Unexpected Destinies Chapter 56
Title: Unexpected Destinies
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: up to and including Exile on Main St., AU from the end of season 5
Warnings: AU, slash
Word Count: 3,188
Summary: Dean and Castiel discuss their options.
PAST
Dean was drifting on a haze of bliss more asleep then awake when he felt his warm, makeshift pillow shift beneath him and he muttered in protest and tightened his hold on his lover. Even though he wasn't really tired, he just wanted to bask in the afterglow of a fantastic fuck, as that was most definitely what it had been, no doubt about it. Despite the fact that he'd never expected to come to enjoy the more leisurely kind of sex, what the chicks always called 'making love' in the movies, he had to admit it could be intense in its own way even if it still made him feel oddly vulnerable. He just couldn't see why people said the fast and rough was so demeaning and devoid of emotion as he most definitely had felt stuff beyond the physical doing just that. Hell, even now it still managed to make him feel warm, just thinking of how out of control the thought of losing him made Castiel was almost as good as hearing him say 'I love you' as it was undeniable proof thereof.
"I just want to go get you some food," Castiel said, an odd tone to his voice.
"Nuh," Dean replied, not really wanting to give up the bliss. "'ot h'ngr'."
Then the meaning of his lover's words really penetrated and he frowned before opening one eye and glancing at the room's window. Although the sun wasn't as high as earlier, it was clearly still early afternoon and not time for a meal as Castiel knew very well by now.
"How about some pie or other dessert then? Do you want something specific or shall I surprise you?"
That odd note was still present in his angel's voice and the afterglow abruptly vanished as Dean realized that it wasn't being shared. The memory of Castiel's little hang-up earlier returned and he realized that while his reaction had been enough to assuage his lover in the middle of sex, it wasn't enough to do so now. Determined to rectify things right away, he pulled himself into a seated position so he could look his angel in the eye.
"Cas, I swear that I enjoyed everything and that you didn't do anything you need to apologized for," Dean stated firmly.
"I used my strength against you."
"Yeah, but you didn't cover my mouth and I could have told you to stop at any time if I didn't like it, and I didn't do so."
Castiel's gaze bore into his and Dean knew he must be looking at his soul again. The intensity didn't lessen even when he felt his lover's fingers come up to encircle his wrists, effectively trapping them if his angel wished to do so.
"Why does it not bother you? I have intentionally hurt you in the past with my strength."
"And saved me from making a really stupid decision," Dean replied, his overall point more then proved by how easily he was able to lift his hand to Castiel's face, the fingers letting him go with no hesitation whatsoever. "Besides, I know you're not going to hurt me, but if it helps, I promise to let you know if you ever do something that I don't like, okay?"
His lover looked at him a moment longer before nodding.
"Okay, great. But, Cas, I want you to promise me the same thing as well."
Castiel frowned. "I have seen you do things for Sam and Bobby that you didn't like, why is this different?"
"Huh? Oh, 'cause I was talking about sex," Dean pulled a face at the mental image his angel had just given him. "Sex is supposed to be good for both people involved."
"But what if you enjoy something?"
"I don't want it if you don't like it, Cas."
"Very well, I promise."
This time it was Dean's turn to just look at his lover for a moment. "Good. Now, about the other thing you mentioned, that's different. In those types of relationships, or in any relationship really, people will do things they don't like so much because they know it will make the other person happy. So you're really doing it for them."
"Humans are so odd and quaint sometimes."
"Hey!" Dean protested, his glare ruined as Castiel sat up and kissed the tip of his nose. "Dude! No fair, and don't knock it till you've tried it."
"Of course not."
Dean scowled at his lover but soon huffed as he found that he wasn't willing to pull away from Castiel to further prove his annoyance. Not when his angel's hands were petting him like that. It was as he relaxed into the touches that he realized that they'd just had a serious chick flick moment and he hadn't even noticed it until it was over. He wanted to be annoyed at that, but just couldn't seem to work up the energy to do so. The thought left him as his lover ran a blunt nail over one of the hickeys at the base of his throat.
"We should get dressed," Castiel finally said.
