When Angels Deserve to Die - Chapter Five
Masterpost
Previous Chapter
Chapter 5 - Each Scar I’ll Keep for Him
But every Tear I bore
Were He to count them o'er
His own would fall so more
After some frantic calls to Frank they had managed to track the GPS on Sam’s phone and discover he was at Stull Cemetery. Dean and Bobby were back in the car flying down the road at speeds that would get them pulled over if a cop came by.
“Stull Cemetery… He’s going to open the damn cage. Why else would he go there? Cas is out of his mind!”
“I think it’s more a case of Lucifer being in it” Bobby commented wryly. “What are you planning on doing anyway? You haven’t got anything that can take down Lucifer”.
“He’s not Lucifer, he’s Castiel”. Dean insisted stubbornly.
“Okay, you’ve got nothing that can take down Castiel either”.
“I won’t need to take him down. I just need to talk to him”.
“Dean that’s being awful naïve… it might have worked with Sam but you shouldn’t count on it working with Cas. It would take a great deal of luck, and we ain’t the lucky type”. Bobby really wasn’t sold on the idea. “You got any holy oil left? We should at least make some Molotovs”.
“I’m not being naïve Bobby. There’s something I need to say to him… there’s something he needs to hear”.
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Dean was trying to stay strong in front of Bobby, but underneath he was starting to break apart. It seemed only yesterday he was making the same run to Stull Cemetery “I ain't gonna let him die alone” ringing in his ears. This time both Sam and Castiel’s lives were on the line. Dean cursed himself and his own stupidity. Why didn’t he listen to Bobby? How could he not have seen what Castiel was becoming? You didn’t see it with Sam either… a quiet voice answered. Did they hide it too well or was he too blind?
Putting his foot down and stretching the car to its limits Dean was worried they wouldn’t make it in time. He could only hope that opening the cage was a bit more complicated without the rings. And he could only hope that he would be able to get through to Castiel. Something had gone wrong in the angel’s head. Lucifer wasn’t really there… he couldn’t be, Lucifer was in the cage. Dean prayed his own influence was stronger than whatever hell borne phantom had taken over Castiel’s mind.
Finally they neared Stull Cemetery, it was easy to find. The twilight sky had lightened, but a gathering darkness drew heavy clouds to one particular spot. The closer they got the louder the wind roared. It almost seemed to be warning them away. There was no big entrance this time, no Rock of Ages, no smart mouth comments. Dean simply pulled up and told Bobby to stop in the car. But he knew Bobby wouldn’t stay put.
“If you absolutely must get out of the car then check on Sammy, get him out if you can. I’ll take care of Cas”. Instead of placing the flask on the dash Dean tossed it to Bobby. That small action saying so much… he was going to trust Bobby to do the right thing.
Taking a deep breath Dean strode towards the gate, passing through the rusted wrought iron like a man condemned. Flashes of Dean’s last time here assaulted his senses… Castiel disintegrated, Bobby’s neck broken… Castiel stood before him now. The angel’s wings were folded at his back, though his arms were stretched high to the sky, palms facing outward as if to contain the storm before him. A tornado of whirling air hit the ground at his feet; Sam lay unmoving mere inches away. Seeing his brother a cold hand gripped at Dean’s heart. The wind tousled Sam’s long hair but Dean was too far away to detect a rising chest or any other sign of life. He needed to get over there, he needed to stop this.
“Cas! Stop what you’re doing!” Dean yelled, but he got no reaction from the angel. “Cas! Listen to me! Turn around and face me dammit!”
Still nothing. The angel closed his hands to fists and a lightning bolt shot down to strike the ground at his feet. The earth trembled in reply. It was far too close to Sam for Dean’s liking. He couldn’t help himself, his legs seemed to move of their own accord. Dean ran toward Sam, making to drag him away from the roiling storm. Before he could reach his brother Dean found himself flying through the air. His back hit a headstone hard, the air rushed out of his lungs. Dean gasped and pushed himself to his feet only to find himself face to face with Castiel. It seemed he had got the angel’s attention at last.
“Cas… please… I know you’re in there, you can stop this-” Dean was cut off as the angel’s hand shot out to close around his throat.
“We’ve been here before Dean. This time I’ll be sure to finish the job”. Castiel’s fist pulled back to punch Dean across the face. Again and again his fist connected with flesh, blood sprayed and poured from Dean’s nose and lips. Castiel held Dean up by the front of his jacket and let go for one final punch. For a moment Dean flashed back to Sammy’s fist flying towards him. Dean’s ragged frame fell backwards, the momentum rolling him across the grass as he hit the ground. He lay still for a moment, trying to ignore the pain and gather his senses.
