Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or it;s characters

By the time Dean found his way back to the motel, Cas had woken up and returned from a mission of finding coffee, which Hannah was clutching as if it might vanish into thin air. He walked in the door, the stench of alcohol slowly filled the room.

"Where were you?" Sam asked half heartedly, Whisky radiated from Dean's body, silently answering his brother's question

"None of your bee's wax." He snapped, frustrated that the Sam questioned him.

Hannah grimaced at Dean's shouting, her head throbbing.

"Dean, could you not shout? I know you can hold your liquor, but I feel like I have a huge hangover." Hannah glanced up at a now very remorseful Dean. He had forgotten that she was in pain, he understood what it felt like to have someone shouting when your head ached, not that he had been able to get drunk in a few years. Hannah, however, was counting the minutes until she could take another does of Advil, which she kept telling herself was helping.

Sam looked at Dean and saw him scowling in Hannah's direction, but why would Dean be angry at Hannah? Sam watched as Dean walked around his brother, grab the bottle of pain killers and walk them over to Hannah. Dean glanced at the brooding Cas sitting in the corner before, opening the bottle and offering Hannah a few green pills. She shook her head and told him that she still had a while before she could take more. Sam watched as his brother entire demeanor changed, the scowl that Sam had received was gone and his eyes were soft, almost tender as he glanced at the fatigued woman before him. She waived, trying to keep her balance. Dean reached out and steadied her, she leaned on him, trying her best to find the strength to stand on her own. Dean came up next to her, wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her to the bed, urging her to rest. She sat down ungracefully, even with Dean's help, who after seeing her settled left to take a shower.

Sam was disconcerted with what had just taken place. The wheels in Sam's head were turning now, and he started to go back and review Dean's attitude since they had found Cas.

What effect, if any, from the alcohol had worn off, leaving Dean without a hangover, it took too much effort and booze to do that anymore. He flipped through the TV channels, restless. Hannah laid at the end of the other bed, curled into a loose fetal position, watching the changing channels. Her arms were folded, tucked under her cheek and Dean could see the effort it took for her to focus on the TV. He chose a channel at random and dropped the remote next to him. She was fading so much faster the Sam had, it had taken months before he had gotten this bad, but because of the rapid fulfillment of the trials, it was hitting Hannah harder, all at once rather then gradually.

"You're almost done, hang in there." He told her soft enough so only she could understand him. She scooted her head back so she could look at him, eyes hiding the suffering she was going through. Even though she was wearing a sweatshirt, her body felt so cold. The long sleeves hid the glow and burning in her arms and her face showed a lack of emotion as she put her mask on.

"I know." She watched him as he watched her. "He worries about you, Sam does, even if he doesn't say it." Her voice was weak and breathy.

Dean's mask flew on his face, Sam worried about him, that was Dean job, not Sammy's.

"He was unsettled and restless the whole time you were gone."

Dean pulled all emotion from his face, Sam was unsettled, but not Hannah, she didn't care that he was gone. Why should she, you don't mean anything. She cares about Cas. What are you doing man? Why do you care if she wondered where your were, she is CAS'S GIRL. Stop playing with fire. Drop it, whatever it is, drop it.

Hannah saw his mask, she also saw a him fight with himself.

"You can't leave like that, you can't leave us, we need you."

She said 'we'

"I'm sorry." Two words that he didn't say very often, if ever, slipped out of his mouth. He had let her down, why did that bother him so much?

"Dean, don't do it again?" Her eyes pleaded with him, begging him to be the man who cared, who stayed and took care of his family, no matter what he was feeling.

Shit.

"I won't."

"How do I know?" She wanted to believe him, she wanted to trust him, deep inside she knew that she could, but she fought the untested feeling. He was the strength of the group, everyone had their part, qualities the brought to the table, Dean brought strength and he kept everyone together. She loved Cas, and was thankful that he was with her, but ever since she had woken up, he had pulled in to himself, brooding about something. She needed Dean's strength.

Sam glanced up when he heard soft voices, he didn't know what they were saying, but he watched Dean's body language as he talked with Hannah. But what he saw next floored him. Dean got off the bed he was sitting on an knelt in front of Hannah, so she didn't have to strain her neck.

Dean reached up and placed a hand on her shoulder, his green eyes begging to be trusted.

"I promise you, I will never leave like that again."

Hannah, nodded softly, showing she believed him. He rubbed his thumb against her shoulder briefly before returning to his bed.

Sam looked over at Cas to see if he had seen the exchange, but Cas was oblivious, lost in his thoughts.

Dean squinted up at the sun as he leaned against the impala, it was starting to get warm outside. Sam stopped pacing and stood in front of his brother, who looked back down and straitened up, putting on a tough guy look. Sam had asked Dean to help him get something from the car, code for 'I want to talk with you'.

"What are you doing man?" Sam shook his head at his brother.

"What do ya mean?" Dean clearly had his guard up, his body was tense and wound tight.

"Hannah. She's Cas's girl, Dean, she's taken." Sam watched as Dean's face grew darker. He took a step forward, leaning into Sam's space.

"Don't you think I know that?" A storm brewed in Dean's eyes as he looked up at his 'little' brother. "I know she's taken, don't you think I understand that?" The storm in Dean's eyes grew, making his green eyes darken considerably.

"I'm not sure you do, Dean. You seem to be coming on to her pretty hard." Sam was frustrated, he was glad that someone had caught Dean's eye and started to pull him out of the mud, but this was Cas's girl, Dean's best friend's girlfriend. Sure Dean was pissed at him most days, but that didn't change the fact that he was practically family. Sam couldn't understand what Dean was thinking.

