The white light started to shine blindingly in front of three men, who were panting heavily from a long run. The monsters that were after them were left behind massive, dead trees. But they could get to them in any minute.

"We don't have much time," Benny snarled. "The portal opens for thirty seconds, so we gotta be quick." He wiped the blood off his forehead.

"Yeah… right… right." Dean swallowed hard. His eyes scanned the area intently.

Castiel was grabbing his angel blade with eerie silence. The angel looked worn out and pale. His once beige trench coat was torn to pieces and unbelievably dirty.

"Cas, you alright?" Dean asked worriedly.

Castiel startled at his charge's voice, but forced himself to smile. "Do not worry about me. I'm fine, Dean."

"That's good. I want you to pull yourself together, 'cause we gonna get the hell out of here right now." Dean squeezed the angel's arm with a reassuring smile.

As the light faded and an iron gate formed before them, rustling and snarling sounded from the woods.

Instantly, Benny pushed the gate open and turned around. "What the hell are you waiting for, Dean? Go now!" he roared and pushed the hunter through the gates.

"Cas! Come on man, the portal's gonna close soon! Get your ass over here!" Dean yelled from the other side.

Benny stood in the doorway and looked at the angel with a smug smile. "Thank you for the gift, pretty boy." He smirked.

As the gate started to fade, Dean started to panic and he tried to reach in for Castiel to grab his trench coat and drag the silly angel out. His attempt was blocked by Benny.

"What the fuck are you doing?" the hunter yelled at Benny. "Move or I'll cut your fucking head off!"

"Would love to see you try that." Benny smirked, knowing too well that the hunter did not have a suitable weapon for that.

"Cas? Cas, you son of a bitch, what're you doing? What the fuck are you waiting for?" Dean was trying his best to escape from the vampire's vice-like grip, but in vain.

The angel looked behind him, where a few monsters were sneaking up to him and his grip tightened around the hilt of his angel blade. Castiel shifted his eyes from the monsters back to the hunter and smiled sadly. "Goodbye, Dean." His voice cracked before the gate disappeared.

"Cas? CAS? What the fuck did you do, Cas? What the fuck?" Dean was screaming at empty space. "You idiot, why? Whyyyyyy?" Dean fell on his knees and broke into sobbing.

Benny scratched his head awkwardly. He did not expect Dean to have such a dramatic reaction. "He offered me a deal. I would get you out of purgatory and…." but he was interrupted.

"And what did he give you?" The hunter was staring at the ground with a dazed look.

"His grace."

Dean's head snapped up abruptly at the words. "Grace?" he hissed.

Benny fumbled in his jacket's pocket and pulled a small glass vial out. Dean noticed the familiar glowing inside. Castiel's grace! He inhaled sharply.

"If you don't give that to me right now, I swear to God—or whoever sits on that fucking cloud up there not giving a flying fuck about anything—I will hunt you down. Look me in the eyes and tell me if I'm lying." Dean clenched his fists and his knuckles turned white.

The vampire gave him an examining look. Dean's face did not promise anything good and Benny frowned. "I don't need extra problems. Besides, that shit won't be uswful for me. Goodbye Dean Winchester. Forget that I exist." He threw the vial at the hunter and walked away hurriedly.

Dean held Castiel's grace close to his heart, feeling every contour of the vial with his trembling fingers. "Cas, I will get you out, I swear. I'll be damned if I don't. I'll find a way, I promise, you just hold on, you silly feathery brains.…"

The hunter smiled when he saw Castiel's grace sparking inside the vial. It was a good sign.

The End