Disclaimer: Do I really have to go through this every time? I don't own any of the characters, not even our surprised guest. I don't own Rolling Stones: Laugh I nearly died, Triumph: Fight the Good Fight or Kansas: Carry on my Wayward Son.

A.N: Enjoy.

Summary: AU S6 ending. The wall in Sam's head has come down. Can there be hope in the most hopeless time? Can a miracle be worked or is it the end?

Chapter 2: The surprised guest

Living in a fantasy but it's way too far
But this kind of loneliness is way too hard
I've been wandering, feeling all alone
I lost my direction and I lost my home...Well

I'm so sick and tired
Now I'm on the slide
Feeling so despised
When you laugh, laugh
I almost died….

Dean leaned his head on Castiel's shoulder like a child seeking a parent's comfort. Castiel could only hold Dean to him, not saying anything.

What could he say?

There was no use for empty reassurances.

"There's not even any point in breathing anymore", came a soft voice.

"Do not talk like this, Dean. You are strong…." Castiel tried to encourage.

"No, I'm not." Dean shook his head, "Not like this, not this way. We couldn't even make it to 50 years old! How jacked up is that?"

And once more he began to sob, clutching Castiel for all he was worth. Castiel found his host eye's to be wet. He opened his mouth, then closed it. Saying it would be okay, would be false.

He wanted to say something, anything to comfort the younger man, but what could he say?

He hated being so silent, unable to say anything.

"I just want my brother back! I want us to have a nice life! I wanted heaven and hell to stop playing and using us. I want both of us to be happy. I want Sam to be happy! I want to see him smile and grin again! Is that too much to ask for? Is it? So what, we upset the nature balance, but we didn't ask to! If you had just left us alone in peace we could be graying nicely in a few years! What's so darn hard about that?" Dean sobbed.

And Castiel's heart broke even more.

Suddenly Dean pushed Castiel back, and Castiel in his surprise, landed unceremoniously on his behind. Dean pushed him away and Castiel scrambled to stand up. Dean stood up, his eyes blazing as he faced the angel.

"How could you, huh? How could you join in playing us for your war! How could you?"

Castiel found himself suddenly happy that Dean had started to turn on him. It was proof that the Dean he knew was still in there somewhere. This Dean he could deal with. The broken sobbing Dean he could not. Castiel's face took on a pleading look, "Dean, please. I didn't want to. I never wanted this. Never this. Never. But if Raphael had won, believe me when I say, it would have been another type of apocalypse."

"I don't give a dang! We could have fought! Sam could be okay, right now! Or but wait, you are the one that and I quote, "did a piss-poor job" at resurrecting Sam in the first place! You resurrected me and got it right, why couldn't you do so with Sam?" Dean blazed stalking Castiel.

Castiel moved back slowly, "You weren't in the cage with both Lucifer and Michael. In my arrogance I thought I could get him out fine and I didn't. I have few regrets but that is one of them."

"And now Sam suffers. I told you, that I'd kill you for hurting my brother", Dean growled.

Castiel lowered his head and stop moving back, "It's no less than I deserve. You should."

Dean hissed, "Oh, believe me, I will get I get my hands on a angel killing knife."

To Dean's surprise, Castiel produced one and held it out to Dean who eyed it warily. Castiel gestured it to him. "If it makes you feel any better, then do so. I would gladly pay penance for this if only to see you smile again. I consider both of you great friends and I threw all of that away on a whim. And though the civil war has been won, I find that such a victory is empty. You called me a brother once, and I want you to know if I could redo this and change it I would."

Dean slowly took the end of the knife and held it in a loose grip, looking down at it. He looked up at Castiel who held his glaze steady, waiting for his end. So Dean pushed him into a wall and held the knife to the side of his face threateningly. Castiel didn't blink.

"What the heck would this solve, huh?" Dean asked with a small growl that slowly faded to nothing as his face took on that lost look Castiel had been accustomed to seeing by now, "Even if I killed you right now, and you letting me kill you", his voice broke, "It wouldn't change anything. Sam would still be…." He paused and took in a shuddering breath, "I don't want to kill you, Castiel. I don't want to."

"Then let me be here, for you at the very least, little brother."

"I'm the big brother…." Dean muttered as he began to sob again, lowering the knife. Castiel took the knife from him slowly and dropped it on the floor before once again, wrapping his arms around Dean.

"We can argue ranking later", Castiel murmured and was satisfied to here a small laugh from Dean before it returned to heart breaking sobs.

"I don't regret it you know." Came a few moments later.

"Regret what, Dean?"

"Getting Sam's soul back. I had my brother back for several months now. I don't regret it."

"And you shouldn't. I should have realized that you would prefer to get your brother back and have those extra precious moments with him. I was too caught in the web I was in, to see clearly. I was concerned about this happening, believe me, but I went about it wrong."

Dean shook in Castiel's embrace. "I want to wake up. I keep expecting to wake up from this nightmare. But it's been a week and I still haven't." Another round of sobs broke from Dean, "I still haven't!" he cried out.

A few stray tears made its way down Castiel's face.

Is this what you wanted?

Castiel cried out those words into the winging evening as he shut his eyes and held Dean tighter. It shouldn't have ended like this. It shouldn't.

