Beta: As usual, I would like to say thanks to my Beta, Don'tCallMeSammy, Your the best. :D with her help there should not be any mistake, if there are, well I apologise on behalf of us both. :D Enjoy the chapter.

Sex: No

Swearing: Minimal.

Main Title: Afterlife by Avenge Sevenfold.

Chapter Title: Touriquet by Evansence

RETURN TO ME SALVATION

"Cas."
"Don't call me that."

Anna heaved a heavy sigh at the ice in her brother's voice; she understood it but she would not feel bad about what she'd done. It had been necessary to keep the world turning.

Castiel remained silent, his flesh frozen with grief and his heart shattered to a million pieces. Gabriel was right, there would be no getting over Dean's death, even with the knowledge he was in a better, happier place. Even with the knowledge he wouldn't have to be because when he was finished with Anna, he was going back to make sure none of this had ever happened. Though thinking about it, the pain was almost too much to bear.

There was no guilt in Anna's gaze. There was no regret tainting her grace. She was the heavenly soldier again. She had fallen from heaven because she'd wanted to be human, to feel. Where has those feeling gone; where has that compassion and love gone? Castiel thought while he watched her.

Anna would probably say she still held it, that it was her compassion and love for humanity that had brought her to this moment. Many would say that it was because of what she'd gone through at the hands of Zachariah and the other angels while in prison, but that would be merely an excuse. Castiel had experienced just what Heaven can do to an angel's vessel and grace, how it could break an angel's spirit and love, how it could force them to betray that which they loved, but they hadn't destroyed his compassion or his love.

They hadn't been able to take away everything Dean had given him, and in the end that had been enough to save them both.

Maybe if Anna had had someone to have faith in her, for her to have faith in, she would not be here. Maybe if he hadn't betrayed her in the first place. Anna may not feel guilt or regret, but Castiel did.

"I can't let you change things back Castiel – you have to see that this is the best thing for all of us."

Cass lips grew pale as he pressed them together trying to hold back his heartbreak and fury all at once.

"He gave me no choice, Cas…." The dark hair angel glared and Anna sighed once more. "…Castiel, this world is safe. Lucifer is still in his cage with no way of getting free. The angels are locked silently behind heaven's gate feeling nothing. This is how it should have been."

Silence.

"… I know you hate me Castiel, but Dean was going to let you change things back to the way they were. He wanted you happy regardless of what it meant for the rest of the world. You think me heartless…" she was growing angry as she continued. "… but giving up this world and the lives of so many for the love of one person - that is heartless Castiel." Anna realized, too late, that she had said the wrong thing when she saw the gleam of pure silver slide into her brothers' palm.

She hung her head, resigned to the prospect of a fight. Her own blade fell into her grip. "I'm a stronger and a better fighter than you Castiel. I always have been."

Silence.

Anna waited for Castiel to move, waiting for the inevitable circling that came with hand to hand combat, but Castiel didn't move; he just watched Anna with an emptiness no angel should see or feel. Anna moved first, her nervousness making her break the first rule. 'Never attack'. Something wasn't right; she felt it in her grace. She had been expecting this confrontation, she had known Castiel would come for her, but she had expected fury and wrath, not this calm.

The reason for the calm became evident when Anna's spine tingled; she turned just in time to see a second Castiel appear behind her, his angel blade raised ready to destroy her grace from behind.

Gabriel. She cursed silently.

The illusion she had been talking too was forgotten as she sprung forward, blade in hand, swinging. Castiel dodged left and right as Anna swung, her blade missing his flesh by inches. A fist collided with his jaw. A fist collided with her jaw. Blade rang against blade. Blood finally stained its purity when Castiel's sliced into Anna's left arm. She glowered at him, her own fury shining through her grace. She truly was the experienced soldier once again as she took a deep breath, ignoring the seeping blood, her grace crackling with such violence that it would be felt by all of heaven.

