Castiel grabs Dean's shoulder as they descend into the dark basement. He is very familiar with this part of the house because of his secret gym down in the back corner but he doesn't want to spoil Dean's fun. The boy jumps at his contact and turns to give him a playful glare which Cas returns with a huge grin.

"Not a word Angel," Dean threatens while Cas tugs on his jacket to lead him to his spot in the corner. It's not much but it has a large mat covering the majority of the floor, a punching bag hangs from the exposed ceiling beams, worn and cracked from use. A few random dumbbells litter the floor against the wall and Castiel takes the moment to let Dean view his space.

"You fight?" Dean asks Cas turning to punch the bag lightly. Cas just nods and pulls out the blade from his ankle brace to show him his weapon of choice. Its small but sharp and Dean eyes the blade before reaching behind his back and pulls out his own. They share a nod at the similarity and Dean pats his shoulder in companionship and wanders over to a pile of boxes, flashlight held high. Cas turns to see his darkened room. He glances down at his bloody hands.

Blood drips into his lap as he stares at his exposed chest. He rolls the liquid between his fingers and leans back against the window to draws a circle on his chest in bright red. Balthazar had shown him a symbol to expel Angels today, it seemed fitting to draw at the moment. Maybe it would shoot him out the window? Meg's scream is frantic and hands grab at him but Cas can't hear her.

Castiel catches Dean's movements and mirrors his footsteps quickly, to get away from the red on his hands. His own flashlight held to his side as they go through a couple boxes. They find a box full of stone artifacts broken into a few pieces and they laughs as Dean comments, "These really must not be very valuable if they are left broken in a box hidden in a basement." Cas agrees since Michael seems to have a mild problem with collecting random stuff as they find a box full of goblets and baby dolls a few seconds after. Cas wonders what would have been found in his parents basement. They had lived there all his life and he is sure they would have found many treasures. His father had a terrible addiction to reading and writing so he could imagine finding piles of old literature tucked away. He fingers his wrist bandage with a furrowed brow.

"Castiel do you want to go back to the hospital?" Michael paces back and forth in his office. "I can't keep you here if you keep threatening your life!" Michael screams for the first time ever and throws his clipboard across the room. "What is going on? First I find you half dead in an alleyway after you start a fight with Crowley, today I find out you are cutting yourself by Meg?" Michael grips his head and plops backwards into his chair.

Cas sits in the corner staring at his guardian. He really doesn't want to leave here yet. Once he is ready...

Dean charges up to him wearing a werewolf mask, a deep growl in his throat, catches Cas in surprise. The flashlight tumbles out of his hand and he uses his speed to slam Dean into an arm lock on the floor. Dean hollers in surprise but twists his bigger body to get the upper hand and rolls them over to pin Cas's hands above his head. He reaches back with one hand to pull the mask off while his other hand holds Cas's wrists. Dean's thumb presses into Cas's new wound but he holds his grimace in hope that Dean doesn't see it or notice it.

"You did this!?" the British man yells in his face, the smell of strong liquor burns his eyes, while he points to the man on the ground holding his bloody arm. He nods scared, not able to speak, the man dressed in the impeccable suit tuts his tongue.

"You speak to me boy!" Cas's hands tremble, still bloody, and holding the knife from the fight but manages to shake his head no. A loud laugh echoes in the alleyway. "No? Well, well, well, you are full of surprises aren't we, young too, how old are you boy, fourteen? fifteen? What do you want with the King of Hell?"

"You are fricken full of surprises Cas," Dean manages to say after he throws the mask in his hands across the room. "I am never taken down easily." Cas blinks back into focus and Dean remains sitting on him using his full weight to pin him down further. He can kinda see his face in the darkness.

"Leave him! He has learned his lesson trying to make a piss poor deal. Call Michael, let him know where his little broken birdie is," Crowley cackles and walks away. The man's weight on him shifts and he pets his face in mockery. "Next time I will kill you pet, even if I know, it was what you really wanted today. You are a coward, and I won't make it pretty, and it won't be quick. It will feel like I am plucking a feather out of each wing over and over until you more then beg. DON'T!" the man screams in his face, "let me see you again," and a large hand pushes his face into the pavement.

Dean clears his throat awkwardly and jumps off of Cas to retrieve the flashlight before Cas can make out his expression. He continues to lay on the floor where he wishes he could tell Dean about his haunting memories. Dean would listen, if he could just make the words happen, but instead Dean walks slowly towards another pile of old boxes to open and root through unknown of the onslaught of memories plaguing his new friend.

