Camp Chitaqua

Author: Cheryl W.

Disclaimer: I do not own Dean, Sam or any rights to Supernatural, nor am I making any profit from this story.

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Chapter 7: Devastation

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Dean didn't know it was a trap until it was too late, until the hairs on the back of his neck stood up, until Zachariah popped into the room. The Hell minions who had them cornered shrieked as their eyes burned out and then they dropped dead to the floor, leaving good facing off with supposed good.

Zachariah offered up that smug smile that always twisted Dean's stomach. "Dean, you don't mind if we make this a private conversation do you?" Then he snapped his fingers and all of Dean's soldiers except Cas were just gone from the room.

"What did you do to them!" Dean demanded, menacingly stepped toward Zac, only Cas' sudden grip on his arm halted his charge.

"Oh, don't worry. They are nice and safe on the outskirts of the city's quarantine. Now, let's you and I get down to brass tacks." Then it was Zachariah closing in the distance between him and Michael's sword. "It's time for you to do your duty."

Holding his ground, Dean sallied back, a smile on his face, "What part of "no" has you so confused?"

But Cas could feel the tension pouring off his friend, knew that they were backed into a corner and Zachariah wasn't really asking, was commanding

Instead of getting angry, Zachariah simply shrugged. "Thought you might change your mind now. Seeing the state the world's in…that you let it get in by breaking that first seal." He circled Dean and Cas. "And you and our little rebel rouser here haven't done a thing to undo any of it. Have been busy killing infested humans, chasing some illusive Colt."

At Cas' narrowed eyes, Zac acknowledged, "Oh yes, I've kept track of your …'exploits' seems too heroic a word…maybe 'fumblings'. Not first hand, you know. The rock you've been hiding under is quite off my radar. That's why this little lure needed to be thrown out. Really, Dean, falling into my trap twice? First with the Michael's Sword and now with The Colt. You're sadly predictable."

"Well, then you should see this coming: No!" Dean growled right in Zac's face.

But Zachariah wasn't discouraged, gave that annoying smile. "See that's what you think you should say but I have something that will change your mind."

If Cas hadn't rapidly been losing his angel essence over the past months, had even a residual of power to transport Dean away, he would have right then. Would have gotten his friend away from Zachariah before the angel said his next words, because deep down, Cas feared that Zachariah had finally gained a true leverage over Dean. That if Dean wasn't there to hear it, he couldn't be swayed…or hurt by it. "Whatever he's about to say, don't believe it, Dean," he cautioned his friend, hand tightening on Dean's forearm as he stepped closer, as if he could protect Dean from the words yet to come.

"Castiel, Castiel, so little trust, so little faith. It's really not astounding that you're so lost that you've taken up with this pathetic, self-loathing human," Zac purred then turned to Dean. "If you want, I can throw in a pardon for Castiel in your terms of surrender."

"Dean's more of a leader than you've ever been," Castiel growled, found it was Dean's grip holding him back this time.

Cas's fervent loyalty only made Zachariah chuckle. "Oh, ho. Little hero worship going on here." But then the mirth faded and Zac stood before Dean, wearing an expression of urgency that wasn't often seen. "Want to deserve his loyalty?" he asked, pointing to Cas. "What to stop the dying, the killing?" Stepping closer, he reached a hand toward Dean but Cas grabbed Zachariah's hand, halted it millimeters from Dean's chest.

"Stop the pain in here," Zac said, pointing to Dean's heart, to the part of Dean that Cas knew was nearly broken. "Then you have to stop thinking of just yourself, have to start seeing the big picture. The other side, they've got their star players, can now take out our defenses. They will win…if we don't have you, if Michael can't step into this battle, start defending this planet, you know the one you think you're saving by saying no."

As perceptive as ever, Dean hoarsely repeated back the words that clutched at his heart. "What do you mean…they have their star players."

Zachariah almost looked sympathetic. "You know what I mean, Dean. Your brother….he said yes."

The breath rushed out of Dean, making him think Zachariah had taken his lungs like he once had Sam's. Numbly, he felt Cas's arm catch him, hold him upright, keep him together. "No," he denied but his voice was a travesty of grief, of terror, of harsh acceptance.