Snatches of conversation came back to Dean as his head spun… “Sammy, are you in there?”… “He’s going to feel the snap of your bones”… “It’s ok, I’m here, I’m not going to leave you”… Slowly Dean pushed himself to his knees. Castiel stood before him, without thinking Dean reached a hand out and clutched at the leg of the angel’s jeans. He looked up to meet those cold, hard eyes.
“I forgive you”. It was said in the same reassuring yet broken voice he had spoken to Sam with.
No spark came back to Castiel’s eyes… there was no moment of awakening.
“I forgive you Cas” Dean’s fist twisted in the angel’s jeans. “You hear me? I forgive you…”
Castiel took Dean’s wrist and pulled away his hand forcefully. Then bending to meet Dean’s eyes he smiled “You can take your forgiveness and shove it up your ass”.
The angel straightened and brushed off his hands as if touching Dean had sullied them. “Crude way of putting it, but using your own turn of phrase seemed fitting. How fortunate we are that the great Dean Winchester has deigned to give us his forgiveness”. He spat at Dean’s feet. “I neither want nor need your forgiveness”.
With mock confusion he went on. “Oh, but it’s for Castiel? Well Castiel knows your forgiveness is false. You say what you have to to get what you need. We can see absolution does not dwell in your heart. Your tongue betrays you by saying it. In any case, forgiving him won’t stop this. Nothing can stop this”.
With both hands the angel grabbed Dean’s jacket and pulled him up until his feet left the ground. Then Castiel threw Dean backwards. He hit a tree, hard. Pain exploded along Dean’s back, the air left his lungs once again as he hit the dirt. Shakily he got to his hands and knees and looked up to find that Castiel had returned to the edge of the storm. Another lightning bolt lit up the sky. As the ground shook the eye of the storm seemed to give way, dirt and grass falling to create the beginning of a slathering maw to the cage.
Something inside Dean cracked… He hadn’t got through to Castiel. Every time his angel said sorry Dean had said no when he meant not now… had Castiel given up? There was no time. The cage was opening. He had to do something.
Dean pulled out his gun and levelled it at Castiel. The angel had his wings stretched wide now. But there was something wrong with them… more feathers had fallen and they glistened with an oozing putrescence. Once imposing and mighty they now seemed ruined.
“Stop this, or I’ll shoot”. Dean cocked the pistol.
The angel laughed. “No you won’t”.
A loud crack rent the air as a bullet drove into Castiel’s knee. He dropped down onto it hard but made no sound. The angel only bowed his head momentarily before turning to Dean with a look of pure wrath. He got to his feet, seemingly uninjured, and stalked towards Dean. Raising the pistol Dean took another shot at Castiel, the bullet hit the angel’s shoulder but he kept on coming despite the blood pouring down the front of his dirty t-shirt. Dean didn’t get a chance at another shot. Castiel knocked him to the ground with a vicious blow to the head.
“Your time has run out Dean. I was keeping you alive. I wanted you to see… I wanted you to witness me free from my chains claiming your brother. You should have been able to see me walk in his skin one last time. You would have enjoyed watching as I cast your precious Castiel into the cage, shackling him like the monster he is. But now you won’t get to see anything because you’ll be dead”.
The angel drew his fist back ready to launch a blow, but then he paused and spoke thoughtfully. “Unless… I could throw you down into the pit along with your beloved angel. It would be a fitting end to return Michael’s sword to Michael. You will endure an eternity of torment together…”
Dean found himself being dragged along the ground toward the unearthly whirlwind. The angel’s every step jarred his injuries; pain spiked up Dean’s back, his face felt a mess. Then he was unceremoniously dumped next to Sam. Dean rolled over to face his brother as Castiel turned his attention back to opening the cage.
“Sammy… wake up. Please Sammy, I need you to open your eyes. Get up”. Dean’s voice was wrecked; he hardly recognised it as his own. The words were choked out from between bloody lips and loose teeth. Sam didn’t hear them, he remained motionless, but at least Dean could see his brother’s chest move with each shallow breath.
“Sam can’t help you now”. Sweat ran in rivulets down the angel’s face. His eyes were alight with excitement but the effort of opening the cage seemed to be draining him. A shudder ran through Castiel, shaking his wings and loosing more feathers. The great limbs dropped low, brushing the ground, as the angel’s complexion turned a little greyer. Then reaching down Castiel pulled Dean up by the front of his jacket and held him on the threshold of the tornado. “Give my regards to Michael. Tell him I’m sorry to leave so suddenly, but I’ve sent him down a little gift in return. I’m sure the two of you will make up for my absence”.
