Author's Note: Thank you all so much for the support. As I was writing this next chapter it became over forty pages long. Woah! So as to not keep you all waiting so long I decided to split it up into two chapters. This chapter is very interpersonal relationship heavy and this was a lot of fun to write but boy am I tired. A lot more action is on the way soon. Please feel free to comment or PM with any questions or comments. I love hearing from you. I will say a mild trigger warning for unhealthy coping mechanisms towards the middle of this chapter. With all that said I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 6

"Well," The standoff happening in the Waverider's library was tense. "what do we have here?" Constantine saddled up to Cas's face. Their eyes level and shoulders pulled back. Yanking four cigarettes out of his pocket stash Constantine shoved them furiously in his mouth.

Sam stood just behind Cas in case he needed to back his friend up while Sara and Barry crossed their arms tensely. Mia simply looked bored. The four glanced back and forth between the Warlock and the Angel. If not for the drastic difference in hair color they could have passed for brothers, what with their matching blue eyes and angry set jawlines. Hell, even their attire was nearly identical right down to the askew ties that were the only part of their wardrobe that differed in hue.

Constantine appraised the angel before him with a chuckle, "I feel like I should file for copyright infringement." And he lit his cigarettes.

Cas narrowed his eyes at the warlock in a silent dare.

"Are you having a staring competition?" Barry uncrossed his arms and ran a hand over his forehead in exasperation. The two men didn't acknowledge Barry or break their eye contact. Finally Barry clapped his hands together loudly, startling two trench-coated men whose attention snapped to him with no small amount of ire on their parts. But hey it worked as they at last stopped tried to burn a hole in each other's heads with their eyeballs. They needed to get a move on, "We don't have a lot of time, so could you please take your smoke break later and maybe just do the spell?"

Constantine pulled the cigarettes out of his mouth, holding two in each hand, "Simmer down, speedy, " He said with an air of hoityness, talking as a teacher would to a very very small child. "This is the spell."

"What did you need me for again?" Many aspects about this man Cas found wore on his patience. Not the least of which was his use of sorcery. Cas didn't have a great track record with witches and magic of any sort. That, and no matter what Sara said about the man being a part of her team, Cas wasn't any closer to trusting him. Also, Cas didn't approve of smoking.

"With the worlds ending and the pillars of magic crumbling I need a, boost of sorts." Constantine smirked eyeing Cas like a fine piece of steak, "And there's no better charge than straight from a good old angel battery."

Constantine vigorously rubbed his palms together and hunched his shoulders, visibly bracing himself. When nothing happened Constantine frowned pointedly at the angel, "Come on mate, these magical batteries aren't going to get it up themselves."

"Very well." Cas sighed and allowed his hand to hover over Constantine's. Slowly his pupils began to glow and white blue grace spilled out of his palm. Sara, who had not seen Cas in action before felt a small jolt of awe an no small amount of fear but she managed to squash the instinctual urge to flee at the display of angelic power.

Very soon the light became too bright as everyone had to cover their eyes.

"I think that's enough Cassie," Constantine said and the blinding light cut out. After a sharp inhale Constantine rolled his eyes halfway back into his head, "Ex nombe to a vis infinattum." He clapped his hands together and the lit cigarettes burnt up, sending fire flying around in a circle. Orange light in a hexagonal shape erupted from his palms. Constantine clenched his fists and shoved his hands clockwise as if turning a wheel. Out of the hexes numerous miniature galaxies swirled into view, "It's all in the wrist." Constantine winked at Cas.

"I'm sorry," Cas took a single step towards the warlock, not impressed, "was that a flirtation?"

A self indulgent side grin slid over the warlock's feature, "Do you want it to be eh?" He asked wagging his brows.

Cas opened his mouth to retort.

"Ok," Sam held his hand out in a stopping motion, "I'll chaperone you two later now…What is this?"

"Parallel Earths spread out by vibrational frequency." Constantine said sounding more than a little proud of his magical display.

It was beautiful honestly. No one present could deny that. A sort of calm settle over those gathered. The Galaxies spun lazy on their axis's, this visual representing billions upon billions of planets and countless lives from across the multiverse.

The top most galaxy promptly disintegrated into oblivion when a wave of light washed over it. The Anti-Monitor had struck again.

"Did that really just happen?!" Sam asked, stunned by what they'd just witnessed and pointed at where the Galaxy had been only a second ago.

"Another Earth just died." Barry announced solemnly.

"We are well and truly Bolloxed." The brit said with wide eyes, "So many Earths already gone, and more vanishing as we speak," Constantine pinched his brows even tighter in concentration. "Resurecte incursus diabolica." The glowing galaxies hovering in between Constantine's hands glowed brighter.

At last, one galaxy rose to the top of the others and near the outer rim a light glowed brighter than the rest, "I give you the needle in the celestial haystack, an Earth with a functioning Lazarus pit. Earth-18." Constantine announced proudly.

"Okay," Barry looked to the magician, "now what?"

With a swipe of his hand Constantine disassembled the galactic illusion, put out by how the speedster so easily disregarded his magical craftsmanship, "Perhaps a thank you and a little well-earned awe for a magical job well done, eh?"

"How about I thank you when you bring my dad back?" Mia threw back, her fists clenched and her stance in that perpetually ready to throw down state it'd been in ever since Star Lab's infirmary. Ever since her father died.

"All right," Sara stepping in between the two to prevent them from coming to blows, if the look on the young warrior's face was any indication, "Now we need to decide on teams."

"The monitor has already said I am meant to go to Earth-14 and J'onn J'onzz has agreed to accompany me." Cas said.

