A/N: Based on a tumblr prompt by whumpster-dumpster

Hitched, wet gasps, tear-filled eyes and ashen white face. Icy shock shivering through their body, torn clothes dark with blood and weak hands pressed to the debris that's speared straight through them.

WARNING: This fic contains graphic depictions of violence, and a major character death.

"It's okay, Sammy. I got you. It's gonna be okay."

Sam nodded, but he could hardly see Dean in his vision, his eyes filled with tears. His body shivered fiercely, and there was a sense of… pressure, wrongness, and a numbing agony just above his hips. Sam tried to look down, see what was wrong, but Dean just caressed his face with one hand. Suddenly-cold hands reached down, and felt blood, something else…

The building they were in was collapsing, something a rogue angel had set up as a trap for them. It shook around them, even as Sam lay in a pile of debris. He wanted to stand up, show Dean that he was okay, get his brother to stop crying.

"It's okay, little brother. It's alright."

Dean tilted his head back, farther into the building, "Cas! Cas, you get your ass here right now!"

"D-Dean…"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm here."

"Something's… something's wrong." Blood bubbled up in Sam's mouth, dripped down from his bottom lip, coating his chin. He coughed, struggled to breathe. Everything felt hot, cold, and maybe like he was dreaming. This wasn't real. Was it?

But, oh god, maybe it was.

Dean had a hand pressed right against him, where everything screamed that he wasn't alright, and there was something else there. Maybe a pipe.

"I know, I know. Cas is comin'. He's gonna fix you right up. Cas! CASTIEL!"

The angel was rushing through falling rubble, coming to them, immediately kneeling down by Sam. He shoved Dean's hand away, Sam's too, and laid his own calming hand on him, palm glowing with angelic light.

Castel looked down, face ashen, studying the wound. Sam tried to look again, felt like he might throw up. Black spots swam in his vision. Dean held his head as his neck suddenly weakened.

"Cas, whatever you gotta do, do it now."

"I… I can't."

"What?!"

"I can't. The pipe, it went through his spine, his intestines. If I take it out…"

"What? If you take it out what?"

"Dean, he won't make it. The pipe's the only thing keeping him alive."

Sam saw his brother hang his head, tears falling, and Sam thought maybe he understood the words that were being said.

This was it.

Wasn't it?

Sam reached out to them, fumbled, was unable to grab them until they held him.

He nodded, tears streaking his pale face. "It's okay."

"Sammy—"

More blood came up as he breathed. It was like he was breathing through a straw, and one that already had a liquid in it.

"It's okay," he whispered.

Castiel was crying too.

"I'm sorry. It wasn't supposed to be like this."

Sam shook his head. "No, no… This-this is how it's supposed to be."

"No, Sammy, you can't say that!"

"I'm with you."

"Sam."

"I'm with you."

"I'm gonna find a way to get you back," Dean promised, grip on his hand tightening, even though Sam was beginning to feel it less and less. "I swear to everything out there I'm gonna find a way."

"Don't," Sam begged, giving him a gentle smile. "I wanna do it right this time."

Castiel had a shaky inhale, and Dean sobbed.

"Sam, I don't know how to say goodbye," Castiel told him. "You're my brother."

"You don't have to," Sam told him, struggling for each word. "Just say… Just say… you love me."

"We do love you, Sam! I love you."

"Sammy, I love you so much."

"Then let me go."

"I can't. You don't understand, I can't!"

"It's okay…" Sam breathed, eyes fluttering shut. "It's okay… It's…"

His last breath left him and he saw no more. Somewhere far away he thought the last sound he heard was his brother screaming.

But Sam was gone, and he knew what was waiting for him. And he wouldn't mess with death this time. It was how it was supposed to be.