But Anna didn't care if her brothers and sisters knew where she was. She did not care if she would face their punishment again; all she cared about was Castiel and stopping him from altering what she had risked everything to change. If that meant she would have to destroy him, then so be it. Castiel was no longer her brother or her friend; he was her enemy.

The blade swirled in the copper-haired angels palm as she attacked again, aiming straight for Castiel's heart.

The grace burst, pure white light blasted outward like a nuclear explosion. Glass shattered and scattered across the earth that surrounded the warehouse. The walls shook with ferocity around them and there was a scream so unearthly it created an unnerving silence in its wake.

~SUPERNATURAL: AFTERLIFE~

Castiel stared down at the burnt reminisce of Anna's grace. He'd been surprised when the illusion of himself had appeared behind her, and was even more surprised that she'd fallen for it. It hadn't been a part of his plan and he wasn't sure if he was angry or glad for its appearance. He hadn't wanted to use trickery or disseat, he'd wanted to take out all his hate and anger on his onetime friends and sister.

"She would have killed you, Castiel." Gabriel's voice echoed the silence as he appeared beside the grieving angel.

"You don't know that – I didn't need your interference."

"You didn't want it; you and I both know you needed it." Gabriel said with a hint of righteous anger. "I was partly responsible for what happened to your boyfriend…"

"He wasn't my boyfriend Gabriel!" Cas snapped.

Gabriel waved a dismissive hand. "Whatever, the point is I help her and almost killed you, the least I could have done was make sure she didn't kill you in return." he placed a sucker in his mouth and smiled sadly down at the dead angel.

After a long silence Castiel sigh. "Thank you."

"Whatever. So I guess you'll be going back there now."

Castiel nodded.

"Going to set things right?" Gabriel groaned, knowing what that would mean for him and the world. "You sure you want to do that Cas? I mean, it's not like you can't be with Dean, that's the great thing about being an angel, you can go anywhere!"

Castiel shook his head. "I have to. Dean isn't supposed to be dead, it isn't his fate."

"No, his fate is to say yes to big brother and possibly die or ware out like a cheap suit."

"Dean won't say yes."

Gabriel scoffed in disbelieve. "Yeah."

"He won't Gabriel – you don't know Dean; he's stronger than he knows. He will fight till the end, even if it kills him."

Gabriel watched his younger brother's angel face glow with a faith that he'd thought dead, and knew there was no reasoning with him. "Fine." He sighed. "When you going?"

Castiel knelt down beside Anna's fallen body and whispered in her ear. "I'm sorry sister." And he was sorry. His betrayal had led them here as much as her's had. Standing again he turned to look Gabriel in the eye. "Now."

The archangel pulled the sucker out of his mouth and threw it away. "You realize the moment you save John Winchester you won't exist?"

"I do."

Gabriel nodded thoughtfully. "Want company?"

"No."
The archangel-turned-trickster shoved his hands in his jean pockets and hung his head remorsefully. "I hope this doesn't back fire on you Cas."

The slightly taller angel tilted his head in confusion and Gabriel smiled.

"I hope this guy lives up to your expectations of him and that he appreciates what you're doing for him."

"He will not know any of this has happened Gabriel, any more than I will."

Gabriel shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Still, I'm sure this isn't the only time you're turned the world upside down for Dean Winchester - and it probably won't be the last. I hate to say it little brother…" He said with great sincerity, "…but you're definitely back on my Christmas list. You're my kind of angel, bro."

Castiel recognized Gabriel words for what they were, a peace offering, a hand of friendship and a brotherly bond that Cas hadn't felt before.

"Thank you brother. I will see you in thirty years Gabriel…." Then he smiled - actually smiled. "… though when we do meet again, I would appreciate you not throwing me around your television reality."

That got Gabriel interest. Television reality? Sounds cool! He thought. He would have asked Cas more but the angel was already gone.

