In the Eyes of a Fallen Angel

Chapter Nineteen: The Choice

We stared at him in unmasked fury. "Let Dean out of his deal!" I shouted, trying desperately to look intimidating while leaning on the table.

"No." Crowley replied. He smiled and continued," You know, I thought better of you boys. I expected you to run, far and fast, to avoid me. Instead, you come right to my living room." He sighed dramatically. "Well, best get to it." Crowley brought his fingers to his lips and whistled.

Dean's eyes suddenly widened in fear. Sam grabbed his arm. "Dean? Dean!"

Dean's eyes glistened with tears as he turned towards the door. "I- I can hear them." He whispered. With what little grace I had left, I could hear them too. Barking and howling filled my ears as Hellhounds began to get into the house.

"No..."My voice trailed off. This can't be happening. This can't be happening. Dean began backing up against the wall. Sam followed suit, aiming his gun at the rattling doors. Crowley smirked and used telepathy to pin Sam against the opposite wall, away from Dean.

"No!" He cried, struggling with all his might. Crowley just laughed and kept him there. I struggled to walk over to Dean, but I was too weak, I couldn't move.

"Dean!" I shouted desperately.

"C-Cas..." was his reply as the doors busted open. I could see the hellhounds. To Dean, they would be smoky wisps, but to me, they were skinless dogs. They had two inch long teeth lining their lip less mouth. Their eyes were demon black, and their claws were long and sharp. They were creatures of death. They began to circle Dean. He sank to his knees, his knife ready at his side. His eyes hardened and he faced them.

"Come at me, you bastards!" He shouted, glaring at them with a look that could have melted steel. They lept at him, and he screamed with pain as they bit him.

Before I knew what I was doing, the whole room began to glow with blue light. A high pitched ringing sound filled my ears. Crowley's eyes widened in fear, and he disappeared. The Hellhounds whimpered and retreated from Dean, who moaned, clutching his ruined shoulder. The room became brighter and brighter. "GABRIEL!" I screamed, calling out with all my might. "GABRIEL!" Suddenly, the light faded. I looked at my brother. He came.

"Castiel." he said softly. "Why have you called me?"

"I-I..." I stammered in shock. Then I looked to Dean. "Heal him!"

Gabriel looked at him, his face emotionless. "Why?" he asked, confused.

"Because!" I said, dumbfounded. "He'll die!"

"Why does that matter to you? He is just a human." Gabriel replied, looking at me in amazement. "You don't actually care about him, do you?"

"Yes! I do! Please!" I shouted, tears flowing down my face. "Heal him!"

Gabriel's face was angry. "Castiel, you've fallen. You're no longer an angel. I sent you here to save you, but instead, I've lost you in a way even worse than dying." He glared at Dean. "You've fallen for a man. A weak man. A sinful man." He snapped his fingers and Dean was healed. Dean stood up and looked at the two angels before him in shock.

"I'm taking you back to heaven now. You can fight with us." He reached out to touch my forehead, but I smacked his hand away.

"No." I said coldly. I took a step away from him.

"No?" Gabriel asked, his eyes glowing murderously. "You dare defy me?"

I took a deep breath and said," I reject you. I reject you, I reject the garrison, I reject heaven. I refuse to be a pawn. I am Castiel, and I am a fallen angel. If you try to force me back to heaven, I will fight tooth and nail to leave. We are emotionless. We are soldiers, nothing more than God's playthings to throw at things he doesn't think fit. Think about all the terrible things we've done, all the people we've killed in his name. We don't even know that it's him giving the orders. We haven't seen God for eternity! I reject who I was. I am who I am, and I refuse to have my humanity taken away from me! I reject you. I CHOOSE DEAN!"

Gabriel stared at me in shock. His eyes narrowed. His angel blade slid out of his sleeve. "Then you will die." He advanced towards me, but suddenly, he stopped. His eyes widened in fear and he whispered," No..." An angel blade protruded from his gut, an angry Dean standing behind him. I felt my coat, I must have dropped my angel blade. Gabriel began to glow and Dean stepped away as Gabriel fell to the ground, his wings burned into the carpet. Tears slipped down my face.

"I'm sorry, brother, I'm sorry..." I said, falling to my knees.

"You okay?" Dean asked. I was about to reply when a burning pain shot through my entire body. I fell to the ground and began convulsing. "Cas? Cas!" Dean shouted, grabbing my hand.

"My body- is rejecting- my- grace." I forced out between painful spasms. "I rejected- heaven- so it's- rejecting- me."

My body gave a final shudder and blue smoke flew out of my mouth. It swirled around a bit, then flew up through the ceiling and away from me forever. I pushed myself into a sitting position and sighed. "It is done." I said, looking at Dean's eyes.

"Are- Are you human?" Dean asked me, worry in his eyes.

I showed him my black wings and said," No, I am a fallen angel." I replied. "I have no power except being able to fly."

Dean hugged me tightly. "Cas, I can't believe you just did that."

Suddenly, there was whooshing sound, and Crowley appear next to us. He smiled and snapped his fingers. Dean and I flew apart. I was pinned next to Sam and Dean was on the floor on the opposite side of the room. "Now, no more interruptions." He said, whistling. The hellhounds returned, their eyes containing even more anger than the usually do.

This time, Dean couldn't move. Crowley had pinned him to the floor. The hellhounds closed in. We were so close, so close. I couldn't lose him now. "Wait!" I screamed. All attention turned to me as I struggled against the invisible force holding me to the wall. "I offer my soul in place of his."

"Cas, no!" Dean shouted. "You can't!"

"Interesting proposition. Are you sure?" Crowley said, smiling. I nodded. "You've been hanging out with the Winchesters too much. Very well, I accept your offer."

He snapped his fingers and the hellhounds turned towards me. Dean was fighting now, his eyes popping and his muscles straining to reach me. "No! Cas, Please!"

I closed my eyes as the Hellhounds attacked. Strangely, I felt no pain. Maybe being a fallen angel had it's perks. They tore into me like I was nothing, my chest was bleeding openly and it was very difficult to breathe. Crowley whistled again, and they withdrew back to their master. Crowley snapped his fingers once again and Dean and Sam were released. "See, I'm not completely heartless. Say your goodbyes."

Dean rushed to me, tears flowing down his beautiful face. "C-Cas...?" He whispered, his voice breaking.

I looked him in the eyes and said,"Stay... With... Me...?"

"Always." he replied, holding my hand.

"The... third... reason..." I said slowly. "That... A man... can see... angel... wings... I had... forgotten... the word." I squeezed his hand. "Angel wings... Can be seen... by an angel's...soul mate... someone... he... loves..."

Dean hugged me, his face wet, and he began sobbing. Sam looked shocked, but he lay his hand on his brother's shoulder. Dean brought his face to mine and kissed me, short and sweet. "I love you Cas."

"I love... you.... Dean..." I replied. Everything was getting fuzzy.

"Cas?" Dean asked, his face fearful.

"Goodbye..." I whispered as the world faded to black.