TIME – Chapter 6

I do not own any of the characters of Supernatural.

Insert Wincest warning here

DEAN

Dean awakens in the motel room and he feels a moment of panic that he is not strapped to the rack any longer, because that is all he knows. His mind trips over the idea that he is no longer in hell, not believing it for a moment. Any second now, the room will melt away and the torture chamber will come back into focus.

A sharp, high pitched whining sound invades Dean's ears and propels him off the bed in a blinding panic, and as the sound worsens, Dean covers his ears, while glass shatters everywhere in the room, raining down on him. He falls to the ground in agony, knowing deep in his soul that Hell has realized he is gone, and has come looking to reclaim him.

The sound disappears abruptly as it began and Dean slowly uncovers his ears, his eyes surveying the damage to the motel room, his heart still thudding unsteadily in his chest. He sees a figure seated at the battered table and knows its Alistair, there to escort him back to hell.

His eyes focus and he sees it isn't Alistair, it's a dark haired blue eyed man, who looks more like an accountant than a demon, but Dean knows appearances can be deceiving.

He gets unsteadily to his feet and with every ounce of courage he can muster, he speaks to the man in a raspy voice. "Who the fuck are you?"

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Castiel has been speaking for what seems like hours, but Dean is no closer to comprehending the man's words. Apparently Castiel is an angel that raised Dean from hell because the Lord has work for Dean. There is more, but Dean can't hear it, because the inside of his brain is roaring at a deafening level.

He has told Castiel over and over again, his voice growing hoarser each time, that Castiel is wrong. Dean is not the man that Castiel or God (and Dean chokes saying the word) thinks he is. He cannot do the Lords work, he is evil, he is wrong, he is sick. Tears roll down his face, pleading with Castiel to understand his words, but the angel only comes close to him, looks him deeply in the eye and with a gentle voice tells Dean that God is never wrong.

With the slightest beating of invisible wings in the air, the strange angel in the cheap suit and trenchcoat is gone, leaving Dean alone in the room.

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SAM

Sam had been seated on the opposite bed from Dean in the mostly demolished motel room for over an hour, listening to Dean tell the story of Castiel's visit. He watches his brother's face closely, seeing it lighten into a manic sheen, his mouth ceaselessly moving over and over again, as he reshapes and retells the story from several different angles.

Without thinking of the consequences, Sam moves to sit beside his brother, his arm going around Dean's shoulders, his fingers patting Dean softly, urging him to calm down. Dean leans against him willingly, needed the support and comfort, but within seconds he has stiffened and he is holding himself away from Sam like he is on fire and Dean is avoiding the flames . He feels Dean's breath hitch and change, the pulse in his neck thudding sporatically, and Dean jumps up, moving away from Sam quickly, his hands pushing at his hair, scratching at his head compulsively.

"No, Sam," he says in a thick voice, his eyes looking everywhere but Sam, his fingers still scratching at his skull intensely.

Sam is afloat on a sea of confusion and he begins to speak, "Dean, I-," but he gets no farther because Dean holds up a hand like a cop directing traffic, giving Sam the universal sign for stop. Sam's mouth opens and closes a few times, words wanting to escape, but obeying Dean's command as always.

Dean's voice is that of a stranger, and he still is not looking Sam in the eye, but he manages to rasp out brokenly, "You can't touch me Sam, I can't take it, man. You don't know what they did to me down there. I am back but I am pretty fucking far from all right. I don't think I will ever be all right again."

As the truth to his own words hits Dean in the face with the same force as a bullet ripping through him, he falls to his knees in front of Sam, sobbing openly.

Sam stares at his broken brother with tears in his own eyes, and wants to reach out to him so badly, the force is pulling him forward on his own accord, but he remembers Dean's words and knows Dean is telling him the truth, so he stops short of Dean and falls to his own knees, and cries in his own tears for his brother.

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CASTIEL

He watches from a corner of the ugly motel room, curious eyes focused on the two men. He has made himself invisible to them now, so he can observe.

Castiel is an angel of the Lord, a soldier in God's army. He is still getting used to his vessel, a devout man who prayed to be a part of the Lords work.

Wearing a person is a new experience for Castiel, but he had no choice when he realized that Dean could not handle his true visage. So with Jimmy's approval, Castiel had taken him over, and come to see Dean.

Castiel is an Angel, so human emotions and feelings are alien to him. He doesn't understand the scene in front of him, and in a whisper, he asks Jimmy for help.

Jimmy watches with him, the two men now on their knees inches apart, not touching, both of them crying and Jimmy is confused as well. He tells Castiel that the men are devastated in some way, their hearts are both breaking, but Jimmy cannot understand the reason for it. He just knows what he is seeing, not what's behind it.

Castiel knows how important to his Father the two men are, and although he has no instincts, Jimmy helps him understand that to be able to help the men, he has to know why they are both dying from heart ache. He must help them or they will no longer be useful to his Father.

Castiel walks to the two men and ghosts a hand over each of their foreheads and in an instant they both are asleep. He carries them separately to the same bed, lying them side by side.

Thoughtfully, he watches them slumber, pondering his next move. He had touched them to give them peace, his vessel knowing what he didn't, that both men needed peace or they would break apart.

Now he waits for a sign from his Father, his own mind blank and unconcerned. He doesn't receive a sign, but he hears Jimmy in his head again, whispering an idea.

Castiel doesn't think it breaks from protocol, so he shrugs his vessels shoulders and places his fingers on the side of Sam Winchester's temple.

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The inside of Sam's mind is fascinating and Castiel finds himself standing in a field watching Dean Winchester shoot at empty bottles. He is no longer in his vessel, now he is Sam.

His angels mind is sharing with Sam and he watches Dean from two different angles. The warrior and the child. The Sam he is currently occupying is 14 years old.

Castiel feels the love that Sam has for Dean and accepts it, because he understands love. He has so much love for his brothers and his Father.

The scene switches and Castiel is still 14 year old Sam, but now he is watching his brother break apart fire wood with an axe, a sheen of sweat covering Deans sculpted figure, and the sun is shining down casting Dean in a perfect light, and in Sam's mind Dean is a greek god. Castiel feels desire for the first time in his existence. Sam loves his brother, and he desires him. Castiel files the thoughts away and continues on.

More scenes play out in Sam's mind, all having to do with Dean. Castiel is seeing a pattern in Sam's existence. His overwhelming love for his brother is complicated by his overwhelming desire for his brother. Castiel is confused by this, but he files it away with everything else. Sam's whole world is wrapped up in Dean, and Castiel feels the intensity in Sam's heart, soul and mind.

Sam Winchester is madly in love with his older brother, and it is a purer love than Castiel has seen between most humans. He is not surprised by the knowledge he gains in Sam's mind. He knows how the man feels for Dean. He just doesn't understand why it is torturing Sam so much. He feels the edges of danger in Sam's psyche and he can feel the demon blood planting roots of evil in Sam's pure mind. It is the only thing Castiel has seen to give him any pause.

Castiel pulls his hand away from Sam's temple and before he can ask Jimmy for help with deciphering his findings, he touches Dean Winchester on the side of the temple.

Dean's mind is much darker than Sam's and instead of seeing Dean's memories of life, Castiel is taken to Dean's memories of Death and Hell. He watches the torture that has been inflicted on Dean over and over again because of his brother, and again, he doesn't understand.

Castiel pulls his hand away from Dean's temple because he cannot bear the pain of watching one of God's children being tortured in any capacity and he looks down at the two sleeping men thoughtfully once again, before leaving the room for real in a flutter of feathery wings.

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