Fallen Angel - SPN

[v a n i l l a]

This takes place between seasons 8 and 9, approximately. I'll try to update as often as I can I do kinda ship Dean & Cas, but I won't go too far with that unless you want me to lol. Lemme know what you guys think; comments/critiques are always welcome!

"I-I don't understand." A perplexed form hovered over the motel table, his head tilted to the side as he tried to decipher the situation. "Why the newborn babies? I mean, surely they'd be nice and ripe, but the larger ones, the older ones; they would obviously have more meat on their bones. Wouldn't that be more enticing for the monster?"

Dean cleared his throat to signal him to stop talking. "It, uh, doesn't matter why they're are eating newborns, Cas. All that matters is that we find it and gank it before it eats any more of 'em." This did not seem to clear things up for the confused, former angel. Or, current angel? Fallen angel? It was hard to tell what he was anymore. Last time he walked the earth, he called himself God, though without his glory and angel mojo, there really wasn't an accurate name for what he'd become. But that was beside the point.

"So, two different houses, just three miles from each other. Guessing it's the same creature. No past history of this happening in the towns, so we have nothing to go off of as to where he'll attack next." Sam continued to rally off the run-down of a situation to Dean and their newly self-appointed 'hunter', Cas.

"So, what're we lookin' at here? I mean, there's a lot of things that'd love to eat a human baby."

Sam ran his hand through his overgrown locks as his mind churned possibilities through his mind, trying to narrow them down to a narrower scope. "Yeah, I uh, I guess we hit the houses, see if we can find any EMF, sulfur, anything else out of the ordinary."

"I wish to ride shotgun this time," Cas attempted, his deep voice revealing slight hesitation, fidgeting absently at the hem of his beige trench coat. He immediately got shot down, pun intended, as Sam slipped past him and into the passenger seat of the Impala.

--

"I'm sorry, I'm really not in the mood to talk right now." A young woman stared desperately at Dean, her forehead creased with worry and stress. Her hands were rigid and her shoulders tense, which wasn't particularly surprising, considering her child had just gone missing.

"I'm Agent Rodgers, these are Agent Miller and Agent Morris," Dean explained, improvising the aliases with ease. The two Winchesters automatically flipped open their false FBI badges, though it took a moment for Cas to catch on and follow suit.

"U-Uhm, yes. I also partake in their investigating endeavors," Cas supplied, giving a very slight grin as if he had actually helped improve the situation somehow. Dean sighed, trying to remind himself that this was simply the way Cas seemed to be programmed to act. Not that it really changed anything, it just made him want to snap at him a bit less.

"Sorry about him. He's not.. feeling well." Dean spoke with a slight severity to his tone that warned Cas not to object.

"Yes. As he said. I am, uhm, unwell." It wasn't a lie; he'd been feeling lousy ever since he'd been dragged out of Purgatory and stripped of his glory, though the only reason he was saying this was because he was following Dean's lead.

"I already told the other detectives everything I know. Couldn't you just get the report from them?"

"Sorry, ma'am. Different departments, we like to do our own investigating if you don't mind." Dean slipped through the door without another word, keeping an eye on the mother as he subtly surveyed the house.

Cas felt his attention fade in and out of the conversation, which seemed to be a blur of repetitive claims that mirrored the responses of the mother from the first victim, except that this mother seemed more edgy and irritable than the first. He already wasn't at his best, which was tedious enough without this woman making everything take longer. He sighed, figuring it would make things much easier to cut to the chase.

"We gather that your child had been eaten and there is a distinct possibility that you are the culprit. Tell me, do you have cravings for human flesh? Perhaps the younger specimen? But why your own child... It just doesn't make sense to go through the tribulations of pregnancy and childbirth, only to--"

"Okaaay, Agent, uhm, Morris; that's enough," Dean intervened with a stiff, false laugh as he eased Cas backwards. "Agent Miller, why don't you take Agent Morris outside for some fresh air. Sam nodded swiftly, but the mother reacted before he could do anything.

"Are you seriously accusing me of eating my child?! You aren't FBI, so who are you?!" Anxiety radiated from her words, creating vast tension in the room.

"Look, I'm sorry. Like I said, Agent Morris isn't feeling well; he doesn't know what he's saying right now. We're just sorta looking after him right now, getting him back into the swing of things. Let's just get him outside, and we can talk things through, okay?" The fake laughter and chuckling continued in a pointless attempt to calm down the aggravated woman.

"I don't know who the hell you guys are; all I know is that you aren't FBI agents. And you actually think I'm going to let you sit here in my house and keep talking to me?"

"Innocent lives are at stake here, lady," Sam countered, flashing his usual puppy dog eyes in an attempt to gain her trust. "Please, this is going to keep happening if we don't stop it. And we need you to tell us everything that happened that night, okay?!"

Cas didn't stick around for the rest of that conversation. He would have flashed out, but he didn't exactly have any angel mojo anymore, so he was reduced to mundane methods of transportation. He slipped through the door and waited by the Impala, where he was soon greeted by an angry pair of Winchesters.

"Cas, what's going on. Are you okay? I mean, you always seem a little out of it, but you're just... You're losing it, man."

"I am not 'losing it', Dean. Perhaps my instinct sent me on a slightly misguided path, but--"

"Slightly misguided?! You just accused a random, grief-stricken mother of eating her baby! You think that has any ending other than bad?"

Cas felt himself fading out of the conversation again, as if a velvet curtain was being drawn between him and the Winchesters. Suddenly, a slight irritation triggered within him that he didn't recognize. He pinched his fingers over nose to stifle the sneezes almost silently. "Hmxngh. Pngxsh. Kngxtsh."

