DCBB: Trinity - Three Times a Charm
Three Times a Charm
Ajay sat uncomfortably in Crowley's office as the King of Hell explained his needs. This wasn't the first time he'd been called in to speak to Crowley. The first time was a few years ago when Crowley had wanted the souls of Purgatory. Ajay was of no use back then. Oh, he could surely get you into and out of the netherworld but he couldn't extract that many souls. He was a mule, not a cargo train. Something that huge needed a spell and based on the outcome of that situation the madman demon had obviously succeeded. This time, however, was a bit different.
He cleared his throat as Crowley finished speaking. He stared resolutely at the desk before him, refusing to look the demon in the eyes. "So, let me understand, you need me to bring a demon into Purgatory and after a bit bring him out. That's it? I don't get it."
Crowley, who had been sitting at his desk calmly, leaned forward and growled, "You don't need to get it. You need to do it. Let me worry about the details."
Ajay wrapped his long arms around his chest and shivered. He hated Crowley. Most Reapers had no opinion of the powers that be, Heaven or Hell. Ajay used to be that way but after awhile it wore at him, watching souls torn from lives and loved ones. He knew why bad things happened to good people, it was the gift of Free Will. With the good came the bad. For every good choice you also had the option of as many bad choices and that was how it worked. People blamed God for not interfering and stopping it but he couldn't, not if people wanted to keep their Free Will. It was a double-edged sword. However, Ajay had watched it happen and knowing the truth didn't change the pain and the seeming unfairness. Instead, he broke away and decided to live a 'life' and would freelance on the side for those who needed passage into the other realms. He tried to avoid Hell at all cost (and Heaven wasn't exactly his friend) but he was specifically summoned and he knew that even though he left the life he couldn't ignore such a calling. He would surely regret it.
"When will this be taking place?" he said, forcing himself to look into Crowley's eyes.
Crowley leaned back and smirked. "I'll call you, so keep an ear out." He snapped his fingers and Ajay disappeared. He took a deep breath and decided to check in with the Moron Twins and their Pet Angel. He hit his intercom. "Darla, Darling?"
No answer.
Brow furrowing, Crowley pushed himself up from his desk and crossed to the door. If that bimbo thought she could take a lunch break when she didn't need to eat she was going to find herself a cloud of black smoke in about two seconds flat.
He popped his head out of the office and glared at the empty desk. It was neat and nothing incriminating left on its surface. A passing demon paused as he made his way down the hall. Crowley looked at him and asked, "Where's Darla?"
The demon shrugged. "Sir, I haven't seen her since before Ajay came in. She said she was bringing some paperwork down to Demon Resources. Said she couldn't trust anyone with the information. Said she'd be right back," he babbled.
Crowley waved an impatient hand. "That was an hour ago." He thought for a moment and dismissed the demon. He took a breath and transported himself to DR and demanded to know where Darla was to the first demon he saw.
The pretty red haired demon shrank into herself. "Sir, she was here an hour ago. I haven't seen her since."
Crowley growled. This was too much. First his new toy was taken and then his favorite secretary. And good AA's were hard to find, especially in Hell. He transported himself back to his office. Nowhere was safe. He needed those two idiots to do their job so he could take care of this bloody cult.
~*~
Dean sat on the edge of the bed while Castiel packed their bags. They were headed west and needed to finally get the hell out of North Carolina. He smiled as Cas meticulously folded freshly laundered socks and underwear into the shared duffel bag. It seemed to bring the angel enjoyment so Dean let him do it, besides, it meant Dean didn't have to.
Castiel zipped the duffel up with finality and looked up at Dean. "I'll take this out to the car and see if Sam and Tamara are ready."
Dean smiled at Castiel and said, "Sure, Cas. I'll be out in a minute." Castiel cocked his head and gave Dean a questioning glance but held his tongue, shouldering the duffel and heading out the door. As soon as it closed, Dean curled in on himself and rubbed his hands over his tired face. Last night had been wonderful but it had put a stress on Dean he was trying to hold in. Castiel had said the words, the words Dean felt never needed to be said because they could only cause bad things to happen. Even Sam understood the power that those words held. Knowing how Castiel felt and how he felt for him was all right. It worked. It didn't need to be spoken. But the words were out now. The universe heard them. Something was going to happen and Dean worried, was sickened deep down, that this was the beginning of the end.
