Theme Prompt - Creation

"You need to die," Gabriel said matter-of-factly. He grinned as Sam's mouth dropped open. Dean just looked at him, exhaustion and disbelief painting his face.

"What? Can you think of any other way into the Garden?" Gabriel continued. "Humans only see Heaven when they're dead."

"Can't you just... I don't know," Dean said, waving his hand. "Mojo me up there or something?"

"No, Dean, I can't," Gabriel said, shaking his head. "It's against dear Daddy's rules. And I think all the angels would revolt if I tried." Dean sighed and looked down mournfully. Cas's feather was getting cooler, the pulsing fading out. Dean pushed his fear down and took a deep breath. Looking back up at Gabriel, he let his determination shine in his eyes.

"What do I need to do?" he asked simply. Gabriel gaped at him, not actually expecting the hunter to be willing to try this. He cleared his throat and thought for a moment.

"Well, the easiest way would be for one of us to kill you," Gabriel said, dropping a hand on Sam's shoulder when the younger Winchester started to argue. "I can stop your heart and take you to Heaven. As long as it doesn't take to long to find the Garden, I can bring you back to your body again."

"That's a big if," Sam interjected, shrugging off Gabriel's hand. "What happens if you can't bring him back?"

"Then I'm dead, Sammy," Dean said flatly. "And maybe Zach will let Cas go if that happens." Sam sat back on the couch, pure shock written across his face. He had never expected to hear his brother speak about death almost happily. Like he didn't matter as long as Cas was free. Gabriel laid a hand consolingly on Sam's shoulder again before turning to Dean.

"Are you sure?" Gabriel asked. "This is extremely dangerous. I can't guarantee it will even work." Dean nodded silently and sat looking expectantly at the archangel. Gabriel sighed and shrugged. He stood and walked over to Dean, laying a hand over the older Winchester's heart.

"Take a deep breath," Gabriel advised. "This is going to hurt." Sam crossed his arms over his chest as Dean sucked in as deep a breath as he could. Gabriel pushed against his chest and Dean let out the breath in an explosive whoosh. Pain filled his chest but he couldn't scream. Dean felt his heart stutter to a stop and it didn't beat again. Sam's terrified face was the last thing he saw before his eyes closed.

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Opening his eyes, Dean was greeted by the smirking face of Gabriel. The archangel stood taller here, his golden brown wings stretched out behind him. Dean saw that he actually had six individual wings, unlike Cas's two wings.

"Wakey, wakey Dean-o," Gabriel singsonged at him. "Time's awasting." Dean groaned and stood from the ground he had been laying on. Curious, he looked around heaven. Last time he'd been here, he and Sam had travelled through each other's memories before reaching the Garden. Now, he was in a quiet park. Wind sighed through the trees and birds chirped happily somewhere far above him. The sun shone down gently, lighting the grass and picking out red tints in Gabriel's hair and wings.

"Where are we?" Dean asked.

"Consider this something like a waiting room," Gabriel said, waving his hand at the quiet scene. "This is a bit of Heaven that has not been modeled on anyone's memory. Hopefully, we can find the Garden from here." Gabriel picked a direction and started walking, not even waiting to see if Dean was following. Dean did indeed follow the angel, knowing he'd get lost here pretty quickly on his own. They walked for a time, the clouds above not moving as they headed through the park.

Suddenly, a door loomed up right before them. It had no frame or walls around it, just sat in the middle of the grass. Dean walked around it and saw it looked the same from the other side.

"The hell?" Dean asked, circling to stand next to Gabriel again. "Where does this go?" Gabriel laid a hand on the honey-brown wood and concentrated. He looked up at Dean and grinned.

"Apparently someone is in a helping mood today," Gabriel said, smirking. "This door leads straight to the Garden. When we go in there, no touching, picking, or eating anything. We go to the Paradise Rose and you take one flower. Anything else and I can't guarantee your safety." Dean nodded impatiently at Gabriel. The longer this took, the more Zachariah could be torturing Cas. Images of a bloody and broken angel flooded through Dean's mind, made all the worse by the fact that Cas was always on Dean's rack.

