Okay, out later than I wanted today, but still technically today, so...

An empty field. Dean was staring at an empty field. Actually, that was a lie. The remnants of a long-ago burnt down house stood there, about a quarter mile in on a solid dirt road, the only give away that the house was actually there being the small corner still standing, and the five numbers drilled into the telephone pole near the highway. His cab driver was right behind him, waiting in the vehicle.

"I'm assuming this wasn't what you wanted."

"Not at all," he shook his head. "Not at all."

Castiel's first sense was that of sheer pain, which appeared to be radiating from his forehead. His vision was still swimming with black, and he could feel the slight trickle of blood curling along his lip, running from somewhere above. His nose? His eyebrow? He didn't know. It all hurt.

With a quiet groan he was able to peek open his eyes, though saw nothing more than the black-spotted image of his thighs and the shadow of a chair. His ears were roaring. With what, he wasn't sure, but he could barely hear. The footsteps echoing around the room were clear, however, and while Castiel's mind was foggy, he knew who it was.

"James-"

A hand smacked across his face, rocking his cheek over to press on his shoulder. He groaned and rocked his head back down, letting it hand. He felt sick, his head and stomach swimming. Why was this happening? Why was this so extreme?

"Jame-"

Another slap cut him off, and he coughed as his head rocked back down.

"Why are you talking? I told you not to talk."

Apparently he wasn't supposed to talk. Where was he, even? He rolled his eyes up the best he could, the effort causing a sharp strain through his eyes and head, but he continued. Grey. A lot of grey. Cement. Not a factory. Too dark. Basement? But how? James doesn't live in this city. How would he have access to a basement? Was there a way down to the hotel one?

"I didn't want to have to take it this far, Castiel. I didn't want to have to do this to you," James muttered, circling around Castiel's chair with measured paces. Castiel closed his eyes, trying to calm his continually uneasy growing stomach. Another smack came to him, this time across the back of his head, sending a wave of pressure forward. A gargling wine earned him another. "Don't make a sound! Make a sound, and I do this faster."

"Do what faster?" Castiel mumbled, words barely intelligible.

James paused in front of him, and Castiel squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for what he assumed would be the impending hit and sting to follow, but nothing came. Just silence. For far too long. The moment he relaxed himself, James moved, grabbing his face, pressing his cheeks together and into his teeth uncomfortably with one hand, the other fisting in his hair, tilting his head back. "What did I say about speaking, Castiel?" The fingers tightened in his hair, tugging harder. Castiel tried to bring forward the thought of Dean's fingers in his hair, tugging his head back, his lips working across his neck, but it wasn't the wet of his lips on his skin, instead a thin line of blood, and it wasn't his fingers in his hair, as he would never be that violent, and as much as Castiel tried, he could never replace the image.

"What do you think, Castiel?" James muttered. "You didn't have to run from me. You didn't have to make this difficult. I was just going to… rough you up, but now- oh! But now… No no no…"

"What do you me-" The fingers in his hair tightened.

"I mean if I just let you go, you'd go off to the cops, and I'd be in a shit storm of trouble."

"So what ar-" His head was violently yanked back, causing him to yelp.

"Do you ever learn!? Shut. The. Fuck. Up. And Castiel, honestly. You're an educated man. Can you not piece together the information?"

Of course he could. He just didn't want to.

"But you see, doing what I plan is… messy business. I can't just, outright do it, you see. There'd be a whole investigation, and your broken phone in Dean's room, and… well, you see where it's going right?" James gave Castiel's hair one more sharp tug releasing him after. He let his head drop, but James tilted it back up as far as he could. "Oh no no no. Keep your head up, look at me through those sexy little lidded eyes of yours." He knocked his knuckles against his cheek with more force than necessary. "You know, I can see why Dean took interest in you. Pretty little piece off ass, really. But nothing more than that. You couldn't have been, really. I was trying to save you, save Dean from being broken apart, but neither of you would cooperate."

"We were gonna make it work."

