Destiel one shots

Seven Thousand and One; The one he didn't just heal. The one he loved

It began with a child. Of course it did.

She was maybe five, brown curls, big, frightened eyes, lost in the wreckage of an overturned church after a demon attack that had torn through Wyoming. 

Dean and Sam were clearing the scene, salting and burning what remained of the black-eyed bastards.

The girl had crawled into a confessional, knees scraped, arms shaking and Dean found her. She was silent. Wouldn't speak. Wouldn't cry. Just sat there, staring at the broken stained glass.

Dean crouched, "Hey. It's okay. You're safe now", he said softly and she didn't move, looking at him scared, no, lost.

And then— The air shifted, Dean felt the warmth and breeze of the angel before he appeared and he smiled.

Cas stepped out from behind the ruins, as if the smoke parted for him. Maybe it did—when he comes, even nature stops.

The girl's eyes snapped to him, and Dean watched something happen—like recognition, like safety.

Cas knelt slowly, letting her see him, his voice was a whisper, "You were very brave", he said his lips parting a little as he saw her pain.

She blinked at him. Cas reached out. Didn't touch her. Just opened his hand between them. She nodded once—and then she leaned forward and pressed her tiny palm to his.

Light bloomed—warm and bright. Dean couldn't describe it; he tried later, but all he could say was that it felt like everything hurt less.

The girl shivered and suddenly gasped, clutching her chest. Cas's hand shook; his posture dipped, just slightly.

And the girl began to cry—not out of fear, but from release, she fell forward, burying herself in Dean's arms.

Dean looked up sharply with pain and thanking in his face, Cas has done it again, but at what cost.

Cas was on his knees again, Dean wanted to hold him, to make him let go of all the pain, but not now, soon enough, Sam helped the girl find her mother and they were heading back to the motel.

Later, in the motel, Dean found him in the bathroom, Cas had the door open, but was kneeling over the tub, one hand gripping the porcelain so hard it had cracked beneath his fingers.

Dean saw that side of the floor also cracking due to Cas' leaning on it and his other hand trembled violently.

"Cas", Dean called approaching him slowly, an angel in pain is slightly dangerous, Cas didn't look up, "I'm fine", he said knowing what Dean was going to ask.

Dean crouched beside him, "Bullshit", he said yet never said anything more, he knew Cas will confess, just like he does to Cas.

"She was small", Cas whispered, "But she had seen her brother possessed. He died screaming. She thought it was her fault. She begged God to take her instead", he continued his voice breaking.

Dean's heart cracked, that much pain for a child was too much, Dean knew that but for Cas after all these healing for more than 2 years, that will be too much for him too, now.

"I took that," Cas said, "All of it. I made her forget", he said breathing hard and Dean understood, Cas was tired.

Dean's voice was hoarse, "You feel it, don't you? Like it happened to you?", he asked, "Yes. And it's ok I can handle it", Cas said looking up into Dean's eyes and Dean sighed.

Dean grabbed a towel and pressed it gently to Cas' nose—bleeding again, "How many more times? Just because you can handle it doesn't mean you have to Cas, you told me that didn't you?", Dean asked.