A/N Well Cas failed so what now.....

Bobby watched from one of the lesser broken pews as Sam cleared a space at the altar and knelt down, head resting against the marble of it's base.

The older hunter raised his eyes skyward. "If this old coot can drag his backside in here and ask you for some help, least you can do is listen. These boys are good folk, they've spent their whole lives on the road helping people, never had anything that they didn't have to beg, steal or borrow but still somehow they turned out right." He looked at Sam. "If a little lost at times." He looked up at the cracked and peeling ceiling above him. "So how's about it? You gonna get you fingers outta your ass and get down here and help them?"

He sat thoughtfully for a second.

"Suppose I should say please, shouldn't I?" The older hunter sighed, clasped his hands and bowed his head in prayer.

In front of him Sam did the same. "I know that I haven't done this for a while but with all that's been going on…….. I'm sorry. I've done some things that I'm not proud of, some of them to my own brother. I won't blame it on destiny because that would be too easy but I feel that all the important decisions in my life have been always been taken out of my hands except leaving for school and look how that turned out. My dad, then Dean, then Ruby. All deciding what I should do, who I should be and who I should listen to. This decision though is one that I can and will make on my own. Please, if we can't get him out, let me take his place, I'm the one that started this, it should be me that is downstairs accepting my punishment for my role in this. Dean was only doing what he's done his whole life, looking out for me. He doesn't deserve to suffer for being a loyal brother and a good son. Please." Sam raised his hands and placed them below where his head was resting. "Save my brother."

The doors to the church crashed open causing them both to jump and turn just as Castiel fell through them, dropping to his knees and then face planting onto the floor. Despite the extra distance Sam reached the angel before Bobby, turning him and cradling him up into his arms. "Cas? Are you ok? What happened?" He paused as he took in the pained expression on the angel's face.

"I failed him. I can't get him out."

Bobby took his cap off and turned to face back up the church, to the huge cross that still hung from the wall above the altar. He curled his lip and snarled at the image. "Well thank you for nothin'." He straightened his cap back on his head and moved to take one of Castiel's arms. "Come on Sam, let's get him home."

The younger Winchester bent down and hooked the angel's other arm over his shoulder, half lifting, half dragging Cas and Bobby back to the car.

Neither looked back to see the figure appear from the depths of the building. "Well since at least one of you boys asked so nicely." It snapped its fingers and vanished.

---

Alastair knew how to break Dean, after all, he had done it before. The hunter had been on the rack for two days without any break now, and that was on Hell time. Approaching quietly he reached forward with his good hand and tilted up Dean's head, taking in the broken look in the eyes that stared back at him.

"Cut him down." Moving back into the centre of the room he picked up the glass and the cloth and waited until the elder Winchester was dragged to him and dumped at his feet, then he knelt. "Here Dean. Drink this. Slowly." Alastair pulled the younger man's head onto his lap and administered the water, stopping before Dean could take too much. Then he started to wipe the blood, sweat and tears from his pupil's face, his movements almost a caress in their gentleness. "You know, we made a good team Dean. You were my most favoured of my children. We can be again. All this pain, I can stop it." Alastair pulled the knife round and laid it on the floor next to Dean's hand as a woman was pulled into the room by her hair and fastened in his place on the rack. "One stroke and it is all over. Do you remember how good it felt when it was finally over and you stopped fighting me?"

Dean licked his lips. "Yeah."

"It can feel like that again Dean. Just pick up the knife."

Dean shook his head slowly, despite the pain the movement caused. "No," he whispered. "Not when I know what it means if I do."

Alastair sighed sadly. "Perhaps then I need to remind you again of what it means if you don't."

Dean closed his eyes as the demon picked up the knife instead and raised it towards him.

---

It was the change in the light that drew Alastair's attention, causing him to turn straight into the hand that was reaching for him. "NO!" His shout filled the room as the figure behind him gripped his shoulder and forced him, screaming in agony, to the ground and away from Dean. The demon twitched and then lay still, wary eyes watching as the thing stared down at him, cold white fire lighting its eyes.

"I think you've got someone in here that I owe a debt to." The light died as the figure stepped forward and knelt down to Dean.

"You?" The hunter's voice was barely audible.

"Me. You Winchesters, you just can't keep out of trouble can you?" The hand touched his arm, burning the binding link off and causing Dean to cry out. "Now, don't say that I never do anything for you."

Dean would have laughed at the words if he'd had the energy or the thought process left to do it.

He passed out as he was pulled free.

TBC