(Between 5.03, Free To Be You and Me and 5.04 The End)

Trapping Raphael in the circle of fire was like caging lightning in a light bulb. He was an archangel and Castiel knew there was only a limited time to get answers. And the one that Raphael gave was not the one that satisfied him. And neither was Raphael's observation.

"God is dead," Raphael repeated with his voice full of knowing, with very little remorse, and pointed as far as the flames would allow, towards Castiel. "And so shall you be. If not now, then when the new angel is reaped from you. And trust me, we will train that one far better than we did you." Castiel looked down at himself, feeling his time nearing; closing in on him. More than any other time before. Raphael's voice sounded amused, "You knew from the start what would happen, Castiel. You've always known."

"Okay, how the hell do we take care of a baby angel," Dean asked. The Apocalypse bared down on their shoulders. Castiel looked up from his perch on the corner of Dean's motel bed. Dean and Sam had parted ways months ago because of the distrust Dean held towards Sam. Dean was working monster cases alone now, and he was well practiced in the art. Castiel couldn't say it was a wise move, but it was the brothers' decision none the less. It was not his place to speak about it. Trapping Raphael had not gone in their favor. If anything, it had made everything a little harder. Time was ticking, like an echo in his head. Time passed with Dean killing monsters and Castiel spent most of his time searching for God, only allowing himself back to see Dean when Dean was in need of him. And Castiel always came when Dean called him.

"What do you mean?" Castiel met Dean's eyes when the hunter looked up from his stack of paper work. Dean did not do as well with research as Sam did. He watched Dean struggle, even when Castiel did inform him of vital information.

"I mean, when you go through labor." Dean waved his hand and placed it upon the pile; needing a mental break from his job. "We'll have a baby angel. I mean, won't it burn everyone's eyes out? Do baby angels need vessels too? Are you going to be cleaning up cloud soiled diapers?" Castiel let his eyes fall shut, taking in and then releasing a slow breath. It was like Dean wasn't even trying to follow the correct vocabulary any more.

"The final moments of severance is called the split, and it will not be a child, Dean. And... We will not need anything," Castiel said slowly. Dean's eyes drifted back and forth, waiting for more.

"So, what? It takes care of itself?" Dean's voice held skepticism. "Come on, Cas, don't leave me in the dark on this. You're how far away from that... split? That's what you call it, right?"

"Six months." Castiel looked down at his vessel. While Castiel did not take too much time to actually look at himself, even he noticed the expansion. The pronounced belly pushed his shirt from the suit jacket and was often more obvious when he stood. Dean mentioned sometimes that it looked like Castiel was getting a beer gut. Castiel was not concerned with looking "fat". It was ironic that his vessel was becoming more filled and yet his grace was being drained of energy.

"See! We have to prepare. You're down to the wire and we haven't made any plans." Dean waved Castiel to come closer to the table to talk.

"Dean," Castiel strained the hunter's name in vain.

"Its an angel, so it needs a vessel," Dean persisted. Castiel's shoulder's drooped and he conceded.

"Yes." Castiel got up and took a seat next to Dean.

Dean was so determined; Castiel's heart was warmed by his concern. They did need a vessel, because the new angel was just that, an angel. Dean started going through towns that would not have large populations, so no one else would loose their eyes. Dean asked about angel wards but Castiel disregarded them. Castiel would not be able to stand them, nor would the new angel. He searched out a vessel with his consciousness and informed Dean that there was one that lived near a supposed 'haunted house', where it would be fundamentally safe. Castiel would just need to convince the vessel to take the blazing new angel into their body.

"New angels send out a beacon to Heaven." Castiel sat at the table now as Dean was taking notes on the motel note pad. Castiel studied Dean's focused, narrowed brows. "Even with wards, the signal will reach Heaven eventually."

"How long can we keep them scrambled?" Dean looked up at Castiel, who was leaning in towards him; forgetting about the 'personal space'.

"With hex bags? Maybe 5 minutes." Castiel pursed his lips. "At most."

"Fuck," Dean muttered, scratching something out on the pad. "That doesn't give us any time at all."

"I know." Castiel closed his eyes, focusing on the beating energy inside of him. "I will be debilitated. Useless. They will kill me."

"Fuck no." Dean leaned forward, fingers gripping Castiel's tie and suit jacket and Castiel stilled; unmovable. Dean was momentarily reminded that if Castiel didn't want to be moved, Castiel would not be moved. "Look." Dean loosened his grip, his anger melded into determination; which Castiel always found breath taking. "They're going to have to get through me to get to you or Angel Baby." Castiel pressed his lips together.

"Dean, the odds are not in out favor." Castiel took account that he was no longer connected to Heaven and the new angel was continuously feeding on his last reservoirs of energy. He could not heal Bobby's legs, nor could he return to Heaven; nor nourish the new angel for the remaining months of severance. He was not sure what would happen then.

"They've never been in our favor." Dean wasn't backing down, as though his very will could alter reality and have everything fall into place. "5 minutes is plenty of time to get you out of there and drive. Angel Baby can get into the vessel himself, right? Then he can get in and we'll get out of there."

"... Angel Baby?" Castiel fixated on the name Dean chose.

"Yeah, you haven't exactly come up with a name, have you? It's a temp; I'm trying it out." Dean raised an eyebrow at Castiel. Castiel looked down at his growing grace.

"I'm... tentative." Castiel's hand rested on the mound. He wasn't even sure why he did, he could feel the other angel's presence just as strongly as his own depleting grace. He would be as good as dead if angels found him after his severance. Names seemed insignificant in this scenario.

"Well it's Angel Baby until you think of something," Dean determined and it caused the slightest of smiles to appear on Castiel's face. It was so small, almost not even there.

"I will allow it for now." Castiel already knew he would tire of it soon.

"So glad I got your approval," Dean muttered and rolled his eyes. Castiel contently sat back as Dean was verbally going over things with Castiel, as though he needed someone to just nod and confirm his thoughts were on track. Dean was trying so hard. Castiel didn't have the heart to tell Dean that he felt the effort was futile. If he did not find God before his split, he would be dead; he was sure of it.