"Okay." Sara nodded, acknowledging Cas as the other Team's leader, "Sam and Constantine are with me as our resident resurrection experts." Sara pinched her chin as she though this out, "Mia, you're obviously coming. Head down to the infirmary and I'll meet you there to prep Oli's body," She tilted her head at the door and Mia left with one last glare at Constantine. Sara then addressed the speedster, "Barry."

"I'm ready to go." Barry was bouncing back and forth on his feet, ready to jump into action.

"I don't think you should come." Sara said cutting off the speedster's energy and drawing Barry into a complete standstill.

"Sara!" Barry started at her dumfounded, she couldn't be seriously suggesting what he thought she was suggesting!

"Barry…" Sara's face softened but Barry cut her off.

"No Sara! He's my best friend, you can't expect me to sit this one out!" Barry shouted, letting his anger get the best of him as he towered over her and threw out his arm in the direction of the infirmary where Oliver's body rested.

"There's only so many of us and we need to find the Paragon of Freedom." She tried to reason with him, but it didn't seem to make any difference.

Barry eyes began to shine with unshed tears.

Cas debated joining in on the conversation and ultimately decided he she should, he was leading the mission to Earth-14 after all, "Barry Allen, the Earth we are going to is in the midst of a war between heaven and hell. The apocalypse itself brought into reality. Who knows who or what we may encounter. I could use the fastest man alive at my side."

"I can't just abandon Oliver." Barry side-stepped the angel and moved right up into Sara's space in a challenge, "That's what you're asking me to do!"

"He was my friend too!" Sara growled right back, refusing to backdown. They were both hurting and she needed to remember that. It took a lot of self-control to keep her anger in check. "Everyone going on this mission is going because they cared about Oliver and want to bring him back."

"I never said I liked the bloke," Constantine interjected while fiddling with his cigarette box. One murderous look from his Captain as well as an Angel who looked ready to smite him had Constantine wishing he'd stayed back in hell last year.

With Constantine sufficiently cowered Sara turned her attention back to Barry, her gaze much softer, her arm coming up to rest on his bicep, "Right now we need you on this mission. Superman is searching for the Paragon of Truth while Batwoman and Supergirl search for the Paragon of Courage. There's only so many of us on this boat with powers and we need you all out in the field."

"Sara…" Barry said with tears making tracks down his cheeks. Slowly he nodded, "I'll do it. I'm sorry. I just miss him so much."

"I know," Sara was overcome with a wave of grief that if she didn't keep moving would drown her and pulled Barry into a quick hug, his arms coming up to squeeze her shoulders in return. Pulling away she pushed down the sob rising in her chest, her face pinching but she smiled through the pain, "I miss him to."

He then returned her tentative smile, "I see now why you're the Captain."

"Your help will be much appreciated Barry Allen," Cas said placing a firm hand on the young man's shoulder.

"It's going to be okay Barry, we'll bring him back. I promise you that." Sara knew that was promise she may not be able to keep, Barry knew it too but if felt good to say it regardless.

"J'onn is waiting in the cargo hold. I'll meet you there." Cas said to Barry who super sped out, kicking up sheeves of paper in his wake.

At this Constantine attempted to make a hasty exit as well but Sara grabbed a hold of his coat, "We can't screw this up, okay?" She tightened her grip, "When we bring Oliver back, I need you to promise me you can bring back his soul."

"Yeah." Constantine agreed under his breath but refused to say it to her face.

"How about with a little more conviction." Sam snapped.

"One thing at a time, right, gents?" The warlock was clearly troubled, and his frenetic hands yanked another cigarette out and into his mouth.

Sara tugged him closer, "I need to hear you say it."

Constantine lit his cigarette and took a long draw before finally acknowledging Sara, "I'll do it." His words came out curt and he pulled himself free, but only because the assassin allowed it.

"Thank you." Sara sighed and let him go.

"To the best of my abilities." Constantine added as an after thought and all but ran out in retreat of his Captains fury.

"Damnit." Sara groaned.

"You really think he can do it." Sam asked.

"He brought me back. If anybody can do it, its him." But Sara's reassurance did little to ease Sam's mind.

"Resurrection is a tricky business. There's a lot that can go wrong." Sam pointed out.

"Believe me I know." Sara said before stalking out of the library.

Now alone Sam turned to Cas, "Well I guess I'll see you when you get back."

"Goodbye Sam." Cas said and embraced the younger Winchester.

"Cas take care of yourself. We don't have many family left."

Warmth spread through Cas's chest as it did whenever one of the Winchester's talked about him as part of their own family. Cas learned long ago that blood relations weren't what really mattered. Sam was more a brother to Cas than any of the Angels in heaven ever were, "I will. Thank you, Sam. You take care of yourself as well."

"Good luck." And then Sam left the library.

With Dean off on Earth-99 and Sam now on his mission there was only one thing to do. Cas pulled out the extrapolator that Kara had given him and headed down to the cargo hold. The Paragon of Freedom wasn't going to find itself. Cas just wished he could kick the sinking feeling in his vessel's gut that said things were about to go terribly, horrible wrong.

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Earth 14

A portal opened and three figures stepped out unnoticed into a desolate town.

Barry's feet had barely touched down before he sped off in a blur and then reappeared right next to Cas, the wind kicked up in his wake blowing the angel's trench coat back dramatically, "Just ran a perimeter search. No signs of life." He reported.

Cas simply nodded and took point while J'onn and Barry flanked him. The two heroes wore civilian clothes, a scarlet speedster costume would bring just a little too much attention as would the Martian's armor. Vegetation had long since begun to retake the buildings and roads. Lining the sidewalks as far as the eye could see laid the burnt-out shells of cars.

