Dean and Cas looked up to where they heard someone say that, then back to the iceberg. "We're not gonna make it... Dean, we're not going to make it!" Cas cried, grabbing onto Dean's shirt.

In the steering room, Captain Shurley's eyes widened as he looked out at the impeding obstacle. It was getting closer and closer too quickly, and he tried to steer away, but they all knew it was too little too late.

Gabriel gritted his teeth as he tried to manoeuvre the ship away. "If- AH!- if only we weren't going so damn fast!" he shouted.

Sure enough, the ship shook with a rumble as the side of it was grazed by the ice, dangerous chunks of it splitting off and falling onto the deck right where Dean and Cas had been seconds before.

The ship continued to go, and they could feel the resistance of the hull being scratched. Soon, the ship came to a complete stop.

Cas looked at Dean worriedly, and Dean tried to think of something. "We've gotta... we..." "Dean, we have to find Balthazar!" "What?! Are you crazy?!" "He can do something, he's powerful, Dean, he can get us off, or something!" Dean's lips settled into a firm, reluctant line, but realized it might be their only way of confirming safety... or the only way to confirm the safety of his Cas, at least.

They ran through the ship, through people waking up and going to check what the lack of movement and commotion was all about. Dean pushed first, leading Cas behind him, and soon, he heard Cas cry out.

"Balth! Balthazar!" he called, and Dean followed him to where his mother, Cain, Balthazar, and Bela stood. Bela looked like some witch who had just woken up after one thousand years of hibernation, Cain and Collette looked distraught, and Balthazar's eyes fired up at the sight of Dean.

"Castiel! What the hell is he doing with you?" Balthazar asked, clenching his jaw. Cas' breath became ragged as he backed up a little, wondering wearily if his ex-fiancée would strike him in such a rage. "Stow your crap, we've got bigger issues right now!" Dean snapped, glaring at him. Balthazar had to refrain from cursing out the man in front of him in front of his family, but something about Dean's body language said that he shouldn't start anything, so he huffed, looking away. Then he thought of something... something he never thought he would be capable of doing, but desperate times.

"You could be right," he said slowly, looking back and affirming with a nod. Dean relaxed a little, happy this didn't mean physical conflict. There was no time for that.

"Oh, pish posh, it was probably just a graze, why get so worked up?" Bela groaned, yawning. Just then, Ezekiel hurried by, overhearing. "I'm afraid it's a tad more serious than that, young lady," he said, and rubbed over his mouth as his eyes darted nervously. "It seems the gash was deep... the lower decks are starting to flood. We don't want folks to panic, but... we have to get everyone off!"

"Or as many people as will fit," Cas whispered, bringing his hand up to cover his lips in grim realization. Dean looked at him. "What?" "There aren't enough life boats," Cas said quietly, "Ezekiel himself told me." As Dean was turned around talking to Cas, Balthazar slipped something in his pocket while no one was watching.

Dean sighed, and turned. "Look, we've-"

Then it hit him. Lower levels... the date... the dancing room...

Sammy.

"Wait," he breathed, a rush of nausea overtaking him, "Wait, wait, wait, my brother, I have- I have to get to my brother," he said, head spinning. Balthazar nodded, quirking his lips up. This was perfect.

"I'll have Zachariah go down with you and help you look," he said, and Zach looked at him in question, knowing something must be afoot. Then suddenly, Balthazar frowned, staring at Dean's shirt pocket. "What in the heavens is that?"

Dean frowned as well. "What?" Bela followed her brother's gaze, and noticed something gold in his pocket. "Is that...?" she gasped, "Is that that necklace you bought for Castiel?!" Balthazar's mouth fell open as he took it out. "By god, it is!"

"You dirty thief!" Bela cried, "I knew there was something wrong with you the minute I saw you!" "After all I've done to help you, this is how you repay me?" Balthazar asked Dean incredulously, and Dean found himself whirling in a mess of confusion.

"I have... I have no idea how that got there... really! I don't friggin' know!" Balthazar rolled his eyes. "You're probably a master pickpocket. How else could you afford living with your brother?" Dean scrambled for words. "I'm not- I'm... please!" Cas was speechless.

"No! Dean couldn't have taken it, I've been with him the whole night!" Then he realized what he said, and clapped a hand over his mouth. Balthazar's eyes flickered to him, rage evident behind them, but he just smirked. "I suppose not, my sweet, naive little darling."

Then he turned to Zachariah. "Arrest him- lock him downstairs." Zach nodded, grinning in a way unsettling to Dean as he struggled. "No! Please, believe me!" Cas cried out as well. "NO! Dean! No, please, don't do this! Don't do this, I'll do anything! Please!"

Balthazar ignored him, until the rest of the family was gone following the crowd, and Dean had been dragged away, when he grabbed his wrist.

"I am disappointed, to say the least."

Cas looked up at him, swallowing hard. "Why would you do that?" he whispered. Balthazar ignored his question. "I found your little note... I'm willing to overlook your lapse of judgement if you forget about all this foolishness, and once we get to safety, we'll put all of this behind us."

