I don't own anything. All rights go to their rightful owners. This story may contain spoilers for the TV series 'Supernatural'. Written post-Beyond The Mat (11x15). Thank you for any and all favourites, follows and reviews.

"Now, what do we do?"

"What else? We hunt Lucifer, trap the bastard and save Cas."

"Like I said, Lucifer may be in control now, but Cas may not come back willingly. I mean, he chose it."

"No. No, not possible."

Several weeks spent pouring over centuries worth of lore lead nowhere. Although Dean left no lead untouched, investigating any and all possibilities mercilessly, working as the days passed by and time began wearing thin, hope for Castiel's survival became fanciful.

However, it was one hapless evening that circumstances changed, and the elder Winchester was able to regain the spark of hope he had almost seem drown.

Though depraved, the Darkness revealed a certain dislike to the Devil, offering Dean a mutually beneficial deal to immure Lucifer once again. Whilst hesitant and untrusting, he agreed in the secrecy of his brother.

"And what do you get from it all, hm? Your thirty minutes with Satan?" he had hissed, his eyes tracing her features for the all too familiar indications of deceit. Yet he found only truth when she spoke.

"Lucifer possess power far beyond rationality. He is a threat."

"To me, or to you?" he had attempted to growl his words through gritted teeth, to threaten her with all his seething rage, though his mind remained at ease in her presence.

"To everyone. To everything. Letting Lucifer escape his cage was reckless." stepping closer, Dean had felt her vessel radiate heat, her hands tracing the flesh of his shoulders, "We help each other, Dean. We always will."

With averted eyes, Dean spoke, "And Cas? You'll make sure he lives?"

"The angel?" a hum of amusement coursed through her tone, "I can ensure his safety."

Against every fibre of his being, the Winchester made a deal with the Darkness.

"Well, look who decided to come 'round." my vessel stiffens in waking, hazy and uncertain as I open my eyes to the bunker, the darkness of underground life removed by the presence of artificial lights littering the structure. Groaning, I press myself to move on the bed at the sound of Dean's voice. "How you doin', Cas?"

"Dean?" I mumble, clearing my throat harshly. Within my vessel, I feel a reassuring absence, one that I recognise without the presence of an archangel. "Lucifer- he- he's gone."

"Yeah, back rotting in his Hell-cage. Permanently." a grin dangles from Dean's lips, amusement lighting his features. I feel his eyes subtly trace my vessel, likely searching for injuries.

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion, "What did you do?"

"I sent the bastard back where he belongs." his smile drops, approaching me with a shift in his emotions, "I couldn't just leave you like that, Cas, with Lucifer crawling up 'round inside you; I couldn't."

"Dean, what did you do?" I repeat, demanding a logical explanation; the thought of disrupting our final chance of banishing the Darkness seemed absurd.

"I did what anyone would do. I put the Devil back in his cage." Dean's voice drops in tone, a growl threatening on his tongue.

I purse my lips, pulling myself to move against the dull agony within my vessel. "You shouldn't have done that, Dean. We needed him to-"

"To what, Cas? To let him take you apart piece by piece? To destroy the freakin' world?" I avert my eyes; partially because of shame, partially because of the betrayal I had yet again caused the Winchesters - that I had caused Dean. "I told you - we'll find another way to gank the bitch." his voice leaves no room for argument, though my mind remains bemused by his efforts.

"Why couldn't you trust me to do this? I had him under control, I was doing the right thing!" I reason. Absently, I remind myself of my volume.

"You were gettin' yourself killed. Is this what all this was about? Penance, or whatever it is that you think you got comin' to you?" the eye contact I tried to keep falters, "I had to save you from yourself."

Pushing out a stubborn breath, I speak through my annoyance, "Dean, I didn't ask to be saved."

For a moment, there is only my eyes locked with his, and the pain within them mimics my own. "Well too freakin' bad, Cas. You're stuck with us; for better or worse." through his words, I find calm, and I cannot argue further with the Winchester, even if I had disagreed with is sentiment. "You should get some rest. You've had it pretty rough lately. Sleep a while, alright?"

"I'm an angel, I don't-" interrupting myself, I replace my dull reminders of angelic race with a small nod. As Dean moves to exit, with my eyes watching him leave, I call his name softly. He turns with lifted brows, a brilliant hope within his eyes, "Dean, I may not agree with what you did - putting Lucifer back in the Cage - but...thank you. I can't imagine it was without great effort."

"Hey," he smiles, as if my words are in vain and he knew all along, "Always, Cas. I'll always fight like hell for family; for you and Sammy." with the response of my fond and affectionate smile, I listen as Dean's footsteps against the bunker's floor dissipate.