Dean felt the wind whipping at his back, pulling at his jacket as if trying to claim him for the depths of hell. More ground had given way to open up the mouth of the cage. It would be fully open in moments. Dean’s eyes watered as he realised he had failed. He couldn’t save Sam, he couldn’t save Castiel. Time had run out, this was the end. Lucifer would destroy the world from behind Sam’s eyes. And knowing his brother’s fate made his own much worse. Dean wondered if it gave Sam a sliver of comfort to know he would be with Lisa. But now the tables were turned and there was no apple pie life waiting for Sam. Sam would be with Lucifer. And it crushed Dean to know that their life’s work, saving people, hunting things, ended here. Everything they had done, it was all for nothing…
Looking past the angel Dean watched the weak sunlight of dawn filter through the graveyard. He had a grave once, his very own. There would be nothing to mark his passing this time. On the horizon the sun rose above Castiel’s shoulder, Dean had to look away. He waited for the angel to release him, for the moment he would fall back into the pit as his brother had before him. He could imagine the inevitable pull of gravity, his arms wheeling and finding nothing to hold but air. Suddenly a shadow fell across Dean’s face. Bobby stood behind Castiel, his insubstantial form still blocking the sun. Without pausing for thought he thrust his hands into the angel. Castiel immediately went rigid, his eyes widening in horror as his chest began to glow. Bobby yelled with the effort he was expending. His eyes were scrunched shut in a painful grimace. The join between ghost and angel crackled with energy, harsh light sparked from the spot between Castiel’s wings. Then the angel threw his head back and screamed in agony.
It felt like it went on forever. Castiel’s fists clutched tightly at Dean’s jacket, his fingers spasming at intervals, until finally his eyes flickered with light and his grip relaxed. Dean felt himself slipping… Bobby was spent, he vanished without warning. There was nobody to help him now. Dean fell back as the angel collapsed. The wind was dying down but it still pulled at him. The cage was beginning to close but the fissure was still wide open. Dean fell towards it, instinctively he reached out, grabbing nothing but air as he had imagined. Then a hand enclosed Dean’s wrist. His fall stopped abruptly. Dean looked up and let out a shuddering breath in relief… “Sammy!”
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Sam’s eyes flickered open. His mind was foggy. Where was he? What was happening? The sound of wind roared all around him. Somebody was screaming… Then it all came back to him. Castiel attacking him… no, Lucifer attacking him. Sam sat bolt upright with the realisation they were all in terrible danger. He quickly took in the situation and knew they had gone way past terrible danger at this point.
Then Castiel crumpled and Dean fell. Sam had no time to think, only act. He scrambled to his feet and launched himself at the gaping hole. Frantically Sam prayed he would catch his brother as he threw his arm out. Feeling a solid grip on Dean’s wrist Sam offered a quiet thanks to God - assuming he was still around somewhere. Dean managed to choke out a hopeful “Sammy!” but the utter relief on Dean’s face gave way to worry as he saw Sam straining to take his weight and pull him up. To make matters worse the earth trembled around them as the gateway to the cage started closing up.
Sam put his all into pulling his brother up. Dean tried to help, his feet pushing and scrabbling against the sides, even as they closed in about him. It felt like Sam’s arms were going to slip out of their sockets but he wasn’t about to lose his brother now. He noticed Dean trying to snatch a glance at the bottomless black depths below him.
“Don’t look down Dean, just look at me. You’re getting out of here, I’ll get you out”. Sam used his calm reassuring voice, but underneath he felt anything but. His heart beat wildly in his chest… Sam could see beyond Dean, he could see the cage. He saw Lucifer and Michael tearing him to shreds like two dogs fighting over a toy. Then Dean’s worried face came back into focus in front of him and he fought off the chains of the past. “I won’t let go”.
Finally Dean was far enough out to grip the surface and take some of his own weight. Sam reached under Dean’s arms to help him the rest of the way out. The hell mouth had shrunk fast, there was little more than a metre left of it. Sam grabbed at the back of his brother’s jean, desperately trying to get his legs clear. Then just as Dean was hefted over the edge the earth gave one last shudder and the opening to the cage shut beside them. The two brothers collapsed into a heap, breathing hard, flooded with adrenaline, and overcome by sheer relief.
Eventually they sat up and Sam took a look at Dean’s wrecked face. “Dean, you look like crap… should probably get to a hospital or something”.
“Well thanks… my back feels like one big bruise too. No time for hospitals though, we’re not done here”. Dean looked pointedly at the fallen form of Castiel. “We need to get him on lockdown. There’s no telling what we’ll be dealing with when he wakes up… if he wakes up. God knows what Bobby did to him; he just shoved his hands in and lit him up like a firecracker”.
