Chapter Fourteen – Angels Will Fly

When his mate's body had gone lax in his arms, Dean didn't think he would survive the pain. Sam had to physically drag him away from Cas' body when the paramedics arrived, and it had taken both Gadreel and Sam to keep him from ripping the poor beta's heads off when they had gone to move Cas onto the stretcher. The only small flare of hope that Dean kept alive was the paramedic practically sitting on Cas' chest doing compressions.

The drive to the hospital passed by in a painful blur, and he was lucky Sam drove. The aching hole in his chest only grew bigger when they got to the hospital, only to be told Cas was in surgery. Dean didn't know what the hell to do, but he couldn't watch Sam and Gadreel scent each other in the waiting room. It was more than he could cope with.

Time was irrelevant, as far as he was concerned. He just wanted Cas to be ok, but every time someone in scrubs ran past, covered in blood, he knew it wasn't a good sign. Sam found him hours later, hiding in an unused room. He just needed a little space to himself. He – he didn't want to think about Cas not being alive, it was like his brain refused to even entertain the idea.

He'd found his fucking family, was the universe really that cruel?

They had found their happily ever after, despite everything that had happened, and now fate, the cruel bitch that she was, had taken that from them.

Sam laid a hand gently on his shoulder, and Dean turned to look at him. He knew he must look a mess, but he didn't care at all.

"Dean, the doctor wants to talk to you." Dean's insides went cold when he realised that was it; the doc was going to tell him his mate was dead. Dean fucking whined, his whole chest vibrating with grief and desperation. Sam gathered him up in his arms and pulled him to his feet. Dean didn't want to talk to the fucking doctor, just a little more time where he could fool himself into thinking Cas was still alive, that was all he wanted.

Cas officially died five times.

The doctor really shouldn't have started with that, because it felt as if the floor just disappeared under Dean's feet. Sam was there to catch him, thank Christ, but still. There had to be some kind of manual for telling families their loved ones were going to be ok. Something like, your mates alive! Yay! He had some complications but we fixed him right up! Not –

"Your Castiel's mate?" The doctor, who looked like a freaking child, looked so serious. Dean just nodded, numb to the news he knew he was going to get. "Castiel died –" Dean was on the ground before he knew what had happened. Just the words Castiel died echoing around his head. He slowly batted Sam's giant hand away from where he was slapping his face.

"Dude, just let me die. There's no point now." He saw Sam actually roll his eyes. What the hell was wrong with his brother that he would treat such a moment with such disrespect?

"If you actually listened to the doctor, without jumping to the worst conclusion, you'd know that yeah, he died more than once, but he's alive, Dean."

Not that Dean didn't believe his brother, but he looked to the concerned looking doctor, to confirm anyway. He nodded, and Dean couldn't help it, he burst into tears. Great racking sobs that shuddered through his whole body. Sam held him close, and he had never been happier that his brother was a giant softy, but damn was he a good hugger.

When he eventually calmed down, and he was glad it was the middle of the night and there weren't any people around, he managed to stand on his own. He wanted to hug the doctor, but he was another alpha, and he was already looking at Dean's emotional outburst with confusion. Alphas were usually so stoic and emotional retentive. Hell, he used to be, but ever since Cas…

"Can I see him? Please?" He thought asking nicely would help. The doctor just nodded.

"Of course, he's still asleep, but he should respond to your scent." Dean was about to tell the doctor that Cas didn't have his sense of smell back, but it didn't matter. He just wanted to be with his mate.

The doctor, he still hadn't got his name, led him to a private room. He opened the door and drew back the curtain, and something within Dean broke at seeing Cas hooked up to what looked like every machine the hospital owned. He whimpered and crossed quickly to where the omega was lying. He hesitated, because all he wanted to do was gather Cas in is arms and never let him go, but he didn't want to cause him more pain. He looked at the doctor beseechingly, needing to know if he could go to his mate.

"The bullet hit his ribs, and punctured his lung. We managed to get the bleeding under control, but he did flat line on the table multiple times. We don't – we won't know what lasting damage he has until he wakes up. Having you around should help him; your scent should help him." The doctor moved forward and lowered the bars on the bed. "You can lay on the bed with him, just be careful of his lines and wound."

Dean didn't even care that the doctor was still there; he quickly stripped down to his tee shirt and underpants, and carefully plastered himself along as much of Cas as he could. He scented him everywhere, wanting desperately to erase the smell of blood, fear and death. He ran his feet up and down Cas' bare legs, shivering at the feeling of the other man's hairs against his own. He reached over Cas chest, careful to avoid the large bandage covering his whole upper half, and ran his hand up and down Cas' arm. He did the same with the other, and eventually made his way to Cas' neck, where he buried his face.