On top of that, there were the children. Those helpless kids that were out there, scared and crying for home and Dean couldn't even help them. He had no idea how to even begin. This was huge. Perhaps bigger than the apocalypse. It was massive. Jody was keeping a world-wide tally for them and there were just over a thousand kids missing. Dean had never felt more useless than he did right now.
The door opened, drawing Dean from his thoughts and he saw Sam looking at him. "Hey, Cas said you looked off. I took that as Cas-language for introspective and thinking," he said, walking in and shutting the door behind him and leaning on it. "Wanna talk?"
Dean looked at his brother and raised an eyebrow at him. "Seriously? We've met before, right?"
Sam flipped him the bird. "Dude, you've met me, right?"
"Right," Dean said, standing and stretching his arms over his head, feeling his back pop into place. "Nope. Don't want to talk. I do want to get moving. You guys ready?"
Sam nodded. "Yeah, we're all packed. Cas and Tamara are at the park across the way. They wanted to see the ducks before we left. I told them all they'd see were Canada geese but they insisted that they wanted some fresh air before being cooped up in the Impala for the next 8 hours. Can't blame them, I suppose," Sam shrugged before holding the door open for his brother. Dean stepped out into the sunny day. He looked around and saw park that Sam mentioned and started in that direction with his brother in tow. They walked in silence as they entered the wooded patch of land. It had walkways leading every direction. "Which way do you think they went?" Sam asked.
Dean looked at the fork in the path that they had arrived at. "Not sure. Why don't we split up and see if we can find them. I'll call you if I find them first." He could just call Cas or Sam call Tamara but he suddenly felt the need to walk through the lush forest around him. Felt a pull toward the left and didn't even hesitate to debate it with Sam, he just went. He followed the twisting little paved walkway where it led as if a rope were pulling him along. His father had taught him a lot about being a hunter but the first thing John Winchester had stressed to his boys was to always follow their instinct. If a gut feeling led you along then you followed it to the end because it was definitely important and shouldn't be ignored. That was what was happening to Dean right now. Dean's feet seemed to move of their own volition as he kept moving onward, letting the path lead the way until it split once more. The right led into the woods but the left led to a clearing and a small playground. There were a few children playing on the equipment and Dean couldn't see an adult in sight. Something felt off and very wrong.
Where before he couldn't stop his feet from moving onward, now he couldn't take a single step as he scoped the area. They were older kids. Young teenagers that didn't need or were too cool to have mom or dad watch out for them. It still didn't change the fact that it was irresponsible for them to be unsupervised considering all the disappearances lately. The instinct that drew him here hadn't lessened any and he was about to call Sam when a voice spoke from behind him.
"Hey big brother."
Dean swung around and was face to face with the half-brother he had thought he'd lost to Hell. "Adam?" he asked in a rough whisper.
"Miss me, Dean? Probably not, seeing as you never came to save me," he hissed, turning his head from Dean to look at the teens. "Stupid. Like shooting fish in a barrel. I could grab all nine of them and it'll take hours before they'd even be missed."
"I don't understand. Adam, how did you get out? I tried but- Death said - I...I'm so sorry," Dean babbled.
Adam glanced at him, his eyes swimming black before returning to their bright blue. "No worries, Dean-o. I got friends on the downside."
Dean felt his gut clench and anger rise up into his throat. "You're a demon? You're working for the cult?"
Adam smiled. "Yup! Well, I'm supposed to be working for-"
"Crowley! That son of a bitch had me looking for my own brother." Dean punch and kicked at the air as if Crowley himself were standing there for him to pummel. "I guess there's no pendant."
"What pendant?" Adam asked, looking confused for a moment before smiling. "Hah! Crowley wanted me back so badly he actually recruited you and Sam? How is Sam? The brother you seem to give a shit about."
"Adam, I tried," Dean said, looking into his youngest brother's eyes.
