Dean let Cas get a few steps ahead, nearly to Sam's door before a small panic seized him and he called out to the former angel.
"Hey, hey Cas wait just a second-"
Dean's hand landed on Castiel's shoulder again but this time his whole body followed, tugged like an iron shaving to an electromagnet. His arms cinched around Castiel's neck and Dean felt a shift, like a missing cog had been nudged back into place as Castiel gasped in surprise. Tentative hands pressed against Dean's back as Castiel returned his embrace, wide palms lining up with Dean's spine. Castiel's fringe of dark hair tickled at Dean's nose as he tucked his chin against former angel's wrinkled collar.
"No matter what happens," Dean mumbled into Castiel's worn flannel, "I am really, really, glad you're here, man." Castiel's arms tightened around Dean's ribs, his breath hitching slightly upon hearing Dean's words. He felt the former angel's diaphragm contract as he drew breath to respond.
"Dean? What's going on?"
Oh shit. Sam. Dean pulled away from Castiel and hurried into the room where his brother was being stared at curiously by a dozen angels who seemed to be just as well-versed as Cas in the "understanding personal space" department. Kevin was tucked somewhere in the back of the room, trying to keep the interested but mostly silent angels from crowding in too close. Sam was sitting up at least, supported by a wedge of pillows and looking slightly panicked, reaching for the demon knife that had been kept tucked under the mattress until Dean had removed it when Sam first started getting delirious.
"Whoa, Sammy everything's fine," Dean soothed, slipping in between the numerous angels to reach his brother's side, "It's just Cas and his angel buddies. They're here to save the day."
"Cas is here?" Sam asked, looking around, "Who are all these people?"
"We are angels," Ambriel supplied, stepping forward with Hadarniel close behind, "Fallen ones anyway. We've met before, Sam Winchester. Do you remember me?" Sam frowned, eyes searching the fair haired angel before nodding slowly.
"You came to get Dean," Sam said, "Ambriel. But you were in a different vessel. What happened?"
"She is well," Ambriel promised, "And I'm not in a vessel anymore. But that's something we'll have plenty of time to talk about later. Right now you are the priority. Now if I may…"
Sam tensed as Ambriel touched him, and Dean placed his own hand on Sam's shoulder, reassuring him. Castiel wouldn't bring anyone here to hurt them.
Ambriel held a palm to Sam's forehead and two fingers to his pulse, nodding to Castiel as he followed Dean inside the crowded bedroom.
"It is as you had feared Castiel," she confirmed.
"What did you fear?" Dean asked Castiel, his hand still firm and comforting on Sam's shoulder. Castiel addressed both brothers.
"Sam's illness during the trials was to be expected, as we learned later that they were meant to end in his death," Castiel recounted, with an apologetic frown in Sam's direction, "When you ceased the trials and the symptoms didn't recede, I thought perhaps his demonic blood was to blame." Sam's face fell, and Dean tightened his grip.
"I thought the trials had cured me of that," Sam admitted, crestfallen.
"That is what we're here for," Hadarniel interjected, "The demonic influences within you have essentially bottlenecked the heavenly ones, the overwhelming force of which is slowly killing you. We, twelve pure angels, can together remove your demonic impurities, which will relieve you of the trial purifiers as well."
"Do it," Sam demanded, "Please, while I'm still here and not hallucinating or something."
"Hang on," Dean interrupted, "What exactly does this 'purifying' entail? 'Cause in case you guys haven't noticed, heavenly rituals haven't exactly been goin' our way lately."
"The act itself is merely a laying on of hands," Castiel assured him, "It is meant to heal, Dean. It may be uncomfortable, but it shouldn't be painful." Castiel looked confident, comfortable in his own skin even surrounded by a room full of strangers. Dean liked the new edge of leadership on the former angel; the way the others looked to him for decisions to be made even as Had and Ambriel ran the ritual show. Even in the tight space of the room, it was clear that Castiel was grouped with Dean and Sam, nearly shoulder to shoulder with Dean, rather than with the other angels, and it made Dean feel safe.
"You trust these guys, Cas?" Dean asked quietly. It wasn't an accusation, or an attempt to undermine Castiel's relationship with the angels. It was a question asked soldier to soldier, with Dean's full belief that Castiel wouldn't lead him astray. Sam's breath rattled in the near silent room until Castiel gave his answer.
