Author's/Underhill's Note: So, chapter six! If it's not clear by now, Bela's one of my favorite characters. I was really disappointed that we didn't get to see her character developed more, but alas, she was not popular with the majority of viewers. I tried to make this chapter a little longer, and hopefully they'll get a little longer after this, and I really hope this chapter doesn't come across as too confusing in the timeline. And I hope it doesn't suck... that too. Review please, it would be much appreciated! : )

Chapter 6:

Dean takes the steps two at a time after sneaking by the doorman. He knows that, looking like he does, he wasn't going to get in no matter what Bela told them, so he decided to use stealth instead. At her door though, he pauses. Will she still want to see him? Will their connection hold above ground? Will-

The door bangs open and five feet and change flings itself into his arms. Her arms lock around Dean's back in a vice and she buries her face in his chest.

"Dean Winchester," he hears muffled against his shirt, "what took you so long?"

Dean chuckles and rests his cheek on her head. "Sorry, Bels. Came as fast as I could. Miss me?" When he feels the front of his t-shirt grow moist he simply hugs her harder.

1 week later:

"I'm worried about him, Bobby. He's been at this nonstop for six weeks straight."

"Ya think I ain't worried? You're not the only who cares for the boy."

Sam runs a shaky hand through his hair and sighs. "I know. God, I know. I just don't know what to do. He's going to get himself killed if he keeps up like this. He's not being careful. If the angels find him…"

CRASH.

Sam frowns. Bobby growls, "Now what in Hell's name was that?" They get up and follow the noise outside. They are shocked at what they find.

It's Cas. Cas looking half dead and sprawled across the hood of one of Bobby's old junkers, and…

"Is he drunk?" Sam asks, bemused.

"Sure smells that way," Bobby nods.

"He's gone. No getting him back. Won't want me back," Cas is moaning. Sam and Bobby each slip an arm under one of his shoulders, hauling him to his feet.

"Who's gone?" Sam already knows, but has to hear it.

"Dean. S'gone. Not coming back to me. Won't want me."

"Cas, you're not making sense."

When they deposit him on the couch inside, Cas curls in on himself like a child. Realizing they aren't going to get any more information out of him tonight, Sam pulls a blanket over Cas's shaking form.

"Won't want me anymore," the angel mumbles. He drifts off.

8 hours before Cas's crash landing...

Cas's stomach roils as he kisses Meg, but he does it anyway; he needs to get out of here, needs to get to Dean.

When he steps across her he feels no guilt at all.

He's at the field in an instant. He takes the scene in, Lucifer standing over the hole, Sam frozen and looking-beyond furious. Dean is…

His neck is snapped. His eyes are vacant. A trickle of blood is rolling out of Dean's mouth and all of a sudden Cas can't move for the life of him.

"CAS!"

The ground is shaking now, a horrible noise emitting from the dug earth in front of Lucifer. "Hello, Death."

"Cas! We need to go!" Sam is next to him and shaking his shoulder. He feels Sam tug on his arm and before he knows it they're at the Impala. That is where it hits him. He shakes Sam off him.

"We need to go back," Castiel says. "We have to get Dean!"

Sam grimaces. "We can't, Cas. We need to get out of here before Death rises."

"I don't CARE!" Cas roars. "I need to get Dean!" He had to. He couldn't leave Dean behind.

"We'll come back later, Cas, I promise!" Sam is edging closer as Cas starts to lose it.

"I'll get him myself if I have to." Cas starts to march back to the field when everything goes black. Sam is behind him holding a shotgun, butt end pointed where Cas's head had been. Sam grabs Cas by the shoulders and shoves him into the car. He drives as fast as he can for Sioux Falls.

It wouldn't have worked if Cas hadn't been so close to falling already. In his full state the hit would not have even fazed him. Being so close to falling is also why he is so exhausted after not sleeping for a month and a half. He's been demon hunting.

The demon Cas is currently questioning is lifted off his feet and hard against the alley . Cas has been questioning demons since Carthage, tearing through the monster population like crazy in an attempt to find a way to Dean. But this demon is different. This demon is laughing.

"You haven't heard, angel? Dean-boy's gone."

"What?" Cas almost loses his grip, but manages to keep his steely-eyed composure.

"He's gone. Beyond our reach now, us lower class demons. Beyond your reach as well."

"What does that mean?" Cas asks. The demon just laughs until Cas sends another shock through him.

"He's in the big leagues now, angel. First thing he did when he got back was start carving again. You should have heard the souls scream…"

"You're lying."

"…Never seen a man so easily readjust to the pit."

"Stop lying."

"Wait, did I say man?"

"Shut up!"

"I meant demon."

A flash of blue light floods the room as Cas exorcises the demon instantaneously with a hand to his head.

It can't be, he thinks. Dean can't be.

But this is Dean's second tour of Hell…

Cas collapses. He is too late. He has failed. Dean is a demon and he is lost to Castiel forever.

When Cas does get up, he is disappears with a rush of feathers and the flap of his trench coat. He spends the next few hours getting rip-roaring drunk. Then he goes to Bobby's to deliver the news to Dean's brother.

When he dreams it's of Dean, and the man is smiling, sad but smiling, and he's holding Cas's hand. "Demons lie," he tells him and Cas nods. He doesn't remember any of this when he wakes up though.