Unexpected Destinies Chapter 53
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: 2,862
Summary: And all this will fail still, if it is not performed by Justice tempered by Righteousness.
PAST
It was the hunger that woke Dean despite how tired he still felt. He could easily have slept another hour or two, but the grumbling of his stomach made him realize that he just wasn't going to get it until he ate something. With a muttered protest, he turned his face away from a surprisingly fresh smelling pillow and opened his eyes. Castiel had clearly been using his mojo again as he distinctly recalled his bed smelling more then a little ripe.
The thought of his lover made Dean realize what had been bothering him. He was alone in bed and he knew that he'd fallen asleep against Castiel. Hell, he could even vaguely recall Raphael and Michael being in the room. The thing was, he wasn't used to waking up alone if his angel was there when he fell asleep. And just how much of a girl did that make him that he didn't like it even if it made sense? Castiel didn't need to sleep and thus had far better things to do with his time, so it had always kinda surprised him that his lover did stick around as he couldn't know that humans liked to have their lovers there when they woke up. For he had definitely never mentioned it to Cas, not wanting to assume and figuring his angel had better things to do with his time then to lie around watching him sleep or dream walking with him.
The latter brought a dirty smile to Dean's lips, especially with the memory of last night's dream. His lover had been particularly demanding and possessive and, though he didn't know why, he'd definitely enjoyed the benefits of whatever had put him in that mood. The lack of burn in certain key places as he stretched was almost disappointing as he loved the little reminders of an awesome fuck all throughout the day. Oh well, he'd just have to entice his lover back into bed later on. Or into the backseat of the Impala, or up against a convenient and secluded wall, he really wasn't too picky about the location as long as it was him and Cas and semi-private.
A little flash of insecurity pulled Dean from his fantasy and he immediately tried to shove it aside. The fact that Castiel wasn't here- that he hadn't stuck around- didn't mean anything. His angel had probably just been called away by Xarael to take care of something in Heaven. Or perhaps Michael or even Raphael had required his attention for something that they were working on and it had been urgent so his lover had left right away rather then waking him and explaining where he was going. Or, perhaps, Lucifer had managed to rattle his cage harder then normal and Castiel had gone to investigate.
Yeah, those were all very likely possibilities, Dean knew. Far more likely then the alternative. His angel just wouldn't up and leave him like this, not after everything that had happened between them and all that Castiel had promised him. He could still hear those three precious little words being whispered into his ear on more then one occasion. No one had ever said those words to him before, not like that they hadn't and he knew that meant something, he knew it, damnit! So why couldn't he just relax?
Sam. Bobby.
Sam.
Dean squeezed his eyes shut at the pain that thinking of their betrayals still caused him even now, months after he'd first learned of them. It was a pain that he didn't think would ever go away, at least not fully. Not after how much he'd trusted them and what they'd done. Betrayal and abandonment, as if one of those two wasn't enough, they'd had to go and do both of them to him. At the same time. God, if it hadn't been for Castiel... he didn't even want to think about where he'd have ended up as he knew it was no place good. He'd already been on the fast track there until his lover's impromptu intervention.
He grasped at the memory, clutching it close to him as proof of his angel's devotion. Dean nearly laughed, only he would use that particular memory instead of some of the others they'd made together. But what could he say? He wouldn't go so far as to say that words were cheap- the sheer impact of Castiel's love declarations far too great to say that- but he had always thought that actions spoke far louder than words. Besides, no one else had ever done that for him; no one else had confronted him about his drinking habits and made an issue out of them because of what it did to him rather then his ability to hunt or interact with them.
No one else had cared enough to do that.
Slowly but surely, Dean managed to calm himself down and push aside the edge of panic that had risen within him. He wasn't going to let his feelings get the best of him now. Not when he knew that Castiel wouldn't do that to him, no matter what his instincts were trying to convince him of.
By the time he heard the flutter of wings, Dean felt that he'd managed to compose himself enough that there wouldn't be any outwards signs of his panic attack. "Hey, Cas," he said, suddenly realizing that he was still in bed.
"You are awake."
Dean caught sight of the bowl that looked to be filled with oatmeal and fruit just before the smell hit his nose and his stomach growled loudly in approval. "That would be a yes, Captain Obvious."
"What's wrong?" Castiel inquired, head tilting as he observed him.