He had already gone back to the point in time that would lead to the end of the world. Cas had faith in Dean Winchester, Gabriel had faith in no-one, and for the first time in a millennia… it hurt.

~SUPERNATURAL: AFTERLIFE~

Castiel landed dazed and somewhat confused outside the Prairie Count Motel in 1978.

Scrabbling to his feet he took in his soundings. He wasn't surprised he'd made it. Obviously heaven wanted this as much as he did.

Staring up at the sky he questioned whether this was the right decision. Gabriel had a point about sacrificing the world for his love. Cas didn't need to be told it was selfish, wrong even. Maybe he should leave things as they were. Sure, Dean would be dead, but that merely meant he would spend the rest of eternity in heaven, and Castiel could be with him there.

But what about Sam, he would never exist. Of course never existing was better than dying bloody or being possessed by a fallen archangel and being forced to commit unspeakable acts.

Despite what Sam and Dean had believed, Cas knew that Sam would say yes, for whatever reason the words would be drawn from the young hunters' throat, but Dean wouldn't. So he would have to watch as Lucifer took his brother and turned the world into a living hell for all humanity while Dean fought to stay one step ahead of the chaos.

Dean had told him about the future he's seen. He'd insisted that he'd never allow it to happen. There was no way his brother was going to say yes. But Castiel knew, deep down in what passed as a soul, that that word would come, that that word would be spoken, despite his hopes, despite his reassurances to Dean and Sam, despite his heartfelt words to Anna the night this had all begun. He knew.

Castiel hung his head. He had a chance at preventing that now. He could just leave it to play out as Anna wanted. He could maybe even save Dean and let him be happy. If he allowed Anna to kill John and then kill Anna before Mary arrived, she would never begin hunting angels. Dean would grow up as a normal boy with a grieving, but loving, mother and if he stayed away from Dean, if he stayed in heaven, they would never meet and Dean would never suspect. He would have the memories but they would be just strange dreams. Dean would live his life to the full.

Castiel heart raced at the thought. It would all be so easy to do, to save Dean and the world. It wouldn't even truly be a sacrifice, not for him. He could watch Dean from heaven and wait for the day he found his way there.

He glanced around him at humanity, all the people whose lives lay in the balance, all their future children and grandchild who would have to live through the chaos of the end of days. How many would be saved? John and Sam Winchester's lives for all of these people. Castiel knew given the choice the men would agree.

Many would call it a crisis of faith, or maybe one of conscience, but to Castiel it was just a decision that needed to be made, a matter of life or death that lay in the hands of a soldier.

He arrived at the garage first. It was silent and he waited in the shadows, watching the owner go about his routine. Anna would arrive soon, she would kill this man. Castiel had researched what had happened this night, better to know how to stop Anna and restore his world. At least that had been the plan.

Anna had arrived soon after Castiel. Thankfully she was still suffering from the effects of the trip; she was weak and disorientated, which meant she didn't sense the other angel's presence.

Castiel watched painfully as she burned out the eyes of the garage owner before lifting the phone to call John Winchester to his death. He heard her fake the man's voice and play on the John's insecurities concerning his job. Soon the man would arrive to meet his fate.

John arrived fifteen minutes later, his voice echoing around the empty silent garage. He called the owners name and Castiel could sense his growing uneasy. The man may not have been born a hunter like Mary but he certainly had the right instincts.

He finally saw the body of his employer lying motionless next one of the cars. Castiel watched the shock and horror flood John's face as he stepped cautiously away from the body, turning to see Anna stood behind him, her face determined.

Castiel knew this was it, the turning point in fate, the moment where the future of humanity lay in the balance.

John dies now, Dean lives, the world lives.

Castiel watched as the body flew through the air. His head pounding at the knowledge these were John Winchesters final moments, from this instant Sam would never exist, Dean would live a life without either his father or his brother, without hate or pain. He would find happiness yet continue to be haunted by a life he would never know.