"I know my trust hasn't always been a help to our cause," Castiel admitted, Dean wishing he could wipe away the painful memories that accompanied his words, "But yes. We've had our disagreements, but in my time on the road I've come to trust Ambriel and Hadarniel with my life. I trust them with Sam's."
Both angels were staring at Castiel, a small smile tugging at Ambriel's mouth, and Dean had the feeling that he was witnessing some kind of "moment" for Castiel's weird little angel family. Castiel looked away with an embarrassed flush to his cheeks, turning instead to Sam, who was growing paler by the moment. Dean could see the signs of another fever spike on the way. They needed to get this show on the road. Castiel seemed to sense the coming crisis as well, as he rested a calming hand on Dean's elbow.
"What do you say, Sam," Castiel asked, "Should Ambriel proceed?"
"Yeah," Sam agreed quickly, hands tightening in his bedcovers, "Yeah, just hurry."
The other angels began to move in closer, still quiet, but clearly excited. Dean figured this wasn't exactly an everyday occurrence, even for angels. Then again, they were all fallen now, so everything was new again. Dean was surprised when Hadarniel stopped and faced him directly.
"Perhaps you should step outside," he suggested, "The amount of angelic power-"
"I'm not goin' anywhere," Dean growled, protective over his younger brother. Hadarniel frowned, but Ambriel calmed him with a hand on his forearm.
"His presence is required, brother," Ambriel reminded the taller angel, "Sam will need a familiar presence, or he could reject the healing."
"Cas too," Sam entreated, to Dean's surprise, "I need them both here." Castiel looked taken aback, and Sam just grinned weakly.
"What?" he asked, "Dean isn't the only Winchester who missed you, you know?" Castiel smiled then, warm and quiet and Dean gave the hand at his elbow a quick squeeze.
"Dean and Castiel can both stay," Ambriel agreed, "In fact, you can assist us. Can you support your brother so that he's sitting up?" Dean nodded and between him and Cas they got Sam propped up with his feet hanging off the end of the mattress, making him accessible from 360 degrees, as Ambriel directed. Sam's body was fever hot, but his hands were cold, and Dean didn't need Castiel's fearful expression to know that they were cutting it down to the wire.
"Kevin," Cas said suddenly, as the young prophet reappeared from the multitude, "You probably shouldn't be in here for this." Crap, Dean had nearly forgotten about him.
"I want to stay too," Kevin insisted, but Hadarniel shook his head.
"In this case I must insist," he said with a hand on the young man's shoulder, "As a prophet you are more vulnerable to a spell like this, and we do not know what the repercussions could be. I will not risk the reader of God's Word."
"Sorry Kev," Dean said with a grimace, "There's too much at stake here to put you at risk. You're gonna have to sit this one out."
Kevin was clearly about to plant his feet and argue some more, but then Ambriel stepped in close with a soothing expression.
"Look at Sam Winchester, Kevin," she murmured, "We can't waste time. Let me walk you out while Hadarniel prepares so that we can complete the spell and reunite you with your family."
Kevin seemed to soften at her words, and more so when he got a really good look at Ambriel, who even Dean had to admit was pretty attractive. Kevin followed Ambriel out quietly, with a nod at Dean and a thumbs-up for Sam while Hadarniel started arranging the other angels one by one in a circle around the bed. Things got a little chaotic for a second as everyone was eager to get to their spot. There was a lot of jostling and even Castiel jumped in on the corrections, with the occasional "Esther, to the left a little," "Raziel, behind Daniel is better," and a pretty frequent "Ramiel, stop bossing the others around!" Dean chuckled at that, and Cas glared, but in a way that told Dean there would be a good story behind it. He reached out to rub between Castiel's shoulder blades and some of the tension eased from the former angel's shoulders.
"Everything's gonna be fine," Dean assured him, "We trust you, right Sam?"
"Sure thing Jess," Sam mumbled, "I'll be there in a minute." Shit, shit, shit. Sam was sweating through his shirt and Dean's hand against the back of Sam's forehead practically came away burning.
"Alright Had," Dean yelped, "Are we almost good to go here?"
"Yes," Hadarniel agreed, "We only await Ambriel to complete the crown."
