If he focused on his breathing, he could almost ignore just how bad the burns hurt.

Breathing in, and out. Breathing in, and out.

Opening his eyes he stared up at the ceiling, not daring yet to move. He felt Cas move around him, hands hovering over the areas that got the worst of the attack and slowly healing him.

It was a slow process. Cas was still running on low grace and it was a pain for him to even be doing this.

But Sam didn't want Dean, or Michael; he had no idea who was who anymore, anywhere near him at the moment leaving the healing to the only other angel they trusted in the bunker.

"Sam, do you think you can try to talk yet?" Cas asked him.

In response Sam cleared his throat, trying to get it work again. It felt as dry as sand, and just as rough. Cas picked up the water bottle on the nightstand and opened it, bringing it to Sams lips and helping him drink.

It felt like a bigger relief than all the healing Cas had done so far. He drank eagerly and deeply, coughing once he was done.

"Thanks." he managed to rasp out. "For everything."

"Of course." Cas said, putting the water bottle back onto the nightstand. He glanced over Sam's body and then sat at the edge of the bed. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Some." Sam said, not even sure if that was a lie or not. "I'm alright, just need some time to get over this."

Cas nodded, staring at him. Sam shifted enough to look at the angel, not liking the look in his eyes.

"If you're going to lecture, can it wait until I can actually move?" Sam requested, breathing out a laugh at the way Cas rolled his eyes.

"No because then you can leave the room." Cas told him. "And unfortunately, I can't heal you anymore for the time being. Unless you want...Michael to come in."

"No, I don't." Sam said softly. "Really don't want anything to do with him right now."

"I heard Dean, he didn't know that the grace would hurt you in such a way." Cas said softly. "He's mad at himself more so than anything else."

He couldn't help but hear the irony in that. Dean had two options, to be mad at himself or Michael who was also inside of him.

He didn't think Cas would see the humor like he did so he didn't bother to say it out loud.

"Is Jack okay?" he asked instead. The kid had been the one to find him once the grace had burned him from the inside and he was more worried about him than himself.

"He's shaken." Cas told him. "But he will be alright."

Sam took a deep breath, ignoring how that made his chest hurt. "I'll talk to him later," he said. "Just...need some time to recuperate."

"Of course." Cas agreed, nodding. He had his hands on his lap and was silent for a moment before he spoke. "May I ask...what happened?"

Sam took a deep breath. "Just trying to regain something." he said tiredly. "Cas, thank you just...can we talk later? Please?"

Cas hesitated but then looked over his wounds once more. "Alright." he agreed. "Rest for now Sam, I will be back later to continue healing you."

Despite everything and despite how tired he was, he couldn't go to sleep. He was too wired up and still in too much pain to do anything but lay there and wait for things to subside.

He didn't move or tense up when he heard his bedroom door open, or when someone came in. He didn't bother to open his eyes, he knew who it was just by the footsteps alone, and had no desire to talk to him.

He could hear him move around his room, getting closer to him. If he knew that Sam was faking being asleep he didn't call him out. Dimly he could hear something being placed on his nightstand and a hand gently touching his forehead.

It was a rush of cold spread through him as he was healed completely, the burns disappearing under the bandages, skin melding together again.

It felt amazing to breathe again without being in pain.

Sam still didn't move when he pulled his hand back. He could hear him linger by his side for another moment before he turned and left the room, closing the door gently behind him.

Once his brother was gone Sam opened his eyes and slowly sat up, moving his limbs around. He tugged the bandages off, letting them fall to the ground. Turning his head his eyes widened when he saw what Dean had left on the nightstand.

There was another vial of grace there, waiting for him.

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