"You obviously didn't try hard enough," Adam snarled. "Do you know what they did when Sam left? Do you know what it's like to be the chew toy of two archangels? Crowley saved me. He took me out of the Cage and he offered me peace from Lucifer and Michael as long as I helped him out. Of course, then the cult bound me to them and until I'm done here I can't finish my responsibilities to Crowley." He seemed to calm down and his gaze returned to the kids. He watched them fondly as a couple of them tussled back and forth and chased each other the way boys and girls do when they're awkward and like one another. Adam seemed to emanate a sad longing to join them before turning his eyes back to Dean. "Stop them, Dean. Stop this cult. If you do anything for me, please stop this."
"I'm trying Adam. I promise you, I'm trying," Dean said, reaching out to touch Adam's arm. He needed to feel him to know he was really real. Adam flinched away as Dean's phone began buzzing. He quickly pulled it out of his pocket and saw it was a text from Sam stating he found Castiel and Tamara. He replied telling him where he was but not who he was with. "Sam is on his way," Dean said, looking back up at Adam. "He'd love to see you, again."
Adam shook his head, slowly. "I've got work to do so either stop me or kill me but I don't have much of a choice. The binding, you know." He seemed defeated. "Don't think you can kill me and I doubt you can stop me."
"But I can," another voice spoke and both men turned quickly. "Hello, boys."
"Crowley," both brothers spoke, one in disgust and the other in relief.
"Good job, Squirrel. You found my boy," Crowley said, leering at Adam. "Have I got work for you, young man." His smile was all daggers.
Adam sighed. "Please stop me. I have to take them and...stop me," he pleaded.
Crowley pat Adam on the head and it sickened Dean to see his brother beg the King of Hell for help. "It'll take a bit but I'll do the counter spell to break the binding. First, though, I need to thank big bro over here for finding my prize. I have a reward for you as well."
"Dean?" Sam called, turning onto the path that led to the playground and stopped short as he spied the three men. "Adam? Adam, you're alive? Oh thank God!" he exclaimed, jogging over to them.
"God had very little to do with it, Moose. It was all me," Crowley said with a smirk. "Well, me and a couple of Fey but it was mostly me."
"You," Sam said, incredulously. "You freed our brother?"
"It wasn't like you were going to do it," Crowley replied.
"Dean tried you pompous dick! Death chose my soul over Adam and told him he couldn't have both so don't you dare lay this on him," Sam defended, a finger pointing dangerously close to Crowley's face.
Adam listened, his expression unchanging as he took in Sam's words.
Sam looked at him and deflated. "I'm so sorry, Adam. If we could have...I swear we tried. I promise you we tried," he stopped to collect himself. Sam refused to shed tears in front of Crowley. He swallowed and cleared his throat. He knew he needed to change the subject. "Adam, can you tell us anything about this cult?"
Adam actually seemed relieved for the subject change. He glanced at Crowley, silently asking permission to speak and Dean cringed as Crowley nodded his consent. "The cult is working out of an underground fort in North Dakota." He gave them an address. "The kids are there. The place is massive, like an old military bunker and there are thousands of people involved. They won't hurt the kids. Not yet. They don't have enough but when they do they're set for the ritual to call the Eldritch God of their choice. You need to stop them."
Dean nodded and reached over to place a hand on Adam's shoulder. Adam allowed it this time. "We will," he said, offering his brother a smile. "It's what we do."
Castiel moved closer to Dean, slotting in behind him close enough to offer comfort but not touching the older Winchester. His sword materialized in his hand and Adam glanced over at them, remembering the angel and noted the closeness. Crowley looked at Adam, then Dean and Castiel. Tamara never took her eyes off the demons and watched the way Crowley stared at the boys. Something was wrong. Her instincts told her but she couldn't pinpoint what it could be other than the fact that she stood before two demons, not her favorite beings in the world.
When Crowley reached out two hands, one to grab Adam's shoulder that Dean wasn't touching and the other to grab Castiel, Tamara and Sam didn't have time to react. All four disappeared and Sam cried out his brother's name, "Dean!" Tamara grabbed Sam as he lunged for the open air. "That son of a bitch! He took them! He friggin' took them!"
Tamara pulled Sam to her and held him as hard as she could. "Sam, we'll find them. We found them before and we'll do it again. I promise," she whispered against his chest until he stopped trying to fight. "I promise," she said though her heart didn't hold the faith her voice spoke with.