"Do you think I'm proud of that? Trust me, I'm not. I know she's Cas's girl, I am very aware of that fact, but are you aware that I am trying?" Dean covered his face with his hands, dragging them off in frustration. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

"Thanks for expressing your concern, but don't need your help, I got it."

Cas watched as the brothers left the room. He walked over to Hannah and touched her shoulder, gaining her attention. He helped her as she struggled to sit up. He sat down next to her, holding her close, cherishing her.

"Cas, what's wrong?" Hannah saw strain in his eyes as he helped her and held her close. He held her tight before looking down at her, grief, guilt and a look she couldn't place swarmed in his eyes.

"I love you."

Hannah felt a sharp pain in her ribs, then a terrible burning radiating from her just below her sternum. She glanced down, then back up at Cas, disbelief, fear, and overwhelming pain created tears. Blood seeped out of her wound onto Cas's hand that still held tight to the dagger in her chest. Her breaths began to come in short bursts as she fell back. Cas held her tight, letting go of the weapon.

"I'm sorry, Hannah, I'm so sorry. I had to do it, it's the only way you can get to heaven." Shame and anguish filled his eyes and spilled out, falling on the gasping woman. "I'm sorry, please forgive me. I love you. Hannah, I love you." He could feel the warmth of her life blood as it stained his clothes as he held her, rocking her gently.

"Cas?" She sobbed out, shattering the already broken piece of his heart. She fell into him, her breath shallow, nearly gone. He supported her neck, holding her head against his chest, fingers pressed under her jaw, feeling her pulse weaken, until it stopped.

He could feel the ghost of her last breath on his wrist. Cas pulled her face away from his body so he could see her. She had relaxed, she looked at peace, while Cas was in agony. He leaned his forehead onto hers, tears escaped his eyes as he closed them, falling on to cheeks that were starting to loose their warmth.

Dean stormed past Sam and walked back into the room, Cas was sitting on the far bed holding Hannah. He glared at the happy couple, she was completely leaning into him. Dean paused, she wasn't just leaning, she was slouched against him in a position that wasn't normal. Something began to gnaw at him, as he walked closer his stomach dropped. Cas was covered in blood and so was Hannah. He ran the last few steps, but what he saw when he reached the bed stopped him and caused his stomach to twist, making him feel sick. Hannah had a dagger plunged in her chest, one that Dean recognized as theirs. Cas was just sitting on the bed, a vacant look haunted his eyes, while Hannah's body just leaned against him.

"What happened." Dean wasn't sure is he whispered or shouted, blood was pumping in his ears as his eyes absorbed the sight of Hannah's blood spilling out and staining the bed cover. Cas didn't move.

"I had too."

Dean grabbed Cas and shoved him against the wall, lifting him eye level, the angel's feet barely touching the ground. Whatever storm that had been in Dean's eyes when he had talked with Sam was not even comparable to the tempest that they held now.

"You did this?" Dean growled, seething in rage. Cas stared over Dean's shoulder at Hannah unresponsively, not defending or denying. Dean slammed him against the wall again.

"Answer me!" He knew he was shouting, wrath was poring out of him. Cas looked up at Dean and saw anger and perhaps fear of Cas's answer. There was no way for Cas to express the depth of what he felt, there were no words, no way to make Dean understand.

"Dean." All Cas could do was say his name, but that was all Dean needed to hear. He knew what that meant, it meant that his best friend had killed Hannah.

Dean let go of Cas's coat, dropping him back to his feet, hatred filled his eyes. Dean took a step back and turned, paused, then whirled around and decked him. He stormed out of the room and passed a Sam that stood in the middle of the room, shell shocked. Sam couldn't process what he was seeing, Cas had murdered Hannah, he couldn't believe it.

Cas stood, blood dripping out of his nose, where Dean had dropped him.

"It was the only way she could get to heaven, Sam. It's the only place she can find an angel's grace to fulfill the last trial."

Sam was sure that Cas's statement was true, but he was too confused and hurt to even begin to process what he said. Hannah was gone, the woman who had begun to take care of him, mother him, was just gone. And Cas had taken her, he had stabbed her, he had - Sam was going to be sick.

Dean flung the room door open, rage pumped through his veins. He marched over to the impala. Fuming, he paced along side the car. Dean slammed his fist into the hood of the car, trying to get the image of Hannah's bloody, lifeless body out of his mind. Panting, Dean staggered over the wall, and slid down the building, gasping for breath. His hand was bloody from striking the metal, but that pain couldn't hold a candle to the ache in his chest. Dean rested his elbows on his knees and rested his head on his crossed arms. Fire burned in his torso, he felt like he was the one that had a knife in their chest, but he told himself the pain was because he couldn't catch his breath. He told himself he was in anguish because he had just punched his baby, that was it, his misery was due to the fact that his car now had chipped paint and dent, that was it. He tried to convince himself that it wasn't the fact that Hannah's face, void of life was now haunting him, but it was the car, only the car. Dean stood slowly and climbed into his impala, revving her up, and pulled out of the parking lot. There was a bottle of Whiskey waiting for him at the bar, maybe even two.

Hannah slowly opened her eyes. A pureness, strangely familiar, surrounded her and light permeated the room. She glanced around before her eyes met those of an older man.

"Hello my sister. My name is Peter, I am here to welcome you into heaven." His gentle eyes beckoned her come closer and taking her hand softly, he lead her past two white gates.

I'm sorry, please don't hate me.