Rating: PG13
Fandom: Supernatural
Pairing(s): Dean/Castiel
Warnings: possible English mistakes, shameless angel!whump
Spoilers: none.
A/N: Well it's been quite a while, but here I am with this little hurt/comfort (wow, big surprise there!) two-shot that may or may not go three-shot on us. We'll see where the winds take us with this. I hope you enjoy!

When Castiel had his wings ripped out, Dean had watched helplessly as his eyes filled with the overwhelming intensity of pure hurt and pain, unable to cry out or scream. He'd stumbled for a moment, disoriented and very much resembling a badly injured bird, before falling to his knees and collapsing in a bloody heap on the ground.

It was dead silent for a moment, before Dean had rushed to his side, yelling at Sam to go get the car as he'd tossed the keys somewhere in his brother's general direction.

The loss of his wings had taken a heavy toll on the angel's grace, enough that he couldn't have slowed the steadily expanding pool of crimson around him before he would bleed out. Dean had been quick to remove his jacket and put pressure on the deep wounds in Cas' back, kneeling beside him and trying hopelessly to stop the bleeding.

By the time Sam had made it back up the winding dirt road with the impala, there was hardly a spot on Dean's jacket that hadn't been soaked in red, and now the acrid stench of blood is clinging tightly to his brother's hands.

"Help me lift him," Dean orders, attempting to expedite the situation.

Sam sends a worried look in Dean's direction before moving to aid his brother in lifting a hundred and sixty pounds of angel into the car.

Castiel startles awake and cries out, barely an inch off the ground. He isn't saying anything, just calling out, a cry for help, and it takes all the brothers' strength not to drop him when he starts thrashing.

"Cas - Cas, it's okay," Dean tries to comfort, kneeling beside him again and running a hand through dark, mildly sweaty hair, hating himself because it really is not okay. This is so far from okay.

"It's just Sammy n' me - it's okay. We're gonna help you."

Castiel relaxes. He stops screaming and seems to still, but his breathing is rapid and unsteady. Dean continues to sit and brush through his hair.

"When you find an injured bird, you're - uh - you're supposed to pick it up really carefully, cause it'll be scared," Sam starts, ignoring the borderline 'what the hell' look Dean is giving him and returning it with an expression that clearly reads 'hear me out', "You're supposed to hold it upright, cause it's easier for them to breath like that, and securely so it doesn't hurt itself more… and then you put it in a dark box lined with something soft so it'll calm down, and…"

It's quiet for a moment, aside from Cas' heavy breathing.

"He's not a bird, Sam," Dean reminds sternly, "And putting him in a box isn't gonna do shit. We need to get him back to the motel so I can stitch him up and — and start figuring out how to get his wings back…"

"Dean—"

"Shut up, Sam."

Despite Dean's protests, they sit Cas upright before lifting him this time and move much more carefully than before. Dean uses a stolen motel towel and two roles of tightly wrapped gauze from the trunk as a makeshift bandage and sits in the back with him propped up against his side, holding the angel securely in his arms, and in all honesty, he isn't just doing it to help keep pressure on the wound.

The drive to the motel seems so much longer now. Dean is sure it hadn't been much more than an hour on the way there, but it feels like its been ages since they drove out of the woods.

Cas' skin is pallid and cool to the touch, and his breathing is becoming weaker by the minute. He'll occasionally whimper or let out some sort of pained noise, and Dean will gently brush a hand through his hair and whisper that everything is going to be okay.

"Why is he bleeding so much?" Sam questions suddenly, "I thought wings weren't supposed to be a physical thing?"

"Like hell if I know," Dean says quietly, attention focused on the angel in his arms.

"You're being awfully fussy with him," the younger brother comments, and Dean shoots him a genuine glare.

"Yeah, well I'm worried, okay? You got a problem with that or something?" he says defensively.

Sam shakes his head.

"No, not at all, just - never mind," he stops himself, barely managing to keep the knowing smile off his face, and apparently not doing well enough, because Dean notices.

"You have something you wanna share with the class, Sammy? Cause last time I checked it isn't so funny when you've got your best friend dying in the backseat of your car," he spits.

The affectionate smile falls into a look of empathy.

"He'll be okay, Dean," Sam assures, "He's a tough little guy."

A flat silence takes over the car for the next good portion of the drive, not awkward, but not comfortable either, just a silence.

Dean had finally been beginning to doze when they hit a bump in the road that causes Cas startle awake again. It takes a moment for his senses to catch up with him before he cries out in pain and suddenly can't catch his breath.

"Cas, hey - hey, calm down, man! You gotta calm down," Dean says as evenly as he can manage, trying to reach out and keep Cas from disturbing his bandages any further.

The angel lets out a dry, choked sob and takes in a shaky breath. It's the closest Dean has ever seen him come to tears.

"Dean," he says, undeniable fear an heartbreak seeping through the pain in his voice, "I can't… I can't feel my wings."

The hunter is sure something shatters in his chest at that moment.

"Dean, they're gone… it - this pain is…indescribable," he bites out, "Dean, it hurts."

The hunter holds onto Castiel's hand as he eases him back onto his shoulder.

"Shhh, it's okay, baby," he all but whispers, not even realising the slip up, "It's gonna be okay, you got that? We're gonna get you better, and we're gonna fix this, alright? Christ… Cas, I'm so sorry."

I'm going to try to get the second part finished in the next few days, but I'm suoer swamped with life and all that dumb shit right so I can't give any guarantees. I am, however, going to be a total dick and bribe you with that more reviews equals a faster update time. I'm so much of a review whore, I'm pretty sure it's not heaøthty… Anyway, thanks so much for reading!