Part 2

Dean never dreamed that terrifying vision again, the memory of it scarring him terribly. The sight of Cas lying bloody in his own bodily fluids gave him pause as he remembered the very words his husband's corpse shrieked at him: The Gwyllgi is coming!

What the hell was a gwyllgi anyway? Dean never voiced his question, opting to push it from his mind and attempt to go back to a normal life of blissful monotony and never have to deal with such a thing again.

It was not to be. Dean's being had taken a hard hit, becoming a bit more withdrawn and jumpy at the slightest things. It gave Cas reason to worry but whenever he approached Dean about it, he always got the same answer.

"Cas, I'm fine. Really. I just had a bad night's sleep." Dean would offer, trying to quell his husband's worry. It didn't work.

"Dean, if you're suffering from some sort of nightmare induced insomnia, maybe you should see a doctor about that." Cas said one day, worried that Dean's lack of sleep would begin to affect him in other ways. Every time he offered, and every time it was rejected with flippancy. After awhile, Cas gave up hounding him about it, and life returned to some sense of normalcy.

Two weeks later

A small family cook-out brought some peace to Dean's mind, as it gave him something to focus on besides the nagging fears of his night terror and what exactly it meant. He prepared the grill as their little family gathered out in the expansive yard. Cas came out of the kitchen sliding door with the tray of burgers and handed them to Dean, pecking him playfully on the cheek as he went over to where Jimmy was playing with Alex on the patio.

Jimmy sat with his legs crossed, tossing a ball back and forth with Alex as the little boy squealed for joy. He laughed along with the others, clapping for him when Alex caught the ball. "Yay, good job Alex!" he cheered, hugging the little boy when he came over to his uncle, full of pride.

Cas smiled and scooped Alex into his arms, throwing him slightly over his shoulder. This set Alex off in another fit of giggles, clinging to his daddy's white t-shirt as he was spun around slightly.

"Son, don't make the kid sick all over yerself!" Bobby laughed, watching with fondness as Cas put the little boy down on the ground.

"Wouldn't be the first time that's happened, Bobby. Apparently that's a job for the daddy to clean up, not the papa." Cas retorted, shooting Dean a knowing look. When Dean looked about innocently, the whole group laughed, joined by Alex who squealed again just because it felt like the right thing to do.

"Alright, I'll be right back out, I'm gonna grab the drinks." Cas said, ruffling his son's hair playfully. "Watch him, he's getting squirrely." And with that note, he disappeared into the house.

"I'll go help him." Jimmy added, following his twin inside.

This left Dean, Bobby and Sam out to watch little Alex, who was amusing himself by running around in circles until he fell over. "Be careful, Alex." Dean cautioned, smiling when he son sat up, giggling. He looked too adorable in his little jeans and Spiderman t-shirt. It was his current favorite, which meant Cas had to wash it every night so he could wear it the next day. Rosy cheeks glowed happily under his nearly white-blonde hair, making him look radiant and cheerful.

Smiling, Dean sat down at the table with his brother and Bobby, sipping at a beer as they conversed. The burgers were done now; all they had to do was wait for Cas and Jimmy to come out with the condiments and more beer and their little barbecue would be set.

"Cas got his job offer at the high school. Apparently they want their Latin teachers to have a knack for teaching gym." Dean laughed, toasting his husband as Sam nodded.

"Double threat, that he is." Sam replied, smirking at his brother. They really seemed to have it made that was for sure: perfect spouses who couldn't get enough of each other, a wonderful son, and a beautiful home. He was almost envious if Sam hadn't been so happy for his brother. After years of one-night-stands and depression, Dean really deserved this.

Idle talk filled the air as the minutes ticked by, the yard falling rather quiet. None of them really took notice, too engrossed in catching up with each other's lives now that they weren't constantly on the hunt together to notice this change.

It took the return of Cas and Jimmy from the kitchen to bring them back to the moment.

"Alright, got the stuff, let's eat!" Jimmy said, smiling as he laid the tray down on the table. Content murmurs filled the air, until one simple question broke them from their happy revere.

