*WARNING: SEASON 14 SPOILERS*

*feels*

A Ma'lak box.

A box designed to contain anything, even an archangel. 

A virtual coffin, that Dean was determined to lock himself in because somehow life in a coffin at the bottom of the ocean seemed more tolerable then any other option.

But Sam and Cas weren't having it. Not on their watch. And no matter how much Sam beat it into Dean's head, the elder Winchester wouldn't give in. He knew there was no other way, even when his brother had been reduced to tears, even when Sam was literally beating him, trying to make him understand. 

Dean knew it was the only way. And if Sam couldn't get through to Dean, then Cas knew he stood no chance. It didn't stop him from trying though.

The stupid Ma'lak box sat on a table in the bunker. Kept in a dark room because no one wanted to look at it. 

But Dean was looking at it now. Studying the coffin, making sure it was built right.

"Dean," Cas's voice interrupted the hunter's thoughts. 

"Hey Cas," Dean forced a half smile.

"No." Cas shook his head. Dean sighed, already knowing what the angel meant.

"Cas, we've talked about this-"

"Well let's talk about it again."

"There is no other way to stop Michael,"

"Says who?" Cas demanded.

"Billie said-"

"And since when do you listen to Billie?" Cas questioned. "Since when do you listen to what anyone says? Dean, the apocalypse was only supposed to end one way. Michael and Lucifer fight, and millions of people died. And yet you and Sam changed that. You rewrote everything. Why can't we do that again?" Dean stared at the ground, unwilling to meet the angel's eyes.

"Because with the apocalypse, we had a chance." He offered. "It was horrible odds, but we had a chance. We don't have that here, Cas. I can feel it; I can feel Michael crawling away in my head. The only way this ends without Michael destroying the whole world is if I get in that box." He glanced up, pausing as he locked eyes with Cas.

The angel looked so conflicted. He could see it. The pain Cas felt at the idea of letting Dean sacrifice himself again. The anger and sadness. The grief for someone that he had lost before they had even died. And there was something else lingering in Cas's eyes, something Dean didn't recognize. But then the angel glanced away, walking over and resting a hand on the Ma'lak box, examining it.

"I used to have a purpose, you know." Cas admitted. "A job, up in heaven. I was never allowed to pick my path." He smiled ruefully. "You're the one who taught me that there's always a choice. That there's always another way."

"This is the other way." Dean insisted. "Cas, this is all we've got left."

"Our last card to play."

"Exactly. And I know Sam hates me for it, and you do too- but I just need you both to accept it, because I'm doing this Cas, whether anyone likes it or not." Cas looked over at him.

"Then I'll go with you." He declared.

"Cas, no."

"I'm not going to drop you in the ocean and leave you alone with Michael for all eternity, Dean." 

"And what happens when I die?" Dean questioned. "And you're left alone with Michael forever." Cas winced.

"Do you really think Michael would let you die?" He asked, his voice cracking slightly. "Because I know he won't. He'll keep you alive down there, Dean, I know it. He'll make you spend eternity down there with him, until you go completely insane."

"That's okay." 

"No it's not." Cas shook his head. "Nothing about this is okay." They stared at each other.

"You can't come with me, Cas." Dean insisted. "I need you here. Out here. Somebody's gotta take care of Sammy for me, right?" Cas nodded. "I can't doom you to a watery grave, Cas. It'd kill me to do that to you."

"Well-" Cas tried to focus himself, forcing himself not to cry. "Then I guess I better make sure this thing works." He tapped on the Ma'lak Box, the metal echoing in the room.

"I think I got all the warding right," Dean admitted. Cas nodded.

"It does seem accurate," He offered. "But maybe I should test it."

"What?" Dean's head snapped towards Cas.

"The warding might be strong, but we don't know if it's good enough to hold an archangel like Michael," Cas explained. "If it can hold me, then chances are it will hold Michael."

"Cas, I'm not putting you in that box."

"I'm not asking you too." Cas declared. "I just need you you to lock it."

"Cas-" But the angel was already opening the box. It was a tactic, but Dean hadn't realized that yet. Maybe it would take the idea of seeing someone he cared about in the box to make him realize why he couldn't go in it.

So Castiel climbed in the Ma'lak Box, settling inside and waiting patiently for Dean to close the lid and lock him inside.

"Cas," Dean's voice cracked, conflicted.

"It's just for a few minutes," Cas insisted. "I'm just going to test the warding."

"Okay," Dean still looked extremely worried. "But the second you want out, just let me know and I'll let you out, okay?"

"Okay." Cas nodded. Dean's hand shook slightly as he closed the box, sealing Cas in total darkness. "You have to lock it." Cas insisted. The warding would be too easy to break if it wasn't sealed with an actual lock.

"Cas-"

"Just do it, Dean." He waited, listening to Dean fumble around, until he located a padlock and clicked it into place.

As soon as the lock clicked, the warding snapped in, and Cas gasped at the change. No wonder nothing could escape a Ma'lak Box; the warding was suffocating. It was painful.

The box suddenly seemed a lot smaller, and the warding seemed to echo in Cas's ears. He started to panic. He had to get out of here. Away from the dark, away from this confining space with the bright warding and the spells whispering in his ears.

Cas's breath came in panicked gasps as he pounded on the top of the coffin, trying with all his strength to force the box open. He kicked and clawed at it, search for a weak point, for any place he could use to burst out of this awful, awful place.

He tried to use his powers to blast the stupid thing apart, but something in the warding only made that worse. It was like his own powers were being turned against him, like the force he was pushing at the top of the box was only being shoved back down at him, crushing him, suffocating him even more.

It was claustrophobic. Cas was panicked, unfamiliar with being out of control. It was hell. It was too much.

He wanted out.

He pounded on the box's lid and let out a scream.

"DEAN!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, panicked and afraid. "DEAN, LET ME OUT!!! LET ME OUT RIGHT NOW!" He screamed again, the warding only growing louder in his ears.

Dean fumbles with the stupid padlock, wrenching it off and throwing open the lid of the box.

And then the warding was gone. The suffocating feeling vanished, and light burst into the coffin as the lid disappeared. Castiel scrambled out of the box immediately, dropping to the floor in a heap.

He was shaking and panting. He'd never known fear like this before. Dean dropped beside him, wrapping his arms around the angel.

"It's okay," Dean whispered, as Cas clung to the hunter, tears falling from his face. "It's over. It's over." Cas sobbed.

"It's awful." He gasped. "Awful." He shook his head and caught a glimpse of the box. He recoiled at the sight and leaned closer to Dean. He wanted to shut his eyes, but he feared the darkness would only remind him of the box.

"I'm sorry," Dean said, holding the angel close as Cas clung to him. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't go in there," Cas begged, shaking his head. "Never go in there. Please. Please don't." He was shaking like a traumatized child, and Dean could only stare up at the Ma'lak Box as Cas tried to calm down. 

He couldn't help but wonder. If the box had rendered someone as powerful as Cas to a panicked mess- what would it do to him?

"Okay." Dean whispered, hugging the angel tighter. "I won't go in there. I promise."

Maybe Sam and Cas were right. Maybe they could find another way.

And judging by the scarred angel before him, Dean prayed there was one.