Angel with a shotgun(Destiel)(Sterek)

Carthage

"Feel any better?" Cas asked when Dean finally pulled away from the angel.

Dean nodded, "Thank you, Cas." His voice was a bit raspy from crying.

"Should we join the others now or do you need more time?" Cas offered, brushing a stray strand of Dean's hair back off his forehead.

Dean took a step but stopped. His reflection in the car window was horrible. His eyes were red and puffy and there were still tear tracks on his cheeks.

"I can't go in there looking like this, Cas. Not in front of my brothers," He shook his head.

Cas trailed a finger gently from Dean's temple to his cheek bone, "I told you, no one has to know."

Dean glanced at his reflection again to see he looked as if he'd never shed a single tear.

"Thank you, Cas," Dean sighed at the angel in content. What had he done to deserve someone like Cas? A literal angel.

Cas gave a tap to his shoulder where Dean had left a puddle of tears on his coat. "Ready?"

Dean nodded. He knew that this was the start of something big and he didn't just mean between them and Lucifer.

-

Stiles was sitting on the couch with Derek, looking through the lore on angels trying to find something on angel grace. They weren't sure what exactly Gabriel's grace would do to Stiles and they were hoping to find something that might give them some idea of what to expect. Unfortunately, they were coming up short.

"Are you afraid?" Derek asked, setting his book aside when it offered nothing helpful.

"For my life? A little. But I'm honestly more afraid that I'm going to fuck this up and it's not gonna work," Stiles sighed, closing his own fruitless book.

"I believe in you, you're a Winchester. I don't think anyone doubts your ability to do this," Derek took Stiles' hand in his, bringing it to his lips.

Stiles smiled fondly at the werewolf. Derek always knew the right thing to say and do.

"Ahem," Bobby cleared his throat from the doorway.

Derek instantly dropped Stiles' hand as the hunter snatched it away.

"Cas is back," Bobby grumbled, making it a point to avoid commenting on what he just saw. Stiles would have to deal with his brothers on that one. He wasn't getting involved. It was easier that way.

"Sorry," Derek dropped his head. He shouldn't have been so careless.

"He won't say anything, not right now anyway," Stiles assured Derek as he stood.

Derek followed him into the other room where Dean was standing with Cas and Sam, staring at a map.

"Okay, so Cas said Lucifer is already in town. He's here, Carthage. Demonic omens are cropping up all around and they're big, so this is the real deal," Dean pointed at the spot on the map circled in red pen.

"Why there?" Stiles frowned at the spot. It seemed rather random and specific.

"According to Cas the place is crawling with reapers which is a sign of death. We think he's raising the angel of death," Dean answered.

Bobby pulled a book from his desk and laid it on the map. "The angel of death must be brought into this world at midnight through a place of awful carnage. Now back during the civil war there was a battle in Carthage. A battle so intense, the soldiers called it the battle of hell hole. It went down on the land of William Jasper's farm. That's where we think he'll be raising death."

"We have to get in close enough and distract him long enough to get Stiles in." Dean's eyes met his youngest brother's.

"This is for you," Cas spoke then, pulling out a blade and handing it to Stiles.

It wasn't elaborate as far as blades went. It was a simple stake like blade with a winding handle. Lightweight and shorter than Stiles would have expected from something that could kill the devil.

The room seemed to tense as Stiles took the weapon from Cas. This was getting serious and nobody in the room was keen on this idea, but everyone knew it was their only option.

"We'll need a diversion. One that keeps Lucifer's attention long enough for Stiles to get close enough. That's where Sam comes in," Bobby looked at the middle Winchester. "Lucifer will take interest since he's his vessel. Dean, you'll be there with the fake colt, make them think you're what we're keeping him distracted from, in case he suspects it. He doesn't know what our plan of attack is gonna be."

Dean nodded, taking the fake colt from Bobby.

"Stiles, you'll come in when he's not looking. And boy, don't you miss," Bobby's tone was strained, like he was holding back emotions he didn't want known.

"Yes sir," Stiles nodded.

"Derek, you'll stay here. We can't have you getting hurt out there, Stiles can't afford that," Bobby turned to the werewolf next.

"What? No," Derek stepped forward, his brows furrowed.

"Derek, this was my idea," Stiles put his hand on Derek's chest.

"I'm not gonna sit here while you risk your life," Derek snapped, his eyes boring into Stiles'.

"We don't know what this angel grace is gonna do to you. And even if it didn't do anything, one wrong move that puts you down, puts me down. We've only got one shot at this. Your life is just as important as mine in this. I can't afford to be hurt, which means you can't be in danger. It's too much of a risk."

Derek's jaw clenched. He ached to reach up and touch Stiles' face, but he refrained.

"Fine," he grit out, still not pleased.

Stiles gave an appreciative smile and nodded.

"This place is gonna be crawling with demons, so we need to be ready. Cas and I will hold off as many as we can. We'll clear a path for Stiles," Bobby continued.

Dean's hand clenched the fake colt so tightly his knuckles turned white. His other hand was tapping his leg anxiously at his side.

Cas' hand slipped into Dean's then, causing the hunter to tense before relaxing slightly. No one noticed the gesture, but Dean gave the angel's hand a small squeeze showing he appreciated it.

They continued to run through the plan, tossing up suggestions and possible problems they might run into. The room was thick with anxiety and tension, but no one mentioned it. This was something that had to be done, whether they wanted it or not.