He loves this tree, its his personal heaven, his garden.

Cas rolls over and wonder's back to the small pile of mats. The lights are still off so they don't draw attention, Dean's flashlight beam flickers around in each box while he hunts for, what, Cas doesn't know. He rests his back against the wall and watches the new boy. Tall already, built lean arms. Cas likes his hands the most, strong, slightly coarse from use, actually he is so much Cas's type it brings a little panic to his chest. Between the green eyes and his smile he realizes Dean could have suggested taking on the devil himself and Cas would have gladly marched into battle with him without a second thought.

It was another memory he cherishes from his father. He was so scared to tell him that he was finding guys more attractive than girls but his father just hugged him and said, 'son, I just want you happy…..'

"Cas?" Dean's voice reaches out a few feet in front of him and a set of hands touch his knees. He raises his head that was buried in his hands, his heart is racing but Dean's green eyes make their way into his view. Today is it. He can feel it building, his mind not able to tell what is real and what is memory. Green eyes anchor him down further and he nods forward feeling drugged.

"You alright man?" Dean almost whispers as if he spoke any louder Cas would scurry away. Castiel nods but remains curled in on himself. Would his father like Dean? Dean with the pretty eyes, deep laugh lines even at his young age. Dean whom he may have a crush on already even though its only been a few hours of knowing him. The cold basement settles into his bones and he lets out a shiver. His father is such an incredible man. No...his father was...

"Father…" Castiel whispers as he walks into the room. "Daddy…" Castiel asks the silent room again. He reaches out and pulls the white sheet back to see his father beneath, quiet and un-moving. He rests his palm on his cold cheek. The nursing staff had cleaned him up but the soulless corpse in front of him was lifeless, gray, and stiff. This was not his father anymore.

His head pounds against his skull and he wills the white dots away so he can spend another moment with his father's body. How could this happen? Why?

He slides down to rest his knees on the floor and tucks himself forward to rest his forehead on his knees. Shakes rake through his arms before a sob reaches his throat.

"Castiel? Buddy?" Dean shakes him back to reality. His head rests between his knees and his face is damp with tears. His right hand scratches at his cut to stop the memory but its short lived as his fathers body rests peacefully behind his friends head. He stares past Dean eyes unfocused.

"No...no..no...daddy," Cas cries softly curling into himself further. Two sets of hands grab his upper body, eyes bolt open, panic settles in his heart, 'no please not yet, don't take him!' Cas fights every limb, one of his punches makes contact, and a yell for help comes immediately after. The pain in his chest takes over and its released in one terrible scream. They let go of him and stumble back as if the scream blew through their ear drums.

Dean grabs his ears in pain and watches as Cas stands in front of him gripping his head, eyes squeezed tight. The punch Cas landed on his stomach makes him feel sick but the fact Cas is screaming scares him more. He thought he couldn't talk, he shouldn't be able to scream. What is he seeing? He reaches out and touches his arm and Cas grabs it and hits him with another punch to the side of his face.

Pain racks his hand and he glances down at the bloody man in the alleyway. The scream catches in his chest and he tries to take in a deep breath but it won't release. Crowley's laugh echos off the walls as he sends four men, eyes black as night, to chase him down, he trips, and falls over his father's corpse. No. No no no no….He is alone now. He can't be saved. No more mother. No more father. No family….He can't be alone. He can't do this anymore. He just wants to see his family again.

There is a nurse in his face again. Her bright green eyes yelling something to him or someone else but all he sees is his father. Smiling back. His mother slamming his birthday cake in his face. Fingering the bright blue tie. Telling him he loves him. Dressing up on date night and then everything falls out of focus. Blackness fills the space and moves inward and he is falling.

Dean is scared. Truly scared for his friend as he carries him bridal style up the stairs. He isn't sure what happened but one minute he thought they were having fun and the next his friend is staring ahead seeing something terrible clear as day. No matter what he did he couldn't get the boy to breathe after the scream caught in his chest and he fell forward onto the floor unconscious before Dean could register it was happening.

"Meg! Someone! Please!" Dean hollers through the hallway, running as fast as he can to the dining room hoping the chef is in the kitchen. Benny barrels out of the swinging door to his side covered in flour.

"What happened?! Who was screaming?!" he yells while grabbing Castiel from Dean's grip to help him settle Cas on the floor. He points to the kitchen. "Go grab a towel and a bowl of cold water!" Dean stares wide eyed and scared back at the scruffy man. "NOW!" Benny barks out making him jump and he runs to the kitchen.