“Well as long as you’re not going to keel over. I didn’t haul your ass out of there for nothing. Seriously Dean, you look like you must have broken something, several somethings in fact”.
“I’ll be fine after a drink or three, bet I won’t look half as bad with the blood washed off. I’ll look after myself later Sammy, promise. First things first, the crazy ass angel… we can take him back to that plant. It’s perfect - abandoned and nobody around for miles. Help me get him to the car”.
They stood around Castiel, he now looked a pathetic crumpled mess at their feet with sallow skin, blood stains, and a pair of ruined wings at his back.
“Uh, Dean, we’re going to have to fold his wings up to get him in the car”. Sam really didn’t like the thought of touching them. Before he wouldn’t have touched the angel’s wings through reverence, now it was revulsion that stayed his hand.
“Okay, sit him up”. Dean went round to Castiel’s back as Sam pulled the unconscious angel into a sitting position and held him tight.
Tentatively Dean put his hand to Castiel’s left wing and took hold. Making a small disgusted sound at the back of his throat he pulled away a fist full of feathers. They just seemed to slough off and come away with his hand, leaving seeping blood behind. Though his wings were tacky with more than just blood… pus and rot seemed to coat the feathers. Sam met Dean’s reluctant eyes saying “what the hell?” but he also saw his brother’s resolve harden. Quickly Dean worked to fold Castiel’s wings against his back; he was all business and ignored the mess as best he could. With the job done, they awkwardly carried Castiel to the car between them.
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There were echoing voices…
“Think Bobby’s ok?”
“Yeah, he probably just ran out of juice like last time. He’ll be back”.
“You said he lit Cas up like a firecracker… you don’t think it exorcised him somehow? You know, like Cas does with demons?”
“No. He’ll be back”.
“I hope so… Hey, I’m sure I just saw his fingers move. Think he’s coming around?”
The sound of feet shuffling closer… “Cas? You in there? Holy shit!”
After listening to the brothers’ quiet voices for a while Lucifer decided to let them know he had come to awareness. Waiting for Dean to approach he suddenly opened his eyes, raised his head and snapped open his wings, all with a snarl that would put a lion to shame.
Dean stumbled back a few steps, breathing hard. “Yeah… guess he’s awake”.
Lucifer found himself tied to a chair on a devil’s trap, the outside of it being a circle of burning holy oil. Further sigils were scrawled across the floor. It looked like they had thrown every method of containment they knew at him. Lucifer reached out to use Castiel’s grace but found it greatly diminished. Bobby’s attack and the effort of opening the cage had taken its toll. Lucifer scowled and cursed these pathetic lesser angels. His archangel grace would not have been so easily drained.
Dean stepped forward again and spoke dangerously. “I take it you’re not Cas then… Get out of him. I won’t say it more than once”.
“You can say it as many times as you like Dean. I’m not going anywhere. Not unless Sammy wants to take me back in?” His predatory gaze wandered over to Sam leaning against a wall in the background.
Stepping to one side Dean blocked his view. “You don’t look at him. Look at me. Now get out”.
“Make me!” Lucifer snarled again, a deep threatening sound that echoed around the cavernous building.
“Oh I will. I have had enough of you. We put you down once and like a cockroach you crawl back. This time I’m going to step on you real hard and grind you into the ground until there’s nothing left but dust”.
“You can try. You won’t succeed. There is only one way this ends”.
“Yeah with me kicking your ass like every other supernatural son of a bitch we come up against. You’re no different, not really, you all have a weakness”.
Lucifer noticed Dean’s stiff movements. Although he had cleaned the blood off his face it was still swollen and deeply bruised. “And yet your face says different... You know how this ends”.
Pulling at his bonds Lucifer bared his teeth and raised his wings, making a sound almost like growling deep in his throat. The threatening gesture washed right over Dean.
“You know what Luci? You sound just like a cornered animal. Stop fluffing your fur and get out of my friend”.
As Dean uttered the word friend Lucifer felt Castiel stir. Don’t get too excited little one… “So Castiel is your friend now? Not so long ago you had him in a circle of fire. Not so long ago you tried to kill him. Why not take us both out? That’s what you really want isn’t it?”
“You son of a bitch, is that what you’ve been telling him? It’s lies Cas, all lies, now fight back!”
“Actions speak louder than words I find. The action of thrusting a dagger into Castiel’s back says more than your ephemeral, changeable words… don’t you think so Sam?”
“I said you don’t look at him. You don’t talk to him either”.
“Dean… come here”. Sam’s quiet voice requested. His brother gave Lucifer a last glare before joining him. “Yelling at him isn’t getting us anywhere. We need to-”
"Hello boys". A gravelly English accent cut in. "Looks like you could do with a hand".
