When the Devil Takes Hold

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural.

Sam took a step back. "We will figure out a way to stop this Lucifer. Cas won't die."

"There is a way, Sam," Lucifer said gently, innocence shining from him once again. Sam paused for him to continue. The Devil's eyes darkened, "Say yes."

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"SAM!" Sam woke with such force he almost flung himself from his bed. He could still hear Lucifer's last words echoing in his head. It couldn't be true…

"Come on you idjit! Don't make me crawl up there!" Bobby's annoyed yelling from downstairs brought Sam from his musings to the staircase landing.

"Have a good sleep?" Bobby asked with sarcasm.

"Wha's goin' on?" Sam looked about him, still half shell shocked from his meeting with the Devil.

"Cas ain't doin' so well. Dean wants you to bring down one of his shirts for him to wear. The other one is gonna need some dry cleanin'." Bobby rolled out of sight as Sam went to grab a shirt as asked.

When Sam came fumbling down the stairs, grey t-shirt in hand, he saw Dean and Bobby hovering near Cas. Cas was holding a glass of water obediently swishing and spitting into a bowl Bobby held out. It took a few rounds for the water to come out clear again.

Sam approached the three and handed Dean the shirt. "How're you feeling Cas?" He scrutinized the angel for signs Lucifer was right.

Cas glanced up and upon seeing Sam tried to sit up straighter. "Doing better Sam, thank you," he said gruffly. He attempted to give the half full glass of water back to Bobby but Bobby refused on the grounds that 'drinkin' water never hurt no one.' Sam smiled to himself, Bobby is back in caretaker mode…it was nice to see his makeshift family expanding to include new members.

Cas had finished the small amount of water that was assigned to him and Dean was helping him get the shirt on over the now clean bandages that covered his chest. He grimaced as Dean's hands brushed over his stomach.

"Hey Bobby, you have any painkillers?" Sam asked and Bobby went to receive them.

"There you go Cas," Dean said as he finished making the angel more comfortable, "All patched up." His voice was light and confident but his eyes spoke differently.

"I apologize…" Cas ground out. Sam could still hear the struggle to keep his voice steady. "I had no intention of waking everyone."

"Don't sweat yourself, Feathers." Bobby said as he handed a bottle of pills to Castiel. He looked down at it not understanding. "It'll take the edge off," Bobby explained "Go ahead and take a few," and he turned to grab some water.

Dean watched as Cas observed the bottle for a second longer then dumped a few out in his palm, threw them into his mouth, and took them all at once…not even waiting for the water Bobby was bringing. An image of the broken ex-angel Dean had met in 2014 flashed across his mind…with a bottle of pills and an empty smile. Dean pushed his unease aside. Cas is recovering from some serious injuries and deserves some pain-free rest. This does not mean the future Zachariah let him glimpse was becoming a reality. He found himself taking the pill bottle from Castiel nonetheless.

Cas was getting better control of the poison induced pain. He focused on the cooling feeling of the ointment Dean had rubbed on his burns and the growing numbness from the pain medication. He finally could breathe without the constant tearing pain…his eyes began to droop as if on their own accord. He heard the sound of Dean's voice but struggled to make out specific words. He allowed a hand to guide him to the bed and the last he remembered was the familiar feel of the worn quilt being pulled over him.

Dean didn't follow his brother back to bed after Cas had fallen asleep. He sat in a chair by Castiel's bedside rolling the bottle of pills in his hand. Something was definitely wrong, the wounds were severe but they seemed to be beginning to heal. Some of the gashes on his chest were closing up and the intense bruising from what Dean assumed were broken ribs was progressing through its normal rainbow palate of healing. The stomach wound concerned him though; it had healed slightly from where it first penetrated through the angel but something seemed wrong. The healing had essentially stopped at that point like something was preventing Cas's normal healing to take over. Cas assured him it would just take time but in Dean's opinion they had given it plenty.

Bobby appeared at his side handing him a tumbler of whiskey. "Why don't you get some rest? I'll sit with Feathers here."

Dean took a gulp of the amber liquid and relished the accompanying burn. "Something isn't right Bobby."

Bobby looked at the sleeping angel on his cot. For once his brow was not creased in pain and the result made him look quite peaceful. He looked innocent and young…clad in a simple t-shirt with bandages around his wrists. He looked human.

"I know kiddo," Bobby acknowledged quietly. Lucifer doesn't remove his claws so easily.

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Dean woke with the late morning sun streaming on his face. He wasn't sure if it was that or the unmistakable smell of bacon that had raised him from his sleep. He was on the couch in the living room although he didn't remember falling asleep there. He got up and poked his head into the kitchen to find Bobby dishing out a late breakfast for Sam and preparing a plate for him. Dean glanced over his shoulder towards Castiel as he sat at the table.

"Been out cold since we gave him those pills last night," Bobby filled in, "Hopefully it will do him some good. Seems like he needed it."

Dean nodded and said nothing. He could still feel the bottle of pills from where he had shoved them in his pocket.

