Dean wakes up, vision blurred and tugs at the ropes holding him to a chair. Distantly, he can hear someone else in the room and blink his vision into focus. The golden hotel, where they'd been investigating a case in one of the room. Cas had called and told him what he'd found, only to be sprayed in the face with something on his way in by a woman. The very same woman who's grinning at him right now like he's a present on Christmas morning. She has light hair and pointed ears with slender features and golden eyes to match the room.
"Good morning sleepy, sweet dreams?" She says lightly, clapping her hands together and jumping around in a neat little circle. Her white dress whips out around her ankles, the smell of pollen sweetens the air. Dean swears at her, frantically pulling at the ropes to loosen them even an inch. Not such luck, they're bound tightly.
"Grumpy guts, I'm only playing." The woman puts on a childish voice, her big eyes only exaggerating her youth.
"This is the freaking weirdest version of hide and seek I've ever played." Dean responds viciously.
"Oh my Pretty-boy, that's where you're wrong! You've been seeking but I haven't been hiding. That, you see, is the problem with most beings, they want to chase down the Winchester boys. All it took was a sprinkle of disappearances here, a dash of unexplainable sightings and I knew you'd come running." She shrugs and glances around the room, "Men and angels are both the same."
Dean looks down by the bedside, where a knocked out angel lies on the floor, arms outstretched and trench coat bunched up around his skinny body. Dean bites down on the inside of his mouth to stop from screaming.
"What did you do to him?" He chokes out in rage, digging his nails into the palm of his hands.
"Nothing major yet." She cackles, "Where would be the fun in that?" She crouches down next to the restrained hunter, pinching his face between her hands.
"You bitch." He roars, shaking his head but she grips tighter.
"You're going to regret that." She promises, slapping one cheek, turning around to shake the angel. He stirs but only just, until she kicks him and he rolls over to curl up to protect himself.
"What have we here?" She rocks his shoulder with her bare foot, "A sweet angel boy, rebelled and unloved by his Daddy. The fun I will have with you." She hisses, smiling as he attempts to get to his knees but collapses under the weight of her foot. There's a low cry coming from the angel and his name escapes from Dean's mouth. "Cas?"
Cas turn over to see Dean, looking wounded and defenceless against a petty woman, his blue eyes begging for help of some kind. During the pause, the creature switches her glare between the two.
"Oh, oh, oh! This just got more interesting. The hunter and the angel. Catchy title, can I star in the Hollywood production? Or I could write something of my own and make you two the leads."
With one single yank, Castiel is dragged to his feet and left there where his neck struggles to support his head. He leans against the post of the bed and takes in as much air as possible to fight the heavy headiness he's feeling from the blow.
"Let's give him something to really complain about," The creature looks towards the tied up Dean, "Shall we?"
With a click of her fingers, a flicker appears by Castiel and when Dean focuses he can make out the brown jacket he so often wears, the brown hair on a tall man's head, the stubble polishing his cheeks. It bloody looks like him and he's holding a long, sharp knife in one hand and heading toward Castiel who's unable to move. The horror on his face is undeniable as the blade makes contact with his skin but it's Dean who cries out the loudest, cursing and screeching to Cas. Then he turns back to the creature.
"Stop it. Stop it now. Please." He turns back to Castiel in time to see another slice and the man falling to the floor, "Please." He begs uselessly, the creature only smiles.
"What? I thought you enjoyed torturing poor souls, guess that was only once you didn't want to have sex with?"
"Stop. It." He repeated, watching his other version pin Castiel to the floor and makes out the hauntingly cheerful smile that's plastered on his face, the image flickers but is back a moment later.
"Fine, what shall I have him do next?"
Castiel calls out, Dean making no sense of the jumbled words but pleading with himself that 'Dean' is not one of them. He's only just in Dean's view, almost hidden behind the bed on the other side of the room but his next words are much clearer.
"Stop it. Stop it now. Please. Please." The creature is having Cas repeat Dean's own words, then adds one phrase more, "Please, Dean." Dean's breath cracks as the ropes cut into his hands, the heat of the friction burning through layer of skin with each tug but Dean doesn't stop.
"What are you?" Dean asks the woman creature, straining against the knots and wishing they were handcuffs, not old fashion rope.
"Never thought of us before, have you? We used to be like freaking Gods before you humans started to destroy our homes with your technology and your machines. Cut down the forests, leave us with nothing. Simple creatures who were believed in." The phony Dean has speed up his cuts now as she becomes angrier, "We were worshipped! I'm a Faerie, Dean and a bad one at that."
A Faerie? Dean thought long and hard about everything he knew about the legends which turned out to be very little. Sam had never mentioned Fae, nor had most books and websites they'd researched. Sam would know more, if he were here. Dean has nothing useful to use against the creature. Meanwhile Cas doesn't appear to be hearing anything.
