Work Text:
Saving Grace
by Sam-Tony
"Dean?"
Sam walked into the motel room with a feeling of dread in his chest and the shotgun in his hand. He couldn't explain it, but when he had called Dean's cell and gotten no answer, he had known something was wrong. Somehow, some way Dean was in pain and Sam needed to get back to stop whatever it was that was hurting his brother.
The sorely dejected man sitting slumped with his arms on his knees on the edge of the bed wasn't what he had expected to find, but the tears...the tears oozing obviously worn trails down from the red rimmed eyes spurred him into motion. Kneeling in front of his brother even as he threw the shotgun to the floor, Sam peered pleadingly up into Dean's eyes, able to get only one word past the lump in his throat.
Whatever this was - it was bad.
"Dean?"
The sad flicker of a watery smile didn't reassure him any, nor did the hesitant hitch of what couldn't possibly have been a sob before Dean's voice grated out, low and rough. "Sam - Sammy, I *can't*...I can't..."
Tears of his own began to fall, goaded by the hopeless pain in whatever it was Dean felt he had to do but couldn't. "What is it, Dean? Just tell me what you want me to do and I will - anything..."
The bitter laugh rang out quietly, softened by the sense of despair hovering over Dean like a shroud. Green eyes, wet and spiky with salt tears, met his and Sam had the feeling whatever it was, Dean felt he was asking for the moon.
"Don't be evil?"
Broken and hopeless, the plea hung between them, sending Sam rocking back on his heels as if slapped. And suddenly he could see - see everything. All of his actions in the past few months - what he had done - where it could all lead.
He saw Dean dying, ripped apart at the hands of a host of Heaven's angels, as they demanded more of him than Dean could possibly give. Saw Dean standing between Heaven and Hell - between Heaven and *Sam* as they tried to kill him. Stop him. Stop the Apocalypse.
Cain and Abel. Him and Dean.
The green eyes rose past Sam's shoulder and the twitch as the slumped shoulders flinched open and back, right hand unconsciously reaching for a weapon had Sam up and turning, instinctively placing Dean behind him. Without knowing how he knew, Sam turned to Castiel and demanded, "What do I have to do?"
The angel favored the younger man with an impassive gaze before saying, "Ask for it."
Sam nodded. If Dean could sell his soul to a demon to protect Sam, then this was least Sam could do in return. Dropping to his knees, Sam asked in a way that was almost another demand. "Save me."
Above him Dean gasped and Sam closed his eyes. Only to open them again when nothing happened to find Castiel standing before him, a wry smile of welcome on his face as the angel reached down to touch Sam's cheek.
"I don't have to," he denied, kind eyes flickering to Dean and back. "He already has."
End