The bunker door had barely slammed shut before Charlie was peering over the railing of the crows nest with her arms out. "What the fuck!?"

Sam looked up from where he leaned against the map room table, arms crossed. "We don't know." He watched Charlie and Kevin start walking hurriedly down the metal staircase.

"But seriously, what the hell?" She continued. "What do you mean it didn't work!?"

Cas shifted in his chair across the table. "We don't know exactly what happened."

"That thing is supposed to work on any demon." She shook her head. "He's not even as strong as he was before!"

Sam unfolded his arms, rubbing a hand up over his face. "Our best guess is something to do with how we removed the mark."

Cas turned to Kevin. "Did you bring the demon tablet?"

"I brought my notes." Kevin said. "I thought the tablet should maybe stay far, far away while he's here."

Sam sighed. "I don't know what he'd do with it."

"Exactly. You don't know." Charlie stressed. "And what do you mean something to do with how we removed the mark?"

Sam pulled out a chair, sinking down into it, and watching everyone else do the same. "The spell we used… we severed Lucifer's grace." He said, trying to work through it. "And that made him just a demon."

"Yeah. Just a normal demon." Kevin nodded.

"But still a knight of hell." Sam continued. "Maybe when we cut off Lucifer's power, it… I don't know, changed him or something."

"Changed him?"

"It doesn't have to be much." Sam pointed out. "Spell-work is tricky. If you're even a little off, the spell can often fail."

Charlie frowned. "But it did what we wanted it to do."

"Yeah, but the cure for demons is just a spell ritual too." Sam frowned. "A simple one, hard to mess up, but Dean wasn't quite a demon, and he wasn't quite a normal knight of hell, and maybe it was just enough for it to fail."

"Crap." Charlie said, leaning her head back.

"I'm still giving him injections." Sam offered. "Maybe it's just as simple as doing it longer."

Kevin laid his notebook on the table. "So if not, do we just have to change the ritual to fix it?"

Sam sighed. "Yeah."

"But?"

"But we have no idea why the cure works in the first place."

Charlie groaned. "So we have no idea what we have to change to make it work."

"Or even where to start." Sam agreed. "It's going to take time."

Charlie paused, crossing her arms awkwardly. "What do we do with Dean?"

"We bring him back to the cabin." He scowled. "Or a cabin." He picked up a wooden map token in his hand. "What else can we do?"

Cas frowned. "I don't think that's a good idea."

Sam looked at him. "What?"

"The cure didn't work."

"We aren't sure yet, I'm still giving him a dose every hour." Sam protested.

"Sam, it's the fifteenth injection. You're almost out of blood."

Charlie swung her backpack from her shoulder and let it fall onto the ground next to the chair she sank into. "So why does that matter anyway?"

"He doesn't have the mark… and we don't know how long it will take. It could be years before we know how to turn him back."

Sam leaned back. "It could take a lot less time than that."

"And we could never figure it out." He returned.

"That doesn't mean we don't try."

"No, of course not." Cas looked down. "I just mean we had already been considering the possibility that he might be stuck as a demon forever before. We were planning on test runs to see if he was okay to be let out."

"Barely… Cas, this changes things."

"I don't think it does." Cas said firmly. "We should prepare for the worst case scenario."

Sam shook his head. "Cas we hadn't thought about anything past letting him out for walks with the cuffs on."

"There has to be a way to keep him contained without the cuffs." Cas reasoned.

Charlie cleared her throat. "Can he smoke out?"

Cas sighed. "I don't know. On the one hand he is just a demon, but on the other hand he isn't inhabiting a body, it's his."

Sam snorted. "But do we really want to find out?"

"No. I suppose we don't. But we can't keep him here forever."

Sam tilted his head back. "You know, we could actually."

"We shouldn't."

"Yeah."

"You said without the cuffs." Kevin said, trying to get them back on track. "Like put the warding on Dean directly?"

"With sigils. Tattooed ideally." Cas agreed.

