"Look, Cas, we're only gonna be gone for a few hours, tops," Dean said, loading a gun and sticking it in his pocket.

"I do not understand why I am not allowed to accompany you and Sam," Cas replied from where he sat at the bunker's dining table.

"Yes, you do. Even though we shouldn't have to explain this to you, we have explained multiple times, you can't leave the bunker because there are angels out there waiting to fry your ass," Dean said, dropping more bullets into his pocket.

Castiel's eyebrows furrowed at Dean's choice of words but he said nothing.

"Right, so I'm thinking we head down to the sheriff's office and check to see what they've got and then we can find some witnesses," Sam said, entering the room with a folder in hand.

"Sounds good, let's go," Dean replied, grabbing Ruby's knife before looking over at Cas, "You'll be fine, okay? Just do whatever it is you usually do when we're gone."

"I wait for you to come back," Cas said simply.

Sam cleared his throat, "I'll be in the car, then." He left without another word, simply shooting Dean a loaded glance.

Dean scowled, "Cas, man, I can promise you we're gonna be fine. I mean, really, look at us, when have Sam or I really died? I'll be back before you know it." And so he left, leaving a lonely Cas to spend the day asking Kevin for more information about being human.


But they weren't "back before you know it", as Dean had stated. It was already noon of the next day and Cas had spent the time pacing around the bunker angrily wishing he could help them.

"Calm down," Kevin said, not looking up from a book he'd spread out on the table, "They do this all the time, you know that."

"Do what, exactly, Kevin?" Cas's voice was intense as his eyes bore holes into Kevin's head.

Sighing, Kevin looked up from his book, "You know, say they'll be gone a few hours but then end up spending a couple days on the case." He bent back down and continued reading.

Cas spent another good hour walking around the bunker, angry at himself for not being able to zap over to them, angry at Dean for not calling, and angry at Metatron for putting him in this situation. His pacing halted immediately, however, when the groan of the heavy bunker doors rang through the place.

In walked Sam and Dean, a couple fresh wounds on their bodies but nothing bad. "Sorry about that," Dean said, "Bit more trouble than we thought it'd be."

Cas simply stared at Dean, his eyes a mixture of frustration and relief.

"You hold up alright?" Dean asked, dropping his gear down on the floor.

"I did not," Cas replied, his voice shaking, "'hold up alright,'" his fingers making air-quotes. "You were only going to be gone a few hours, not a day and a half."

"Hey, I said I was sorry, vampires are tough shit, okay?" Dean growled.

"Guys, calm down, really, it's not a big deal," Sam said, casting a worried glance at Kevin who simply shrugged.

"I wait for you, Dean," Cas said, his voice building in frustration, "I wait for you to come back here in one piece in the amount of time you stated. I am sick of sitting here, waiting for you to come back when I can't do a single thing to help. I am useless to you."

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't call or whatever but you're not freaking useless, Cas. And if me thinking you're not useless upsets you, well I'm sorry I care about you that damn much!" Dean was shouting now but it didn't unnerve Cas as he had started shouting as well.

"Yeah? Well I am sorry I care about you that much too, Dean!" Cas screamed, his face inches from Dean's.

Both of them were tense and on edge from the arguing, Dean's eyes flickered down to Cas's lips, realizing how close they were. Then he broke the tension, gripping Cas's shoulders unsteadily and kissing him roughly. Cas responded with the same raw, frustrated enthusiasm, his hands claws at Dean's sides.

In the dining room, Sam slipped Kevin a ten dollar bill and Kevin snorted, "I can't believe you actually thought Cas would make the first move.