Dean sighed though he knew it was true. "I should probably take a shower before doing that." The sudden tingling of his skin made him jump a little but he smiled at his angel. "You're handy to have around, you know that?"
"You didn't sound like you wished to shower."
"No."
He really hadn't and thus was glad to avoid it. Dean then rolled to the side of the bed where his remaining clothes had ended up, neatly folded as always, next to the room's obligatory alarm clock. He grabbed his boxers and jeans, pulling them on before he stretched, scratching his stomach. He was just about to go rummage through his duffle for replacement shirts when the two he had been wearing earlier and that his lover had literally torn off of him were offered back to him completely fixed by a slightly embarrassed looking angel.
"Cas, I said it's fine."
"I am unaccustomed to losing control in that manner."
"But did you enjoy it, right?"
Castiel looked away for a moment before meeting his eyes again and nodding once sharply. "Yes."
"Well, then it's all good."
With a deep breath, Dean forced himself to step over towards the table on which the book about the Rite of Contressa still lay open to the appropriate page. He could literally feel the sudden tension that radiated from Castiel, but with a great effort, he forced himself to ignore it and reread the entire entry on the Rite.
Then he did it again. And again. Dean wasn't sure what he was looking for, perhaps something to indicate that it didn't mean what no less then three archangels were absolutely sure that it meant. Needlessly to say, he found absolutely nothing, but let it never be said that he wasn't both persistent and stubborn. When a fourth reading of the entire entry didn't miraculously reveal some new meaning or alternative, he pushed the book away and dropped into the chair, running his hands over his face before looking at his lover.
"No," Castiel stated, a note of desperation in his voice as he shook his head.
Dean closed his eyes, swallowing. "Then what, Cas?"
"Something else. We will find another way to achieve this!"
"Really? How, what, where?" Dean asked as he got to his feet and approached his lover. "Cas, if you know of something- anything!- tell me and I'll happily drop this. You have no idea how much I just want to say no and forget about this possibility altogether. It... I'll be honest, Cas, the thought of saying yes absolutely terrifies me. Like, shitless terrified."
Emotions flashed across Castiel's face faster then Dean could follow, but the hand that had come up to rest on his shoulder tightened tellingly in his over shirt. He'd give anything to spare his angel all of this pain, but he just didn't know what else to do. The thought of saying no now and then having to live with knowing that he could have done something and hadn't when people started to die... he wasn't sure if he could live with that. Not again and not now that he knew Michael and knew for sure the archangel wasn't going to rush off and start a fight with Lucifer that would destroy half the planet.
In the end, though, misery and pain were all that were left on Castiel's face and Dean knew that his angel didn't have any better ideas. It made him want to scream. How could it be that they were back here again, faced with the same decision despite all that they had done in-between? For just a moment, he absolutely hated his brother for having pulled Michael down into the cage together with himself and Lucifer. Not only had doing so condemned Adam to Hell, at least temporarily, but it was also the reason why Gabriel's wonderful plan had failed. If Sam had only stuck to their original plan, then Lucifer would be locked up for good and he wouldn't be here, faced with having to become a vessel.
Despite that, Dean liked to think that he and Castiel would still have ended up together somehow. He had to believe that it would have happened sooner or later even without his lover's worries of a renewed Apocalypse to prompt his initial visit.
"I do not know of anything else," Castiel started. "But we have not yet finished going through all of the books that we acquired from the Vatican."
"And what are the odds that there's something in there that will not only not require me to say yes to Michael, but to work so well?"
"I don't know, but we may find something better, something which is an actual solution rather then merely a means to delay the inevitable as the Rite of Contressa is. It does not actually confine Lucifer, it merely prevents him from taking a vessel."
"Yeah, but that would curb most of his more immediate plans, wouldn't it? He can't really be on Earth without a vessel, right?"
"Yes," Castiel admitted reluctantly before horror flashed across his face.
"What? What is it?" Dean demanded urgently.
His lover looked at him in dismay before his shoulders slumped in resignation. "Once permission has been granted, an angel can take his vessel whenever he wants to. It isn't a one time deal, it couldn't be with most archangels as their vessels are no longer in any condition to grant permission on subsequent occasions."