"So this is the apocalypse?" Barry eyed their surroundings. He honestly didn't know what to expect, hordes of the undead or maybe raining fire. A volcano would have been a nice touch. This town was just… empty.

Cas confirmed, "Dean traveled to a version of this Earth in 2010."

"What happened?" Barry asked.

"He never said much, only that it deeply disturbed him." Cas said while peering into the countless broken windows littering the storefronts.

Passing by an empty gas station J'onn pointed at a word scrawled across the ruins in red. Blood or paint? Who knew. "Croatoan? As in…"

"Yes." Cas dropped his angel blade from his sleeve, the cool metal of his weapon against his skin was a balm to his nerves, "The same virus that destroyed the first settlement in the Americas, harnessed by the Horseman of Pestilence and released upon the earth."

Barry blanched, "Well that doesn't sound ominous at all."

Cas tilted his head at the speedster, "Really, I thought it did."

"That's not what I…. Nevermind," Barry shook his head with a chuckle, muttering about literal dudes with wings, "So where are we supposed to find this Paragon of Freedom?"

"There are not many humans left alive on this planet. There's only so many places they could be. My Dean mentioned there was an encampment not far from the outskirts of the city. But we must be wary. The infected are everywhere." Cas replied.

As the three passed an alley way they found corpses that had been piled up. Clearly someone had tried to burn the bodies. Barry paused and gulped at the sight, calling to mind his time under the thrall of Bloodwork and how close Central City come to devastation like this, then noticing the others had continued onwards he raced to catch up.

The three came to a stop just outside a fence barrier the surrounded the outskirts of the city. Beat up and dented signs mounted in several meter increments all along the barrier read, "Quarantine No Entry. August 1st 2014."

"How did this happen Castiel?" J'onn picked his way carefully through a hole in the fence that was so rusted and worn down it couldn't have kept anyone in or out if it tried.

"This is the future that was to come to pass if Dean said no to Michael." Cas explained while holding the hole open for Barry, "This is what would have occurred had we not been able to thwart Lucifer and heaven's plans."

"Michael." Barry slipped through and came out the other side to stare at Cas through the fence, flabbergasted, "As in the archangel Michael?"

"Yes. Dean and Sam were predestined since birth to be the vessels of both Michael and Lucifer. To be their swords in the final battle that would defeat hell and create peace on Earth." Cas said and made his way across.

Barry's eyebrows shot skyward. Sam, the gentle giant and Dean who he'd fought alongside were fated to bring about the actual honest to God biblical apocalypse. "Wow! Ok that uh… oh!" Barry floundered. Cas was matter of fact by all he just explained. 'Right! Angel.' Barry had to remind himself, 'This guy is an angel.'

"So why didn't they say yes and allow the battle to happen?" J'onn wondered aloud, speaking up as the speedster had at present lost the ability to form words properly.

Cas sighed hard, remembering the time when he used to follow Heaven's orders blindly, before he realized the true cost of his actions, "To do so would destroy most of the planet in the process. Dean could not live with such a loss of life. And it would mean that Sam would have died by his own hand. He couldn't kill his own brother. In my reality we were able to again put Lucifer back into his cage in Hell, but in this reality Lucifer was left to run rampant."

Now Barry understood why the Monitor had chosen the Winchesters. Besides their combat skills they'd been all but unassuming. No superpowers or special training like Oliver or Sara. Just ordinary humans. Sure, Barry had fought supervillains and the like, but these guys had gone up against the actual Devil… and won!

"So who do we think this Paragon of Freedom is?" J'onn had a feeling Cas had a good idea.

"There must be a reason why the Monitor sent us here." Cas explained, "I believe the Paragon to be this reality's Dean Winchester. He refused to follow Heaven's plan for him. It was the ultimate act of free will. To refuse Michael even after all this loss and devastation, it show's true conviction."

"A man who has given everything for the survival of mankind," J'onn repeated the Monitor's words.

"Exactly." Cas agreed.

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Hours later the three seemed to be no closer to any sort of encampment. Barry had offered to superspeed around as it would be infinitely quicker. However, Cas warned that such a display of power would likely bring the unwanted attention of demons or angels that could be lurking nearby. Likewise, Cas refrained from flying overhead as any human survivors would undoubtably be hiding behind sigils that would render his sight useless. Nope, they would have to do this the long, hard, and human way.

They'd long since left the outskirts of the town and were now surrounded by trees on all sides. Even the foliage and plant life were barely holding on by a thread. Dead trees far outnumbered those with leaves and even then, the limbs drooped and sagged like thin fingers reaching downwards at the three. Barry couldn't decide if the town was worse, or this. Dean had said they hunted monsters and they were now on a parallel Earth to his, Cas and Sam's home. This little tidbit of information Barry suddenly remembered, and he peered into the forest. Ample darkness surrounded them on all sides regardless that it was midday. Plenty of places for anyone, or anything, to hide. Anything with big teeth and claws and glowing eyes and… Nope, Barry decided, the forest was definitely worse.

Slowly the terrain changed. The trees began to thin out. Junked cars and other vehicles, some military, were crashed or parked all over. Barry felt the ground change under his feet and he looked down. There was concrete underfoot and a faded yellow line.

"This is a highway!" Barry exclaimed spinning around. Now he could see it, a semi straight line of cars spread out both in front and behind them. Both lanes were taken up by vehicles heading in the same direction. At some point they must have crossed out of the trial they'd been following but he couldn't pinpoint exactly when.

'They all seem to have been fleeing something," J'onn noted, careful to keep his psychic touch outwards in case of approaching danger.

