When Sam emerged from the bathroom, the silence was deafening. Dean had finally passed out, still clutching Kay's hand as if his life depended on it. Castiel stood mutely beside his charge. His eyes met Sam's, the repressed emotions churning like a whirlpool in his usually calm eyes. With a quiet sigh, Sam approached Kay's left and took her icy, motionless hand. This isn't what he had wanted. He wanted his brother to be happy for once. He wanted them to live the life Dean had secretly longed for. Sam had seen Dean with the boy, Ben. He knew that having a family of his own was very important to his best friend. He also knew that Dean would never allow himself to leave the hunt or even attempt to have the white picket fence fairytale. Dean would never take that risk, never endanger the people he loved. Yet, here it was. The opportunity that Dean has so desperately wanted was right in front of him. The unconditional love he franticly craved had been given to him…and it had been taken away. Like everything else…

Sam let a single tear slide down his cheek. He was beside himself. Nothing ever happened the way it should. He was the Anti-Midas, there was no gold in his world. Everything he touched turned into a pile of steaming animal dung. Why would Kay sacrifice herself to save him? He was selfish. He would get so engrossed with whatever his current obsession was and block out everything and everyone else. Thinking back to the year before Dean had gone to Hell, he realized that he spent the majority of that time consumed with finding a way to save his brother. He wasted the year with constant research and hunting instead of spending the time with the only person who cared about him. When Dean died, he had fixated on Lilith. He had gone against Dean's express wishes and turned to Ruby…a demon. He had committed the ultimate betrayal and would never forgive himself. He had thought it was all for the greater good. That was how he had rationalized his behavior. He was ultimately helping save the world, right? But the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. The end does not justify the means. When he finally realized that, it was too little too late. Now here he sat, watching his brother's grief eat him alive...Kay should be alive, not Sam. His sins were too great, yet here he was…


An orb of white-blue light appeared at the foot of the bed. The mask amulet Dean had given Castiel on his search for God, began to glow, red-hot. The Angel gasped and genuflected in the Presence. Dean stirred, eyes blinking against the crusted tears. Both Winchesters gazed at the Light in rapt awe.

"Rise, children. You have served Me well." The voice coming from the Light was soothing. A warmth spread over the brothers like a blanket. "Dean, I feel your suffering. Weep not, My son. Your life of selfless sacrifice has not gone unnoticed. As promised, you will be rewarded…Sam, dear Sam…I feel the guilt and remorse in your heart. Do you not remember the gift I gave to the world? My Son gave His life so that you may live…He took the sins of all men upon Himself so that you would be purified…All you have to do is ask for forgiveness, give your troubles unto Me and all will be forgiven."

Sam's eyes welled with tears. His voice was that of a child as he spoke, "I'm not worthy…"

The Light approached the man whose shoulders slumped in shame. It gently caressed his cheek, leaving Sam feeling content and reassured. "I am the Judge of that and I say you are. Again, I ask you to hand your troubles unto Me. Leave them at My feet and never dwell on them again. Your burdens are My burdens. I have been here with you from the beginning. I have walked by your side, waiting for you to turn to Me. I cannot force you to make this decision. It is yours and yours alone to make, but you have to ask in order to be redeemed."

Sam fell to his knees. His shoulder began to shake as his body was wracked with sobs. "Please, forgive me…"

"I already have…Sam and Dean Winchester, your mission is complete. Go about your lives. Be joyful knowing that I am always with you. In the darkest hours, you will feel My arms around you. Know that at those times, I am carrying you." And the Light moved from the boys to the Angel bowing on the floor.

"Castiel, rise. You have been the model soldier. You listened and never disobeyed. When everything was ready to crumble around you, your Faith did not waiver. A Father could never be more honored. Your dedication has earned a reward…What is it that I may grant you for your devotion?"

The Guardian was in shock. He had never thought of anything that he would want. His entire existence was about serving an unseen Father. Everything had been based on Faith and Faith alone. Now here he stood, in the Almighty Presence and he was being praised?! It all seemed surreal.

"Father, I have dreamt of being in Your presence for millennium. As I stand before You, I am baffled. I have never thought of anything but serving You; I do not know what to ask for."

"I know what you keep hidden. It is buried so deep that you do not even know it is there. Though it pains Me to lose one so devoted, I will grant it. Your place is always saved beside My throne, My son." The Light enveloped the awestruck Angel. His corporal body was lifted in the air. As the Light wrapped around his body, every nick and scrape disappeared. He was born again, perfect and new…completely human.