It took a second for the meaning of that to dawn on Dean, but when it did he felt his stomach drop. "Cas, are you saying that when he gets free, Lucifer can just slip right back into Sam?"
"Once he has managed to locate him, yes."
Dean cursed, turning to start pacing the room in agitation. He'd known Sam's plan to say yes in order to get Lucifer back into his cage was a bad one right from the start, but had anyone listened to him? No, of course not and now look at this fucking mess! If only he'd stood his ground back then instead of caving and letting his brother carry out his idiotic plan. They should have found another way to get Lucifer back into his cage, a way that wouldn't have left them with a disintegrating cage and no other ideas for how to avert the Apocalypse from its destructive resolution.
The knowledge that Lucifer would not only be free if they didn't do this or something else soon, but would have his true vessel as soon as he found him ate at Dean not only because of what it would mean for his brother, but because what it meant for the devil as well. With Sam, Lucifer would be able to do whatever he wanted. His power would no longer be curbed by a decaying vessel with a limited shelf life. He didn't even want to think of what Lucifer might do without those restrictions, especially now that he was bound to be even more pissed at having been banned to the cage again if only temporarily so soon after having finally broken out of it in the first place.
"Am I wrong here, Cas?" Dean questioned, silently pleading for his lover would answer yes and to set him straight. "Am I making the same mistake as before to think that this is not only a viable option but our only real one? Feel free to beat my ass if I am, I won't stop you."
The remark failed to draw the smile he'd hoped for and Dean knew that he was screwed, completely and hopelessly screwed. The silence stretched and eventually Castiel's whole posture sagged in defeat and resignation.
"No, Dean, you are not mistaken this time. I... I wish I could say you were wrong, but that would be just my fear speaking. Much as I want to give into it and take you somewhere safe, I know it would not be the right thing to do, nor would you thank me for it."
"I don't know about that last, Cas, I think I'd be perfectly happy to have the decision taken out of my hands like that."
"No you would not be. The consequences of it would weigh on your soul regardless of whether you could do anything about it or not," Castiel stated with absolute conviction. "I fear it is your very righteousness that traps us now."
"I don't believe for an instant that you would be able to live with yourself either if we ignored this and people died, Cas. You've already proven you're incapable of allowing that type of behavior to go unchecked."
"Dean..."
"Do you trust Michael, Cas?"
"If you are asking me if I think that he will stay true to our course of action, then yes, I trust him."
"And otherwise? Will he abuse my consent?"
"No, I do not believe so."
Without intending to do so, Dean found himself staring at Castiel again, locked in one of those long stares Sam used to comment on. His throat had closed up and he found it was a startling comfort to know that his lover was able to read so much from him without the need for words as he didn't think he'd know what to say even if he could force them out. He completely lost track of time and wouldn't have been able to say how long they stood there before Castiel closed the distance between them, kissing him fiercely. He responded instantly, having to suppress an unexpected sob.
He could do this, he could give up complete control to Michael in exchange for keeping countless people safe. Although the Rite of Contressa wouldn't end the Apocalypse, it would give them the precious time they needed to find something else that could. Instead of having just a few short weeks if they were lucky, it could extend the time they had significantly and surely that was worth this sacrifice on his part? It wasn't like it was the worst one he'd ever made, even if he hadn't known that at the time he'd sold his soul. Sure, he'd thought he'd had an idea of what he was doing, but he really hadn't. Not even close in fact.
"Michael," Dean said softly, not breaking the stare.
It only took mere seconds before the flutter of wings filled the room and Michael stood beside them. Dean finally turned his eyes away from his lover to look at the archangel. Although no one had said a thing, he could tell from the widening of Michael's eyes as he looked between him and Castiel that the archangel had figured out why they had called him.
"You have made a decision," Michael said, looking right at him.
"Yeah."
Castiel was suddenly moving, coming to stand between them. "Michael-"
"I will not abuse his permission, Castiel," Michael declared. "You have my word that I shall do everything within my power to make this as easy on him as it is possible to be and to take care of him to the best of my ability."