Dean stared at Cas as if he were some sort of mutant creature. Or, at least, how a normal person would look at a mutant creature. "What're you doing? Stop making that sound," Dean sputtered purely out of confusion. If it was anyone but Castiel, he would have gathered that they were sneezing, but he didn't think angels were even able to sneeze, so this didn't even seem like a possibility. Cas's gaze trailed downwards in an attempt to avoid catching Dean's eye. "Look, just... Take things slowly 'til you get used to this huntin' thing."

With that, he entered the car and started the ignition, the engine roaring to life with a guttural moan. Sam took his usual spot in the passengers seat, leaving a sniffling Cas alone in the back seat.

Edited September 20, 2014 by v a n ι l l a

[Bobsuperawesome]

Awwwww, cassssss, I lobe youhhhh!

[Masked.Maiden]

I love this story!

[queercastiel]

Okay so just saw this and i fangirled so hard. i'm a hardcore fan of supernatural and my first reaction to this fic was 'SQEEEEEE!!!!!'

[v a n i l l a]

"Here we go; an Aswang," Sam announced, his first words since he began researching about an hour ago.

Dean immediately broke into laughter, doubling over as a result. "I'm sorry, what?! An ass-wang?"

Sam's face hardened with agitation, clearly not amused by Dean's immature comment. "An Aswang, a creature from Phillipino Folklore that's capable of transforming into a black dog or boar."

"So, what? Why are these things eatin' babies?" Dean countered in perplexion.

"Says here that they like to dine on the dead, particularly newborn babies or unborn fetuses."

"Yeesh. Yeah, that sounds like our critter. So, Peter Parker, it say how to gank it?"

"Yep. We burn it."

"Awesome," Dean replied, his teeth sinking into a juicy bacon cheeseburger with a moan of delight.

Cas had been perched in a chair nearby, listening to the conversation without entirely processing it. Normally, he'd be scolding Dean, insisting that an Aswang was no laughing matter, but he just didn't feel up to it at the moment. He couldn't put his finger on exactly what it was, but something didn't seem right. "I still feel that the mother might be tied to this... She just seemed so unwilling to explain the occurrences of that night."

Dean gave him a look that illustrated his waning patience. "Cas, hardly anyone we talk to actually wants to tell us what happened, even if they don't think anything weird was going on."

Cas's expression tightened, discouraged from speaking his mind due to constantly being contradicted and refuted. With reluctance, he decided to consider the idea of the Aswang, figuring a black dog or boar would be fairly easy to spot. "I see what I can find," he announced, his form flickering. He saw Dean leap to his feet as he departed from the room, hearing an anxious warning come from Dean, though he couldn't depict the words that came from him. Cas immediately resented his attempt. His head felt like it's been tossed into a spin cycle, his forehead throbbing with pain. He caught a glimpse of the town around him, though it appeared as if he were looking through translucent glass. Sizes and shapes were difficult to distinguish, and a blurry haze enveloped everything.

He tumbled back into the motel room, returning to the chair he'd been sitting in. He clutched his forehead, which was searing with pain similar to that of Harry Potter's scar. Immediately, he felt Dean's hand on his shoulder. A squall of concerned questions permeated into Cas's ears, but he was too dazed to make out what he was being asked, let alone how to answer. He doubled over, coughing harshly into his elbow, the muscles in his shoulders tensing beneath Dean's fingers. When the fit subsided, he looked upward at a pair of uneasy Winchesters. "Cas, what's going on?! Why aren't your powers working?"

Cas sighed, figuring it would be easier to just be honest. "It would seem that Metatron did not simply cut us off from Heaven itself, but from our powers as well. I just... I don't feel like myself anymore."

"Alright, save the existential crisis for another time. I just wanna figure if you're okay."

"I'm... I'm fine, Dean." Cas did his best to sound convincing, but he didn't do too well.

"Dean is right, Cas. We need to make sure you're alright. I mean, we don't know the side effects this could have on you." Cas felt his headache worsen by trying to find a way to refute that point.

"I may be confined to Earth, but I am still a celestial being. I am fine."

Dean knew Cas didn't mean to come off as arrogant, but his reply still annoyed him. "Whatever. Let's get some sleep and worry about this in the morning."

"I do not need to sleep." Cas might as well have a recording of him saying that, considering how often he said it. However, with him limited to human abilities, it was unlikely he would last without sleep for much longer.

"Yeah, well, I need my four hours, so you're gonna have to find some way to keep busy and keep quiet until then," Dean snapped, obviously in need of a bit of sleep.

"I will watch over you," Cas offered tentatively, his expression neutral as always. To be entirely honest, he wasn't sure if he could make it another hour without sleep, let alone an entire night, but old habits die hard.

"Cas, I've already told you; that's just creepy, man." Cas shrugged, clearly not phased by Dean's objection. With a sigh, the Winchesters flopped into bed, dozing off fairly quickly. Cas stood beside the snoozing Dean, watching the gentle way his chest rose and fell with each breath. It amused Cas to see him in such a vulnerable state, though he knew Dean only appeared this way in his sleep.

