Supernatural does not belong to me, although I wish it did. I am simply playing in Kripke's sandbox for a bit. All rights and ownership are the property of Kripke and the CW network. I am not making any money from this; it is for my own personal pleasure.

Synopsis: Set at the start of Season One, Dean had been in a wheelchair since his father disappeared more than a year ago and he finally has to tell Sam… There'd been an accident that night and Dean had paid a very high price….one he still doesn't understand. The story will have some hunts from season one and possibly into season two…the brothers will continue their search for their father…there will be alterations to the hunts to accommodate Dean's new situation. I have every intention of returning Dean to good health before this ends…but getting there is going to be bumpy.

Please keep in mind that I do not have a Beta, so all grammatical errors are my own. Not Slash. Brotherly love and Angst only…

Please Review: So I know there's still interest

Chapter 47

Fine Feathered Friend

Now normally he despised absolutely everything about humans and did his absolute best to stay out of their mundane business.

But with the recent turn of events?

This was turning into one hell of a cluster-fuck. His brother of all people had tipped him off about the Winchesters a few years ago, so he'd kept one eye on the brother's ever since. Generally, he wouldn't have given them a second thought…but things surrounding this family were anything but normal. The crap their father alone had pulled? Well, they had raised more than a few eyebrows, that was for damn sure. But no one had felt that it warranted intervening…not yet. He sighed and scrubbed his hand down his face in a silent debate. Was it a good idea to play with these two kid's futures? Maybe…maybe not.

Oh God but he wanted a drink…and then those damn demons had gotten involved and that was kind of forcing his hand here. He hated demons…more than he disliked humans…which was saying something. Because frankly he thought that humans were barely a step above their primate cousins. He sat back and watched as the demon-bitch toyed with the youngest one and shook his head.

Stupid kid. He thought in disgust.

Then there was the older one…now to be perfectly fair; that kid had been dealt kind of a raw deal here. He wasn't supposed to be wheelchair bound, that had been a low blow on the part of the kid's father. The witches hadn't really helped out on that front either.

Freaking witches…He thought in irritation.

And finally, there was that whole possession thing and that nasty little spell, not to mention the younger one deciding to take off for parts unknown in search of some normal life. One that he was never gonna get no matter how hard he tried. Humans…damn, were they an evolutionary fuck up.

So now the question was…did he step in? It was Sam's destiny to save his brother, just as it was Dean's destiny to save Sam…so who saves them both? Because if he let this whole thing play out…well…that would be bad. Apparently, it was going to be him.

XXXX

Sam struggled against the invisible barrier that was holding him pinned against the support beam in the basement. The small amount of movement he'd gained wasn't enough for him to do anything. His shoulder was sheer agony, but he could bite his lip and deal with that. It was the lancing thoughts of his brother being dead…that kept forcing the air from his lungs.

The cold loose dirt was slowly working its way inside his shoe and he could feel a small piece that had lodged itself uncomfortably against his anklebone. His jeans were thrashed apart in several places, the damp air making him shiver as it ghosted over his exposed skin. The lump on the back of his head was aching in a 'please put a frozen bag of peas on me' kinda way. And Sam still couldn't see much in other than the dark basement. He could hear quite well though and Ruby had used that. Lucky me. He thought angrily.

The storm that raged outside had finally died down and that demon-bitch had stopped her incessant yacking. She'd described, in great and loving detail, exactly what she'd done to Dean. Sam's chest seized at the possibility that she might be telling him the truth, because demons don't always lie; that his brother was really gone. He slammed the door shut on that painful line of thinking…because if Dean was gone?

He couldn't…he just couldn't. He'd find some cliff and strap himself in before driving a stolen Pontiac over the edge. He could already feel the frigid water closing in over his head as the weight of the vehicle dragged him to the bottom of the bay or river. Because he would never disrespect his brother's prize possession by making the Impala a part of the suicide attempt, he'd be stealing that car. Sam had never been suicidally reckless, but this hadn't exactly been a good year.