"Where's Alex?" Cas asked, looking around confused. The little boy was nowhere to be seen. Dean jumped up and followed, feeling the waves of nerves ebbing off of his overly protective husband as the group searched for the little boy.

"Alex!" Sam called as they searched the yard for the missing child. Bobby swung around the side of the house, looking every which way; Cas made laps, growing more frantic as the moments ticked by and Alex still hadn't been found.

Off in the distance, the sound of an air horn filled the clear sky, subconsciously beckoning to the group. Jimmy turned towards the main road to wonder at the trucker's impatience as he barreled down the road. To his horror, he caught sight of his nephew. Alex was sitting in the middle of the road, playing with pebbles as the semi truck screamed down the road towards the helpless toddler.

"CAS!" he screamed to his brother, all eyes landing on the sight.

Cas' face paled, the ex-hunter immediately bolting for the road. "ALEX! ALEX, GET OUT OF THE ROAD!" he screamed, pushing himself beyond his limit to reach the road in time.

Dean, too, burst after his husband, but Cas' speed far overshot Dean's, moving the desperate man almost fluidly over the ground and leaving Dean to trail behind.

It became a race against time, Castiel trying desperately to outrun a speeding semi to save his little son's life. The remainder of the group remained rooted to the spot, eyes wide as they watched the scene with growing horror. Cas was fast… he had to be! He outran wendigos, ghouls, and vampires. He could surely make it…

Dean slowed finally, unable to keep up any longer. He prayed, God he prayed that Castiel would make it. And for a brief shining moment, it seemed that he would, with a flying leap he could save Alex's life. He just needed to hang on a few more heart stopping moments. The distance between semi and man closed fast, as the group watched with bated breath…

Castiel slipped. A clod of dirt and rock came loose under his footing as he sprinted towards the road, totally upending him midstride. His chin, his hands, his elbows came in explosive contact with the hard ground below him, splitting skin open in a red fountain as he rolled, dirt and rocks firmly embedding themselves into his skin as he came to a skidding halt mere feet from the side of the road.

It was a nightmare. Castiel had managed to struggle to his feet immediately after the fall, blood pouring from his cracked face as he scrambled up the slight embankment, reaching for Alex desperately. But he was too late.

The semi slammed headlong into the toddler, whisking him from his father's grip as tons of metal and steel slammed into the fragile body. Thrown like a ragdoll, Alex flew to the ground, feet in front of the massive wheels, crushed to death under the immense weight of a road giant. The semi upended as the driver struggled to bring the metal beast to a halt, the driver thrown from the cab to the asphalt below. The air filled with the crash of tons of steel and machinery, tar mixing with blood on the unforgiving ground below.

It was as if time simply stopped. The group rushed forward, the surrealism of the situation ripping at them. The very sky fell silent in the wake of such a horrifying accident.

Then the screams began.

Castiel screamed in horror, rushing over to the crushed body of his son, tears coursing down his torn face as he begged any god that would listen to bid that this wasn't true; Alex couldn't be dead! He skidded to the ground next to the carcass, scooping Alex into his arms to weep over the catastrophe. He wasn't fast enough, the thoughts repeated in his mind, pushing him further towards an emotionally scarred insanity. "ALEX! GOD, PLEASE NO!" Cas begged repeatedly, gently shaking the little body in his arms as if to wake the child from slumber.

Alex's head lolled over Castiel's forearm, bones crushed from the impact. What had started as a joyful Sunday morning ended in horror and tragedy.

Dean dropped down by his weeping husband's side, his whole body shaking violently as he took in the sight of his young son's bloodied corpse. Vaguely in the distance he could hear his brother and Jimmy running to the driver's aid as Bobby called 911. Maybe the driver would survive, but Alex… it was too late. "Cas… shit, I…" Dean struggled to speak, slipping his arms around the gory pair.

Castiel immediately collapsed into his partner's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. "He's dead, he's dead and it's all my fault!" he choked, burying his face in Dean's chest, staining his shirt beyond repair.

Dean shook his head, clutching him close, the sounds of distant sirens whining through the air as help came far too late. He wished he could erase the day, take them back to before when things were simple and care-free, a son they could never smile at again or laugh with or love, just… gone from their lives.

