Title: Transference

Disclaimers: Purely for fun only. Classic case of 'if you don't see it on screen, fill the void in yourself and write it'.
Genre: hurt/comfort you glorious!

Rating: PG

Summary/Set/Pairing: Post season 8, AU where Castiel fell the same way as the rest of the angels and is now trying to heal Sam instead of Zeke. Friendshipfic, Destiel if you squint.

Castiel was exhausted and hurting by the time he reached the bunker using a combination of trains, hitchhikes, buses and walking, but he knew he had to go on with no time to waste regardless of his fall induced injuries, the amount of adjusting his new condition necessitated or the guilt that accompanied his role, however unsuspecting, in the angels falling. But Sam was dying and the moment Dean let him out the embrace the hunter greeted him by the door, he let himself being directed to Sam's bedside. A quick touch of his hand confirmed the unfortunate state the young Winchester was in, no better than he had feared and Castiel sighed, "Dean, as I told you already after the first trial, this kind of damage is impossible to heal. But as I did before in similar circumstances, I could shift it." At Dean's alarmed look, he added, "it would not kill me, but it might incapacitate me for a while. And it will certainly kill Sam if we do not make haste."

Dean winced, "I don't like doing this to you man. Are you sure there is no other way?"

"I can assure you Dean that the consequences for me will not be as devastating as when I took the mental manifestations of his previous affliction on. It is only his body that is ailing, not his mind or soul and therefore it will be easier for me to overcome. I'd like to proceed now because the longer we wait, the more damage I need to work with."

"Yeah, okay," Dean gave his consent bitterly, not liking the situation one bit.

Castiel nodded, taking Sam's hand in his. He closed his eyes and stood unwavering like a statue for a good minute till Dean started wondering what was going on, "is it working?" The hunter probed.

A slow smile spread on the angel face, "at least some amends, I can make. It's done," he let go of and turned away from Sam, his hands pulling close to his body to cradle himself instead, "he'll wake up in a minute," he assured and fell forward, giving only enough time for Dean to catch him before his forehead hit the ground.

"A little bit of warning would be nice," Dean grunted one of his habitual phrases at Castiel, manoeuvring him to his side in his arms so that the angel's head rested on the hunter's knees. He was contemplating where he should lay his friend now and how when Sam's face appeared at the side of the bed looking down at them. "What happened?"

"What happened was that you almost died, that's what!" Dean complained, "it's a very annoying habit of yours! How do you feel?"

"Cas." Sam set his feet down on the floor, scrutinizing the other two, "why do I have this deja-vu feeling? Tell me he didn't take my illness on."

"What was I supposed to do Sam, watch you die?" Dean argued, "Cas would not watch that happening either if he could help it. At least we don't have to leave him in a dubious mental institution with a demonic babysitter this time."

"You can't make these decisions for me," Sam contended, but his priority was tending to the fallen angel, not quarrelling with his brother. In an instant, Castiel's body was lifted out of Dean's hands by Sam's now strong ones and placed on the bed just a minute ago the Winchester was lying on. His eyes lingered on the pale form and he smoothened the lapel of his trenchcoat before turning, "I'm not just going to wait till he gets better on his own. Kevin and I will hit any source available to figure how the trials' effects can be reversed or at least anything that could strengthen or help an angel heal. You stay with him, Dean."

"Who put you in charge?" The older brother muttered at his leaving brother, though agreeing with everything that was said. Castiel was an angel, he could deal with the damage, however that didn't make it easy to watch when his colour turned ashen, his brow glistened with sweat, his lips quivering with the same torment that made his fists clench. Dean had no idea what he could do to help. Once again, he was powerless to make any difference, but he felt this intense urge to embrace and clasp his friend against him, as if that could've protected him somehow. Instead, he collapsed into a chair close by, "Cas you know..did it ever occur to you that you don't have to do this? Without sounding like an ungrateful bastard, you should know by now what free will means? It means you don't have to jump when I say jump. I mean, thank you for all those times you stood by us, fought for us, rescued us, weaved your stupid little schemes you thought would serve us best, but man, you gotta stop this one day and do what you want, you hear me?" Dean sighed. His outburst of course only happened because Cas in fact, probably could not hear him, but at this point in time the hunter contemplated if he should really voice his thanks to his guardian angel once when Castiel was actually conscious. "Thank you Cas," he muttered even quieter though, "for everything." He shook his head, giving into the idle wait. If the most he could do was stare at the angel all day long and will him better, than that's what he was going to do.

Tbc