Meg jogs into the dining room phone in hand talking to Michael. She reaches down to check his pulse and sighs when she finds one and moves to his mouth to check his breathing.

"Michael! Cas is unconscious. Dean found him...I am not sure. He screamed Michael the entire house heard him," Meg turns when Dean has the water and towel for her and Benny reaches out to grab the supplies, and immediately presses the towel to his head. The cold water hits Castiel's senses and his eyes open up bringing out a scared gasp from the three.

"Cas?" Dean says carefully and reaches out to touch his hand. Cas sits up like a mummy awoken from a tomb and stares at Dean like he's not there. His arm reaches forward to touches the already swollen cheek of Dean, as if the motion could instantly heal his wounds. Meg is still on the phone with Michael and Dean can hear his frantic yells for her attention but her mouth is open in shock. Cas turns towards Benny who holds the wet dripping towel looking much the same.

Taking a deep breath, Cas goes to stand and it brings a round of protests but he doesn't hear them. Smiling brightly again he runs his fingers through his hair and without a seconds breath runs out the back door so fast the three would have thought he had wings.

The weather is really beautiful today. Sun still shining and now its so peaceful. Today is a good day. His strong legs already have him at his favorite tree. A good strong tree, full of life, tall and proud. The one branch is just low enough to grab onto and he pulls himself up onto it. Another and another branch and he is almost there to break the view and see all of God's beautiful work around Camp Michael.

People are screaming below but the birds. The birds are flying so high in the sky. He wishes he had wings, larger than life, dark ebony and shiny. He would fly all over the world and he wonders if the Angel of Thursday had black wings. His arms stretch out wide on either side of him. The breeze catches his arms and he can almost imagine himself in flight.

"Cas?" A strong touch on his forearm brings him to turn around to see a pair of green eyes and a freckled nose.

"Hello Dean," Cas says, voice hoarse from disuse, and turns back to look at the bright blue sky. Just like his mother's eyes. Her beautiful face ashen and gray, like his fathers.

"Cas, you just spoke," Dean says sounding a little shocked and his grip tightens on his forearm. It brings Cas's attention back to the handsome man and he grins widely.

"Yes, I figured it might return in this particular moment," Cas declares and shrugs his shoulders as he stands up to reach the last branch. Dean's grip tightens on his arm stopping the movement.

"Cas we gotta climb down man, its not going to be pretty if we fall," Dean says with a shaky voice and Cas laughs at the man's discomfort.

"Sounds to me like you are afraid of heights Dean," Cas points out and tries to pry the fingers from his arm. Dean nods and stares up at the blue eyes of his new friend.

"Please stop…" Dean barely whispers and the small plea pauses Cas's attempts. He looks at Dean who is slightly shaking in fear. Knuckles white in his left hand from grasping the branch under him so tight. With one more glance skyward he decides to settle on the second to last branch next to him. Dean takes in a deep breath but doesn't lessen his hold. Cas sees the swelling of his hit turning a rosy red on Dean's cheek but the older boy doesn't seem to care much about it.

"I hit you pretty good," Cas says as he leans forward to touch the red skin. Dean winces at the impact but shrugs his shoulders. "Nothing I can't handle Cas," Dean responses not making eye contact.

He takes in another breath to calm his nerves after Cas leans on the trunk of the huge tree, "I lost my brothers Sammy and Adam a few months ago. They...well kinda fell into a pit at a construction site we were playing at." Cas unconsciously reaches over and puts his free hand over the one still gripping his forearm. Dean pauses and Cas pulls Dean towards him to both settles on the thick branch but still balancing on his bottom without a worry about falling.

Dean continues with a smaller voice, "It was all my fought. I am always on the hunt, trying to find new things to explore...to challenge us. They had an amazing future you know, and I…" Dean stops when a tear trails down his cheek. "...and the first thing I do with you is go on a hunt and look where we are…" Cas stares at his new friend with wide eyes. He understand him now. Only a few hours of knowing him he can understand the pain and guilt he is dealing with. His hand rubs the back of Dean's tightly gripped hand and he shakes his head.

"I understand Dean, I lost my mother and father in the span of two years and…" Dean turns to face him, eyes watery from unshed tears, "and I am still not over it. I wish everyday that I had just died in that accident so I wouldn't have to deal with this pain."

Dean's face turns frightful, "Cas…" he starts but Cas cuts him off, "Dean, I can't do this anymore. I'm tired." Dean breathes in and lets out a shaky breath. His eyes close as if he is in prayer and Cas pauses in his explanation, with a slight tilt of his head, to take it in. Dean's words break the moment's silence, "Cas, do you know why Michael brought me here?"

