Aftershock (Sequel to Writing's on the Wall Destiel)

Chapter 1

"Somebody help me!" Castiel banged against the wooden coffin, fear flooding his mind.

Castiel didn't know what happened. The last thing he remembered was dying in Dean's arms as he sobbed over him. Then, next thing he knew, he found himself in a coffin. He knew that he was probably only six feet under the surface of the ground, but that did nothing to calm his nerves.

He stopped fighting against the coffin and lay back, inhaling the musky air of his grave as his mind pacified. The first question that came to his mind caused him to think, What would Dean do?

He knew exactly what Dean would do, but he wasn't sure he could. Still, it was worth a shot. He clenched his hand into a fist and rammed it into the wood. He felt it move under his fist, but all it did was emit a low creak. He repeated the action six times, but it wasn't until the seventh blow that the soft wood gave way, dirt falling in.

Castiel was able to catch a breath and hold it as he struggled through the dirt, desperate to come up above the ground. Dirt fell into his ears, his nose, and his clothes, but he didn't care. He knew Dean was waiting and he wouldn't keep him waiting much longer.

At last, his hands broke ground and as he dragged himself up, Castiel gasped for fresh air, inhaling as much as his lungs could take. Pulling himself pit of the ground by his forearms, he clutched at grass and at whatever could help him get out of his grave.

When his entire body was out, he collapsed on his side, feeling the dirt beneath him, feeling the light of the moon on his face. He closed his eyes but snapped them open as he heard a familiar voice. Cas, I don't know whether you're dead or alive, and I don't know what to think. But man, if you really are out there, I need you to come home. Hell, I don't care if I'm going to be in danger. I need you here. Cas, I think about you all the damn time and...I have dreams about you. I miss you so much, it hurts. I love you, angel. And I'm sorry I ever said yes to Lucifer. But I frigging love you. Just...please. Come home. Come back to me, okay?

He knew immediately that it was Dean, and his heart began hurting for him. He imagined Dean curled up on his bed, dreaming about him, only to find that he wasn't there. "Dean, I'm coming."

Hauling himself to his feet, he stumbled a little before steadying his balance. As he took a tentative step at a time, he soon remembered and began walking normally.

But soon, he noticed something strange that made him pause midstride. All around his grave sight, everything was dead. Literally dead. Flowers were shriveled up. The trees were black and gnarly. Everything looked as if it had been scorched by fire. He touched a tree; it was stone hard. Based on what he had learned with Sam and Dean, he knew this wasn't any ordinary force. It couldn't have been angels. He had never seen an angel do something this big. It certainly wasn't a demon. There were limits to their power. Then what was it?

The next day

"Hello, Dean."

Dean froze; never in his life would he forget that voice. It sent a rushing feeling through his body. It awoken his senses. It sent fireworks of happiness exploding in his chest. When he heard that voice, a multitude of emotions flooded him. Shock, confusion, disbelief, happiness, but most prominent of all, the love that he couldn't keep inside pouring out.

He stood in amazement and turned around, meeting the blue eyes he thought he'd never see again. A slow smile spread across his face. "Hey, Cas."

Sure enough, Castiel was standing behind the park bench, grinning brighter than the sun.

Without a second thought, Dean wrapped him in a hug, locking his arms around him. Tears came to his eyes as he buried his face in Castiel's shoulder. "I thought I lost you!"

Castiel's arms found their way around Dean, his hand rubbing his back. "But you didn't. I came back."

"But you died, Cas!" Dean pulled away, half crazy with hysterics. "You died in my arms! When you died, I lost everything, man! Everything! I thought I lost you a second time!" His voice broke. "I thought I failed you again."

"Don't be like that, Dean. Everything that happened to me wasn't your fault. I forgive you."

"I...I killed you. How can you possibly forgive that?"

"Lucifer killed me, not you."

"He was inside my meat suit."

"That doesn't mean you would have if he wasn't possessing you." Castiel put his hand where his handprint was. "Dean, I love you and I'm sorry you had to go through that. For what's it worth, I would give anything to go back and change it. But you have to stop blaming yourself."

Dean stared at him a minute before pulling him back into a hug. "Don't do that again, Cas. I don't think I'll be able to survive it."

"I'm not leaving you, Dean. Not ever."

Later

Sam looked up from his laptop when the doorbell of Bobby's house rang. Putting down his book, he slid a gun into his belt and walked over to the front door. When he opened it, his eyes widened. "Cas?!"

"Hello, Sam."

"I'm dreaming. I'm definitely dreaming." Sam pinched himself, but nothing happened. "Dean, are you sure it's him?"

"Definitely. There's only one Cas we know."

Sam sighed in relief as he hugged Castiel. "It's good to see you, Cas."

Castiel wrapped his arms around the younger Winchester. "Same to you, Sam."

Sam pulled away, his elation somewhat replaced by questions. "But....how are you alive?"

"No one knows. Someone must have brought me back. Judging by both your surprise, I assume it wasn't either of you."

"So it wasn't God?"

"No one's even seen God. The whole thing remains mysterious."

"Well, if it wasn't me, or Dean, or God....who did?"

As the question hung in the air, Team Free Will exchanged looks. "Crap," muttered Dean, uttering what everyone was thinking.