The Light unraveled from the now human Castiel and moved over the body on the bed. It parted Kay's lips and entered her body. It could be seen flowing through her. Every inch was bathed in the radiance. Once It had made its way through every cell, It exited. Again, It hovered above her. "Live. Breathe. Take care of each other. Love each other and cherish each day that you are with your family." And the Light vanished as quickly as it came, leaving rapture in Its wake.


Kay's gasp for air brought the trio back to reality. She was breathing! Dean picked her up in his arms and felt the warmth of her flesh. Though she was still unnervingly pale, she had a pulse and she was alive! "Kay, honey, wake up for me…look at me," he pleaded. Her eyes did not open. Her breath was even and her pulse was slow and steady. She was there, but she wasn't. The glow that had brightened his face began to fade. Something wasn't right.

"We must take her to the hospital," it was Cas. Even human, he was a realist. He knew that a body didn't just recover from everything she had been through without some unseen damage. She had endured years of taking in the pain of others. She had been brought back from the darkness of death…physically she may be in perfect health, but the human mind is a fragile thing. Like a glass being filled with water, there is only so much it can hold.

Sam looked at the dark-haired man and when their eyes locked, he understood his thought process. A broken mind can shut a body down in order to repair itself...He grabbed the keys to the Impalla, "Let's go, now!" He knew this was another trial, another way to make sure he had truly given his heart over. He would not fail. He could not fail.

Dean hastily carried the small woman to the black car. Cas opened the back door as Dean eased into the seat, still clutching her to his chest. Sam got behind the wheel and Cas in the passenger's seat. As they sped down the highway, there was no fear. Each man was at peace. They felt the warmth of strong arms protectively encircling them. Deep in their hearts, they knew they were not alone.


The Emergency Room at St. Eustachius Memorial Hospital was quiet...That is before Dean burst through its doors carrying the unconscious woman. Sam and Castiel followed a few feet behind. If the entrance hadn't been enough to frighten the elderly receptionist, the frenzied look in his green eyes had been.

"Help her! She won't wake up…"his voice was hoarse. He sounded strained as if he his vocal cords were bruised. Indeed they were. It was everything he could do to keep from screaming at the top of his lungs. The tension from holding it in stressed the small nodules.

"Sir, can you tell me what happened?" she asked calmly. Dean's eyes flashed and Castiel cut him off before he could blast the woman with profanities.

"We were at a bachelor party for my soon to be brother-in-law," pointing at Dean. "When we came back to the motel, my sister was laying on the bed. We tried to wake her, but she isn't responding." Sam looked at him with his eyes wide, 'brother-in-law?' they questioned. Castiel stared forward looking intently at the elderly woman.

"Come through the double doors on the side, hun. The first bed on the right is for her. The doctor is on his way." Dean hurried through the doors. "You two will have to have a seat." The woman, in her early 70's, was surprisingly full of life. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the two attractive men. "Just have faith, dearies," she smiled as she followed Dean.


The man with the green eyes stood beside the pretty woman. He protectively held her hand and stared down anyone coming close. Like a mother bear protecting her cub, he wouldn't let anyone come near if he felt they were a threat. He terrified the nursing staff and made the doctor feel uneasy. The little old lady paid him no attention as she moved to his side.

"Sonny, you are the fiancée?" He nodded in response. "Ok. Then you have some paper work to fill out. My name is Agnes and I'm the clerk. All of these people are here to help you, Mister…?"

"Winchester. Dean Winchester. This is Kay. Kay Cristos."

"Well, Mr. Winchester, everyone is here to help Kay. We can't do anything if you don't let us. To be perfectly honest, you are scaring the staff and I'm not going to allow it. So you have a choice…You can quit looking at everyone like you are gonna rip their heads off and fill these papers out here with the doctor and the nurses examine her…Or, you can be escorted out into the waiting room to fill out the paperwork while they examine her. The choice is yours, but you better be quick. We need to start assessing her condition." The woman was stern yet gentle. She understood his protectiveness. She had been the same way when her husband had been brought in the last time…

"Ok, Agnes. Call me Dean." He looked at the doctor, "I'm sorry…she's my everything, please help her." The tears that he had been fighting so valiantly broke free. The levee burst and they flowed like a river down his handsome face.