Author's Note: Because this is taking me an excruciatingly long time to finish and it really is getting ridiculously long, I've broken up the last chapter. Next part to follow in a day or so. Optimistically. But I wouldn't trust me. I'm sorry. I love you?

The urge to catch himself with his wings is almost irresistible but Castiel keeps them tight to his back and curls himself into a ball. Think of Dean.

Green Eyes. Freckles. That special desperate noise he makes that embarrasses him.

When he hits the ground it'll be over.

Green Eyes. Freckles. Smiling so the corners of his eyes crinkle.

It has to be any moment now.

Green Eyes-

His whole body throbs when he smacks hard into something. Castiel clutches his knees tighter and swallows a sob. Are his wings gone? Is it done?

"You could freakin' help, ya know."

He opens his eyes slowly to see he's… ascending? A second more and Castiel realizes he didn't hit the ground at all. He hit his brother. Gabriel is holding him around the middle and flying him back up.

"Stop!" He starts to fight and squirm in his arms. "It's my choice. You can't interfere!"

"Yeah well I just did."

Gabriel makes one final push with his multiple wings and then Castiel finds himself deposited next to a suspiciously red-eyed Balthazar who upon seeing him, falls on his butt like he's exhausted. "Thank every pope in a pointy hat, you caught him," he sighs in exaggerated relief as more angels gasp at them, some flying off to undoubtedly get their superiors.

"You're not allowed to stop me!" Castiel growls, pushing to his feet shakily. He unwraps his wings in anger and maybe just to feel them again.

"Just chill," Gabriel holds out a hand puffing himself like he's out of breath. "You've got a hunter down there that might need a boyfriend with wings."

"Dean?" He straightens out of a defensive posture. "What's happened?"

Gabriel still breathes hard and he can only impatiently wait. He must have pushed himself very hard to be acting so tired now but all he wants to do is shake him until he answers. Around them even more of his brothers and sisters gather than before, standing in a loose circle around them. Apparently they are making quite a spectacle. Even the ever present chorus of voices has ceased. Just as Gabriel regains his breath, he sees a brother he had hoped to avoid.

"Castiel." Michael steps forward looking past him to the edge and back again. "You were going to fall?"

Castiel looks down in unavoidable shame. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He wasn't expecting to be confronted with all of them staring at him in accusation. "I had to."

He seems momentarily confused. It looks strange on Michael's face. He always appears completely certain and sure-footed in any situation.

"For him?"

Castiel looks up steadily. This he was not ashamed of. "Yes."

Gabriel snaps for his attention. "Look we don't have time; you can have your existential crisis later. Dean's taking on Azazel."

Castiel turns and opens his wings wide, already moving to leave but is interrupted by the voice he was expecting to never hear again.

"No!"

He hesitates only a moment before reluctantly turning back. Naomi is red in the face stomping toward him. "Have you forgotten you are under Revelation? Stop this moment. We need to talk-"

"I'm finished talking to you." He rips the cuff off; it burns his fingers but turns gold once it's in his hand. He wordlessly passes it to Gabriel.

"If you leave, you will not be allowed back. If this is your decision…"

She obviously was not told yet of his attempt to fall. He faces away from Naomi and everything she represents. He's done listening to angry words. Dean needs him.

"Gabriel! Balthazar! Stay where you are!"

Castiel keeps walks, not looking if they're behind him or not. It was a direct order. He knows they will stay. Naomi's voice sounds a little desperate, a little less hard when she calls one last thing.

"Castiel… we are your family!"

"He's my family." He says it softly to himself, just before diving back toward the earth, wings open this time. He didn't know where Dean would be but he knew instantly where his feather was.