He didn't cry, because Cas was safe and there, with him. He held him as carefully was he could, and just stayed there until he finally fell asleep.

"Sam's here to visit you buddy, and Gadreels here too." Dean smiled at his brother and his mate, who entered holding each other's hands. Dean's heart ached when he squeezed the hand he was holding, and it didn't squeeze back. He should have been used to it, but even after two weeks, he still expected Cas to just wake up.

The doctors all said there could have been complications with the blood loss and Dean understood, he really did, but then they said there hadn't been anything on the brain scan to indicate damage, so he didn't know what to think. Cas was just taking his sweet time about it.

He was off the ventilator, which was a huge bonus but he was still hooked up to the cardiogram and IV drip. They were all over his left side though, so it was easy for Dean to sleep on his right. The bullet had just missed his heart, apparently it had glanced off a rib, but if it had gone the other way…

Dean didn't like to think about that, it made his alpha hurt.

He tried to keep smiling for the few visitors Cas had, but Dean's family… they could see right through him. He didn't need to pretend that he was ok with them, because he really wasn't, and he was tired of pretending.

"He's gonna wake up, Dean." Sam said the same thing every time they visited, and so far, it hadn't run true. Dean just sighed and laid his head where his and Cas' hands were joined on the bed.

"Whatever you say, man. At least he's healing. Doc said his wound looks good." There were silver linings, he just had to look for them through the storm, or he'd sink and be lost. Cas needed him, so he had to stay strong and positive.

"What he did was very brave, Dean. You should be very proud." He knew Gadreel was trying to make him feel better, but his emotions were rubbed raw with people saying the same shit every day. He didn't want a hero, he just wanted his mate.

"I'd be more proud, if he wasn't such a stubborn son of a bitch and just woke the hell up!" Dean's heart was pounding, and he knew he was spewing out aggressive, unhappy alpha pheromones, but he didn't care. Everyone could just fuck off with their positive bullshit –

He went to pull away, but couldn't.

Cas' hand was clasped firmly within his, but Cas was holding on. Dean swore his heart actually stopped, because he didn't want to move, let alone breathe. Sam and Gadreel quickly caught on that something was different, because they froze as well.

"Cas? Buddy?" His hand was squeezed again, and it was the best feeling. "Can you hear me?" Another squeeze. "Can you open your eyes? Can you do that for me?" He motioned for Sam to go get the doc, before concentrating on Cas again.

Very slowly, with what looked like herculean effort, Cas' eyes fluttered open and blearily focused on him. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and his blue eyes blazed up at the alpha.

"Hello, Dean."

They kept him in hospital for a month, mainly because he had been a coma for so long, and because Dean kept snarling every time they talked about sending him home. In Dean's mind, the hospital was the safest place for him. He had all the doctors and nurses taking care of him, even if most of the time Dean wanted to do it all himself. His alpha huffed in annoyance when a nurse came to give Cas his sponge bath. Cas just smirked, because the little shit knew exactly what it did to him, and he used it daily in his attempts to go home.

Finally, Dean had had enough and he relented. The doctors discharged Cas the next day.

"Are you sure you don't want a wheelchair? I can get you one –" Dean frowned and clutched at Cas' small bag. He didn't have much stuff, because he didn't want it smelling like the hospital. The only upside of being shot, apparently the trauma had caused Cas' sense of smell to come back.

The doctors had forbidden them to try any funny business because Cas needed all of his blood to stay where it was needed, so they hadn't even scented each other properly. Dean was dying to do it, and he could tell Cas was past the stage of super horny and chugged straight to blue balls.

"Dean, I am fine. Can we just get home? I am – I am eager to have some privacy." Cas' cheeks darkened with a deep flush, and Dean could smell the arousal flowing from him. Dean growled, because anyone would be able to scent it. Cas was pretty much healed, and they both knew what that meant. The doctors said it would take a while before Cas had another heat, it would only happen once his body was fully healed, but that didn't mean they couldn't do the do.

Dean couldn't remember the last time he'd been so eager to get home. Cas wasn't much better, touching Dean at every opportunity. Dean rumbled when Cas' hand slid up his thigh slowly, tentatively stroking just the tips of his fingers against Deans growing bulge.

"Cas…" Dean growled warningly, because they weren't even home and he was getting real close to just finding a side street. All his animal side wanted to do was mate, claim, breed, but Dean's human side stopped that train of thought in its tracks. Cas deserved so much better than that, so he could wait, like the mature adult that he was.