A sudden irritation rose in his sinuses, which was a fairly foreign feeling for Cas. He clamped his fingers over his nose, desperately trying to quell the itch before it manifested into a sneeze. He would feel humiliated and guilty if he were to wake Dean up like this after the boy had only gotten about an hour to sleep. Also, he didn't want to admit to feeling unwell, as he figured it was irrelevant, though Dean would infer the truth quite easily if Cas couldn't control the persistent tickle. He didn't mind as much if he woke Sam. He'd claimed before that it was simply that he shared a closer bond with Dean, but that wasn't the entire truth. Cas just didn't feel comfortable admitting the truth to himself, let alone anybody else. The tickle finally caught up to him, rendering him unable to hold it back any longer. "Hngxst. KNXgsch. Hup'kixshoo! KNXissho!" He slipped into the restroom, hoping silently that he hadn't woken Dean. He clamped a tissue around his pink nose, blowing as quietly as he could manage in an attempt to clear his sinuses and perhaps decrease the temporarily dormant itch. He curled up on the couch, his body sinking into the cheap, lumpy material. The sniffly angel slowly drifted off, something he had only truly done one other time in his entire existence.

[SterlingSilver]

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA~~~ HOW DID I MISS THIS THE FIRST TIME?!

Where have I been? Good gravy.

I am ALL OVER THIS. This is amazing. Like, really. You're characterization is dead-on, the dialogue just rolls across the page like silk-

I adore, adore, adore the slightly pissy tone Dean takes with Castiel even though Castiel isn't feeling well x33

I LOVE that Castiel is trying to conceal his illness~

The part when Castiel stifled sneezes and Dean didn't know what the hell he was doing was PURE. GOLD.

I don't know if you're continuing this, but I sure hope you do <33

[Pyrus_Fangmon]

OMG

How did I just NOW find this!?!?!?

Cas! My feathery baby!

[beatlelover22]

oH MY GOSH THIS IS BEYOND CUTE OKAY AUUUUGH

[spirkestielgirl87]

Ooh! I have to agree with everyone above- this is a hidden treasure! I was in the mood for some sick Castiel after the season 10 premiere and this was perfect! Thank you!

[v a n i l l a]

Thanks you guys! :3 I'm so glad you like it! Honestly, it helps a lot to hear that other people like this story I'll try to update more frequently!

Being the heavy sleeper that he was, Dean hadn't stirred during Castiel's coughing and sneezing fits the night before. However, this didn't mean Cas was in the clear. In fact, quite the contrary. He'd only seen Cas fall asleep maybe one other time, and it was just way too outside the realm of normal for Dean to simply ignore, and it didn't help Dean's impulsive tendencies to protect others that he had spent an entire lifetime acting as Sam's surrogate parent. He knew something was up.

He absently acknowledged Sam attempting to tell him something, but the only word he actually processed was 'food'. Assuming this meant that his brother would be picking some food up, he gave a slight nod and reminded Sam a bit too loudly not to forget the pie. Dean received an eye roll and a slammed door as a reply, so he inferred that Sam had left.

Though he'd been trying to listen to what his brother had been saying, he couldn't stop staring at the curled up angel that lay flopped on the couch. Saying that he was unwell to the vic's mother had simply been an excuse for why Cas was the way he was and said the things he said, but now, Dean wasn't convinced that he'd been wrong. Between Catiels's little episode after trying to teleport and him actually being asleep... It just didn't add up. Illness hadn't quite sprung into Dean's mind as the explanation, as he didn't even know if it was possible for an angel to get sick. Then again, he wasn't really an angel anymore...

--

A drowsy moan escaped Cas's lips as he slurred into consciousness, blinking groggily as the world gradually came into focus around him, revealing a concerned Dean lingering above him. Confusion saturated his thoughts, which prevented him from being able to process anything that was occurring around him.

“Something you care to share with the class?” Dean prompted,, his husky voice attempting to mask his concern with sarcasm. The former angel sat up, his movements prolonged by drowsiness.

“The class? I… do not know what you mean,” Castiel mumbled, clearly quite out of sorts. Dean responded with a dejected sigh, trying to remind himself that was simply the way Cas was, though it was getting difficult to continue doing so.

“Just… Is there anything you would like to tell me? Like why you suddenly need to sleep? Or why you almost passed out after trying to friggen teleport?” he demanded imperiously. A pair of periwinkle orbs dropped sheepishly towards the ground as an uneasy feeling overtook Cas.

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about me, I’m fine,” he insisted, attempting to scramble to his feet. A blinding surge of dizziness swarmed to Castiel’s head, causing the room to spin around him. “Now, about the newborn babies. I still think--”

Dean immediately secured his hand around Castiel’s shoulder, holding him steady so that he didn’t tip over. “I don’t care about the damn baby killer right now, Cas. I just want to make sure you’re okay.” Castiel felt his sinuses burn with a sudden irritation, leaving an absent expression on his face. Panic rose in Dean’s throat, uncertainty spiraling around in his mind. “Cas? Cas, what’s goin’ on?!” he barked, his grip on the fallen angel’s shoulder tightening a bit.

Castiel crumpled inwards, muffling a stifled bout of sneezes into his elbow, trembling with each release, the muscles in his shoulder tensing beneath Dean’s grasp. “Hn’gcxsh, Kgxsh. Ihgxsh! Mgxsh!”

“Are… Are you sneezing?! Can angels even sneeze!? Damnit, Cas, what’s goin’ on?” Dean’s voice rose with aggravation as he eased Cas back onto the couch, not exactly giving him any other options but to comply.

“W-When Metatron cast the angels out of heaven… He needed one final ingredient in order to finish the spell. He… He needed my grace.” The former angel tried desperately to avoid eye contact as he sniffled wetly, his head feeling like it was bursting with holy oil. Or, at least, how that might have felt when he was still an angel.

