Castiel was slumped in a chair, the chains around his wrists were tight and bruising, cutting into his flesh with every struggle. The wings that spread out from his back were being crushed between the weight of the panicking, graceless angel and the back of the chair. Pain shot through him with each crack of a broken bone. The room was dark and damp but he could barely keep his eyes open because his head thumped violently. He flinched, choking slightly on the blood pouring from the gaps in his mouth where some of his teeth had been pulled, when he heard footsteps behind him.

"How you holding up, Cas?" Nicholai, the powerful demon who had captured Castiel, asked.

"Fuck you."

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" Nicholai grabbed a handful of Cas' hair and pulled sharply. He looked him in the eye and smiled. "Gotta hand it to you, I'm impressed. I've never seen someone handled this many hours of torture before. I bet Dean couldn't handle this after what he went through."

"Leave him out of this!" Castiel tried to break free from his grasp but his body was too weak.

"Can't do that. You see…" Nicholai let Castiel's hair go and crouched in front of him. "Both Sam and Dean would be heartbroken to know that their perfect angel is dying and that makes me very happy." He stood again, walking around behind the angel. He ran his hands through Castiel's wings, spreading the feathers with his fingers. "Maybe I should send them a gift" He pulled out clumps of dark flight feathers from the wings and let them drift to the floor. They settled in a pool of blood, instantly soaking up the red liquid. Castiel contorted in pain, making deeper wounds on his wrist from the chains as he struggled. "I guess it's a good thing that you trusted those boys enough to fight with them. I mean, you lost about 85 percent of your grace for them. If that hadn't have happened then you wouldn't be here right now, having the best time you've ever had, am I right?"

"You don't know shit!" Castiel spat.

"Now now, calm down." Nicholai stroked his wings and sighed. "Tell me, Castiel, what have they done for you lately?"

"They're going to find me. And when they do, you're as good as dead."

"I have no doubt that they'll find you." He pulled on more feathers, snapping the metacarpal of the left wing as he did so. Castiel cried out, blood dripping from his mouth as his head hung forward. "Whether you'll be alive or dead when they find you is another matter." He pulled Cas' wings upwards, the sound of bones breaking was music to his ears.

"Please stop." Castiel sobbed.

"Oh, angel, we're just getting started." Nicholai kicked the back of the chair, sending it and Cas flying into the wall. The chair shattered, Castiel on the other hand, stopped moving altogether. Grabbing a handful of Cas' blood soaked shirt he turned him over and grinned. "Guess we know the question. You'll be dead. Gone, nothing left but a worthless shell of a vessel." He raised an angel blade to Castiel's neck and pressed it tightly to his throat.

With the last of his strength, Castiel managed to open his eyes, sending shock and confusion through Nicholai as he smiled widely, almost chuckling.

"What do you have to smile about, Cas? You're dying. Its over."

"You're fucked." Castiel whispered.

Nicholai's body crumpled to the floor when Sam's knife entered through his back. After Sam pushed the demon's body to the side, Dean crouched in front of Castiel and pressed his fingers to his neck.

"He's alive, barely."

"Cas, buddy, we're going to get you out of here. Hold on." Sam reached a arm around Castiel's shoulders and tried to pull him to his feet but Castiel wasn't having any of it.

"Leave me." Cas groaned. "It hurts."

"I know it does, but we gotta get you out of here." Dean smiled weakly.

"I'm sorry." Castiel's hand tightened around the angel blade by his side.

"It's okay, Cas"

"No, its not. I'm dying Dean. I can't come back from this agony."

"You've come back from worse. We just need to get you out of here."

"It's over." Castiel placed the blade in Dean's hands and squeezed his fingers over it.

"I'm not ending you." Dean whispered. "I can't."

"You have to. I can't live through this. If you don't, I know Sam will."

"Cas…" Sam grimaced.

"Do it."

"I can't."

Castiel turned his head, watching as Sam stood and walked out if the room with his head hanging low and a face full of guilt.

"Its just you and me Dean. You have to help me. You owe me."

"I can't do it, Cas, I need you."

"We'll meet again. I give you my word."

"Cas."

"Please."

Dean gripped the handle of the blade and moved so it was pointing down towards Castiel's chest. He pressed his forehead to Cas' and squeezed his eyes shut, a tear making a break for freedom. He kissed Castiel softly.

"I love you, Cas." He whispered when he pulled away.

"I love you too, Dean. More than anything."

Dean choked on a sob, pushing the blade through Castiel's body. When he opened his eyes he ran his fingers over the burnt print of Castiel's broken wings. It really was over.