Chapter 8: My Brother and His
"My brother. It seems we have something to talk about." Michael stood in the field by the playground. He stared up into the sky with tired eyes. His vessel was becoming a heap of flesh, only bound together by his powers. The human inside no longer existed. Michael would move and the skin would stretch and start falling from the muscles. Something needed to be done. Which is why Michael was reaching out on angel radio to his brother, Lucifer. "I know you can hear me, brother. You are still an angel, even after all of these years." Michael stood still, awaiting a response, but received nothing. "Very well, Luc." The powerful angel made his way over to the playground where several mothers were watching their small children.
Just as some of the hair on his head began to slip from his decaying body, he rested a hand on a mother's shoulder. She looked up at him, terror in her eyes, but understanding that he was a celestial being. The words were unspoken, but Michael made his purpose known. She slowly accepted him without any other thought. The world disappeared around her and things were as they were before, only Michael had a new vessel.
"Are you ready to listen now, brother?" Michael stood, walking away from the bench where his vessel was sitting at. Other mother's gawked at the woman as she walked away from the playground, away from her child. "I have a proposition for you." Michael waved his new feminine hand and disappeared from the field by the playground. He reappeared on the school grounds. Standing just before the front doors of the building was Lucifer. "Ah! Brother!" Michael made his vessel smile, her white teeth bearing.
"You rang, Michael?" Lucifer scowled. He took a step back from Michael and kept his distance. "What about this proposition?" Then at his sides appeared Meg and Ruby in their new forms.
"You will get Dean Winchester for me."
Lucifer laughed, as did Meg and Ruby. "What's in it for me?" He asked as his burning eyes glowed.
"I will get the younger Winchester for you." Michael said bluntly. "I find this form, easier to move around in, and I have gotten close to him before. Our dear little brother, Castiel, would not expect for me to be after Sam."
"Interesting." Lucifer held his chin and thought for a moment. "This could work. This could end things once and for all." Lucifer turned to walk into the school with his new-bodied companions. "Come girls. We will leave Bambi to my brother here. Let's go break up a profound bond between an angel and boy toy." Lucifer winked back at Michael in his womanly form. "The end of all things, dear brother?"
Michael nodded. "We will finally end this, just a truce for now." As soon as Lucifer was in the high school, Michael scoffed. "The end of all things." He then vanished into the air, leaving the leaves that had fallen off the trees in a swirl of air.
"Dean, you really cannot keep anything from me. I will find out eventually." Sam whispered. He was trying to be as quiet as possible to prevent being yelled at by the study hall monitor. "What is going on between you and Castiel?" Sam leaned in to hear a response from his brother. Dean stayed silent. He picked at his cuticles. Sam sighed loudly, enough to get the monitor to look over at him. He scooted his chair forward, grabbing a book from his backpack. He figured he might as well do homework in study hall if his brother wasn't going to talk.
Dean pushed back the skin on his fingernails as a nervous habit. He couldn't say anything to his brother about kissing Castiel. It wasn't natural. His father would probably scalp him if he ever found out. So Dean kept his mouth shut and made sure Castiel was going to keep his shut also. There were already rumors throughout the school. Sam was going to hear them, but Dean could say they were all lies and Sam would believe him for the most part. "Sammy." Dean suddenly said. "Whatever you hear," Dean took a deep breath. "-don't believe it. It's just stupid high school gossip."
Sam gave his brother a confused look, but nodded. He knew better then to directly disobey his brother. Dean was in charge when their father was gone on a hunt. "Alright, Dean. Just, some day, tell me what happened. Okay?" Sam then buried his face into his book, reading every word and taking in the world the text created. Dean liked Sam that way, an innocent kid. Dean never wanted to see his brother broken like how he felt on the inside. It was a hunter's life, but that didn't mean Sam could stay out of it for a little longer.