Up ahead where all the cars seemed to converge was a multiple car pile up. As they got closer the three saw a skeleton still gripping its wheel, the tattered remains of its hair billowing gently in the wind.

J'onn face turned down in a pained frown, "What the hell?" he grit through his teeth.

"Hell exactly," Cas eyes darkened at the human, yet another that could have been saved. But they didn't have time to dwell. They had to press onwards.

Cas suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. "Oh no." He moaned, the sight before him hit harder than he thought it would.

"What?" Barry stopped at the angel's side, confused over his outburst, "Its just a car?"

"No it's not," Cas reached out, skimming his fingers over the car's roof. The old impala was no longer black, it was pitted and dented and didn't even have three of it's wheels. Growing up and through the engine were vines and the seats inside the previously immaculate interior were slashed and cut. Cas's Dean would have never allowed such ruin to come to his most prized and beloved car, "This is bad."

Something rustled in the bushes on the other side of the railing behind the car.

"Castiel!" J'onn shouted, detecting a presence, but not soon enough.

A figure jumped from their hiding place and slammed a hand down onto the hood of the car. Once the hand made contact with the metal a previously invisible sigil burned bright yellow and Cas heard his compatriots scream before he too felt the pain they must have been feeling. And then his consciousness went dark.

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Barry came to with a searing breath that hurt his lungs. Attempting to stand he felt tight cuffs baring down on his ankles and wrists which forced him to remain seated in an old rickety chair. "What's happening?" Barry groaned and blinked hard. A glance around the room showed J'onn slumped over in his chair and shaking his head while Cas was coming to from where he was handcuffed to a pipe on the floor.

"I should be asking that question, don't you think?" A familiar man's voice rumbled from a corner of the dimly lit room. Out of the shadows a haggard and worn Dean carrying a machine gun and pulled a chair out to sit down right in front of Cas. With his thumb he flicked off his weapon's safety and leveled the barrel at the angel's face. For now it seemed Barry and J'onn were being ignored by Dean, "In fact, why don't you give me one good reason why I shouldn't gank you all right here and now?"

"Hello Dean." Cas squinted up at the hunter. While this man before him was chronologically a few years younger than his own Dean he couldn't help but think that this version looked so very much older.

Something akin to hurt and perhaps longing flitted across this Dean's face but Cas couldn't be sure. This was a Dean he barely even recognized.

Dean bit his lip and laughed humorlessly, "No see, you don't get to say that to me." He shoved a finger at Cas.

"Why?" Was Cas's blunt response.

"You don't just get to come in here with your heavenly shit and speak to me like the real Cas didn't just give up." Dean hefted his gun onto the table beside him and all three of the visitors breathed a sigh of relief.

"Whatever we are?" Barry strained against his restraints and began to vibrate his arms imperceptibly in preparation to phase through them. Well, almost imperceptibly. Cas caught his eye over their captor's shoulder and shook his head.

"Barry," Came J'onns voice in his head and he had to clench his jaw to keep from gasping out loud, "Cas says to let him handle this. We need to get this Dean to trust us if we are ever to convince him to aid us."

Barry nodded and leaned back in his chair.

"Dean," Cas sat up a little straighter, "We are not demons, or shapeshifters. I am Castiel, just not your Castiel."

Dean took a moment to consider, "I know." He said shocking the three. "While you were out I did all the tests," Counting off on his fingers, "Holy water, salt, silver knife, nothing. You even had this stashed up your sleeve like my Cas used to." Reaching into his jacket he pulled out Cas's angel blade. It looked sharp and dangerous in the dark lighting, "Good thing that hybrid sigil worked and didn't blow you to smithereens or halfway across the country, cause I've been meaning to bag an angel for a while. So why are you here?" He pointed the sharp end of the blade at Cas and then waved it over at Barry and J'onn. "I've never seen either of these two before." Then back at Cas, "And you look like you've put on a little more milage. So I guess I should ask; When are you from?"

"2019," Barry answered causing the hunter to whirl around in his seat. At Dean's sudden and intense attention the speedster pulled back, instantly regretting his outburst.

"I don't remember asking you. And do your parents know you're out this late kid?" Dean stood and crossed to Barry, bracing his hand on the back of his chair and leaning in close to his face.

"Dean," Cas grew impatient and yanked hard on his cuffs, pulling up short when they didn't break.

Dean smirked and walked back over to Cas, wiping a hand over his mouth and kneeling down in front of the angel, "Oh yeah, had those special made. Melted down angel blades," he pointed at the cuffs, "keeps you winged dicks from making a mess." Deep seated anger was plain on his face and his lips turned down in a grimace.

Cas tugged one last time and let his arm hang with a sigh, "I'm familiar with the concept. Dean we have traveled here because we need your help."

"My help," Dean scoffed, "Why don't you take a good look out that window," the hunter stood, bitterly glaring out the broken window panes. The dim light from the rising sun outside cast dark shadows across his face, making the angles of his face appear even harder, "Take a long look and see what my help is worth."

"There is a crisis coming," J'onn had had enough and stood abruptly, his body glowed red as he phased through his restraints, "And time is running out, for us all."

Seeing that J'onn had broken out Barry figured there was no point in staying tied up anymore. He vibrated his arms and legs until the cuffs clanged to the floor. In a flash that Barry was by Cas's side. Dean flinched at the lighting that suddenly filled the cabin.

Barry grasped the angel's forearm and vibrated their molecules until he had phased the angel cuffs off. Afterall, those cuffs may have been angel proof but they were not speedster proof. Nodding his thanks to Barry, Cas allowed the young man to help him to his feet.