~*~
Dean woke up to find himself in a steel cage. There was a golden glow in his peripheral vision and as soon as he could focus he saw Castiel standing in a ring of holy fire. "Son of a bitch!"
"You're telling me," Adam said and Dean turned to see his brother standing in a devil's trap.
"What the hell? I thought he liked you?" Dean asked, standing as best he could in the too short cage.
Adam smiled. "He does but the cult still has power over me and this is the only way I won't run." He shrugged and Dean couldn't help but see how much Adam and Sam were alike. "Can't help myself. It's the friggin' binding. That and I think Crowley's gotten a bit more paranoid since they took his secretary. Darla's his favorite."
Dean raised an incredible eyebrow. "Really?" Adam nodded. Dean turned back to his angel. "You okay, Cas?"
"As good as I can be. Crowley took my sword," Castiel replied. "I'm a bit warm, though. Wish I had room to take off this over-shirt."
"Dude, you're an angel. I thought you didn't feel temperature which is why you freaked people out when you wore that overcoat during the hottest part of summer. In Arizona." Dean moved to lean on the bars to get a better look at Castiel to see if his words were true.
"I'm not bothered by temperature. Holy fire is a different element. It affects me." Castiel fidgeted but didn't move too much and Dean ached to help him.
Crowley took that moment to appear with an armful of supplies. "Hello, boys," he said and went to the nearby table and began to set up. Castiel's sword was tucked in amongst the bowls and ingredients he carried.
"The hell, Crowley? We found Adam for you. What's with the kidnapping?" Dean bitched, leaning on the bars toward the demon.
With his back to the trinity, he continued to set up his table. "See, I have great plans and I'm currently not in the mood to monologue for you."
"I know what he's doing," Castiel spoke. His voice low and gravelly.
This drew Crowley's interest. "Oh, you do? Please enlighten us, Castiel, Angel of the Lord."
Castiel narrowed his eyes at Crowley before turning his attention to Dean and Adam. "He has found the Trinity spell. It was always considered a myth. We are to be the sacrifice to his domination of the three domains. Dean and I have been to all three, Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory. I can only assume Adam has as well or he will be soon. Even a short trip will suffice."
"Cas, are you saying that because we've all been unfortunate enough to win the life sucks lottery we get to die for his cause?" Dean asked, glaring at Crowley, who beamed at him beatifically.
Castiel sighed. "Yes and no. Yes, we won the 'life sucks lottery', as you say. No, we aren't going to die. Well, we do not need to but we may wish we were going to."
Crowley shrugged and turned back to his spell, adding herbs and different liquids into the bowl. With a flourish he pointed at Adam. "Go time!" He began to chant in Latin as he snapped his fingers over the copper bowl before him and it flashed with a purple flame before going out. He brought the bowl over to Adam and said, "Drink."
Adam looked at the black, inky liquid with a suspicious eye but took the bowl from Crowley. He sighed and hesitated.
"Go on. It'll only break the binding. This isn't part of the big game. That's next as soon as Ajay gets here," Crowley said, nudging the bowl in Adam's hands.
Lifting it to his lips, Adam took a small sip and gagged.
"Take it all. It won't be strong enough otherwise," Castiel said, cutting off Crowley's attempt to basically say the same. "You do not want to be bound to the cult. This will free you." He ignored the glare Crowley sent him.
"I never liked you, Castiel," Crowley growled.
Castiel shrugged the best he could from within the flames. "The feeling is mutual."
Adam sighed and gulped back the rest of the potion and swallowed with a retch. "That was like...ass and...dirt and...dirty ass!" He literally wiped his tongue against the arm of his shirt. Dean chuckled at Adam. Demon or not, it was still his kid half brother and he was still so glad to see him. "Shut up," Adam said with a smirk on his face. He opened his mouth to say something else but suddenly buckled over within his devil's trap and Dean rushed the bars of his cage crying out his name.
"What the hell did you do to him?" Dean shouted.
"Dean, calm down. It's just the potion working. He'll be fine. The binding is breaking and it isn't pleasant but he'll be all right," Castiel explained, trying to calm Dean down from a distance.
As Castiel said, Adam slowly began to relax and push himself back to standing. He swayed a bit but seemed to regain his composure. "That...that was not fun. I've had worse but that sucked." He smiled at Crowley.