Apparently Azazel and his cronies were trying to open a HellMouth. Dean didn't even know what that meant but it sounded pretty damn bad. He'd been stepping quietly along the shadows for over an hour, trying to get close enough. It was cold, and damp. This wasn't one of those plushy churches with new pews and soft red carpet. Not the Catholics style. It was old and a little creepy with stained-glass windows of long dead guys and statues of a dying Jesus, nails and all. Not to mention the 8 or 9 demons skulking around wearing nuns.

He crouches in a pocket near the back and watches them move around. They've been gathering all kinds of grizzly ingredients for a few days. Blood and bone and powdered intestines of who knew what saint. He sighs quietly, waiting to see the priest again. Azazel.

All he needed was one clear shot. Doesn't matter what happens after that. Dad's gun in hand, he could fix this. He would make him proud.

Dean sees a chance when one walks close enough. He steps behind a back pillar and covers the mouth of the demon, pulling the nun into the shadows, he knifes her in the side. It squirms and jerks and dies. Dean lowers the small body to the floor and moves on. He manages one more and then waits. That's about as many as he can risk. He's close enough. Within range. Dean watches some more of the ritual, throughout the half hour, he heard two of them talking in low tones while he hid behind a pew.

He was close enough. It was time. He stows the knife in his other hand, then reaches for the colt. Just as he was standing to aim, Azazel suddenly stops mid-word and focuses on him with hate-filled yellow eyes.

Dean rushes the shot and the bastard spins away holding his face.

All the demons stop and stare between them, surprised at Dean as if the boogie man just appeared before them. But then Azazel straightens and pulls his red wet hand away from the hole that was previously his ear and smiles wide.

He'd missed. His one chance and he'd missed. He'd rushed it. Goddamnit.

Azazel laughs dabbing at the ruined meat of the ear belonging to his meatsuit and looks at his bloody fingers. Six or seven demons span out around him in a loose circle but he doesn't go for the bait. The guns still pointed at their boss and that's all that keeping them back. Still, he tries to keep track of them in his peripheral, can't let them get behind him.

"Let me ask ya, Dean. How many bullets you got left in that pea-shooter, huh?" He paces slowly, eyes flashing once and grinning. "Last I had possession of it - while possessing your daddy that is – it had two left. So that leaves you with… one? One little bullet to take out something like me. Lotta pressure. Bet you've got this all built up as vengeance for your poor dead mommy and daddy. This is your big moment, huh?" He grimaces as if in mock sympathy. "Sure you won't choke? One little bullet... and you know the second you use it, whether it hits me or not, they're gonna pounce. Ah Dean, they'll rip you to shreds, buddy. Suck the blood off their fingers. They'll make it last, Dean."

Dean glares and breathes out, ignoring the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. They're moving closer but he waits. Breathes out again. Azazel's still talking; buying time and Dean waits. Breathes out. Find that moment of calm. He can do this. He can do this. Find the calm.

Azazel glances to a few of the sisters closest to him and he can hear them shuffling all together. "Dean, Dean, Dean... you really think-"

BAM!

Dean lowers the gun and they're all surprised when Azazel jerks, electric fizzle, hiss… got him right between the eyes. He falls to his knees, then down with a wet thud.

Dead.

The smile creeps across in face slow, elation building through him. He did it. He fucking did it. He-

The demons shake themselves from the shock of seeing Azazel fall and turn towards him all at once.

Oh Shit.

When they rush, it's as one.

He did plan for this a little. He has a salt bomb and got his arm up just in time but it only scatters them for a moment. Like cockroaches. Like cockroaches that were coming to tear into him.

One's writhing on the ground, but not dead. That leaves 6 standing.

He grabs inside his jacket for a bottle of holy water and breaks it over ones head. It howls as he shoves it away in time to take the brunt of another barreling into him. Dean punches the stout black-eyed woman to give him time to deal with the next. Can't let them all get close all at once. Already he's so exhausted. Knife to the gut, that's five. Five left.

This is more than he'd ever taken on before but with a kick to one and a half turn to stab the one behind him, Dean admits he's not doing too bad. Four. Four left.

