Vi veri veniversum vivus vici 1/?
Characters: Castiel, Dean, Sam
Classification: h/c, humor
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: No spoilers for Season 5
Disclaimer: I own nothing except a few sick!plotbunnys
Timeframe: straight after 4.22 (what might be Season 5 already), Sequel to Reunion
The next morning, Castiel was conscious again. It was strange seeing the Angel injured and in pain. He almost looked human. Around 9 o'clock Sam returned. Relaxed, happy. And Dean wondered what had happened. Of course Castiel was back, but Sam had not been upset enough by the revelation of his death to justify this reaction. He himself on the other hand... Dean did not fully understand his own feelings. On the one hand he could hug everybody in sight. He was more than glad to have the angel back. His pain-in-the-ass - no, his stick-in-the-ass guardian Angel. But that wasn't everything. There were more emotions, still unnamed because Dean was too afraid to think about them. Speaking of fear: he was definitely afraid. Cas was hurt! He was not supposed to. Did that mean he was human? Did that mean he'd fallen? Lost his Grace? Was an outcast like Anna with a bounty on his head? But he could not exactly ask Castiel all those questions. Not while he was still full to the gills with morphine and all the good stuff - at least not while he was still on the respirator...
Sam held two cups of coffee when he entered the room. However, he would never tell his brother he had gotten laid that night and really felt way better since. He had made no conscious decision to smile, but even if he had spent all night doing research in stead of - doing research, period... The sight of his brother still holding Castiel's hand would have made the corners of his mouth twitch nevertheless. It was a peaceful and surreal picture. And Sam wondered if that was how other people experienced the Winchesters' former stays at hospitals. Dean was sitting quietly vigil while... Normally it would have been Sam in the bed being watched by his older brother. A bit of jealousy blossomed inside the younger Winchester's heart. But Castiel was hooked to an IV, still on the respirator with at least a broken nose and arm. Neither did he want to swap places nor could he feel anything other than pity for the former Angel in the long term. And Sam was sure Castiel was no Angel anymore. How else was he supposed to be able to get that badly injured without healing instantly... Wait...
Dean was taken aback as Sam suddenly put down both cups of coffee in front of the older Winchester and turned to Castiel to remove the yellow striped blanket in a swift motion. The smaller man was dressed in a short white hospital gown that somehow fitted the picture of an Angel more than crumpled trench coat and suit. But then again his chubby knees and hairy legs were nowhere near how an angel should look. "What are you doing?" he asked, completely puzzled as Sam grabbed one of Castiel's arms and gave it a close look nearly touching the pale skin with his nose in the process. As he didn't respond instantly, he asked cautiously: "Christo?" Sam didn't flinch. But he did snort.
"Dean, I'm not possessed. Come on, help me."
"What are you looking for?" The older Winchester rose and closed the short distance to his brother with three steps.
"Castiel is not healing."
"Thanks for stating that, Captain Obvious."
"Dean, just once in your live, think. He is not healing, but if he'd fallen wouldn't he be reborn as a baby? So he still is an Angel. And we are back to the question why he's still injured."
Dean's eyes lit up with realization. "A spell?"
Sam nodded. "I'm searching for some kind of mark..."
"Because a hex bag or amulet or stuff like that surely would have already been removed by the staff." Dean continued his brother's sentence and Sam finished: "And therefore would not be able to affect him anymore. Check his feet and don't forget the soles."
Both brothers searched together mutely and Dean enjoyed how they were on the same page again. Until he noticed there was one spot they hadn't checked. A spot he would rather not take a look at. "Uhm... Sam... how can we be sure the hex mark isn't there..." The younger Winchester groaned as he saw his brother point at Castiel's crotch.
They wordlessly agreed to never talk about the following minutes. Sam stood at the door making sure no one would interrupt them while Dean hesitantly lifted the hospital gown. He really wanted to drop it hastily only a second later. Great. Now the image of - so not thinking about it! Now the image was forever etched in his memory. If there ever was an awkward situation in his live it was this. The tube coming out of - not thinking about it, not thinking about it - it made him wince in anticipation. He had had his fair amounts of catheters to know that it did hurt - regardless what the doctors claimed. But now he was supposed to touch Castiel's - not thinking about his penis - Damn!
Sam did not notice Dean's suffering. He had a steady ear on the door. Their badges would only explain so much, but groping an unconscious patient would even get two Feds into serious trouble. So he was understandably relieved when his brother was finished and went to the little bathroom to thoroughly clean his hands.
"Nothing." Dean shrugged while the water ran down his hands. "And what now?"
"We have to wait for him to wake up. You talk to his doctor and I'll try to figure out how to make this room Angel and demon proof. Try to convince them we need Castiel out ASAP. Even if I try to paint a few protection wards behind the picture or the clock it surely won't be enough and we are just two people. We can't guard him 24/7 for longer than perhaps a few days."
Dean dried his hands of and returned to his brother while agreeing: "Yeah and even if, whoever is hunting Cas... The chance that they've seen the article too is very real. I think we actually might 'receive the first visitors' today. So we better take a hike pretty soon."
Sam had finished scribbling a protection symbol behind the clock and was about to draw the last few lines on the back of the small picture that had been mounted on the wall above the Angel's bed when Dean returned. The older Winchester was wearing a smug grin as he closed the door. "A comprehensive victory." Sam raised an inquiring eyebrow and waited for his brother to continue while he put the picture back. "Well, not only will the doc take him off the respirator so we can talk to him as soon as he wakes up - what hopefully will be happening somewhere in the next hour or two - but we can take him with us first thing tomorrow morning if they 'don't set any major complications'. And I've got a date at 8pm."
Chapter 2