"Won't he be able to just heal them off?" Charlie asked.

"We can account for that. Make sure he can't." Sam assured her. "What would that entail though?"

"Well… if he can smoke out, we will have to stop it. Make sure he cannot teleport either."

"And the healing?"

"Not likely anything we can do about that." He sighed. "Unlikely we could do much about his strength either."

"This is too dangerous."

"He doesn't have the mark anymore." Cas said. "He may be twisted… but he isn't blood thirsty mad."

"Probably."

"Probably." Cas conceded. "We would need to be sure he is ready."

"And what?" Charlie balked. "Just let him walk around like normal?"

"No, of course not. One of us would accompany him outside the bunker. He looked at the map table. "Or perhaps we confine him elsewhere if you would prefer he not be in the bunker."

"I don't know about anyone else, but I don't feel that comfortable when he's here." Charlie said quickly.

Kevin nodded. "Given previous encounters..." He gestured vaguely.

Sam looked back at Cas. "How long would it take to notice if he was any calmer than before?"

He thought for a moment. "Two days should be sufficient." He frowned. "Perhaps three."

"Do you really think he'll be any different? Without the mark?"

Cas tilted his head. "I do." He said slowly. "The mark demanded blood. Without that-"

"He is still a demon." Sam stressed.

"So is Crowley." Cas pointed out.

Sam snorted. "Yeah, there's an example of a good guy."

Cas spread his hands . "Dean was not corrupted for centuries into what he is now. We were making progress before, I am hoping it will be better now."

"And you think you'll know that fast?"

"I'll take him to the cabin. If he expects us to confine him there indefinitely, I don't know of anything more likely to trigger a reaction from him."

"Cas, we're talking about purposefully pushing Dean to the brink to see how he reacts."

"The cuffs are enough now. He won't be able to overpower me this time." Cas pointed out.

"You remember the state the cabin was in?"

"We'll be fine." Cas assured him. "It has to be there…"

"If you really want to test him." Sam agreed softly. He didn't like it. "Do you have any idea how to put those sigils into a functioning tattoo?"

"No." Cas admitted. "But I believe it can be done."

Charlie looked at Kevin before smiling. "I think we can manage it." She said, feeling a bit of confidence.

Sam pushed to his feet. "When did you want to bring him back?"

"The sooner we get him there, the sooner we will know if it is even viable to pursue the warding." Cas replied.

"How do you want to do this?"

"Cautiously." Cas advised.

"Unconscious in the trunk of the car." Sam said. "Got it."

"I will be in contact frequently." Cas assured him. "If he is pushed past frustration into violence, I will tell you immediately."

Kevin straightened up his notes. "We'll… get started on that tattoo." He said, nodding to Charlie and following her up into the library.

Sam sighed. "Cas, are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes."

.

Dean looked up when the door to 7b open, and he split into a grin when he saw Sam walk in with another vial of blood in his hands. "Oh boy. What is that, number fifteen? Maybe fifteenth time is the charm." He mocked.

"Maybe." Sam returned flatly. He uncapped the needle and quickly pushed it into his brother's shoulder.

"Sorry Sammy. Looks like you might be stuck with me."

"We'll see." He said simply.

"So… is the world ending yet?" Dean asked conversationally.

"Not yet."

"You have no idea where she is." Dean concluded. "Not even a whisper?"

"Not yet."

"Find anything else about what her being topside means?"

"We had other things to focus on." Sam said, nodding down towards the vial.

"Wow. Doubling down on that, huh? Not enough to unleash the Darkness, gotta ignore it for a while too. And that's working out great for ya."

"We'll figure this out, Dean."

"More blood can't be the whole plan. Tell me. What are you going to do with me?"

Sam rolled his eyes. "Maybe the sixteenth time is the charm."

"Yeah, I'll bet. But really. What are you gonna do with me?"

"And I've got a bunch of hunters out there looking for anything weird."

"So, they're just looking for anything weird. Helpful."