Crowley smirked back and reached down with a blade and scratched the edge of the devil's trap. Adam took a step toward him and Crowley clapped him on the shoulder. Dean cringed at their camaraderie. With a snap of his fingers, another appeared behind Crowley. "Meet Ajay. He will be your escort into Purgatory. I'll see you back in a half hour." He motioned for Adam to follow the man.
"Don't do it, Adam! You don't want to help him!" Dean shouted, throwing himself against the bars. "He can't be trusted. Whatever he promised you, it's a lie."
Adam paused and turned to look at Dean, his eyes inky black. "Oh, Dean, I can promise that this time he will keep his word since what I want is exactly what he wants. You and Sam to suffer. I think we'll start with your pet angel and Sam's bitch. You'll both pay for leaving me in Hell."
Dean shuffled back from the bars as though they burned. He couldn't speak. He'd tried to explain but Adam was beyond reason. Nothing they had said meant anything to him. They freed him from the cult and now he had no need of Dean or Sam. Dean collapsed into the bottom of the cage and refused to watch as Adam turned back to Ajay.
The former Reaper painted sigils onto the wall and a portal opened. Castiel watched. He knew there would be no stopping the young demon. The pair entered the portal and disappeared.
Castiel turned his attention to Crowley. "So, will you kill me first?"
Crowley turned to look at him as if only just realizing his presence. "Excuse me?"
"Adam said you would make Dean suffer by hurting me first. I just wish to mentally prepare," Castiel replied, earnestly.
"Ah, yes, he would say that. Well, that isn't how this works. I have a special order and special needs of each and if you were dead this wouldn't work. Afterwards, is a different story so basically, Adam can sod off." He picked up a knife and held it aloft. He snapped his fingers and two more demons appeared. "Take Winchester out of his cage and bring him over to the table," he said to his hench-demons and the pair grunted in ascent before going to Dean's cage.
Castiel watched helplessly as Dean struggled against the pair as they pulled him from the steel box. "Dean, fighting won't help. Just, please. Don't make them hurt you more than they already plan," he pleaded.
Dean sunk into himself. He still resisted but he didn't fight. He just made it more difficult for the two demons as they marched him to the table.
"Place his hand on the table," Crowley commanded. The demons obeyed and Dean turned his face away from the table. He couldn't watch. Castiel couldn't stop watching.
More words spoke in Latin and Dean suddenly screamed out in pain while Castiel cried out his name. Crowley allowed him to pull his hand back and step away from the table. He held up Dean's pinky finger to show him what was taken before he plunked it into a silver bowl. He continued to speak in Latin, tossing bits of dust and herb into the bowl as he spoke. Finally, after it burst into a cloud of silver, Crowley turned to the demons, motioning them to release Dean. "Now, be a good boy and I'll let your angel go. He can't leave this place anyway but I didn't need him getting involved with your part of the spell."
Dean stood back, cradling his bleeding hand to his chest. He wrapped it up in the tail of his shirt but it had already bled through. It wasn't stopping. He looked at Crowley but couldn't speak. Dean Winchester was genuinely frightened by the whole situation. He didn't know where Sammy was and he and Cas were to be the catalysts for Crowley to control the three domains. He couldn't see an out this time and it scared him beyond belief.
Lifting the fire extinguisher that sat near the wall, Dean doused the ring of fire that surrounded Castiel. He glanced at Castiel and his heart sank. Castiel's head was hanging in defeat and Dean hated beyond reason the look on Castiel's face. He looked as broken and scared as Dean felt. It was breaking his heart.
Castiel took a tentative step forward and in a rough whisper asked, "May I heal him?"
Crowley rolled his eyes. "If it will make you cooperate. Fine. Not like it will matter in the end."
Castiel looked at Dean and moved closer to the man. He got right into Dean's personal space and pressed a soft kiss to his trembling lips. His hand reached up to touch Dean's wounded hand and Dean could feel his finger regrow. That was definitely a weird feeling. Castiel leaned his forehead against Dean's and closed his eyes as he whispered, "No matter what happens, remember I love you, Dean. Remember that. Never forget that. Everything I do is for you. You are my all. Never forget."
He healed Dean's hand and Dean immediately pulled Castiel away so he could look in his eyes. "What are you going to do?"
