No One Cares That You're Broken

Fallen

Sam and Dean ran to Cas who was smiting demons left and right. When he saw them, he was more relieved than he had ever been before.

Dean and Sam helped in killing the demons, and pretty soon there were none left to fight.

"We have to go now," Dean screamed. "Before Crowley finds us!"

The three ran to the nearest exit, Cas out first, then Dean. As soon as Sam tried to run out, he was thrown back. There were no demons doing this. It was like there was a force field at the exit and he couldn't leave.

Castiel's face of relief soon turned to anger and sadness. He walked back into the building and closed the door along with a confused Dean. 

"You signed a contract, didn't you Sam?" the angel questioned tiredly. 

"He sure did!" said a voice from behind. 

They all turned around to see Crowley.

"Hello boys," he said.

"Why can't I leave Crowley?!" Sam yelled.

"You don't break a contract with the King of Hell Sam! It's not my fault you didn't read the fine print."

Dean was angry now.

"What the hell did that contract say?"

"To summarize, it said something along the lines of if I turned you back into a full human, then Sam would be Lucifer's vessel for the Apocalypse."

Dean stopped where he stood in shock silence. 

"Sam, you didn't, please tell me you didn't," begged Castiel. 

"Oh but he did! And Dean, we didn't need you before, but the more the merrier! All you gotta do is say yes!" said Crowley triumphantly. 

"No! You said he'd have nothing to do with the Apocalypse! You showed me his future!" Sam yelled.

"That was one of many alternatives. Time is a tricky thing Sam; it can change in an instant. Cas here knows all about that, don't you Cas? You traveled with the Doctor once, right? Heard about your friend, Donna... What a shame."

Cas looked as if he was about to punch Crowley in the face. Dean held him back. 

"Dean, leave now," whispered Sam. 

"No chance in hell Sammy."

Dean brought out his gun from his jacket pocket, Cas his angel sword, and seeing this, Sam his knife. 

"I see," said Crowley. "If it's a fight you want, a fight is what you're going to get."

He snapped his fingers and in an instant the room was surrounded by demons.

-------------------------------

It all happened in slow motion. 

He was all the way across the room; there was no way for Dean to prevent it. 

Why did he have to try to kill Crowley? 

It was dumb.

It was reckless.

It was brave...

Dean saw the whole thing happen; he looked over right when it did.

Cas tried to come at Crowley from behind, but he saw it coming. Dean saw Crowley's smug grin from across the room. Dean shouted to Cas, begging him to stop, crying out, but it was too late.

Crowley stabbed him with his own angel blade, snapped his fingers, and was gone. 

Dean ran across the room, shoving all the demons out of his way, screaming the whole time.

He finally got to Cas and held up his head with his hands, bringing him into his lap.

"Dean," he said with a small smile. 

"Cas, please don't die. Please don't- everything is going to be okay. We're gonna get you out of here and we're gonna get some help, okay? Everything is going to be fine," Dean said between sobs.

"It's okay, Dean. It doesn't hurt anymore. Please don't cry, Dean."

"I can't lose you too" Dean's voice cracked. 

"I'm right here," said Cas stroking Dean's face with his hand.

Dean looked into his eyes and kissed him. 

Cas grinned.

"I thought you had a rule about personal space, Dean."

Dean chuckled through the tears.

"Dean?"

"Yeah Cas?"

"I'm dying, aren't I?"

He paused for a moment. 

"Yeah Cas, you are."

"Oh-" he coughed.

"I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about baby," Dean croaked.

"So you've forgiven me?" Cas asked like a child, so innocent.

"For what?"

"All the times I let you down?"

Dean searched Cas' eyes which were slowly fading. 

"Shh, no you never let me down, angel, never, okay?"

"I- I love you," Cas said between ragged breaths.

The breaths were slowing down.

There weren't any more demons in the room. Sam was running to Dean to get him out before more demons would come, but Dean didn't notice.

"I love you too Castiel."

Silence.

"Cas?" Dean's voice shook.

His piercing blue eyes were sealed forever. 

"Cas please! I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU! You just fixed me, don't break me again!"

"I NEED YOU!"

There were arms from behind that grabbed Dean and carried him away, all the while Dean crying out.

But it was too late.

Cas was gone and he never heard Dean say the words he wanted to hear most:

"I love you."