Dean heard a clatter behind him as Cas dropped his shotgun in shock. He felt his own mouth gaping open as he tried to process the sight before him. Death. On their doorstep. Why the fuck was Death on their doorstep?

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" asked Death, irritation breaking through his smooth voice.

"What are you doing here?" said Dean, ignoring the question. Death struggled to balance the boxes with one hand as he replied.

"I'm here to help pull this little ball of rock back from the brink again. Now invite me in if you want my help, Dean. And take some of these boxes for God's sake."

Dean took the pizza, stepped aside and waved him in, but Death didn't move.

"You have to say it out loud. This little bunker is warded against….well, pretty much everything. I can't come in unless I am invited," he said.

"Fine, come in," said Dean.

Death swept gracefully over the threshold, looking around appreciatively. When his back was turned, Dean and Cas exchanged bewildered looks and followed him to the table.

"Well, Dean, don't be rude. Call the others. I brought this for everyone. It's from Chicago," Death's lips twitched like he was holding back a smile as he gestured to the boxes, "I recall you enjoyed the pizza when we met in that little parlor."

Dean got his wits about him enough to call for his brother. "Sammy! Get your gigantor ass down here and bring the others!"

Dean turned to face the being before him; Cas started to sit and Death said, "Stop, Castiel!"

Cas tilted his head in confusion as Death eyed Dean reproachfully. "It is impolite for you to not pull out your partners chair when he sits, Dean."

Dean blushed furiously, his freckles standing out wildly on red cheeks, but he pulled out Cas' chair. His angel sat, also blushing, but smiling a little at the sentiment.

They were all seated awkwardly at the table when they heard shuffling footsteps in the hallway. Sam and Crowley were laughing and shoving each other; Kevin was riding piggyback on Sammy. They had really bonded lately, but when his brother caught sight of their dinner guest, he stopped in his tracks and dropped the kid.

"Ouch!" shouted Kevin. Crowley looked up, caught sight of Death in the kitchen and went white as a sheet. Kevin clambered up from the floor, eyeing Death wearily. "Who's that?" he asked.

""Pleasure to meet you, Kevin Tran. My name is Death."

"Death, like the Horseman of the Apocalypse?"

"Precisely."

Kevin just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Okay," before coming to sit at the table. Everyone looked at him like he was insane. "What?" he said, "When you've spent as much time in this family as I have, nothing spooks you anymore."

Dean's heart swelled; Kevin had come so far since they had first met. The fondness he felt for the kid was akin to what he had felt for Ben, like he was gaining a son; an overgrown geek son, but a son nonetheless. Death broke his straight faced protocol and smiled toothily at the Prophet. Sam and Crowley slowly approached the table.

"Sit," said Death, "please eat."

When everyone was seated, the Horseman snapped his fingers. Plates from the cabinet appeared on the table, laden with the food, and a bottle of beer popped into existence in front of each man. Everyone stared at it for a moment before Death spoke.

"For God's sake, I'm not going to smite you. This is getting awkward; eat."

Everyone around the table let out a shaky laugh and dug into the deep dish supreme pizza; it was delicious.

"Now," said Death as he chewed slowly, "We have a rather large problem, as I am sure you are aware. Abaddon is actively trying to release Michael and Lucifer from their cage. On top of that the angels have fallen."

Castiel looked down in shame at the mention of his fallen brothers and sisters. Dean reached under the table and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. Cas returned the pressure and gave a small, sad smile. Death turned his fathomless dark eyes upon the former angel and said, "It wasn't your fault, Castiel. Not this time. Purgatory is a different story altogether, but this was Metatron's doing. You are not to blame."

Cas looked surprised but nodded gratefully. Death continued speaking. "Abaddon has found War's ring. She is looking for Famine's, Pestilence's, and mine as we speak."

At the news that Abaddon had one of the rings, everyone at the table balked. "Wait," said Dean, "why are you telling us this? Why help us?"