Castiel only shook his head, slightly. "Please, don't hate me."
~*~
Sam had just hung up the phone with Jody. "She's contacting the Feds with the information. They're going to save those kids."
Tamara closed the trunk of the Impala and checked the gun in her hand. "Good. So now we go get Dean and Cas back." She looked up at Sam and narrowed her eyes. "Don't you go getting discouraged on me, big man. We're going to save your family. Even that demon brother of yours. We'll do what we always do because we're the big goddamn heroes, right? Isn't that what Dean says?"
Sam felt the corner of his mouth lift without his permission but he couldn't help it, Tamara made him smile even when he felt like killing and destroying or just curling up in bed and forgetting. She was the reason he didn't lose hope when they were looking for Cas and Dean before so he shouldn't be too surprised that she was doing it once again.
"We don't know where to begin," he sighed, pushing himself off the side of the car.
Tamara rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I wonder how you've survived without me for so long. When you get in a funk you really start losing brain cells. How did you even get into Stanford?"
Sam narrowed his eyes at her, standing at his full height. "The hell, Tamara? Way to help by talking shit at me." He shoved his phone into his pocket and paused. He was an idiot and she was so right. He pulled his phone out again and pointed at it. She smiled and pulled his laptop out of the bag on her shoulder. "GPS settings. Dean's phone. You brilliant woman!" He leaned in and kissed her, taking the laptop at the same time.
"I do my best," she smiled and held open the back door of the Impala so Sam could sit and work out the coordinates.
Sam called the phone service and asked them to turn the GPS on the phone using Dean's go to pass and name. Then he traced the phone to a location only thirty minutes away. Before he could speak, Tamara was behind the wheel and pulling out onto the street. "Lord, I missed driving this beauty," she said with a smirk into the rearview mirror.
Sam smiled back at her. She was his hope and he most definitely knew in that moment that he loved her.
~*~
"Cas?" Dean asked, with trepidation. The angel only shook his head and turned to face Crowley. Dean watched the way the tension sat on Castiel's shoulders and he felt himself tense. Something was about to happen and Dean knew he was going to freak the fuck out.
The wall behind him shuttered and the portal reappeared, pulling the attention of all the men in the room. Adam and Ajay stepped forward and Crowley motioned them both close to him.
"Good job, Ajay. As compensation, I have a tip for you," Crowley said, turning and thrusting the angel blade into the former Reaper's chest. "Never trust a demon bent on world domination," he spat as Ajay crumpled to the ground.
With a grin, Crowley turned back to his audience. "I hate loose ends out there telling all my secrets. Ajay was a gossip." He winked.
The two demon henchmen still stood nearby and silent as Crowley placed the blade back onto the table. Crowley turned to his young demon with a smile. Clapping his hands together he said, "Beautiful! We're all set to finish this. You're brother has already donated his bit to the cause. I'll let the angel sweat it a bit more while I take your donation."
Castiel looked at Adam and said, softly, "Adam, if you repent, your soul can be saved. This doesn't have to happen and you can live in eternity with your mother in Heaven."
Adam shook his head. "It's too late for that. I was in Heaven and you dicks pulled me out. Do you think I'd trust you again?"
"I had nothing to do with that and the ones that were involved are dead," Cas pleaded.
"No," Adam said. "It's too late. You can't save yourself, how can you save me?"
Castiel shrunk back into himself and looked away from the young demon.
Adam smirked and moved past Dean and Castiel as though they were invisible and stood beside the table where Dean had been earlier. Crowley began his chanting once more and held the silver knife up, motioning to Adam's arm. Adam held it out and Crowley sliced across his forearm, turning it so the blood spilled into a pewter bowl. Adam healed himself as Crowley repeated the treatment to the contents of the bowl that he had performed on Dean's sorrowful little finger. This time the cloud was gold as it puffed up from the bowl.
Crowley calmly turned to his two demons and said, "Looks like Moose and his bitch have found us. Go get them. They can watch me destroy their family." Adam flinched but only Castiel saw it. The demons disappeared without a word.
Crowley leaned against the table and cleaned his nails with the silver knife. "I think I'll wait a bit for Sam to join us. I think he'll be impressed by all this. It also really saves me from having to actually hunt him down later on. I did promise Adam retribution." He winked at Castiel.
