A/N Based on the end of s10. DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE SEASON 10 FINALE (10x23 Brothers Keeper) YET.

Hope you enjoy :)

The Darkness sucks.

-

They have been sitting for what feels like forever. It's like the old times, sitting for days and days

-

"Finally," a voice says.

"Cas?"

-

A swoosh of wings

-

Steady ground beneath their feet

-

"You're safe now," Cas says.

"Cas how did you..." Sam asks. They hear Cas sigh.

"I searched through the profound bond of Dean and me. It took me a while, I am sorry."

"Cas... It's okay. We're glad you found us," Dean says. He doesn't know what to do or say. The Darkness is everywhere, and he doesn't like it.

"You found them?" another voice asks.

"Crowley?!"

"The one and only." They can almost hear him grinning. "Don't shoot, I have an explanation," he says before Dean can even get out his gun.

They sit down at the table in the library, and Crowley explains how Rowena cursed Cas after she got free. How his eyes went all bloody and how he almost tried to kill Crowley. He had been tied to a chair for days, only able to talk properly every few hours.

How Cas had searched for Dean and Sam, and how he finally had mastered himself above of the curse. He was stable enough to actually go out and search.

"So, he's got us. Why don't you leave?" Dean asks as soon as Crowley is done.

"Calm down," Sam tries. "He's helped Cas."

Always trying to be the good guy, Dean thinks. But okay, he will let Crowley stay with them.

-

The first day back in the bunker is weird. Sam and Dean have had dark times before, when the light wasn't working. But this is nothing like it. This is pure darkness, everywhere.

They turn on a lamp. It works, but it only lights up an very, very small area around itself.

Sam says they should save the energy for charging their phones.

Dean tries to make dinner for Sam and him. The food burns because he doesn't see if it's cooked well enough. They eat it anyways.

-

The first night isn't that bad, they go to their rooms, and fall asleep.

The bad part comes the next day, when they wake up and they're not fully awake yet. It's dark and it won't get light.

"Sammy?" Dean yells

"Dean, it's okay, I'm okay," Sam yells back and Dean calms down a little. They don't shower.

In the kitchen, Cas has made both of them breakfast, bread and coffee. It is not much, but it is something.

"So," Dean starts. "The Darkness, huh?"

"It was the only way to remove the Mark, Dean," Cas says. He sounds as desperate as when they were trying to get it off.

"Does anyone have any idea what the Darkness is exactly?"

"I don't think anyone does," Cas replies. "Lucifer was created before me, and he had the mark already when I was there. I only remember him passing it onto Cain."

The day is long and none of them have very much to do. They assume there will be evil outside, but they can't hunt it. They've hunted in the dark before, but even the strongest lights don't reach far enough.

-

It's a few days later and everyone's getting more miserable. Crowley just mocks on Rowena all day, Cas sits in a chair, staring off in the middle of nowhere. Sam spends his days reading for as far as it goes. Dean can't do anything. He walks around in the bunker all day, and at night, he doesn't sleep for more than a few hours.

-

Unknowingly, they have started to improve their hearing. They know exactly who is doing what by just listening.

-

Avoiding each other is harder than it seems in the Darkness. Sometimes, they accidentally bump into each other, all lost in their own thoughts.

-

It's 5am and Dean is awake. He suddenly listens and hears footsteps coming to his room.

"Cas?"

"Yes, Dean. It's me. Your hearing really has improved," Cas replies.

"It has," Dean says, not knowing what to say.

"Dean, I know you're not okay. I can feel it through our profound bond," Cas then says.

Of course he could.

"I'm okay, I'm fine, I'm- who am I kidding? You're right, I'm not okay, Cas. I can't take it any more. Sam can read his books, you and Crowley both have your things to do but me... I don't know," he tells Cas.

He feels the mattress dip with Cas weight when he sits on it.

"I can't hunt, I can't clean my baby, because she's in a godforsaken field, I just walk around all day and when every terrible day ends, it changes in a night where I can't sleep."

He knows he sounds selfish, but he can't stop himself now.

"I just can't take it any more. Cas, the Darkness... it's not good. I feel it in my veins, it's not good and I can't do anything about it, I can only stare in it all day."

Cas sits closer and suddenly he feels an arm around his shoulders.

"I know I'm being selfish, but I just... I can't help anyone, not any of the people out there, not you, not Sammy, not even myself. I spent so many years saving people, and the past year, the only thing I did was letting people get killed, bitch to Sam, try to keep you two from removing the Mark, and now that it's gone I only put everyone else in so much more misery."

"Dean," Cas says. And then he is silent.

"Dean, it's not your fault."

He doesn't believe Cas.

"I know you don't believe me, but someday you will. I know this darkness sucks, but we'll fight it. You, Sam and me. Together," he tells Dean. And for some reason, a little bit of hope starts to grow.

He allows himself to snuggle into Cas, now that Cas can't see him almost crying.

"It's okay to cry sometimes."

Of course

He doesn't cry. But he does fall asleep in Cas' arms that night. And the next one. And the following nights.

-

The Darkness sucks.

But the good thing about it is that no one can see Cas and Dean holding hands when they walk together until it's time they tell Sam and Crowley.The darkness sucks. But the good thing about it is that no one can see Cas and Dean holding hands when they walk together until it's time they tell Sam and Crowley.