distance and the metal he was lying on started to shake.
He knew this feeling. It was a very familiar feeling. It reminded him of a happier place, a place with Castiel's two favorite people. Castiel could just picture it. Dean was sitting the driver's seat, Sam sitting next to him, the radio blasting some classic rock song that Castiel had never heard before, and all of them were smiling and laughing, each of them having fun enjoying each other's company with no care in the world.
Castiel knew that this image was not real yet it gave him comfort. It made him feel like his life has meaning. It made him feel like he has a family; a family that is not full of power hungry brothers; a family that actually cares for him and was concerned for his wellbeing not just for their own hides; a real family.
He slowly lost what little senses he had left and slips off into an un-restful sleep.
The impala pulled into the churches parking lot. The doors swing open as the two Winchesters climb out.
"Is this the place?" Dean questioned looking at the abandoned church. The clouds covering the sky above them continued to threaten rain as they stood their taking in their surroundings.
"Yeah, it should be." Sam looked down at the map in his hands.
Dean walked to the back of the impala, popped open the trunk and pulled out two duffel bags. He handed one to Sam. Both boys pulled a gun out from their bags and put them in their coats.
Sam nodded to Dean when he was ready. Dean nodded in response.
Together the boys walked to the doors of the church. Finding it open a jar, they took a deep breath and proceeded to push open the door.
The inside of the church was dark save for one candle sitting on the altar. The boys enter the church cautiously, only inching forward a step at a time. The door to the church slammed close behind them closing them inside.
"Hello Sam, Dean."
All the candles in the church sprung to life in an instant. There standing at the altar was Lucifer and next to him was Meg.
"We came, now let us see Cas." Dean ordered stepping in front of Sam.
"No need to rush, Dean. I have full intent on letting you see him, but first I want to speak with Sam."
Sam pushed passed Dean. "Fine."
"How are you doing, Sam?"
No answer.
"I see you aren't in a talking mood, so let's get to the point here. Will you allow me to use your body, Sam?"
"No, never!" Sam shouted.
"You really should reconsider because…" Lucifer snapped his fingers. "Your friend's life hangs in the balance."
Suddenly Castiel appeared next to Lucifer. He collapsed on to the floor, blood slowly covering the steps of the altar.
"Cas!" Dean yelled. He tried to run towards him but was pushed back by an invisible force. "Damn you to hell, Lucifer!"
"Well Sam, what is your answer now?" Lucifer asked ignoring Dean's comment.
Sam looked at Castiel, worry and fear written all over his face. He wanted to say no but he knew that if he did Castiel would be killed. If he said yes though, Lucifer would take his body and destroy the world.
Suddenly Dean charged at Lucifer, gun in hand. He was pushed back again but this time he was pinned to the wall.
"You deal with heaven's vessel." Lucifer ordered looking at Meg.
"With pleasure my lord." Meg walked over to Dean and smirked. "I've been waiting a long time to get to do this Dean and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it."
Sam pulled out his gun and fired shots off towards Lucifer. He didn't expect it to do much at all but it was better than doing nothing.
"Now Sam, let's not get off on the wrong foot." Lucifer walked towards Sam. He offered a hand to Sam.
"Too late for that." Sam said pulling something out of his bag and tossing it towards Lucifer's feet.
Smoke filled the entire church, blinding everyone inside.
Dean took this chance to pull the trigger of his gun causing Meg to step back a bit as she began to bleed. Dean felt the pressure holding him release and he tackled Meg to the ground. Grabbing the knife that Ruby left them from his boot, Dean started trying to stab Meg with it. Meg shot her hands up and grabbed Dean's wrists.
Sam on the other hand took the moment of blindness to run to Castiel's side. It took him a minute to find him but once there he began to check Castiel's pulse. Upon feeling a shallow pulse, Sam flipped him onto his back.
Castiel groaned in pain as the wounds on his back touched the ground.
"Sam…Leave…take Dean…and go…" Castiel gasped. "Don't…worry…about me."
"Sorry Cas, I can't do that." Sam said putting a hand on Castiel's shoulder as he sat him up. "But I need you to do something for me." Sam leaned up next to Castiel's ear and whispered something to him.
"Sorry to break up this reunion Sam, but we were in the middle of a conversation."
Sam felt Lucifer grab a hold of his arm and throw him backwards.
The smokescreen in the room was dissipating very quickly now. Sam could see Lucifer quite clearly. He could see his cold eyes looking at him.
"I will never say yes to you. No matter what you do. In the end, Dean and I will stop you." Sam said.
"SAM, HURRY IT UP!" Dean shouted across the room.
"I'm guess I have no choice but to kill Castiel and your brother." Lucifer smiled at Sam. He then proceeded to grab Castiel off the ground. After hoisting the angel up onto his feet, a soft chant began to fill the church.
Sam recognized the language of the chant as the angel's speaking tongue. His eyes shifted over towards Dean, who had managed to throw Meg off and pinned her to the floor with what looked like a broken pew.
