Thanks to Gredelina1 for beta'ing and helping me hammer out the details.
Chapter Twenty-One
Death pulled out a chair at the table and sat down. "Sit." Though his tone was calm it was unmistakably an order.
Dean and Bobby both sat but Inias and Castiel remained standing. Death didn't seem to notice Inias. His gaze was fixed on Castiel.
Dean sighed with exasperation. "Dammit, Cas, sit your ass down."
"If you want my help, you might want to start by getting into my good graces," Death said. "Sit."
Looking grudging, Castiel sat down and laid his hands on the table. "Thank you for coming," he said stiffly.
Death looked amused. "You think I came for you? I came because you threatened to bind my reaper. I don't have an infinite number of them, you know, and Tessa is one of my best."
"We're sorry," Dean said. "But we're desperate. Sam's been killed, or taken, or both, and we—"
"Stop babbling, Dean," Death said. "I know what has happened."
"You know where he is?" Dean asked hopefully.
"I believe I do."
Dean sighed with relief. Finally, they were within reach of getting some answers. His chest, which had been hollowed and painful before, now seemed to inflate. For the first time in two weeks he felt that he could breathe again.
"Where is he?" Castiel asked.
Death steepled his fingers together. "Before we speak of those things, I wish to discuss what you did, Castiel."
"We do not have time for this," Castiel said angrily.
"You will make time for me."
"Every minute Sam is gone—" Castiel sucked in a breath and rubbed a clenched hand over his chest.
"You okay, Cas?" Bobby asked.
Castiel nodded. "Yes. I am—" Again, his words cut off and this time he winced, rubbing at his chest more vigorously.
If he had been human, Dean would have suspected a heart attack, but Castiel wasn't human. He had never seen him acting like this before. "What's wrong with you?" he asked harshly. He didn't mean to be cold, but he didn't have room for anymore concerns at the moment. Castiel was their best chance at getting Sam back—if Death ever told them where the Hell he was—and they needed him on form.
"It's your brother," Death said serenely. "Castiel is feeling Sam."
Dean tried to wrap his brain around that for a moment, but it just didn't make sense. "Feeling him how?"
"He is feeling your brother's pain," Death said. "He has bound them together, making them hybrids of a sort, and the cost is that they feel each other."
"So Sammy's hurting?" Dean asked in a tremulous voice.
Death nodded. "Yes. He is suffering, and so is Castiel."
Dean felt sick. Sam was hurting. Sure, he hadn't imagined Sam was living the high life wherever he was, but for an angel to react like this to the pain, Sam must be really suffering.
"Did you know what you were doing when you took him into yourself?" Death asked conversationally. "Did you realize the price of what you did?"
Castiel shook his head. "No, I did not foresee this, but I regret nothing."
"Nothing?" Death asked. "I imagine it gets unpleasant for you at times."
Castiel stiffened. "What would you know of it?"
Death leaned back in his seat. "My business is souls. I know everything about them. What you are feeling now is nothing compared to what I would like you to feel. You took something pure and good and split it into pieces. It is an affront of the highest order."
"I did what I needed to do to keep him safe," Castiel said doggedly. "I saved him."
"Did you consider, even for a moment, that perhaps it would have been better if you hadn't? By binding Sam to you he was forced to endure the horrors of the cage that much longer. If he had perished, he would at least have been given a reprieve from the rack."
Dean knew he hadn't considered that. When he'd got over his worry that what Castiel had done had changed Sam into something wrong, he had thought of how grateful he was that it had happened. Sam had been saved and that was all good as far as he was concerned. He didn't consider the fact Sam had suffered on the rack even longer because of it.
"He would have died!" Castiel said angrily.
"It would have been about time," Death said. "He should have died a long time ago. He should have been in Heaven. That was to be his reward for a life well lived. But because of demons and angels he lived and was refused peace. Now he is dead, and yet he is still not at peace, so who do we blame?"
Dean would accept his portion of blame for Sam living past his time, accept it and be proud. He had saved Sam's life, and he refused to feel shame for that. But the fact he was gone again and still wasn't at peace tore Dean's heart open wide.
Castiel winced again, and this time his hand flew to his stomach. Knowing what it mean, Sam's pain was Castiel's pain, Dean wished it would stop. He wished there was something he could do to help Sam, but the only chance they had was Death and he didn't look like he was going to be imparting information until he was good and ready. If he thought it would have made an iota of difference, Dean would have begged and raged and bribed Death to tell him where Sam was. He knew better though. If Death felt inclined, he would tell them, but definitely not until he was ready.
