Alright, my first english fanfiction. I've been writing before - a lot actually, but all German, as that is my mother tongue. So, if you happen to notice major mistakes in my story: Please tell me. I'd really appreciate that. Especially for kommata. I set far too many for the English language. It just looks wrong, if there are any less. Any of you know that feeling?

Whatever, back to the point. First English story. Reviews would be really welcome, as it's also my first story to Supernatural. Well, and it seems, it's going to be some kind of series... You know, like writing an alternative sixth season. I should really shoot and salt this damn plotbunny.

I wish you pleasurable reading (does one say it that way?)

Prologue - Angel on my doorstep

Cicero, Indiana

The doorbell rang. It was 11:30 in the evening and the doorbell rang. Ben was already fast asleep and Lisa possibly too. There was only Dean awake now, because he had had another nightmare of Sam falling, jumping into the pit. Just another nightmare of hell. God, one would think, he'd gotten used to them by now. It's been a year since Sam fell.

The doorbell rang again. It was strange, how the persistense of the nightly intruder reminded him of someone. Dean groaned and heaved himself up from the couch, beer still in his hand. He should stop drinking so much.

The doorbell rang a third time. Dean sighed heavily, checked the devil's trap in front of his door a last time and opened only after that. His breathing stopped for a moment and the beer nearly glid out of his suddenly numb hands. "Cass..."

"Dean."

Dean hadn't seen the angel since that day in Stull Cemetery. Castiel hadn't changed one bit. Except... "You learned how to ring a doorbell." That was probably the most stupid thing to say, Dean thought just a moment later.

"Yes." He gave Dean his best intense stare.

"Why are you here, Cass?" He stopped for a moment to think. "You want to come in?"

"Yes, I think I want to."

Dean gave him a small smile. Cass was still Cass. Completely clueless, when it came to human behaviour. Cass looked around carefully as Dean guided him into the living room.

"So, Cass, what brings you here?" Dean opened another beer for himself. The last one had vanished between the door and the living room.

"There is civil war in heaven and now the demons have started moving again."

"Woah, woah, woah, wait a moment. Civil war in heaven? Cass, care to elaborate?" That was going a tad too fast for Dean.

"God is still gone and with Michael gone, too, the different parties started waging war." Cass' face stayed completely serious. His gaze was troubled though.

"Parties?"

"Raphael is trying to reset Armageddon. He wants to break Lucifer and Michael out of the cage."

Dean remembered now, why it was so different to talk to Cass. He always stated facts and didn't care to tell, how they added up. "How?"

"The cage is built through all its seals. Sixtysix are broken, sixhundred left. If all seals are broken, the cage opens."

"And here I thought, we stopped it. Hell, Sam jumped in the pit to stop it." Dean rested his forehead in his hands. He couldn't believe it. It was just too much. "Can we rescue Sam then?"

"Yes." Cass shrugged his shoulders. Dean wasn't sure, if Cass knew, what that gesture meant. "What is left of him."

"What do you mean by that?"

"He was inside this cage for a year with two angry angels."

"Cass...?" He startled over his own sentence, when Cass suddenly laid his head to one side, as if listening to something.

"I have to go."

"Cass, don't give me that crap. Why did you come here?"

"Dean, you have to protect the seals. Lucifer and Michael must never walk this earth again."

"Why?" He stopped for a moment to calm down. He couldn't raise his voice now or Lisa would wake up. "Cass, why me?"

Castiel took a step towards Dean. "Listen, Dean, most of the last year I have spent as a multidimensional celestial wavelength. At the moment, I'm not good at this whole human thing." He inhaled deeply. "You are the first man. You can stop it." Dean froze solid, when the whole intensity of Cass' gaze captured him. "I trust you to stop it."

"Cass, I can't do it."

"Why?" Cass leaned his head to one side. His unreadable stare became questioning. God, Dean had completely forgotten, how difficult it could be to talk to an angel, especially this one.

"Because I am not, who I used to be. I haven't hunted even once this last year. I got rusty." And he didn't want to go hunting again. He lost enough.

Cass just stared at him for a couple of minutes. "When I told you, you weren't the burnt and broken shell of a man, I believed you to be, I really believed that. I know, I was right about you. You are no burnt and broken shell. Why do you still act like that?"

"Because I am." Dean heard his voice break. "I am burnt and broken. I am so tired of this life."

"I don't understand." Against his will, Dean had to laugh. That was so like Cass, it hurt.

"I don't as well. I guess I just keep on fighting, because I don't know better." A sad smile crossed his face. "You really want me to protect anything?"

"Yes."

And he vanished.

"Great."

So much for the prologue. Did I picture Cass and Dean right here? I'm not so sure... Next chapter in progress.