A wave of guilt shot through Dean and he realized he hadn't done as good of a job at hiding things as he'd thought and he tried once more to bury it all, feeling doubly guilty as he realized that his angel had only left to get him something to eat. "'s nothing."
Even his renewed efforts were obviously unsuccessful as his lover's face softened in understanding. "Dean, I am sorry, it was not my intenti-"
"No! No, Cas, don't you dare apologize, not for this. You have nothing to be sorry for. You were out getting me breakfast for G-, you were out getting me breakfast. I'm the one who should apologize. You've been nothing but fantastic to me and what do I do? I throw it all back in your face while you're off doing something nice for me."
"Dean."
"No, let me say this. I'm sorry, Cas, and trust me, I know you're not just going to up and leave me, I know that, really, I do. I just... I don't know, it's just that..."
"Dean," Castiel repeated and suddenly his lover was right there, a hand cradling his face. "Your whole life the people you have trusted and who should have been there for you have abandoned or betrayed you and sometimes both. It has not always been their fault, but for the most part it has and I want you to know that I do not blame you for not being able to simply let go of all of that history. Not when it is not something that you can just control at will and not when it has played such an integral part in shaping you into who you are today. Though I would have spared you the hurt and heartache in an instant if I could, I would do nothing to change who you are."
Dean's throat had gone bone dry and he had to swallow several times before he could even think to speak and even then he couldn't manage more then a raw "Cas," his eyes locked with those of his lover.
"I know you said I should not apologize, but I should have thought to leave you with some token of my intention to return even if I had hoped to do so before you awoke. Next time, I promise that I will do so."
In response, Dean just pulled Castiel close and buried his face in the angel's neck, clutching him tightly. He wasn't sure how long they sat like that, awkwardly perched on the site of the bed, but it lasted until his stomach complained loudly and his lover laughed.
"Hungry?"
"Yeah, yeah," Dean replied though he eagerly took the offered bowl of oatmeal that was somehow still steaming. "Thanks."
As he'd thought, the oatmeal was full of berries, but Dean found that he really couldn't complain as the taste of fresh blueberry burst across his tongue, the tartness a nice complement to the rest. If he was honest with himself, he found that he was starting to like the fresh fruit that Castiel always seemed to be able to get his hands on. All too soon, the bowl was empty but even as he was scraping the last of it away, a plate with a meat filled omelet appeared at his side and he turned to look at his angel.
"Your stomach was quite adamant in its demands even before you woke," Castiel said indulgently.
Dean felt himself flush a little, but dug right into the omelet, tasting both bacon and sausage in it. It was as he was chewing that it occurred to him that this was the first time he'd had breakfast in bed with his lover. Sure, he'd had lunch and dinner while sprawled across the covers before, often while they were watching a movie or Dr. Sexy on TV, but never breakfast. If his angel was providing the meal, he'd often go and get it while he took a shower. The thought made him glance sideways at Castiel only to find his lover watching him intently in that way of his. It was amazing, if he really stopped to think about it, how that no longer bothered him and how he'd now miss it if it weren't there. Somewhere along the line, being the center of Cas' attention had become something he'd craved, even in a completely non-sexual way, instead of it being the source of discomfort it had once been.
When he was done, Dean put aside his plate and cutlery and leaned across to kiss Castiel. "Thanks." Instead of replying, his angel smiled at him, but Dean frowned at the hints of stress he could detect along its edges. "What is it? What's wrong?"
Castiel gave a strange half sigh, looking away briefly before his face tightened. "We found a book containing more information on the Rite of Contressa."
"Well at least your mission was a success," Dean said as he got out of bed and pulled on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. "I'm guessing from your expression that it's not good news."
"No."
"Well, how bad is it? Do we not have enough information to carry it out? Or is it not what we thought."
"No, it is what we were hoping it might be and we have all of the information necessary to successfully carry it out."
"So what's the problem then?" The anger that Dean could now detect on his angel's face made him nervous, very nervous. "Cas?"
"It is... It is one of the conditions that must be met."
"Met?"
"For the Rite to work."
"Are you really going to make me pull each word outta you?"
Dean regretted the words as soon as he saw Castiel's jaw clench but before he could apologize, his lover was walking towards the room's crappy little table. On it lay a book that he didn't think he'd seen before, though he had handled so many over the course of the past few months that they were starting to all blur together a bit. Joining his angel, he watched as Cas opened the book and turned to a particular section before stepping back.