Castiel shakes his head and Dean leans over to rest his against his shoulder. "You know that painting downstairs? The one of you?" This brings a little chuckle from Cas and he nods against Dean's face. "Well, Michael told me if anyone could save me it would be you. He said I deserved to be saved."

Cas's body stiffens as he thinks of the painting. Michael thought Dean was the Righteous Man? How could he save him? He was just as broken. Cas finally loosens the grip on his forearm and moves it to grasp his hand. Dean leans heavier on his shoulder and Cas rests his head against his as they both sink into their own world fully aware at how high they are and how close they are together. He glances down to see Michael, Meg, and actually, his entire family starring up. They are so far down he can barely make out their eyes.

"Cas?" Dean whispers, eyes still closed tight.

"Yes Dean," Cas whispers back breathing in time with Dean in his arms.

"Are we going to jump? Are you up here to fall?" he asks quietly. Cas just nods and he can feel a tear hit his arm. Dean's hand pulls out of his and slides up to his bandage. "Have you wanted to be with your family that bad Cas?" he mumbles.

The soft circles Dean rubs on his fresh wound brings out another nod from the Angel. Dean stops the movement and lifts his head from his shoulder.

"I know we met only a few hours ago, but Cas, I need you...to help me, and maybe you need me too?" Dean asks eyes darting away from Cas's blue ones and his hand falls down to grip the tree branch tighter. Finally free, Cas takes the moment to stand up, arms reaching to grab the last branch.

"I don't know Dean, maybe? Are you in hell right now?" Cas asks both hands on the branch above tight while Dean nods in response. "Well then I guess as the Angel of Thursday it would be my job to grip you tight and save you from hell." He swings his feet out and hangs from the branch earning a chorus of yells from his family below.

Dean grabs his legs and plants them back on the branch he's resting on. "Don't do that!" He yells, "sit down please Cas, I can't do this, please, I don't want you to die." He begs with pleading eyes, his grip, tight on one of his ankles. Cas slides back down to the branch which earns him a sigh of relief but the demand settles on his mind. They sit in companionable silence again for a few minutes before he slams his head back against the tree trunk.

"Dean…" he manages to choke out.

"Castiel you have an amazing journey ahead of you son," his mother's wilted hand rests weightless in his palm. He leans forward to kiss her cheek. "Mom..please don't leave me," he begs out between tears. "I need you still. I can't be this person you say I will be."

His mother laughs out weakly and her eyes close. "Mom?" he whispers and her eyes open a fraction and a smile twitches on her lips.

"My boy, you will find purpose. You will know it when you…." she takes a small breath and his father rests his hand over Castiel's.

Cas's eyes open slowly to view Dean in front of him. This boy has only known him for three hours. He knows nothing of his pain, of the memories that plague him daily, or how tired he is.

"Dean, I am very tired," he admits out loud again, palms his face, and tugs slightly at his hair. "I, see, my family die everyday, and.." His blue eyes glance up at the sky again and he can feel Dean's breath catching in his throat.

"Cas, if you jump, I jump...I...don't want to but you are all I have to help me...I...am not sure I can watch you do this knowing that we share the same grief that it will end the same way for me weather I do it with you or not. If you do it..." Dean's voice gets caught in his throat as tears fall and Cas reaches out to grab his hand again.

"You do not have to do this with me Dean," he reassures him. Soft circles sweep around in his palm by the pad of Dean's thumb. Silence surrounds them again but Dean shakes his head to stop it from happening.

"Tell me what's in your journal before you...you know," Dean says sliding a little closer to the trunk near Cas to rest his feet on another slightly lower branch to steady himself. He thinks about the question and shrugs.

"Mostly the same stuff I guess. My mother's slow death and my father's abrupt one, moments I spent with them that I wouldn't want to forget. Things I saw that reminded me of little details, like her hair color, or his laugh. Mostly just them Dean." Cas answers honestly as he scratches his head feeling exposed.

Dean takes in the answer and stares at Cas through his damp lashes. "Maybe I should listen to Michael and start writing too? Did it help at all?" Dean asks honestly and Cas shrugs not really sure how to answer. "I miss them so much Cas. I am good at hiding it, I really am, by joking around, acting the manly part, but its not how I feel. It hurts. Everywhere."

The line hits close to home to Cas. He understands the feeling and a stab of guilt cuts into his chest at the thought of him going through it alone. He squeezes his hand and Dean turns to stare sadly at him.

