A/N: EndVerse Castiel starts to feel the effects of the Angels leaving. Dean has to try to help out.

The Beginning Of The End:

Two years of the Croatoan Virus had spread world wide. Most of the population was screwed by now. Sam had been attacked and Dean wasn't the same afterwards, finding Sam like that, it was too much for Dean to handle.

That was only the starting point of his problems, camp was running out of supplies and ontop of that Bobby had only recently died. Dean had noticed the symptoms and had to kill his father-figure.

His mission was a supply-run after Chuck had brought up a few problems, Cas had come along because he has nothing better to do, plus he still wanted to protect Dean. He was still an Angel, sort of, he had been feeling off as of late but didn't bring it up as Dean or their 'fearless leader' as Cas had started to nickname him had a lot on his plate.

Cas was drifting off in the jeep for a change, he was feeling the weight of his vessel increase.

"Hey. Hey!" Dean batted his arm "Stay awake, we're almost there. Since when do you crash out like that?"

Cas blunk rapidly trying to indulge in the burst of energy "I don't know"

Dean analysed Cas knowing he wasn't infected but he did catch something was wrong "You feeling alright?"

"I thought you despised talking about feelings?" Cas shot back.

Dean shook his head muttering a "Nevermind then"

Dean stopped and the two made their weapons check, Dean had been teaching Cas all he knew, and did catch a few glances from Cas making sure he was doing the right thing.

"All checked?"

"Yeah,"

"OK"

Dean lead the two around the area, both could hear Croats in the distance but their supplies were closer. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Cas stagger every few steps, Dean didn't know what was going on but he couldn't concentrate on Cas and the mission equally, he still cared about Cas before he was cut off emotionally and couldn't exactly deal with feelings.

He bit his tongue in asking Cas if he was alright because he clearly wasn't but right now supplies were his focus. A few Croats were close but nothing that was of high concern right now. They grabbed all they needed from Chuck's list. Cas looked worse than he did earlier and Dean still hadn't said anything as Cas was usually one to speak up first. They were only a few feet away from the jeep, Cas dropped to the ground thumping into a car on his way down, he was out for the count.

"Cas!" Dean had to drag Cas to the jeep and drive off while loading his own and Cas' duffel bags.

On the drive back Dean pressed his foot down a little harder than he needed to but his old protective instincts kicked in, he gripped Cas' wrist tight and felt out a pulse, it was weak but it was there. Dean more or less dragged Cas into the smaller cabin while ordering Chuck to take the supplies, his didn't even hear Risa and Chuck asking what had happened to Cas.

Clearing the desk Cas was roughly placed on top. His eyes were still shut and his breathing was light along with a weak beating pulse. Dean prepped some water and some painkillers and sat by Cas for the night, Chuck came in twice to find out what happened, with Cas still unconscious he couldn't pitch in and Dean had absolutely no clue so it's not like he could pitch any ideas.

It took more than half the night for Cas to wake up, he had bolted upwards yelling "Dean!" it made Dean jump out of his chair and half the camp heard him.

"What?"

"I... nothing. What happened out there?"

"Was hoping you would tell me"

"I, uh... the Angels..."

"What about them?"

"They're gone. All of them, I lost my 'mojo' or at least a large chunk of it. I don't know how much I'll be useful to you now, no doubt this will get worse"

Dean sighed and stood up for the first time in nearly nine hours, "Well, rest up. Take those and then you and I are on invnetory, I didn't get a chance to check everything we have with Chuck" Dean left on that note stopping Cas from asking why but he figured it out spotting the glass and painkillers.

Swallowing them down Cas didn't feel better but he didn't feel worse so he made a mental note to keep an eye on it and followed out to find Dean waiting for him.

"Keep me updated" Dean ordered not looking Cas in the eye.

"You got it,"

Cas stalked off first, Dean watched with worry that should have been dead a long time ago, he lost Sam, Bobby, Ellen, Jo and now there was a chance he was going to lose Cas simply because the Angels were pussies who couldn't clean up their own mess.

"Typical"

Dean followed Cas to inventory knowing this would only be the start of their additional problems to come.

Extra Note: I have no idea whether to keep this a One-Shot or make it a series of Cas' health deteriorating and Dean continuing to pick up the pieces leading up to 5x04

Please R & R for clarity

Thanks