AN: Just a quick one shot located between seasons 6 and 7. Dean's emotions get the better of him. Can Cas save him from himself?
Disclaimer: I don't own anything supernatural, sadly.
A quick thank you to NerdAngel for her feedback on the pace of the story.
Last but not least, if you enjoyed the story, please let me know. I love getting reviews, like every author does.
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"Sammy?"
Dean's voice echoed in the cave. He shook his head briefly in an attempt to rid his ears of the loud thumping of his own heart. What was his idiot brother thinking when he dragged that little boy into the cave-monster's lair?
For days they had been tracking the steps of this bat-humanoid-like parasite that snatched little kids to feed on them or turn them into slaves before they'd end up absorbing the parasite themselves. They hadn't yet come across this creature before but Dean actually found a short note about it in their father's journal.
Funny enough vampires were thought of as bat-like creatures by non-hunters, but this fugly thing actually looked like one. With large bat-like ears, picking up sound and shockwaves like a ship's sonar, tiny button eyes, pale skin with little to no hair, these monsters came at the size of his Sasquatch-like brother. Luckily they usually didn't tolerate company from their own kind.
Dean was aware that his shouting would be a dead give-away to the creature that he was coming, sonar ears or not. But Dean had seen what its victims looked like and it did nothing to ease his fears. Adults were not on the cave-monster's menu so they would be killed quickly by the dagger-like claws. Children however, would be fed upon. Dean had seen many ugly, mutilated bodies in his life, but those kids' images would be forever burned into his memory banks and most likely feature in the one or other nightmare.
Sam had only recently got his soul back and Dean was increasingly anxious about whether or not the wall Death had put up to shun the memories of the cage with Lucifer and Michael would hold up. Death had warned his little brother to resist the itch and quit scratching, but Dean knew there was no way Sam would be able to resist long. He already had a major flashback from Hell and Dean wasn't certain he'd be able to watch his little brother fall apart for good.
As if that hadn't been enough already, Crowley, King of Hell, started his little game with screwing over Dean by attacking those he loved. It had been hard enough for the older Winchester to get used to not having Lisa and Ben in his life anymore, but the recent events that had resulted in those two not knowing Dean existed any longer had left the man with a void inside he wasn't sure he would ever be able to fill.
"Ben!"
Dean shouted the boy's name. Why with all the names in the world did Sam have to use a Ben as bait? Dean shuddered and slowly made his way further into the cave. His eyes were glued on the vague tracks Sam and Ben had left in the moist cavern gravel.
About twenty minutes earlier Dean had received a call from his brother. They had separated in search of the cave. In the morning a 5-year-old boy had been reported missing. When the brothers had gone to investigate, his parents and older brother, Ben, had described the circumstances of the disappearance that left no doubt in the Winchesters that the cave-monster was responsible.
It had been the fourth child-snatching in as many days and Dean had been adamant that they'd find and gank the fugly sooner rather than later. When Sam called, Dean's cell reception had been patchy, but he'd heard enough to know he'd tear Sam a new one if Ben got hurt. As brief as the conversation had been, it had embedded itself in Dean's memory.
"... can... ...ear me, ...ean? ... cave... south of ... motel... Ben... here, and I... ...ing in... him, gotta try and... safe... ...rry up, Dean..."
His idiot brother had actually taken a 7-year-old as bait to find the boy's brother. Trying to save him from that blood sucking cave-monster. Worry had spurred Dean on and he had quickly found his way to the cavern his brother mentioned. The mutilated remains of an adult victim not far from the cave's entrance had convinced Dean he was in the right place.
His hand gripped tighter around the handle of his Colt 1911 and Dean wished he'd hear more than just the soft grinding of his boots on the ground and the rapid beating of his heart.
"Dammit," he muttered under his breath as neither name he called out received an answer. Whatever daylight was coming in through the opening was dimming rapidly and Dean pulled his flashlight from his belt.