Dean quickly ran towards Lucifer. He raised the knife up in the air but as he was swinging down, a blast of air sent him flying. The force of the blast caused him to let go of the knife.
Castiel was yelling out in pain as Lucifer's chant continued. His wings, which he had managed to put away, once more became visible. Cuts started to appear all over his body and wings. But the chant didn't stop and neither did Castiel's shouts.
"All right!" Sam shouted. He didn't like what he was about to do but maybe just maybe it would save Castiel.
Lucifer stopped his chant and dropped Castiel back on the ground. He stepped over Castiel's writhing body towards Sam.
"Finally come to your senses then Sam?"
Sam continued to look at Lucifer with anger burning in his eyes. "You have to promise not to hurt Dean and Castiel."
"Now I can promise Castiel, but I'm not so sure about Dean. After all he is Michael's vessel and that can't be changed."
"Then no deal." Sam stared at Lucifer. He wouldn't allow these two to be hurt, not the people he cared the most for.
Lucifer began chanting again and Castiel's shouts echoed the church once more. This time however, Castiel started coughing up blood.
"STOP!"
Lucifer turned just in time to see Dean come flying at him holding an angel's blade.
Dean plunged the blade into Lucifer's side causing the fallen angel to drop on one knee. Pulling the blade out of Lucifer, Dean ran to Castiel. "Cas!" Dean called out lifting the angel into his arms.
"Dean…" That was all Castiel could say due to the rawness of his throat.
Dean smiled at Castiel. "It's going to be okay."
Lucifer gritted his teeth as he stood up. He turned toward Dean, but was stopped when he saw Sam standing in between him and Dean.
"Dean, get Cas out of here." Sam ordered.
"But Sammy…" Dean started.
"Dean, trust me."
After a moment of silence Dean answered. "Okay, but you better come back as you."
Sam watched as Dean picked up Castiel and walk towards the back of the church before turning his gaze to Lucifer. He raised his hands up as he stepped backwards onto the steps of the altar.
Lucifer stepped closer to Sam. "So what do you say Sam? Will you become my vessel of vengeance?"
Sam continued to back away slowly until he was standing where Castiel had previously been occupying. "Well that all depends on if you will agree to a few terms."
Lucifer smiled at Sam. "Well that depends on what these terms are." Meg appeared next to Lucifer, she too was smiling.
"Can't promise you anything until you tell us, Sammy." Meg said.
"Fine, how about…you go back to hell." With that Sam slammed his hand onto the ground next to the altar.
Meg closed her eyes as a bright light engulfed the inside of the church. When she was finally able to open them, Lucifer was gone and Sam was standing in front of her pointing a gun at her.
"What did you do?" She hissed.
"Nothing, just an angel banishment sigil." Sam stated dryly.
Meg glared at Sam, but instead of attacking him she escaped her vessel. The body she had been inhabiting fell to the ground.
Sam dropped to his knees and checked for a pulse from the limp body. Finding nothing, he stood and headed for the door of the church.
Dean was sitting on the ground outside. He had bandages in his mouth as well as a first aid kit sitting next to him. Lying in front of him was Castiel. Dean had ripped Castiel's trench coat off as well as his suit jacket, shirt, and tie. It was difficult to get them off the wings but he managed it. He was cleaning some of the wounds on Castiel's back when Sam ran over.
"Dean…" Sam started to say but his voice trailed off. Castiel looked terrible. His face was almost completely drained of color and his breathing was shallow.
"Sam, hand me the medical tape." Dean ordered as he pulled the bandages out of his mouth. The two quickly set to work wrapping up Castiel's wounds.
"Cas, you got to stay awake. Don't go to sleep." Dean's voice came out very raspy and shaky. "You're going to be okay."
Sam looked at Dean. He could have sworn that he saw tears pooling at the corners of Dean's eyes. He looked back down at Castiel. "I'll get the car started." Sam said.
Rain started to fall as Dean continued to bandage Castiel. He was working on the wings now. Despite being covered in blood and dirt, the feathers were still soft to touch. Dean found it hard to fit the bandages around the wounds.
Castiel's eyes glanced around at his surroundings. It was hard for him to focus on anything and things were becoming blurrier by the second.
"Dean…." Castiel raised a hand up and touch Dean's.
Dean stopped working and looked down at Castiel. A tear fell down his cheek and mixed with the rain dripping down his face. He grabbed Castiel's hand with his other.
"Don't talk." Dean said as he held the angel's weak hand.
"Dean, come on let's go." Sam shouted driving the impala up closer to the two.
Dean hoisted Castiel up as Sam got out of the driver's seat and opened the back seat door. The two brothers laid Castiel down in the back. They made sure to lay him down on his stomach so as not to hurt his wings and back any more than they already were.
"Dean, maybe you should sit in the back and watch over him." Sam said noticing the worry etched in his brother's face.
Dean nodded in response and climbed in the back, lifting Castiel's head and laying it on his lap.
Sam climbed into the front seat and drove off, heading for Bobby's house.