Dean swallowed at that, the words soothing some of his terror, but most of it still remained. He didn't think it was possible for it to be otherwise, not with what he was about to do here. He'd rather face a pack of starving vampires alone then to voluntarily give up all control like this. It just wasn't in his nature to do so but circumstances dictated that he most or accept the spillage of innocent blood and that was simply unacceptable. Not if he could do something about it that wouldn't result in even greater bloodshed.
"There is also something which I wished to offer," Michael continued.
"Offer?" Dean questioned.
"Yes. Although it is customary for an angel to take his or her true vessel and remain in it for the duration of their stay on Earth, this is not a necessity."
The way Castiel seemed to perk up at that and glanced back at him with hope, made Dean shift. "What are you saying?"
"I could take you for the Rite and then return to your aunt until such a time as it necessary for us to be together once more. If such a situation arises."
Almost unable to believe his ears, Dean looked between the two archangels. "That's possible?"
"It is difficult to move between vessels, but not impossible. It would be as you have seen before," Castiel replied.
"Right, I forgot about Claire," Dean frowned at the memory of his lover in Jimmy's young daughter before he shook it off.
"It is also draining, but I no longer believe that it is your destiny to be merely a vessel, Dean," Michael stated. "Father clearly has greater plans for you and I will not impede them unnecessarily."
"So, what, we don't need to do this now? Only when we've collected all of the ingredients for the Rite?"
Castiel shook his head. "No, some of the ingredients, like the blessing, will need to be collected by Michael as he will perform the Rite."
"It would also be beneficial for me to have at least been inside you for a short while before performing the Rite as it will require a significant expenditure of Grace."
Okay, that made sense, Dean figured, one didn't take an untested weapon out on a hunt. That left too much potential for nasty surprises and while thinking of himself like that- like some inanimate object- hurt, it also helped stave off the inappropriate desire to laugh. God, if only his father could see him now; Dad would shot him for what he was about to do he was sure.
"But you will return to Deirdre Winchester before the Rite?" Castiel demanded.
"Yes, Brother."
Dean took a deep breath, looking at his lover for a long moment before turning back to face Michael. "Yes. Hop on in, Mike."
A.N.: *hides*
Chapter 57
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: up to and including Exile on Main St., AU from the end of season 5
Warnings: AU, slash
Word Count: 3,188
Summary: Dean and Castiel discuss their options.
PAST
Dean was drifting on a haze of bliss more asleep then awake when he felt his warm, makeshift pillow shift beneath him and he muttered in protest and tightened his hold on his lover. Even though he wasn't really tired, he just wanted to bask in the afterglow of a fantastic fuck, as that was most definitely what it had been, no doubt about it. Despite the fact that he'd never expected to come to enjoy the more leisurely kind of sex, what the chicks always called 'making love' in the movies, he had to admit it could be intense in its own way even if it still made him feel oddly vulnerable. He just couldn't see why people said the fast and rough was so demeaning and devoid of emotion as he most definitely had felt stuff beyond the physical doing just that. Hell, even now it still managed to make him feel warm, just thinking of how out of control the thought of losing him made Castiel was almost as good as hearing him say 'I love you' as it was undeniable proof thereof.
"I just want to go get you some food," Castiel said, an odd tone to his voice.
"Nuh," Dean replied, not really wanting to give up the bliss. "'ot h'ngr'."
Then the meaning of his lover's words really penetrated and he frowned before opening one eye and glancing at the room's window. Although the sun wasn't as high as earlier, it was clearly still early afternoon and not time for a meal as Castiel knew very well by now.
"How about some pie or other dessert then? Do you want something specific or shall I surprise you?"
That odd note was still present in his angel's voice and the afterglow abruptly vanished as Dean realized that it wasn't being shared. The memory of Castiel's little hang-up earlier returned and he realized that while his reaction had been enough to assuage his lover in the middle of sex, it wasn't enough to do so now. Determined to rectify things right away, he pulled himself into a seated position so he could look his angel in the eye.
"Cas, I swear that I enjoyed everything and that you didn't do anything you need to apologized for," Dean stated firmly.
"I used my strength against you."
"Yeah, but you didn't cover my mouth and I could have told you to stop at any time if I didn't like it, and I didn't do so."