A startled Winchester stood before Castiel, having absolutely no idea how he was to react. “Your grace? He took your grace? So.. so what does that mean… You’re human now?”

Cas shrugged helplessly as held his hands to his head, trying to keep his mind from spinning. “I am not sure about anything at this point,” he admitted, feeling completely and utterly helpless.

“Alright, c’mon. We’ll take you to the bunker, we’ll get you all patched up or whatever the hell we need to do to you, and we’ll figure out what to do from there.”

“Dean, we have a case here. I’m fine, I don’t need you to--”

“No, Cas, you are not fine. You are nowhere near fine. You’re a human now. And now you’re gonna have to worry about all that crap that you never had to worry about before, like having to walk places, and eating, and sleeping, and getting sick--”

“I am not getting sick,” Cas snapped, clipping off the end of Dean’s sentence pugnaciously, clearly misinterpreting Dean’s sentence.

“I didn’t say you were,” Dean countered, though he was not even remotely convinced by Cas’s argument. In fact, he hadn’t even considered it as an option until witnessing Castiel’s overly defensive denial. “I just meant that these are things that you’re gonna have to deal with now. Y'ain't got your wings or your angel mojo, so you needa start looking after yourself for once." Though his words were meant to come off as concerned and gentle, they still held his usual harsh tone and air of sarcasm.

“I will be fine, Dean. Just because I am now a human does not mean that you need to be troubled.” Cas stared back at Dean with a naive innocence that melted part of the remnants of Dean’s tarnished heart. As if intentionally trying to prove him wrong, he doubled over with a harsh fit of coughing that tore relentlessly at his throat.

“Yeah, sure. You sound just peachy. Soon as Sam comes back, I’ll tell him that you and I are goin’ to the bunker. He can handle this Ass-wang on his own.”

The moment the words left Dean’s lips, the front door came flying open, revealing a clearly flustered Winchester with his long hair swept around in every direction and his eyes wide with alarm. “Guys,” he sputtered breathlessly. “We have a problem.”

Dean shook his head, his gaze fixed on his few possessions, which were currently a half eaten cheeseburger, a bottle of beer, and a couple quarters he had laying around to use for the magic finger machine that he'd become addicted to. “Sorry, Sammy. Cas and I've gotta--”

Sam shook his head, immediately cutting him off. “No, Dean, you don't understand. We have a real, live, loud, and uhm.. slightly sticky problem.” Dean looked up in bewilderment, which only grew stronger as he finally glanced over at his brother, who was carrying a bundle of slightly soggy blankets with a small, presumably newborn human head poking out, emitting soft whimpers as it gazed around the motel room.

(I feel the need to establish that it's alive, not some dead zombie child, lol.)

Edited October 13, 2014 by v a n ι l l a

[Pyrus_Fangmon]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh. This is gonna be GOOD. :bounce:

[SterlingSilver]

Oh man, oh man~ I'm loving this slow burn we've got going with Cas getting sick, and Dean very slowly suspecting it, but there's still not a lot of attention on him yet because of all the other goings on >w<~

As much as I love me some snuggly sick Cas, grumpy in-denial Cas is SO DELICIOUS UGHHHH <33 SO MUCH OF MY LOVE~

And then, as if things weren't going good enough, now we got a BABY on the scene >w<

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~~~ I cannot WAIT for the next part <33

[spirkestielgirl87]

Nice update. Can't wait to see what they do with the baby! They should probably keep it away from Cas so it doesn't get sick

[v a n i l l a]

(I would thank everyone individually but I'd end up sounding like a broken record. But seriously guys, all the support and sweet feedback is why I keep writing. Not trying to sound sappy, even tho I know I probably do. I always get anxious when I write stories, especially fanfics, because I have to worry about getting beloved characters on point as well as developing the story and blah... But you guys make it less terrifying, so thanks. <3)

(By the way, I just watched season nine, as it barley got put onto Netflix, so the whole

Izikeal/Gadreel

concept isn't in the fic. Sorry. But in general I wanted this fic to be based more around Cas & Dean. (And even though

Kevin Tran died because of Sam's angel possession, I'm just gonna go with him being dead but not go into detail on how, along with the conflict between Dean & Sam)

Dean narrowed his eyes at the gargling ball of fluid that was lying in his arms, still spurting out vexatious cries as the frustrated Winchester continued to bounce the child up and down, reminding him vastly of Bobby John, the other newborn child they'd rescued. "Does this thing have a mute button?" he complained, his voice portraying more irritation than he actually felt. The lump of human continued to dribble like a leaky faucet, from every possible exit he possessed, though primarily through his eyes.

"...No. Please stop that. ...Please?" Castiel attempted to reason with the baby in a distressed, monotone voice.

"Sorry, Cas, but I don't think asking him nicely is gonna solve anything." As an abashed Cas sat on the edge of the bed, trying to figure out how he was supposed to reason with the infant in order to get him to listen if asking nicely wasn't going to work, Dean stuffed a bottle full of lukewarm milk into the baby's mouth, singing softly under his breath to calm him down.

"Alright, Sammy, what gives. You go raid an orphanage or something?"

After an unnecessary sarcastic scoff of disbelief, Sam briefly relayed the incidence to Dean. Though Dean found it extremely bizarre that Sam had pilfered an infant, he couldn't keep his attention on his brother for more than a few moments before it became diverted back to Castiel, who was now sniffling wetly and periodically releasing soft bouts of coughs, though Sam didn't seem to even notice.