"Blame me," Castiel said in a mournful voice, "but know this, I never intended for Sam to be hurt. Perhaps I acted selfishly, binding us together, but I would do it all again."
Death shook his head. "You would do it all again, cursing Sam to this, because it benefits you. You are impossible, Castiel. Do you even remember your true purpose anymore, what your Father wanted from you?"
Castiel didn't speak. He just stared into Death's fathomless eyes.
"Please," Bobby said. "I get that what Cas did pushes your buttons, and it's not like we were jumping for joy when we heard it either, but if you know where Sam is, please tell us. We just want to get him back, that's all."
Death tapped a finger against his chin. "What would you like to know?"
"Where is Sam?" Dean asked desperately. "What's happened to him?"
"He has been taken by Raphael and his forces," Death said.
Dean jumped to his feet and pointed a finger at Castiel in accusation. "Raphael! You're damn angel crap has done this to him. Why didn't you kill him already?"
Castiel lurched to his feet in return. "Do you think I haven't tried? I am a seraph. He is an archangel. What weapon do you believe I have?"
"You should have done something," Dean spat. "You should have taken care of him better. You took him away from us. If he'd stayed, none of this would have happened."
Castiel bowed his head. "I know that. I should never have left him, but I thought I was acting for the best. I believed Sam deserved to make his own choices."
Death cleared his throat. "Incidentally, Castiel, you do possess a weapon that can be used against Raphael. You have just been too blinded by your own fear and feeling to use it."
"What weapon?" Dean asked.
"Sam," Death said. "Castiel has half of the weapon already, torn and separated though it is. A soul is power after all." He stared at Castiel. "Reunite the pieces you have and you will have your weapon. Do not believe another will do. It is Sam and you that are unique to the problem. Use what you have and you will be victorious."
"And if I fail?" Castiel asked.
"Then Sam will at last have some peace"
Dean didn't have the first clue what they were talking about, but he didn't much care either. Neither of them seemed to be talking about where Sam was, so he wasn't interested.
"Sam," he said impatiently. "Where is he?"
Death cocked an eyebrow. ""Most people speak to me with more respect."
"Yeah, I'm sorry," Dean said, raking his hands through his hair. "But I'm kinda desperate here. It's… He's my brother."
"I know," Death said solemnly. He drew a deep breath. "Sam is in the worst place imaginable."
It was Dean's worst fear. Sam was in Hell.
"He's in Hell?" Bobby breathed and Dean saw horror in his eyes.
"No," Death said. "Somewhere worse."
Dean gaped at him. "There is no place worse."
Death sighed. "For you, perhaps not. But such a place exists." He turned to Castiel "And you know where it is."
Castiel nodded, looking horrified.
Death got to his feet, leaning on his cane, and made for the door. "I wish you luck," he said. "And if you are to retrieve Sam, take better care of him in the future. If I am called here again, I will kill you all in return."
He walked out of the door, Tessa following, and then let it swing shut behind him.
"I have to go," Castiel said dully. "I have to…" He rubbed his temple. "I must find him."
"Hold up!" Dean said. "Where is he that's worse than Hell? What can possibly be worse than that?"
For the first time since Death had come, Inias stepped away from the wall and spoke. "Heaven."
Castiel stood on the edge of a high cliff, staring out over the ocean in the heaven of a lighthouse keeper. He'd chosen it for its vastness, as he would be addressing his entire army in time. For now it was just him, Hester and Rachel, his trusted lieutenants.
"I have found Sam," he said.
Hester sucked in a breath. She looked afraid, perhaps fearing reprisals for not being the one to find Sam herself.
"Where is he?" Rachel asked.
"He has been jailed," he said, the severity of his revelation adding weight to his tone.
"But… Oh no. He is here?" Rachel asked.
Castiel nodded. "Yes. Raphael's forces have taken him."
Rachel bowed her head. "I am so sorry, Castiel."
"Please assemble the holy host. We must lay siege to that place."
Rachel nodded but she still looked nervous. "And what of Raphael?"
Castiel remained silent. He believed now, following what Death had said, that he would be powerful enough to free Sam even if Raphael was there, but he was not yet powerful enough to defeat him. He did not possess enough yet to make the possible. If he fell in the fight, there would be a host of other angels that could return Sam to his body.