There's blood in his eyes and a deep cut on his leg but he's still standing. Still swinging. Heaving. He moves to strike a petite blond but get grabbed by the throat. Kicking futilely, he can't swallow around the thumb pushing into his windpipe. His eyes flutter, then he's jerked forward and thrown into the far wall. He head hits brick.

His ears ring in a vaguely annoying way and everything's tinged in grey at the corners of his vision. Gotta get up. Get up. Up.

Dean shakily gets to a knee just to stumble and land hard on his shoulder with a grunt. And that's it. He's done. He tries twice more but he can't make his arms carry him enough to get to his feet. And they're coming.

Closing his eyes, Dean breathes out, searching for a calm thought. Cas is just there waiting for him in the darkness behind his eyelids. Cas. Not of when they had sex or anything. Just Cas sitting on his bed and reading comics. Gently turning the pages of his Superman comic just like he showed him. Dean's lips twitch in a small smile. It wasn't a bad thought to go out on.

A woman's voice cries out to someone and Dean creaks his eyes open. Why aren't they coming? He should be stabbed by now. If he was lucky. Hopefully they wouldn't stretch it out. Hopefully they'd be too eager.

The lights dim.

Blondie screams too and Dean frowns but doesn't have the energy to crane his neck to see what happened. He loses several minutes, weaving in and out of consciousness but another loud yell wakes him again. Dean finally forces himself to push up on his elbows.

Despite the grey giving him tunnel vision, Dean eventually registers that he's seeing an angel. And not just any angel, his angel. He has a hand to the forehead of the demon who threw him. Cas is looking around, searching. Looking so damn serious. Dean snorts and immediately winces in pain. He really did frown too much. Cas' pinched eyebrows smooth when his gaze finally lands on him.

Did he dream this up or was he already dead?

Stepping over debris and bodies, Cas crouches down by him. "You're hurt," he evaluates solemnly. "And you look particularly awful."

"Ah cut it out, you're makin' me blush." Dean's shallow laugh turns into a hiss at the pain in his ribs. Several have to be broken.

Cas smiles and reaches forward to tentatively cup his cheek as if he was waiting for Dean to pull away. Dean grabs it with his own hand and lays it flush against him, gritting his teeth at the movement it took to reach forward but it was worth it. Cas was touching him with that warm skin and it made everything a little better. Even if it was probably a dream.

Cas closes his eyes in something like relief and within a moment, Dean's feeling almost completely better. His ribs still ache distantly but they don't feel broken anymore and he's not gushing blood from the stab wound. His head only dully aches now, the grey receding. He still has some scrapes and cuts but the worst gashes close.

Dean licks his lips, looking back up at his savior. Not a dream then. Cas definitely seems worse for wear with a deep slice to his arm and one almost to the joint of his neck and shoulder. He's bloody and cut but alive, seemingly happy despite the injuries.

Sitting up, Dean lets his eyes sweep over the mayhem of the church. It's pretty gruesome. Dead nuns and a priest. It'll make a big splash in the papers, but the Hellmouth opening would have been a hell of a lot worse. Not that anyone would ever know about that.

Shaking his head and sighing, Dean says, "Thanks. Now do something about yourself."

"I will finish healing you and myself later."

"Outta juice?"

Cas nods, lips still upturned. Dean takes a second to look him up and down. Bloody, torn leather pants. Shirt no better. Hair sticking up with the blood of dead demons all over his arms and front. Wild, almost feral with those crazy bright eyes… and he looks just about the best thing Dean's ever seen.

"How are you here? I thought you were trapped behind the pearly gates."

"You needed me."

Dean smiles at that but tampers it down. "You in more trouble now?"

"Undoubtedly. Knowing you is nothing but trouble." Cas says with affection and cups his face again, warm fingers drawing him close. Dean almost lets it happen, this is everything he wanted, but before he can move to grab him close in welcome, he shifts back.

