Castiel's declaration caused James to visibly flinch - like a man with hypothermia might flinch from a life-giving rush of heat. He didn't move away, but it was a near thing. His instincts wanted him to run, but his desperation had the upper hand tonight. And there was a reason for hope, now, too: the angel (for James was willing now to believe that Castiel was indeed an angel) had used the exact words he'd been thinking about himself. That could be no coincidence; or, at least, James would choose to believe that it was not.
"Please help me," James said. There was terror also in the plea. He had experienced how painful it was for someone else to tamper with his mind. Even now, his breathing had increased, and he could not seem to tamp it down to something reasonable. "Anything."
He'd take anything, if it meant he could be trusted around Steve. Around Ariel. Around himself.