With a concerned glance at Castiel, Dean pulled the book towards him and began to read. The list of ingredients made his eyebrows rise and he wondered how the hell one collected things like a blessing by a pure soul or the prayer of a child, not to mention the fact that he'd always thought the Garden of Eden nothing but a myth, even after learning about the existence of angels and God. It was Castiel who'd said that the Bible got more wrong then right after all. Other then that, though, he couldn't see anything that could either cause a problem or be the reason for his lover's anger and distress.
The flutter of wings interrupted Dean before could question his angel and he turned to find both Raphael and Michael in the room with them. Both of the archangels glanced from Castiel, to him and then to the book, before looking back up at him.
"Well?" Raphael finally demanded.
"I have already told you, the answer is no," Castiel declared fiercely, moving to stand closely beside him and Dean blinked at the sudden aggressiveness in his lover's tone and posture.
"Okay, what am I missing here?" Dean demanded.
Michael turned to look at him, his aunt's dark eyes assessing him carefully. "You do not realize what it says."
"Well, I thought I did, Mike, but obviously I'm missing something important so why doesn't one of you spell it out for me? Pretend like I'm five."
The warring emotions that he could see on Castiel's face were starting to make Dean really nervous and he wasn't even sure that he wanted to know the answer anymore. His angel hardly ever showed this much emotion on his face except at the height of passion and it was disconcerting to see it now, in these circumstances.
"Certain of the higher angels, and all of the archangels, are known by an attribute for which they stand as well as their name," Castiel explained. "This attribute is sometimes used instead of their name to refer to them in writings."
"Okay," Dean replied slowly, trying to wrap his head around it. It was weird, but okay, they were angels, some things had to different. "Attributes, gotcha. Like what?"
"Well, Jophiel was Faith; Gabriel, Truth; Simiel, Devotion and Raziel, Wisdom."
"Simiel was Devotion? So much for that."
"Devotion to a cause and brother is still devotion," Michael stated softly but full of conviction. "She merely chose the wrong cause and brother to follow."
For some reason those words made Dean swallow as he couldn't help but think of Sam and the way he had thrown himself into the hunt for Lilith. His brother had become so obsessed with it that he'd lost track of the original reason he'd started hunting her in the first place and Sam had all but ignored his resurrection on some levels, still gunning for her as hard as ever despite the fact that he'd gotten out of Hell.
"Okay," Dean said, turning back to his lover. "So what are these two jokers?"
Raphael's lips twitched and the archangel sneered at him, but Dean got the distinct impression that while Raphael knew he'd been insulted, he didn't quite know how. The thought amused him more then it should, but he couldn't spare more then a second on it as the air was charged and he knew that whatever was coming was bad. He didn't even need to see both Castiel and Raphael all tensed up for a fight to know that.
"Raphael is Loyalty," Castiel began.
"And Michael?" Dean prompted, frowning.
"Michael is Justice."
"Justice?"
"Yes."
It took a second for the penny to drop- he'd never claimed to be the brightest crayon in the box- as Dean had expected the revelation to be a bit more, well, revelatory. Or, well, obvious. Not something that he had to think about, connecting the dots.
"Wait, Justice, as is performed by Justice, Justice?"
Michael blinked, obviously trying to sort that out, before he replied. "Yes, exactly."
"Okay, so you need to be the one to-"
performed by Justice tempered by Righteousness
Full understanding hit Dean with the force of a semi and he felt the blood drain from his face so fast he wobbled enough to make Castiel reach out to steady him.
performed by Justice tempered by Righteousness
Oh, he had to be misinterpreting that. He just had to be. But Righteousness was far too close to the Righteous Man crap the angels were going on about all the time.
"When it says tempered by what, exactly, does it mean?"
Raphael snorted. "Do not play stupid now."
"Fuck you!" Dean snapped, anger exploding within him in a desperate attempt to bury his fear and the sudden pit that had opened at the bottom of his stomach. "You no good piece of shit!"
"How dare you insult me like that?" Raphael thundered. "You should be honored to be Michael's vessel, his one true vessel, unique among every human that has ever lived."
Oh shit, he was right. "Cas?"
"It means that I am the only one who can perform the Rite," Michael replied instead. "And I can only do so while inside of you."
