God Has Heard

by ras_elased

Summary:

Sam didn't get Dean out of hell, except he did. Sam doesn't have a guardian angel on his shoulder, except he does. He just doesn't know it.

Notes:

So, I had originally planned to post my Ruby POV along with this, my Castiel POV, but Ruby is being difficult, and I'm impatient, so here you go. No sex this time, sadly, but I still kinda want to write Sam/Castiel porn, so we'll see if my muse can come up with something. This one is not that far off from canon, I don't think. Just a different view of it. Everyone thinks Castiel was assigned as a divine guide for Dean, but what if that's only a side effect of his real assignment? Also, I think this goes a long way to answer the question of why Dean was called to stop Sam, instead of the angels or God just smiting him and calling it a day. Also, thanks to rasah for the quickie beta.

Entry tags:

fandom: spn, fic: god has heard, genre: angst, rating: g

Title: God Has Heard
Author: Ras Elased
Rating: G
Spoilers: Up to 4.01
Summary: Sam didn't get Dean out of hell, except he did. Sam doesn't have a guardian angel on his shoulder, except he does. He just doesn't know it.
Author's notes: So, I had originally planned to post my Ruby POV along with this, my Castiel POV, but Ruby is being difficult, and I'm impatient, so here you go. No sex this time, sadly, but I still kinda want to write Sam/Castiel porn, so we'll see if my muse can come up with something. This one is not that far off from canon, I don't think. Just a different view of it. Everyone thinks Castiel was assigned as a divine guide for Dean, but what if that's only a side effect of his real assignment? Also, I think this goes a long way to answer the question of why Dean was called to stop Sam, instead of the angels or God just smiting him and calling it a day. Also, thanks to rasah for the quickie beta.

If angels had been given the mercy and the curse of free will, Castiel might resent his current position. He had been a warrior for God since the Beginning, had fought for the side of light for ages innumerable, but he had been plucked from the battlefield to watch over a mortal. An important mortal, yes. Integral to God's plan. But still, a mortal.

Castiel knew he'd never be able to truly understand God's plan, but he did know God's will. And His will was that Samuel Winchester be saved.

Castiel had been with his charge, with Samuel, since his original guardian had become one of the Lost, swallowed by the bowels of Hell. Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his brother. Castiel stayed his own hand as Samuel took up with another Lost soul. She drew him into the shadows, taught him to find his inner Darkness. Castiel whispered warnings into Samuel's mind, but he was too stubborn, too desperate, too greedy for power, and he didn't listen. His power grew, and he drifted farther from the path.

Some nights, Samuel came home and turned the shower so hot it scalded his skin. He scrubbed until his skin was raw and cracked, bleeding, but he couldn't scour the stench of brimstone and ash from his veins. Those nights, Samuel prayed harder than others.

Samuel prayed every night to get Dean out. He asked for strength, for power, ignorant of the fact it would never be enough. The only One with the power to release Lost souls is God, everything else is folly. God can wink the entire universe out of existence if He so desires, but He chooses instead to find this one boy who is lost in the dark.

Had Castiel the ability to understand irony, he would have found it ironic that the boy destined to be God's Adversary prayed each night with the faithfulness of a devout follower. If simple faith were enough to save a man's soul, Samuel wouldn't be in danger. He had faith enough to rival the saints, but he had no trust in God's will. As it was, Castiel only felt pity. Samuel's prayers were more like curses, full of anger and venom that Castiel didn't understand. Samuel didn't believe God listened to his prayers, wouldn't answer them if He did. Samuel, of course, should have known better. His very name was Hebrew for "God has heard." He should know that God heard all prayers, and answered every one. Sometimes, however, the answer was no.

Then again, sometimes the answer was, "Not yet."

The prayers continued, Samuel's wrath shed in broken sobs, anguish twisting God's name on Samuel's lips, becoming Dean, uttered with a fervor that bordered on blasphemy. Castiel sometimes thought on those nights he could lie down next to Samuel and wrap his wings around the shaking form, long black feathers holding him in a protective embrace, but he never did. It was not his way.

If Castiel cannot save Samuel's soul, then he must save the world. God's will is that Samuel be saved, but Castiel doesn't believe it is possible. O ye of little faith… Castiel can fight the hordes of Darkness for a million millennia, but he cannot fight this, can only watch helplessly as Samuel slips from the light. Even the power of God, vast and terrible, is no match for a desperate man's free will.

Castiel is a warrior. He doesn't understand love. He knows his Duty, to fight with the power of God at his side. But he also knows that his power won't save Samuel. The only thing that can save him is love, a love as vast and terrible as the power of God, of a Father for his Son, of two brothers joined by sacrifice.

He feels God's will calling him even before he hears the command. He knows what he must do. Samuel is muttering into his pillow, the last lines of his nightly prayer becoming nothing but an endless plea, "Dean, Dean, please, God, please…"

Castiel's hand hovers protectively over Samuel's head as he whispers, "He has heard, Samuel. God has heard."

He leaves his charge's side and goes in search of the one soul that can save Samuel Winchester from himself.

Fic: God Has Heard