It just shouldn't.

Castiel felt it before he saw it. His eyes popped open in surprise. The window, which was locked slowly began to open. Dean had yet to realize this change, a testament to how broken he had become. Castiel tightened his arms around Dean, protectively, his eyes drifting to Sam before returning to the window that slowly finished sliding up.

And a white light, that should have been threatening, but was comforting floated through the window. It was then Dean slowly moved and lifted his head. He saw the light out the corner of his eye and looked over his shoulder, instantly mesmerized. He glanced at Castiel who looked on wide eyed and shocked, his mouth hanging open a little. In any other situation, Dean would have found this hilarious. It was the first time, he had seen such an expression on Castiel's face.

"Father…" came the angel's awed voice.

Dean blinked at him before looking back at the light. He was very slow on the uptake nowadays and couldn't seem to process what that meant.

He looked back at the light and watched at it began to transform into a shape he recognized.

"Dad?" Dean murmured.

The face of John Winchester smiled at Dean and shook his head. "No, Dean….I'm not your real father, but I did create you and your brother and all beings that walked the earth."

"Father?" Castiel questioned in awe again.

Dean looked back at Castiel suddenly, it all clicking as his head swung back to the image of his own father. "Are you…..are you…..God?"

John Winchester smiled and nodded, "Nice to meet you, Dean." He inclined his head, his voice soft, yet equally powerful.

"How are you…..?"

"I take on the shape of that which the recipient holds most dear and is less threatening. For you, it is your own natural father, John Winchester."

Castiel gently set Dean aside, his eyes on his father, his eyes still in awe. He walked a few steps before kneeling on one knee and bowing his head, "Father, I….I….I'm sorry. I tried so hard…..to listen and see your sign but I couldn't. I didn't know what else to do. I did what I thought was right, but victory is empty now." He glanced at Sam who was still vacant.

"Oh, my son…." He walked over and pulled Castiel to his feet before wrapping his arm around him. Castiel closed his eyes, savoring the embrace of his father he thought was long gone. He pulled back and smiled down at Castiel, "You did perfectly well, Castiel. I had to see once and for all, who would be loyal to both heaven and earth and you proved that a hundred times over, my beloved son."

Dean watched as his dad's face contorted into a gentle smile. Such a smile would never have been on his real dad, not that way. Dean found himself happy for Castiel in spite of himself. Castiel had always wanted to find his father and now he has. It was comforting to see. Castiel smiled lightly before glancing at Sam.

God turned and looked at Sam, studying him for some lengthening moments, before slowly lifting his head up and looking at Dean. Castiel stepped aside to allow his father to walk over to Dean who stiffened as He wrapped his arms around the younger man. Slowly though Dean started to relax until once again, he started crying. Some part of Dean figured he should have been out of tears by now.

"Oh dear one, do not cry. There is nothing to cry about. You and your brother have done well. You both have played your part over and over."

"Why us? Why did it have to us?" Dean questioned, "All we ever wanted was to be happy and to be left alone in peace. Sam has given so much, heaven and hell have taken so much from him. From us! And now this! When does it end? When?"

Castiel's watched as his father pulled Dean back and cupped his face, still smiling that secret, yet comforting smile as He spoke, "I choose the two of you, because I knew that no matter what, you'd overcome any opposition that your enemy would throw your way. You persevered and fought to the end and would do so over and over while fighting for something as basic as family, love, friendship. Trust me, when I say, Dean, that most humans would not do so. Most humans even in your position would have broken long time ago, but you and your brother didn't. Yes, there was pain. Yes, you guys had to mend so many things including your relationship, but you did so. That is something to be proud of, my son. It has only served to strengthen both of you."

Dean's eyes darted to his little brother in the chair. God smile's widened John Winchester's face. "What makes you think, I would allow two of my greatest sons to end in this way?"

A confused look came over Dean's face and Castiel cocked his head looking pensive. God pulled back and looked at both Dean and Castiel. "What makes you think, I would let Castiel fester in this guilt he is carrying after serving me so well?"

Here He paused before continuing, "And even, Bobby, who is currently standing in the doorway, holding a shotgun, with his mouth hanging open. Even he has been a part of the team."

It was here that everyone looked to the doorway to indeed see a shocked Bobby, holding a shotgun limply in his hand, as he stared.

"Nice to meet you as well, Bobby Singer", God greeted inclining John Winchester's head.

"Uh, nice to. Meet. You." Bobby replied back choppily.

God smiled at all of them. "Thus, we come to a metaphorical crossroads, in which all of you will be given a choice. Just as soon as I correct one thing, then we shall talk and draw conclusions."

And with a smile he turned to Sam and stepped in front of him. "He has sacrificed more than one human being should sacrificed." He murmured before reaching up with both hands and cupping Sam's face.

He was able to limply turn Sam's face until it was facing his own. He looked into Sam's unfocused eyes and suddenly, Sam began to glow, his eyes glowing white. Castiel had moved to Dean's side who was barely breathing and placed a hand on his shoulder. The light wasn't threatening or blinding and Dean focused on the scene in front of him, unaware of anything else.

The light began to fade and still Castiel's father held Sam's face, looking intently into his eyes.

Sam's eyes blinked and a groan escaped him...

TBC…..