The male body cut through the air like a knife. Castiel's eyes widened as it approached its target. Anna watched with a sad hope in her eyes, a hope that this single act of murder would be enough to save all of humanity.

Castiel shared that hope. Humanity was important, to him, to god…. to the Winchesters. Sure, many would die because Sam and Dean were not there to save them, but Lucifer and Michael would never be able to take them over. The brothers would not have to suffer the pain they'd been through all their lives, losing those closest to them, friends and lovers.

He was going to let this happen. He'd made up his mind. As much as it hurt him to do so, as much as he would lose, he was going to give Dean Winchester a normal happy life without the threat of Michael and the apocalypse.

The body fell faster and faster though to Castiel it felt like it was slowing, giving his mind time to think, to reason, allowing memories to seep through to the front of his consciousness.

The beautiful room.

Dean standing before him, pain and anger etched into his face, his hazel eyes pleading beneath the fury, fighting to capture his gaze.

"You can take your peace and shove it up your lily white ass, cause I'll take the pain and the guilt, I'll even take Sam as is, it's a lot better than being some Stepford bitch in paradise."

Castiel turns away, unsure of himself, of his role, unsure what to do.

"This is simple Cas, no more crap about being a good soldier, there is a right and there is a wrong here and you know it."

A heavy demanding hand on his shoulder, forcefully turning him.

"Look at me…. you know it!"

Hazel eyes burn into his, pleading, praying that the angel will listen to him. Reaching out for the faith he'd already placed in Castiel.

The body hit the floor, the sound of the neck snapping rang in Castiel's ears.

'I'll take the pain and the guilt'

'no more crap '

'there is a right and there is a wrong'

Castiel's hand reached out of its own accord, he'd made his decision but then so had Dean. He'd asked for that life, when offered happiness and forgiven and peace, he refused it; he'd given up wanting normality.

Castiel had watched over him for two lifetimes, Dean was a hunter, heart, body and soul, but more than that Dean was strong, Sam was strong, Together they would survive whatever was to come, and maybe Sam would say yes one day, maybe Sam would become that thing Dean had met, but Castiel could not take that decision out of the younger Winchester's hands, if he did he was no better than Michael, Lucifer or Anna.

He was not God, God, didn't care, he was an angel and a friend and as such he would support them, fight with them and help them make the right decisions and hopefully keep them both alive.

Castiel discovered he still had faith….. In Dean.

And maybe even Sam.

One touch was all it took to place the world back on the knife edge. One touch and God's plan was back on track, hurtling them straight toward the end they were fighting to prevent.

Castiel felt the bones heal beneath his touch, felt the life return to the man's body. He felt the shift in that invisible bubble of time that said things were put right and in his grace there was a crackle that meant his time was up.

Tears burned behind his eyes with the knowledge that he'd made the wrong decision and for what he suspected where the wrong reasons, but it was done. Dean had gotten his dying wish. Dean would live, Sam would live…. And the end would probably come.

He glanced up from the unconscious body of John Winchester when a familiar shiver passed though him. Across the garage, appeared a face Castiel had waited thirty years to see again. A face filled with pain, worn under the stress of fighting for humanity but with a strength that would keep the world safe one day at a time.

His heart jerked at the sight, a watery smile pulled at his lips and he stared trying desperately to etch that face into his mind, all the while feeling the pull of oblivion. Before it because too strong, before the abyss could wipe him for existence to replace him with another version of himself, he sent a silent message through the air, his words settling unconsciously in their intendeds mind.

When he was sure they had reached their target he smiled again, a single tear sliding down his cheek. The pull grew insistence and he could no longer fight the inevitable. With his gaze still fixed on Dean and he fought the angel they'd come here to stop, he whispered. "Goodbye Dean…" and "…I love you." Knowing those words would never be spoken again, or heard.

The last thing Castiel saw before oblivion took him was John stirring and Mary fighting for her family as was the Winchester way.