"Wait."

It'd be easy to give into the good feelings and forget everything else. But he'd be kicking himself later.

Castiel pauses and drops his hands as if expecting this.

"How long is it for this time? You being here."

As he sits back, invisible feathers rustle in agitation. "I want to be here. I want to be with you."

"Now. Now you're telling me this. And I'm just supposed to forget feeling like shit for almost a year."

Castiel's eyebrows wedge together, his eyes slide to the side with uncertainty. "I had hoped…"

"Cas, you can't just drop in whenever it's freaking good for you. Every time it hurts more when you go."

He sounded like a clingy girl on some daytime soap but he couldn't just go through that again. He'd gone after Cas once and Cas had sent him packing.

"Dean."

"No, do you have any idea wha-"

"Dean, stop talking!" He gets to his feet and begins to pace right in front of him. "I need to tell you two things and then I will leave if you want."

Stiffening, Dean throws up a hand in a go on.

"First, I need to tell you Uriel found your family because of me."

Dean crosses his arms as Castiel bows his head and continues. "Uriel was allied with demons. They were searching for you but until he followed me one night thinking to chastise me I am sure..."

The rest hangs in the air.

"Yeah, I knew that."

Castiel jerks his head up. "You... what?"

"Well it wasn't hard to figure out once I knew Uriel flipped his switch. That Naomi let it slip."

Cas seems off-footed and Dean sighs because he can't help himself. He pushes to his feet and steps forward.

"Listen to me, that wasn't on you. It's on a dead asshole angel that you took out. They probably woulda found us eventually. All I know is if you weren't there… they'd have killed me that night and then probably gone after Sammy too. Don't let the guilt fuck with your head, man."

Dean reluctantly takes another step and squeezes his shoulder until he makes eye contact. "I'm tellin' you. It's okay."

Heaving a deep sigh, Castiel steps the rest of the distance until they're close enough to breathe each other's air and keeps moving forward, bending his head to kiss him just this side of chaste. His hands rest gently on Dean's hips like he needs to touch him in some small way. And after everything, Dean's not strong enough to deny him. He closes his eyes and rubs his lips back in return. For several minutes, they're both so still. Only catching each other's lips softly over and over.

In those moments, Castiel fills with overwhelming joy. This is right. Dean is right. As scared as he was to fall, he was more scared of living eternity without him.

Cas murmurs against his lips, "and second…"

Dean jerks and grunts into his mouth.

"Dean?" Frowning, Cas pulls back an inch and gasps to see blood dripping past his bottom lip. Like his dream. Cas yanks him close and sees the petite nun on its knees behind him. One had remained alive. It grins up at him with shining black-eyes and he smacks his palm against the demon's head to purge it, clutching Dean. As he pushes it away, Dean slouches into him, sliding down his body to the ground.

"Sonofabitch…" he wheezes, head lolling "One left."

Cas follows him down, ending up sitting with Dean's head in his lap. "Dean?"

"Figures." Dean was mumbling with his eyes closed, coughing a little blood past his lips.

This was all wrong. They'd made it. He was going to fall. Him and Dean would be together. He was going to be human. Eat greasy food in motelrooms and drive long distances and learn every smile Dean had.

"Dean.. I can't- I can't heal you."

"I know. It's ok. Cheated death for me too-too many times already." He winces and tries to smile at him. His eyes even crinkle. "I'm good, Cas. They're dead. It's… it's okay now."

"It's not okay!" He shakes his head in disbelief. "I'm going to fall. We're going to be together. Dean.. we're going to- Gabriel! Balthazar!"

Castiel screams at the ceiling, but of course they can't come to save Dean this time. He jerks in his arms and seems more lucid for only a moment before sinking back against him.

This is not right! A random demon.. not Lilith.. Alastair.. Azazel. All of them were dead now and they would have been free.. He planned to fall.. He was going to.. And just a normal blackeyed grunt., would take out the one human in this world he..

