Disclaimer: I owe no characters nor names, only the story, no wish to infringe copyright...yada yada yada...Summing up: I don't gain anything from this.

Castiel was back. The Winchesters had seen him blown into pieces but there he was, to their side, ready to carry on their battles. But at which cost! He had to renounce to most of his powers and to fight against his brothers while God seemed to have disappeared from the Universe. Nonetheless, he didn't give up but kept on help the boys in any way he could even if he was now busy on both their hunts and the research of God.

Sadly, this could not last forever.

One day, the brothers were hanging out at Bobby's after having killed a gang of disguised demons that were creating troubles in the nearby countryside by destroying fields and mutilating cattle. The hunters were enjoying a round of beers when a sudden, and familiar, sound startled them. Having recognized the rustle of heavenly feathers, Dean rushed to the front door and was greeted by the well-known grave voice

"Hello, Dean."

Despite the firmness in his tone, the angel looked more scruffy than usual: his skin was way paler than normal, his deep, blue eyes were shadowed and had bags under them, his clothes were creased and his hair ruffled.

The hunter was shocked: "Cas! You all right?"
"No".

Given this response, the black-haired collapsed and fell face first towards Dean, who caught him into supporting arms before he could smash himself on the floor.

"Sammy!" the hunter called out, bent under the dead weight of their friend "Sammy bring your lazy ass here! Now!".

The younger brother hurried to his side and helped him to sustain the unconscious angel "What's wrong with him?"
"Do I look like I know? Come on now: help me to carry him inside. Silly questions later."
Both the brothers took one of the angel's arms on their shoulders and dragged him into the living room, where Sam laid the unconscious form on the couch, while Dean closed the door.

In a minute, Bobby was with them: "What…"
"Again! I don't know!"
"Lower your voice with me, idjit! It's not like you and your angel can come here and collapse as you wish! This is still my house!"
"Calm down you two! He's coming around."

The hunters squatted near the fallen creature, who was slowly opening his eyes, moaning. His unfocused glaze passed on the faces next to him before his eyelids closed again in a sigh of relief: "I made it!"
Dean put a reassuring hand on his shoulder "What's the matter, Cas? Are you hurt?"
The angel shook his head in denial: " I'm only very weak. 'Fried' as Samuel would say. I just can't understand why…"

His voice broke and the hunter tightened his grip: "It's fine, Cas. It really is: everyone could use a break every now and then. Isn't it so, Sam?"
The younger Winchester nodded: "Just give yourself a little time and your strength will return. The only thing you need now is some rest."

In that exact moment, Bobby came back into the room from upstairs: "Hosts' room's ready, bring him up."
"H-hosts' room?"
"Of course, you idjit! Were you really planning to sleep on that sofa? Neck-ache guaranteed, I swear. Come on, you two: help him upstairs before he passes out again!"
Obediently, the brothers lifted Castiel, passed his arms on their shoulders and supported his back, half dragging him to the stairs. While passing in front of Bobby, the angel muttered his thanks, making him smile, briefly
"Don't worry, boy. You deserve it."
Then he left to draw other sigils to keep both demons and angel away, in an attempt to shield his ill friend from the battle.

Meanwhile the Winchesters had managed to bring the angel in the spare bedroom which was next to the one reserved to them and almost in front of the stairs. On the newly made bed, the house's master had left for them an old T-shirt and a pair of a faded pajamas' trousers. With the help of Sam, Castiel managed to get rid of his clothes and to put on Bobby's. His resulting look was childish to say the least: given Jimmy Novak's already skinny frame, added to further weight loss, he now had the aspect of a young boy forced to wear an older brother's things.

This interpretation was endorsed by a small yawn that escaped the angel's mouth, followed by an expression of curious amazement, surely he hadn't experienced such thing this far.
"Ok, big boy. Time to sleep."
Dean guided Castiel on the bed and covered him up.

"Need anything else?"
The angel shook his head.
"Ok, sleep then. I'll bring you some food later."
"Dean, please. I'm not in need of eating."
The older Winchester rolled his eyes: "Maybe you don't feel the need of eating, but I can swear you need to put a few more meat on those bones if you wish to be fit for the battle!"

The exhausted-looking man frowned a little but didn't reply, so the hunters left.
Before closing the door behind him, Sam turned his head to their friend: "If you need anything give us a call. For anything. Got it?"

Eyes already closed, Castiel nodded briefly and surrendered to sleep.

The boys went downstairs slowly, both with a worried look on their faces.
"How serious can it be?"
"Don't know, Dean. It may only be a moment of exhaustion…I've never seen him in such a bad shape before, though."
"To be honest, we don't have many information about angels, either."
"Guess some research is overdue."
"For sure!"

On their way to the kitchen, the Winchesters met with a slightly annoyed Bobby:"Balls! Those idjit angels had nothing else to do than brawl within themselves! And I had to cover my house in sigils to keep them away. Balls!"
"Whoa! Whoa, man! Lower your tone, our feathery friend has just fallen asleep."
"Oh, yeah, right. How is he?"
"We are not sure. He thinks of a sort of depletion but can't be certain."
"I've never heard of an angelic breakdown!"
"Neither have we. That's the reason why we have decided to do some research."

The hunters spent the rest of the day deepened in search of a legend or myth that could give sense to Castiel's symptoms, but without results.

In the early evening both Dean and Bobby had given up and were discussing what to make for dinner, when a sudden cry from the fallen angel's bedroom made the Winchesters run to their friend.

Author's notes:

There we are! I wish you enjoyed but both positive or negative reviews would make me very happy! So...what do you think about leaving one?