Dean said nothing, a dread sinking in the pit of his stomach to mingle with his grief in a sickening twist of emotions. He held Castiel to comfort himself just as much as his lover.

Alex…

Dean leaned against the doorframe, staring blankly at the bed. Curled under the blankets, in a shivering mess was Castiel. Ever since the funeral three weeks prior, the man had not left the bed much, staying curled pathetically under the sheets. He stopped eating, he stopped bathing, he stopped running. Dean feared his husband would waste away in that bed, shut out from the rest of the world as he mourned his late son's death to his own.

Running his hands through his hair, he took a shuddering breath, feeling his own tears prick painfully at his eyes. He couldn't cry over Alex' death… not when Cas was suffering this badly. He had to at least stay strong for him.

Striding quietly into the room, he sat on the edge of the bed, running his fingertips down the other's man's cheek in a soothing caress. He smiled slightly to see Cas respond to his touch, turning his head into his hand slightly for more contact.

Cas shifted into the warmth of Dean's hand, pulling the blankets down to gaze up at him with bloodshot, puffy eyes. Under the bandage Dean managed to pull away, the stitches on his jaw looked infected, angry red and swollen slightly. Cas flinched when Dean's fingers brushed the area of skin just above it.

"Cas… you gotta take better care of yourself…" Dean chided quietly, feeling the heat from the infection. He stood to grab the first aid kit, when a hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. For a terrifying moment, his mind flashed to the nightmare he had had, but he calmed when his eyes met pleading blue orbs.

"Don't leave me here, Dean… please stay with me…" He begged in a quiet voice, too choked up to speak louder.

Dean nodded, returning to his side. He curled up next to his husband, pulling him closer as he pressed tender kisses to chapped lips. He sighed, feeling Cas' hungry response on his lips, tugging gently with his teeth to seek out any sort of relief for his broken heart. He figured he could offer what little peace he could give his lover, even if it was temporary.

Dean moaned slightly into the rough kiss, turning them over to pin Cas to the bed below. He felt slightly ashamed for his near immediate arousal, but Cas didn't seem to mind or care. In fact, Castiel responded accordingly, rutting his hips obscenely against Dean's to seek out any sort of friction. Cas moaned wantonly, wrapping his arms around Dean's neck to pull him closer. "Take me please…" he begged, his wrecked voice harsh in his throat.

So that's how he wanted it. Foreplay seemed out of the question, not that either of them were in some sort of playful mood. Rough, needy sex was to be their temporary numbing from the reality of their loss.

Dean nodded, tugging at Cas' pajama bottoms until they came off of his hips. He tossed the cloth off to the side before attacking his own jeans and shirt. Once the two were gloriously naked, he attacked Cas' collarbones, nipping the skin sharply as he heard his lover gasp appreciatively.

"Harder!" Cas growled, fucking himself against Dean's own throbbing erection, the slip-slide of sweaty skin against skin slapping obscenely in the quiet room.

Dean gave him a confused look. He was already nipping his skin hard enough to bruise…

"Dean… please… harder!"

He couldn't deny his husband's request any longer, his own libido winning out. He nodded, nipping the skin harder still, leaving a fiery red welt. Shockingly, he heard Cas groan in need, threading his fingers into Dean's hair to force him down further.

Castiel raked his fingernails over Dean's back, his ass, his sides as he pried for his lover to continue. He kissed Dean fiercely, all teeth and despair. Fresh tears spilled from his eyes to mix with the already salty stain of their sweat. The fan above pushed the dank, sex-scented air about the room slowly, driving the two of them wild with lust and musk.

After several minutes of desperate rutting, Cas grabbed Dean's fisted hand and brought his fingers to his mouth. He sucked Dean's fingers quickly, coating the digits with his saliva as his partner's head fell back in odd pleasure from the caresses of his tongue on his fingers.

"Cas… God…" Dean moaned, feeling himself teetering on the brink of sanity and sex-craze. He hardly took notice of his husband's actions until he found his own fingers pressing roughly against Cas' hole. He froze, looking down at him. "Are you sure…"

"Fuck, Dean, just fuck me already!" Cas snapped, his voice cracking halfway through his sentence. At his words, Cas forced Dean's three fingers into his unprepared hole sharply, hissing in pain.