Castiel couldn't tell what was happening. Everything he tried to focus his eyes on was blurred and the sounds seemed so far away that no words made any sense. He knew Dean had been talking to him but what Dean said was beyond him. He could feel Dean's hand still holding his as well as he could feel what he thought was the shaking of a car.
At first he was trying to stay conscious but as time passed it was getting harder and harder to do so. In fact he had almost given up trying until he felt Dean's hand tighten around his own.
That's right. Dean was here holding on to him, clinging to him, trying so desperately to keep him here. Castiel knew he couldn't fail Dean, not now, not when Dean was sitting right there praying.
He felt Dean's other hand start combing through his messy, dirty hair. It was a soft and delicate touch unlike what Castiel had been receiving just a couple hours before. It was a touch of concern, at least in Dean's case.
Castiel could no longer keep his eyes open. He tried to open them again but his eye lids refused to listen. He tried to focus completely on Dean's hands but his focus continued to slip away. In a last ditch effort he squeezed Dean's hand. In response he felt Dean squeeze back.
The last thing Castiel could remember was feeling the car lurching to a stop.
Dean sat in the back seat of the car looking down at Castiel's battered body. He couldn't believe how much the angel had gone through and he was sure there were more wounds that had just healed.
He felt Castiel's hand squeeze his. Dean squeezed back, letting him know that he was here for him. Then suddenly he felt Castiel's hand go limp and his body become heavier.
"Cas?" Dean asked. Dean's heart started to race. "Cas?!"
No response came. Nothing, not even a squeeze of his hand or a movement of his head.
The car lurched to a stop as Sam pulled into Bobby's yard. Without a word, Sam opened the door to the car and helped Dean lifted Castiel out of the car.
Once out Dean took Castiel from Sam and raced to the front door. He banged on the door with his foot. "Bobby!"
Bobby opened the door and looked at Dean with utter horror.
Dean pushed passed Bobby and laid Castiel down on the downstairs bed that Bobby had made.
"What the hell happened?" Bobby questioned as Sam entered the house closing the door.
"Lucifer." That was all Dean said as he started looking through the stacks of items scattered around the sitting room. "Where is your medical kit?"
"I'll get it." Without any further questions, Bobby wheeled out of the room into the kitchen.
Dean set to work on removing the bandages he placed earlier.
Bobby returned and handed the medical kit to Sam, who got down next to Dean and started helping him patch up the cuts on Castiel's back.
It was hours before the brothers sat back, making sure that each stitch was properly done.
Dean sat down on the floor next to the bed while Sam went and washed his hands in the kitchen.
It was quiet between the three men. Each of them found something to occupy themselves with. Suddenly Sam spoke.
"Dean, maybe you should go take a shower."
Dean looked up at Sam and then looked back down at himself. He was covered in Castiel's blood. Saying nothing, Dean headed up stairs, just focusing on putting one foot in front of the other.
Once in the shower, Dean allowed himself to sit on the floor. He pulled his legs up to his chest and buried his head. He let the water fall on him as his shoulders began to shake.
Days passed, but Dean almost never left Castiel's side. The only time he left was to get food, go to the bathroom and to take showers. Sometimes he even fell asleep sitting on the floor.
Sam walked in to the room often to check on Dean and Castiel, but Dean was usually just sitting on the floor watching the angel.
"Dean, you know he's going to be okay." Dean jumped at the sound of Sam's voice. "He is an angel after all."
"I know, Sammy, but…." Dean trailed off as he continued to watch Castiel's chest slowly raise and fall.
Castiel's wings had long since disappeared and his wounds were healing up nicely, now all that was left was for him to wake up.
"Dean, maybe you should go get some fresh air. I'll watch over him."
Dean didn't respond.
Sam finally pulled Dean up on to his feet.
"Look you're not the only one worried about him." Sam spat. "But you got to look out for yourself too."
Dean looked at Sam surprised by his brother's outburst.
Dean let his eyes fall. "I…I know…"
Sam let go of his brother and sighed. "Please just go do something. I can't watch you torment yourself like this."
Just as Dean was about to speak, a small noise came from Castiel's direction.
Castiel moved his head as his eyes began to flicker open. He blinked as the light poured into his eyes. It took him a few moments to be able to see but once he could he turned his attention to the two Winchesters standing not too far from him.
"Dean? Sam?"
Suddenly Dean raced forward and pulled Castiel into a tight hug. "Damn you, Cas. You scared the living hell out of me."
Castiel sat there stunned.
Sam looked at him smiling. "Good to hear your voice Cas."
Dean finally let Castiel out of his embrace. He looked at the angel with a stern look.
"Don't you ever leave alone again."
Castiel turned his head down, ashamed. He nodded.
Dean pulled him into another bone crushing hug, but Castiel didn't mind. In fact, he was quite happy to have Dean hold him like this.
Suddenly he could feel Dean shaking slightly. Castiel raised his hands up and hugged Dean back. "I'm sorry. I'll never leave you again."