The ghost of the little boy had never reappeared and he wondered just where the kid had gotten off to? Unless the whole thing had been some sort of trick that the demon's and witches had thought up. He'd never heard of a spell that could control the dead, but he wasn't naïve enough to think that one didn't exist. A large splinter was pressing painfully into his good shoulder as he leaned heavily against the wood. He tried to shift in an attempt to relieve the pressure on his shoulder but the spell was keeping him fairly immobile. His head was swimming as he blinked in the darkness.

"Wow…she's got you trussed up like a Thanksgiving Day turkey." A voice filled with humor broke the silence and Sam jumped involuntarily.

"Oh…god…Son of a bitch…what now." Sam groaned quietly as he tried to determine where this new threat was hiding. He hadn't heard anything enter the room and the doors sure as hell hadn't opened, he'd have seen the light. Another ghost? He wondered.

"Well, my mother wasn't a bitch, I can tell you that." The man's voice sounded indignant now, all traces of humor missing. Like Sam had just insulted the guys entire family tree.

"Who are you?" Sam asked. He was having some difficulty focusing. His thoughts kept shifting to Dean. A loud huff of air resounded through the room and Sam suddenly slumped forward as the power holding him disappeared. The splinter that had been digging into his skin, ripped out of the wood as it imbedded itself in his good shoulder. He groaned in pain.

"Oh…a friend of a friend…" A shuffling of shoes over the dusty floor told Sam that the owner of the voice was moving.

"That's doesn't help." Sam shot back in irritation. He shifted his legs and then bit his lip as the blood rushed painfully back into them. "Owe…" He muttered, the pins and needles sensation making him light headed.

"It could be worse…you could have no feeling at all." The voice said with a slight chuckle. Apparently he thought making fun of ones crippled brother was fucking funny. And the fact that Sam didn't even know if Dean was alive or dead? It was making him far more sensitive that he would be normally and he knew he was only moments away from an all out psychotic breakdown.

"That isn't fucking funny, asshole." He ground out as he hauled himself to his unsteady feet.

A slight cough from somewhere ahead of him was his only answer.

"Are you here to help? Or just piss me off?" Sam's temper was tipping over into full on rage at this point. He was so sick and tired of being a pawn for the supernatural. Him and Dean…

"Wow…is that any way to treat the guy that just freed you from the demon witch girl…thing?"

"For all I know this is just another one of her tricks." He shuffled forward and swallowed when he realized that he still couldn't see shit. The smell was different though…like candy or something sweet.

"This isn't a trick, Sam. I'm gonna get you to your brother." It was said with such determination that Sam found himself believing the guy.

That tidbit of information had him freezing in place. "He's alive?" If he hadn't been so worried about Dean, then he might have noticed that this stranger had just called him by name.

"Barely…but yeah, he's still alive and kicking…" There was a slight pause and the distinct sound of a throat being cleared. "Well…not kicking really…but you get the drift." A flutter of something that Sam couldn't identify filtered through the air and the next thing he knew he was standing in the mud a few feet from the body of his older brother. His stomach dropped to somewhere around the vicinity of his knees and he almost collapsed at the surge of nausea and dizziness.

There directly in front of him was his brother. Dean's head was bowed and he was crawling toward the distant house. His thin face was bruised and his clothing all but shredded from being dragged across the rocky path and debris. But it was the defeated scared look in his glassy green gaze that shocked Sam into action.

He rushed forward falling to his knees in front of his big brother. Sam ignored the spike of pain in his shoulder and the incessant pounding of his own head. "Dean?" Sam reached down in an attempt to get Dean's full attention. His brother's determined eyes flickered up to his and widened in shock.

