The Demon Made You Do It

"No! Stop it! Stop fighting! Luci! Michael!" Gabriel screamed, tossing back and forth in his sheets. Balthazar kept his face buried in his pillow, listening to his brother's distress. The archangel had started suffering from nightmares only moments ago. It had started out with him tossing and turning, but now he was full out screaming as he was tortured within his dreams. Normally Balthazar would have gotten up to help, but he didn't dare move. The angels weren't alone in their room. At Gabriel's side Cas sat upright, body slumped like a puppet. His eyes were black and his lips were creased in a terrifying smile. "Please…" Gabriel whimpered in his sleep. "Who are you? What do you want?"

Balthazar took a deep breath. It was now or never. He had been waiting days for the demon in Cas to strike. Gabriel had been the only one to not have his dreams attacked and Balthazar had stuck close to his brother, waiting for his chance.

That chance was now.

Balthazar shot upwards, sending bed sheets and pillows flying. He grabbed at the camera he had hidden beneath his pillow. The demon looked directly at him with wide eyes and Balthazar snapped the image. The demon let out a low growl. "Shouldn't have done that," it hissed. Castiel's hands reached for Balthazar's throat, squeezing hard. Balthazar gasped, struggling against the demon's hold. He swung out with a silver wing, but stopped mid-swing.

The sound of heavy footsteps rushed down the hall towards them. The demon possessing Castiel cursed and glared at Balthazar with a hungry gaze. "This isn't over," it whispered darkly. He released Balthazar then and the angel collapsed onto the bed, sputtering for breath and rubbing at the faint bruises staining his skin. Castiel's body began to shake right after. Black wings snapped out harshly and his head flew back. Black eyes rolled up into the back of his head and when they rolled back blue stared back at Balthazar tiredly.

"Balthy?" Cas yawned. Balthazar smiled sadly at his brother.

"It's okay, Cassie, I'm here," he rasped.

The door flew wide open and Dean Winchester rushed inside with his brow creased into a worried frown. On seeing Gabriel tossing and turning in the bed his teeth gnashed together. He hurried over, not saying a word to Cas or Balthazar. The hunter shook at Gabriel, trying to rouse the archangel.

"Gabe? Come on, dude. Wake up," he called. Gabriel shot up, eyes wide and full of fat tears as he screamed. Dean quickly wrapped his arms around the angel, holding on tight. "It's okay. It was just a dream." Dean rubbed a hand up and down Gabriel's back. "It was only a nightmare, Gabe. Everything's okay. I got you," Dean whispered on a mantra. Gabriel let out choked sob and hiccups, clinging to the hunter like his life depended on it.

"No more," the angel whimpered. He nuzzled against the hunter's shirt. "No more –"

"Hey, hey," Dean hushed as he held Gabriel closer. The worried hunter quickly pushed off the bed. "Let's go downstairs," he whispered. "I'll put a movie in and get you some hot chocolate." With no argument from the angel in his arms, Dean carried the angel out of the room and down the hall, leaving Balthazar and Castiel alone in the dark bedroom.

Cas frowned at the half open door. "What happened?" he questioned while rubbing at his eyes.

"Nightmare," Balthazar stated, fiddling with his camera. He flipped through the many pictures on it, stopping on the one he had only taken seconds ago.

"Oh," Castiel whispered. "I suppose I'm next then? I haven't had one yet." A thoughtful look crossed his expression. "Actually, I haven't had any nightmares in forever. I wonder why…" Cas trailed off as he turned to look at his brother. His eyes fell onto the camera screen. It was a picture of him with murderous black eyes. "What –"

"Cas, it's you," he whispered. Cas shook his head, pulling away from his brother.

"No…no. I…" Cas held a hand to his mouth, not knowing what to say or even think. Balthazar watched his brother sadly, setting his camera down out of sight.

"You've been having trouble remembering things right? You wake up in strange places not knowing how you got there?" Cas' body shook, the shock of everything coursing through him.

"No!" Cas shouted. He tried to think of something to prove Balthazar wrong. "No, you're lying. I can't…I can't be…" He couldn't. He couldn't think of anything.

Tears started to bud in the corners of Castiel's eyes. He hung his head and buried it into the palms of his hands.

"I'm sorry, Cassie," Balthazar whispered. Castiel didn't look at him. Balthazar's heart squeezed and he reached out to his brother. "It'll be okay, Cassie. I'm going to help you," Balthazar whispered. When Cas still didn't move, Balthazar pulled his brother closer so they were chest to chest. Balthy held on tight, whispering softly into Castiel's hair that everything would be okay.

"We have to tell the others," Cas finally whispered against Balthazar's shoulder. Balthazar tensed, but nodded. He had made a promise to Missouri to tell the others eventually. He didn't want to tell them. The fear of seeing their broken reactions twisted at his gut, but Balthy knew they couldn't wait any longer. The others had to know.

"Let's do it now then," Balthazar suggested. He stood, holding a hand out to his brother. Castiel stared at the hand outstretched to him. He reached for it, but stopped himself. He bit down at his lip and pulled back his hand, folding it back into his lap and making a tight fist.

"Can you go ahead without me?" Castiel asked softly. "I…need a moment." Balthazar nodded, giving his brother a small smile.

"Sure, Cassie," he whispered. He grabbed the camera from where he'd set it on the floor. "See you in a bit." Balthazar turned his back then and walked out of the room, disappearing into the hall. Castiel stared after Balthazar, a small smirk easing across his face. His eyes flickered, going from a bright blue to an ominous black.

"Yes," The demon whispered in Castiel's voice. "See you in a bit."