"I'm here," Ambriel chimed, stepping back in from the hallway, "Where should I be placed?"
"You will be the jewel, so to speak," Hadarniel instructed, "You should be directly in front of Sam. Perhaps kneeling on the bed would be most comfortable."
Dean fidgeted as Ambriel got into position. The other angels were arranged in a circle around Sam, with Dean and Cas kind of stuck in between holding him upright. At Hadarniel's command the angels each placed one hand on Sam's brow, lining up all the way around his head to form almost a literal crown. Their arms reached in and around Dean and Cas. It was close and claustrophobic, and Sam was sinking further down in Dean's arms.
"Cas-" Dean gasped.
"It's alright," Castiel assured him, "Sam is slipping into a trance state under the angel's influence. It's comparable to a medically induced coma. He's ready, Ambriel."
Ambriel raised two fingers, ready to press to Sam's forehead.
"Accept this blessing of the Lord, Sam Winchester," she recited, the ritual spell brief, "In the name of Heaven we cleanse you." At Hardarniel's nod she touched Sam, fingers locking into place as if drawn by gravity, completing the crown. Sam remained motionless, but an electric hum began to fill the room. Dean felt the hair rise on the back of his neck, and the long top of Castiel's unruly hair was standing on end from the static electricity. Sam's bedside lamp sparked and shorted out, but the room didn't sink into darkness, a white light emanating from the angels and from Sam himself. The noise was rising in pitch as the light increased, and Sam's body grew hotter under Dean's hands. He and Cas were practically sitting in the crucible, and Sam was the molten metal. The light was growing unbearable, and yet the angels stayed unmoving as Sam began to shake and seize.
"Dean!" Castiel had to shout over the now deafening sound, "Close your eyes!"
Dean slammed his eyes shut just as the white light exploded, knocking him back against the headboard and away from Sam. He could feel the thud of Castiel hitting the wall beside him before the sensory overload became too much and Dean slipped into unconsciousness along with his brother.
"Dean." That voice was familiar. Warm and deep and rough, maybe just a little commanding. But didn't Castiel leave? Yeah, Cas was probably lost on some god forsaken Midwestern highway right now. No…wait. That wasn't right. Cas was here. Cas was back in the bunker with him.
"Dean, wake up. It's all over." Someone was holding Dean's hand. It wasn't as smooth as he remembered. There were a few new calluses. Dean tightened his slack grip. Castiel was here. Cas was holding his hand. Castiel was back. Dean hoped Sam was awake so he could see Cas too. Actually, he should really check on Sam. His fever was climbing again and Dean…
Sam. The events of the last hour flooded back and Dean practically bolted upright on Sam's bed.
"Sam!" Dean barked, "What happened? Did it work? Is he-"
"Dean, calm down," Castiel urged him, thumb running circles over the back of Dean's hand, "The blast was a little more powerful than we guessed and you hit your head, but everything's fine."
"Everything?" Dean repeated, "Even Sam?"
"Look for yourself." Dean tore his gaze away from Castiel, finally taking in the rest of the bedroom. Most of the angels were gone, only Ambriel and Hadarniel remaining. Kevin was back as well, looking psyched for probably the first time all summer as he looked up at Sam. Sam. Jesus Christ, the kid was standing. Well, he was leaning on Kevin a little but Sam was on his feet and the sickly bruises under his eyes were gone. His shoulders were square again and his cheeks were flushed, but vital instead of feverish. Sam's eyes, clear and bright, were focused on Dean.
"Nice of you to doze off, man," he joked. Dean was on his feet and across the room before even the angels could blink, wrapping his little brother in a bone crushing hug.
"Welcome back, man," was all Dean could choke out. He could feel Sam's pulse, strong and steady, and it was like an anvil had been lifted off his chest.
"Good to be back," Sam replied, slapping Dean on the back before they pulled apart. Sam ruffled Kevin's hair, and smiled at Cas, who had joined them. Dean was pretty much ready to burst. Almost the whole family together.
"How are you feeling, Sam?" Castiel asked. Dean couldn't keep a hand off the small of Castiel's back.
"Hungry," Sam answered with a laugh, "Like I haven't eaten in months."
"Don't you worry, little brother," Dean assured him, "I've got just the thing."