"Dean." Castiel sobs, blood dripping onto patches of the floor from wounds. The pale trench coat has scarlet stains spreading, why isn't he heeling?
"What next. Hmm, add a little romance to the situation. Let's see..." Her voice trails off as Castiel's replaces her.
"Please stop hurting me, Dean. I love you."
"Dean, I love you. I love you."
The words hang in the air, Cas panting and leaning against the wall. It's not him talking, Dean knows that and it's killing him. Cas being under his spell, he's just being messed around with but he can't see it.
"Cas, stop. Please." Dean begs, his voice breaking as the angel doesn't turn to face him but lets out another scream of agonising pain.
"Please. Stop. Stop it!" Dean screams at the faerie, who laughs nastily.
"I'm not doing anything, not to him. You are." She bears her pointed teeth. "I'll stop it. What would you rather I had him do?"
As her hands touch, Cas falls heavily into the post trying to control his breathing. He manages the strength to look up and as their eyes meet Dean is certain he sees Cas wince.
"Cas, that's not me. He's not real. You've got to fight her, man, stop her." Cas frowns as he exhales heavily.
"Boring!" The faerie cries out, then a taunting smile begin to play on her lips as she turns to face the tied up hunter. "You know Dean, I can read people's thoughts, makes it easier to mess with their minds. And boy does this angel get confused in his head. Confused about..." She paused and makes a delighted little sound, "The oldest Winchester boy. How sweet."
Castiel has the power to hiss at her but nothing else, he wipes a bead of sweat from the side of his face as he does but can't keep his hands up. It sounds less like a hiss than a gasp for breath.
"That's not very nice is it darling." The faerie leaves Dean's side to make her way over to the man, who attempts to move away from her. When she reaches him, she tilts her head to the side and purses her berry red lips. "I'm only trying to help you. What you're feeling, that's love. Little. Adorable. Heart-breaking. Love." She runs her finger through his dark hair, twirling it around her fingers.
"Don't touch him, you bitch!" Dean thunders, throwing his head forward in frustration. The ropes have sliced into his wrists, leaving blood to drip down his fingers to the tips.
"Protective one, Well, if he can't touch me..." She darts her hand around his side and pulls the defenceless angel towards Dean, despite his pathetic efforts to stop her. She drops him off at the chair and Castiel manages to hold himself up, facing Dean. He looks exhausted with small cuts all up his face and arms, there's a slight trickle of blood falling from his nose and his shirt is stained with splatters of blood.
"I'll make you a deal, Dean." The faerie dangles in front of his face, "Kiss the angel and I'll release you both."
"You're lying."
"We can't lie. It's impossible for our kind to lie to humans."
"And I count as human?" Dean checks, biting against the side of his mouth to stop himself from throwing every dirty word he knows at the bitch. He can't even look at Castiel who's been bound to the spot.
He faerie sighs impatiently, tapping her fingers against her hip. "Of course."
"Why?" Dean snaps.
"For years we faeries would give people their heart's truest desires for no price at all, as long as they put on a good show for us. Call me a Good Samaritan."
Dean utters, "This is not what I want!" Now he can feel himself burning hot under the gaze of Cas, someone he wishes would go away.
"Close enough." The faerie responds, "I'll give you some time, shall I? Ten...Nine."
Dean closes his eyes, turning to face Castiel who's head is tilted to one side. His eyes are clear, he knows exactly what's happening this time which makes everything one hundred times worse because it's no zombie, it's Cas. His Cas who he's about to kiss.
"Shut your eyes." Dean mutters. The ropes around his chest have been loosened ever so slightly to allow him to lean forward a few more inches to reach Castiel's face but not enough to escape the ropes. Castiel does as he's told, shutting his eyes as she reaches four. Dean leans over until he can feel Cas's breath on his face then shuts his own eyes, pushes his lips gentle onto Castiel's. They're softer than he expects, their lips are pressed together for no more than three seconds before the door of the room opens and Sam bursts in to see his brother touching face with his friend.
"What the hell is going on?" He cries out, lowering his gun. Dean's ropes have disappeared and he shoved Cas away from his face, stretching out his hands. Dean jumps to his feet as Castiel collapses to the floor in a heap. It's clear from the way he lies down that he's unconscious.
"Quick, Sam. Help me get him out of here!" Dean rushed back to Cas' side, holding up his head. Blood is dripping on to the carpet from several parts of Cas' body and he doesn't seem to be healing at all. The Faerie has done something to his grace, Dean realises. He's going to kill her, even if he has to pull her apart from the inside out and burn every cell in her body, he will destroy her. He's tapping Cas' face, calling his name to see if he'll respond. It's then that he feels someone's breath in his ear, "You're welcome, sweetheart. I'll be back for my payment."
Dean whips around with his gun but there's nobody there, either she can teleport or she's made sure he can no longer see her. Sam frowns at Dean's movement but decides not to mention anything. Dean's blood that's on his hands is mixing in with Cas', Sam decides they need to take him back to the motel they're staying at to get him cleaned up if he can't heal himself.