Cas laughed, though there was no humour behind it. "I would rather drown than go back with you!" "Oh, Cassie. You know full well this was your doing." "Why, because I fell in love?!" "Love? Oh, you mean that thing that I thought we had-?" "What we have is not love, Balthazar. It's arranged marriage."

A glimmer of hurt flickered across his face, then disappeared as he steeled. "I daresay I loved you once. Now, after hearing how you really feel, I hope you never find happiness, and I never want to see you again."

And by his tone and the instilled coldness in his features, Castiel knew Balthazar wasn't going to forget his pledge.

"Please!" Dean cried, again and again as he thrashed against Zachariah, "Please, my brother's down here somewhere! I've got to find him! I've got to... got to make sure Sammy's alright!"

Zach led him into the master-at-arms office, handcuffing him to a pipe. "He... he could be dying," Dean tried, whimpering, tears spilling over down his cheeks, "Please, that's my little brother! That's my little brother..."

Zach showed no remorse as he tightened the cuffs around the pipe. "I warned you to stay away from the boy, Castiel. You chose not to listen. Anything that happens from here on out is entirely your doing, not mine, son."

And he began to walk away, Dean crying as he watched his last hope walk up the stairs. He was going to die... Sam might already be dead, but he could hope with all his being that he got out okay with Jess, out to the top deck... Sam was a smart kid, he probably knew to get up higher.

Dean consoled himself with that thought. Sam was smart... He did the right thing.

Then he started thinking about Cas... he knew Cas would get out okay, he probably got top priority. That made him smile. He let out a little noise of happiness, knowing Cas would be okay. Then he thought of never getting to see those beautiful blue eyes again... and that's what brought him down.

He let out a defeated breath, and squeezed his eyes shut as water began to soak the bottoms of his shoes.


Cas fought through hoards of people as he tore away from his family. He had to find where they had taken Dean.

He ran down the stairs, and was frightened to find that the first floor of the ship was already carpeted with a thin sheen of running water. There were people coming out of their rooms, some screaming, some small children crying, some looking at him like he was mad for walking further into it.

Cas ignored them, frantically searching every room for Dean. Then he saw, at the end of the hall, a half-open door and a law enforcement symbol on it.

By now, the floor was empty, everyone crowding the staircases, elevators, and dumbwaiters. But Cas ran toward the door, pushing it open against the force of the now ankle-high water to find-

"Cas?" Dean asked, looking up. His eyes lighted with something, as if he wasn't expecting to see him. "Dean," Cas smiled, relieved. Then he took one look at the cuffs, and let out a weary sigh.

"Cas, baby, there's no way I'm gettin' out of this. This is where I stop. You gotta get out, you gotta save yourself, I can't let you put yourself in danger for me." "Well, it's a good thing you're not calling the shots then," Cas retorted in his usual sass, "You're literally chained to a pole, Dean. You can't tell me what to do in your predicament."

Dean's eyes filled with gratitude and slight amusement.

He tried to yank at the metal around his burning wrists. "How are we gonna get these off? There's no way!" Then, Cas had an idea. "Dean... this is a law enforcement office, yes?" "Uh, I guess so-" "And law enforcement officers usually keep firearms, yes?" Dean's eyes widened. "Cas, you damn genius."

Cas grinned, and threw open the drawers of the desk, searching around for a gun. His brow creased as he couldn't find anything, and he looked at Dean in panic. Dean gulped. "Try that dresser thing over there!" "Okay."

By now, the freezing cold water was up to their knees, and Dean swore he couldn't feel his legs anymore. Cas rummaged around, until he found something with a shout. "Dean! Dean, I found something!" Dean let out a choked laugh. "Alright! Alright, Cas, blow me out of these things."

Then Cas looked hesitant.

"Dean, what if I shoot you?" "Come on, man, you're probably not that bad a shot!" Cas winced, and Dean lifted his eyebrows. "Ever shot a gun in your life?" Cas crossed his arms. "Dean, I'm the pretty rich boy, what do you think?" Dean rolled his eyes.

"Doesn't matter, give it your best." "But-" "Dammit, Cas, I can't feel my genitals anymore, let's get the hell out of here before I lose them!" Cas nodded, and with a fervent lip bite, squinted and aimed.

"I'm so sorry-" "Just shoot!"

*BAM!*

They both opened one eye, to find, to their astonishment, that Dean still had his hands, his genitals, and was free!

"Cas, you talented sonovabitch, come'ere!" Dean grinned, hugged him, then kissed him full on the lips. Both of their hands were shaking like crazy. They broke apart finally, and with one last gaze, dashed out. Well, more like waded or trudged out, as the water now reached their hips.

As they made their way as fast as they could to the next level, Dean looked around to see if Sam was anywhere.

The dork's probably already up there, he reassured himself, and went over with Cas to the entrance of the second floor.

They came across groups of angry, loud people, all shouting and raising their fists to something or someone. They saw people who had been dancing that night, people they had smiled at before when down here. As the two kept walking, they saw other familiar faces, like Benny, Gavin, and Jess, and approached them. Dean wondered why his brother wasn't with Jess...