"Oh I'm sure you were. What, you see each other once a month, while Dean fucks who he pleases to tide himself over until he can get his hands back on to your pretty little body." James ran a finger along the length of Castiel's jaw, flicking his finger off as he finished speaking.

Castiel gritted his teeth. "We haven't had sex."

"You expect me to believe that?" James scoffed with a barked-out laugh. "That Dean has your hot little body all to himself, and hasn't done anything with it?"

"It's because I'm not ready."

James smirked. "Oh what, little Cassie's a virgin?" He stepped forward, dragging his hand down Castiel's body. Castiel remained still, his eyes only narrowing until he felt James' fingers pulling at the hem of his shirt, tugging it up to expose his stomach. He pressed hi hand to it and leaned in. "Well, that's such a shame."

Castiel moved to struggle, finding his arms and legs tied to the chair. Convenient. He just glared and struggled some more, doing all he could to get James away. "Get off of me."

James leaned in closer, grabbing Castiel's jaw. "Or what?"

Castiel clenched his jaw, and pursed his lips in anger and fury, but before he could retaliate, James' lips were pressing against his, his hand holding his jaw strong. His struggled and fought, wiggling about in his binds the best he could, but he was weak, and James was undeterred. This wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want any of this to start, but definitely not this. Not these lips. Not this man. Not this way.

This was going downhill fast, and it had started in the pit.

To say Georgia was surprised when Dean slammed in to the hotel would be an understatement. "How did you get down here?" she asked as he pressed in, stopping when he heard her voice. "Your little Castiel left upstairs nearly two hours ago, to what I could only assume was your room."

Dean froze. "Wait, what?" he asked, furrowing his brows as he marched over to the counter, leaning over it on his elbows. "What do you mean? Cas was here?"

"He still should be. Went up there about two hours ago," she said, gesturing to the elevator. "I assumed you had called him over."

"You saw me leave, though."

"There's more than one way into this hotel if you've got a room key, Dean," she deadpanned back.

She wasn't taking any of Dean's shit. But wait… "Wait, so Cas was here?"

"Mhmm." She pointed at the elevator, and Dean was running over in a split second, scanning his card. It's not that it was a big deal for Castiel to be in his room alone, but Dean had no idea what exactly James was going off on, and based on his past…feelings about Castiel, Dean didn't think he could trust the two of them to be alone. But who knows, this whole situation could have all been a misunderstanding. Maybe the cab driver told him a wrong address, or James messed up when writing it down. Maybe Castiel had just come over because he was bored, and wanted Dean. But why hadn't he left yet? Who knows.

The room was empty when Dean arrived upstairs, and the uneasy feeling in his gut grew. He still didn't have his phone, so he opted to use the hotel's, calling Castiel's phone. It went straight to voicemail, no rings. That's not good. He pressed the receiver, holding the button for a moment before releasing it and dialing James' number. He turned around to lean against the counter where the phone was placed, the cord pressed along his side as the droning ring blared in his ears. His eyes scanned around the room, seeing nothing out of place, except oh. What the hell? Dean set the phone down, walking over to the hot tub. On the floor was a shattered phone. Castiel's, to be exact.

His stomach dropped, and he was back to the hotel's phone in a moment, listening to James' voicemail start. He smashed it back on the receiver before darting to the elevator, hitting the button for James' floor. He checked his room. Gone.

Fuck.

He made his way back to the lobby, running around the front desk despite Georgia's warning not to.

"Dean Winchester get your ass out of here."

"Did you see Castiel or James leave?"

She paused. "No, hon. I didn't. Why do you ask?"

"James' sent me off to get my phone, he hates Castiel, I'm with Castiel, he lied about where my phone was, now they're both missing."

Georgia stared at him. "I'm having some trouble putting together all the pieces here, hon."

"I think James' took Cas, or is hurting him," Dean sighed out, leaning against the dark marble desk. Her eyes grew wide.

"Are you being serious?"

"Do I look like I'm lying?"

She gulped and blinked a few times. "Well, I can check to see if they took the car out, there'll be a record through the garage exit. Other than that, ho-"

"Is there a basement here? Or a storage room?"

