Castiel stood up, not letting his eyes leave the harpy. Twenty. Twenty peaceful years had finally come to an end. Now here he was, with Lilith sitting ten feet away from him and Dean grasping to his life next to him.

Lilith looked amused, smiling and watching Castiel's every move.

Castiel felt pure rage boil throughout every pore of his body. So much so that a strong wind blew throughout the forest, gusting up the leaves on the forest floor and making the top of the trees swing with the force of it.

"Angel. It has been a while." Lilith said rocking back and forth on her clawed scaly feet.

Castiel hissed not even thinking as he put himself between Deans body and the harpy.

"You are not welcome here." He said in a dead stone cold voice that he had never heard himself use before.

"Come now neighbor. Do not be unfriendly." She said cocking her head smiling widely.

Castiel raised his wings in a territorial manner, feeling threatened.

"You have made a grave mistake showing your face here today Lilith." Castiel bit out in blind rage.

Lilith suddenly looked unamused by how deadly serious Castiel was.

"Come brother, I didn't do you any harm." Lilith said tilting her head.

Castiel didn't say anything as he looked back at Dean. He was alive but barely. His soul was clinging on to his body with everything it had.

Castiel gasped when something barreled into his side and he was struggling on the forest floor with the harpy. Castiel had enough. He didn't care if they were both of the old world. This harpy didn't deserve to live. He ducked the talons aimed at his face, he remembered the pain he had gone through with his chest being ripped by them.

Lilith squawked when Castiel got the upper hand, sinking his jaws into her leg and hearing it snap.

Suddenly Castiel felt pain on his left wing and looked up to see the Harpy's other legs foot dig into his downy feathers under his wing, the talons working as knives to tear the soft flesh their.

Castiel decided to end this. He leg go of her foot and went for her throat, sharp fangs contracting from his gums to help dig into the delicate neck. He ripped the Harpy's throat out, blood dripping from his full mouth. He watched the light go out of her eyes as she had a shocked expression on her face.

He let go when she stilled and let his head fall against her three full breast. He panted trying to regain the strength to stand. He got up on shaking legs and limped over to Dean who was watching the whole scene play out with tired eyes. Castiel whipped the blood from his chin and kneeled next to the humans still body. Deans breathing was shallow, he had taken a great fall. It was how Harpy's killed their food. Pick it up and drop it from about thirty feet.

Castiel was quite surprised that Dean was still alive. It must have been the grace flowing through the humans veins.

Castiel felt like he had failed Dean. He should have killed Lilith long ago when she first attempted to take the humans life. Now Lilith had lost...she was dead. But Castiel couldn't help but think she had won too. If Dean died she would get what she wanted. Her mission would be complete.

"Dean..." Castiel said whipping his sweat slicked hair off of his forehead. Deans skin was pale and clammy. It was a sign that the human didn't have long.

Castiel felt tears well in his eyes and run down his face as he looked up and down the humans still naked body. There was no way Dean would survive long after a fall like that. And Castiel couldn't heal humans with his powers. It had been a dark fact for many years. If he could he would have healed Dean when he found him by the river bank, or when Dean had drank Lilith's milk and had gotten deathly ill.

Castiel didn't have a lot of energy. But he did have one thing all holy creatures had. Grace.

He knew of something that could save his human. But it would take both partners to participate. It was deep magic, and would take all of his internal power.

"Cas..." Dean whispered faintly looking up at the angel.

"Dean, do you love me?" Castiel asked seriously. He needed to know in order for this to work. He already knew the answer.

Dean looked up at him with wide eyes before nodding weakly.

Castiel smiled.

"Do you trust me?" Castiel asked running a thumb under his eye.

Dean just nodded again with droopy eyes.

"I love you too. More then anything. Do you accept that I will love you until the day I die?" Castiel whispered in the humans ear.

He felt Dean take a shuttered breath, and then exhale shakily. Castiel pulled back seeing Dean was crying.

"Shhh...it's okay baby. Just let go. I'll catch you." Castiel said in a gentle tone cupping the humans cold cheek.

"I can't move." Dean grunted out breathing fast. This was the panic setting in.

"The fall broke your spinal cord, and your shoulder blades." Castiel said gently, his voice thick with dread at seeing his human in such a state. He started running a soothing hand down Dean's toned naked chest.

Dean looked surprised.

"W-What?" He asked, his eyes wide. This was the shock setting in, Castiel self noted.

When Castiel didn't respond Dean just shook his head weakly.

"N-No, no." Dean choked out, tears running down his face. Denial had finally set in, the soul was almost ready.

"It's alright." Castiel ensured calmly pressing kisses over Dean's throat.

"No, Cas. No..." Dean whispered his eyes filled with pain and panic and horror.

Castiel had to keep calm. Panicking like Dean wouldn't help. He needed to be strong for the both of them.

"Shhhh. Rest..." Castiel said pressing kisses over Dean's eyes forcing them closed.

"Cas I don't wanna die...I don't wan..." Dean trailed off to weak to talk anymore, just breathing shallowly. Castiel perked his ears and could hear the humans heart start to stutter with every pump.

"Cas...I'm scared." Dean whispered in a weak raspy voice. Castiel could see the soul detaching.

"I know. I'm here." Castiel said assuringly. Castiel watched calmly as the light left Deans eyes, the color fading into a dull shade of grayish washed out green.

Castiel set to work, for he had little time to preform this. Under 60 seconds exactly.

He connected his and the humans dead lips and took a deep breath through his nose, putting his hand on Dean's upper arm near his shoulder to steady himself. He felt wind whip through his feathers as the forest breathed with him, and the wind practically roared when he blew a breath of life into Dean's dead body.

Castiel pulled away kissing Dean's freckled face and he sat back and waited. His vision swam from how much energy to reattach a soul to a body. It was one of the most powerful things a holy creature such as himself could do.

Castiel waited a moment before dread started to set in with doubt that it possibly did not work. His heart clenched at the thought.

Suddenly Dean sputtered to life, sitting up coughing only seconds later.

Castiel smiled relieved and pleased that his grace was able to repair the humans body and soul. Castiel powers didn't heal humans normally but using grace was a whole different medium. Castiel had cut a part of his grace off and had given it to the human, the red handprint burnt on Dean's arm marked him as a blessed creature now of Castiel. Saying that this human belonged to him. Body and soul. Not mated, but that this human was his property since he had pulled it back from the afterlife.

Dean breathed hard, his chest moving up and down violently.

Castiel crawled forward and pulled Dean into a hug kissing his temple.

"I thought I lost you." Castiel whispered pressing kissing all over his face.

Dean was shaking now as he hugged Castiel's torso, the side of his head pressed into the angels soft breast as he did when he was a child.

Castiel knew that Dean must have gotten a look of the afterlife. He knew how terrified humans were of death on principle and basic instinct.

Castiel had never been afraid of death, but in those moments he was petrified. Because Death had threatened to take Dean away from him that day. And Castiel had fought it off.

But would he be able to chase death away when it came for his human again?

So frankly, for the first time in a long time...Castiel was truly afraid.