This is the end.

Castiel's eyes fluttered and flinched until he could open them, his limbs felt heavier than they should and he could feel it was all so wrong. The weight on his back was missing; the muscles he knew he should have were no longer there. It hurt. It all hurt but he had to stand up. He could sense it. A sharp gasp from his mouth reminded him that breathing was necessary. The dryness of his eyes reminded him that blinking repeated was important. The ache in his limbs reminded him of his sins as he rose from the dirt and stumbled through the trees.

Hold your breath and count to ten.

Sam's hands were clammy and clenched, Dean couldn't do anything to help him but try and console him. Saying over and over 'take a deep breath' and 'it'll be okay'. Dean had no idea if anything of what he was saying would help or make a difference but here he was anyway; saying the impossible. Sam's body had been put through the wringer and they had thought the only way out was through the end. Now they stopped right at the finish line and there was no real way to tell if he was going to be okay. But that didn't stop Dean from hoping, even if Castiel wasn't answering him.

Feel the earth move and then…

Kevin was safe in the bunker, so he told himself repeatedly. The Winchesters gave him the key to a secret, safe place and nothing could happen. So then why was everything going haywire? The electrical short-circuiting was enough to put a regular person on edge, let alone someone who knew that kind of thing was never a good omen. He could hear every buzz of electricity as lights flickered but nothing had his attention like the map down below did. Lights and indicators sparking to life all over it.

Hear my heart burst again.

The sky above thundered and all looked up, the darkness of night being shattered and torn apart by bright lights streaming down through the cloudy overcast. Castiel felt his heart seize in his chest, a beating he hadn't forgotten but hadn't expected to feel again. It tore him apart inside, his mind screamed, his chest tightened, throat went dry and he could do nothing but stare in his frozen and mortified silence.

For this is the end.

Dean had no words left to speak, nothing helpful to say. "Cas…" He whispered and the name almost burned through his throat down into his chest. Castiel had gone back, to finish closing heaven despite Naomi's warning. 'Did Cas do this?' His thoughts were in no order and he had no idea what the importance of each was but the one that repeated itself over and over in his mind felt like it was going to end him. 'Which one of those lights is he?'

I've drowned and dreamt this moment.

Sam stared in as much awe as his brother, his body felt like it was going to fall apart any second and yet that didn't seem nearly as pressing as the sky above him. "What's happening?"

Dean was quick to answer, to Sam's relief. "It's the angels… They're falling." And just like that all the relief he'd felt bite down on him like a knife in the back.

So overdue I owe them.

'No…' Castiel finally managed to think a word at all, his mind feeling so numb as he watched his brothers and sisters were laid to rest in the earth. He could feel it rumble at his feet as it all literally crashed down around him. 'No… I was fixing it. I was fixing what I'd done.' It was all too late now.

Swept away, I'm stolen.

"CAS!" Dean screamed into the ensuing chaos, hoping maybe this time his angel would come. Maybe his angel was okay.

Let the sky fall.

When it crumbles.

We will stand tall, face it all together.

Author's Note:

Just saw the finale of season 8. Had to write something after listening to my music on shuffle.