The rest of the day went by with a breeze. There was no sign of Lucifer or Michael, which relieved the young Winchesters. Castiel was also absent for the rest of the day until the brothers stepped out of the building. Castiel stood there, trench coat on and face looking as blank as ever. "Hello Dean…. Sam." Castiel nodded at the two brothers before turning on his feet and looking up at the sky. Clouds had begun to creep into the sky. The wind had also picked up a small amount.
Dean shifted his bowed legs. He pulled his jacket closer around him. The wind was cold and his jacket wasn't really protecting him from it. "So Cas, I need to get some things at the store and Sammy needs to do some homework at the library or whatever. I was wondering if you-"
"Yes." Castiel said bluntly without letting Dean finish his sentence. But of course, Castiel already knew what Dean was going to ask. "I can stay with Sam while you get your supplies." Castiel continued staring at the darkening clouds overhead. He was weary of them. They usually meant that something was wrong in the heavens, or that his brothers were up to no good. No matter how much he wanted to stay by Dean's side, he was asked to watch Sam. If Dean asked, Castiel would oblige. There was no other person in the world that Dean cared for more. It was Castiel's duty to keep Sam safe, even if that meant leaving Dean alone and unguarded for the moment.
Dean rubbed his cold hands together and breathed hot air into them before stuffing them in his pockets. "Alright, well I guess I'm off then. I'll catch you back 'home,' Sammy." Dean waved goodbye at his brother and his unusual friend and walked off towards the gas station-convenience store combo. He looked back only once, seeing Sam talking with and smiling as Castiel like a normal, happy kid. Dean braced himself against the cold wind and oncoming dark clouds that were sure to bring rain with them. The gas station was a few blocks away and around the corner. It was in the opposite direction of the motel. It wasn't before long when the rain started. Dean cursed at the heavens, but shut up quickly realizing that it probably wasn't the best thing to do at a time like that, since the rain decided the pour.
Once Dean was soaked to the bone. He found shelter under a bus stop. "I get it. I get it." Dean cursed, ringing out his wet clothes onto the pavement. He began to shiver from his cold, wet skin. He stared down the road through the torrential downpour at the gas station in the distance. He could just wait for the bus, but since he was already wet, he figured he might as well just keep going, even if he was going to suffer a cold later on. Stepping out from the covered bus stop, the rain relentlessly beat down on Dean's shoulders. His small steps into the downpour soon turned into a sprint. Dean was cold, but so close to his destination. It was time for his hunter skills to kick in. The cold wasn't going to stop him. Has a vampire ever stopped him? No. A werewolf? No. A ghost? No. Rain was nothing.
Dean splashed the puddles at his feet up in the air. He only slowed down to not splash the two girls walking with umbrellas just ahead of him. He couldn't help but look back at them and notice how attractive they were. They were older, maybe his age or a few years older. Both had dark, wavy hair. Dean really liked dark hair on girls. Heck, on anyone he liked dark hair better than bleached blonde. The thought of dark hair placed a picture of Castiel in his mind. He quickly shook the thought of the angel out of his head and decided to embark on some harmless flirting with the girls.
Sam carried a stack of books over to the table he had claimed for himself. Castiel was sitting there, back straight against the chair. He was staring around the library at the multiple shelves of books. He has only seen that many books before in his memories of the vessel he acquired. Sam set a few books in front of Castiel and asked him to search for some science terms that Castiel already knew, thus didn't have to turn a page. Sam's homework was done in no time. A lot earlier than Sam had expected. Since they were done so early, Sam figured that they would meet up with Dean relatively around the same time at the motel.
Sam closed the book in front of him. "So Cas," Castiel eyed Sam and squinted his eyes in an almost glare. "I mean, Castiel. Do you know why my brother is acting so strange today? He told me not to ask anymore, but he seems pretty distracted. I'm worried."