Sam let himself half sit back on the table. "All we can do is wait."

"A great plan." Dean shifted in his seat. "But you aren't answering my question. What are you going to do with me?"

"Cas has a plan." Sam answered cryptically.

"What does that-" Dean cut off, his brow furrowing for a second. He looked back up at Sam, an edge of something in his expression. "You did something to the blood-"

"Ketamine." Sam replied, setting the syringe down on the table next to him. "Enough to drop a horse."

"You fucking roofied me!?"

"Not exactly."

"Screw you." Dean snarled, starting to try to fight the room as it began to shift and bend. "What are you… going to do with me."

"I'll see you soon, Dean."

"Sam-" Dean gritted his teeth, trying to keep control, trying not to give in. His vision blurred as he saw the door open, and Cas walk in. "Cas…"

"He's almost out." Sam said softly. "Don't fight it, Dean."

"What…" Dean managed to look up at Sam one last time before he finally lost hold of consciousness.

Sam closed his eyes. "You got him?"

Cas stepped forward, starting to undo Dean's chains. "Yes."

"You be careful."

"I will."

.

Dean had no shortage of curses when Cas finally opened the trunk. From the muffled sounds behind him, Cas would guess that Dean had no shortage of curses the entire way there.

The hunter had been less than pleased to awaken, clearly tied up in the impala's trunk with a bag over his head, and he intended to let Cas know about it. "Get this thing off my fucking head." He demanded, struggling to find his footing, slipping slightly on the frozen ground, wrenching out of Cas' hands when the angel tried to steady him.

Cas reached and grabbed him, helping him against his will. Once Dean was balanced he reached up, slipping the hood up and off Dean's head. "Be careful, it's icy."

Dean looked down at the frozen ground for just a second before he looked up, the realization of where they were cracking through his chest. "No."

"A couple of steps." Cas continued, gently guiding Dean up onto the porch and through the drafty wooden door.

"Cas…" Dean said, stopped still staring up at the… nothing over half the living room. "It doesn't have a damn roof!"

"You no longer require the full warding." Cas said simply. "I am fully an angel, and you a demon, we have no need for shelter from the weather."

"Cas, it's snowing." Dean lamented.

"You'll live."

"Is salt even going to work without the roof?"

"Not alone."

"Then how-" Dean whipped his head to look at him. "You're planning on keeping me cuffed?" He gaped. "The whole time!?"

"Temporarily." Cas said simply. "Sam is looking into another cabin of Bobby's we might be able to move to."

"Which one?"

"Conway, Arkansas."

"Cas, that's smaller than here!" Dean protested. "We can't get locked down there."

"Until we find a better solution, this is all we have." Cas dropped a duffel bag, pulling out a couple bags of rock salt and a can of spray paint. He set to work blocking off the exits, effectively pinning Dean inside as extra insurance.

"Cas, really, you can't be serious." Dean felt the exits effectively vanish, and he was aware of his pulse picking up. He could feel a cold creep coming up his back, and despite his best efforts he seemed to have a hard time catching his breath, which seemed odd to him, given he didn't have to breathe. "Please."

Cas put a hand up. "I am sorry."

Dean swallowed, ignoring the faint tremor in his arms. "Yeah." He croaked out, covering with a cough.

"Dean?"

"Whatever." He managed, turning quickly and walking towards the kitchen. "Bedroom still off limits, or-?"

Cas studied him carefully, picking up on the faint tremor in his voice. "Are you okay?"

"Never better." Dean grunted, pulling the fridge open and studying its contents with a stare so distant it was clear he couldn't see it.

"The rest of the cabin can be made available."

"Okay."

Cas watched Dean's turned back, watching him silently for a moment before he turned and headed towards the fireplace steps. He disappeared into the bedroom, returning with a broom, using it to push the salt out of the channels and break the salt line. The trim Sam had put down did impressively well. While it wasn't perfect, it had maintained a seal even through the destruction and wind. He repeated the steps with the bedroom.