A.N.: Hopefully this chapter makes the point a little more clearly then the last one :)
Chapter 54
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: up to and including Exile on Main St., AU from the end of season 5
Warnings: AU, slash
Word Count: 2,862
Summary: And all this will fail still, if it is not performed by Justice tempered by Righteousness.
PAST
It was the hunger that woke Dean despite how tired he still felt. He could easily have slept another hour or two, but the grumbling of his stomach made him realize that he just wasn't going to get it until he ate something. With a muttered protest, he turned his face away from a surprisingly fresh smelling pillow and opened his eyes. Castiel had clearly been using his mojo again as he distinctly recalled his bed smelling more then a little ripe.
The thought of his lover made Dean realize what had been bothering him. He was alone in bed and he knew that he'd fallen asleep against Castiel. Hell, he could even vaguely recall Raphael and Michael being in the room. The thing was, he wasn't used to waking up alone if his angel was there when he fell asleep. And just how much of a girl did that make him that he didn't like it even if it made sense? Castiel didn't need to sleep and thus had far better things to do with his time, so it had always kinda surprised him that his lover did stick around as he couldn't know that humans liked to have their lovers there when they woke up. For he had definitely never mentioned it to Cas, not wanting to assume and figuring his angel had better things to do with his time then to lie around watching him sleep or dream walking with him.
The latter brought a dirty smile to Dean's lips, especially with the memory of last night's dream. His lover had been particularly demanding and possessive and, though he didn't know why, he'd definitely enjoyed the benefits of whatever had put him in that mood. The lack of burn in certain key places as he stretched was almost disappointing as he loved the little reminders of an awesome fuck all throughout the day. Oh well, he'd just have to entice his lover back into bed later on. Or into the backseat of the Impala, or up against a convenient and secluded wall, he really wasn't too picky about the location as long as it was him and Cas and semi-private.
A little flash of insecurity pulled Dean from his fantasy and he immediately tried to shove it aside. The fact that Castiel wasn't here- that he hadn't stuck around- didn't mean anything. His angel had probably just been called away by Xarael to take care of something in Heaven. Or perhaps Michael or even Raphael had required his attention for something that they were working on and it had been urgent so his lover had left right away rather then waking him and explaining where he was going. Or, perhaps, Lucifer had managed to rattle his cage harder then normal and Castiel had gone to investigate.
Yeah, those were all very likely possibilities, Dean knew. Far more likely then the alternative. His angel just wouldn't up and leave him like this, not after everything that had happened between them and all that Castiel had promised him. He could still hear those three precious little words being whispered into his ear on more then one occasion. No one had ever said those words to him before, not like that they hadn't and he knew that meant something, he knew it, damnit! So why couldn't he just relax?
Sam. Bobby.
Sam.
Dean squeezed his eyes shut at the pain that thinking of their betrayals still caused him even now, months after he'd first learned of them. It was a pain that he didn't think would ever go away, at least not fully. Not after how much he'd trusted them and what they'd done. Betrayal and abandonment, as if one of those two wasn't enough, they'd had to go and do both of them to him. At the same time. God, if it hadn't been for Castiel... he didn't even want to think about where he'd have ended up as he knew it was no place good. He'd already been on the fast track there until his lover's impromptu intervention.
He grasped at the memory, clutching it close to him as proof of his angel's devotion. Dean nearly laughed, only he would use that particular memory instead of some of the others they'd made together. But what could he say? He wouldn't go so far as to say that words were cheap- the sheer impact of Castiel's love declarations far too great to say that- but he had always thought that actions spoke far louder than words. Besides, no one else had ever done that for him; no one else had confronted him about his drinking habits and made an issue out of them because of what it did to him rather then his ability to hunt or interact with them.
No one else had cared enough to do that.
Slowly but surely, Dean managed to calm himself down and push aside the edge of panic that had risen within him. He wasn't going to let his feelings get the best of him now. Not when he knew that Castiel wouldn't do that to him, no matter what his instincts were trying to convince him of.
By the time he heard the flutter of wings, Dean felt that he'd managed to compose himself enough that there wouldn't be any outwards signs of his panic attack. "Hey, Cas," he said, suddenly realizing that he was still in bed.
"You are awake."
Dean caught sight of the bowl that looked to be filled with oatmeal and fruit just before the smell hit his nose and his stomach growled loudly in approval. "That would be a yes, Captain Obvious."
"What's wrong?" Castiel inquired, head tilting as he observed him.
