A/N: So…I have officially become Destiel trash. This proves it. Yes, this is a LOTR/SPN crossover…based heavily on the part where Aragorn is dragged over a cliff and miraculously saved. So *cough* the boys in medieval armor *cough cough* swords…Middle Earth *cough*. Also I twisted scenes to my own liking. :D

Song of inspiration: Lord of the Rings, "Breath of Life"

Dean was vaguely aware that someone was screaming his name, but it did not matter. He was a dead man. His hands were slicked red by his own blood, the hunter coughing it up too. Cold mud was seeping through his pants legs, past his armor, and he felt fear then. Then it got worse.

A hellhound pounced on him, its wounded master gnashing its teeth at him too. Dean swung his sword, pleased when the hellhound barked out a sharp cry. Dean gasped, blood spewing from his lips as he twisted his blade deeper, the demon growling aloud as the beast under him began to buck wildly, charging forward randomly. Dean thought it was over then—that he could die in peace— until the demon grasped onto his satchel, dragging him along. He kicked and he cried but there wasn't much he could do, not with his sword lost and his stomach gushing red. His cries of distress alerted Sam, however.

Dean had very briefly caught the distressed eyes of his brother, the younger man's head whipping in his direction in almost slow motion, momentarily distracted from the frothing demon he was engaged with in battle. It was the slowest moment of his life, watching as Sam plunged his sword into the belly of the demon, pushing his boot upon its chest to free his sword. He was trying so hard to get to him…It was too late though, as Dean knew it would be. He felt his stomach in his throat as he was pulled off the cliff, the wounded beast dragging the bleeding man with it to the bleak depths below with a confused cry.

It hurt to watch his brother scream his name, to see the tendons in his neck strain with tears and pain from the smoke. It hurt not being able to answer, wishing he could have stayed quiet, as Sam flung himself upon the cliff's edge, arms outstretched towards his damned brother. It hurt knowing that Sam was watching his ultimate demise. So Dean closed his eyes.

Death was serene—more serene than the hunter could ever imagine it to be—as his blood flowed freely from him and merged with ice cold water, the hellhound and its master long lost…as Dean soon would be. The waves crashed against him, smothered him, and Dean knew that he was going to drown, but the only thing he could think about was Sam…and of Castiel…

Castiel—the only being besides Sam to ever see him as something greater, something to be loved. He would miss him, his smile and his light. How he, a lonely mortal, had caught the eye of an angel he would never know—especially Castiel. Dean was death and war, whereas Castiel was peace and sunlight…polar opposites. The angel was pure starlight, his face blessed with God's love and grace, and Dean wanted nothing more to see him one last time…to tell him how much he adored, and missed him. That he had made a mistake.

War had separated them, their two very different worlds tearing them apart. Dean had to let him go, and it killed him inside. He had to, or risk watching him die as his grace slowly left him to wither away in the coldness of Dean's world. Dean would not see that happen, not to the only light that was in his life…

'It was a dream, Castiel,' Dean told the angel in Enochian, his voice strained. Castiel's hypnotically blue eyes searched his green ones…searching the very soul he had once saved. What he found must have shocked him because the tears that had bud in his eyes nearly killed Dean.

'…Why are you saying this?' Castiel had asked in his own tongue, his voice rougher than normal, heartbroken. He inched closer into Dean's personal space, the mortal able to smell the angel's flustered grace hidden beneath the smells of fallen rain, and something distinctly Castiel. The angel pressed his hands against Dean's worn leather chest plate, his elegant fingers trembling upon it.

'I don't believe you,' Castiel murmured softly as he saw Dean follow the movements of his trembling lips. He slowly moved forward, the swell of his top lip brushing against the hunter's own. Dean gasped aloud and caught his hands, pulling them away from his person.

'I am mortal,' Dean began in English and swallowed hard, recalling the damning words Castiel's Father had told him—warned him… 'You are angel-kind, Castiel…It was a dream, and nothing more.' Castiel's eyes widened with hurt and betrayal and he clasped onto Dean's shoulder knowingly, his handprint crying beneath the surface of his skin.

'Don't,' Dean had begged him and stepped away, his shoulders slumped. Castiel looked as if he had been pushed away physically; the tears in his eyes slowly racing down his beautiful face to drip onto the sheer fabric of his robes. 'You have a chance for another life, away from war, grief, despair…' Dean told him, begging him to understand. He felt Castiel's grace under his skin crying out, and he couldn't take it.

'This belongs to you,' Dean rasped and unbuckled his shoulder plate, pulling away his tunic to show the glowing handprint. It was Castiel's grace. The angel looked at the handprint coolly, his eyes wet, and Dean hated how distant they looked.

'It was a gift, keep it.' The angel told him and began to slowly retreat, taking Dean's heart along within him.

He should have taken him in his arms then, he now knows. He should have kissed away his tears and his doubt. Now he would die without ever seeing him smile again…only the bitterness that adorned his face that day; the tears…

Cool fingertips suddenly touched his sunburned face and lips, bringing with them the light the hunter oh so craved. Whispered, holy, words were said against the hunter's skin and Dean wanted to cry as plush lips pressed against his chapped ones. Dean knew then that he must be in Heaven to be able to taste them again. Or he was in Hell, and it was Lucifer's tricks that ensorcelled him when he blinked lamely to find Castiel's face looming above his own.

The angel was as gorgeous as ever, a halo of golden light adorning his tousled head. His eyes looked tired though.

