Re: Rescue.
Shit I forgot to reply to this last night. So I guess Michael was nearby when Cas was attacked because he doesn't have psychic powers or superhearing or anything. Idk maybe he's secretly surveilling Cas. People watching gets kinda weird when you're a spy and all.
Anyway, Michael experiences his emotions pretty deeply but not in the moment like this -- he compartmentalizes/dissociates by going into spy mode. Like Tenel Ka his goal is strictly defensive, to save Cas & get everyone out of there. He probably got ice spiked a few times and then once they were in the clear, he remembered/allowed himself to feel the emotions that got stirred up in the despair demon's presence.