A wave of guilt shot through Dean and he realized he hadn't done as good of a job at hiding things as he'd thought and he tried once more to bury it all, feeling doubly guilty as he realized that his angel had only left to get him something to eat. "'s nothing."
Even his renewed efforts were obviously unsuccessful as his lover's face softened in understanding. "Dean, I am sorry, it was not my intenti-"
"No! No, Cas, don't you dare apologize, not for this. You have nothing to be sorry for. You were out getting me breakfast for G-, you were out getting me breakfast. I'm the one who should apologize. You've been nothing but fantastic to me and what do I do? I throw it all back in your face while you're off doing something nice for me."
"Dean."
"No, let me say this. I'm sorry, Cas, and trust me, I know you're not just going to up and leave me, I know that, really, I do. I just... I don't know, it's just that..."
"Dean," Castiel repeated and suddenly his lover was right there, a hand cradling his face. "Your whole life the people you have trusted and who should have been there for you have abandoned or betrayed you and sometimes both. It has not always been their fault, but for the most part it has and I want you to know that I do not blame you for not being able to simply let go of all of that history. Not when it is not something that you can just control at will and not when it has played such an integral part in shaping you into who you are today. Though I would have spared you the hurt and heartache in an instant if I could, I would do nothing to change who you are."
Dean's throat had gone bone dry and he had to swallow several times before he could even think to speak and even then he couldn't manage more then a raw "Cas," his eyes locked with those of his lover.
"I know you said I should not apologize, but I should have thought to leave you with some token of my intention to return even if I had hoped to do so before you awoke. Next time, I promise that I will do so."
In response, Dean just pulled Castiel close and buried his face in the angel's neck, clutching him tightly. He wasn't sure how long they sat like that, awkwardly perched on the site of the bed, but it lasted until his stomach complained loudly and his lover laughed.
"Hungry?"
"Yeah, yeah," Dean replied though he eagerly took the offered bowl of oatmeal that was somehow still steaming. "Thanks."
As he'd thought, the oatmeal was full of berries, but Dean found that he really couldn't complain as the taste of fresh blueberry burst across his tongue, the tartness a nice complement to the rest. If he was honest with himself, he found that he was starting to like the fresh fruit that Castiel always seemed to be able to get his hands on. All too soon, the bowl was empty but even as he was scraping the last of it away, a plate with a meat filled omelet appeared at his side and he turned to look at his angel.
"Your stomach was quite adamant in its demands even before you woke," Castiel said indulgently.
Dean felt himself flush a little, but dug right into the omelet, tasting both bacon and sausage in it. It was as he was chewing that it occurred to him that this was the first time he'd had breakfast in bed with his lover. Sure, he'd had lunch and dinner while sprawled across the covers before, often while they were watching a movie or Dr. Sexy on TV, but never breakfast. If his angel was providing the meal, he'd often go and get it while he took a shower. The thought made him glance sideways at Castiel only to find his lover watching him intently in that way of his. It was amazing, if he really stopped to think about it, how that no longer bothered him and how he'd now miss it if it weren't there. Somewhere along the line, being the center of Cas' attention had become something he'd craved, even in a completely non-sexual way, instead of it being the source of discomfort it had once been.
When he was done, Dean put aside his plate and cutlery and leaned across to kiss Castiel. "Thanks." Instead of replying, his angel smiled at him, but Dean frowned at the hints of stress he could detect along its edges. "What is it? What's wrong?"
Castiel gave a strange half sigh, looking away briefly before his face tightened. "We found a book containing more information on the Rite of Contressa."
"Well at least your mission was a success," Dean said as he got out of bed and pulled on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. "I'm guessing from your expression that it's not good news."
"No."
"Well, how bad is it? Do we not have enough information to carry it out? Or is it not what we thought."
"No, it is what we were hoping it might be and we have all of the information necessary to successfully carry it out."
"So what's the problem then?" The anger that Dean could now detect on his angel's face made him nervous, very nervous. "Cas?"
"It is... It is one of the conditions that must be met."
"Met?"
"For the Rite to work."
"Are you really going to make me pull each word outta you?"
Dean regretted the words as soon as he saw Castiel's jaw clench but before he could apologize, his lover was walking towards the room's crappy little table. On it lay a book that he didn't think he'd seen before, though he had handled so many over the course of the past few months that they were starting to all blur together a bit. Joining his angel, he watched as Cas opened the book and turned to a particular section before stepping back.