"I will not be enslaved to a bratty child throwing a fit again," snapped Death, "Stop questioning my motives and listen!" As he spoke, the lights began flickering. His features were hard and the temperature dropped rapidly in the face of his irritation. Everyone quickly apologized; Death's face softened again. The lights stopped and the temperature was returned to normal.

"Now," he said, "As I was saying, I will not be enslaved to Lucifer again. I will help as much as I can to stop this."

"Why not just gank Abaddon?" asked Dean. Death leveled him with a glare, and he hastily added, "uh, sir," to the end of the sentence.

"Because there are rules to the universe that I can't break; when I was bound and was forced to bend them look at what happened: earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions. If I breached them, it would start a chain of natural disasters that would devastate your little planet. So I'll help you the only way I can: by assisting you with the trials."

Everyone started when he mentioned the trials. "How did you know?" asked Cas.

"I am absolute, everywhere and everything. I know many things; how I know them is none of your concern. Rest assured that no one else is aware of your plan."

The men pondered his words for a moment before Crowley spoke up. "I understand that you want to help, mate, but what can you do? The first trial is slaying a hellhound. Short of zapping us to the place where the poor bloke who made the deal lives, how can you help?"

"I won't be helping with the first trial. You can handle that on your own. I will be helping you with the second trial. You'll need my help to free the innocent soul from Hell. After what happened to Ajay, there are no more rogue reapers to take you there; they've all fled. You should summon me when it is time to complete the second trial. Just call my name, and I will come. Now, I suggest that you begin thinking about who you want to free from hell."

Dean and Sam exchanged a look; they knew exactly who they wanted free, but they would wait until it was closer to time to mention it. They still had to make it past part one.

"What about the angels?" asked Cas, "can you send them back home?"

"No," said Death. He looked regretful, but firm. "That's God's territory, Castiel. I cannot interfere."

Cas looked disappointed; Kevin looked at him and said, "Don't worry, Cas. I'm working on it, and I think I may be getting close to something." Cas nodded gratefully.

Death stood, brushing crumbs from his jacket. "I must be on my way; I have reapers to command. Goodbye, Dean. I expect we will meet again soon." He paused, glancing at Castiel's t shirt. "Nice shirt by the way, Castiel. I am quite fond of the Doctor." With a swish of his coat, Death vanished and they were alone once again.

The silence in the room was almost painful for a moment. Then everyone said "I need a drink," at the same time. As one, they made their way to the liquor cabinet and downed a tumbler of whiskey each, laughing at the audacity of their situation.

Dean looked over at Cas, watching him closely. After Death had left the bunker, they had made the final preparations for their journey tomorrow morning. The atmosphere in their home was tense and oppressive, so they had watched The Two Towers to try and lighten the mood. When the film was over Cas had become moody and brooding. Dean wanted to cheer him up so he took him for a ride in Baby. They were parked in an empty field in the middle of nowhere, watching the stars from the hood of the car. His angel radiated tension and stress. Dean wasn't sure what to do, but he wanted to make it better. "Cas, is everything okay?" he asked.

Castiel's shoulders started shaking; he was crying. Dean didn't hesitate; he just pulled his angel into his lap, cradling him in his arms.

"Hey, shhh, Cas, what's wrong?"

Cas cried harder, clinging to Dean like his life depended on it. Dean just rocked his gently, softly kissing the tears from his face.

"Dean, I can't lose you," Castiel's hands tangled in Dean's shirt, clutching him tightly.

"Not going anywhere Cas, I gottcha,"

Cas let Dean hold him as he cried. They had watched the next Lord of the Rings movie. Elrond's prophecy was still ringing in his ears. It was as if the elf had outlined his entire future if he took his grace back; it was everything he feared most. He let the words float around his head again:

'You will still have to taste the bitter sting of mortality. Whether by the sword or the slow decay of time, Aragorn will die. And there will be no comfort for you. No comfort to ease the pain of his passing. He will come to death, an image of the splendor of the kings of men in glory, undimmed before the breaking of the world. But you, my daughter, you will linger on, in darkness and in doubt. As nightfall in winter that comes without a star. Here you will dwell, bound to your grief, under the fading trees, until all the world is changed and the long years of your life are utterly spent. There is nothing for you here; only death.'