"Cas," Dean mumbled softly. "If you can hear me, I could really use your help." Dean tried to listen for the tell-tale fluttering noise that always accompanied the appearance of an angel, but his attention was abruptly redirected as a piercing scream reached his ears. The scream of a young boy.
"BEN!" Dean shouted and ran in the direction the scream had come from. Faint shuffling and grunting mixed with the pounding of Dean's feet as the beam of his flashlight bounced over the ground and clammy rock walls.
"Sammy, answer me!"
Fear was gripping Dean's heart tighter as all he heard was a thump and a pained moan.
"SAMMY?"
Finally the rocky passage opened into a dimly lit hall-like chamber and Dean skidded to a stop. To his right lay the crumpled form of Ben. Whether he was alive or not, Dean couldn't tell. His attention was focused on Sam, who was bleeding from a slash on his right forearm, and was trying to ward off the creature that towered him by a good two inches with his knife. Quickly Dean raised his gun, shining his light straight at his target which was coiling up, ready to jump.
"Sam, down," Dean bellowed and fired his weapon in the same moment that Sam dropped himself to the ground. The flash of Dean's Colt was followed by a high pitched shriek as the monster dropped bonelessly to the floor. Illuminated by Dean's flashlight, Sam made out a bullet sized hole centered between the eyes of the now dead mutant. For a few seconds, time in the cavern froze. Then Dean dropped the beam and was at his brother's side in a flash.
"You alright?"
Dean's voice betrayed his emotions. Breathing heavily, Sam locked eyes with his brother and nodded. Instantly, Dean relaxed and went over to the boy, fingers searching his neck for a pulse.
"Dean."
Sam's tone made Dean jerk up his head in a silent query. The younger brother had started to get to his feet and stared into the darkness of the far end of the chamber.
"Not alone."
Without further prompting needed, Dean scooped up Ben's unconscious form and dashed for the tunnel that led to the entrance. He could hear Sam's footsteps on his heels and concentrated on maintaining his speed without inconveniencing the limp child in his arms.
Finally the increasing light heralded the entrance and Dean exited the cave, scanning for a spot to put Ben down. Deciding on a tree to his right, he lowered the boy as gentle and quickly as possible. Not a second later his Colt was back in his right hand, aiming at the cave's mouth. Sam had left the cavern right after Dean did, clutching his wounded arm.
A mere heartbeat after Dean aimed his weapon, another pale-skinned, bat-like monster appeared at the entrance and once again the report of Dean's weapon pierced the silence. The monster shrieked and dodged towards the side, stumbling to the forest ground as Dean's bullet slammed into its chests. A second later another bullet penetrated its skull in the same place between the eyes and the beast lay still.
Holding his breath for a few more moments, Dean then relaxed his stance and lowered his gun, his gaze still fixed on the inanimate creature. Footsteps broke his trance and Dean looked up to see Sam standing in front of him.
"Thank y...," Sam started but he didn't get far.
"Don't you thank me, Sammy," Dean growled. "What the HELL were you thinking? Dragging an innocent boy as bait into this cave!"
"I didn't...," Sam tried to explain but Dean was just building up steam.
"That's right you didn't... you didn't think! Geez, Sammy, does that wall in your soul impair your thinking ability? How could you even consider using Ben as bait? What happened to keeping people safe? Especially kids?"
As Dean's voice was rising and filling with pent up anger, Sam's expression moved from bewildered to defensive. Dean thought he used the boy as bait? Hadn't he listened when they talked on the phone? How did finding Ben standing at the mouth of the cave and running in when he saw Sam coming, count as using him as bait? Sam felt his own blood starting to boil and his eyes narrowed. And somehow this jump-started an explosion.
Dean dropped his Colt and threw a punch at Sam's jaw before the younger man even saw it coming. His fist connected with a resounding crack and the force made Sam's head snap back. Dazed, Sam stumbled back, but he had no time to wonder what was happening as his brother was showering him with punches and jabs, his face set in a grim rage.