It wasn't until Dean had had his first mouthful of bacon and eggs that he realized they hadn't eaten in over a day. They had only made the required stops during their road trip and had crashed upon arrival the day before. He shoveled the breakfast in and glanced at Sam who was distractedly pushing his scrambled eggs around his plate.

"Y'alright Sammy?" He said around a bite of toast.

Sam jumped slightly at being addressed and flashed Dean a semi-convincing smile, "Yeah of course." He took a small bite and found Dean's eyes still on him. "Just worried you know…about Cas," he murmured. He was unsure if he should tell Dean he was getting midnight visits from the Devil.

Dean didn't push it. Great Cas AND Sammy are hiding something. Nothing could ever be easy. He finished the food on his plate and filled a glass with water to leave for Cas when he woke.

Dean was just about to set the glass down next to the cot when he noticed Castiel's expression change from peaceful to pain ridden once again. He woke the angel gently figuring it was fine to give him another pain pill or two. Bleary blue eyes opened and Castiel pulled himself into more of a sitting position with assistance from Dean.

"'lo Dean," Cas's normal greeting was slurred and raspy. Dean handed him the glass of water, which he accepted without protest. Dean noticed the way he worked to keep his breaths slow and the tight set of his jaw.

"You said you would tell me if anything was wrong," Dean said looking straight into Castiel's eyes.

"I will tell you anything you need to know," Castiel countered. The cool water helped soothe his raw throat.

"No Cas," Dean continued, "I asked you to tell me what was wrong, not what you decided I should or should not know about."

Castiel averted his gaze. "It is not important Dean."

"So there is something," Dean pushed.

Cas paused for a long space, "No," he said so quietly Dean could hardly hear him.

"Lucifer poisoned him," Sam's voice rang out from the doorway and Dean turned, startled, to face his brother.

"Cas?" Dean looked back at the angel. Is that true?

"He was telling the truth, wasn't he? That is what you've been hiding." Sam remained in the doorway gazing intently at the angel on the bed.

"He must have come to you in a dream," Cas said quietly to Sam, referring to Lucifer.

"Yeah he did," Sam said tersely and walked toward the other two, "Why didn't you tell us?"

"He must have already told you why Sam. He is using my illness and death as leverage against you. He is trying to force you to say yes."

"Woah woah," Dean cut in, "No one is dying here. Now tell us exactly what happened and we'll find an antidote or something."

"There is no antidote Dean," Cas sighed. He knew the Winchesters wouldn't understand what Lucifer had done. There was a reason why he had tried to keep his illness a secret. He paused slightly before continuing, "An angel can be killed through a ritual where they are infected with the blood of the damned. It will burn away their grace until there is nothing left. Only the person who initiated the ritual has the power to undo it and in this case that would be Lucifer. It is old…and quite powerful."

"Burns away your grace? So you would become human? You would fall?" a little relief combated the dread as Dean considered that, "Well Cas I know you aren't jumpin' the gate to join us humans but that's a little different than dying."

"No I wouldn't fall. When an angel falls they start over with a new human life and with no recollection of being an angel. I would simply lose everything about me that makes me angelic…an angel in a human body."

"Ok so you would still remember tea time with the archangels, so what?"

"I have been aware of every moment this earth has seen," Castiel explained in a clipped voice, "I have known humanity since it was merely a few cells in the primordial pool. Angels are built to contain such knowledge," he paused, "It would destroy the human mind."

"So what, you are just going to get your mojo slowly destroyed and eventually go nuts or stroke out?"

"Most likely, yes," Cas closed his eyes briefly; the extended conversation was causing his head to begin to pound.

With a quick look Dean could see the guilt written all over his brother's expressive face. He needed to fix this. "Ok now wait," he reasoned, "We will find a way to cure this…or something. How long do we have?"

"The effects are…slow," Cas said resolutely.

"Ok good. We have time," He pushed himself out of the chair and turned to the bookshelves lining the walls. "We've got plenty of demon cleansing techniques. We just have to try everything." If there was one thing the Winchesters knew it was how to combat anything demonic. He reached for a rosary and moved towards the books. Sam remained in the doorway looking at Castiel with a broken expression. "Sam?" Dean prompted none too gently.

"Yeah, I'll start looking." Dean decided to ignore the undertone of guilt in Sam's words. No one is saying yes. Not on my watch.

Castiel eased himself so that his back was resting against the wall. He focused on keeping his breaths even and pushed the constant pain down. He was afraid the Winchester's wouldn't take the news well but he was more afraid of what would happen when they've tried everything and the outcome remained unchanged. However he knew he would allow them to try…to poke and prod and whatever else. If this is what they need…anything for the Winchesters.

A/N: Grey shirt appreciation post anyone? Couldn't help myself :P

Chapter 8 is in the works but I may be a little late getting it out compared to the last few. Real life is going to be busy for the next month.

A HUGE thanks to my reviewers, especially the guests who I can't write a message to. Seriously your input and encouragement means so much to me.