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The day had honestly started out great.
The Winchester brothers had encountered a case with a MO they’d never seen before not far from Sioux Falls two days ago. Since Bobby’s was nearby and by far the best place for research anyway, they’d stopped by their surrogate father’s. After an amazing homemade dinner and just a few hours of research they’d found the monster responsible in Bobby’s large collection of lore. They went to bed early with plans to go after the dragon-like hybrid the next day.
When Dean awoke, he was more well-rested than he’d been in weeks. He’d actually gotten more than five hours of sleep for once. Sam and he had enjoyed an enormous breakfast with eggs and bacon. The day only seemed to get better when Castiel popped in right after breakfast. He’d agreed to join the brothers on their hunt and Dean’s mood was through the roof. With the help of their favorite angel this would be a milk run.
They packed the car and said their goodbyes to Bobby, who had to leave to pick up an old truck from a customer of the scrapyard, with the promise to lock up and call once they’d killed the monster.
Really, the day had started out as good as could be for them. And of course that was when everything went to shit.
Sam had just gone back inside to pack them some food for the road and Dean was wiping down Baby’s front window one last time while animatedly telling Cas about the new movie he was planning to make him watch when it happened.
The wind picked up for a moment and Dean wouldn’t have thought anything of it, had Cas not instantly gone ridged next to him. Not more than two seconds later there was the by now familiar sound of wings beating and suddenly the two men were faced with five angels surrounding them in a loose half-circle.
Dean let his wet rag drop to the ground and his hand instinctively went to his pocket. He cursed internally when it was met with his empty fabric. Shit, he’d just put all the weapons in the trunk. Stupid!
So instead of drawing his gun, or preferably an angel blade, Dean put on a cocky grin and pinned his sharp gaze on the angels in front of him. “Hey, long time no see. It’s been what, a week since you dicks last bothered us?”
He was internally preparing for an attack of some kind, for the angels to jump or try to kidnap him or something, but instead his tensed muscles almost got whiplash when the stoic figures completely ignored him and turned towards Cas.
The middle angel, in the vessel of a tall black haired man in a black suit, stepped forward. He radiated an air of authority as he spoke, his tone calm but harsh, “Seraph Castiel, former leader of the Third Garrison, by order of the archangel Michael we are here to escort you to heaven where you will be executed for high treason and standing against heaven in the holy war. Do not try to resist or we will be obligated to employ force.”
Dean’s breath stopped for a second and his pulse jumped as adrenalin flooded his veins. What the actual fuck?!
Beside him Cas tensed even more even as he narrowed his eyes in defiance. “No. I no longer obey heaven. Leave.”
Thunder cracked above as the angel in the black outfit leveled the fallen angel with a glare that let his eyes flash with grace. “You knew what you were signing up for when you betrayed us, Castiel.”
“Then you must know that I will not give in peacefully.”
“We’re just carrying out orders. You will come with us. By your choice or ours.”
Dean’s mind was still spinning from the information that Cas had apparently known he’d be sentenced to death for his rebellion, when the black-suited angel summoned his blade and stepped forward threateningly.
Dean’s instincts kicked in and he took a step in front of Cas as the other angels started to move forward as well. Protectiveness and anger on Cas’ behalf flared up inside him. “Stay back, you winged dicks! No one’s touching him.”
Black-suit settled his emotionless gaze on Dean for the first time. “Stay out of this, Michael Sword. This is a heavenly affair.”
Dean ground his teeth in anger. He threw a quick glance over his shoulder at his best friend. Cas’ face was as stoic and unmoving as ever, but his posture was even more stiff than usual and when they locked eyes for a moment, Dean could see a sliver of fear flash in the blue eyes even as the angel was trying to hide it.
“Dean, stand down. I was prepared for this to happen sooner or later. You do not have to endanger yourself for my sake,” Cas said quietly. He tried to step out from behind Dean, but the hunter only glared at him.
“Forget it, Cas,” he hissed back and pushed his friend back again. At the back of his mind Dean was very aware that Cas let himself be moved.
He growled when he looked back at the five hostile angels. He tried to keep an eye on all of them even as he spoke to the one who had appeared to be in charge. “Yeah, I don’t think so, pal. See, Cas here is my friend and you are all just a bunch of dickbags that think they can do whatever they want and get away with it. Aren’t you guys supposed to be family?”
Black-suit leveled him with an unimpressed stare, though Dean noticed with satisfaction that a hint of annoyance had started to creep into his eyes. “Do not talk about things you don’t understand, human. Castiel was the one who betrayed heaven and turned his back on his siblings. Now he’ll have to bear the consequences.”
The guy gave the subtlest of nods and in sync the angels moved forward as if they were one being. Dean took a step back and tried to hide Cas behind his own body at the same time that the fallen angel tried to push him out of the way. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Cas slipping his angel blade into his hand just as the other angels summoned their own.