"What are you?" Dean stumbled back in shock, hand going for his gun on the table immediately. For crying out loud he thought his prisoners had been tied up. He thought he had control of the situation, but it turns out he was far outmatched.

Instantaneously J'onn was in front of Dean. He clamped down on the gun, ripping it out of the human's grasp and tossed it effortlessly aside, "This will not be pleasant, but it is the easiest way," J'onn lifted his fingers to Dean's forehead.

"Angel?" Dean blurted and stepped back.

The side of J'onn's mouth tilted up in amusement, "Not exactly." He pressed his fingers to Dean's head and poured the Crisis into his mind.

Dean's eyes widened seeing all the possibilities of the other worlds. The battle on Earth-38 and the search for the Paragons. He saw Oliver's death and the heroes assembled to fight. And finally he bore witness to the Crisis coming for them all in the shape of a devastating light wave that filled his vision to overflowing and destroyed everything in its path. With a strangled yell Dean tore away from J'onn and fell to his knees.

Dean rolled back on his haunches and grabbed at his short hair.

"Dean." Cas yelled in concern and went to the Dean, instinct calling for him to wrap his arms around the hunter and ease his suffering.

Cas didn't even get close to touching him before Dean flinched back, "Don't." Dean's face was open and vulnerable, completely unguarded and Cas caught a glimpse of his Dean. He looked like he wanted nothing more than to let Cas in, but then in an instant his expression closed off again. The change was so quick and sudden that it would have been missed if not witnessed by three superhuman individuals, "Just don't Cas."

Cas's face pinched in hurt before resolutely turning his face away.

Barry felt for the angel.

"This is the end," Dean leaned over his knees, a wave of nausea sweeping over him, "This is the end. None of it, nothing…" Dean fell back on his rear, "All of this, everything we've done. Everyone I've lost. It was for nothing."

"No," J'onn pressed "it hasn't been for nothing. We need you. We believe you are a Paragon."

"A what?"

"One of eight heroes from across all of space and time who can save everything." Barry edged closer to the two.

"Buddy I don't know what's in the Kool-Aid you're drinking in 2019 but I ain't no hero." Dean brushed himself off and stood, shrugging the angel's grip off quite unkindly when Cas tried to help. Cas's face crumpled and he simply let his hand drop to his side.

"You got the wrong guy. I…" He paused taking in the three and how far they'd come. Throwing his hands up he made for the door.

"Where's Sam?" Cas called out to Dean.

Pausing with one foot in the door and one outside Dean ran a palm over his mouth, "Sam is gone."

"Gone?" Cas asked, voice tight.

Facing back around Dean hit the angel with all the anguish he could muster, "Sam said yes. And maybe I should have too." Turing on his heel he stormed out. The door slammed in his wake, rattling in its hinges.

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Cas, Barry and J'onn stealthy skirted around the encampment. Last thing they needed was a trigger happy apocalyptic survivor taking a crack at them.

Passing a particular cabin Cas paused, sensing a familiar presence within. He tilted his head, indicating the cabin's door and the three went inside.

Barry headed in first, coming to a stop and jumping back, knocking into Cas.

"What is it?" Cas whispered.

"You." Barry said under his breath.

The three hid just this side of a wall, hearing everything going on inside.

"So, in this way. We're each a fragment of total perception" Cas recognized his own gravely voice, although this one had a strange off-kilter lit to the way it said it words, "just, uh, one compartment in that dragonfly eye of group mind. Now, the key to this total, shared perception. It's, um, it's surprisingly physical."

Barry was weird out, "What?!" he and J'onn pressed their heads against the wall, attempting to hear more clearly and peeked around the corner.

In the center of the room surrounded by half a dozen women was a barefooted and quite filthy Castiel. His hair was unkempt and could use a cut, and honestly a wash, and he sported a splotchy beard. As Castiel brought his mediation session to a close and leaned in towards the women, "I'll be with you in a minute. Why not go get washed up for the orgy?"

Barry snapped his head back, mouth agape at the straightlaced version of the Angel behind him. Angel's and orgies should never be in the same sentence. Like ever. What the hell?

Cas felt both the Martian's and the Speedster's gazes hard and fast on him. Unbidden he felt his face heat up.

The six or seven women got to their feet and headed out, arms brushing over the seated Castiel as they passed him by. He gripped a few of their fingers before letting them go, "You're all so beautiful."

The women all squeezed past the three on their way out. Cas turned his face into the wall to avoid being recognized. He waited until he couldn't hear the ladies' footsteps before risking leaving his crouched position.

"Woah weird!" A gravely voice exclaimed right next to their hiding spot, so close and so loud the three whirled around and knocked into each other in the process. Without being noticed this Earth's Castiel had come right up on them quite silently, which for a dude of his size was not a small feat.

Earth-14 Castiel beamed at the three visitors, his attention drawn understandably to the near mirror image of himself, "Hey," He walked closer and poked Cas in the chest, "You're me, but you're not me! Woah."

"I am you," Cas squinted at him, "From Earth-79. They are from other Earths as well."

"Huh," Castiel pressed a finger to his chin, abruptly swinging around and walking back into the center of the cabin's main room. The three visitors exchanged confused glances and followed Castiel only to give a start when Castiel jumped back around to face them. An uneasiness settled in Cas's gut.

"Who did this to you?" Castiel asked, the ever-present dreamlike quality in his voice becoming even more prominent.

J'onn frowned at his question, "No one sent us here. We can here of our own volition."

"Now why would you do stupid thing like that?" Castiel squeaked out.