Chapter 6 - Hope is the Thing with Feathers
Previous Chapter
Chapter 5 - Each Scar I’ll Keep for Him
But every Tear I bore
Were He to count them o'er
His own would fall so more
After some frantic calls to Frank they had managed to track the GPS on Sam’s phone and discover he was at Stull Cemetery. Dean and Bobby were back in the car flying down the road at speeds that would get them pulled over if a cop came by.
“Stull Cemetery… He’s going to open the damn cage. Why else would he go there? Cas is out of his mind!”
“I think it’s more a case of Lucifer being in it” Bobby commented wryly. “What are you planning on doing anyway? You haven’t got anything that can take down Lucifer”.
“He’s not Lucifer, he’s Castiel”. Dean insisted stubbornly.
“Okay, you’ve got nothing that can take down Castiel either”.
“I won’t need to take him down. I just need to talk to him”.
“Dean that’s being awful naïve… it might have worked with Sam but you shouldn’t count on it working with Cas. It would take a great deal of luck, and we ain’t the lucky type”. Bobby really wasn’t sold on the idea. “You got any holy oil left? We should at least make some Molotovs”.
“I’m not being naïve Bobby. There’s something I need to say to him… there’s something he needs to hear”.
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Dean was trying to stay strong in front of Bobby, but underneath he was starting to break apart. It seemed only yesterday he was making the same run to Stull Cemetery “I ain't gonna let him die alone” ringing in his ears. This time both Sam and Castiel’s lives were on the line. Dean cursed himself and his own stupidity. Why didn’t he listen to Bobby? How could he not have seen what Castiel was becoming? You didn’t see it with Sam either… a quiet voice answered. Did they hide it too well or was he too blind?
Putting his foot down and stretching the car to its limits Dean was worried they wouldn’t make it in time. He could only hope that opening the cage was a bit more complicated without the rings. And he could only hope that he would be able to get through to Castiel. Something had gone wrong in the angel’s head. Lucifer wasn’t really there… he couldn’t be, Lucifer was in the cage. Dean prayed his own influence was stronger than whatever hell borne phantom had taken over Castiel’s mind.
Finally they neared Stull Cemetery, it was easy to find. The twilight sky had lightened, but a gathering darkness drew heavy clouds to one particular spot. The closer they got the louder the wind roared. It almost seemed to be warning them away. There was no big entrance this time, no Rock of Ages, no smart mouth comments. Dean simply pulled up and told Bobby to stop in the car. But he knew Bobby wouldn’t stay put.
“If you absolutely must get out of the car then check on Sammy, get him out if you can. I’ll take care of Cas”. Instead of placing the flask on the dash Dean tossed it to Bobby. That small action saying so much… he was going to trust Bobby to do the right thing.
Taking a deep breath Dean strode towards the gate, passing through the rusted wrought iron like a man condemned. Flashes of Dean’s last time here assaulted his senses… Castiel disintegrated, Bobby’s neck broken… Castiel stood before him now. The angel’s wings were folded at his back, though his arms were stretched high to the sky, palms facing outward as if to contain the storm before him. A tornado of whirling air hit the ground at his feet; Sam lay unmoving mere inches away. Seeing his brother a cold hand gripped at Dean’s heart. The wind tousled Sam’s long hair but Dean was too far away to detect a rising chest or any other sign of life. He needed to get over there, he needed to stop this.
“Cas! Stop what you’re doing!” Dean yelled, but he got no reaction from the angel. “Cas! Listen to me! Turn around and face me dammit!”
Still nothing. The angel closed his hands to fists and a lightning bolt shot down to strike the ground at his feet. The earth trembled in reply. It was far too close to Sam for Dean’s liking. He couldn’t help himself, his legs seemed to move of their own accord. Dean ran toward Sam, making to drag him away from the roiling storm. Before he could reach his brother Dean found himself flying through the air. His back hit a headstone hard, the air rushed out of his lungs. Dean gasped and pushed himself to his feet only to find himself face to face with Castiel. It seemed he had got the angel’s attention at last.
“Cas… please… I know you’re in there, you can stop this-” Dean was cut off as the angel’s hand shot out to close around his throat.
“We’ve been here before Dean. This time I’ll be sure to finish the job”. Castiel’s fist pulled back to punch Dean across the face. Again and again his fist connected with flesh, blood sprayed and poured from Dean’s nose and lips. Castiel held Dean up by the front of his jacket and let go for one final punch. For a moment Dean flashed back to Sammy’s fist flying towards him. Dean’s ragged frame fell backwards, the momentum rolling him across the grass as he hit the ground. He lay still for a moment, trying to ignore the pain and gather his senses.