Castiel shuddered at the thought of Dean ripping his wings out. It was a threat he hadn't received before, not even from his older brothers. "I cannot say. He has sworn me to secrecy." Castiel stood up from the table, holding a few books in his arms. "Shall we go then?" Castiel said, checking out the books from the library with a card he had acquired. "You can use these for more research." They were out of the school's library when Castiel handed the books over to Sam so he could put them in his bag. Sam exchanged the books for an umbrella and popped it open. He held it up, but wasn't tall enough to keep Castiel from getting rained on, so Castiel grabbed hold of it and kept them both dry.
They walked in silence down the sidewalk. The rain hit the plastic of the umbrella and made a calming noise. Castiel closed his eyes for a second while walking and just thought about Dean. Dean was a strange human, but there was something that made Castiel feel a little more human when he was around Dean. He liked it. He liked Dean. That he couldn't deny. He wasn't supposed to get close to Dean like he had, but some things just couldn't be avoided. It was like Sam was a mind reader when he asked Castiel his next question.
"Do you love my brother?" Sam felt awkward asking that question to another guy, but he had to know. The way that his brother acted around Castiel was something Sam hadn't seen in a while. He had only seen it once before back when Dean was in middle school and really had a crush on a pretty girl.
Castiel stopped, but Sam had continued walking without the umbrella on accident, getting wet from the rain instantly. "I-" Castiel thought about it. Was it love? He sure had a fondness for Dean, but could it be described as love? "I am fond of the bond I share with him." Castiel found it in his power to move again, so his feet continued forward, catching Sam underneath the umbrella again.
"Then something happened?" Sam asked, walking next to Castiel while shaking his wet hair out. They were almost back to the motel. Sam wanted answers before Dean was there to interfere.
"It was an accident." Castiel blurted out. He stopped again, rushing a hand to his mouth. Why had he spoken? "I mean-" A human-quality blush crept onto his cheeks, brightening up his usually pale face. "I didn't mean to- I didn't- and now he is angry with me." Castiel touched his lips. That gave Sam the answer he wanted. His brother had kissed an angel. Sam thought he noticed a new freckle on Dean's face.
"It's fine, Castiel. Really." Sam smiled childishly. They made it back to the motel in comfortable silence. The door was still locked, which meant Dean hadn't come back from the convenience store yet. The sky was beginning to darken, which worried both Sam and Castiel.
Dean took a step back as the two girls closed in on him. Their good looks were deceiving, as their eyes were pure black. It was just Dean's luck to be caught between two demons with no back up. He reached for the blade in his coat pocket, although it wouldn't do much. The only think that could kill a demon was something of legend. A gun. The Colt. "Son of a bitch." Dean cursed; his heart was pounding in his chest.
"Oh, Dean Winchester. Where's your angel friend?" They asked. By their demeanor, Dean knew exactly who they were. They were the evil chicks that stayed at Lucifer's side. Meg and Ruby. But if they were here, then where was he?
"I could ask you the same thing." Dean's green eyes flickered around, searching for the devil. The rain continued to pour down on the three of them. Meg and Ruby had since dropped their umbrellas. Dean slowly kept backing up, trying to figure out a plan of either getting rid of them or getting the hell out of there. Lucifer was nowhere to be found which filled Dean with dread. If he wasn't there, then he was after Sam. "Where the hell is he?" Dean yelled, droplets of rain fell from his chin. He sputtered some of the water from his lips. "You damn demons. If you lay a finger on my brother… I'll-"
"Who said anything about Sammy?" Dean spun around quickly, pulling his blade from his pocket and stabbing Lucifer in the chest. It did nothing other than put a smile on the devil's face. "I'm here for you, Dean." Lucifer fisted his hand and rammed it into Dean's abdomen.
All of the air in Dean's lungs was gone in an instant. He struggled to catch a breath. Dean watched the world fade around him, and all he could think about was Sam and all he could say before he passed out was, "Cas, help me."