He cries to his brothers then curses them. His face is wet though he's filled with anger more than sorrow. All the missed chances they've had and now it would never be their time.

Eyes shut, Dean laughs shallowly once. "Even got an angel to cry over me. Could be worse."

"Dean..." he doesn't know what else to say. He squeezes Cas' hand weakly and swallows hard. "You heard me right? When I- what I said.."

Dean's prayer. It seemed a lifetime ago. Of everything he said, all Cas remembers was the last part. The words that pulled him to his feet in Heaven and had him diving off the edge. "Yes."

He's fading and so softly sighs, "That's good…"

Castiel was momentarily distracted by a pulse of grace in the distance, calling to his own. Someone was coming. Gabriel, Balthazar, any number of angels he most likely called out to in his panic. Then his elation falls when he looks down. "Dean?"

His heart is slowing.

"Dean!" He shook him roughly but this time he remained quiet and his eyes didn't open. He would only have a collection of seconds, maybe a minute or two, and then be gone. Everything Dean was or would be… just gone.

This wasn't how it was supposed to be! It's all he could think over and over. Castiel had been ready to give up his wings tonight, instead he was watching his human bleed out without being able to do anything. He couldn't heal himself let alone Dean. He wasn't enough. And whoever was coming, wouldn't make it in time. And Dean was- Wait. He wasn't enough but maybe Anna could help. Her grace.. If he tried to heal him himself, he would be unconscious in seconds and Dean would be dead. But maybe Anna's grace could hold him long enough. Angels rarely fell and their grace never used this way. He had no idea if it would help but Dean's breathing more and more shallow. Heart weakening. His body seemed in the last stages of life and he could feel him slipping away.

It may destroy him, burst him from the inside.

"Dean. I.. don't know what else to do.."

Love… He wasn't sure of the emotion and all that it entailed, but from everything he'd seen of humanity, ever book and poem and hymn he'd read… he knew he had that for Dean.

And that meant he couldn't just let this happen.

"I love you too," he kisses his temple.

Castiel yanks the cord off his neck with the glowing blue vial. It's warm, seems to pulse in his hand with liquid energy. He pulls out the rubber stopper. Looking one last time at Dean he tips it into his slack mouth, flowing out like light, fog, liquid all together. He immediately covers his lips with his hand and holds his chin closed with his other hand. Deans eyes are still shut but he bucks once in his arms, his whole body rolling, then he writhes and jerks violently.

Cas holds him for what feels like a long time until he settles into weak twitches.

"No!" Gabriel yells behind him. "What the hell did you do?!"

His brother looks down at the discarded vial. "Damnit, you forcefed him raw grace?"

"I had to! He was dying and you weren't here." He looks back down at Dean whom he realizes hasn't moved in over a minute. "Heal him now! he sobs in desperation.

Gabriel squints at him considering then shakes his head. "No. I don't know what would happen. He already tossed back a shot of undiluted grace.. Don't know what any more could do. It's a miracle he hasn't ka-boomed yet.." When Cas' eyes widen, Gabriel amends, "I mean... Let's just uh wait and see what happens."

After another minute or two, Castiel grinds out. "He's been still for too long! I can barely hear his heart. Should- should he…"

"There isn't a manual for this, Bro."

At some point when he wasn't paying attention, Balthazar joins them and asks, "What'd I miss?"

"Oh not much." Gabriel sighs stepping back. He must have seen Dean because he winces audibly. "Ohh..." Castiel turns to glare up at him, clutching Dean tighter like he can stop this by will alone.

Balthazar tries for an optimistic smile and offers, "Well um... he's not dead yet?"

No. Not yet.

"I know that!" Cas snaps viciously.

Balthazar puffs out a breath, barely resisting rolling his eyes and goes back to watching. "What's wrong with him?"