Snatches of conversation came back to Dean as his head spun… “Sammy, are you in there?”… “He’s going to feel the snap of your bones”… “It’s ok, I’m here, I’m not going to leave you”… Slowly Dean pushed himself to his knees. Castiel stood before him, without thinking Dean reached a hand out and clutched at the leg of the angel’s jeans. He looked up to meet those cold, hard eyes.
“I forgive you”. It was said in the same reassuring yet broken voice he had spoken to Sam with.
No spark came back to Castiel’s eyes… there was no moment of awakening.
“I forgive you Cas” Dean’s fist twisted in the angel’s jeans. “You hear me? I forgive you…”
Castiel took Dean’s wrist and pulled away his hand forcefully. Then bending to meet Dean’s eyes he smiled “You can take your forgiveness and shove it up your ass”.
The angel straightened and brushed off his hands as if touching Dean had sullied them. “Crude way of putting it, but using your own turn of phrase seemed fitting. How fortunate we are that the great Dean Winchester has deigned to give us his forgiveness”. He spat at Dean’s feet. “I neither want nor need your forgiveness”.
With mock confusion he went on. “Oh, but it’s for Castiel? Well Castiel knows your forgiveness is false. You say what you have to to get what you need. We can see absolution does not dwell in your heart. Your tongue betrays you by saying it. In any case, forgiving him won’t stop this. Nothing can stop this”.
With both hands the angel grabbed Dean’s jacket and pulled him up until his feet left the ground. Then Castiel threw Dean backwards. He hit a tree, hard. Pain exploded along Dean’s back, the air left his lungs once again as he hit the dirt. Shakily he got to his hands and knees and looked up to find that Castiel had returned to the edge of the storm. Another lightning bolt lit up the sky. As the ground shook the eye of the storm seemed to give way, dirt and grass falling to create the beginning of a slathering maw to the cage.
Something inside Dean cracked… He hadn’t got through to Castiel. Every time his angel said sorry Dean had said no when he meant not now… had Castiel given up? There was no time. The cage was opening. He had to do something.
Dean pulled out his gun and levelled it at Castiel. The angel had his wings stretched wide now. But there was something wrong with them… more feathers had fallen and they glistened with an oozing putrescence. Once imposing and mighty they now seemed ruined.
“Stop this, or I’ll shoot”. Dean cocked the pistol.
The angel laughed. “No you won’t”.
A loud crack rent the air as a bullet drove into Castiel’s knee. He dropped down onto it hard but made no sound. The angel only bowed his head momentarily before turning to Dean with a look of pure wrath. He got to his feet, seemingly uninjured, and stalked towards Dean. Raising the pistol Dean took another shot at Castiel, the bullet hit the angel’s shoulder but he kept on coming despite the blood pouring down the front of his dirty t-shirt. Dean didn’t get a chance at another shot. Castiel knocked him to the ground with a vicious blow to the head.
“Your time has run out Dean. I was keeping you alive. I wanted you to see… I wanted you to witness me free from my chains claiming your brother. You should have been able to see me walk in his skin one last time. You would have enjoyed watching as I cast your precious Castiel into the cage, shackling him like the monster he is. But now you won’t get to see anything because you’ll be dead”.
The angel drew his fist back ready to launch a blow, but then he paused and spoke thoughtfully. “Unless… I could throw you down into the pit along with your beloved angel. It would be a fitting end to return Michael’s sword to Michael. You will endure an eternity of torment together…”
Dean found himself being dragged along the ground toward the unearthly whirlwind. The angel’s every step jarred his injuries; pain spiked up Dean’s back, his face felt a mess. Then he was unceremoniously dumped next to Sam. Dean rolled over to face his brother as Castiel turned his attention back to opening the cage.
“Sammy… wake up. Please Sammy, I need you to open your eyes. Get up”. Dean’s voice was wrecked; he hardly recognised it as his own. The words were choked out from between bloody lips and loose teeth. Sam didn’t hear them, he remained motionless, but at least Dean could see his brother’s chest move with each shallow breath.
“Sam can’t help you now”. Sweat ran in rivulets down the angel’s face. His eyes were alight with excitement but the effort of opening the cage seemed to be draining him. A shudder ran through Castiel, shaking his wings and loosing more feathers. The great limbs dropped low, brushing the ground, as the angel’s complexion turned a little greyer. Then reaching down Castiel pulled Dean up by the front of his jacket and held him on the threshold of the tornado. “Give my regards to Michael. Tell him I’m sorry to leave so suddenly, but I’ve sent him down a little gift in return. I’m sure the two of you will make up for my absence”.