They were hopelessly outnumbered, but Dean would be fucked if he just gave Cas up. In a desperate attempt to shield him, Dean crowded Cas closer against the wall behind them while blocking him with his own body. The position forced Cas to stop trying to push Dean away, less he risked cutting him with his blade. Following a spontaneous inspiration, he grabbed an old steel pipe that was leaning against the wall next to the garage door, desperate for some kind of weapon even knowing full well that it would help him nothing against the angelic force.
“If you wanna take him, then you’ll have to go through me!” he growled while holding the useless pipe in front of him like a sword.
“Step aside,” Black-suit demanded at the same time as Cas hissed Dean’s name from behind him in warning.
Dean only half-turned his head to look at his friend, never letting their attackers out of his eyes.
“Stop this, Dean,” Cas hissed and tried to push Dean aside, but the human stood his ground. “I will not let you sacrifice yourself for me.”
“And I won’t just let those dicks take and kill you,” Dean growled back heatedly. He didn’t know where this sudden need to protect was coming from, he just knew that he had to keep Cas safe and by his side. The thought of losing his angel – his angel? where the fuck had that come from? - terrified him more than he would have expected.
With a frustrated sound, Cas grabbed the hand that held the pipe quicker than Dean could react and exchanged their weapons before Dean could protest. He thought he heard him mumble something about foolish humans.
But Dean couldn’t focus on that. The angels were now attacking with a vengeance. He swung the sword at the first, one in a blond female vessel, driving her back with a pained hiss as the hit made contact. With years of experience in handling weapons of any kind, the hunter flashed the blade from side to side, keeping the attacking angels back. He made sure to deflect any hits aimed at Cas and to never get his own blade too close to him.
Suddenly, Cas cried out a warning in his ear as one of the attackers came at him from an angle. Dean couldn’t react fast enough to rip his own weapon around. He tensed in preparation for the hit, but at the last moment the attacking angel changed the course of their blade and it only left a shallow cut across Dean’s upper arm.
“Dean!”
“M fine,” the hunter grunted, quickly trying to reassure Cas before he could do something stupid, like trying to get in front of him again.
Black-suit waved the others back to regroup and Dean blinked in surprise. He took the breather to assess the situation. He’d been fighting five angels essentially by himself – Cas had been trying to help by swinging the pipe at those who came close enough, but as expected it didn’t do much harm against the angels – and he was still mostly fine.
It was almost like they didn’t aim to seriously injure him.
A grim smile spread over Dean’s face when an idea why entered his head.
“What are you waiting for?” he taunted while waving the blood stained blade in front of him. “Some heavenly god-squad you are, can’t even defeat one little human.”
The blond female’s face twisted in a short show of anger and she rushed forward, her blade aimed at the center of his chest. Almost immediately, however, Black-suit interjected her. “Don’t damage him,” he snapped.
So he had been right. Dean grinned as he turned slightly towards Cas, who was still watching his human charge in unease and concern. “Don’t worry, sunshine. They can’t do anything to me. Can’t risk breaking their boss’s meat-suit.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Dean felt his cheeks heat up. He hadn’t meant for the pet-name to slip out.
Luckily, Cas didn’t acknowledge the slip-up. He frowned at him for a moment, but one look at the other angels seemed to confirm Dean’s words. Cas straightened abruptly and turned the full intensity of his cold gaze on the lead-angel. “It appears we have arrived at a stalemate. I propose you retreat and try again another time.”
Black-suit frowned, anger edging into his expression. Something glinted in his eyes as he took a step back and pointed his face heavenwards.
Dean felt relief starting to flood him. Any moment now they’d take flight and disappear. No one would kill his angel today. But before he could do more than relax his battle stance, Cas tensed again behind him. This time the angel went stiffer than the steal-pipe in his hands and Dean was instantly on alarm.
An enormous thunder cracked overhead and in a flash of lightning a new figure appeared.
When Dean’s eyes had regained their ability to see without white covering out his retina, he saw a woman with short brown hair and an unmoving hard face. He’d never seen her before, but somehow the powerful aura that filled the air around her seemed frighteningly familiar.
“Castiel.” The woman’s voice was surprisingly deep.
“Raphael,” Cas’ voice was just as cold and emotionless, but Dean could feel the angel’s slight tremor from how close they were standing.
Oh shit, was all he could think. Suddenly the new vessel didn’t matter, Dean could clearly make out the powerful archangel standing in front of them.
“I told you you’d regret your actions against me,” Raphael growled. He stepped forward and the other angels quickly hurried to let him (her?) through.
Cas was quiet and unmoving behind Dean, but the man could almost feel the tension radiating from his friend.
“That’s pretty selfish of you, pal. Shouldn’t ya be more concerned with the big divine retribution thing instead of your petty personal revenge?” Dean spoke without thinking, only concerned with getting the intense malicious attention off of Cas. He flinched slightly when it turned on him instead.
“My motives are none of your concern. Step aside so I can take care of the traitor.”
Dean swallowed his nervousness when he felt the full power of the gaze upon him, but he stood his ground.