But Zachariah didn't gloat, simply held Dean's pained gaze. "You don't have to take my word for it, Dean. It happened in Detroit. I'm sure some of your hunters can confirm it. Your brother said yes and now, with his true vessel, the devil is nearly unstoppable. And no matter the good you've done as a man, as a hunter, as a soldier…it won't be enough, Dean. It wouldn't ever be enough."

Dean dragged in a ragged breath, pulled out of Cas and paced away before turning to Zachariah, his eyes radiating soul decimating sorrow. "But if I become Michael's Sword, the odds change."

"Change?! Victory is assured," Zachariah touted like it was the gospel truth, like they could start tuning up the hallelujah band awhile.

But Dean wasn't so gullible. "You don't know that," he growled, hated that the angel was still trying to sell him a bill of goods, couldn't be honest with him even now, when everything seemed on the verge of changing….or ending.

"Come on, even you must have heard about a little book called the Bible, a chapter entitled Revelation," Zachariah patronizingly retorted. "If things go as they are predestined, if you say yes, the devil goes down to the pit. A happy ending for all."

'For everyone but Sam,' Dean dimly thought. 'Not to mention everyone torched in the battle to come.'

Cas didn't have to read Dean's mind to know where the man's thoughts were, that they would be on his brother…and the devastation of his world by a full out spiritual war. And he knew Dean wasn't wrong. Cas had watched heavenly battles before, knew the carnage it caused, the human lives decimated in the crossfire. But it was Dean's choice, as it always had been.

Dean inhaled and then nodded his head but his words weren't ones of acceptance. "Thanks for the family update, Zac. Cas, let's hit the road." Then he turned to go, like Zac would just let him leave.

"You can't honestly think your little life is more important than saving the world, of good defeating evil?" Zachariah incredulously demanded.

Dean turned back to the angel. "If Sam said Yes,'' and his voice broke on that and his chin trembled before he swallowed down the emotion, the hurt, the betrayal, the agony. "Then I can't afford to. I can't put things in motion, can't….give up now that he has."

"Things are already in motion. Look at your world Dean!" Zachariah shouted, pointing out the window at the barren remains of a once bustling city.

"But it's still here, my world. With good people fighting evil. Your battle…it would be indiscriminate, take out the good with the bad, would leave my world torn apart, broken. Because you don't care about us, about humans, about anything but getting the chance to kick back and reign in heaven. The earth can implode for all you care…as long as it takes the devil with it, right? You'd sacrifice all of us, all of this.." arms wide to encompass the world " just to win. And I..I can't let you do that. Can't be the weapon you use to annihilate the world."

"Is it the world you can't stand to annihilate…or your brother Sam? Isn't this just fear talking Dean?" Zachariah goaded.

"I am afraid, you got me there," Dean surprisingly confessed before his eyes turned opaque with determination. "But I'm going to stop the devil..and you. And if that means killing my brother…" he shrugged but it looked painful and tight instead of carefree, "I gotta do what I gotta do."

"You can't be serious! Talk about inflated ego! You're just a man, Dean. You're nobody's hero. You're just…"

"Sam's brother. And if anyone's gonna stop him…put him out of his misery..it's gonna be me," Dean lowly vowed. "So tell Michael to enjoy sitting on the bench because he's not joining this fight."

Zachariah's face blanched with hatred and he stalked for Dean but before he could reach him, Dean pulled out a vial from his pocket and threw it at Zachariah. Even as the glass broke against Zac's chest, Dean flicked his lighter to life and tossed it at the angel, took a step back as Zachariah was engulfed in fire from the holy oil.

Transfixed, not only by the sight of the burning angel but of the revelations about Sam, Dean didn't move, not until Cas grabbed him, physically tugged him toward the door, prompted him into a run.

Knowing that Zachariah would flicker back to heaven soon and then come for them with a vengeance, come for Dean, Cas was practically dragging Dean behind him. Roughly shoving Dean down an alley, Cas propelled them both forward, around abandoned cars and trash toward another street. Would keep running as long as they both could because Cas refused to let his friend be anywhere that Zachariah could find him.

