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

Chapter 9

"Hellooooooooooo, Dean."

Dean opened an eye and shut it. Suddenly, both his eyes flew open and he was on the side of his bed in an instant, pointing a gun at Lucifer- not any gun, but the Colt. "What do you want, you son of a bitch?"

Lucifer smirked when he saw the Colt, not afraid in the least. "I wouldn't even try if I were you. There are five things that gun cannot kill and I happen to be one of them."

"Yeah, I know. But it'll hurt like hell." (No pun intended)

Lucifer shrugged. "Been there, done that. Save your bullets or waste 'em. But seriously. I just want to talk."

"Since when do you just want to talk?"

"Point taken."

"Get out of here."

"Give me a chance, Dean. Then you can continue to go moony eyed all over my brother if you want."

At the mention of Castiel, Dean lowered the gun, but he didn't put it down. "Why did you pull him out? If you killed him, why did you pull him out?"

"Oh, Castiel." Lucifer rolled his eyes as if he was bored. "He was in my way."

"Of what? Completely controlling me as your vessel? Sorry, buddy, but you should have known Cas would try and save me."

"Saving you. That was always my brother's weakness. Thinking he could save everyone, particularly the Winchester brothers. But all that changed when an angel and a human fell in love. And not just any human, might I add, a hunter and a Winchester. Then the penny really dropped. How are you two, by the way?"

Dean swallowed and steeled his jaw. "We're fine, thanks for your concern."

"Oh, you're welcome." Lucifer either didn't hear the sarcasm or chose to ignore it. Then he scrutinized Dean until the hunter began to squirm under the gaze. "Oh, you're really not fine, are you? Something break you lovebirds up?"

"Look, Lucifer, I don't need this crap. You're here for something and I want to know what."

Lucifer pouted like a spoiled child. "Alright, fine, you caught me. I'm here to tell you a warning."

"A warning?"

"Yes, dumbo, a warning. Yes, I admit I'm the one who raised Castiel. But I'm on my own business. So how about you let me do what I do and you chuckleheads do what you all do and pretend this never happened? I'm happy, you're happy, everyone's happy."

"What if I don't?"

"Well, bottom line- everyone you care about dies. Sam dies, Castiel dies......you die."

"If you even get close to them-"

"I know, I know, you'll kill me, spare me the lecture."

"Well, it's too bad I had to give you the lecture in the first place, isn't it?"

Lucifer got off the bed and cornered Dean until they were literally five inches away from each other. "I like you Winchester bros. You amuse me. Don't make me do something I'll make you regret."

With that, he was gone. Dean breathed a sigh of relief and wiped his forehead, damp with sweat. He shakily picked up the gun and tucked it into his bed, feeling afraid for the first time in a long while. He got back into his bed and pulled the covers up over him, wide awake, Lucifer's words echoing in his mind. Sam dies.....Castiel dies......I like you Winchester bros.....don't make me do something I'll make you regret.

He never forgave Lucifer for killing Castiel, and he never would. He wanted to end him as quickly as possible, but were Sam and Castiel's lives worth it? He couldn't lose them. He couldn't lose his brother and his....what? A year ago, he would have been able to say that Castiel was his lover, but now he didn't know what to call him. It was easy to say friend, but were they even that anymore?

There was a knock on his door. Dean softly called out, "Come in."

Castiel pushed open the door and saw Dean drenched in sweat. "Dean, are you alright?"

Dean looked at him, his green eyes huge. "I'm not gonna let him hurt you. I'm not gonna let him hurt Sammy. I won't let him hurt you two." He seemed to be unable to say anything else.

Castiel pushed the door open further and walked inside, sitting on the edge of Dean's bed and holding him. The elder Winchester had been there for him so many times, now it was his turn. As Dean's hands fisted in his coat, he stroked his hair and stroked his back. "Dean, I'm here, I'm okay. Calm down."

He could hear Dean's heart hammering wildly and he searched for ways to calm him. His mind focused on a particular memory and soaked it in. Softly he began to sing. "Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better."

Dean had begun breathing, but it was calmer.

"Remember, to let her into your heart. Then you can start to make it better."

Dean's mind was whirling. How does Cas even know this song?

"Hey Jude, don't be afraid, you were made to go out and get her. The minute, you let her under your skin, then you can start to make it better." Castiel looked down at Dean as he sang. "And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain. Don't carry the world upon your shoulders."

Dean had quietly begun singing along, feeling like it was the cliché scene in a movie where two people fell in love but he needed to hear his mother's lullaby again. "For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool by making his world a little colder."

As they sang, their eyes locked and stayed that way. It was almost like the first time they met. They held each other's gaze as they sang, growing softer and softer. "Na na na na na na na na na, hey Jude....."

Subconsciously they began to lean in, their eyes closing, their lips a centimeter apart. Suddenly Castiel remembered at the same time Dean did and they both jumped back, a little nervous of each other.

Dean was disappointed, but he knew this was for the best for both of them. "Thanks, Cas."

"If you need me at any time, I'll be here." Castiel shared a long lingering glance at Dean before walking out. He shut the door and leaned on his back against it, sliding down until he was sitting against the door. Dean walked over and touched the knob gently, feeling Castiel before he leaned on his back against the door and sank until he was sitting in the floor. He rested the back of his head on the door, closing his eyes.

Neither of them knew what it was, but in that moment, it was just the two of them in the world. Just them and the music. They had both felt strong feelings rising in their hearts that had been restrained for a long time.

When they had sang together, their eyes looking into the others, they both knew what was happening- they were falling in love again.