"A basement, yeah," she nodded. "But they couldn't have gotten down the-"

"How do you get down there?"

"Would you stop interrupting me?" She crossed he arms.

"Would you just tell me how to get down there?"

"Why does it matter? The chance that they're down there is… is so insignificant, Dean..."

"Because if they're not, and James does have Cas… Georgia, I don't know what he could do to him. I don't know what he could have already done, or said, or be planning to do. If there's even the slightest chance that they're down there… And if they're not, then…" Dean shook his head, rolling his eyes to look up at the ceiling as he pressed his lips into a thin line. "Then I don't know what I'm going to do. They could be anywhere by now. I just need to be sure."

Georgia nodded. "Okay. Yeah. Well, have to go down to the next floor below, which holds all of our extra stuff, pull-away beds and pillows and what not. There should be a staircase in the corner, right through a door. Go down that, and you've got the basement. You can take the elevator to our storage room, though you have to press the buttons a certain way. There's emergency stairs right here, though, hon." Georgia led him back into one of the offices, the largest one by his judgement. She opened the door, pointing down into a well-lit room. "Go down and straight to the back."

Dean thanked her and she nodded, walking back out to the front with a promise to check the garage records, and to come get him immediately if she saw the car gone, and that she'd call the police if he wasn't back up within five minutes. He told her ten. She settled on seven.

Dean was quiet as he crept down the stairs into the darkened basement, but he didn't have to be silent to hear the voices down below the four sets of stairs. He couldn't see, but James' voice rang clear. He was descending the third when he heard the brunt thud of a hit and the whine of Castiel's voice, and he covered his mouth.

"Do you love him?"

"I want to."

Another hit, followed by a whine. Dean pressed his hand harder into his mouth, descending the rest of the third set and as much of the fourth as he could without being seen. He crouched down, trying to catch a glimpse of the scene. Castiel was bound to an old wooden chair, his face bloodied, thin lines of red streaking down his neck and on his shirt.

"You need to stop that little desire."

"As do you."

Dean watched James hit Castiel once more, punching him in the stomach, causing him to curl forward with a yelp. He coughed as James pulled back, but he didn't stop.

"He'll never love you, James."

Another punch. "And what makes you think that?"

Castiel licked his lip, pulling it between his teeth momentarily. Dean willed him not to say anything as he continued down the stairs, exposing himself. Castiel caught sight of him, and his eyes lit up, his body filling with warmth and relief, and then fear. What if James attacked Dean? Castiel opened his mouth to speak, but Dean beat him to it.

"Because I love Cas."

Both Castiel and James snapped their gazes to Dean in shock, a glint of… was that hope in Castiel's?

James walked toward Dean. "What do you mean you love him? You've known him for nine days."

"And it's been the best nine days of my life," Dean relied, looking past James at Castiel, giving him a slight smile. James growled and stepped closer to Dean, blocking his sight from Castiel.

"That's not love you're feeling, Dean."

"So what if it's not? It's going to be someday, I know it."

James clenched his teeth. "No it won't."

"And why's that?"

"Because I won't let it," he finalized, taking a few steps back toward Castiel. "I won't let this go on. I won't let it progress beyond what it is." James stepped behind Castiel, fisting his fingers in his hair, tugging his head back. "Nothing but a little schoolboy fantasy." He yanked harder on Castiel's hair, tugging his head back harder, causing Castiel to gasp in pain, eyes squeezing shut. Dean stepped forward.

"James stop."

"Why? I'm teaching him a lesson. He's not going to mess with you any more after this."

Another step. "I don't want him to stop messing with me…What, exactly, are you planning to do to him, James?"

James smiled, and it sent and uncomfortable chill through Dean's bones. "I'm going to get rid of him." He smiled wider as he reached down into his pocket, pulling out a pocket knife Dean had given him for his birthday two years ago. Castiel couldn't see anything, but Dean's horrified gasp had his heartbeat rising, his breathing following suit.

"James," Dean warned, voice low as he moved toward them. "James, think about what you're doing."