Gabriel opened the door and the two walked into the beginning of Creation. This time, the Garden had a wild, untamed look. It was as if no humans had ever existed or would ever exist to mar the graceful beauty. Dean stared openmouthed at the wonder before him while Gabriel simply sighed in pleasure. He had missed this, the first garden his father had created.

Colorful birds with long, sweeping plumage trilled at them from stately trees. Bees and butterflies flocked, jewel-bright colors and buzzing adding to the music and wonder. Deer looked up from their grazing to stare at them fearlessly. Dean's breath caught in his throat at the sheer magnificence of the place.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Gabriel asked reverently, his eyes drinking in the sight. Dean nodded, unwilling to ruin the harmony by speaking. It somehow seemed profane to talk here. The archangel led him past flowering trees and babbling brooks before stopping in front of a particularly tall bush. Red roses dotted the green limbs, white centers peeking through the petals. Gabriel gestured at the plant.

"Pick one," he said quietly. Dean stepped forward hesitantly, looking the flowers over. He saw one rose, at about his shoulder height, that was completely opened. The white center shined in the sunlight and Dean chose that flower. Gently, he reached in and plucked it, mindful of the thorns. He placed it on the necklace next to Cas's feather and looked at Gabriel. The archangel nodded at him and turned, leading the way back to the entrace. They stepped out of the Garden, Dean looking back regretfully. The door closed with a final snap and they were back in the quiet park.

"Let's go," Gabriel said, picking up his pace. "We got to get you back to your body." Dean walked next to him until a sudden burst of heat from Cas's feather stopped him in his tracks.

"Gabriel?" Dean whispered, cupping the feather gently. "Is Cas up here? Is this where that smug dick would have taken him?" Gabriel stopped and studied the hunter. He could see Dean stroking the feather lovingly and thought of lying to him. The hunter narrowed his eyes, studying Gabriel and figuring out what he was thinking.

"Don't even think of lying," Dean snapped. "I can feel the warmth in this feather. He's nearby, isn't he?" Gabriel nodded and pointed off to their left. Dean looked but couldn't see any difference in the parkland.

"I sensed him when we showed up here," Gabriel explained. "And over there is the bit of Heaven that was refashioned to look, and act, like Hell. It's not... pleasant."

"Take me to him," Dean demanded.

"I can't" Gabriel argued. "We don't have much time. We have to go now."

"Take. Me. To. Him," Dean said again, biting off each word. He crossed his arms over his chest and planted his feet. He was not leaving without at least seeing Cas. A sudden thought crossed him mind. Maybe he could rescue his angel now and not deal with Zachariah any longer? He stood staring at Gabriel, daring the angel to ignore him.

"Fine," Gabriel finally said, running a hand through his hair. "Follow me."

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A bright light lanced into Cas's eyes again and he groaned. Zachariah was back for more torture. He didn't bother to lift his head, just let Dean's voice fill his mind. His hunter was the only thing keeping Cas sane, giving him the strength to hold on.

"Jeez, Cas, what have they done to you?" came Dean's broken voice. Cas snorted in surprise. That wasn't one of the lines in his head. Footsteps made their way to him and gentle hands cupped his chin and raised his face. His astonished eyes met Dean's green ones before the sight was lost to blurry tears.

"D.. Dean," Cas coughed. "You... you're here. You didn't... abandon me." Cas broke down into a coughing fit and felt Dean cradle his broken body. Pain flared as Dean's clothes rubbed against the cuts on his chest and back but Cas didn't care. His hunter was here, holding him.

"Oh, Cas, I'm so sorry," Dean murmured into the angel's hair. "I'm so sorry you've had to suffer like this. I will make it up to you. I will make you better." Cas lifted his head with difficulty and placed a kiss on Dean's temple. He left a bloody print and felt bad for marring Dean's skin. He didn't have long to wallow, though, because Dean pressed a gentle kiss to his cracked and oozing lips.

"Why would you think I abandoned you?" Dean asked quietly, trying not to hurt his angel.