Ah, there it was. "Are you intoxicated?" Cas towered over his alternate self, which was not an easy feat given they were exactly the same height. Even with Cas's dulled sense of smell, courtesy of being an angel, this man reeked.

Castiel's face fell into a lopsided grin, "Uh, generally yeah."

"I have to talk to Dean about this." Cas turned on his heel but halted when his doubleganger laughed a full belly laugh that brought him up short. Slowly he turned around to face himself.

"Oh he knows. He just doesn't care what I do all that much anymore. Besides Dean's gone. Like way gone." Castiel stumbled into a table littered with half filled whiskey bottles and poured three fingers into a mirky glass.

"Hey slow down." Barry swooped in and effortlessly, so effortless that it was honestly concerning, plucked the glass out of the already intoxicated Cas's hands.

"Hey that's mine," Castiel pouted and grabbed for the glass only to fall off balance into J'onn who caught him around the waist. Castiel popped back up from his lopsided position and sauntered to the other side of the cabin like he hadn't just about fallen on his face, "Dean's on a "super secret super special" mission," He said around air quotes.

"What? Then why are you here?" Cas couldn't fathom a world where he didn't follow Dean and the Winchesters to the ends of the Earth and back.

"Because duh" Cas's eyes bugged out his head and if his constricted pupils were any indication the man was on something besides alcohol, "I'm not needed. I know he only kept me around for my angel mojo. He used me and I let him." Up to this point Castiel's face had been overly animated but now it was like a switched had flipped inside the fallen angel and he was suddenly serious. "We always let people use us don't we?" His words thrown like a javelin at his counterpart, "Now that's all gone and he can't even look at me. Maybe I don't wanna look at him either. Now," Cas straightened his stained shirt, "If you'll excuse me, if have some ladies waiting for me."

"I think you need a minute." J'onn blocked Castiel's path and pressed his fingers to the side of his head. Instantly Cas's eyes rolled back into this head and he fell like a rag doll.

In a flash Barry caught the man, "What was that for?" Barry threw J'onn an irritated glare and carefully maneuvered the man to the bed up against the wall and lowered him to the lumpy mattress. Castiel flopped to a stop and landed with one arm hanging over the bed. Now it was clearly easy to see the dark circles under his eyes, how pale his skin was and even how much thinner his was compared to their Cas.

"He's hurting. Right now the last thing he needs is more self-destructive behavior." J'onn solemnly. "I'm going to run a perimeter check," He took in the fallen angel on the couch, feeling deep sympathy for the lost man and left with a sigh.

Cas rubbed at the back of his neck. Dean had said that this world was bad, and of course Cas knew that the war of Heaven and Hell would ravage the planet. Oh but Cas hadn't thought about how it would have affected the both of them. Cas hadn't considered how such a reality would affect them personally. He felt sick. With one last glance at his doubleganger Cas threw his hand down and made for the cabin's exit, unable to remain in the same room as himself any longer.

"Castiel?" Barry's grasp on his arm halted his retreat.

At hearing his full name Cas felt his back tense up, like he was waiting for a blow that would never come, "Cas." He replied back.

"I'm sorry?" Barry asked, confusion flitting across the young man's face.

"My name is Cas. '-iel' means 'of God', and I'm not 'of' much of anything anymore." He said morosely. The angel made to leave again but Barry's grip on his coat was insistent. "What?" Cas asked in a clipped tone, his anger and sorrow of the last few hours bled through to his voice.

The speedster had something on his mind but was having trouble giving voice to it, "I got to ask you something man." Barry said while anxiously shifting his weight back and forth between his feet. He let go of Cas's jacket when the angel eyed his hand pointedly. In a motion that made the speedster look years younger Barry crossed his arms, curing in on himself and leaned in close to Cas so as to not be overheard, not that there was anyone to overhear. The cabin was empty save for one unconscious and intoxicated man, "Is there something we should know about you and Dean?"

Cas jolted as this was not at all what he expected to come out of Barry mouth, "I don't know what you mean?"

"I saw you back there with Earth-14 Dean and now this version of you… and its clear that something is going on."

"Barry…"

"If this guy really is the Paragon we think he is we all need our heads in the game." Barry gulped as he tried to say this as delicately as he could, "Are you and Dean…."

Cas's head snapped down to the floor when he realized what the speedster was implying, his whole body became tense light a taunt bowstring, "No."

"But you want to be." When Cas failed to break out the stony expression he seemed to have locked into Barry continued, "Cas I know you don't know me, and I don't you but we need to have clear heads going forwards. I saw. You nearly shut down when this Earth's Dean yelled at you. This is incredibly dangerous."

"It's not a matter of want." Cas sat down on the torn and frayed couch in the corner of the room and leaned forward on his thighs, "You have to understand that I am an angel."

"Oh, I know." Barry said.

"No, I don't think you do."

Barry sat down beside Cas but didn't say anything only allowing his open expression to prompt the angel to continue.

"This," Cas held his hands up, "is not who I am. This is a vessel. I am so different from you that to see me as I really am would kill most humans. I wasn't always as I am now. I was a… warrior, a soldier."

"And you're not anymore?"

"No. not for a while. I don't, I truthfully don't know what I am. I was created to follow orders and obey and that's all I did for millions of years. The universe was so simple." He mourned that simplicity in a strange way, but Cas knew that given the chance he wouldn't change a thing about the events that led him here, "Meeting the Winchesters, meeting Dean. He showed me that there was another way. I never had free will until he showed me I could make my own choices. Believe me, I've made quite a few mistakes. The ability to choose, to make one's own path, was what I fell for. Being an angel sets me so far apart from humanity, but with Dean I feel human. I rebelled for Dean and I fell. He grounded me to earth and these people. Because of Dean I… I feel. He's my…"

"He's your lighting rod." Barry said with a faraway look in his eyes but like he understood everything the seraph had said on a personal level.