Castiel's gaze bore into his and Dean knew he must be looking at his soul again. The intensity didn't lessen even when he felt his lover's fingers come up to encircle his wrists, effectively trapping them if his angel wished to do so.
"Why does it not bother you? I have intentionally hurt you in the past with my strength."
"And saved me from making a really stupid decision," Dean replied, his overall point more then proved by how easily he was able to lift his hand to Castiel's face, the fingers letting him go with no hesitation whatsoever. "Besides, I know you're not going to hurt me, but if it helps, I promise to let you know if you ever do something that I don't like, okay?"
His lover looked at him a moment longer before nodding.
"Okay, great. But, Cas, I want you to promise me the same thing as well."
Castiel frowned. "I have seen you do things for Sam and Bobby that you didn't like, why is this different?"
"Huh? Oh, 'cause I was talking about sex," Dean pulled a face at the mental image his angel had just given him. "Sex is supposed to be good for both people involved."
"But what if you enjoy something?"
"I don't want it if you don't like it, Cas."
"Very well, I promise."
This time it was Dean's turn to just look at his lover for a moment. "Good. Now, about the other thing you mentioned, that's different. In those types of relationships, or in any relationship really, people will do things they don't like so much because they know it will make the other person happy. So you're really doing it for them."
"Humans are so odd and quaint sometimes."
"Hey!" Dean protested, his glare ruined as Castiel sat up and kissed the tip of his nose. "Dude! No fair, and don't knock it till you've tried it."
"Of course not."
Dean scowled at his lover but soon huffed as he found that he wasn't willing to pull away from Castiel to further prove his annoyance. Not when his angel's hands were petting him like that. It was as he relaxed into the touches that he realized that they'd just had a serious chick flick moment and he hadn't even noticed it until it was over. He wanted to be annoyed at that, but just couldn't seem to work up the energy to do so. The thought left him as his lover ran a blunt nail over one of the hickeys at the base of his throat.
"We should get dressed," Castiel finally said.
Dean sighed though he knew it was true. "I should probably take a shower before doing that." The sudden tingling of his skin made him jump a little but he smiled at his angel. "You're handy to have around, you know that?"
"You didn't sound like you wished to shower."
"No."
He really hadn't and thus was glad to avoid it. Dean then rolled to the side of the bed where his remaining clothes had ended up, neatly folded as always, next to the room's obligatory alarm clock. He grabbed his boxers and jeans, pulling them on before he stretched, scratching his stomach. He was just about to go rummage through his duffle for replacement shirts when the two he had been wearing earlier and that his lover had literally torn off of him were offered back to him completely fixed by a slightly embarrassed looking angel.
"Cas, I said it's fine."
"I am unaccustomed to losing control in that manner."
"But did you enjoy it, right?"
Castiel looked away for a moment before meeting his eyes again and nodding once sharply. "Yes."
"Well, then it's all good."
With a deep breath, Dean forced himself to step over towards the table on which the book about the Rite of Contressa still lay open to the appropriate page. He could literally feel the sudden tension that radiated from Castiel, but with a great effort, he forced himself to ignore it and reread the entire entry on the Rite.
Then he did it again. And again. Dean wasn't sure what he was looking for, perhaps something to indicate that it didn't mean what no less then three archangels were absolutely sure that it meant. Needlessly to say, he found absolutely nothing, but let it never be said that he wasn't both persistent and stubborn. When a fourth reading of the entire entry didn't miraculously reveal some new meaning or alternative, he pushed the book away and dropped into the chair, running his hands over his face before looking at his lover.
"No," Castiel stated, a note of desperation in his voice as he shook his head.
Dean closed his eyes, swallowing. "Then what, Cas?"
"Something else. We will find another way to achieve this!"
"Really? How, what, where?" Dean asked as he got to his feet and approached his lover. "Cas, if you know of something- anything!- tell me and I'll happily drop this. You have no idea how much I just want to say no and forget about this possibility altogether. It... I'll be honest, Cas, the thought of saying yes absolutely terrifies me. Like, shitless terrified."