The appearance of the child was making matters more complex in Dean's mind than they already were. He'd figured that he could leave Sam in charge of a simple hunt, but he couldn't leave him with a hunt and a baby. Normally, he'd have no problem stepping in and helping out, but he had Cas to worry about, even though he didn't exactly know what he needed to worry about yet in regards to the fallen angel. He just knew that something was wrong, and he needed to fix it before it got worse.

"So, Sammy, you tested Kevin Junior?"

Sam scoffed sarcastically. "Really? Kevin Junior?" A defensive tone edged his words, and it seemed like he had more he wanted to say, but he held his tongue for Cas's sake. "Yeah, I tested him."

"And?!" Dean demanded impatiently.

"He's human."

"Alright, so what do we do with him?"

"I, uh, have some ideas."

"Uhm, okay? Care to share with the class?!"

Cas's eyebrows knit together. "I still do not know what class you are referring tuh.. huh.. Hngxst! MGXSHeiw! Huh'EXCHiew!"

Uncertainty tied a thick knot in Dean's stomach. "Bless yeh', Cas," he offered sympathetically, to which Cas raised an eyebrow in confusion, his head tilting sideways.

"Only angels or God can bless someone..." Dean was about to explain himself, but he wasn't in the mood to spend half an hour explaining this.

"Uh, right. Sorry bout that, Cas." He was growing more and more anxious, trying not to let himself get too worried that Cas would get sick.

His thoughts became interrupted as the baby coughed harshly and openly, creating a prickle of annoyance down Dean's back. "That's like the twentieth time he's done that. How do I make it stop?!" The logical side of Dean knew this was a stupid question, but the rest of him didn't care.

Sam rolled his eyes once more. "Uh, you can't..? It's a baby, Dean, not a video game or something." Dean was about to comment on Sam's bizarre analogy, but he let it slide, mainly because he already had too much on his mind. "Besides, why is it bothering you, anyways?"

That was a good question. Why was it bothering him..? Except, he knew why. He just didn't want to say it. With Cas being a newly made human, his immune system was probably just as bad as the baby's, since neither of them had been alive as a human long enough to have gotten sick before. So there was no telling what would happen if he kept coughing and hacking like a old smoker.

"Uhm, Sammy, can I talk to you outside for a minute?" Dean requested edgily, causing Cas to look up with his eyes wide and head tilted in its usual sideways position, causing him to resemble a confused puppy, as he wondered if he had done something wrong.

--

"Look, Sammy… Cass and I have gotta go. I dunno why, but something just doesn't feel right about keeping him around that baby and around the case… I just think he'd be better off back at the bunker." Dean attempted to meet his brother's gaze, but it wasn't an easy task, as Sam was sporting his typical exasperated expression that he always wore when he was upset.

"Cass? Cass is fine, Dean. It's you I'm not too sure about."

Dean looked taken aback. "Uhm, okay? May I ask why?" His voice was brusque, even more than usual.

"This is about the baby. You're scared to be responsible for it, because it reminds you of Ben and Lisa--"

The shaggy haired Winchester got shoved into the wall by his elder brother, who looked almost as lethal as the Colt at that moment. "I told you to never mention those names to me again. I know you're pissed at me, Sammy, and you have a right to be. But if you mention them ever again, I swear, I will knock all of your little teeth out, you understand?!"

Sam didn't even appear remotely startled; just annoyed and disappointed. "But lemme guess; it's not just that. This is your way of running off again. The stuff I said the other day... I've told you a million times, I was just being honest. And besides, you said you weren't bothered by it. So, sorry, but I'm not gonna let you go on some little pity party and drag Cass along with you. You said you wanted us to hunt together again? Fine. But you're not gonna guilt me into feeling sorry for you, okay?"

Dean felt his heart sink to his feet, but managed to keep the pain from reflecting in his eyes as he masked his dismay with a thick shield of sarcasm. "Hate to break it t'you, Sammy, but I'm not some sensitive little kid. Doesn't matter how many times you say all this crap to me; I'm not gonna pout like a little bitch. If you don't give a damn if something's up with Cass, then fine. But I do, okay? Because Cass's grace is gone. He's human now. And knowing our luck, this is gonna end up biting us in the ass." With that, Dean stormed back inside, where he found a very anxious Cas holding a small pile of human within a large pile of blankets, clearly having no idea what he was supposed to do.

Edited October 16, 2014 by v a n ι l l a

[Pyrus_Fangmon]

Oh damn...Dean. I love the intensiveness is this story! Marvelous job. *claps*

And Cas, the poor dear. I wanna snuggle both him and the babeh. Awwwwwwwwww :heart:

[SterlingSilver]

*weeps gratefully* Uwaaaa~~ so many adorable Cas feels with the babyyyyy~ <33

I'm really curious to see what's going to happen over the course of the next few updates - the progression of the illness is always one of the best parts ;D

And I'm glad we can make you feel better! You're an awesome writer, and I'm really enjoying your story <3!

[v a n i l l a]

“Uhm, Dean..?” he began in his usual gruff, monotone voice. “It continues to make sounds, though I do not know why, nor do I know how to compel him to stop." Congestion crept into Cas's voice, which Dean was beginning to detect. Dean winced upon hearing him snap sideways with a sharp bout of closed mouth coughing, creating a knot of uncertainty within the Winchester.

"Uh, Cas... Don't worry about the kid, okay? I'll take care of it. Just, uh, take it easy, alright?" Perplexion lined Castiel's gaze as he tentatively held the heap of blankets closer to him, unsure of why Dean didn't seem to trust him around the baby. However, when Dean gave him an impatient glare, Cas complied, too out of sorts to protest further.