Those words spread through the air like poison. Lucifer laughed at such a call for help from the older Winchester. He knew that Michael was on the other end, ready to make things even more interesting. Dean was crumpled to the ground; limbs limp against the wet pavement. The cold rain lightened up, but still drenched Dean's vacant-minded body. The poison was spreading. Castiel tasted it in the air. He felt the terror in his bones. Jumping up from the seat he was in, he was on high alert. "Dean." Castiel threw his thoughts out into the town. He tried to find Dean, but couldn't. Something was terribly wrong. "Dean!" The second time Dean's name was called by Castiel, Sam came running out of the bathroom. He had been taking a shower to warm up from the cold rain outside.
"What's the matter? Where's Dean?" Sam pulled a shirt over his head and down over his chest. "Castiel, what's going on?" Dean wasn't in the room like Sam had thought. That meant something had gone wrong.
"I can't find him." Castiel reached over to Sam. "We must go. I fear-" The room began to shake just as Castiel knew it would. "Sam, you need to grab a hold of me now." Castiel almost touched fingers with Sam when the room exploded around them. Castiel was thrown back against the back wall, and Sam was rammed against the wall near the front of the room. The pressure in the room was unbearable. Castiel knew the power. He knew who was behind it. It scared him.
"Hello brother." Castiel stared wide-eyed at his brother, Michael, across the room by Sam. He held the younger Winchester tightly in a choking grasp. "I'll just be on my way." The power rose in the room, causing Castiel to buckle down to the floor and watch as Michael snapped his fingers and Sam disappeared from the room. Castiel felt his heart drop. He said he would watch over Sam for Dean. He failed. Michael won. Lucifer won. Castiel had lost entirely. He felt the intense pressure start to swallow him, as Michael got a little closer. "Now I can't have you interfering anymore." Michael said with a hiss in his voice. "I hope you enjoy heaven."
Castiel felt Michael's cold fingers press to his forehead. A searing white, hot pain ran through his body and he felt his body being ripped to shreds as it was torn up into the heavens. It was painful coming down from heaven, but ten times worse being taken back to heaven. Castiel felt his grace being ripped from his vessel, then placed back inside of him as he made it up to heaven. The world around him ceased to exist. Images of the past, present, and future flooded his mind until he couldn't take it anymore and he blacked out.
Castiel woke to a sharp jab in his side. His blue eyes stared into the bright sky over head. A vibrant colored kite flew into his field of vision and he realized where he was. It was his favorite heaven. It was just like his grace to find it's way to the heaven of the autistic man who drowned in his bathtub. Castiel's smile faded into a grimace as the jabbing in his side continued.
"Wake up, Cas." Said a familiar voice. Castiel could just picture the face that went with the voice. Ease drifted over his features.
"You don't want to just lay there, Cassy." Said another man in a heavily accented voice. Castiel sat up, looking around at his surroundings and then stared at his two closest brothers.
"Gabriel. Balthazar." He figured out what the jabbing was. Gabriel had been poking him with a sharp stick. Castiel's other brother, Balthazar, watched in amusement with wide ice-blue eyes. The fun and games disappeared when Castiel realized what had happened. He stood up fast, swaying a little.
Gabriel held him still. "Whoa. Stand still, bro." Castiel pushed away from Gabriel. He fell forward into Balthazar. His body was so weak. The trek to heaven against his will was too much to handle, but the Winchesters were in trouble. He had to get back to earth. That much was certain, but his brothers weren't allowing him to take another step.
Balthazar held Castiel by his shoulders. "You can't do any more for them." The words ran through Castiel. He pushed past Balthazar and stumbled until he fell to his knees. His chest heaved as he struggled to breathe. Castiel had gotten used to Earth that he forgot the weight of heaven. He fisted a clump of grass and ripped it from the ground. Gabriel and Balthazar watched their brother with sad looks on their faces. "Castiel, you can't-"
"I will!" Castiel yelled out in a husky voice. "I will do everything for them!" Castiel turned to face his brothers. His eyes were a glowing blue. His grace was shining brightly. "Now where is father?"