Part 1 – The Plan

Castiel looked up, exasperated. 'I do not like this plan,' he said in his gravely monotone. It echoed in the metal barn.

Dean looked away sharply, swinging his arms with him. He's 'pissed', Castiel thought. Sometimes it was hard choosing between what he thought was right, and the friend he didn't want to lose. But Dean had been right before, about everything. Maybe it was time to trust his judgement.

'You're either with me, or you're against me. And you are not getting in my way. Not again Cas.'

Cas reluctantly looked Dean in the eyes. 'Ok. I want you to know that I'm doing this because…You're my only friends.' He looked away shyly, blushing and rubbing the back of his neck.

Dean looked at Cas and, for the first time in a while, saw his guardian again. He wasn't one for letting his emotions show, but he would have shed a single tear. Instead, as usual, he covered everything up with a joke.

'Well Cas, it's good to have you back. You may be a royal pain in the arse, but you're my royal pain in the arse.'

At that moment, Sam walked in clutching a duffel bag for dear life. 'Did I miss anything?' he said suspiciously, raising an eyebrow at the duo.

'Just some bonding,' replied Castiel. 'Do you have everything?'

Dean whispered, 'Dude. No homo,' in Castiel's ear.

'I don't know-' Cas began.

'Er…every item bar one,' he said, shaking the bag. 'Get this. We need a branch from an apple tree. Not just any apple tree, the one in the Garden of Eden.'

The brothers slowly turned to look at Cas. Dean smiled a toothy grin. Cas just glared.

'Fine,' said Cas eventually. 'Do you realise how tiring this is?'

He disappeared like a howling wind, and re-appeared a few seconds later wielding a freshly sharpened stake. He was covered in blood. As if predicting what they would say, he muttered 'It was guarded,' and threw the branch into the bag.

'We ready?' shouted Dean enthusiastically.

'I think so.' said Sam, half smiling. He gestured towards the rickety door.

Dean ran through to the car, singing Highway to Hell with Cas in tow.

'I call shotgun,' said Cas.

'Ha! That's my boy!' screeched Dean, patting Cas painfully on the back. Cas smiled.

Sam gave Dean the look. 'Oh quit it, will you Sammy? He called shotgun,' Dean said, stretching out his arms. 'They are the rules.'

So Castiel got in the front, smirking to himself.

When Dean stepped into the small blue Hyundai and glanced in the rear-view mirror, he let out a belly laugh. Sam was hunched in the back, squashed by the seats.

'Cas, look at the Gruffalo.' he said, and they both roared until they couldn't breathe any longer. Sam looked angrily out of the window.

'You done?' he said finally.

Dean strapped himself in. 'Oh we are just getting started. You look like such a child.'

Bitch face.

'Now how's about we gank some demons, grab our brother back from the jaws of hell, and be back in time for some apple pie!'