Cas simply nodded, "Yes, in a way. That's an elegant way to put it."

"I have someone like that." Barry's lips pulled up in a genuine smile, the grief that had darkened his face ever since Oliver's death lifted and it was like seeing the clouds part on a rainy day to let the sun though.

"Who?" Cas wondered aloud.

"Iris, my wife." Barry rolled his wedding band around his ring finger, "I don't talk about this often but being what I am, being a speedster, I sometimes feel inhuman. Its so easy to slip into the speed force and just let the speed take me away."

"What's stops you."

"Her smile, her love. She is someone I want to slow down for." Distantly Barry was brought back to a conversation he and Oliver had in a bar almost a year ago, "People like us, we're always going to struggle with our humanity. But having people like my Iris, like Dean, it just makes staying human all that more worth it. You found someone to care for, someone to fight for. That's a rare thing for people like us. It what keeps us on a hero's journey."

"Seeing myself… being here with this Dean and seeing all the pain he's been through." Cas all but folded in on himself, his hands clasping together like a prayer that was never to be made, "I know he's not my Dean but it still…"

"It still hurts." Barry patted the angel on the back, "Thank you for opening up to me."

At last Cas raised his head, "You have quite the insight into how the human heart works Barry Allen."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Earth 18

The second Constantine exited the portal he made for the large pool of water in the center of the cave and stuck two fingers into it. As he swirled his hand around the water clumped together with thick algae and murk, "This is the place," Removing his fingers he promptly stuck them in his mouth, his face pinching up in disgust, "Yep. That's clean enough."

"Eww," Sara curled her lips back and shook herself, "Yeah I never get used his him doing shit like that."

Sam blanched, just as grossed out as she was, "I don't wanna know," and he knelt to begin removing planks of wood that had been haphazardly tossed over the small pit of water, "We'll clear this out. "

Mia and Sara lit torches and jammed them into the ground around the pit.

"All right." Constantine pulled an extrapolator from his pocket and reactivated the portal, "We'll go get Oliver." He nodded at Mia who followed him through.

The portal closed with a zip that plunged the cavern into an uneasy silence save for the crackle of the fire.

Sam scoped out the position they were in while he and Sara worked to clear out the pit. One the far side of the cavernous enclosure they were in was a dark tunnel with an old time mining cart over turned. Whoever had been in here last had left in a hurry. The tunnel continued onwards into the darkness and the fact that he couldn't see all the way down into the mine sent shivers down Sam's spine. Not only were their backs were pretty much exposed, so were their fronts as the entrance to the outside was unable to be seen from their vantage point. Anybody could come in and none of them would be aware until the intruder was right atop them. This wasn't a position Sam enjoyed at all. Made all the more nerve wracking given what they planned to do here. "So how does this pit work exactly?" Sam nudged some debris with his foot.

"The waters can heal any injury and bring people back to life."

"You sound like you're talking from experience?"

Sara didn't answer that, instead she tossed the last plank of wood blocking the water's surfac to the side and simply sat at the base of the pit. Sam could see her swallowing hard and her eyes began to shine.

Sam winced a bit as his knees cracked while taking a seat beside Sara.

"When I said I died before, this," Sara jerked her chin over her shoulder to the pit behind the two, "is how Oli brought me back."

"What was the cost?"

"The pit can heal any injury, but when a person who is already dead is placed in its waters it only brings the body to life. Who that person was, their soul. That stays gone. I don't remember much from right after I came back, before Oliver rescued my soul. All I felt was empty."

This was all to familiar to Sam, "Are you sure this is something you want to do?"

"Oli did it for me," Sara sighed, the hard lines of her face that she wore like a battle mask since Oliver died softened around the edges, "He went into purgatory and pulled me out. And maybe I was better off where I was. Who knows? My memories from right before he pulled my soul out are hazy... but I think I was in heaven. I know that I was happy. But if I'd have stayed gone there's so much I would have missed. I didn't truly begin to live my life until after I died. I owe Oli for that."

"I get that. I really do. I came back soulless once and my brother didn't stop until he put me back together. My brother and I should have stayed dead a dozen times over but we can't let each other go." Sam leaned back on his haunches, "And after all this time perhaps we should. There's always consequences for playing with death. We have to think about the consequences of bringing Oliver back."

Sara quirked a blonde eyebrow, "A consequence bigger than all worlds ending?"

"Touche," Sam had to give her that one.

"I know I'm a sore loser." Sara said after a pause, "I'm the captain of a freakin time ship. Any death I can go back and change'; the teammates I've lost, my father," she choked up a bit," my sister. I have the power to go back and change their fates and I think about it, oh, all the time. But I don't because history is so fragile. This time its too much. I just can't lose him too."

Sam had to wonder. If he'd had the power to go back in time like Sara, could he restrain himself from bringing back everyone he'd ever lost regardless of the cost? He'd like to say that he was strong enough, but he truthfully didn't know.

"The Monitor said that Oliver died before his time. Mia needs her father. And I…" Sara licked her dry lips as a few tears made their way down her face. She brushed them away and wrapped her arms around her bent knees, "I'm not ready to let my friend go."

Sam hesitantly raised his hand and when Sara didn't move away he put it on her shoulder, "Whatever happens next I got your back," he tightened his grip for emphasis.

Sara nodded her gratitude.