Dean felt the wind whipping at his back, pulling at his jacket as if trying to claim him for the depths of hell. More ground had given way to open up the mouth of the cage. It would be fully open in moments. Dean’s eyes watered as he realised he had failed. He couldn’t save Sam, he couldn’t save Castiel. Time had run out, this was the end. Lucifer would destroy the world from behind Sam’s eyes. And knowing his brother’s fate made his own much worse. Dean wondered if it gave Sam a sliver of comfort to know he would be with Lisa. But now the tables were turned and there was no apple pie life waiting for Sam. Sam would be with Lucifer. And it crushed Dean to know that their life’s work, saving people, hunting things, ended here. Everything they had done, it was all for nothing…
Looking past the angel Dean watched the weak sunlight of dawn filter through the graveyard. He had a grave once, his very own. There would be nothing to mark his passing this time. On the horizon the sun rose above Castiel’s shoulder, Dean had to look away. He waited for the angel to release him, for the moment he would fall back into the pit as his brother had before him. He could imagine the inevitable pull of gravity, his arms wheeling and finding nothing to hold but air. Suddenly a shadow fell across Dean’s face. Bobby stood behind Castiel, his insubstantial form still blocking the sun. Without pausing for thought he thrust his hands into the angel. Castiel immediately went rigid, his eyes widening in horror as his chest began to glow. Bobby yelled with the effort he was expending. His eyes were scrunched shut in a painful grimace. The join between ghost and angel crackled with energy, harsh light sparked from the spot between Castiel’s wings. Then the angel threw his head back and screamed in agony.
It felt like it went on forever. Castiel’s fists clutched tightly at Dean’s jacket, his fingers spasming at intervals, until finally his eyes flickered with light and his grip relaxed. Dean felt himself slipping… Bobby was spent, he vanished without warning. There was nobody to help him now. Dean fell back as the angel collapsed. The wind was dying down but it still pulled at him. The cage was beginning to close but the fissure was still wide open. Dean fell towards it, instinctively he reached out, grabbing nothing but air as he had imagined. Then a hand enclosed Dean’s wrist. His fall stopped abruptly. Dean looked up and let out a shuddering breath in relief… “Sammy!”
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Sam’s eyes flickered open. His mind was foggy. Where was he? What was happening? The sound of wind roared all around him. Somebody was screaming… Then it all came back to him. Castiel attacking him… no, Lucifer attacking him. Sam sat bolt upright with the realisation they were all in terrible danger. He quickly took in the situation and knew they had gone way past terrible danger at this point.
Then Castiel crumpled and Dean fell. Sam had no time to think, only act. He scrambled to his feet and launched himself at the gaping hole. Frantically Sam prayed he would catch his brother as he threw his arm out. Feeling a solid grip on Dean’s wrist Sam offered a quiet thanks to God - assuming he was still around somewhere. Dean managed to choke out a hopeful “Sammy!” but the utter relief on Dean’s face gave way to worry as he saw Sam straining to take his weight and pull him up. To make matters worse the earth trembled around them as the gateway to the cage started closing up.
Sam put his all into pulling his brother up. Dean tried to help, his feet pushing and scrabbling against the sides, even as they closed in about him. It felt like Sam’s arms were going to slip out of their sockets but he wasn’t about to lose his brother now. He noticed Dean trying to snatch a glance at the bottomless black depths below him.
“Don’t look down Dean, just look at me. You’re getting out of here, I’ll get you out”. Sam used his calm reassuring voice, but underneath he felt anything but. His heart beat wildly in his chest… Sam could see beyond Dean, he could see the cage. He saw Lucifer and Michael tearing him to shreds like two dogs fighting over a toy. Then Dean’s worried face came back into focus in front of him and he fought off the chains of the past. “I won’t let go”.
Finally Dean was far enough out to grip the surface and take some of his own weight. Sam reached under Dean’s arms to help him the rest of the way out. The hell mouth had shrunk fast, there was little more than a metre left of it. Sam grabbed at the back of his brother’s jean, desperately trying to get his legs clear. Then just as Dean was hefted over the edge the earth gave one last shudder and the opening to the cage shut beside them. The two brothers collapsed into a heap, breathing hard, flooded with adrenaline, and overcome by sheer relief.
Eventually they sat up and Sam took a look at Dean’s wrecked face. “Dean, you look like crap… should probably get to a hospital or something”.
“Well thanks… my back feels like one big bruise too. No time for hospitals though, we’re not done here”. Dean looked pointedly at the fallen form of Castiel. “We need to get him on lockdown. There’s no telling what we’ll be dealing with when he wakes up… if he wakes up. God knows what Bobby did to him; he just shoved his hands in and lit him up like a firecracker”.
“Well as long as you’re not going to keel over. I didn’t haul your ass out of there for nothing. Seriously Dean, you look like you must have broken something, several somethings in fact”.