Castiel turned to look at Dean and something in his eyes made Dean suddenly more afraid than ever. Castiel was planning something and Dean just knew it was going to be horrible. He tried to warn the angel with his face without letting Crowley know anything was happening but Castiel only looked away. The fuck?
Suddenly, the demons were back but this time they held a struggling Sam and Tamara in their grasps.
"Shove them in the cage," Crowley ordered and as soon as Sam's big body and poor tiny Tamara were inside and locked, he turned to Castiel. "Well Angel, you're up."
Castiel nodded but didn't move.
"Well, come on. I haven't got all day," Crowley said, motioning to the table.
Castiel turned to Sam and Tamara, he knew Dean would already know this and Adam could do as he wished. "When I manifest my wings, hide your eyes or you will be blinded." The pair nod and Castiel moved to the table. He seemed incapable of looking at Dean so Dean knew something was definitely wrong.
Taking a deep breath, he relaxed his shoulders and Dean immediately clapped his hands over his eyes hoping Sam and Tamara did the same. There was a sound of rustling feathers and a gasp and a shout and Dean heard Castiel cry out. He wanted to open his eyes but the light was still too bright, even behind his hands it was bordering on painful and he prayed it would end soon.
As the light began to fade, as if hearing his prayer, Dean heard Crowley shout, "You stupid fool! What did you do?"
Dean pulled his hands down to see Castiel crumpled onto the floor. He rushed over and pulled him into his arms. "Cas? Cas, man. Talk to me!"
"Dean! What's happening?" Sam called. His view was blocked by the table and he couldn't see Castiel or Dean.
Castiel coughed and rolled his head into Dean's chest. Dean grabbed his chin and held him so he could look into Castiel's blue eyes. "What did you do?" he whispered as Cas tried to focus on Dean's face.
"I'll tell you what he did," Crowley growled, throwing the table with a flick of his hand. The bowls and potions ingredients went scattering as the table shattered against the far wall. "He ripped out his bloody grace! No grace, no wings. No wings, no feathers. No feathers, my spell is a failure!" He lifted his hand up, the one that still tightly clutched the silver knife. He moved towards Dean and Castiel but was knocked back by Adam and held their by Sam.
When Castiel was ripping his grace out, at the last moment before it would release, he unlocked the cage that held Sam and Tamara and evaporated the two demons dumb enough to not cover their eyes. even Adam and Crowley hadn't scoffed at that warning. Then, with the last trickle of grace he let remain, he cast his grace back up into Heaven. It was over. He would never return until he died, if he was lucky. He was now human.
Adam wrestled the knife from Crowley and Sam had retrieved Ruby's knife from the fallen demon but when Crowley realized he was going to die, he disappeared. Sam was about to strike but when Crowley shifted away, it left him with Adam before him and he couldn't stop before the knife sunk into his half brother's chest. "Shit! Shit, shit, shit!" Sam cried. "Adam! Adam, no!"
Adam looked down at the knife and then back up at Sam and he sighed as the life drained from him. He didn't glow and shudder like a demon. Instead, he gave his brother a sad smile as he fell to the floor, the knife pulling out and remaining with Sam.
Sam stared at his empty hand and his dead brother, the knife falling from his trembling fingers to the floor. "Dean? Dean, what did I do?"
Tamara came up behind Sam and held him tight. "Sam, it was an accident. You didn't mean to kill him. Sweetheart, you didn't mean it."
Sam turned and curled his body around her and buried his face in her neck.
"He..." Cas coughed, clearing his throat. "He repented."
"What?" Dean said, his face wet but he refused to acknowledge how it became that way. He only held the weakened Castiel in his arms as he watched his brother fall apart in Tamara's.
"As I began to remove my grace, I felt it. I felt him repent. He saw your pain. He saw how Sam was helpless. He watched how I was willing to sacrifice myself for the both of you. He wanted that. He wanted to be a part of it so badly he gave a silent prayer to whoever would listen and I heard. He asked to be saved."
Dean finally looked down at Castiel. "But he was a demon. How does that even work?"
Castiel gave him a tired smile. "Everyone who repents is forgiven, Dean. If they mean it. Have you not finished reading the bible?"