Cas took a second to inspect the structural integrity in the back of the cabin. It had fared better than the rest. The bedroom looked more or less untouched, and the landing had its entire roof. The bathroom was missing a chunk of wall and ceiling, and the main room about half its roof. The kitchen remained under cover, but only just. Every wall had cracks in it, but all seemed more or less sturdy. Even so, he laid a bit of salt in front of one particularly unstable looking panel.

When he turned around, Dean was still staring into the fridge. "Dean?"

The demon flinched, looking up like a caught animal for a second before masking it, shoving the fridge closed. He felt like he had been asked a question, but had no idea what it had been. "I don't know." He tried. He frowned at Cas' expression. Not the right answer. "Sorry, what did you say?"

Cas frowned, walking off the steps and coming closer to Dean, but Dean pulled away, walking again across the room, this time kneeling down next to the fireplace. There the salt had worn through. Cas tried again. "Are you okay?"

"Oh." Dean said distractedly, focusing his attention on stacking a few logs, slowed slightly by the chains still holding his wrists together. "I'm pissed. I thought I'd be celebrating my newfound humanity at some burger joint right now, not stuck in a hovel with you." He tried for hostility and fell flat.

"I don't think a fire will light with the wind."

"It'll be fine." Dean muttered, adding a bit of kindling and one of those fire-starter sticks in the middle. He grabbed the book of matches tucked next to the logs and struck one, trying to catch it alight. It started to smolder before the flames licked up, but it only lasted for a few seconds before fizzling out. "Damn it."

"The wood is wet from the snow."

"I said it's fine, Cas." Dean snapped. He lit another match for the same result. And another.

Cas watched his shoulders tense, each failed match only knotting them further. He had been truthful when he told Sam this would be a good test of his control. If anything was going to push Dean to violence, the frustration he felt in this cage would do it. He had just hoped it would have taken a little longer. Though, he supposed, it was better to find out now that he couldn't be let loose. Here at least the only person Dean could hurt was him, and he'd have a hard time doing it. He was glad that everyone else was a state away.

"Come on!" Dean hissed, another match failing to catch the wood.

Cas just had to press his luck. "Dean. It isn't going to work."

Dean whipped around, but his expression hit Cas like a truck. It wasn't rage, it was panic. "It has to." Dean was up on his feet in an instant, and he kicked over the stack of logs, sending wet wood across the ground. "God, Cas, what the fuck are we supposed to do here!?" Anger couldn't mask the strained tone, or how thin the question ended.

Cas felt his chest clench. "Oh." He said softly.

Dean turned away from him, trying to catch his breath again. "This is stupid." He said to himself, so softly Cas would have missed it if he were human. "Come on…"

Cas watched him try and fail spectacularly to stuff it behind a wall. He was shaking, but he refused to sit still, instead starting to pace again, but it didn't look like he'd be able to do it much longer. And all throughout he was still struggling to hide how fast he was breathing.

He didn't have to breathe.

Cas finally shook himself out of it, walking with purpose to the front door and throwing it open, breaking through the salt line and scuffing the devils trap with two purposeful kicks.

Dean's head snapped up as he felt the release, and an exit open up. He was still shaking, and he couldn't figure out why he couldn't stop it.

"Dean, come on." Cas said firmly. He didn't see any indication Dean had heard him, he was just staring at the open door. Cas walked across the room, gently laying a hand on Dean's shoulders and ignoring the violent flinch.

Dean shifted his expression back to Cas, eyes still wide, and thoughts far off.

"Come on." Cas curled his fingers under Dean's elbow, gently pulling him towards the open door. He led Dean outside, through the bent door frame and outside.

Dean took a few more shaky steps before his knees crumpled and he sank into the knee deep snow.

Cas lowered himself down beside him, reaching out a hand but pulling it back when Dean tried to dodge his touch. He instead sat back, giving Dean a little space, watching him still desperately try to catch his breath.