By the time they arrived home, Dean was hard, aroused and had picked up a constant growl that rumbled through his chest. He could smell his mate was leaking, the slick smelling sweeter than anything he could imagine. Cas was whining and panting, and Dean was worried he'd started a spontaneous heat, even though the doctors said it was impossible, or not likely.

When Dean tried to unlock the front door, Cas plastered himself up against the alpha, licking and nipping every bit of skin he could reach.

With a growl, Dean finally got the door open and hurried them both inside. He threw Cas' bag towards the couch, and didn't even bother with their coats. He just grabbed Cas and carried him, bridal style, into their room. He'd spent almost every waking moment with Cas at the hospital, and he was so lucky his boss was so understanding.

He'd been super happy lately, some family thing that he didn't want to talk about until he got all the details. He hoped it worked out for him; he was a really good boss and an awesome guy. They were pretty good friends, but they didn't talk about their families much. It was a good working relationship, and that worked well for Dean.

Dean placed Cas carefully on their bed, always mindful of his still healing wound, and proceeded to peel every piece of clothing off the omegas trembling body. Dean's heart ached at the scar that dissected Cas' chest, but he was alive because of that scar, so Dean leaned forward and kissed it. Cas sighed, and raked his hands through Deans hair.

"You are far too clothed for my liking, Dean." Cas was panting, and he sounded wrecked. They hadn't even got to the good part. Dean grinned and shed all of his clothes a quickly as possible. They had time later for sexy, at that moment he was two seconds away from losing it and he hadn't even touched Cas, or himself.

Cas had moved himself to the middle of the bed, stretching and pawing at himself, like a giant cat. Dean took the opportunity and starting at the omegas toes, he kissed and licked his way up his body. Cas was shivering with uncontainable want by the time Dean reached his dribbling cock, and when he took the omega into his mouth, Cas moaned.

"Dean… Dean, stop. Seriously, I want you in me when I come, and I am embarrassingly close already." Cas whined when Dean laughed around his dick, but he relented, nibbling at the omegas balls while he slid his hand under Cas' ass, meeting a slick and open entrance. Cas tensed when Dean teased his entrance, but practically wailed when he slid a finger inside. He was warm, tight and perfect.

Dean groaned and dropped his head onto the omegas thigh. It was almost more than he could take. He could feel his knot throbbing at the base of his dick, and he knew it wouldn't be a long show. By the time he was three fingers deep inside the omega, Cas was actually holding the base of his dick so he wouldn't come. They were both panting, sweaty messes, but neither of them could wipe the grins off their faces.

"You think you're ready?" Dean withdrew his fingers, and couldn't resist bringing them to his mouth. He licked the slick off, groaning around his digits at the sweet, pure scent of his mate. He smirked when he saw Cas just staring at him, flushed, with his mouth open.

"Am I ready? What the hell do you think?" Dean laughed, because damn. Cas had the cutest grumpy face, but he didn't smell pissed off. His scent was all kinds of sexed up and excited.

Cas yelped when Dean, carefully, flipped them over so he was on the bottom, and Cas was straddling his thighs. Cas looked at him quizzically, so Dean just shrugged, and caressed the omegas thighs.

"It's easier this way, it won't put any weight on your chest and you can control what pace we go at." Dean bit his lip, and looked up at Cas with as much love as he could convey through just his eyes. "I want it to be good for you." Cas surged forwards, and captured Deans lips in a heated, breathless kiss. He drew back and looked into the alphas eyes.

"I love you so much, Dean. You – you've shown me a world I didn't know existed, and given me things I never thought I would have." Dean's heart leapt, because he hadn't told Cas about his family yet, he was waiting for the right time. He'd rung James back and said they were going through some stuff, not giving details, and said he'd be in contact soon. He hoped Cas felt the same after Dean told him he'd found his family.

"You have no idea what you've given me, Cas. You've – you've given me a new sense of purpose. I love you more than anything… I mean, you know how crap I am with words and feelings, so you know what those words mean to me." Cas smiled down at him, and pressed a tender kiss to his mouth. Nothing more needed saying; they could smell it radiating around them, their love for each other, their perfect connection.

Cas sat back and shuffled around onto his knees. Dean gasped when he grabbed his cock, and slipped it behind his balls. Dean could feel the tight pucker of Cas' slicked entrance, resting against the flared head of his cock. Cas let out a breath as he pushed downwards, and Dean could feel Cas' body open up for him, letting him delve into the hot cavern of his ass.

