And here is the next chapter.
After that another chapter will follow and then comes the epilogue and this story is done.

Chapter 35

The days passed and with each passing day it became better and better.

On the fourth day he was even able to get up and eat normally.

Sam, Gabriel and Bobby had taken care of him in the last few days and even if Dean wouldn't say it out loud, but he appreciated the help very much.

Gabriel had told him everything that had happened after the battle against Lucifer.

He had told him how the devil could flee with the last bit of his strength.

The demons and hellhounds that still had been there were gone up in flames and died a cruel death.

And Castiel?

He hadn't even recognize neither Dean nor Sam nor Bobby nor his own brother Gabriel.

It was as if someone had cleared his mind and only let him kill as a soulless machine.

"Where is he now?" Dean wanted to know in the morning of the fifth day, when he was just going to help Sam with the breakfast that he was preparing for all of them.

Gabriel looked at him only in silence, seemed to search for an answer.

"He's at the other end of the world. I have not spoken to him since the fight and he says not a word to me or any other angel. I also can't reach him on the "angel radio". It is as if he had completely sealed off."

Dean stopped briefly in his doing and looked out of the window.

"Would he recognize you or me or anyone of us?"

The Archangel sighed.

"I don't know Dean. After the fight he just disappeared without saying a word. I had to speak to him in the language of the angels, that he might save your life. I told him "God's creation is in danger," then he has defeated Lucifer, killed the demons and hellhounds and saved us all. I don't know what happened with Lucifer and if he is dead or still alive, and I don't know how Cas fared since then."

The despair swung in Gabriel's voice and was clearly visible in his golden eyes.

Apparently the whole situation stressed him out more than he would have been willing to admit.

Dean put his things aside and turned to Gabriel.

"Then there's only one way to find out. Bring me to him."

Even Sam and Bobby stopped briefly in what they were doing and looked over at Dean.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Sam wanted to know and concern swung in his words.

Even Bobby gave him a worried look.

"Honestly Sammy? I don't know, but we must do something. Cas is our friend. I realize that he has done terrible things, but that was not him. Lucifer has manipulated him and in the end he fought against him and he saved all of us and instead we help him now, we just sit here, making breakfast and discuss his mental state. That's not how friends and brothers should behave!"

In his final words he gave Gabriel a sidelong glance, which made the Archangel look away and the other two turned their attention gene floor as well.

Dean was right.

Castiel had all saved their lives and they didn't even consider it necessary in all the time, where Lucifer was defeated, to look after him and to convince themselves that he was fine?

If this really was the case, then they were all really shitty friends!

"I think Dean-o's right. After all what Cas did for us, we should now do something for him in return. Even if I still hold a grudge against him! He has tried to kill me, has slashed my leg and deceived me hard. This is something I can't just forget."

"And you don't have to Gabe. But we should at least try to make him come back to us. After that, we can still see what we will do. The important thing is that he is now out there, alone and an easy target for other angels. And if Lucifer is still out there, we need to ensure that he won't get his hands on him again. And let's not start talking about Crowley! Who knows where he is and what he plans behind our backs?"

"I don't think that Cas would let Crowley manipulate him," Sam dared to say and he immediately got a quizzical look from Gabriel.

"Don't be foolish Sam! My little brother is naive, you should know best. You can tell him what you want and he would believe you immediately. This is all new to him. Tell me Sam, how would you feel if you would find out that your brothers and sisters have lied to you all the millennia and concealed your true nature? Castiel is older than you can imagine. He is one of the last great angels that our father has ever created. Seraphim were created right after us, the Archangels. They should protect the Lord's throne and fulfill his halls with their voices and their light. They were not warriors and are not even today. And all of that breaks now together over Castiel's head."

Sam and the other two men were silent.

Gabriel was right with his words.

None of them could even begin to imagine how awful Castiel had to feel now. His whole life had been built on a lie, his own brothers and sisters had lied to him and deceived him, manipulated him and had forced him to do things that he would never have done.

Nevertheless, none of them was comfortable with the idea that Cas was all alone out there, while Crowley, Lucifer and other devilish creatures were out there as well, watching for their chance. Not to mention his brothers and sisters who also were probably looking for the Seraphim.

"If Crowley and even Lucifer are still out there, then we must do it Gabriel. Now we can take no regard of Castiel's feelings, as long as he is still all alone out there. We need to take him to safety."

Gabriel had to agree with Dean.

If he didn't want that all the past events repeated, then they had to react now and the best as soon as possible.

The golden eyes of the archangel turned to the older hunter.

"All right, if you are so sure about that then I'll take you to him, but don't expect too much from him. I have no idea how he will react, so I'll only take you with me."

His eyes turned to Sam and Bobby.

"You two stay here. It's for your own good. Dean and Castiel share a stronger bond with each other...assuming my little brother still remembers that."

Dean shuddered at these words and involuntarily images crept into his head, from which he hoped they would never come true. Pictures where he faced Castiel and where the angel drew a sword and attacked him, because he didn't recognize him.

He shook his head, banished those thoughts and tried to think of something else.

Cas was his best friend and something like that he wouldn't forget.

With new strength and self-confidence, Dean put his things aside that he had used for the preparation of their breakfast and made his way into the living room.

"I'll get my stuff. Then you can bring me to him Gabriel."

The archangel watched him, his eyes were blank and a small shudder went through his body and even he didn't know what they had to expect, if they had found Castiel.

"I hope you know what you're doing Dean..."