Curing Confusion

"So, not only did it take Cas forever to learn to fly, but he had nightmares?" Sam asked in surprise. He had always thought of angels as being these celestial beings that didn't fear anything.

"Oh yeah," Gabriel said, "He wasn't always the angel solder with a stick up his ass you know. Once upon a time Cas was a kid, it was Heaven and the fighting that made him what he is now."

"Hard to imagine," Dean said and Sam and Bobby both nodded. Before Gabriel could respond there was a flutter of wings and Balthazar appeared.

"I've got it!" he cried.

"Got what?" Dean asked.

"The antidote," Balthazar said, exasperated, "The demon is dead and I've got the antidote for Cas." Dean's eyes lit up and he looked at the others. Bobby and Sam both looked happy and Gabriel looked as thrilled as Dean. They headed upstairs to where Cas was laying and Gabriel helped his brother sit up while Balthazar poured the antidote into his moth. They waited for a moment with baited breath, but nothing happened.

"Why isn't it working?" Dean asked impatiently.

"Give it time," Gabriel said quietly, "He's been unconscious for almost two months, it's gonna take time to work."

"Alright, we'll leave you guys to it," Bobby said, putting a hand on Dean's shoulder and steering him and Sam out of the room. Balthazar sat in a chair next to the bed and watched his younger brother's face for any signs of waking up.

"He'll be fine," Gabriel said and Balthazar looked up and saw the archangel watching him.

"Yeah, of course," Balthazar said, trying to keep the worry out of his voice, "He'll be fine." The two angels sat with their little brother, praying for him to wake up. Several hours later, the two angels were still sitting with Castiel when the angel in the bed groaned.

"Cas?" Balthazar said quietly, leaning forward as the angel groaned again.

"Castiel?" Gabriel murmured and Cas slowly blinked his eyes open, "Hey buddy, can you hear me?" Cas nodded slightly and blinked against the harsh light coming through the window. Balthazar snapped his fingers and the blinds snapped shut, allowing Cas to open his eyes fully.

"Where – Where'm I?" he slurred.

"Bobby Singer's place," Gabriel said, "Sam and Dean brought you here; you've been sick buddy."

"I have?" he whispered, his voice rough.

"You've been out for over a month," Balthazar told him and Castiel's eyes widened in shock.

"A month?" he asked, "But… why?"
"You were cursed," Gabriel informed him, "But Balthazar managed to kill the demon who was cursing you and got the antidote." Cas' eyes flicked between he two angels on either side of him, looking confused.

"Why are you two here?" he asked.

"You were sick buddy," Gabriel said, "The Winchesters told me, sort of, and I told Balthazar and we came here to take care of you."

"But why?" Castiel asked.

You're our little brother," Balthazar said simply and Cas looked highly confused.

"Is – Is Dean here?" he asked, looking away from them both.

"Yeah, he's downstairs," Gabriel said, "Did you want us to get him?" Cas nodded quickly and Gabriel and Balthazar both stood up.

"Do you want one of us to stay with you?" Gabriel asked and Cas shook his head, still not looking at them. Both older angels left the room and went downstairs to get the older Winchester.

"How is he?" Dean asked as soon as he saw Gabriel and Balthazar.

"He's awake," Gabriel said, "He wants to see you." Dean as off the couch and up the stairs before any of them could blink. He slowly walked into the room and his heart ached in a way it only had with Sam when he saw the angel.

"Hey Cas," Dean said and the angel looked up.

"Dean," he said, trying to sit up.

"Whoa, whoa, careful," Dean said, rushing forward. He put his hands on Castiel's shoulders and the angel grabbed his hands.

"Dean," Cas repeated.

"Cas, what's wrong" Dean asked as tears started falling from the angel's eyes.

"Why are they ere?"

"Who?" Dean asked.

"Gabriel and Balthazar, why are they here?" Cas sobbed, an array of emotions flitting across his face.

"They were worried about you Cas," Dean said, "As strange as that is for me too say about Gabriel and Balthazar, it's true."

"B-But why?" Cas cried, "And why is my vessel leaking!?" Dean chuckled, but stopped when he saw the distraught look on Cas' face.

"Cas, you're not leaking," Dean said gently, "You're crying. It happens when you're upset about something. It's okay to be upset."

"I don't like it," Castiel said, "And I still don't understand why they're here."

"Cas, they're your brothers–" Dean started, but Cas cut him off.

"That didn't matter before," he said.

"What d'you mean?" Dean asked.

"They left, both of them," Cas said, "They always told me it was okay for an angel to feel, but then Gabriel left and all I felt was pain. Then Balthazar left and it hurt more. So I stopped feeling, just like the rest of my brothers and sisters. You tell me its okay to be upset, but I don't want to because I don't want to hurt anymore." Dean was staring at the angel in shock; he'd never seen Cas like this.

"Cas, did you tell them any of this?" Dean asked.

"No, I was confused and feeling, as you said, upset," Cas explained, "And I didn't know why they were here so I asked to see you because you said you would always help me."

"And I will always help you Cas," Dean promised, "But, as much as I hate chick flick moments, I think you need to talk to Gabriel and Balthazar. They've done nothing, but worry about you these past few weeks. Gabriel hasn't left your side and Balthazar's been flying all over the place to find a cure for you."

"I don't know if I can Dean," Cas admitted, hating how weak he sounded.

"You can Cas," Dean said, "And if it gets to be too much for you I'm right downstairs, okay?" Cas nodded, picking at a loose thread on the blanket. Dean stood up to get the other angels, but was stopped when Cas grabbed his wrist.

"Dean," he said suddenly, "What was the thing you wanted to tell me when I woke up?"

"You heard that?" Dean asked in surprise.

"I could hear everything," Cas said, "Whenever Gabriel or Balthazar spoke to me I thought it was just part of my dream, but whenever I hear Sam or Bobby or you, I knew it was real."

"Once you talk to Gabriel or Balthazar, I'll tell you what it was, okay?" Dean said and Cas nodded. Dean left the room and back downstairs.

"He wants to talk to you two."

Alright, so it's midnight and I have to be up early, but I wanted to upload this chapter before tomorrow since I won't be uploading one tomorrow.

There should be another chapter up on Saturday.

Hope you guys liked it and thanks for reading!