"Sam…Sammy?" He whispered as he tried to reach out and make sure that his little brother was really there. This type of thing had tricked Dean before and he wasn't falling for it…not again. Sam's expressive eyes blew wide at the sight of his brother covered in blood and the mossy smelling mud. Dean's hair was plastered to his head and his jaw was a colorful display of bruising that ran into his neck and disappeared under the tattered remains of his t-shirt.

"Yeah, Dean…it's me." Sam answered as he tried to ignore the shaking of his brother's hands as he reached up to touch his Sam's face. A sob froze in his chest at the sheer devastation on the crippled man's face when he was finally able to touch his brother.

"She told me you were…" His voice caught and Dean found he couldn't continue as his emotions flooded to the surface. It was one of those rare unguarded moments that Sam cherished. But seeing as they were in the middle of a field, with God knows what helping them out. He shoved down his desire to 'chick-flick' the hell outta this moment.

"I know…she told me the same." Sam didn't need to break it down. Ruby had apparently been playing them against one another. Dean got it.

"So am I gonna watch the Lifetime special all day or would you two like some help?" The voice from the basement asked from behind Sam.

He spun his head around and gaped at the smaller blonde man. He didn't look especially important or anything, but there was a sense of power about him that had Sam inhaling briefly. Did they want help from another supernatural creature? "What the hell are you?" He asked tiredly.

The man pulled a snickers bar from a hidden pocket inside his jacket and shrugged. "Oh just an interested party."

Dean growled as he allowed Sam to help him into a seated position. "What does that mean, exactly?" He bit out.

Golden eyes flickered over to the elder brother and the guy raised an eyebrow before tossing the wrapper from the candy bar to the ground. "Sorry, I'm not giving you more to go on than that kids."

Dean grunted. "Well you're gonna have to, cuz we don't take candy from strangers, pal."

Sam's eyebrows rose at the flippant response. It sounded so much like his brother used to…that it caught him off guard. His gaze flashed to the stranger to gauge the guy's reaction to Dean. A small smile was pulling at the edges of the stranger's lips.

"I've heard that about you." He said as he pointed at Dean. He was licking his fingers as he searched for another piece of candy.

"What are you diabetic or something?" Dean asked through chapped lips. The guy shot him an irritated glance, but declined to answer. "Okay…you wanna elaborate?" A small trickle of blood dripped down his chin from a new split in his lower lip.

"Not really. I've just heard that you cover up a big old mushy heart with a shitload of sarcasm." He shrugged. "I can see the rumors, for once, are true."

"You know what? Why don't you take your candy eatin' ass some place else. Unless you actually plan on helping us." Dean shot back in anger even as he grimaced in pain.

A moment later Dean's wheel chair was within easy walking distance. The guy with no name…how convenient…grabbed it and pulled it through the mud, leaving it in front of the older brother. "Keep talking shit wise ass and I'm gonna let you leave in this thing."

That got Dean's attention. "What?"

"Well…I was gonna just heal up those crippled legs…but now? I don't know…I don't think you deserve it." The blonde man held his hands out like he was weighing something.

"Fuck you." Dean said. His eyes narrowing in barely suppressed rage.

"What the hell are you?" Sam asked again. "There's no way…"

"Did you really think that demons were the only ones that were tracking the two of you?" The guy shook his head and exhaled loudly. "The Winchester brothers have topped quite a few lists at this point."

"Stop pussy footing around here asshat; what did you mean by that?" Dean ground out. His eyes were starting to roll back and forth as the pain caught up with him. The adrenaline that had been sustaining him since Sam had been taken was finally wearing off.

"Well, you guys know about the twin destiny thing, right?"

They each nodded slowly and he narrowed his eyes before he continued. The least they could do is look more excited at the fact that someone was actually on their side. Whatever…

"Yeah…we've been made aware of that fun little fact, thanks." Dean said.

The blonde shook his head. "Whatever kid…so here's how this thing works. I can heal the damage to your spine..."