Emotions flashed across Castiel's face faster then Dean could follow, but the hand that had come up to rest on his shoulder tightened tellingly in his over shirt. He'd give anything to spare his angel all of this pain, but he just didn't know what else to do. The thought of saying no now and then having to live with knowing that he could have done something and hadn't when people started to die... he wasn't sure if he could live with that. Not again and not now that he knew Michael and knew for sure the archangel wasn't going to rush off and start a fight with Lucifer that would destroy half the planet.
In the end, though, misery and pain were all that were left on Castiel's face and Dean knew that his angel didn't have any better ideas. It made him want to scream. How could it be that they were back here again, faced with the same decision despite all that they had done in-between? For just a moment, he absolutely hated his brother for having pulled Michael down into the cage together with himself and Lucifer. Not only had doing so condemned Adam to Hell, at least temporarily, but it was also the reason why Gabriel's wonderful plan had failed. If Sam had only stuck to their original plan, then Lucifer would be locked up for good and he wouldn't be here, faced with having to become a vessel.
Despite that, Dean liked to think that he and Castiel would still have ended up together somehow. He had to believe that it would have happened sooner or later even without his lover's worries of a renewed Apocalypse to prompt his initial visit.
"I do not know of anything else," Castiel started. "But we have not yet finished going through all of the books that we acquired from the Vatican."
"And what are the odds that there's something in there that will not only not require me to say yes to Michael, but to work so well?"
"I don't know, but we may find something better, something which is an actual solution rather then merely a means to delay the inevitable as the Rite of Contressa is. It does not actually confine Lucifer, it merely prevents him from taking a vessel."
"Yeah, but that would curb most of his more immediate plans, wouldn't it? He can't really be on Earth without a vessel, right?"
"Yes," Castiel admitted reluctantly before horror flashed across his face.
"What? What is it?" Dean demanded urgently.
His lover looked at him in dismay before his shoulders slumped in resignation. "Once permission has been granted, an angel can take his vessel whenever he wants to. It isn't a one time deal, it couldn't be with most archangels as their vessels are no longer in any condition to grant permission on subsequent occasions."
It took a second for the meaning of that to dawn on Dean, but when it did he felt his stomach drop. "Cas, are you saying that when he gets free, Lucifer can just slip right back into Sam?"
"Once he has managed to locate him, yes."
Dean cursed, turning to start pacing the room in agitation. He'd known Sam's plan to say yes in order to get Lucifer back into his cage was a bad one right from the start, but had anyone listened to him? No, of course not and now look at this fucking mess! If only he'd stood his ground back then instead of caving and letting his brother carry out his idiotic plan. They should have found another way to get Lucifer back into his cage, a way that wouldn't have left them with a disintegrating cage and no other ideas for how to avert the Apocalypse from its destructive resolution.
The knowledge that Lucifer would not only be free if they didn't do this or something else soon, but would have his true vessel as soon as he found him ate at Dean not only because of what it would mean for his brother, but because what it meant for the devil as well. With Sam, Lucifer would be able to do whatever he wanted. His power would no longer be curbed by a decaying vessel with a limited shelf life. He didn't even want to think of what Lucifer might do without those restrictions, especially now that he was bound to be even more pissed at having been banned to the cage again if only temporarily so soon after having finally broken out of it in the first place.
"Am I wrong here, Cas?" Dean questioned, silently pleading for his lover would answer yes and to set him straight. "Am I making the same mistake as before to think that this is not only a viable option but our only real one? Feel free to beat my ass if I am, I won't stop you."
The remark failed to draw the smile he'd hoped for and Dean knew that he was screwed, completely and hopelessly screwed. The silence stretched and eventually Castiel's whole posture sagged in defeat and resignation.
"No, Dean, you are not mistaken this time. I... I wish I could say you were wrong, but that would be just my fear speaking. Much as I want to give into it and take you somewhere safe, I know it would not be the right thing to do, nor would you thank me for it."
"I don't know about that last, Cas, I think I'd be perfectly happy to have the decision taken out of my hands like that."
"No you would not be. The consequences of it would weigh on your soul regardless of whether you could do anything about it or not," Castiel stated with absolute conviction. "I fear it is your very righteousness that traps us now."
