Sam gazed at his hands, the hands that had destroyed so many demons in the past…that carried so many scars and scratches from battles and fights lost and won. The hands that were now dripping with blood – blood from his own brother. The life fluid was warm and sticky as it congealed in clots on his hands. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he looked towards Dean laying on the gravel lifeless, his face grimaced in heartbreak as he looked towards the stab wound in Dean's back, the body surrounded in the dirty red fluid. He reached out to touch his brother's shoulder, shaking him slightly, begging him to wake up…to smile at Sam…to become alive.

'Come on Dean….Dean?' Sam continued to shake his brother, sobs escaping his quivering mouth. 'Dean please…DEAN!'

No movement stirred within Dean's empty vessel as Sam held him tightly, clutching him with all his might, clutching his only brother as he then screamed hoarsely, enraging Dean to get up. Sam had already lost Dean once, saw his chest ripped apart to shreds by hellhounds – and now his back with a ragged knife wound exposing capillaries and veins that could never be mended. Sam couldn't lose him again – couldn't go though all the pain and grief he went through the previous time. He just couldn't.

'Dean…please…I promise…look we can quit this hunter stuff like you said, if you wake up…come on Dean! Wake up!!!'

Suddenly, intense but soothing coldness invaded Sam's shoulder as he felt a hand place gently there. He turned around quickly to see his company, his face red and blotchy from the salty emotion that cascaded from his eyes, one hand on his knife ready for any attacker.

'Castiel?'

'Hello Sam' Castiel stood before Sam, a cold aura seemed to surround the atmosphere making Sam shiver. His cream trench coat wavered in the winter wind, as his body stood motionless, his face a picture of solemn sadness. In the shadows, Sam could just make out the outlines of feathery wings hidden in the black night air. 'I am sorry for your loss…' Castiel said morbidly, his hand still remaining tightly on the Winchester's shoulder.

'Help him please Cas…I need him'

'Sam you know I cannot help Dean…he has passed on, I cannot bring back a soul that is destined to move on'

Sam rose up, shrugging the angels hand off of his shoulder, pointing harshly to his brother. 'Look at him…look at him Cas…I…I need him here…I need him Cas please! Give me my brother back!' Sam grabbed hold of the collar of Castiel's coat, his sobs becoming desperate and grief-stricken as he looked intently into the angel's eyes. 'Please…'

'Sam, you need to understand. Destiny cannot be changed. It was Dean's destiny to die today.' His eyes broke away from Sam, looking towards the lifeless cocoon of Dean, a slight expression of agony sweeping over his face for a spilt second.

'I died once…but I came back…why can't you do the same for Dean!? Why can't his destiny be changed?'

'Yes Sam you came back…but look at your life now. You are slowly losing the people around you…you are becoming something you hunt…and now you have let your brother die…'

'What?'

'Come on Sam. You know that if Dean didn't sell his soul all that time ago to bring you back, none of this would have happened. He wouldn't have had to die previously, he wouldn't have had to face the fight of Lilith, and he wouldn't have had to endure me…and the protecting of the seals. He would have been normal again. But your destiny changed all that…and not for the better Sam.'

'You're saying I murdered my own brother?' Rage flared up in Sam's eyes, his fist clenched ready to hurt Castiel, but before Sam could even react, Castiel placed his hand over Sam's fist, making the Winchester unable to move.

'No Sam…your destiny did. And I'm sorry. I am not going to change Dean's destiny, for something that is not going to be better for him. It is not about your needs anymore Sam. Dean is safe now – he has been saved from the torture of Hell. He will be with us in heaven, an angel among us messengers. Dean Winchester has become a savoir.'

Castiel placed an understanding, peaceful kiss onto Sam's forehead, whispering: 'I'm sorry' under his breath before he vanished, leaving the air bitter cold and frozen.

'Castiel...' Sam stuttered softly, wanting so much for the angel to return. He wasn't finished. He needed Dean…he needed him like he needed to breath. Dean was his brother – his whole life, and it was being ripped from him, never to come back. Sam looked towards Dean, looking at this vessel whose soul has now become a newborn angel…a new savoir for humanity, and all he could do was cry, to collapse next to his brother in a heap holding him in his arms, wanting him to come back but ever now knowing that Dean wouldn't resurrect again in a few months…he wouldn't be the cheeky, funny brother that he could laugh, play and fight with…he would be forever gone. And Sam would have to carry on alone – just like it has been written in destiny.