Title: Nightshifter (redux)
Rating: PG-13 (violent imagery)
Characters: Castiel, Dean, & Sam Winchester
Pairing: Slash
Summary: Cas had a feeling their current predicament would be a lot easier to handle if it really WAS a 'mandroid' that they were dealing with, not a shifter.

Dean: 25
Castiel: 28
Sam: 21

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Castiel hated waiting. He hated flipping a coin, too. He was pretty sure Dean had rigged the coin to always fall on the opposite of whatever Cas picked and that's why Castiel was always stuck sitting in the Impala while Sam and Dean got to see all the action. (albeit, at the moment, action was just sitting and watching the security cameras of the bank they were currently inside of.)

His phone went off, Hell's Bells (a ringtone Dean had set for himself) echoing through the interior of the Impala. Castiel flipped the cell open and brought it to his ear.

"I'm here. " He rumbled. Dean's voice was sharp, urgent.

"Found him, the bank manager. Get in here." Dean barked. Castiel clambered out of the Impala, fully dressed up in business attire and prepared to act the part of an angered customer.

Castiel was halfway up the steps when he caught sight of the security guard from last night's investigation- Ronald Resnick. Thinking quick, Castiel held a hand out.

"Hold the door, please!" He brought his briefcase (filled with silver-laden knives) up as if it was heavy. The man froze, clutching to his duffel bag like a deer caught in the headlights before quickly opening the door for Castiel to slip by. "Thanks, pal." Castiel breathed, trying to lighten his voice from its normal rumble.

Ronald nodded his head quickly, entering after Castiel and shutting the door. Castiel didn't bother to glance back at him, making a beeline for where Dean and Sam were leaving the security room. Castiel lifted a hand to point back up the stairs but before he could get a word out, Ronald's voice yelled out over top of him.

"This is NOT a ROBBERY! Everybody, on the floor, NOW!" Gunshots followed and Castiel instinctively ducked, whirling around to see the man now holding a semi-automatic and looking just the slightest bit out of his mind.

"Calm down, buddy! Just calm down!" Dean barked from behind Castiel. Cas glanced back over his shoulder to see Dean and Sam approaching, hands up. Ronald's face went from determined, to shocked and enraged.

"wha- YOU!" Ronald's gun went from pointing at the ceiling to pointing straigh at the two brothers. Castiel felt something in his chest tighten up as Ronald stormed right past him to train the gun on Dean. "Get on the floor! NOW!" The man roared. The reaction was instantaneous, and Dean and Sam both got down on their knees, Dean speaking for the both of them.

"Okay, we're doing it - we're doing it. Just don't shoot anybody; especially us-" Dean's attempt at a joke was cut off with a wave of Ronald's gun. Castiel started to stand up from his crouch.

"Who are you working for? Th- the men in black? Is that it? Or are you working for the mandroid?"
"We're not working for the mandroid!" Sam sneered. The gun went from Dean to the youngest Winchester in an instant.

"I ain't talkin' to you!" Ronald cried angrily, jerking his gun around. "I don't like you!"

Sam leaned back just the slightest bit, shrugging halfheartedly with a mutter of, "Fair enough."

Castiel stood slowly, making his way towards Ronald while the man was focused on Dean and Sam. He held up the briefcase high over his head, prepared to take a swing when Ronald caught the movement out of the corner of his eye and whirled around, jabbing the end of the gun into Castiel's gut.

"Don't move!" The man snapped. Castiel froze, holding his breath in shock for a split second and slowly lowering the briefcase. He glanced over to see Dean's wide eyes watching him with a silent plea, asking Castiel to step away. Ronald jerked the gun over to Dean and Sam. "Get on the floor! Over there! Now!"

Castiel was quick to move, instantly obeying the orders and trying his hardest to look like a frightened victim. (With the way Ronald was staring, Castiel felt he needed to work on his acting). Ronald pointed to one of the bank tellers, jerking his gun over to the three of them.

"You, pat them down, make sure they don't have anything on guy too. I don't like the way he looks." The last bit was said with a jerk of his gun at Castiel. Cas shared a look with Dean and Sam, weighing the options of rushing the man. A tiny jerk of Dean's head told Castiel that, no, they were not going to screw the job just because of this douche.

Castiel pursed his lips and watched the bank teller approach, patting down his trenchcoat and pockets before moving on to Sam and Dean. Castiel had made sure to secure all of his knives in the briefcase he'd brought with him, nothing was on his person besides the clothes he wore. Dean, on the other hand, had apparently stashed a small silver knife in his boot.

"What? I'm not just gonna walk in here naked!" Dean hissed to Sam (after the reproachful look his brother had given him).

Ronald sneered, ever cocky, and was quick to dump the knife where Dean wouldn't be able to retrieve it. Castiel glanced down at his briefcase, and then back up to where Dean was motioning for Ronald to come closer.

Castiel watched the exchange with mild interest. Dean was almost always the first one to humor someone, like he was itching to tell people about their lifestyle. Castiel and Sam, however, didn't.

"Take me. Take me with you - take me as a hostage." Dean blurted. Castiel whipped his gaze back to the taller man with wide eyes. Dean glanced over at him but quickly looked away to avoid being reprimanded by Castiel's expression alone. "Look at me, man. I believe you. You're not crazy," Dean lowered his voice so that Ronald had to lean in with wide eyes. "There really is somethin' inside this bank."

The next thing Castiel knew, they were all moving en masse towards the giant vault in the center of the bank. Dean was right behind him, but when Castiel tried to turn around and say something to the other man, he recieved a shove to the back via Ronald's gun. They crowded into the vault, Castiel and Sam being the last to enter, and watched Dean slowly close the door.