It was a perfect description of his own personal hell; to live unchanging as the world crumbled around him and his friends passed into oblivion. As Dean died and left him forever. He couldn't do it. If there was any doubt in his mind before, it evaporated as he was cradled in Dean's arms. He would never take his grace back, he couldn't do it. He listened to Dean whispering comforting words into his ear, and he realized that he didn't have to despair over it: he had a choice. He had free will, and it was thanks to his hunter and his brother and all the sacrifices they had made. His tears dried up and he met Dean's eyes. He wanted to touch him, to assure himself that they were still here, that they were still human and together.

The way Cas was looking at him made Dean's heart pound; his eyes were smoldering sapphire, his hair illuminated in the silvery moonlight, the lean lines of his muscle pressed against his own body as he held him close. He had relaxed against him, his tears dried. Dean wasn't sure exactly what had upset his angel, but he was going to erase it and he knew just how to do it. He rolled his body so that Cas was on his back, pinned underneath him on the hood of the car.

He looked down at his angel, eyes luminous with starlight and claimed his mouth with a searing kiss. It was slow and sweet and gentle. Cas let out a little gasp and Dean took the opportunity to slip his tongue into his sweet mouth. He tasted every inch with reverence, claiming him for his own. Cas whimpered under the assault of Dean's skilled mouth, his hands cupping his hunter's cheeks as he held him close.

Then Dean captured his bottom lip and let it slide slowly from between his teeth; it sent shivers racing up Cas' spine. The kiss changed from sweet to smoldering hot. Cas moaned and canted his hips forward, trying to find some relief; he was unbearably hard and heavy in his jeans. Dean trailed him mouth lower, down his neck, sucking bruises onto his throat. When his teeth nipped at the sensitive patch of flesh behind his ear, Cas let out a needy whine. Dean chuckled and moved lower; his hands found the hem of his angel's shirt and tugged it over his head, throwing it unceremoniously away. Cas tried to sit up and take off his hunter's shirt, but Dean pinned him back to the hood, the metal cold against his heated flesh. He pawed fruitlessly at Dean's chest. "Off, get it off. Please."

Dean chuckled again and pulled all the layers of his shirts off over his head in one smooth movement. Then he was back on top of him, kissing Cas' chest, scraping his teeth over his collar bone. Cas closed his eyes and let himself float away on the sea of sensation Dean was stirring in his body.

When Dean took a nipple in his mouth and lavished it with his tongue. Cas' head smacked the windshield as he threw it back in ecstasy. It was too much and not enough all at once. Dean took the other nipple between his fingers and pinched it lightly; Cas couldn't hold back a cry, it felt so fucking good. He would never get over how amazing it felt to be with Dean; nothing was better.

Dean abandoned his nipples and continued his journey south, nuzzling the soft smattering of hair on his belly that disappeared into the waistband of his jeans. Dean kissed and nipped at the cut of muscle around his jutting hipbone and he unbuttoned his pants. Cas felt his hunter grasp the waistband of his boxers and jeans and pull them slowly down his legs, leaving kisses on the soft, sensitive skin of his inner thighs. Cas looked at Dean, standing shirtless before him, jeans slung low on his hips, illuminated in the incandescent light. His green eyes were shining as he looked down at Cas like he was a priceless work of art. "So beautiful," he murmured. Cas shivered with want.

Dean moved close again and started kissing back up his thighs, retracing the path he took on the way down. Cas was expecting Dean to make his way back to his mouth. He was in no way prepared when he felt the hunter's warm breath ghosting over the head of his cock. His eyes sprang open and Dean gently nuzzled the length of his dick. Slick pre come burbled from the head; he was so hard it was painful.

"You're gonna love this, angel. Gonna make you feel so good."