Rachel stared at him for a long moment and then she disappeared to assemble the host. One by one they appeared around him, each with a look of wariness as they watched him. He had been hard on them recently, as each of them returned without news of Sam. He had held anger toward them for their failings, but now he saw it was his failings that had caused the problems.
He turned away from the ocean and faced them. There were countless angels and he knew them each by name. They were his family. And yet… He would have exchanged any one of them for Sam. That was his shame.
"Sam Winchester has been found," he said, and his voice echoed over the distance, reaching them all. "He is in Heaven's jail."
Their faces twisted with shock and regret. They did not know Sam as Castiel did, only a few had ever seen him even, but they knew what a place the jail was and they were each affected.
"I need to storm it," Castiel said. "And I need help. I cannot order you to come. This is not our mission to defeat Raphael. You must use your own free will now. If you believe saving an innocent soul from that place is a worthy cause, come with me."
"I will come," Rachel said immediately.
Her declaration was echoed across the field. Castiel's army were standing with him once again. He did not know what he had ever done to inspire such loyalty in them, but he appreciated it in that moment.
"Thank you."
Castiel looked out at the ocean once more, remembering many nights spent with Sam with the crashing waves as the accompaniment to their conversations. He was going to save him.
The jail was on the very outer arcs of the billions of heavens, and Castiel passed through them each in turn on his way, his army amassed behind him. He had never been inside the prison before, he had seen it from afar, but he did not let that deter him now. There would be no difficulty in getting into the prison. The purpose of the place was to keep people inside. He would need his army to make a passage for him to leave. He strode purposefully forward and flung open the door.
There were many cells, and yet only one was occupied, the one that held Heaven's most notorious criminal. Castiel cast that cell a scathing glance as he passed. Its occupant came to the bars, and for a moment, he looked as if he was expecting them to free him, but no angel would ever do that.
Castiel stormed forward, toward the door at the end of the hall, but before he reached it, a figure stepped out of an empty cell and sneered at Castiel.
"I knew you would come," Raphael said. "I was sure you would want to save your human pet."
"You were right," Castiel said coldly. "Here I am. But I warn you, Raphael, I am not who you think I am anymore. I have power I did not have before."
"Yes," Raphael said in an amused tone. "The scrap of soul. And yet, knowing what I do of humanity, I have to wonder if it will be enough."
"Let me pass," Castiel said. "And I shall return to you. I will not bring my followers. It will be a battle between you and I alone. But only if you let me free Sam first."
Raphael laughed. "A battle between you and I for Heaven? Are you so sick of life, Castiel? I will destroy you."
"Perhaps," Castiel said.
Raphael shook his head indulgently. "You poor, delusional thing."
"Let me pass," Castiel said again
"I will," Raphael said. "In return for your word that you will come back and allow us to settle this once and for all."
"I give you my word," Castiel said. "I shall return and fight you."
Raphael bowed. "In that case, retrieve your pet."
Feeling Raphael's eyes on him the whole time, Castiel passed him and flung open the door. He was met with a sight both familiar and horrific. This rack was different, but its occupant was the same.
Thaddeus, an angel notorious for his abilities, was working over Sam, and he didn't notice Castiel until the knife slid into his chest. He looked stunned as Castiel pushed him from the blade and dropped to the floor, a inky black outline of his wings dirtying the floor.
"Sam," Castiel crooned.
He eased Sam from the rack and cradled him against his chest, feeling the warmth of the soul responding to the portion in his chest, the portion he was banking on to defeat Raphael, as he would not risk taking more.
He cast the rack and Thaddeus' corpse a scathing look and turned with Sam in his arms. His angels lined the hall, looking like a guard of honor as he walked past them all. Their eyes came to rest on Sam and he knew what they were all seeing. The blue-white of his grace wrapped around Sam's soul. There were soft gasps of shock and mutterings, but it was white noise to Castiel. He didn't care what they thought. What mattered was getting Sam to safety.
As they left the jail and stepped outside, Rachel touched his arm and spoke in a whisper.
"Why did you do it, Castiel?" she asked. He wasn't sure whether she was referring to his bargain with Raphael or the fact he'd bound himself to Sam, but his answer was the same for both.
"Because this is Sam Winchester, and he is worth it."
That said, he spread his wings and carried Sam home.
So… Sammy is saved and Cas has promised a one-on-one fight with Raphael. We're coming to the end of the story now, not many more chapters to go.
Until next time…
Clowns or Midgets xxx