Sam felt his lip split and tasted blood in his mouth before he could lift his good arm in an attempt to shield himself. Dean had taken him by surprise and there wasn't much Sam could do in his dazed and hurting state to protect himself.
As sudden as the onslaught had started it ended again. Lifting his gaze in surprise, Sam realized that it wasn't like Dean had had a change of heart. He was busy wrestling his arms free from a restraining hug by Castiel. Taking a deep breath, Sam hoped the angel would be able to calm Dean.
"Let go of me, Cas," his brother destroyed Sam's hopes immediately when he actually managed to free his right arm and used it to elbow the angel in the nose before winding up for another right hook to Sam's jaw. Tensing in anticipation of the hit, the younger Winchester was relieved to find Cas regain his hold on his furious brother.
"Son of a bitch, I said let me go!" Dean yelled, squirming and twisting in Cas' grip. "He put the kid at risk! He put himself at risk! Let go of me, you feathery traitor!"
"I'd never betray you, Dean," Castiel's calm monotone replied, but it did nothing to ease Dean's ire.
"Is that so?" Dean snarled, not ceasing his struggles for one moment. "I called you in the cave but you didn't feel like fluttering down then. And now that I've done all the hard work by myself you don't even let me punish Sam for his recklessness! How's that not betrayal, you hypocrite?"
With a super-human effort Dean managed to free his right arm again, much to Sam's surprise. He saw his brother's clenched fist rushing at him and involuntarily squeezed his eyes shut, but the blow never came. Instead it grew quiet. Too quiet.
Sam opened his eyes to see Dean hanging limply in Cas' arms, eyes rolled back in his head. The angel carefully eased his friend to the soft, mossy ground. Sam frowned and searched out Cas' blue eyes.
"What happened?"
Castiel looked at his hand, two fingers stretched out.
"He wasn't going to stop," he said in way of explanation.
"You zapped him out?" Sam's eyes widened when the angel nodded. "Oh boy, he's gonna love that."
"He will be calm when he wakes up," Castiel only shrugged. "He was scared."
"Scared? Dean?" Sam scoffed. "Dean's never scared."
"Yes, Sam, he is. He is scared of losing you."
" 's that why he beat me up? 'Cause he's scared of losing me?" Sam's voice was dripping with disbelief.
"Yes." Castiel straightened up from where he had been kneeling next to Dean's unconscious form. He walked towards the younger brother and held out his hand. "May I?"
For a moment Sam looked like he didn't know what Castiel meant. Then he nodded and closed his eyes as the angel touched two fingers to his forehead and he felt his body heal.
"How's the boy?" Sam asked, looking over to the small, motionless figure. Castiel walked over and rested his hand on Ben's head.
"He will be fine. He's just sleeping." Cas closed his eyes and the child disappeared. "Ben's in his bed now. He won't remember this."
With that the angel returned to Dean and zapped the hunter back to their motel room. Then he looked at Sam.
"Time to go," he simply said and in the next moment, Sam found himself standing in their room, Dean resting on one of the beds and Cas standing next to his brother, looking down on him.
"Dean will remember all, but he won't be mad anymore. I will go find Ben's brother." The fluttering sound of Cas' wings was Sam's only warning that the angel had left.
"Dean is right," Sam chuckled, shaking his head. "You suck at good-byes."
A soft moan from the bed his brother occupied relocated Sam's attention. Dean's eyes were fluttering open and Sam was at his side instantly, sitting down on the other bed.
"How are you feeling, Dean?" Sam asked when his brother's gaze focused on him.
"He did it, didn't he?"
Sam nodded.
"Don't ever do that again, Sammy," Dean groaned, sitting up to face his brother.
"Don't do what?" Sam looked directly into his brother's haunted green eyes.
"Don't ever scare me like that anymore. I can't lose you again."