Sam was immediately trying to interrupt. The guy held up his hand to stop the younger Winchester from jumping to conclusions.

"Just listen, Sam. I can heal Dean's spine…but it's not without cost."

"I knew there was a catch." Dean muttered in a tight voice.

"There's always a catch." The man walked around the two brothers like he was sizing them up or something.

The boys looked at each other before Sam spoke up. "So what is it?"

"That little power boost Dean got. The one that came with the ability to see the supernatural?" That had the two brothers shifting uncomfortably. How the hell did this total stranger know about that? "Well, in return for the use of his legs…he goes back to that seeing that…and only that."

The brother's mouths dropped open in surprise and Dean turned wide eyes on Sam. "What? Why? I was practically blind."

"Yup…them's the breaks kid."

Sam was shaking his head in disbelief. "I don't…" He swallowed. "I don't understand."

"Come on Sam…you of all people know that you never get something for nothing." The stranger stood back up and stepped back from the reeling brothers. "I can't change what John Winchester did, but I can shift the focus of the spell…best I can offer." He did sound apologetic about the whole thing. But that wasn't making Sam feel any better about the choice his brother was going to be forced to make.

"So I'm either in a cripple confined to a wheelchair or I'm essentially blind as a fucking bat." Dean forced the words past his clenched teeth; he was ignoring the fire racing through his face from the action. His back was sending nasty little reminders up and down his central nervous system and he was starting to shake from the pain. The splinters in his chin were stinging and all he wanted was to get to a motel and have Sam help him get them out. And he wanted to do all of this before that witch-bitch demon showed back up.

"She's not coming back as long as I'm here." The guy said. "So…What's your answer Dean?"

"You can't be serious." Sam asked.

"As a heart attack."

A far off clap of thunder had the boy's shifting their combined gazes in that direction for a moment. Dean closed his eyes in an effort to quiet his rampaging thoughts. He could spend the rest of his life in that damn chair or her could at least be of some help on the hunts…seeing that he'd be able to identify the creatures hiding out as humans. It wasn't even a fair choice really. How could he choose to stay in that chair? He was useless that way. Their father had made sure that he was useless…

"Do it." He growled.

Sam's mouth dropped open and he shook his head. "No…There's gotta be another way, Dean."

"There's not." The stranger said. He sounded pleased with the outcome of this whole night. Neither of the brother's had any clue what the jackass's connection to Ruby was nor how he'd managed to find them in the first place.

"Shut up." Sam shot back angrily. He shifted and his shoulder fired up his pain levels. Dean's worried gaze caught the subtle intake of breath and the way his face pinched momentarily.

"You okay, Sammy?" He asked. Dean couldn't help it. He'd been trained to ask…and he would continue to ask until the day his heart quit beating.

"Guys this offer has an expiration date, so if we could just move it along…that'd be great."

Dean clenched his jaw and then immediately regretted it when fiery pain echoed through his head in rapid bursts of red haze. "Just get on with it." He looked over at Sam one last time, trying to memorize his baby brother's face. Every line and crevice, the dimples that only came out when Sam was truly laughing at something and his puppy dog eyes…the one's Dean would never see clearly again.

"Wait!" Sam shouted, but it was too late. The stranger stepped up and touch Dean's forehead lightly. Agony flowed through that light connection. Dean could feel things popping into place as the nerves repaired themselves. The moment he could actually feel his legs again were the most excruciating of his life, fire racing up and down the muscles and tendons. It was like having his legs dipped in a vat of boiling oil. Every nerve firing simultaneously. He gasped at the unexpected pain and his mouth opened in a silent cry of horror. He noticed that his sight was changing as his legs strengthened, his vision blurring until there was nothing in front of him but Sam's outline. The shimmery version of his brother that he'd been able to see a few weeks ago was once again sitting in front of him.

The next thing the boys knew they were back in the motel room. "Dean?" Sam asked as he limped to where his brother had collapsed to the floor. He furrowed his eyebrows at the glazed look in Dean's eyes. He was looked just off of where Sam's eyes were at.

