The Gravekeeper's Ghost
Dean Winchester hated his job. But then again not many people would enjoy the hard work clearing patches of land swamped by ancient tangles of weeds without even factoring the whole cemetery thing in too. Dean hated the work even more due to the circumstances that led to his employment. This job was actually more of a voluntary situation. Dean's dad had taken off recently and Dean had had to use any and all money he had to help his baby brother Sammy go to college. So Dean was stuck with this work in return for room and board until he could earn enough money to be able to live on. Dean pulled himself of his musings and got to work on the crumbling grave in front of him. This one was quite a bit older than most but he could still faintly read the name etched there.
Castiel Novak, Dean mused. Odd name even for an oldie.
He shook his head and continued clearing whistling "wanted dead or alive" as he worked (because Bon Jovi is good sometimes) and blocking out the world around him. Dean had just about finished up with the grave when he was startled back to earth by a throat clearing behind him.
"Thank you" Someone said quietly.
Dean turned around expecting to face a distant relative of the guy but stopped and stared.
"Wh-what-uh- Who are you?" Dean stuttered.
The person in front of him wasn't a person, he didn't think. Or at least not like anyone he had ever met. I mean come on the guy was see-through for god sake, attractive but definitely see-through.
"Oh, Sorry" The thing said rubbing it neck in something akin to embarrassment. "Um. I'm Castiel, Castiel Novak. That's uh actually my grave you're working on."
Dean nodded agreeably for a second before fainting.
Dean blinked groggily as he woke and sat up; he looked around in confusion for a second taking in both the messy and cleared graves around him wondering why on earth he was lying in the graveyard.
"Uh, Sorry about that" A voice spoke from next to him and Dean jumped before turning to the source.
"So you're an uh..." Dean trailed off.
"Ghost? Yes" Castiel confirmed before perching on his gravestone looking down at Dean.
Dean took this moment to study the guy... uh Ghost closer. He was attractive Dean had to admit, with large eyes and a strong jaw with a smattering of stubble on it. He was dressed in clothes Dean vaguely placed to the turn of the century what with the tailcoat and such which added up with the death date of 1918. Dean also notices the birth date being 1896 just 22 years prior to the death.
Jesus, Dean thought, that'd be like me dying now.
"So" Dean started. "You are the ghost of the guy in this grave, correct?"
Castiel nodded
"Okay" Dean said slowly. "So what do you want from me? Is this a closure thing or what?"
"Oh no, Dean" Castiel replied. "I don't want anything, except to thank for clearing my grave".
He adopted a pained expression and continued "I would have done it myself, you understand, but that's not something this form allows".
"No, Its fine, man" Dean said awkwardly. "I get it. It's no problem at all. It's my job after all."
"Nevertheless, I appreciate the effort you put in to it." Castiel stated. "Is there anything you want in return? I don't have much to offer I'm afraid, being in this condition and all, but if it's in my power you shall get it."
"Uh, not reall..." Dean trailed off, thinking hard. "I don't suppose you guys can locate people can you? It's just my dad kinda left suddenly and I wanted to check up on him."
"Ah, that" The ghost said. "Dean, I'm afraid I already know where your father is."
"Where?" Dean questioned, concerned at the tone the ghost-man used.
"Well, he's... That is to say he hasanotherfamily" Castiel said quickly.
"Sorry, WHAT?" Dean shouted "HE HAS WHAT?"
"He has a house, a wife and another son a little way out of town" Castiel murmured. "The son is about 11 year old."
Dean slumped against Castiel's grave processing this information. All these year and dad had never mentioned the existence of this interloper, this parasite on their family. Was this the reason dad started drinking? The inner conflict of having another son that he hadn't deigned to tell his children about? Dean wiped his eyes self-consciously and tried to pull himself together as Castiel slid off his perch and settled himself next to Dean.
"'m Sorry, Cas" Dean chocked out.
"Dean, you have nothing to be sorry about" Cas said he leaned as close as he could without going through Dean and sat lending his support vaguely contemplating his new moniker.
After that everything went great, Dean and Cas started a friendship that evening which strengthened as the days progressed and Dean started to tell Cas things he'd never told anyone before. He told Cas about his childhood and how he'd practically raised himself and his brother single-handedly. He spoke about the abandonment he felt when Sammy left for college but also the pride in his baby brother and his hopes for both Sammy and himself.
Cas share his experiences of life and of death with Dean describing his family and his old dreams and new dreams. The young men traded stories and experiences for hours at a time, sat on Cas' grave back to the headstone, often with a drink of Deans propped between them.
Months past and on a cold mid-December afternoon Cas didn't show up for their, now daily, meeting. Dean, concerned, sat on the cold stone of Cas' grave for 3 hours before giving up fighting the biting chill and heading back indoors.
When Cas turned up the next day he was different, more subdued and he refused to tell Dean where he had gone but their meetings continued and Dean grew excited as he informed Cas that Sam was due to arrive on Boxing Day. Cas smiled and they continued with their talks on the run up to Christmas, albeit shorter ones as Cas insisted Dean leave the cold after about an hour.
On Christmas Eve Cas was quieter than Dean had ever seen him and he questioned the ghosts behaviour.
"I, I probably should have told you, Dean, that ghosts have a certain amount of 'time' if you will in order to deal with unfinished business and such like before they are force to pass on." Cas finally admitted. "My time is nigh on ending and this is the last night of ours."
Dean looked at Cas in shock as his mind tried to process the information he had been given.
"You mean you're ... leaving me" Dean whispered, the pain clear in his voice.
"No, Dean" Cas said firmly. "I'll always be here; you will just no longer be able to see me."
"That's not much better" Dean stated loudly. "You're leaving and you'll be gone just like everyone else who I've ever ..."
"Ever what, Dean?" Cas asked almost dreading the answer.
"... EVER LOVED OKAY? IM IN LOVE WITH A GHOST AND NOW HES LEAVING AND IM LOSING HIM AND I just..." He trailed off, looking down but Cas' next worked brought his head jerking up.
"I love you too, Dean" Castiel said, before trying to lighten the mood." More than life it's self"
Dean snorted involuntarily before sobering up and taking his seat on the grave.
"How long?" Dean asked as Cas joined him on the ground.
"4 hours approximately, I will be gone by 10pm" Cas replied softly.
Dean signed unhappily and leant into Cas slightly.
Those 4 hours were the shortest of Dean's life as he tried to cling to every precious second of his time with Cas whilst they talked and laughed and cried together letting their emotions rein free. All too soon it was time for Cas to go and Dean refused to speak instead leaning in to place him lips where Cas' would be as the ghost flickered in and out and finally at 10:01pm on the 24th December 2001 Castiel Novak was no more.
Dean's life was never the same after that and he struggled through times of depression focusing only on the fact that even if he couldn't see him Cas was most definitely there and whilst he enjoyed being an Uncle to Sam and his eventual wife Jess' 3 kids, he never married or had kids of his own. People often asked why especially in later life and he always gave vague answers about never finding the right person. The truth was Dean had found the right person but had ended up giving most of his heart to that ghost, what little remained was lavished on his niece, Mary and nephews, Michael and Daniel. Dean lived out his days sad but content until finally at 10:01 am on the 24th December 2042, 41 years after Castiel's spirit left this earth, Dean became complete.