Dean wanted to wrench back; he couldn't hurt Cas! "No, Cas… please…"

"JUST DO IT!" Cas whimpered, pain lancing across his face as he felt the three fingers twist him open roughly. If he could forget the pain in his heart in this way, by God he'd let Dean fuck him bloody if he had to.

Dean felt his hand being pulled away again as Castiel shimmied himself into a better position, closer to penetration. He wasn't prepared enough… "Cas, I'm gonna tear you up if you don't prep better…"

"I don't care anymore…" the words came low and determined, Cas staring deep into Dean's own eyes.

Before he knew what happened, Dean had been flipped over on the bed, his husband straddling his waist as he forced himself down onto his cock. He felt his member breach a severely tight hole, and saw with horror as Castiel's face melted in agony, biting his lower lip until he bled. "Cas…" he breathed, wiping the fresh blood from his lover's lip.

Castiel's eyes trained on Dean's suddenly, begging for this. "I need this, Dean… please…"

It took several long moments, but Dean finally nodded, gripping Castiel's hips gently. He'd do what he could to ease his thrusts without alerting Castiel, as long as he gave him the illusion of pain. It wouldn't be much he could do…

Thus started a quick, deep rhythm; Dean fucking his hips up into Castiel's warmth as the latter cried out in false ecstasy. His head fell back as he rode Dean hard, raising himself up with his legs to only let himself slam back down on Dean's prick, matching rhythm beat per beat. Slap of skin on skin echoed in the too still room, fingernails digging bluntly into flesh.

Dean grunted in exertion, holding Castiel up slightly to thrust into him more smoothly, easing his way. He gripped his hips slightly, turning them back over to drive Cas into the mattress slightly. He pinned him to the bed, kissing him hard as he thrust repeatedly into his lover.

Cas moaned, nipping Dean's lower lip as he wrapped his legs around his waist, pulling him in deeper with each plunge. "D-dean… I'm…" he gasped, pulling Dean closer to him as he wrapped himself around his lover. His orgasm rippled through him, coating their stomachs with his seed as he shuddered violently under Dean's weight.

Dean jerked, feeling the tension of muscles around his cock as his husband came hard. Cas' orgasm drove him to his own, one final thrust of his hips filling his lover with his come. He continued to thrust into Castiel, riding out his high with each rough entry, growing shallower in his exhaustion.

After several long moments, they came down together, wrapped in each other. Dean panted, his flaccid cock slipping from his lover's abused hole. He pulled Castiel into his arms, wrapping him up in his embrace.

Castiel wept anew, his post-coital high doing nothing but intensify his emotions as he sobbed into his partner's chest openly. He hurt everywhere, but it didn't matter. He deserved the pain…

It didn't take long before slumber began taking over, exhaustion and depression wracking their conscious. Dean let Cas bury his face in his neck, curling around him protectively. He only wished he could offer some sort of comfort… he hated seeing his lover in so much pain. "I love you, Cas… I really do…"

No response came, and Dean sighed. Cas must have fallen asleep in his arms. He didn't blame him. Taking his previous word, Dean closed his eyes and fell asleep, holding his partner to his heart.

Castiel, on the other hand, was wide awake. He had heard Dean's declaration of love, and for the briefest of moments, his heart lifted with the knowledge.

But… a thought had occurred to him. He kept himself quiet, tricking Dean into thinking he slept in his arms as he thought this notion over again and again. Yes there was no other way around this, he was sure of it.

When Dean was fully asleep, under the cover of night, Cas would pay a special visit. It wouldn't take long. He'd be back before Dean even knew he was gone. He just had to make sure Dean wouldn't wake before he slipped out of the hours.

Several hours later brought the opportunity anew to Cas. He turned, gazing into Dean's troubled face, heavy with sleep. With a sigh he pressed a kiss to his temple, slipping out of the bed. He flinched in pain, dressing quickly before heading to the bedroom door.

With one final look over his shoulder, Castiel blinked back fresh tears, closing the door behind him silently. "I'm sorry Dean…" he murmured, slipping out of the house, headed for the forests.

The crossroads awaited him.