"Sammy? You okay?" He swallowed and reached out for his brother.

Tears welled in Sam's eyes as he watched Dean's hand miss his face altogether. He wasn't honestly sure which was worse…the chair or this.

"I'm fine…" He was careful to keep the tremble out of his voice as he moved slowly to help Dean get to the bed. His brother felt around and pushed himself to his knees. A slow smile spreading across his bruised face.

"It's better than the chair, Sammy." He whispered. He reached out and Sam stumbled forward to grab his outstretched arm.

Sam licked his lips and nodded. He helped Dean sit on the bed and then grimaced at the wrecked skin on his brother's chest and thighs. The clothing was shredded and the dirt and rocks imbedded in the wounds was kinda nasty looking. "I think I should call Bobby." He whispered. His own shoulder was aching terribly and he knew that Dean couldn't see well enough to help him.

"Okay…yeah…" Dean answered. He settled back against the pillows and lifted his legs spreading them out below him.

"How much can you actually see, Dean?" He asked.

Dean shrugged and then winced. "Not much…your outline…some changes in the light. But that's about it."

Sam pulled his eyebrows together. "What's it look like?"

"What? You?" Dean scrubbed a hand across his face and inhaled slowly before answering.

"Yeah…what do I look like to you?"

"Kinda shimmery…like a bunch of glitter in Sam shape." It wasn't the best description he'd ever come up with, but it was accurate. His brother was darker toward the center and then it lightened as the shimmer extended outward toward the edges of his unnaturally large form.

"Sam shaped glitter?" His brother questioned. Sam shook his head, incredulous and then smiled as he stood to get his phone. As he picked it up the small device started to ring. He didn't recognize the number, but it wasn't unusual for Bobby to call from a blocked or unknown number. He chuckled at Dean's shrug.

He flipped the phone open. "Hello?"

"Sammy, Sammy, Sammy…you took something that wasn't yours." Ruby's voice echoed through the phone and Sam paled. "That angel can't protect you all the time…our time's coming." She hung up and Sam stared at Dean in shock.

"What is it, Sam?" Dean was forcing himself up as he heard the change in Sam's breathing.

"An angel…he was an angel…"

Dean's mouth dropped open. "What?"

A knock at the door had each of the brother's swinging their head in that direction. No one but that angel knew they were here…another knock followed the first and then the door blew open. As the light settled Sam blinked in surprise. The man staring at him had dark hair and piercing blue eyes…and he was wearing a trench coat…to be honest, he looked like a door to door salesman…or maybe a tax accountant.

"Who are you?" Sam was getting tired of asking that question. He reached behind him for anything that might work as a weapon. Dean was on his feet, he swayed as his balance adjusted. He looked in the direction of the sound and he blinked several times when all he saw was brilliant white prism shaped person. He reached up and covered his eyes. It was like looking at the sun for too long.

"What's going on Sam?"

"We have a visitor."

The man's gaze travelled between the two brothers. "My name is Castiel…and I am an angel of the lord." His deep voice reverberated through the small motel room like a megaphone was amplifying it.

Dean's face scrunched like he'd eaten something very sour and he shook his head. "There's no such thing."

"And yet you are walking because there is." Castiel answered as he stepped into the room. The door flew shut behind him and he stared at Sam before his gaze swung over to Dean.

TBC…

Author's Note: Like I said…help coming from unexpected places. Ruby isn't done…and the witches are coming back. YED is still out there too…but how would that have played out if the angels had been involved from the beginning? As far as Dean's new ability and lack of clear eyesight…it isn't going to hinder his ability to hunt…you'll have to take my word for that. Thanks to everyone that read and left a fantastic review, lots of guests and people that can't thank properly.

PLEASE REVIEW: I know you have…please keep letting me know you like the directional shifts.