Author's note: This is more an interlude than a new chapter, but more exciting times at head, I hope.

"Dean?" Cas asked. Dean stood there, still staring at Sam.

This wasn't who he was. This wasn't what he had been trained to do, what he had been created to do.

He was supposed to follow orders, and while he had somewhat sidestepped them in his recent dealings with Cas, this would mean not even waiting for his superior, but making his mind up himself. He shrank away from the concept.

How could Sam be okay with this? He thought he knew his brother. How could he stand in front of him and look at him like this, obviously demanding that he take action?

The demons were going to break the seal. John hadn't done anything when Dean had told him, but maybe he was advancing towards them now. After all, he had made clear that Dean had acted against his wishes, and that he would most likely be punished for it in the future. Dean wouldn't have wanted a renegade angel in his ranks either.

"Dean, they're doing nothing", Sam insisted, "and someone has to. We are the only angels who will. Let's go!"

"But John – "

"John isn't going to do anything. John doesn't want to do anything. What does that mean? Think!"

Sam's theories. Sam's wild, crazy, inacceptable theories. And Cas there once more to hear it all. He didn't want Cas to think he could be right. Angels were warriors of God. Earth was God's work. They would never try to destroy God's work. Yes, it was written down; but what did that matter? They still had to protect what God had created.

Yes. They had to protect earth. They had to stop the demons.

But John –

But God –

He swallowed and looked at Cas and was shocked at how human he felt.

The hunter was looking at him, a plea in his eyes, and Dean knew what he was going to do.

"Alright", he said, unsure if he was already regretting his decision, "Let's do it."

Cas breathed a sigh of relief when Dean said they were going to act. This was too big; he couldn't take it on by himself; but with two angels at his side, he felt better already. Even though they probably didn't stand much of a chance.

"They probably moved, now their position is compromised – " Dean began.

"I know where they are" Sam explained, eagerly. "I keep an eye out."

"Of course you do", Dean muttered somewhat bitterly, although he had no right to criticize any member of his brethren.

Sam almost took a step back; he could see the hesitation, the pain in his eyes, and he was reminded again that he wasn't the only one who valued their relationship more than befit two angels.

Sam was his brother.

"Where are they?" he asked, and Sam relaxed.

"About three hundred miles from here."

Dean gave Cas a pointed look. The hunter sighed.

"I know, I know. Alright, we'll do it your way. Just let me grab some weapons first."

Dean nodded.

Cas left to get his stuff out of his terrible looking car, and Sam said, "We're doing the right thing."

He didn't know, but he prayed that it was true.

He still felt... wrong.

"I know it's scary. The start always is."

"This is not a start" he corrected him. "I'm not going to – I'm just doing what I consider best. This time. Because I see no other option."

He almost believed himself when Cas returned, looking determined.

"According to Adler, the ritual involved the sacrifice of two humans – that's easy enough, they had probably already taken them – "

"Or they just have two of them jump out of their meatsuits. Either way, it's too easy. They could do it any time. We have to leave now", Sam insisted. He knew Dean was still uncomfortable doing something that John hadn't approved of, and he wished he could make it easier for him; but this was something Dean had to go through on his own, as Sam had done, many years ago when he had first realized that humans possessed something angels didn't.

He had long despaired that he would ever get Dean to agree with him. Dean was his favourite brother; there was no point in denying it; the love he bore all of their father's creations, his unheard of enthusiasm for new experiences and his loyalty to Sam all ensuring that he valued him higher than any other sibling; but Dean would always be a soldier, follow his orders, obey without question.

At least he had thought so until Cas.

Sam was no fool; he recognized the signs of what Dean was going through immediately. There was doubt and... something else. He watched his brother's eyes follow the hunter. Definitely something else.

They would worry about that later, though. Right now, they had to save the world.

Of course the demons had angel-proofed the abandoned house they were hiding in again, and Cas had no choice but to quickly find the sigils and get rid of them. Thankfully, every demon was occupied in the main hall, so that he just had to be quiet.

It still took him half an hour to deal with everything, and with trembling fingers, lest they were too late, Cas scratched away the last sigil.

Dean should have known. Nothing good ever came out of disobeying orders.

And so they landed just as demons completed the spell.

He heard demons holler. There were more of them than they had thought. His first instinct was to go find Dean, but he was an angel; he was capable of looking after himself.

His job was to take care of the demons in this corridor. He had to focus.

Maybe he should have taken Sam's offer, but he still felt uncomfortable with the thought.

Cas knew they had failed when he felt the familiar touch of cold air on his skin.

A spirit.

He was trained to fight them, and yet he froze as he turned around.

He hadn't even known he was gone.

"Dad?"