A/N: LOOK BALTHSTIEL AND SABRIEL PAIN MWHAHAHAHA. This is dedicated to darling Sarah, my balthstiel RP partner; the lovely Alex, my Sabriel RP partner and wonderful Lauren (TrekkieL) my No. 1 fan! Prompt 36: Smell

When angels fall

Dean and Sam had been looking through the paper, looking for cases when Castiel appeared beside them.

"Hey Cas," said Dean, glancing up at the angel.

"Dean, Sam. I believe I have a case for you." Sam looked up immediately.

"What is it?" Castiel sat down with a heavy sigh.

"Wolf Trap, Virginia," said the angel softly. "Three accounts of people's eyes being burnt out, one account of hearing strange voices and burning bushes."

"That sounds like angel mojo," frowned Dean. "Can't you deal with that yourself?"

"I know. But… I would prefer it if you came with. I am still hated by many angels." The Winchesters exchanged 'why not' glances and then nodded.

"Sure we'll come too. I'll pack the Impala. And don't even say it, Cas, we're driving."

Twenty minutes later, the trio were pulling out of the bunker in Dean's 1967 Chevrolet Impala that he loved and hitting the highway, on the way to Virginia. When they pulled in to Wolf Trap, Sam got out of the car to visit the patients in the hospital whilst Dean and Cas visited the police station.

"So, sheriff," said Dean, looking at the guy behind the desk. "What do you make of the weird happenings around here?"

"Me?" shrugged off the man. "It's just stupid people that are shooting up on some drug or another." Castiel opened his mouth to speak but Dean cut him off with a sharp shake of his head.

"All this weird stuff… where's it been happening?"

"Out on the edge of town… I can show you?"

"Directions will be fine."

"Sure." The sheriff told them how to reach the places and they left with a short thank you. Dean's phone rang and he picked it up.

"Hey Sam. What ya got?" The deep voice of Sam Winchester sounded from the other end of the line.

"Not much… But what the guy heard before his eyes burnt out of his skull is definitely Enochian. We're looking at angels."

"Got it," Dean sighed.

"There was one other thing… All the victims say that the voices sounded in pain, like they were crying out." Dean's brow furrowed.

"Angels being tortured?"

"I don't know man…"

"We'll come and pick you up, then get down there."

"Okay." As Dean drove down to the hospital where Sam was, Cas was quiet, thinking.

"Torturing angels…" murmured Castiel. "I guess it could be Crowley? Or one of his demons?"

"I don't know, Cas," said Dean, tiredly. "But we'll get them out, okay?" The angel nodded shakily.

"Okay." After picking Sam up, the three headed to the edge of town at top speed, skidding to a halt in front of an abandoned warehouse. Cas was twitchy and quiet.

"Come on, Cas. We'll sort this out," said Sam as he got the guns and the demon killing knife from the trunk, passing stuff to Dean. The young angel nodded, holding his angel blade warily as the trio traipsed to the doors of the warehouse. Dean counted down on his fingers before kicking open the doors. The first thing that hit them was the smell. The stench of blood and pain, oil and metal hit them like a steaming train and made them all gag.

"That's never good," muttered Dean as they crept inside.

"D-Dean?" stuttered Cas. "There are two angels here, badly wounded, drained, and fearful. But no one else." Dean frowned and kept walking forward, pushing open another set of doors.

"It's gonna be okay, Cas, we'll- Jesus Christ!" Sam was trying to console the angel when he saw them. Two angels as Cas said, chained to the wall by their wrists and their wings joints, the huge things manifested and broken. Their heads lolled forwards in some form of unconsciousness and they were stark naked, bodies covered in lacerations and burns. Two rings of holy fire surrounded each of the broken figures, preventing their escape. The chains seemed to be covered in Enochian sigils and there was a small brand over the hearts of the angels. But the worst thing was that the trio recognised them. Now, Sam knew he had a strong stomach, but when he saw that, bile rose in his throat and he turned away, gagging and gipping violently. Castiel screamed, high pitched and almost inhuman and Dean turned as white as a ghost, muttering frantic curses and prayers under his breath. Then Castiel was running, stamping out the holy fire and Dean and Sam were hurrying to help him, breaking the chains and lowering the broken angels to the floor. Tears streaming down his face, Castiel cupped the face of one of the angels, stroking back his matted mousy hair.

"Talk to me, please, don't leave me, don't leave me, my darling. Balth… Balthy, please, it's me, it's Cas…" The older angel remained unmoving, dusty grey wings blood-spattered and broken. "Balthazar, please!" Castiel begged helplessly. Meanwhile, Sam was trying to get a response from the golden haired archangel in his arms.

"Gabriel? Gabriel, can you hear me? C'mon, c'mon, you can't be dead… Gabriel, please, c'mon!" He turned to look at his brother. "We've gotta get them out of here." Dean nodded sharply, helping Castiel pick up Balthazar's broken form.

"Have you got Gabriel?" he asked his younger brother, who nodded curtly, the petite archangel gathered up in his arms. "Let's go." They hurried back to the Impala and within ten minutes, were tearing down the highway, Castiel in the back still trying, futilely, to wake Balthazar and Gabriel.

By the time they reached the bunker, Castiel had sobbed himself hoarse and now just clung to Balthazar like a lost child, trembling. Dean and Sam helped get them inside, lying Balthazar down in one room, Gabriel in another before retrieving a first aid kit. Sam tended to Gabriel's wounds with tears in his eyes as Castiel tended to Balthazar's in a similar state. Dean, on the other hand, called Garth and tried to get some information on the symbols on their hearts. Suddenly, there was a shriek as Balthazar awoke.

"No, no, no, stop, please, I-" babbled the Brit before he realised that Castiel was tending to his wounds. "C-Cassy?"

"Balth… I'm here, I'm here, shush… relax now, you'll be okay, shhhh," he murmured placatingly and the older angel laid back slowly.

"Cas…" Balthazar watched him reverently as he stitched up his wounds and set his broken bones. "I love you," he blurted out, blushing immediately after. The young angel raised his head to gaze at him, a smile spreading across his face.

"I love you too, Balthazar." He pressed a glowing hand over the brand and it vanished. Without warning, the room was filled with light as Balthazar's Grace was released and when it died down, the Brit was standing, smiling. He wrapped the younger angel up in his arms and clung to him like a lifeline. Despite his smile, Castiel knew Balthazar was twitchy, terrified.

"I'm here now, my love, I will protect you."

Meanwhile, in Gabriel's room, Sam was comforting the now-awake and screaming archangel.

"Stop! Please! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

"Gabriel! Gabriel! Look at me; it's Sam, calm down!" It took a few moments but eventually, Gabriel calmed down and focused on the hunter.

"Sam?"

"It's okay now, you're safe." Gabriel gazed at him for a few minutes as Sam bandaged his shattered wings.

"I love you." Sam froze, looking up at the golden eyes.

"I never thought you'd say it first. I love you too," he murmured, causing a smile to weave its way on to Gabriel's face.

"I love you."