"This is a dream," Dean breathed and felt his tears run down the sides of his face. Castiel smiled warmly at him and brushed away his tears gently, his long fingers gliding down his skin adoringly. The pads of his fingertips brought peace as they danced across the hunter's eyelids, cupid's bow, and slowly tugged his bottom lip downwards.

"Then it is a good dream," Castiel murmured and captured Dean's lips with his own, giving all of himself into the kiss as if he would perish without doing so. Dean felt the same and kissed him back with as much vigor his limp body would allow him. He could taste the salt from his tears and knew the angel could as well. "Sleep," Castiel murmured again his lips afterwards and Dean smiled beneath closed eyelids as the angel kissed him once more, cradling his face within gentle hands.

"Sleep…"

"I am asleep," The hunter replied softly and Castiel watched him sadly, petting at his face and chest. The angel stood, his sheer robes glistening in Heaven's light. Dean's eyelids opened in slits as he watched his angel lean against a marble pillar, staring off into Eden's lush gardens and light. His face was sad and Dean could see the shimmer of his wings, silver and blue, in another plain droop. Castiel needed him.

The angel sucked in a low gasp as he felt arms wrap around his middle. He leaned into Dean's embrace willingly, his hands wrapping around the mortal's strong, marred, forearms. He closed his eyes when he felt Dean's lips press open-mouthed kisses to his temple.

"I have missed you," Dean told him and pulled the angel all the more closer, pleased when Castiel pressed the back of his head against his shoulder to allow him to press kisses along his jaw and neck, the angel's skin flushed.

"And I you, Dean," Castiel murmured, eyes closed in bliss. He tangled his fingers in Dean's hair, holding him to his neck. Dean sighed contently and pressed one last kiss the angel's perfect skin before he perched his unshaven chin upon Castiel's shoulder, sighing.

"You told me once, this day would come," Dean murmured and Castiel's fingers tightened their hold of his arms. The angel turned within his arms, facing him.

"This is not the end," Castiel murmured and slowly pressed a hand to the side of Dean's face, the hunter leaning into the touch with closed eyes. "This is the beginning, love." The angel spoke with more hope than Dean could ever hope to have, and he desperately wanted to believe in his beautiful words.

"My path is hidden from me," Dean murmured, letting his fears seep through every word, knowing that Castiel would be there to save him yet again. He did not have to wait long as he felt Castiel lift his drooped chin with a few fingers, urging him to open his eyes.

"Your path is already laid before your feet, Dean." Castiel told him strongly, the angel pressing ever the more closer as if he wanted to merge into one. "You cannot falter now…You only need to reach out and take it." Dean looked at him closely, wondering how the angel managed to sound innocent and seductive all at once. Castiel blinked at him once before he pressed his palm against the hunter's heart, Dean gasping when he felt the angel's wings pressing again his back to bring him closer.

"Trust this," Castiel murmured in Enochian, then cautiously moved his hand until it covered Dean's shoulder, his handprint. "Trust us." Dean stared down at him with a lump in his throat, wondering how the angel could ever look at him the way he does after he had done. He opened his mouth to say just that but Castiel pressed his fingers against his lips, stopping him. He smiled softly before slowly lowering his hand and pressing his lips to Dean's own. Dean responded by wrapping one calloused hand around the nape of the angel's neck, pulling him close.

When the kiss was over Castiel sighed against Dean's mouth, plopping his head against Dean's chest plate. The angel closed his eyes and hummed a soft song under his breath, tracing ancient symbols into the armor upon Dean's stomach—where his wound was. Castiel then began to sing, his voice liquid and golden. The hunter's eyelids soon felt heavy, his vision blurred, and he could just barely make out what his angel was singing:

You are not bound to loss and silence,

For you are not bound to the circles of this world…

He stumbled and Castiel caught him, slowly lowering them both to the marbled floor below.

"Wh..t?" The hunter tried to ask to no avail, looking up through glassy eyes to see Castiel's eyes blurred away with tears. The angel had not yet stopped singing and Dean vaguely knew that he was lulling him to sleep.

…All things must pass away,

All life is doomed to fade,

Sorrowing, you must go…

Dean's world went to black the moment he felt warm lips upon his forehead, cold and wet. An animal snorted and the man's eyebrows furrowed. He blinked lamely and found that he lay upon a rocky shore, his horse nuzzling her wet nose into his face, sniffing loudly. Dean groaned long and hard, slowly feeling his body. His fingers went to his wound and he found it to be clean, his armor still split. He closed his eyes and sent a prayer to his guardian angel, tears stinging in his eyes when he realized that Castiel truly was there with him. His horse nudged him rougher and Dean chuckled wetly, his chilled hand carding itself in her black mane.

"Kaz," The hunter rasped and the horse fell to her knees, allowing Dean to slowly pull himself onto her muscled back. Dean was draped over her like a ragdoll but he knew that Kaz would know where to go, so he righted himself the best he could and prayed that Sam and his men had made it out of the battle wound-free.

A/N: I squealed when I wrote all the fluff…I'm such a dork. I needed to write this and should have been doing homework…oops. Oh well! What do you think? I tried to go off LOTR by memory (quotes etc.) so if they're off it's because of that haha. I'm really surprised there aren't many LOTR/SPN crossovers…angels, demons, man and beasts. There needs to be more, in my opinion lol.

Best wishes,

Lthien