Cas didn't know what his hunter was planning, but he trusted him. Dean looked up at him, eyes smoldering as he slowly licked up the length of his cock, twirling his tongue around the head, tasting him as he sealed his lips around his thick girth. Cas gasped; it was unlike anything he had ever felt before. Electricity shot through his veins, blood boiling as Dean took him slowly deeper into the wet heat of his velvety mouth. Cas let out a choked groan and fisted his fingers tightly into Dean's short hair. His hips involuntarily tried to thrust forward, but Dean had his hips pinned to the hood of the car. His hunter let out a moan, the vibrations traveling down Cas' length, making him feel like he was spiraling out of control. Dean hollowed his cheeks around his dick and started bobbing his head, taking him deep until he could feel the head of his cock tapping the back of his throat. Cas shouted out in ecstasy, one hand scrabbling for purchase on the hood of the car.

Dean sucked harder, lavishing the head with attention, running his hands soothingly up and down Cas' thighs. He slipped his tongue into the slit, groaning as the sweet taste of angel erupted onto his taste buds. Cas felt himself writhing under Dean, but he couldn't bring himself to care. His body was on fire, burning in the inferno that was Dean. He started begging, "Dean, please, don't stop. Oh, fuck, please, Dean, please."

Dean's head started working faster, teasing the sweet bundle of nerves under the head. One hand reached between his legs and began to roll his balls around in his hand, massaging him. Cas was hurtling toward the precipice at light speed. Molten fire was curling in the pit of his stomach, his body tightening like a spring. Dean moaned around his length and that was it. He was undone, pleasure firing through his body like a lightning storm, bursting through his entire being as the stars wheeled overhead in the night sky. He cried out, coming into Dean's mouth; his hunter took him all the way to the back of his throat and swallowed every drop, moaning as if it were the best taste in the world.

Dean let his softening cock slip out of his mouth and kissed his way softly up Cas' chest to his lips and the cool night breeze swirled gently around them. Cas slipped his tongue into Dean's mouth and tasted himself. His hunter moaned and Cas felt his erection pressing at his hip, painfully hard. Cas pushed Dean on his back and opened his pants, freeing him from the confines of the rough denim.

Dean let out a choked moan as Cas wrapped his hand around his cock and began to stroke; pleasure burst through his body, ebbing and flowing like a tidal wave. God, it felt so good. He was so hard it hurt, the taste of angel still on his lips. Cas sped up, setting a fast, rough rhythm and Dean had to choke back a scream. God he loved this. He loved the way Cas looked at him while he did this, he loved the way his hair stuck up wildly, he loved what his hands were doing to him. He loved Cas. Fuck, yes, he was in love with Cas. The wave inside of him was reaching cataclysmic proportions.

"Castiel, fuck, Cas," he moaned and then he was coming, spilling over his angel's hand as the wave inside of him crested and broke. Lights dances behind his eyes and his head spun in ecstasy as he screamed Cas' name. He lay on the hood of the car, utterly spent. Cas dropped his head to his hunters shoulder and nuzzled his softly.

"Dean?"

"Hmmpphh,"

Cas smiled fondly at him. He got up, found a clean towel in the backseat, and used it to clean Dean and himself up. He got dressed as Dean tucked himself back into his pants. Cas pulled his shirt over his head and threw Dean his. When they were both dressed, Cas clambered sleepily onto the hood next to Dean. The hunter opened his arms and Cas snuggled in, resting his head on his chest, letting Dean hold him close, relishing the feeling of strong arms around him and lips in his hair as he drifted slowly to sleep.

Dean held his angel close, kissing his downy locks softly. Cas was dead to the world; he didn't feel it when Dean began to run his fingers through his hair, or when his thumb began stroking his shoulder. He didn't see the smile that was plastered on Dean's face. He didn't wake when Dean lifted him to carry him to the passenger seat so they could go home, and he didn't hear it when Dean whispered the biggest admission of his life softly into the night:

"Love you, Cas."