"I don't believe for an instant that you would be able to live with yourself either if we ignored this and people died, Cas. You've already proven you're incapable of allowing that type of behavior to go unchecked."
"Dean..."
"Do you trust Michael, Cas?"
"If you are asking me if I think that he will stay true to our course of action, then yes, I trust him."
"And otherwise? Will he abuse my consent?"
"No, I do not believe so."
Without intending to do so, Dean found himself staring at Castiel again, locked in one of those long stares Sam used to comment on. His throat had closed up and he found it was a startling comfort to know that his lover was able to read so much from him without the need for words as he didn't think he'd know what to say even if he could force them out. He completely lost track of time and wouldn't have been able to say how long they stood there before Castiel closed the distance between them, kissing him fiercely. He responded instantly, having to suppress an unexpected sob.
He could do this, he could give up complete control to Michael in exchange for keeping countless people safe. Although the Rite of Contressa wouldn't end the Apocalypse, it would give them the precious time they needed to find something else that could. Instead of having just a few short weeks if they were lucky, it could extend the time they had significantly and surely that was worth this sacrifice on his part? It wasn't like it was the worst one he'd ever made, even if he hadn't known that at the time he'd sold his soul. Sure, he'd thought he'd had an idea of what he was doing, but he really hadn't. Not even close in fact.
"Michael," Dean said softly, not breaking the stare.
It only took mere seconds before the flutter of wings filled the room and Michael stood beside them. Dean finally turned his eyes away from his lover to look at the archangel. Although no one had said a thing, he could tell from the widening of Michael's eyes as he looked between him and Castiel that the archangel had figured out why they had called him.
"You have made a decision," Michael said, looking right at him.
"Yeah."
Castiel was suddenly moving, coming to stand between them. "Michael-"
"I will not abuse his permission, Castiel," Michael declared. "You have my word that I shall do everything within my power to make this as easy on him as it is possible to be and to take care of him to the best of my ability."
Dean swallowed at that, the words soothing some of his terror, but most of it still remained. He didn't think it was possible for it to be otherwise, not with what he was about to do here. He'd rather face a pack of starving vampires alone then to voluntarily give up all control like this. It just wasn't in his nature to do so but circumstances dictated that he most or accept the spillage of innocent blood and that was simply unacceptable. Not if he could do something about it that wouldn't result in even greater bloodshed.
"There is also something which I wished to offer," Michael continued.
"Offer?" Dean questioned.
"Yes. Although it is customary for an angel to take his or her true vessel and remain in it for the duration of their stay on Earth, this is not a necessity."
The way Castiel seemed to perk up at that and glanced back at him with hope, made Dean shift. "What are you saying?"
"I could take you for the Rite and then return to your aunt until such a time as it necessary for us to be together once more. If such a situation arises."
Almost unable to believe his ears, Dean looked between the two archangels. "That's possible?"
"It is difficult to move between vessels, but not impossible. It would be as you have seen before," Castiel replied.
"Right, I forgot about Claire," Dean frowned at the memory of his lover in Jimmy's young daughter before he shook it off.
"It is also draining, but I no longer believe that it is your destiny to be merely a vessel, Dean," Michael stated. "Father clearly has greater plans for you and I will not impede them unnecessarily."
"So, what, we don't need to do this now? Only when we've collected all of the ingredients for the Rite?"
Castiel shook his head. "No, some of the ingredients, like the blessing, will need to be collected by Michael as he will perform the Rite."
"It would also be beneficial for me to have at least been inside you for a short while before performing the Rite as it will require a significant expenditure of Grace."
Okay, that made sense, Dean figured, one didn't take an untested weapon out on a hunt. That left too much potential for nasty surprises and while thinking of himself like that- like some inanimate object- hurt, it also helped stave off the inappropriate desire to laugh. God, if only his father could see him now; Dad would shot him for what he was about to do he was sure.
"But you will return to Deirdre Winchester before the Rite?" Castiel demanded.
"Yes, Brother."
Dean took a deep breath, looking at his lover for a long moment before turning back to face Michael. "Yes. Hop on in, Mike."
A.N.: *hides*
Chapter 57