Before he can answer, Dean's whole body arches off the ground and he gasps raggedly. Castiel struggles to keep him down then he just drops and remains still. After a moment, he removes his hands and waits. His eyes check the fatal wound along with each scrap and slice he can see. Still bleeding. They aren't healing but his heart still beats. He's staring so intently, trying to notice any change that he almost misses the soft sound that escapes Dean's mouth.

"Dean!" He fists his bloody shirt. "Can you hear me?"

Castiel bends over him to listen and it takes a few tries before can get out another sound.

"Cas?" He coughs weakly and before his eyes, Dean's skin smoothes and fills in, only leaving behind dried blood where there was just a gaping hole. He rubs a finger over the spot where it was.

"Cas…" Dean cranes his neck to see him. His eyes open almost too wide and fever bright. "You're... Whoa… You're- you're fucking gorgeous!"

"What a romantic," Balthazar chortles behind him, but he doesn't pay attention. Something is wrong. Dean isn't looking at him exactly but staring past him. Over his shoulder to be exact. Castiel frowns then slowly rolls his shoulder to raise his right wing high and out. Dean tracks the movement, mouth falling open.

"You can see my wings?"

He doesn't answer. Castiel watches with concern as he continues to be preoccupied with what he shouldn't be able to see. Dean's heartbeat is beginning to pick up a little but it's loud at least. Not faint. He much prefers it beating fast in excitement even if he's not sure what is going on. Castiel glances up to exchange a questioning look with Gabriel and he just shrugs. Perhaps it was an effect of Anna's grace.

"Dean you are- Are you okay?"

"Yeah I think so?" He doesn't seem anymore certain. When Castiel drops his wings, Dean finally moves focus to his face and pushes up to a sit on his own. He stays close with arms at his sides ready to catch him if he's too weak but Dean looks okay. Healed. He's going to be okay. He repeats it to himself a few more times.

"What happened?" Dean seems to suddenly notice the angels circling him. "Oh shit, am I dead? Is this Heaven? Tell me you guys aren't in my heaven."

"You wish, Beefcake," Balthazar folds his arms huffily but ruins it by smiling. However Gabriel is still frowning at him and it stops Castiel's surge of relief. "Hey uh Dean…" he says to get his attention.

"Wow, I think that's the first time you ever used my name. Finally got tired of Barbie?"

"Yeah, so anyway, do you feel any different?"

"Different? Well, I feel... kinda good actually." He nods like he's taking an inventory. Stretching his arms and poking at the hole in his shirt. "Great even."

"No pain at all, huh?"

"No… "He pauses to amend, "Well I got a headache, but I mean considering..." He rubs the back of his skull. "I.. I, uh-" his next words are cut off when he starts gasping.

"Dean? What is it?" Castiel asks, watching his hand drop to his chest and clutch his bloody shirt. "Can't b-breathe-" Gasp. "My-" Gasp. "Heart-"

He cuts off mid-word to lurch onto his hands and knees while Castiel watches in panic. Gabriel hooks a hand underneath his arm and forcibly pulls him to his feet. Down on the ground, blue light illuminates Dean's eye sockets, getting brighter with every passing second.

"Wha-" Dean blinks several times, his eyes are suddenly burning. "Ahhh!" Falling back on his butt, he pushes the heels of his palms against his eye sockets trying to alleviate the pressure and kicks futilely at the ground.

And he yells.

And screams.

Over and over as soon as he's able to pull in each short breath for air.

"Dean!" He fights with Gabriel to yank his arm free. "Let me go!"

"Stop, Castiel! He isn't going to make it. Now, we have to go!"

Castiel turns and firmly shoves his brother away. Falling to his knees by Dean, his hands hover uncertainly over him. "I won't leave him again."

Dean screams so loud and long he loses his voice in the middle and finally slumps to curl into a ball. When his eyes open, the painful light emanating from them hurts to even see second-hand. "What's- " he sobs and doesn't finish but instead cries out as his spine bows.