“Dean, please don’t draw the wrath of an archangel upon yourself,” Cas begged quietly from behind him. A quick glance showed Dean that Cas was looking less stoic and composed than before, his fear evident in the flicker of his blue eyes and the light trembling from how tightly his limbs were locked in place. Cas’ cool facade was cracking in the face of heaven’s ultimate weapon.
“I think that ship has sailed, buddy,” Dean joked weakly in an attempt to loosen the tense atmosphere. It wasn’t very successful.
“Don’t test me,” Raphael growled and took a threatening step forward. Dean instinctively tried to step back and backed into Cas, who settled him with a steady hand on his shoulder.
“You wouldn’t dare destroy Michael’s sword,” Cas challenged the archangel in front of them with a voice as cold as ice.
“What he said,” Dean mumbled.
Raphael’s gaze seemed to be spraying sparks of fire (or was it grace?). “You might be correct that I won’t irreversibly damage you, but don’t think for a second that I can’t hurt you. I will give you one more chance to let us take the traitor before I will make you feel pain beyond your imagination.”
Dean swallowed hard. Then he clenched his fists and steeled himself. This was for Cas. “No can do. You won’t get past me.” He tried to ignore Cas’ sudden protest in his ear and pushed back against the angel with all his might when he tried to get past him. “Do your worst,” he growled without taking his eyes off Raphael.
The archangel’s eyes flashed and Dean couldn’t hold back his scream when white hot agony shot through his entire body without warning. His muscles were cramping and his insides turning. He felt like he was on fire from the inside.
Despite feeling like an eternity, it only lasted for about five seconds, before a sudden explosion shook the ground and fire flared up between the two friends and their enemies.
Dean was still trying to collect his bearings when Cas’ hands were already on him. “Dean! Are you alright?!”
The man groaned for a moment before nodding shakily. His body was still trembling from the aftereffects, but the pain itself had stopped as abruptly as it had started.
Suddenly, another person kneeled next to them and Dean tensed instinctively before he recognized Sammy’s lean form. “We have to hurry,” his younger brother urged. “The holy fire won’t hold them back for long.”
Cas nodded in understanding and helped Dean to his feet. The angel used his superhuman strength to support the hunter as they hurried after Sam into the house. Dean wasn’t sure what the plan was, but he had to trust that Sam knew what he was doing.
He only realized where they were going when they had already descended the stairs and Cas stopped a few feet in front of the panic room. “Sam, I can’t-“ he started, but Sam had already taken a knife from his pocket and was scratching through an angel sigil that they had only recently added to the room’s protection.
“Get in there,” the younger Winchester gestured to the small safe-room. Cas gave him a puzzled look, but helped Dean over the threshold.
Dean’s movements were still a little sluggish, but he was able to stand without Cas’ help once inside. He turned around and watched as Sam clenched his teeth and cut into his hand. He quickly used his blood to redraw the sigil before joining them in the room and closing the door.
“No angel will get in or out with that sigil,” he explained when he let himself fall against the closed door with a heavy sigh. “Sorry, Cas.”
“It is quite alright,” Cas said. “I trust that you will let me out once the danger has passed.”
Sam nodded before turning to Dean and answering his unspoken question. “I was going to join you at the car just after they appeared. When I got to the door, I saw that you were in trouble so I went back inside and got the holy oil. Sorry that it took me so long to make the fire bomb.”
“Are you kidding me,” Dean snorted. “You probably saved our lives.”
“Only my life,” Cas corrected solemnly. “Raphael wouldn’t have killed you.”
Dean just shrugged. He would have been tortured then. Because he knew that he would have fought tooth and nail to keep the angels away from Cas. Not that he was going to explain that. It sounded way too sappy.
Cas turned his stern gaze on Dean. “What you did was very brave, but also very foolish. You were confronted by powers much greater than you could ever comprehend and you were taunting them.”
“They wanted to kill you, Cas! Like hell I was going to let that happen,” Dean bristled.
Cas’ gaze didn’t relent. “Be that as it may, I do not appreciate you putting yourself in danger for my sake.”
“Well, too bad, cause you can’t stop me,” Dean grumped defiantly.
They stared at each other for almost a minute, neither ready to back down.
“Um, right.” Sam cleared his throat uncomfortably and their stand-off broke. “Any ideas what we’re going to do now? I kinda only thought this through this far. At some point we’ll have to go outside and get food.”
Surprisingly, Cas shook his head. “I don’t think that that will be a problem. It is highly unlikely that they will wait us out outside. Heaven is still looking for Lucifer and not matter how much of an annoyance my rebellion might have been, it’s only a minor concern in contrast to heaven’s current other problems.”
“Okay, that’s good,” Dean said, “gives us time to come up with a decent plan for next time.”
The other two nodded their agreement. They started to bounce ideas. Cas kept insisting on ways that he’d be able to deal with the situation by himself if it arose, but Dean shot him down every time.
No matter what, he knew one thing for sure now: He’d always protect his angel, no matter what.