"Come on, can you carry him? There's a fire exit, we'll take him back with us." Sam says logically, acting as a look out while Dean wraps his hands under Cas's back and lifts him up into his arms. He's lighter than Sam and Dean's managed to drag him before, Cas' head rolls back and he doesn't wake.
When they get back to the motel, they lay Castiel down on the bed, searching for their first aid kit. Dean watches as Sam behind to unbutton his shirt to see the damage underneath. There's several deep cuts that will require stitching and Sam sets to work, cleaning the wounds before using a needle to bind the skin back together, grateful Castiel is knocked out and can't feel this because it stings like a little bitch and he's not used to such mundane pain. Dean starts to pace across the room, eyes never letting Sam and Castiel leave his sight, even if he should go wash off the blood from his own hands. However he finds himself not caring about any of that, there no pain in his hands. At least none that could compare to what Cas must be feeling. Guilt overcomes Dean that Cas must have thought he was the one doing that, it even looks like his own bloody handwork. Finding the places that bleed the least but hurt the most.
When Sam has finished Cas' chest, he wipes up his face to clear the dried blood. Mostly the blood from from his nose and one cut on his forehead which needs a few stitches. Half way through the process, Castiel stirs with a broken moan.
"Castiel?" Sam says quietly, shaking his shoulder gentle as the angels eyes flicker open, "Can you hear me okay?"
"What- What happened?" Castiel croaks in a low voice, tensing his muscles which will only increase the amount of pain he's in.
Dean goes to speak but no words come, so Sam replies to the question, "You got hurt. Pretty badly too."
Castiel's eyes open and look around the room, he sits up slightly to see the damage to his vessel and is frustrated he can't seem to access his grace, like it's been repressed. The pain is almost unbearable, his hand clutches the blanket on the bed. "I don't remember." Sam shoots a concerned look at Dean so he steps towards the bed and tries to find his voice.
"You weren't exactly," Deans struggles to find the words, "You."
Castiel frowns and stares at Dean with a confused look, the very one the Faerie told Dean about. Dean banishes that thought immediately, she was lying to him. No creature can't lie. It was just to mess with their head, that's what Fae are known for doing.
"Oh." Is Castiel's response as his head falls back onto the pillow, Sam explains to him he has to let him finish stitching up his forehead and Cas nods bravely, keeping completely still as the needle once again pierces his skin. Dean doesn't, he storms into the bathroom to clean himself off, bandaging up his won hands rather than asking for help. He kicks himself for letting Castiel get hurt like this and for not being able to help him.
When he walks back into the room, blazer discarded in search of some better clothes, Castiel is lying onto of the bed but is asleep again, freshly bandaged as well but looking only a little better. Sam is sat at his laptop, doing a search for all information regarding Faeries, he's tried to get as much information from Dean but Dean was too worked up to speak much while driving back.
"Look Dean, I know it wasn't Cas back there but sooner or later you're going to have to tell him what you both did."
"No." Dean says stubbornly, tugging off his shirt in replacement for a basic t-shirt.
"He deserves to know what happened." Sam argues, stopping typing to watch his brother as he sits down on the bed, unlacing his shoes.
"Nothing happened." Dean snarls again.
"That's not what I saw-"
"That was just some stupid trick, okay? He doesn't need to know anything!"Dean yells aggressively.
There's a few minutes of silence, apart from the click of Sam's keys on the laptop and the click of the mouse pad. Dean sighs loudly.
"Need me to go get another room to sleep in?" Sam asks him, looking over at the dozing angel who has turning onto his side, still wearing his shirt and shoes.
"No, I'll stay up if you're tired. Get any information from the boy?"
"Not really, he says the girl had blonde hair and weird eyes. Like they were glowing." Sam says, standing up and taking off his shoes. Dean sits at the laptop this time, preparing to do some research while Sam takes a shower and gets some rest. Dean wants to make sure the Faerie doesn't keep her promise and return for her payment, whatever that might be. He need to find out what kills her as soon as possible. When Sam returns from his shower, he tells Dean to wake him up when he gets tired before climbing into the spare bed and settling down to sleep.
Dean sighs out loud as the angel tosses in his sleep; it's going to be one hell of a long night.
Disclaimer- I OWN NOTHING. (Sadly) DEAN AND CASTIEL BELONG ONLY TO SUPERNATURAL AND THE WRITERS (and each other) I ONLY GET TO BORROW THE CHARACTERS (pity really)
Thank you to all you lovely people for reading this chapter and hopefully the last one too if you did. Hope you're liking it so far. I don't have a beta so any mistakes are mine. Sorry for those! My spelling is terrible. Anyone who follows/ reviews/ favourites will get a Dean worthy slice of Pie! More Destiel next chapter, where the plot thickens. Will try to update ASAP.