Castiel gathers him into his lap and rocks him slowly through the wave of pain. Both angels wince and back away a little.

Balthazar tries next. "Cassie, I don't know what you did but if he pops... the grace could- well he's like a bomb about to go off, damnit!"

Gabriel pulls against Castiel's shoulder but he doesn't let go as Dean alternates between whimpering and screaming.

"I'll end it quick. Just please go with Balthazar now."

"No! Leave then. Leave us alone!" He yells blindly through his tears and clutches Dean closer. Both Balthazar and Gabriel start to crowd him and he's bracing to fight them again but then-

Then there's a sickening crunch of bone.

After a second to listen and find its origin, Castiel grips him higher up so he can bend over his back and grabs a fist full of Dean's shirt. Ripping it away in one violent motion, he's sees...

It's impossible.

Dean's shoulder blades suddenly jut out to pierce through the skin of his back. Pointed tips of bone grow up to rip and tear a path outwards, as he screams until he's hoarse and just opening his mouth without sound. Dean digs his fingers into Cas' thighs and back, clutching, clawing, fisting. Making him bleed, but he would let him do it for as long as he was able if it would help. Powerless to stop this, Castiel holds his head and rubs his neck, watching in amazement as the white bone lengthens and bows into an arch. Barely believing his eyes, he watches as feathers unfurl and thicken into rows, one after the other, before his eyes forming the primaries. Damp as if covered in dew.

"What in the feathery hell is going on?" Balthazar calls from behind him in awe. "How is this happening?"

"Anna's grace."

The secondaries fill in and he holds his breath but the final flight feathers immerge as well. He's going to be whole at least.

"You gave it to him?!" His brother looks horrified, crouching at his side to keep an eye on the transformation.

"Yes! He was dying!" He whispers harshly, then immediately tries to calm himself so he doesn't jar Dean while brushing through his hair with his shaky fingers.

Dean makes another weak cry but it's less gut wrenching. There's exhausted relief in his little noises now.

Gabriel pokes him in the shoulder. "Well he ain't dying now."

"Are you sure?" Castiel can't turn away from Dean to look at his brother to gage the truth of his words.

"If he was gonna bite it, I think it would have happened by now."

A few more tense moments and it seems to be over. The wings stop growing. And they are the most beautiful thing he was ever seen.

Unlike Balthazar's tan feathers, Gabriel's white feathers or even Castiel's black, Dean's were not a solid color. The top ones along the arch of wing bone are deep brown. Rows lower they lighten to a golden tan then to white with spots of light brown, something he'd never seen on any of his brother or sisters. Finally the lower long flight feathers were solid white. Beautiful. Breathtaking. Dean.

Dean's breathing changes from quick labored gasps to even and shallow. He shivers against him even as he's unconscious.

"Dean?" He calls softly, not really expecting an answer. Castiel touches his cheek, clammy but then beneath his touch… warm. Or less cold. Dean had always been just that side of cool. Something he'd learned all humans would be for him.

Balthazar squats next to him. "Does this mean I have to start calling him brother-in-law?"

Snickering at himself, his brother reaches out towards his feathers. He takes one of the speckled middle ones between two fingers and rubs curiously. Dean tenses in his lap and when Castiel looks up to see what caused it, he immediately smacks his hand so hard it stings.

Laughing around his "Owww," Balthazar rubs his injured hand. "I think you broke a bone." He stretches his fingers out a few times to heal it.

"Do not touch him in that way," Castiel all but growls.

He rolls his eyes and stands in response.

Castiel strokes over the feather he touched several times and then on to the new feathers to smooth the ruffled and unruly new tuffs. Dean exhales deeply against him.

Gabriel pats him on the back. "Congratulations. It's a boy."

Author's Note: This is a good stopping point right? Are you mad? You seem mad. ;-p Hope everyone isn't too disappointed Cas didn't fall. Last chapter to follow.