"Za... Zachariah," Cas replied, hissing in pain. "He... told me that's why.... you gave him tears. He... hurt me with them." A strange vibrating against his body caused Cas to look up at Dean again. The hunter was growling deep in his chest, murder in his eyes.

"He used those to hurt you?" Dean snapped. "He didn't tell me that. He just told me to collect them." Cas tilted his head in confusion, trying to understand what Dean was saying.

"Our dear brother has given Dean tasks," Gabriel explained, his eyes full of compassion for his brother. "If Dean completes them, he gets you back." Cas tried to convey his thanks to Gabriel with his eyes, his voice almost completely used up. He dropped his head back down on Dean's shoulder and just breathed the hunter in. They stood there for a few moments, pain and sorrow and joy flowing between the two men. Cas felt tears prickling his eyes when Dean moved away. He looked up to see the hunter standing at his side, holding one of his shackles.

"How do I get this undone?" Dean asked Gabriel, intensity coloring his tone. He tapped the metal softly, trying to find a latch or keyhole.

"You can't," Gabriel replied sadly. Dean's head snapped to him, anger suffusing his face.

"The hell I can't," Dean snarled. "Just tell me how to work the damn things."

"Only the angel who closed them can open them again," Gabriel answered. "Zachariah is the only one who can free Castiel. And if we don't leave soon, he will find us here." Cas groaned at the thought and caught Dean's eyes with his terrified ones.

"Go," Cas grated out. "Don't... be found here. I can't... let him hurt you." Dean dropped to his knees in front of Castiel, his arms wrapping around the angel gently. He felt tears flood his eyes and drip onto Cas's chest.

"I can't just leave you here," Dean said brokenly. "He's killing you, Cas. Please... please don't make me leave you here." Cas kissed the top of Dean's head, ignoring the flash of pain in his cracked lips.

"You have to, Dean," Cas said as clearly as he could. "You have to leave so you can save me." Dean looked at him with fear and pain in his eyes. He kissed Cas's eyelids, his cheeks, and then his lips. When he stepped back, blood coated his face.

"I will get you out of here," Dean swore. "I love you. Just hold on a little longer." With that, heart breaking, he turned and walked out of the room. Gabriel sent one last compassionate look at his brother and closed the door. Darkness and blood again became Castiel's world.

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"Well, that is one of the creepier things I've seen," Dean snarked at Gabriel. They both stood around his body, slumped over in a chair. Sam was still sitting on the couch, keeping vigil over Dean's body. Gabriel walked to his hunter and ghosted a hand over his hair. Sam shivered but made no other move.

"So how do I get back in?" Dean asked, walking around his own body. Gabriel laughed at him and shrugged.

"Just jump back in," he offered, not moving from Sam's side. Dean rolled his eyes and placed a hesitant hand on his own shoulder. He felt a tugging, a pull and surrendered to it. Before he could blink, Dean was sucked back into his own body. A heavy weight settled in his chest and Dean recognized his heart. It was beating again. He opened his eyes and grinned at Sam.

"Got it," he said, holding up the rose that had followed him back. Sam whooped and hugged his brother.

"Time to summon the bastard," Sam said and pushed a duffel into Dean's arms. "All you need. Get him back, man." Dean nodded his thanks and headed upstairs to change. He didn't know if Zachariah would be able to sense Cas's blood in his clothes, since none came back with him, but he didn't want to take that chance. After he was done, he trudged back out to the barn and cast the spell.

Zachariah appeared, his face supremely annoyed. Dean held the rose out to him, a smirk gracing his features. Zachariah took it wordlessly and crushed it between his fingers.

"Can I have him back now?" Dean growled. "I've completed all your challenges in the alloted time span. Give me my angel back. Now."

"Tut, tut, Dean," Zachariah said. "I told you two myths, you remember? The first was the challenges. The second is a game."

"What the hell, you dick?" Dean exploded. "You've been jerking me around long enough. I did what you asked, give him back." Zachariah shook his head and grinned evilly at Dean.

"We have to play a game," Zachariah said smugly. "But I need some time to decide exactly what to play. I will be back." With a genial wave, Zachariah disappeared. Dean fell to his knees again, rage and despair flooding him. Was he ever going to get Cas back?