"What's going on?" Cas asked Benny, and the bearded man turned. "They're lockin' us down here!" Cas' eyes widened, and Dean's mouth transformed into a scowl. "What? No, they can't do that!" "Well, they did," Gavin growled in his drawl, pounding on the grate that had lowered so that no one could escape.

Dean turned to Jess. "Jess, where's Sam?" Worry was evident on her face. "I don't know, he said he was gonna try and sneak something from the restaurant upstairs for us to have for our date, but of course, then… this happened," she said, biting her lip.

Dean nodded. At least Sam might still be up there. Jess grabbed his arm. "Dean- tell him I love him." Dean shook his head. "You'll be okay, tell him yourself, once Cas and I get these gates open from the next floor."

Cas suddenly realized why this was happening. They didn't have enough boats, so they were securing the poor people downstairs and saving the help for the rich. He shook his head, his heart twisting. The people he had met down here were far better than those of his own.

He sighed, and Dean took his hand, muttering, "Fine, we'll damn well find another way!"

As they zigzagged the halls, Dean came to someone at the end of the hall... but they weren't much of a someone anymore. Cas' heart beat faster as he regarded the floating figures of a few people who must have slipped on their way out and hit their head, drowning.

Dean let out a low groan. "No..." he whispered.

Cas' lip trembled, and he huddled into Dean. "Shhh, it's okay," Dean comforted, "It'll be okay. We're gonna find a way out, we are not gonna end up like these people, angel, I promise."

Once again, Cas trusted Dean.

They eventually came to an elevator, and they let out a cry of happiness at their luck. It was empty, and seemed to still be working. They got in, and rode up to the second floor. Then the lift stopped.

Cas looked around. "Dean, what's going on?" Dean looked around as well. "I don't know... maybe it's just a malfunction or something. We'll keep moving."

After a moment, when they didn't, Dean began to get nervous. "We're not going to get out," Cas whimpered, "We're going to die." Dean took his arm, frowning, and held his head against his chest. "Hey, hey, nobody is gonna die, okay? Don't talk like that- now look at me."

Cas looked up. "You and me... we're going to make it through, because we've got each other, okay? I'm obligated to save you, remember? That's why we can't ever let go of each other. You hear me, Cas? Don't you ever let go of me." Cas nodded, and closed his eyes.

Then he opened them to see the floor leaking... and he began to cry into Dean's shoulder. "What? What is it?" Cas nodded toward the water, and Dean sucked in a breath. If they were stuck at the second floor as Dean assumed they were, that meant that... everyone who had been held at the first floor and stopped in their path upstairs was now underwater. Jess...

He stared at the ceiling, swearing loudly. The water was beginning to pour in earnest now, up to the tops of their feet, up to their ankles, their knees...

And for a second, Dean believed that this was it, but he couldn't say it aloud of course, so he held Cas tight to him, their beating hearts one.

Then the elevator jolted, and Cas' eyes flew open, a smile spreading across his face. Dean's face was the same as the lift began to move again, higher away from the rising water.

The gates of the lift opened, and as they were prepared to leave, a guard stepped in front, keeping the gates locked.

"Wha-" Dean shouted, glaring at him, "Hey! Hey, let us out!" The guard turned, and though there was a tinge of sadness to him, he kept his stance. "I can't. I've been ordered to block off any and all passage from the first two floors to the top deck."

Dean's mouth hung open. "You... you sick sons of bitches! We're people! You just let hundreds of people die down there!" The guard looked uncomfortable, and he straightened up. "I'm just doing my job."

"Doing your job, yeah. Letting people die?! Is that your god damn job?!" Dean yelled, and the guard looked down, beginning to walk away. Dean pounded against the gate. "HEY!"

Cas suddenly stepped forward. "Excuse me, but do you have any idea who I am?" The guard turned slightly.

"I am the fiancée of Balthazar Manchester!" The guard's eyes widened, and he quickly opened the gate, apologizing. He eyed Dean, but Cas had a tight grip on him, so the guard said nothing as they ran past him.

They ran to the top floor, finally making it. It was complete and utter chaos, everybody scrambling for places on lifeboats and the crew trying to contain everyone.

"Everyone, please!" someone shouted, "There is a certain order to which things must be done!"

Cas and Dean hurried over, and Dean knew what he had to do. "Cas," he murmured in his ear, "You have to get on a boat." Cas' eyes widened in horror, and he shook his head fervently. "After all this, I can't leave you!" "Baby, you have to, I'll find another way, but you have to get on fast." "Dean, I won't go without you." "Why are you so damn stubborn, we're talking about your life here, Castiel!" "My life is nothing without you!" Cas cried, and Dean shut up for a second.

Then he squeezed Cas' hand tightly, giving him that reassuring smirk that made Cas weak at the knees. "We'll see each other again. I promise."

Cas' head was swimming. He had trusted Dean through this entire bumpy, crazy, surreal journey. Should he do it again?