"So, does that mean he's-" Sam began, pulling his face from the crook of Tamara's neck.
"In Heaven? Yes. He's back with his mother." Castiel coughed and groaned at the ache in his chest. Dean rocked him gently to calm him. He knew Sam needed him but so did Cas and he felt torn between the two.
Sam felt like shit. He killed his little brother. Tamara pulled him with her towards Castiel and Dean. "Let's leave them. They need to talk. As do we." She knelt down beside Dean. "Take care of him. I'll take the big lad. You're not alone anymore, Dean. I'll help take some of the weight."
Dean touched her shoulder and smiled. "Thank you, Tamara. You are a saint."
"Me? Nope. Just a woman who loves Sam and his crazy family. You guys mean the world to me," she said with a smile. Standing up, she said, "Now take care of him and we'll be outside. Yell if you need us." She tugged Sam with her and disappeared.
"Will Sam be all right?" Castiel asked.
Dean shook his head. "I don't know. This is heavy. He just killed our kid brother. I'm not sure if he'll ever be okay but I think Tamara will help him."
"We all will," Castiel said, coughing once more.
Dean focused his attention back to his angel. Well, not anymore, he guessed. "What the hell, Cas? Why did you do this?"
"I'm sorry, Dean. I couldn't think of another way to stop Crowley. He needed the feathers. If I'm no longer an angel then he has no feathers and there would be no way he could finish the spell." He coughed, clutching his chest.
"Shhhh, calm down. Does it hurt?" Dean asked, running a soothing hand over Castiel's chest.
Cas nodded. "It's the physical manifestation of where I ripped my grace from."
"Why are you still here? Shouldn't you be off being born?" Dean asked, softly.
Castiel laughed weakly. "Ouch, that really hurts. Like I've been kicked in the chest by a horse with steel hooves." He looked up at Dean and smiled. "I already have a body. I didn't need a new one. Remember, Jimmy is gone. This body is mine."
Dean and Castiel stared at one another for a few tense moments before finally said, "This means you can die."
That wasn't what Castiel had hoped Dean would realize first. "Yes. Eventually. Or sooner, if I get hurt severely enough. Just like you."
Dean shook his head slowly. "You're human," he whispered.
"I'll grow old. With you," Cas replied.
"Cas, this is crazy. You were an angel. You could have fought him and gotten away. I wouldn't have blamed you if you had." Dean was appalled by the idea that Castiel would sacrifice so much.
"Dean, I didn't just do it to stop Crowley. I did this for you. I did this because I'm a target. I'm always going to bring trouble. Remember the people yesterday? It will always be this way. I will always bring trouble but now, at least now, when it comes I can defend myself and not fear causing more trouble. I can fight with you and not only be a weapon." He pleaded with Dean, reaching a hand up to grasp the front of his bloodied shirt. "Tell me you understand, Dean."
Dean was silent for a moment, absorbing all of Castiel's words. "You did this for me?"
Castiel nodded.
"Why? I understand all your other reasons but why for me? I'm not worth this, Cas," he whispered.
Cas offered him a soft smile. "To me you are worth so much more." He reached his hand up to Dean's neck and pulled him down to kiss his lips.
Dean returned the kiss, pulling away gently to speak. "Does this mean we can settle down and adopt a couple of kids?"
Castiel nodded again. "If that's what you want."
Dean's face crumpled. "You shouldn't have done it, Cas. It's because you said what you said. It's a curse. I'm a curse."
"No, Dean. You aren't and I'll say it over and over until you begin to believe that I mean it. I love you, Dean. We will hunt or we will settle. We will do what we want and we will do it together and when we die we will continue on into the afterlife." Castiel leaned up against Dean's forehead.
"You really mean it, Cas?" he asked.
"Forever, Dean," Cas replied.
"I guess it can't hurt to say it. We're already cursed. Cas, I-," Dean began to whisper but Cas held a finger to his lips, halting his words.
"You don't need to say it. I already know," Castiel returned and claimed Dean's lips in a soft, lingering kiss that lasted until Tamara and Sam came to collect them.
One half of me is yours, the other half yours
Mine own, I would say; but if mine, then yours,
And so all yours.
(The Merchant of Venice, 3.2.17-9)
The End