This is for Day 6's prompt 'betrayed'. I set this late Season 5

6. Betrayed

The meeting place was an abandoned warehouse. Castiel had come to realize these were common places for these sorts of meetings. Though he was a little suspicious about the insistence of a non-public place. Especially if this was indeed supposed to be a peaceful meeting.

Castiel had contacted Daniel for information about the Horsemen. He'd served with the other angel many millennia and trusted him. He had been taking a chance when he had contacted him, but he was glad that Daniel had offered to meet instead of just dismissing him like he had feared would be the case.

Still, the Winchesters had cautioned Castiel against going, and while he could understand their concerns, they didn't know Daniel.

It turned out, Castiel apparently didn't know Daniel either because only a couple minutes into their meeting, the angel gave him a regretful look, and two more angels appeared out of the shadows, angel blades held at the ready.

Castiel felt his heart sink. "Why brother?"

"You are not my brother," Daniel said firmly. "Not anymore. You choose your side with the humans and now you can die like they will."

The angels surged toward him and Castiel defended several blows before one of the blades got through and slashed him across the chest. He staggered back, the wound deep, and glowing from his grace, but he grit his teeth and went back into the fight. He was able to take down one of the angels, his heart aching with the burst of grace, but the other got under his guard and drove the blade through his side.

Castiel cried out in pain and staggered away. He couldn't win this fight, and he didn't want to kill any more of his brothers or sisters, so when he got an opening, he spread his wings and took flight.

XXX

Dean paced around the motel room while Sam looked at stuff on his laptop.

"Isn't it taking him a while?" he asked, looking at his watch.

Sam sighed, but there was a worried furrow between his brows too. "You know Cas can take care of himself."

"He could, when he wasn't cut off from Heaven or whatever," Dean said. "And this whole thing seemed off. We don't know this angel isn't working for Zachariah."

"No, but give him a few more minutes at least," Sam said. "There's no point in worrying over nothi—"

He was cut off by a whump of wind and Cas suddenly appeared in the room, sprawled on the filthy motel carpet.

"Cas!" Dean and Sam both cried at once. Sam slammed his laptop shut and hurried around the table just as Dean reached the angel, crouching down beside him.

"Dude, what the hell?" he demanded.

"I-I was betrayed," Cas grunted as he forced himself up onto his hands and knees. "We need sigils of protection, they may be on their way—agh!" he tried to get to his feet, but gasped. Dean grabbed his shoulder and then saw the blood that stained his shirt and trench coat.

"Cas, you're hurt," he stuttered.

The angel gave him a baleful look. "I am aware. But I will be fine." He finally got to his feet with Dean's help and promptly started to pitch forward again. Luckily Sam was there too, helping Dean catch him.

"Let's get you to a bed," Sam told him and they helped Cas to the closest bed and he collapsed heavily on it.

The instant Cas was lying down he reached for the side table, taking up the pen and a pad of paper there, and scribbling several sigils on it. "Put these up now!" He commanded.

Sam grabbed them and did as he was told. Dean leaned over the angel, trying to see how bad the wounds were.

"What happened, Cas?" he asked as he finally loosened the angel's tie and began to unbutton his shirt.

Cas let out a long sigh, looking away from him. "Daniel must have been working for Zachariah. He brought other angels and they tried to kill me."

Dean shook his head. "I told you you shouldn't trust that feathered dick, Cas."

"Dean," Sam said with a frown. "Take it easy."

Dean looked down at Cas who had a haunted look on his face and his gut twisted. Duh, the guy had every reason to be upset. That angel had probably been his friend and he had betrayed him, tried to kill him. Dean sighed.

"Look, Cas, I'm sorry this happened. But we'll get you patched up."

The angel shook his head. "I'll heal, that's not necessary."

"Yeah, it is," Dean insisted and went to get the first aid kit out of his bag.

The angel didn't bother trying to protest again and Dean realized he must really be hurting. Though whether it was the physical wounds or the emotional ones that hurt worse, he couldn't tell.

"I just hoped there was one angel left that might offer me help," Cas said almost to himself. "Who wanted to fight for humanity too."

Sam had finished the sigils and came over to stand on the other side of the bed. "Cas, I'm so sorry this happened. I was really hoping this would all go smoothly."

"But," Dean added, seeing that Cas didn't seem to be feeling any better after this. "You still have us, man. Team Free Will, remember? And we're not going to stab you or sell you out to some douchebag."

Cas let out a pent up breath and finally looked up to meet Dean's eyes again. "You're right. I know I can always count on you."

Dean swallowed hard, that sick feeling in his stomach coming back like it always did when he thought of the enormity of stopping the apocalypse. But right now, in that room, with his brother, and this fallen angel who had somehow become his best friend, he realized that they could do this together.

"Of course you can, Cas," he said sincerely.

At that the angel seemed to relax and finally allowed Dean and Sam to tend his wounds.