A/N: Thanks for the reviews, everyone! Keep 'em coming. :D
As the three brothers leave the hospital , they run right into Dean and Sam in the hallway. Ahead of Gabriel, Michael and Lucas stare down the Winchesters.
"Where are you going," Lucas sneers. It's not so much a question as a warning.
"I'm visiting Cas," Dean says.
"You might not know this because you haven't spoken to him in a year, but he's undergone a rather traumatic experience." It's a cheap shot, and not a very good one, but Lucas doesn't care.
"Actually, I do know. I've been visiting him every day for the past two weeks."
"Making up for lost time?"
"When was the last time you vis-"
"Guys, hey, how about we go grab some lunch?" Gabriel suggests.
"I wouldn't have an appetite," Lucas doesn't take his eyes away from Dean.
"C'mon! I hear Subway has good product placement. I'm sure we all have a lot of catching up to do." He directs the last part at his brothers: Sam and Dean can tell them about Cas.
"Yes," Michael realizes it would be a good idea, "let's have lunch."
Subway is out of the question for Michael and Lucifer's rich taste, although there's not a lot of gourmet restaurants in Castiel's town. They go to the next best thing, a not completely classless diner near the hospital.
"How is my brother's progress?" Lucas asks after agonizing minutes spent picking at their food in silence.
"He's, uh, doing good. For what happened-I mean..." Sam didn't mean to say it, and he looks at Dean apologetically. Dean stares resolutely at the table.
"And what did happen?" Michael's voice is quiet, and he can't meet anyone's eyes.
"He was...he was chained to a wall. In a dark cellar. He was given just enough water to stay alive. No food. We don't know how long he was there for. Probably not the whole fi-five months, 'cuz there was another room... But too long. And the guy beat him. There's lashes on his back from being whipped. And um..." Dean's voice gave away and he desperately grabbed a glass of water.
"You were the one who found him." Michael realizes. Dean doesn't say anything, just desperately wishes his water turned into a stiff drink. "Are you still on the case?"
Dean shakes his head.
"And whose decision was that?" Michael's voice is low and dangerous: did you chicken out of helping my brother?
"The sergeant's."
Sam rushes in to elaborate. "Bobby thought it would look bad at the trial if someone so close to Dean were on the case. I mean, a lot of the force is close with him, but not like Dean-" He cut himself off.
"And what are his plans for release?" Lucas asks.
"Um, he'd agreed to stay with me," Dean says.
There's a short silence, and then Gabriel and Lucas start clammering.
"Please tell me that 'Me' is the name of someone who isn't you."
"He'd agreed? My brother is not in a condition to agree to anything. To stay with you?"
"He's doing really well," Sam adds hopefully.
"Watching marathons of Dr. Sexy M.D. does not make you a doctor!" Gabriel barks.
"If my brother agreed to stay with you, then he obviously-what did you do?"
"Stop!" Michael roars before Dean can defend himself. "Lucas. Gabriel. As...confusing as Castiel's decision is, he hasn't had freedom in a long time, and we can't take that away from him. He made a choice. And if or when there's fall-out, we will pick up the pieces and clean up the wreckage." He glares at Dean threateningly. "But I think it's important for him to know that he still has support and free will."
Lucas and Gabriel can't argue with Michael. They never did, they never would. The matter settles. Michael asks for the check.
Days pass, and Castiel's brothers decide to leave. Castiel insists they get back to their families, despite their reluctance to leave Castiel. Gabriel's the one who wants to cling most "but Luke and Mike insist that I leave. Something about someone being a nuisance? I don't know." So Lucas goes off to Chicago, Gabriel to L.A., and Michael to New York, with promises to return, and to be back if ever Castiel needs anything.
"Anything, do you hear me?" Lucas says, eyes drilling into Castiel.
Not even a week after the brothers leave, Castiel is released from the hospital. Bobby, Sam and Dean are there to transport their friend and all his medical equipment to Dean's house.
They can sense Castiel's hesitance. As Dean helps him into the wheelchair, he can see that Castiel wants to turn back and hide in his hospital bed. But they all encourage him, gently, confidently.
"You're doing great, Cas. They wouldn't let you go if they weren't sure."
Dean's proud as he wheels his friend out of the hospital. He's happy, happier than Cas is, and it should make him feel selfish. But hell, his friend's a victim-no, a survivor, Dean corrects himself with the terminology Sam uses-of unspeakable torture, and he's heading home, and someone has to be proud for him even if Cas isn't of himself.
Cas is holding up fine until they wheel him outside, into the sunlight. Dean almost doesn't notice the small, strangled sounds coming from his friend. When he does, he stops, kneeling urgently by his friend. Sam and Bobby are desperate to check, too, but then step aside: Castiel needs space.
"What's wrong? Cas?" Dean asks.
There's tears streaming down his friend's face, and he's gasping air like he's been suffocating.
"It's-I haven't-It's nothing-I-haven't been o-outside in..." Castiel trails off, unable to think about how long it's been since he's been outside, and the hospital parking lot is the most beautiful thing in the world.
He finally calms down, but the episode deflates Dean a little bit. Castiel is out of the hospital, but not out of the woods. He has a long way to go, and Dean will be there every step.
Bobby takes his own car while Dean and Sam ride front seat of the Impala. Castiel is in the back, bundled up in blankets, dead to the world.
They finally arrive at Dean's house. Castiel went into a panic at the possibility of being bridal-carried. He said, if he had to, he could be supported, not carried, but he was so weak that it was easier to just carry him somehow. He passed out after a few steps.
That's why Sam's six-and-a-half foot frame is bent over in Dean's doorway, with a conked out, fully grown man piggybacking on him. It can't be comfortable, but Sam looks happier than anything. It's moments like this where Dean loves his brother more than possible.
"Where's his bed?" Sam asks.
Bobby takes over setting up the equipment so that Dean can help Sam, taking Castiel's chest while Sam takes his legs. Since Castiel is dead to the world, they have to hope they position him comfortably.
"He must be exhausted," Sam murmurs. Dean's heart clenches. Cas, who used to run marathons, must be exhausted from sleeping and being carried. Dean goes into the kitchen and grabs three beers.
"Thank you, guys. Really," Dean throws Bobby and Sam a bottle.
"Didn't do it for you," Bobby says, only half-kidding. He takes a sip from his beer and skims over the instructions from the hospital. "You read all this over?"
"Yep," Dean announces proudly. He could even be tested on it.
"Gonna head out now, give you some space. You need anything, you call, hear me?" Bobby says.
Sam hesitates to leave. He trusts his brother with Cas, but it couldn't hurt to have an extra hand around. Cas looks tiny and vulnerable, and his brother is always an emotional mess, but never moreso than now.
"Yeah. Same." Sam says. They all give quick parting hugs.
Dean's finally alone with Cas. There are no doctors or brothers or other friends around. Even though Cas isn't up to talking-isn't even awake-the fact that he's there, right in Dean's house, wheezing breaths and all, comforts Dean.
He takes a seat next to the bed, turns on the TV, and out of the corner of his eye, watches the rise and fall of his friend's chest.