He felt as if his head was stuffed full of cotton, preventing him from completing one coherent thought. Despite his obvious discomfort, he had no desire to complain; the three of them had much bigger problems than whatever seemed to be ailing him at the moment. Despite his attempts to appear perfectly content, Dean could see straight through him and his healthy facade.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” Sam snapped, not waiting for a reply before he stormed out of the motel.

“I sense tension between you two… Is everything is okay?” Cas seemed hesitant to bring this up and reflected this through his inability to meet Dean’s gaze.

“Me? I’m fine. You, though… How are you doi--”

Cas cut him off brusquely, his voice sharper than usual. “No. Stop asking me that. I know you, Dean, and I know that there is something bothering you.” Cas wasn’t exactly skilled in the art of consoling others, but he was trying his best. His slightly vacant cerulean eyes stared into Dean’s helplessly, not knowing what else to do or say.

Dean sighed submissively, not quite sure how to respond. “Don’t worry about it, Cas. He just doesn’t trust me anymore. But I’m a big boy; I’ll be fine. Now, I mean it, are you feeling alright? Be honest, ‘cause if you’re getting sick… ”

“I’ll be fine,” he insisted, his hoarse voice attempting to remain from cracking as he succumbed to a fit of closed mouth coughing that caused his body to tremble.

“Yep, Cas, you sound terrific,” he muttered sarcastically.

With reluctance, Cas caved a bit. “I may not be feeling my best right now, but I will be fine. I’m just a bit… worn out, that’s all.” That was a vast understatement. Whether it was his weak human immune system or withdrawal from his angelic grace, he was nowhere near ‘fine’. His forehead and palms were clammy with sweat, his skin as pale as a sheet, and each inhale he attempted turned into a strained wheeze.

“Cas, I don’t care what kind of crap argument you come up with; I’m taking you to the bunker, and that’s final. Capiche?” Cas attempted to object, but he fell captive to another thick fit of coughing, continuing to keep his mouth closed in an attempt to muffle the sound, but this tore at his already scalded throat like sandpaper. “Damnit Cas; stop coughing like that and open your friggin’ mouth like a normal person before you pass out or something.”

It seemed impossible for Dean to show concern without it being piggybacked by sarcasm, which was simply one of Dean’s typical defense mechanisms. The sharp-tongued Winchester set the baby in the middle of the bed where he figured it couldn’t roll off within the five minutes it would take Sam to get back to the motel room as he wrapped an arm around his impotent fallen angel, who had begun taking advantage of Dean’s support by leaning his congested head onto Dean’s sturdy shoulder.

He lumbered into the passenger’s seat of the car, his head immediately hitting the window once the engine turned over and roared to life, humming in unison with the weak snore that emanated from Castiel.

It proved to be very difficult for Dean to focus on the road with Cas curled up like a forlorn puppy beside him, provoking reactions that Dean refused to consider real. Anemic coughs and sneezes that managed to be heard above the engine’s purr caused Dean’s heart to skip a beat perpetually, worry gnawing at him like a canine on a rawhide bone.

(I can go either way from here. I could keep them at the bunker and make it all fluffy, or I could have them end up returning and trying to finish the case. Right now, I'm thinking of implementing both concepts, but lemme know what you guys prefer!)

Edited October 17, 2014 by v a n ι l l a

[Pyrus_Fangmon]

Omg! Nooooo Cas!

My baby is sicky....

I love it!

[SterlingSilver]

Dwaaaaaaa~~~ so many cute "Dean is worried about Cas" moments >w<~ Fantastic!

And I would say do what you think fits best <3 We'll all probably love it either way haha~

[spirkestielgirl87]

I am loving this! I kinda like the idea of having some fluff back at the bunker, but then bringing it back to the case after a while if Sam needs their help. I will keep reading no matter which way you go with it, though. I love your style!

[v a n i l l a]

You guys are the best :3 ilysm!!! Hope you enjoy this update!

---

Cas didn't remember ever exiting the car and hardly even recalled agreeing to go to the bunker with Dean in the first place. But here he was, entombed in a torrent of blankets with Dean hovering above him like a mother hen.

"I, uh, seem to recall you saying that watching people sleep is 'creepy'." He wasn't being snide or rude. Or at least, he wasn't trying to be.

But, of course, Dean's pride prevented him from providing a mature response. So instead, he reverted to his usual sarcasm. "Doesn't count when ya' nearly passed out on me. Speaking of which, how're ya' feelin'? D'you need anything? Meds? Food? Porn?"

"How would porn alleviate my symptoms..." he mused to himself, trying to calculate the sentence as if it actually had some sort of substance within it. Dean's joke was clearly lost on Castiel. What else was new... "No, I don't need anythih.. hih.. thing.. I'm f-fine," he choked out, clearly attempting to ward of an impending sneeze. Dean snickered softly to himself as Cas's nose scrunched up and down like a rabbit.

"Damnit, Cas. Just sneeze already before I stuff your nose full of pepper and force it out," he growled, concern underlying his harsh tone.

Cas obeyed, crumpling inward with a forceful fit. "HNGxhiew! Huh'KSChu! Eh'KNGiew! SXHiew!" He punctuated the fit with a wet sniffle before shivering weakly into the mound of blankets, looking absolutely helpless. His nose was blocked up more than traffic during rush hour, forcing him to breath through his mouth, which lead to hoarse wheezes that made Dean wince with sympathy. "Why did you mention pepper? I don--"

"Yeah, yeah, I know; you don't understand," Dean interrupted, his tone a bit harsher than intended. Upon seeing Cas's crestfallen reaction, he added, "When you feel less crappy I'll explain all about our weird human ways, alright? Just get some rest right now and don't worry about stupid shit like this." For whatever reason, Cas perked up a bit. Most likely, it was because Dean was being kinder, which was a difficult concept for Dean to even wrap his head around, let alone actually do so.