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So they ran. Almost blindly but they ran, side by side. Erstwhile angel and human ran for their lives, until the human's endurance was spent, until his steps become stumbles, until Cas' arm around his waist was the only thing keeping Dean upright, moving. Then even the ex-angel's stamina faltered, Cas' bad leg crumbled under him, sent him and Dean careening off into an alley wall and down to their knees, the angel breathing hard, the human gasping for air.

And when Dean put his trembling hand against Cas' chest, applied the pressure he could, which was merely a weak feeble strength, Cas released Dean, knew what the man wished even if he couldn't verbalize it or enforce it. Cas watched in pain as Dean collapsed away from him, against the wall, into his own head space.

Pulling his knees up and his arms over his bowed head, Dean willed the world to go away, for Zachariah's words to not echo in his head, for it all to be some heavenly scheme, some lie told to scare him, to demoralize him, to gut him from navel to sternum, to break him with no hope tor him to ever be put back together again. Didn't even know he was keening until Cas touched him, brought him back to the here and now, reached for him before he was over the edge and couldn't find his way back, even if he wanted to.

Watching Dean curled into the defeated position had hurt Cas but he could endure it. But the sound of utter heartbreak, of loss too great to handle, of the low hum of a scream barely held in emitted from his friend, that was too much for Cas to bear. Had his own eyes welling, his usually steady hand trembling as it sought out Dean's huddled form, touched the crown of the bowed head, ached to undo the devastation Zachariah's revelation had seared into Dean's soul.

Then, when Dean stopped the keening, didn't flinch away from his touch, Cas moved closer, let Dean's bowed head rest against his sternum. Almost missed the choked word of "Why?"

Why would Sam say yes, why would he betray the world…why would Sam betray his brother, the one that Cas knew he loved unconditionally. 'He wouldn't. He would know that if he said yes, he might have to fight Dean in Michael's body, might end up killing Dean with his decision. He couldn't…he just couldn't.' And Cas clung to that hope, that certainty in Sam's love for Dean. "Hey, look at me," and he pulled back, put his hand under Dean's chin and tugged the man's tear stained face up until their eyes met. "Zachariah…he lies to get what he wants, you know that. This could….might be another lie. Dean, don't…"

'Don't let this destroy you, don't break apart, don't leave me all alone,' Cas selfishly thought before he continued, "Just…don't trust him blindly. Ok. Like he said, we need to get it from another source, other hunters might know. Just…keep some faith," Cas entreated, wanted to give Dean something to hang onto, to believe in, to hope for.

But Dean shook his head. "But Cas…if he did..if Sam said yes…" Dean broke a little there, hung his head and Cas let him take his moment, would give him whatever leniency he needed, would offer him his full strength. When Dean's head rose again, his expression was cold, set, dead inside. "Getting The Colt…it won't be about killing the devil… it'll be me…"

'Killing my own brother,' Cas silently finished the sentence Dean couldn't. And he prayed to a God he didn't know if he believed in anymore for that to not be Dean Winchester's fate. Because if that was the future Dean was headed for, Cas didn't think there would be much of his friend's soul left. Not if saving the world meant Dean had to murder the brother he loved more than his own soul.

And Cas didn't have any words to make that better, any justifications that would ease that decision, not until he thought of Sam, of what Sam would want, of what Sam would do for his brother, might have done for his brother. "If Sam said yes…he would have faith that you would stop him, would save him. That you'd right his wrongs." 'Even if it cost you your soul all over again.' And part of Cas hated Sam Winchester in that moment even as he knew that if Sam had said yes, he had done it for Dean, had thought that he was somehow sparing his brother, that he had made a pact with the devil, not to save the world, but to save his brother.

'Lord, if You're listening, watching, stop this please, God. Stop this before these two good men defile their souls and shatter their brotherhood to right our wrongs.' But Cas heard nothing back, had to use his own strength to pull Dean to his feet, use his own determination to help the man escape heaven's cruel manipulations, was faced with the prospect of watching his friend save the world and lose the last tendril of hope in his soul in one fell swoop.

But he would do it all, would face even that for the man in his hold. Because his 'I gripped you tight and raised you from perdition' had become his motto. And he was determined it be his first and last decree. That whatever hell Dean faced, he would be there at his side, catching him when he fell and doing his best to save him. Even if being saved was the last thing Dean would want at the end of all this.

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TBC

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Thanks for reading!

Have a great day!

Cheryl W.