"Who is that man?" A young clerk breathed, looking to both Sam and Castiel. The two dark haired men exchanged looks and then glanced back to the door.

"He's my brother." They said in unison. The girl sighed wistfully, placing a hand to her chest.

"He is so. brave."

Castiel's already foul mood became even darker. Sam clapped a hand to his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. The girl hovered them, asking questions about Dean that neither Winchester felt like answering.

Castiel quickly walked away, pressing his hands against the door and feeling around for anything that could possibly get them out. It wasn't that he didn't trust Dean, it was more that he needed something to occupy his mind from the annoying girl with a hero complex. Sam came up behind him, nudging shoulders with the older man. Castiel nudged back and looked up at the door with exhasperation.

"These circumstances are not the most... ideal. I would have much preferred that we didn't have to deal with the imbecile walking around with a gun." He grumbled, placing a palm against the door. Sam chuckled dryly, opening his mouth to say something whenever the bank clerk came up behind them.

"Has your brother always been so wonderful?" She asked. Castiel turned to stare her down and Sam pressed a hand against his wrist to stop him from saying anything cruel. She continued on, oblivious. "I mean... staring down that gun... and the way he played right into that psycho's crazy head, telling him what he wanted to hear. He's a real hero- or something..." She clasped her hands together and Castiel sent Sam a pleading look. Sam rolled his eyes in response.

The vault rumbled and the door was pulled open to reveal Dean, this time holding a hand gun. The clerk girl went into instant hysterics about how Dean had saved them, until Dean held up a hand and motioned to Sam and Castiel.

"Sam, Cas... Ronald and I need to talk to you." Dean muttered. They slipped out of the vault, letting Dean close the door after them. Castiel reached out a hand to Dean's shoulder and the younger man held his wrist, eyes silently telling Castiel to wait. Cas pursed his lips, withdrawing his hand with a scowl.

"It shed its skin again." Dean began, talking to the both of them quietly. "We don't know where it is. Could be in the halls - could be in the vault."

Sam held up a hand, voicing the question that all of them were thinking. "Dean... how the hell are we gonna get out of here?" He hissed. Dean glanced away to snap at Ronald, who'd wandered into the spotlight, and then looked back at Sam and Castiel. He shrugged.

Castiel brought a hand up, massaging the bridge of his nose. "Dean, this is a terrible idea." He groaned. Dean shrugged weakly, giving Cas an even weaker smile. Castiel rolled his eyes, turning away from the other man. Dean pressed a hand against his back, gentle and comforting - a silent apology.

Castiel lifted up his briefcase in response, opening it to reveal a small collection of knives. Dean's face lit up instantly, grabbing one of them and then handing another to Sam. There was a momentary pause, and Castiel glanced over to Ronald before shutting the briefcase. "I think giving him a knife isn't going to make him any more useful than he already is." He said. Dean chuckled dryly, reaching out to ruffle Castiel's hair. Castiel rolled his eyes, accepting the sign of affection with a smirk.

They split up, Dean and Castiel venturing deeper into the bank while Sam went with Ronald to watch over the hostages.

Ten minutes of fruitless searching had Castiel looping back to try and find Dean. It was then that he heard the raised voices coming from where Sam was stationed at the vault. Castiel approached quickly, knife drawn to see the security guard being held by a black man who was too busy yelling at Sam to notice Castiel's approach. Sam was on the phone, most likely talking to the police, which did nothing to help with Castiel's escalating stress. The oldest Winchester took advantage of the fact that the man yelling at Sam wasn't paying attention. He loomed up behind the guy, knife drawn and held close to the man's throat.

"Get. Back. In. The Vault." He snapped, patience already worn thinner than it had been in years. "And shut your mouth."

The man released the security guard, stepping back away. Dean came jogging up, gesturing to the two of them. They spoke quietly while Ronald deemed himself the one to monitor the hostages.

"Shifter's changed again, he's here. You had him, Cas." Dean jerked his head to the scowling black man that hovered just beside the vault door.

"Well, first thing's first. We have to get that security guard outta here. They're bringing a paramedic up." Sam gestured to the man who was standing with his hands on his knees and breathing heavily - face flushed and sweaty.

"I'll help the guard, you get the shifter." Castiel said. Dean and Sam nodded, and Castiel moved to help the older man to his feet. He hadn't walked the man five feet when the sound of a scuffle reached his ears. He looked up in time to see the shifter streak past. Castiel instantly released his grip on the guard and bolted after the man.
They ran through the spotlight - Castiel wasn't worried about it because he probably looked like an escaping hostage to the men outside - but the sound of Sam's yelling, followed by a gunshot, caused Castiel to drop to his knees and duck behind a desk.

He turned, eyes falling to Ronald's crumpled form and then up at Dean - who was ducked down somewhere on the other side of the spotlight. For a split second, Castiel had thought it was Dean who'd been shot. The panic that tore through him in those few moments had been suffocating. The only thing he felt was relief that Dean was alive, and it almost made him feel guilty that Ronald's death held little meaning to him.

Dean caught his gaze, eyes wide as Sam slid up next to him. Castiel nodded once - letting them know he was going after the shifter - and left Dean and Sam to figure out the situation with the guard.

I'm sure 90% of you figured out somewhere in reading this that its a rewrite of the ep 'nightshifter' with Cas. Kinda lame, I know, but I felt like indulging myself a bit. they're also younger in this. and Cas and Dean just might be together. YOU NEVER KNOW. I'm going to shut up now.