Dean handed Cas a couple tissues from a box he'd placed on the bedside table. When Cas gave him a helplessly clueless expression, Dean proceeded to explain the purpose of a tissue.

"Basically... It's just a square of softish paper that you blow your snot into so you don't keep it all in your head and drown in it," he explained. When Cas seemed to take his words a bit too seriously, he added, "I was joking. You can't actually drown in snot." He felt it becoming a bit tiresome to keep explaining everything to Cas, from common knowledge concepts to basic sarcasm. But, for whatever reason, it didn't bother him. Well, he knew the reason, but it wasn't anything he'd ever actually admit to himself or anyone else.

Cas found the concept of the tissue very peculiar, but he went along with it anyways and blew his nose softly into the slightly coarse material, trying to be as discreet as possible.

Not wanting Cas to have to move around too much, Dean tossed the tissue in the nearby trash can to save Cas the effort before pouring thirty milligrams of Nyquil into a cap.

"Here; it's a delicious drink that makes you feel better and, uh, tastes good." Cas's eyes shown with gratitude as he accepted the small portion of liquid, but this joy was short lived as he quickly discovered he'd been tricked.

"That tasted vile," he commented bitterly, his expression distorted by the putrid aftertaste.

Dean stifled a fit of laughter as he attempted to maintain composure. "Sorry 'bout that, Cas. Had to get you to drink it somehow. Tastes like crap, but trust me, it does help." Cas nodded reluctantly, still not loving the idea of the Nyquil.

Realizing that he didn't exactly have anything else he could to for Cas in the moment, Dean turned to leave the room, but was quickly interrupted by Cas's desperate plea.

"Wait... Don't leave. Please."

Dean felt his heart sink to his feet as his head spun helplessly around in circles. Of course, deep down, he didn't want to leave. But what was he supposed to do? What did Cas expect him to do?!

"C-Cas, you need to go to sleep, I can't just..." He trailed off upon seeing Cas's utterly helpless expression, his heart melting into a puddle of Castiel. "Aw, f*ck it," he muttered under his breath, climbing into bed beside Cas to keep him company. He stiffened slightly upon feeling Cas cuddle up to him like an obedient puppy, but he gradually relaxed, allowing himself to enjoy the situation without worrying about the repercussions of these decisions for the time being. He winced upon hearing Cas stifle a bout of sneezes into the covers, his entire body trembling vastly with each sneeze, all of which he somehow managed to silently stifle.

"And Cas... Stop sneezing like that. It isn't good for ya'," he scolded in a parental-like tone. The sickly angel nodded submissively after sniffling wetly and cuddling up closer to Dean, gradually falling asleep.

Dean gazed at the peacefully snoring Castiel, who had burrowed his head into Dean's shoulder, not necessarily in an intentionally flirty manor, but more like an affectionate pet may behave.

Once Dean was sure Cas was asleep by listening to his rhythmic breathing, he tilted his head down a bit and pecked Cas very lightly on the cheek, figuring this would be his only chance to do so.

Of course, Dean didn't have particularly good timing. At that moment, Cas was overcome with a sudden, itchy fit, which he muffled into the only substance he could manage to find, not realizing it was Dean's neck.

"Huh'KXSchu! Hih'KGXIshoo! KNXshiew! Huh'EGXshiew!" The fallen angel wilted back into Dean's shoulder, curling up closer to Dean for warmth. Despite the fact that he was beginning to develop a fever, he felt absolutely freezing, though he wouldn't even dream of complaining to Dean about this, as he felt Dean had done more than enough already. Dean fell asleep soon after Cas, his breaths falling into Cas's own tempo before long, creating an odd, mismatched harmony.

[Pyrus_Fangmon]

Motherly Dean! Always accepted

Sneezy Cas just melts my heart

[spirkestielgirl87]

This is AMAZING! I.. just... yeah. A bit flustered over here! I love the cuddling! This part made me squeal

Once Dean was sure Cas was asleep by listening to his rhythmic breathing, he tilted his head down a bit and pecked Cas very lightly on the cheek, figuring this would be his only chance to do so.

Like, literally, everyone in my house heard it! Lol

[NorthernLady]

Wonderful! I know it'll sound weird but sometimes, little things get to me... like the end of that sentence...

Dean fell asleep soon after Cas, his breaths falling into Cas's own tempo before long, creating an odd, mismatched harmony.

Mismatched harmony Awwwwwwwwwww I can just hear them softly snoring into each other Also, this looks like a setup for contagion which I would be avert to. At all

[v a n i l l a]

Dean awoke to a very conflicting predicament. Without even needing to use a thermometer, he could tell that Cas's temperature was way above what it should have been. However, in order to cook him down, he'd have to get out of bed to get him a cool washcloth, most likely waking him up in the process, and he knew Cas needed the sleep.

Well, Cas needing the sleep wasn't the actual reason that Dean longed to stay where he was; it was simply one of many. But it certainly had nothing to do with how Cas was snuggled into him in an overwhelmingly attractive manor that caused Dean's heart to skip a couple beats. Er, no. Of course not. That would be absurd...

