A/N: OK, I tried to get this Flashback / Dream to work but in order to I had to split it up a little.
Shorter Chapter again - Writer's Block is foul but being dealt with.
Would of Uploaded sooner however the Internet crashed.
Spending time on the run exhausted the Youngling, neither Mermen were bothered by sharing the single bed while Castiel slept
"Castiel, come over here" Lucifer ordered
"Yes big Brother" The Hatchling just reaching 40 waddled over to his oldest Brother he knew of "What are you doing?"
"I am watching you"
"Why?"
"Because I want to see how smart you are"
Castiel tilted his head, Lucifer chuckled "You're intrigued, right?"
Castiel nodded his head
"Then come with me" Lucifer wrapped his arm around Castiel's tiny waist pinning the Hatchling to his side
"Where we going?"
"Somewhere that can test you, Castiel"
"Test?"
"You've heard of quicksand, haven't you?"
Castiel's dream fizzled for a moment, his surroundings turning white until in a flash there were dark; he was sinking, at least that's what it felt like. He couldn't breathe either along with not being able to move his body at all
"Help" He felt himself cry out
"Cassie don't struggle, it will only get worse"
Castiel couldn't tell who was speaking to him anymore, the voice was heavily muffled
"Castiel! Lucifer, what have you done?"
"Help me!"
Gabriel woke up to the loudly projected words of "Help me", he wiped away the sleep from his eyes unaware he had fallen asleep, Cas was clearly in pain whilst having a nightmare
"Cassie, Castiel wake up" Gabriel hummed gently "Cassie, you'll wake up to house with your shouting"
"Can't breathe... Can't move..." Castiel gasped out
Cold fear rolled down Gabriel's spine, he remembered this memory, it still spooked him to this day "Cassie, it's alright. You're safe and nothing is going harm you but first you have to wake up Bro"
"Can't..." Castiel wheezed out
"Lucifer, you endangered Castiel! He is only a Hatchling, what did you expect to happen?" Michael yelled
"You were the one who said he had potential, I wanted to see where you got that from"
"Hey!" Gabriel attempted to intervene while literally fishing his Brother out safely
"Brother you could of killed him" Michael wasn't going to let up
"Guys!" Gabriel shouted
"Get off Dad's high horse, you were going to do the same thing eventually"
"You think I would harm our last offspring?"
"Yes" Lucifer made it sound so obvious
"Both of you, stop" Gabriel pulled Castiel out from the pit and into his chest forcing the Hatchling to cough up sand, even a few pebbles and some shell fragments "Castiel is hurt and if you two stop playing the blame game for five seconds your attention could be put to better use"
Michael wasn't sure what to make of Gabriel's challenged expression, "Little Brother"
"Don't Michael. You've both done enough, if neither of you can get your heads out of your own asses then I will handle Castiel, he will be protected under my watch"
Castiel forced himself to wake up, despite the crushing weight upon his chest telling him not to move he flung his arms around Gabriel in an act of scared desperation. It nearly knocked Gabriel off the bed hadn't Castiel held him in such a vice grip "Help"
Gabriel sighed, gently holding his youngest Brother like he used to; one hand cupping the back of his head while his other arm wrapped around his back and waist to pull him in, lightly shushing him swaying side to side "Shh shh. It's OK, you're OK now"
Castiel's erratic breathing finally came to a slow "Thank you"
"Shut up" Gabriel playfully scoffed "Want to try moving on two feet again, you can feel them now and it's only been, what, two or three days now?"
"Three, though we are reaching the forth, Dawn is approaching"
"OK, rest for a bit and we'll get to work later, sound good?"
"Yes"
"Rest up, Cassie" Gabriel aided Cas in lying down, petting him for comfort.
After the sun had risen and Castiel was still dead to the world a nagging thought ebbed away at Gabriel's mind 'Will he be able to change back? Will the others shun him like they did for me? Lucifer is still cast out so that doesn't hold out hope for me let alone Cassie... but is wasn't his fault. Being washed ashore shouldn't force blame although he wasn't suppose to be near the harbour that night. There were warning signs and rumours about the storm'
Castiel stirring from sleep paused Gabriel's thoughts 'Cas, you need to figure this out. Priorities right now should be your first point of interest but you never did things the right way around, did you?'
Someone knocked on the door. Castiel jumped being rudely woken up. Gabriel glared at the door.
"You two knuckleheads may want to get up here, there's someone who wants to see you both" Bobby's gruff voice held a fraction of worry and concern
"We'll be right there" Gabriel answered for them both "Did he or she say who it was?"
"No, but he's insistent on seeing you both so get your tails shimmying now"
"Brother..." Castiel breathed out
"It's OK, Cas. Everything is going to be fine"