Ending of an Era

Prologue

By PaBurke (faithburke)

Crossover: Supernatural & Firefly

Summary: Dean's been stuck in this current form for far too long. Something is about to change.

400 Words

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Castiel hovered over the battlefield, looking for the worst. He knew what he would find there. Good had won- for the most part. Humans were not exterminated and the majority of the demons had been cast into the Pit. Earth would need time to recover, but governmental plans were already in motion to abandon the damaged planet.

Like they would be able to leave the sin and evil behind. Castiel knew that the demons would 'hitch a ride.' They would be retreating and waiting for another fight. It would take centuries before they would be able to build up their reserves again.

The angels –the ones that had been following the Father's directions- would be waiting and watching, Castiel among them. For now, he mourned.

He landed between the brothers. Dean lay broken on his right and Sam on his left. Piles of demonic corpses surrounded them. They had decided the fate of the world and had paid for it in their blood. They were together and Castiel knew that was what Dean would have wanted. The angel reached out a comforting hand to close the humans' eyes. It was something that Dean would have done. A sign of respect and Castiel did not respect any human more. He touched the skin and immediately jerked back.

No.

Something was wrong with their souls. Castiel had pleaded on their behalf to the Father. When their time in the mortal realm was finished, they would be accepted into heaven. What foul demonic working was this? Their bodies were changing, shrinking, compressing.

Footsteps of a demon.

Castiel glared at the approaching female, ready to strike despite his own injuries and fatigue. She stopped. He sensed fear, but overlaying that was triumph. Even as the demon fled the human and left a corpse behind, Castiel could sense the smugness of revenge. What had she done? He could guess. He had seen this once before, a long time ago.

Castiel waited and watched. In the end, a pair of knives was all that remained of the Winchester brothers. The demon had done this. When Castiel prayed to the Father, he learned that the Winchesters were not done. Castiel was ordered to choose a human family to watch over the knives until they were needed again.

The choice was easy.

He returned Jimmy Novak to his family with the two silver knives.

Castiel watched and waited.

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