Dean sighed softly as he decided that Cas's health came before his own selfish desires, but he rested his lips upon Cas's before actually preparing to move, savoring the taste of Castiel's lips, which still retained a hint of the Nyquil. As he got to his feet, he felt a bit lightheaded, but he paid no attention to this.

Dean carefully peeled the layers of blankets off of Castiel, trying to decrease his temperature before soaking an ivory washcloth in the sink, making the water it released as frigid as possible. He narrowed his eyes impatiently at the weak trickle that spewed from the nozzle, turning the handles outwards as much as they would go in utter impatience.

This plan backfired on him, quite literally. He let out a gruff bark of alarm as the now algid water sprayed both him and the washcloth. After finally shutting off the tap, a soggy, irritable Dean sloshed back into the room Cas had been resting in. He did a rapid double-take as he realized that Cas was no longer lying in bed, but instead, stood a few paces away with a pile of tissues crumpled in his hands, sneezing into them completely unstifled.

"Huh'EXChiew! Hih! Hih'KXSHuu! MGXtsiuu! Heh'EXTSiuuw! Heh... Hieh... Huh'GXNtxschiew!" Each sneeze scraped painfully against his throat, its immense power and volume sending him doubling forward with recoil. He rubbed gently at his chaffed nose, sniffling wetly through the thick congestion in his sinuses.

"Bless you," Dean offered sympathetically, placing a single hand on Cas's shoulder, who jumped in surprise, clearly startled by Dean's sudden appearance.

"Why do you keep blessing me?" he inquired out of pure confusion.

For the first time, Dean explained without growing annoyed. "It's something people say after someone sneezes, and the person who sneezed is supposed to say 'thank you' after." Cas nodded, gradually grasping the strange concept.

He snapped forward again, this time stifling it like he normally did, though he was unable to keep it silent. "Huh.. Huih'kgxsh. Thank you," he added afterward, not realizing the mistake he'd made.

Dean chuckled softly to himself, handing Cas another tissue before tossing his old one away. "Sorry, shoulda' been more specific. You say thank you after someone says 'bless you' if you were the one who sneezed." Without saying another word, Dean dragged Cas back into bed, much to the former angel's confusion.

"Dean, I don't need to keep sleeping; I'm fine," he objected, struggling back to his feet.

"Sure you are, and I'm a friggin' unicorn. Now lay back down and sleep, cause ya' got a fever," he snapped acridly.

Cas's forehead creased, his eyebrows furrowing. "Dean... You are not a unicorn. A-And I don't have a fever..."

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Do you even know what a fever is?"

"..I know that I don't have one."

"Alright, so that's a no. Just lay down, 'kay?" After Castiel reluctantly obeyed, Dean carefully laid the washcloth on his forehead. "Leave that there. It'll help cool you off."

"Why? Am I hot?"

Dean snickered under his breath, much to Cas's confusion. "Uh, yeah. I'd say so," he commented, though he knew that that wasn't what Cas was really asking.

"Is that bad?"

"Depends on what you mean by bad..."

"Wha--"

"Nothing. Uhm, yeah, it's bad to be hot. It, uh, means you have a fever." It also means I need to get a grip, but whatever... Dean was about to crawl into bed beside Cas, but he was interrupted by the muffled turning of a doorknob. Dean tore out of the room, his hands immediately withdrawing his gun, which he pointed in the direction of the front door. He sighed with irritation as he realized that it was just his brother.

"What the hell are you doing here, Sammy?" Dean barked aggressively.

"Uh, what am I doing here? What about you?! You ever think maybe you shoulda' clued me in before you drove Cas all the way back to the bunker?! I mean, I know you said you were considering it, but you gotta talk to me, man! Otherwise, you can forget it. The hunting, the case, everything. I need to know where you're head's at, 'cause if you're not ready to handle cases with me without throwing a friggin' tantrum, then I'm out."

"Damnit, Sammy, will you just shut up for like two seconds? I get it, you hate me. Congratulations; you're one of many. But right now, I'm trying to make sure that Cas is okay. He's sick, and I can't let him get any worse. I--" Dean cut himself off, his words creating a lump in his throat as emotion lined his tone.

"Uh, okay, so he's got a cold? Meanwhile, we've got newborn babies dying, Dean. You need to either prioritize or hightail your ass out of my life, cause you just keep proving that I can't trust you, man... But don't think I don't know what this is really about."

Dean's heart seemed to forget how to work, his stomach contracting into a contorted lump. "What what is about?!" he snapped, feigning ignorance.

Sam scoffed to himself. "Really? You seriously need me to say it? Oh, I don't know, Dean. Maybe how you always drop everything and follow Cas like he's Dad or something. Or how you always stare at him like he's the newest edition of Busty Asian Beautes? Or how--"

Dean pulled the trigger. He made sure to aim away from Sam, but he needed something to shut Sam up. A tiny, circular hole sat in the middle of the wall, creating a spiderweb of cracks that emanated from the initial source of impact. Dean's pounding heart drowned out Sam's accusatory yelling and Cas's confused inquiries. Nothing seemed real. Absolutely nothing. The room began to spin in circles, up and down becoming foreign concepts in Dean's mind. He couldn't even process what Sam had said to him. He wasn't even quite sure he wanted to. He shoved past his brother and through the front door. Gentle drizzle sprinkled onto Dean as he leapt into his Impala, turning the engine over impatiently before streaking down the street, quite literally blowing off steam as he left Cas and Sam behind him in attempt to run, or rather, drive away from his true feelings as tears obscured vision.

Edited October 20, 2014 by v a n ι l l a