"Oooohhh yes." Cas panted and moaned as he eased downwards, slowly and carefully, stopping when the ache became too much. Dean could see it in his face when it did, the tightening around his mouth, and the tensing of the tendons in his neck. Dean tried to help as much as he could, running his hands softly over Cas skin, grazing the pink buds of his nipples.

When Cas was fully seated, Deans balls nestled snuggly against his ass, Cas closed his eyes and sighed. He could tell the omega was savouring the feeling, because Dean was doing the same. Cas felt hot, tight and just so goddamned perfect, he couldn't even imagine anything more amazing.

"Move whenever you're ready," Dean whispered to Cas quietly, because he didn't want to break the spell the omega seemed to be under. Cas was dripping slick steadily down Deans cock, even though the seal looked pretty tight. Cas' breath caught when he rose up a few inches, and slid back down. Dean almost cried at the unholy amount of pleasure that small movement caused. He could feel his knot throbbing just under the surface, and tried to steady his breathing, to make it last longer.

Cas, apparently, hadn't read the memo.

The omega rose up fully, until Deans dick was almost entirely free of him, before slamming back down. He was so forceful; he practically knocked the air from Dean's lungs. His pace didn't let up, even when Dean tried to subtly control the movement with his hands on his hips, Cas just growled at him. Dean couldn't help but grin, because he actually loved that feisty side of Cas. It meant he was completely and totally at ease with the alpha.

He trusted him.

Before too long, Dean felt his knot start to make its presence known. He'd never actually had sex with an omega before, so he had no idea what was going to happen. He'd tried to ask Sam about what it had been like with Gadreel, but his brother had just got a goofy look on his face, and Dean had had to force himself not to throw up on him.

"Cas, are you – are you close?" They hadn't been together enough times for Dean to know Cas' tell, so actually forming words was the only way to go. He sounded like the alpha inside him was dangerously close to the surface, but he could control it. He wasn't going to go all wild hunt on Cas' ass.

"Yes, Dean, yes, oh god." Cas didn't seem totally aware of what was going on, so Dean took it upon himself to take charge. They couldn't actually mate until Cas had his heat, something to do with pheromones and hormones or some shit, Dean didn't even pretend to know about that stuff, but that didn't mean he couldn't make it epic for the omega.

Cas began to whine when Deans knot started catching on his rim with every downward stroke, but Cas knew what he was doing. Dean could feel his orgasm start to build, that warm tense feeling in his stomach coiling tighter and tighter. When Cas yelped past another thrust, Dean knew it was time. He grabbed Cas' hips, stilling him on the upwards thrust.

"I'm going to knot you, alright, Cas?" Dean needed Cas' approval, even if they had talked about it before. Cas' wide eyes stared down at him, and Cas nodded his head.

"I know, I can… uuuhhh… I can feel it. Do it Dean, do it." Dean lowered Cas slowly onto his swollen knot, mindful of the pressure and strain Cas' body was under. Using one hand to guide him down, Dean used his other to feel around Cas' entrance, to make sure he was lubed enough and his knot would fit, without hurting his mate. Cas' eyes widened as Deans knot slipped past the taught skin, and lodged itself fully inside the omega. They stayed there, completely still, until Cas started flexing muscles deep inside his body.

Dean groaned, his hands tightening on Cas' thighs as the head of his cock was massaged by what must have been Cas' cervix. He was so close to coming, just a little more and he'd be tipped over the edge. His hips gave an involuntary jerk, and that was all it took.

Cas screamed, shooting his small load all over Deans stomach, and clenching his muscles tightly inside. The pressure around his knot was so great; Dean couldn't do anything but lay back and just feel his orgasm practically sucked from his dick. Cas' body was milking him dry, and it just didn't stop. He pulsed deep inside the omega, every part of him, every instinct screaming at him to breed his mate up, and fill him with pups. Wave after wave of pleasure crashed over him, and he was only dimly aware of Cas moaning his name in time with the fluctuations of his trembling muscles.

Cas collapsed forwards onto Dean, clearly not giving two shits about the mess between them and nuzzled into his neck, scenting him. They would be locked together for some time, but Dean was glad for it. He wanted to stay inside Cas forever. It was warm, safe and perfect.

Cas was asleep, a sex induced unconsciousness that Dean knew he wouldn't be able to rouse him from. That was totally fine with him. He scented his omega, smelling their scents mixed together, complementing, tangling together until one couldn't be told from the other.

It settled the alpha inside him, appeased every instinct that roared through his veins, until he was content enough, and relaxed enough, that he fell asleep still deep inside his mate.