With a concerned glance at Castiel, Dean pulled the book towards him and began to read. The list of ingredients made his eyebrows rise and he wondered how the hell one collected things like a blessing by a pure soul or the prayer of a child, not to mention the fact that he'd always thought the Garden of Eden nothing but a myth, even after learning about the existence of angels and God. It was Castiel who'd said that the Bible got more wrong then right after all. Other then that, though, he couldn't see anything that could either cause a problem or be the reason for his lover's anger and distress.
The flutter of wings interrupted Dean before could question his angel and he turned to find both Raphael and Michael in the room with them. Both of the archangels glanced from Castiel, to him and then to the book, before looking back up at him.
"Well?" Raphael finally demanded.
"I have already told you, the answer is no," Castiel declared fiercely, moving to stand closely beside him and Dean blinked at the sudden aggressiveness in his lover's tone and posture.
"Okay, what am I missing here?" Dean demanded.
Michael turned to look at him, his aunt's dark eyes assessing him carefully. "You do not realize what it says."
"Well, I thought I did, Mike, but obviously I'm missing something important so why doesn't one of you spell it out for me? Pretend like I'm five."
The warring emotions that he could see on Castiel's face were starting to make Dean really nervous and he wasn't even sure that he wanted to know the answer anymore. His angel hardly ever showed this much emotion on his face except at the height of passion and it was disconcerting to see it now, in these circumstances.
"Certain of the higher angels, and all of the archangels, are known by an attribute for which they stand as well as their name," Castiel explained. "This attribute is sometimes used instead of their name to refer to them in writings."
"Okay," Dean replied slowly, trying to wrap his head around it. It was weird, but okay, they were angels, some things had to different. "Attributes, gotcha. Like what?"
"Well, Jophiel was Faith; Gabriel, Truth; Simiel, Devotion and Raziel, Wisdom."
"Simiel was Devotion? So much for that."
"Devotion to a cause and brother is still devotion," Michael stated softly but full of conviction. "She merely chose the wrong cause and brother to follow."
For some reason those words made Dean swallow as he couldn't help but think of Sam and the way he had thrown himself into the hunt for Lilith. His brother had become so obsessed with it that he'd lost track of the original reason he'd started hunting her in the first place and Sam had all but ignored his resurrection on some levels, still gunning for her as hard as ever despite the fact that he'd gotten out of Hell.
"Okay," Dean said, turning back to his lover. "So what are these two jokers?"
Raphael's lips twitched and the archangel sneered at him, but Dean got the distinct impression that while Raphael knew he'd been insulted, he didn't quite know how. The thought amused him more then it should, but he couldn't spare more then a second on it as the air was charged and he knew that whatever was coming was bad. He didn't even need to see both Castiel and Raphael all tensed up for a fight to know that.
"Raphael is Loyalty," Castiel began.
"And Michael?" Dean prompted, frowning.
"Michael is Justice."
"Justice?"
"Yes."
It took a second for the penny to drop- he'd never claimed to be the brightest crayon in the box- as Dean had expected the revelation to be a bit more, well, revelatory. Or, well, obvious. Not something that he had to think about, connecting the dots.
"Wait, Justice, as is performed by Justice, Justice?"
Michael blinked, obviously trying to sort that out, before he replied. "Yes, exactly."
"Okay, so you need to be the one to-"
performed by Justice tempered by Righteousness
Full understanding hit Dean with the force of a semi and he felt the blood drain from his face so fast he wobbled enough to make Castiel reach out to steady him.
performed by Justice tempered by Righteousness
Oh, he had to be misinterpreting that. He just had to be. But Righteousness was far too close to the Righteous Man crap the angels were going on about all the time.
"When it says tempered by what, exactly, does it mean?"
Raphael snorted. "Do not play stupid now."
"Fuck you!" Dean snapped, anger exploding within him in a desperate attempt to bury his fear and the sudden pit that had opened at the bottom of his stomach. "You no good piece of shit!"
"How dare you insult me like that?" Raphael thundered. "You should be honored to be Michael's vessel, his one true vessel, unique among every human that has ever lived."
Oh shit, he was right. "Cas?"
"It means that I am the only one who can perform the Rite," Michael replied instead. "And I can only do so while inside of you."
A.N.: Hopefully this chapter makes the point a little more clearly then the last one :)
Chapter 54