The Fall
I.
Falling, falling, falling.
He was falling for a long time. When he eventually crashed to earth, he did not even know the time or the place. It was only cold and dark and filled with pain. That was all he knew. His severance from heaven was complete. It was also agonising.
He had known pain before, but never like this. Blood was draining from him at an alarming rate. His ribs were cracked, and he suspected that he had broken many more bones in breaking his own fall. Too weak to move, he kept slipping in an out of consciousness. Like he was drowning, except every time he resurfaced, it was to yet more pain.
*
"Cas? Cas?"
A voice. Footsteps. He only groans in response. He can make out a blurry figure and nothing more.
"Dean? Yeah, I think I found him. I don't know, some burnt-out forest. Just off of Route 46. You need to get here, fast."
"No. Not you. Not you. No."
Castiel is vaguely aware of Sam crouching down beside him. He keeps repeating his protests, though he can barely form the words.
"It's okay, we found you. Don't worry, Dean will be here soon."
He realises with dismay what Sam has taken his words to mean. "Not...that."
"Don't try to speak, Cas. Here."
He feels an arm go under him, pulling him up, supporting him. It is not gentle, but comforting nonetheless.
"Sorry," he chokes.
"Hey, don't worry about it. I know Dean's the one you want to see."
Somehow he is resting against Sam's chest. He is too weak for anything else. The pain is intense enough for him to want to pass out. No; not yet.
"Didn't mean... Not like that."
His words are slurred, barely audible. Sam bends his head closer to hear them.
"Didn't want you to see me like this."
Then there was the final darkness, and nothing more.
He was falling for a long time. When he eventually crashed to earth, he did not even know the time or the place. It was only cold and dark and filled with pain. That was all he knew. His severance from heaven was complete. It was also agonising.
He had known pain before, but never like this. Blood was draining from him at an alarming rate. His ribs were cracked, and he suspected that he had broken many more bones in breaking his own fall. Too weak to move, he kept slipping in an out of consciousness. Like he was drowning, except every time he resurfaced, it was to yet more pain.
*
"Cas? Cas?"
A voice. Footsteps. He only groans in response. He can make out a blurry figure and nothing more.
"Dean? Yeah, I think I found him. I don't know, some burnt-out forest. Just off of Route 46. You need to get here, fast."
"No. Not you. Not you. No."
Castiel is vaguely aware of Sam crouching down beside him. He keeps repeating his protests, though he can barely form the words.
"It's okay, we found you. Don't worry, Dean will be here soon."
He realises with dismay what Sam has taken his words to mean. "Not...that."
"Don't try to speak, Cas. Here."
He feels an arm go under him, pulling him up, supporting him. It is not gentle, but comforting nonetheless.
"Sorry," he chokes.
"Hey, don't worry about it. I know Dean's the one you want to see."
Somehow he is resting against Sam's chest. He is too weak for anything else. The pain is intense enough for him to want to pass out. No; not yet.
"Didn't mean... Not like that."
His words are slurred, barely audible. Sam bends his head closer to hear them.
"Didn't want you to see me like this."
Then there was the final darkness, and nothing more.