Chapter 3: Unrest

Castiel found the chair he was leaning back on a little uncomfortable. As he had said to Sam, his wound wasn't healing as quickly as he had hoped and in settling his newly knit together stomach it wasn't helping that Dean had either ignored him or grunted unpleasantries in his direction ever since he mojoed his clothes back together and gathered the strength to walk downstairs. He tried the popcorn in front of him that Sam had reccommended, however, anything he swallowed made him feel sick so he had given up on those too. As it seemed, concentrating inwards didn't make him any better, so he decided he should get involved with what was going on with the brothers instead, despite Dean's obvious aversion to his participation. The boys were talking about trying the method of curing a demon they've just seen on the footage and the idea suddenly occurred to Castiel, "why don't you cure Meg? She might be less resistant than others and there's so much good in her already. Where's Meg?"

The Winchesters paused at that and Sam raised his sad eyes at Castiel, "she volunteered to fight Crowley so that we could get a clear getaway from the crypt. I know you told me to protect her, but that's what she wanted Cas." Sam looked guilty nevertheless.

"She gave herself over to Crowley to help you?" Castiel asked suspiciously.

Sam shook his head, "for you Cas. You, her unicorn, she said. We saw it when he killed her. I'm sorry Castiel."

"She's not dead.." The angel breathed, feeling lightheaded.

Sam took the effort to stand and step round the table to give a sympathetic squeeze of the shoulder to the angel, "Crowley was ruthless and seemed in one of his no nonsense moods," he winced apologetically, "it didn't seem like she could survive that. I'm sorry," he repeated.

"Can we move on now?" Dean rolled his eyes pitilessly, "it's not as if we could ever really forgive Meg, big pompous showy sacrifice or not." Now that he didn't need to worry about his friend's wellbeing, Castiel was not going to get any sympathy out of him, not before the angel gave a satisfactory explanation as to why he had repeatedly alienated himself from his friends and endangered himself in his chosen isolation, "and it's not as if it's very hard to capture some random demon. We'll search for signs of demonic activity and set some traps. I'm going to check the news," he reached for his laptop, hoping to spare his brother some of the work the younger Winchester usually did for the hunting team they have become.

"It was dark," Castiel was grabbing the side of the table rigidly, disregarding the rejective Dean for once, "maybe you didn't see her escape the vessel."

"No Cas," Sam frowned apologetically, "Crowley used an angel blade."

Castiel nodded solemnly, feeling as if his insides were turned to liquid. His head was swimming and somehow the water broke out on the outside of his skin. "Cas, are you ok?" He found himself unable to answer for the knot that was in his throat that he was unable to swallow. The younger Winchester was towering over him, having made it over to his table despite his own weakness, to give his support to the angel if he needed it, "you look very pale. Dean, come over, I'm afraid he's going to pass out," Sam was supporting him by the shoulder.

"Why are you out of bed if you're bleeding!" Dean grumbled at him, but came to at least help his brother with the weight. "Lean forward onto the table," he nudged the angel to support himself on his arms and lay his head down on them, "Sammy you go sit down check the news for me will you?" He took up his being in charge attitude, resulting in Sam taking a moment to assess his brother's expression, making sure that Cas was in good hands before giving in to his own body's wishes to sit down.

"I'm sorry I didn't realise I was bleeding," Castiel raised his head a little after a small breather. An arm round his hurting stomach, he wondered how as an angel he could become so affected by emotions.

"Do you think you can stand up?" Dean pulled at the sleeve of Castiel's coat, "I'll put you back to bed, we don't have time for this right now, me and Sam need to go and talk to that priest," he hauled the angel to his feet without waiting for an answer, though his tone was a lot milder with him than it had been all morning. He took the time to walk with him slowly as well, give Castiel breathing time when he doubled over again. "How about you don't get up till you're better!" Dean grumbled, keeping himself from bundling the injured angel into his arms and carrying him. But Cas deserved his anger, so he'd resolutely keep from showing affection with Castiel being conscious.

The angel curled up on his side once horizontal, looking like he was in pain and rather spaced out. Dean knew he should've not looked back if he didn't want to be sympathetic and now with Cas having his eyes closed and teeth grit, the hunter didn't stand a chance. "You need your bandages changed," he hovered by the doorway, mother hen peeking out from his façade.

"I don't have any bandages on. Sorry. I thought I was healed enough," Castiel huffed out.

Dean grunted his displeasure, then marched over to the cabinet with the medical supplies. Armed with a dressing pad containing superabsorber powder and a high pressure bandage, he pulled Castiel's hands and clothing out the way impatiently. There was a gash across the angel's abdomen still seeping blood, but the angry, inflamed flesh and sickening view into his insides was largely gone, making the supplies in Dean's hand somewhat unnecessary, but the easiest was just to apply them anyway. At least gentleness wasn't essential, so the Winchester manhandled Castiel roughly into any position that was necessary for applying the bandages. As a finishing touch, Dean set a bottle of pills down the nightstand. Castiel can figure out himself how much of the painkillers to take.

"I've got a location," Sam reported from the door and Dean joined him, directing a fleeting look back to the ailing angel. If Castiel was still there when they got back, maybe then Dean would be ready to listen and forgive.

Tbc