That was when footsteps echoed out of the tunnel leading to the entrance, "Seems you lost travelers have tied your horse to the wrong saloon." A dark figure lumbered down the long corridor. Once the man came full into the light of the flickering torches illuminated his dusty long coat and worn cowboy hat. He lifted the tip of his hat allowing his face to at last be seen, "This mine is off limits." His lips pulled back in a snarl.

They were on theirr feet in seconds and Sam saw recognition flash across Sara's face.

"Hex." She greeted the man with a curt tilt of her head but didn't relax for one second, "We need to use this pit, then we'll be on our way." Sam noticed with practiced eyes how she readied her stance for combat.

"You know me but I don't know you little lady," He sauntered up to her and outstretched his hand to drag and lone finger down her cheek, "Well I'm ah, sure we can come to an arrangement."

Sam was ready to jump into action but Hex's finger never made contact with Sara's face. Sara quickly gripped the wrist poised by her face in one hand while stopping the other arm that Sam had failed to notice wielding a knife in the other. Her foot swept Hex's feet out from over him and as he fell Sara twisted his arms across each other and by the time Hex's knees collided with the ground in a loud thump Sara had him pinned. The fight was over in seconds.

Sara stood above Hex, "The mine is ours." She lowered his serrated blade closer to his face for emphasis.

"The hell it is." Hex gave a futile shove at Sara which only made her press the knife against his face. His eyes bugged out of his head.

"Guess you were gonna get this scar eventually, Hex." And Sara began to cut across his mouth.

Oh! Now Sam recognized this man. Jonah Hex! Sam knew that if Dean had been here, he would have been squealing like a fan girl at the cowboy DC hero. It appeared the universe still had a few surprises in store for him.

Hex groaned in pain and finally gasped his surrender, "Ease up, cowgirl. The mine's yours. The mine's yours."

Sara shoved him to the ground. As he began to sit up Sara balled up her fist and knocked him across the jaw and thus it was lights out for the old sheriff.

Sam was struck stock still. He hadn't seen anybody move that fast, apart from the flash of course. "Wow!"

"Thanks," Sara beamed.

A blue portal sprang to life, depositing Constantine and Mia who held of Oliver's body between them.

Constantine took in the unconscious man, "You start all the fun without us?"

Sara had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes and waved her hand at the pool, "Just put him in."

The torches set up around the pit set the shadows flickering around the four into sharp contrast. They carefully lifted Oliver's body on a makeshift stretcher. Each held on tight to a rope attached at each corner and they lowered him into the pool, taking great care not to get any water on themselves.

Once Oliver had been full submerged the air was tense as they all braced for something to happen. Sam let out a breath he didn't realized he'd been holding and peered down into the still, dark water. Oliver's body wasn't even visible from the surface any longer. How deep was this pit?

Minutes ticked by and still nothing happened.

Sam had taken up pacing back and forth across the cavern. This waiting was grating. "Is this supposed to be an instantaneous thing or…?"

Mia had not moved an inch from where she'd knelt at the side of the pit. Frustrated she threw herself into a standing position, "It's not working." She snapped at Sara.

"Just give it some time." Sara waved her hand at Mia, gesturing for her to stay put. Then to Sam and Constantine, "When he comes out we have to restrain him as fast as possible. Understood?" She inclined her head at the hunter.

"Got it." Sam nodded back.

More and more time slid by and nothing happened. Even Sara was having a hard time remaining still at this point. Something had to be wrong.

Sam ceased his pacing a came to a stop beside Constantine, "With all the Earth's dying could the magic have drained from the pit too?" He asked.

Constantine flawed his jaw as he considered the notion, "Ah it's possible. I should be sensing…"

He never finished that sentence.

"Hahhhhh!" Water exploded outwards as a body launched itself high into the air with an animalistic scream.

Sam flinched, water sprayed into his face and the body landed on the balls of its feet. A feat that should have been impossible.

Sara and Mia being the closest to the pool were flung to the ground. Sara threw her hands over her face and missed the fist coming her way until it collided with her chest and knocked the air out of her lungs. She collapsed to the ground.

Constantine scrambled back and at that sound the body whirled around. It was Oliver, but it was not. There was a crazed and feral glaze to his eyes. A growl escaped his lips and he ran forward.

Oliver charged Constantine and Sam had little time. He yanked the warlock back the scruff of his trench coat. He fell backwards and Oliver ran right past where he'd just been standing.

Sam saved Constantine from eating the dirt only at the last second and heaved the man up. "You good?" Sam steadied him as he swayed.

"Thanks mate." Constantine said while pulling hard on his coat to straighten it out and steeling his nerves.

Sam acknowledged the brit with a nod and tensed for Oliver's body to make another go at them. But it never came.

Oliver snarled and flailed around; his attention now solely focused on someone else.

"Dad?" Mia called out, even in this state her father should know her of all people. Right? Her voice was full of hope which only grew when Oliver started towards her. The hope on her face quickly changed to confusion and then fear when he didn't slow down his advance, his gait particularly predatory. In this situation Mia was quite literally a deer caught in the head lights.

Oliver's hand outstretched to grab the young woman, his fingers curled into claws.

And then a needled was shoved into his neck and Oliver fell like a bag of bones.

"What?" Mia shouted at Sara who stood over Oliver with the offending needle in her hand, "You tranqed him?" She was outraged.

Sara was breathing hard and had a hand pressed against her sternum which still vibrated from Oliver's blow, "I tranqed his body. We still have to get his soul back."

Sam watched the unconscious man for any signs of movement. Nothing of the Oliver who died for Earth-38 was present. It was a monster, just as he'd been without his soul. He had to fix this.

Sara looked down at what used to be and, God willing, would be her friend again. She couldn't fail him, "That isn't Oliver yet."