"Oh, I've already thought about it, Dean. If he's gone, I get you."

"What makes you think I want you?"

James looked hurt. "You'll want me once he's gone."

"You think I'll want you if you kill the one I'm with, if you kill Cas?"

"You'll finally see me…"

"No I won't." Dean and James were locked in a stare-down, Castiel's head still tipped and locked back, hair pulled taught by James' fingers. "I won't. I'll still want him. I always will."

James stared at Dean, fingers shaking around the knife. Dean could hear a bang upstairs, but nothing more than that. He clenched his jaw, keeping his sights on James and his mental debate. He expected him to drop the knife. He expected him to walk away. He expected him to stop.

Instead, he flipped out the blade, pressing it to Castiel's neck. Castiel squeezed his eyes shut, letting out a whimper and a sob of "Oh my god." as James pulled his head back as far as he could, pulling the skin on his neck tight. Dean's eyes widened and he tried to move forward but James just yelled at him.

"Don't come any closer! Don't you dare!"

"James!" Dean shouted back, arms out in defense, though he wasn't moving. "James, don't do this. Don't go through with this."

"Why not?" He dug the blade deeper into Castiel's neck, drawing a bit of blood at the tip while Castiel continued to whimper. "Huh? Why not? What bad is gonna do me if I do? I'm not getting anything if I don't."

"James, you sound sound like one of those, if-I-don't-get-him types. Don't do this."

"And so what if I am one, huh? What's so wrong with that? What's so bad about wanting what you want? Why should he get you, when I've been here for you all these years. I've wanted you for so long, and a fucking college student comes in, and you're all over him without a single thought! Where's my chance, Dean, huh? Where's my chance?"

"You'll get one. Just, not with me."

"But I want one with you!"

"You don't get one!"

James pressed harder again into Castiel's neck, drawing a thin line of blood across the length of the blade, causing Castiel to gasp and whimper, and strain against his bonds. "Dean," he gasped, trying to to rub against the knife too much. "Dean, I want you to know that I-"

"Freeze!"

Castiel let out a yelp of pain as James blade struck across his neck. A set of police had run down the stairs, and in a moment of fright, James had pulled his hand away, releasing Castiel's hair, but also pulling the knife away too fast. The police took note of James being the criminal here, and went after him, disregarding Dean, who immediately threw off his shirt on his way to Castiel. He straddled his lap, pinning one end of his shirt with his shoulder against Castiel's as he pulled him into a hug, hand cupping the back of his head as the other pulled the free end of the shirt taught against his neck, as tight as he could while allowing Castiel to breath. He wasn't sure how deep the cut was, but he knew the bleeding needed to stop.

"Shit, fuck, Cas, baby, I'm so sorry. Fuck. Fuck. I'm so sorry, baby. I'm so sorry," Dean muttered, pressing kisses into the side of Castiel's head between words.

"It's not your fault, Dean," Castiel squeaked back, voice a bit weak. "It's not. It's okay. I'm going to be okay. It's going to be okay."

One of the officers tapped Dean on the shoulder, letting him know an ambulance was on the way. He nodded before holding tighter to Castiel. He continued to press kisses to the side of his head, along his dark and slightly bloodied hairline, muttering sweet nothings to him, ensuring Castiel was responding to each and every one until the medics arrived and even then, he followed him up the stairs in the stretcher, sitting beside him in the ambulance, holding his hand the entire way, never once thinking of letting go.

Not that Castiel would have let him go if he wanted to.

Seriously this chapter looks so short you guys I was so proud of it then I uploaded it and then sad because short BUT LONGER THAN YESTERDAY!?

...

Anyway, so that was like, part 2 of the long chapter I was working on or whatevs. Also topamax makes me sleep and then throw up and lemme tell you I feel like a hungover college kid and I'm 16.

Also, I changed my tumblr url a few days ago, and I am SO satisfied with it, so check it just don't wreck it

... ... squidstiel

So, Let me know what you think! IT MAKES ME HAPPY LIKE THOR! and thank your for reading :D