“I’ll be fine after a drink or three, bet I won’t look half as bad with the blood washed off. I’ll look after myself later Sammy, promise. First things first, the crazy ass angel… we can take him back to that plant. It’s perfect - abandoned and nobody around for miles. Help me get him to the car”.
They stood around Castiel, he now looked a pathetic crumpled mess at their feet with sallow skin, blood stains, and a pair of ruined wings at his back.
“Uh, Dean, we’re going to have to fold his wings up to get him in the car”. Sam really didn’t like the thought of touching them. Before he wouldn’t have touched the angel’s wings through reverence, now it was revulsion that stayed his hand.
“Okay, sit him up”. Dean went round to Castiel’s back as Sam pulled the unconscious angel into a sitting position and held him tight.
Tentatively Dean put his hand to Castiel’s left wing and took hold. Making a small disgusted sound at the back of his throat he pulled away a fist full of feathers. They just seemed to slough off and come away with his hand, leaving seeping blood behind. Though his wings were tacky with more than just blood… pus and rot seemed to coat the feathers. Sam met Dean’s reluctant eyes saying “what the hell?” but he also saw his brother’s resolve harden. Quickly Dean worked to fold Castiel’s wings against his back; he was all business and ignored the mess as best he could. With the job done, they awkwardly carried Castiel to the car between them.
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There were echoing voices…
“Think Bobby’s ok?”
“Yeah, he probably just ran out of juice like last time. He’ll be back”.
“You said he lit Cas up like a firecracker… you don’t think it exorcised him somehow? You know, like Cas does with demons?”
“No. He’ll be back”.
“I hope so… Hey, I’m sure I just saw his fingers move. Think he’s coming around?”
The sound of feet shuffling closer… “Cas? You in there? Holy shit!”
After listening to the brothers’ quiet voices for a while Lucifer decided to let them know he had come to awareness. Waiting for Dean to approach he suddenly opened his eyes, raised his head and snapped open his wings, all with a snarl that would put a lion to shame.
Dean stumbled back a few steps, breathing hard. “Yeah… guess he’s awake”.
Lucifer found himself tied to a chair on a devil’s trap, the outside of it being a circle of burning holy oil. Further sigils were scrawled across the floor. It looked like they had thrown every method of containment they knew at him. Lucifer reached out to use Castiel’s grace but found it greatly diminished. Bobby’s attack and the effort of opening the cage had taken its toll. Lucifer scowled and cursed these pathetic lesser angels. His archangel grace would not have been so easily drained.
Dean stepped forward again and spoke dangerously. “I take it you’re not Cas then… Get out of him. I won’t say it more than once”.
“You can say it as many times as you like Dean. I’m not going anywhere. Not unless Sammy wants to take me back in?” His predatory gaze wandered over to Sam leaning against a wall in the background.
Stepping to one side Dean blocked his view. “You don’t look at him. Look at me. Now get out”.
“Make me!” Lucifer snarled again, a deep threatening sound that echoed around the cavernous building.
“Oh I will. I have had enough of you. We put you down once and like a cockroach you crawl back. This time I’m going to step on you real hard and grind you into the ground until there’s nothing left but dust”.
“You can try. You won’t succeed. There is only one way this ends”.
“Yeah with me kicking your ass like every other supernatural son of a bitch we come up against. You’re no different, not really, you all have a weakness”.
Lucifer noticed Dean’s stiff movements. Although he had cleaned the blood off his face it was still swollen and deeply bruised. “And yet your face says different... You know how this ends”.
Pulling at his bonds Lucifer bared his teeth and raised his wings, making a sound almost like growling deep in his throat. The threatening gesture washed right over Dean.
“You know what Luci? You sound just like a cornered animal. Stop fluffing your fur and get out of my friend”.
As Dean uttered the word friend Lucifer felt Castiel stir. Don’t get too excited little one… “So Castiel is your friend now? Not so long ago you had him in a circle of fire. Not so long ago you tried to kill him. Why not take us both out? That’s what you really want isn’t it?”
“You son of a bitch, is that what you’ve been telling him? It’s lies Cas, all lies, now fight back!”
“Actions speak louder than words I find. The action of thrusting a dagger into Castiel’s back says more than your ephemeral, changeable words… don’t you think so Sam?”
“I said you don’t look at him. You don’t talk to him either”.
“Dean… come here”. Sam’s quiet voice requested. His brother gave Lucifer a last glare before joining him. “Yelling at him isn’t getting us anywhere. We need to-”
"Hello boys". A gravelly English accent cut in. "Looks like you could do with a hand".
Chapter 6 - Hope is the Thing with Feathers