"Alright Dean," he says and leans forward to press a chastised kiss against Dean's chapped lips. "We will be in this together." The blonde man pauses a little embarrassed from the kiss but nods slightly with a shocked look on his face not sure what that means. Cas jumps up, grabs the top branch, and pulls his legs up around it to reach the top. The view is as beautiful as he imagined and his arms stretch out again to catch the breeze in the air. The smaller swaying branches move around him but the larger branch holds strong. He takes in a deep breath and glances one more time to the sky to send his last prayer.

"Mother...father. I miss you both so much." He pauses and closes his eyes. "but I can't do this back and forth anymore. Reliving this nightmare every day for the last three to four years….has been hard for me and I want to try to move on now. I think I may be ready?" He glances down at Dean who's face is frightful but frozen. He can hear shouts from below but the wind carries them away. "I will try to help Dean the best I can, I promise father to follow in your footsteps and be a good man. Mom, Ill will find purpose, I promise, I will work harder to not join you so soon, just...help me let go. Help me to move on." He thinks of what Dean is going through losing two brothers. "Sam? Adam? give your brother strength too, he will need it, and well, say hi to my family if you run into them I guess." He finishes crossing his body and takes a breath of the clean air.

He wipes the last of his fallen tears but smiles to himself. He can do this. A weight leaves his shoulders as he sends a silent thank you. He looks down to notice a head frantically climbing up towards them.

"Gabriel, stop we are coming down," Cas yells down to his blonde friend. Gabe stares back wide eyed at hearing his voice. He could get use to yelling at his friend, he does have a lot of catching up to do in that department. He watches as Gabe jumps back down next to Michael who's smile he can see from this height. Cas wonders if Michael knew Dean would save him, if Dean would stop him from jumping. Michael must have known how bad he was getting, that in finding his voice may have ended in his death or his redemption. He glances back at the slightly pale Dean and finally notices the fear of heights eating at him.

"Come on Dean," he says and spins to kneel down on the branch. Dean stares back up at him a mixture of amazement and fear that Cas was going to jump from up there. Cas hops down the branch and reaches a hand out to him. "Dean, you and me right?" he says and Dean nods before grabbing his hand to start his descent after Castiel.

Before his feet can hit the ground Benny grabs his legs to pull him the rest of the way where he is promptly attacked by Gabriel who attaches onto Cas squeezing him as tight as he can.

"Brother, don't ever do that again," his words are muffled from his face buried in his shoulder. Cas chuckles and pulls him away before he is surrounded by Anna, Samandriel , and even Balthazar all slammed into a big Angel sandwich.

"I won't, ever, I promise," Castiel says eyeing Michael over Anna's shoulder. All his siblings have unshed tears and he glances at Meg who hides her face into Michael as a happy sob is released. He hears Dean's landing to the right of him and Cas turns to see the smallest of color return to his cheeks. Michael leans over the pile and grabs his arm bringing his attention back to his guardian. Meg turns and grabs his cheek in her hands lovingly while Michael speaks.

"Castiel, we will need to talk about this in detail," he starts, "but later. You frightened your family but I am thrilled you found your voice son. We knew how this could have ended and I am proud of you." His face glows in the mixture of being scared and proud and Cas feels a tightness of regret that he put his adoptive family through this. Dean clears his throat and Cas turns to his savior in time to see Dean blush faintly. That small kiss was worth the little embarrassment from the older boy. His eyes dart to his lips then back to forced eye contact. Yes...the blush returns to his cheeks which brings out an enormous smile on Cas's face. This was completely the right choice, he can live just to see that the reaction on that handsome freckled face. Benny's loud voice breaks the reunion.

"I made apple pies for later but I think we could all use a pie break, who's in?"

Everyone, Michael included, nods in agreement while they all wipe their faces and try not to think about what could have happened. Gabe puts his arm around Castiel's shoulders and smiled widely when Cas reaches for Dean's hand. Anna jumps on Samandrial's back to the right of Dean and Balthazar hooks his arm through Gabriel free arm. Meg lets go of Michael and wraps her arm around Benny's waist as they head back towards the house. Michael chooses to stays back for a moment to watch his retreating family.

He turns around to the willow tree and looks up. "Father," he whispers ahead, "thank you for sending Dean in time." He smiles to himself and runs his hand through the low branches. It was still a long battle ahead of them but he was certain they had averted the worst of the storm well….at least for Castiel. They may all be cursed but they had each other and they were stronger together when fighting their demons.

The End-

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