"I don't-" Dean cut off, having a hard time getting his head to stop spinning. At least it didn't feel like the walls were closing in, but the cabin was still a looming shape that he could feel right behind him. "I don't know why-" He blinked a few times, eyes widening in shock when he felt moisture behind them.

"I'm sorry." Cas said softly. I didn't think this would hurt you so much. The guilt of ever suggesting the cabin began to strengthen.

"We… we can't-" Dean tried to fight through it, tried to communicate. He knew what he wanted to say, but the words were stuck in his throat and he had to fight to pull each one out. "I can't-" Dean's voice broke.

"We don't have to go back inside." Cas said softly.

"We-"

"Or Conway." Cas soothed. He reached out, grabbing Dean's hand, careful not to tug on the cuffs. He slid his fingers around Dean's, gripping firmly. "We don't have to go back."

Dean opened his mouth but nothing came out. Instead he squeezed his eyes shut, listening to his heart hammering in his ears, brain scrambling for half forgotten coping mechanisms he had read in a book decades ago and never put into practice. He settled on counting his breaths, dismayed to find it seemed to make it worse.

"Dean." Cas said, voice a little sharper to cut through. He waited until Dean looked up at him. "Get up." He reached down, pulling Dean unsteadily to his feet and starting to move them backwards, bracing him against a stumble. He reached behind him, opening the impala door and leveraging Dean inside. He walked around the other side, slipping behind the wheel and turning it on. He didn't look back as he guided them back onto the road, towards the open highway.

Cas didn't look at Dean. "We don't have to go back." He said again quietly, focusing on getting them out of there.

It was almost thirty minutes before Dean managed to break the silence and speak over the soft almost unintelligible music coming from the car speakers. "Okay." He whispered, hating that even that single word was shaky.

"Dean, I'm sorry." Cas said softly.

"Sam… Sam will be upset we left."

"Sam will deal with it." Cas returned.

Dean gave a weak smile. "I didn't… I'm still…."

"Take your time."

"Where are we going?"

"We aren't going anywhere." Cas admitted.

"We'll have to stop eventually."

"I suppose we'll need gas." Cas said absently. "Beyond that, neither of us has to sleep."

Dean was quiet for a moment, considering the familiarity of this. After they had turned him human last time, Cas drove with him for days. He felt a hot flash of discomfort as he realized he was just as fucked up now, and he didn't even have the excuse of being human.

"Kevin thinks he can adjust the wards." Cas said carefully. "Find a way to make them permanent without the cuffs."

Dean glanced across at him. "What does that mean?"

"That you would be able to move around normally."

"Where?"

"Anywhere." Cas sighed. "Accompanied of course."

Dean thought about that quietly for a moment. "With you?"

"Yes." Cas clarified.

"Not at a cabin?"

"Unless you wanted to." Cas assured him.

"But not at the bunker." Dean realized.

"No." Cas readjusted his grip on the wheel, sighing. "I thought perhaps we might travel. Maybe even try a case."

"Hunting." Dean said blankly. "You want to go on a hunt?"

"I think it is something to consider."

Dean looked out the window. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because you don't deserve to be caged." Cas said firmly. "And I'm sorry we tried." He spared a quick glance sideways. "It is clear that this isn't as temporary as hoped. It may take some time to return you human."

"You don't even know if you can."

"No." Cas said softly. "I don't." He sighed. "Which is all the more reason to try this. You don't have the mark anymore… you aren't under its effects."

"You really think we could make this work?"

"I think there is no reason not to try."

Dean stared out at the empty road ahead of them, mind turning with a thousand thoughts. It was still dangerous, and he knew it wouldn't be easy for Cas navigating all the ways it could go wrong. "You'd do that, for me?"

"I love you."

Dean looked back at him, his expression settling. "Thank you."

"Of course, Dean."

Dean settled back against the seat, and let his thoughts wander as Cas turned up the radio. He felt the looming cabin finally fade into the distance, and managed at last to take a deep steady breath.