Author's Note: So this is a rather shameless, crackish, fix-it to the rather angsty season 6 finale that features a puppy! Because nothing makes things better than adorable puppies! Or any cute and tiny animal for that matter. My personal favourite is a tiny bunny! Rating is mostly for language and slight slash between Dean/Castiel.

Puppy God

By: Sailor Moonac

Upon hearing Castiel's declaration for Dean, Sam, and Bobby to bow down and profess their love unto him or else die, a series of scenarios ran through Dean's head with the grace and speed afforded to him from years of hunting experience. They could bow down and well…not die. But of course Dean knew with as much certainty as he knew he was Sam's older brother, that none of them would actually mean it if they did that option. And Castiel would know it. So that scenario would end up with them dead, most likely. Another option would to be to turn tail and just run. Of course running from Castiel—the angel—would have been hard enough as it was. But Castiel, the self-proclaimed-New God? Impossible. Dean very much doubted the angel banishing sigil would still work considering the angel blade no longer works. So in that scenario, again they would end up dead. Another all-hail-Mary option would be to try to talk down Castiel, again. But Dean seemed to have lost whatever 'mojo' it was in the past that allowed him to always convince Castiel, because nowadays Castiel is just plain being a dick and not listening to a damn word Dean was saying! So that scenario, again, would result in their deaths.

But what Dean never imagined in all of the crazy scenarios that ran through his head, that may or may not have included a scenario where he stripped himself naked and did the monkey dance to distract Castiel to at least allow Bobby and Sam to escape, was Castiel taking a menacing step forward, blink once in confusion, and in a puff of stage magician's smoke, turn into a Golden Retriever puppy with bright blue eyes. Nor did Bobby or Sam either, judging from how Bobby's jaw dropped and how Sam clutched his head and shook it as though he was listening to his brain pinball in his skull. Dean exchanged looks with the other two hunters and Castiel—the puppy—yelped before sitting down on his hind legs and whined.

Dean turned around again to face the puppy and hesitantly walked forward. The puppy stood back up and backed away into the Raphael-molecularly-combusted-blood-stained wall and whimpered, quivering in fear at Dean's approach. Dean turned around to exchange bewildering looks with Sam and Bobby before Bobby muttered a curse under his breath and stomped past Dean. The puppy, that may or may not be Castiel, whined even louder and let out a terrified yelp before Bobby stooped down and grabbed the puppy by the scruff of its neck and turning the blue collar that was around its neck towards him.

"Yep, it's Cas."

Dean took another tentative step forward and the puppy—Castiel whined again, his legs moving in agitation in the air. "How do you know?"

Bobby snorted. "Because the collar says, 'Castiel, Property of God.'"

"God?" asked Sam, flabbergasted with a hand still clutched to his head. "What does that mean? I mean, did God do this? The real one, that is?"

Bobby shrugged as he moved to hold the struggling puppy in his arms instead of by the scruff of its neck. "How the hell am I supposed to know? It's bad enough you boys can't do your own research without calling me and now you want me to tell you if God did this? I mean, if it's any indication, it does say 'Property of God.'"

Sam shrugged sheepishly, clutching his head in evident pain. Dean quickly pressed a hand to his brother's back, concern laced upon his features. Dean returned his attention to Bobby. "So now what? God suddenly decides to show his arse and turns Cas into—" Dean waved a hand wildly at the cowering puppy in Bobby's arm. "—a puppy and now the world is suddenly safe from Purgatory and all of that shit?"

Bobby shrugged again. "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Who knows, maybe God isn't that much of dick after all."

"No, no, no," started Dean, a bit hysterically. "He just has a shitty sense of humour."

However, when they left the building and saw the Impala right-side-up with not a single scratch on it, Dean snapped his mouth shut audibly.

Bobby raised an eyebrow as Sam blinked in confusion and awe. "I think," started Bobby as he turned to Dean. "That's God's way of saying, 'You're welcome, you dick.'" Dean just nodded mutely as he reverently ran a hand over his Impala.

Castiel just barked before whining softly in Bobby's arms.

In the first few days of taking Castiel, the puppy, back to Bobby's house, the three hunters learned several things rather quickly. One, Castiel ate food and drank water, but never seemed to need to use the bathroom, or at least not anytime they could see. And so long as they don't suddenly step into dog poop, they weren't going to question it.

Two, Castiel has some powers that may or may not be limited to the ability to fly and telekinesis. For instance, on the night they returned to Bobby's house, they had ordered pizzas to be delivered since they were all too tired to prepare actual food. The doorbell rang, announcing the delivery of the pizza, and Castiel trotted to the door and suddenly started floating. He floated up to the level of the doorknob before the lock clicked back and turned, opening the door without it ever being touched. Sam quickly ran to the door, catching it before it could open wide enough to allow the delivery man to see the floating puppy and plastered on a painful grin, scaring the pizza man half to death. That weird episode merely proved Castiel was still an angel or a god or whatever he was supposed to be—just not an ordinary puppy.

And three, Castiel was completely and utterly terrified of Dean. Every time Dean walked into the same room Castiel was in, Castiel would quickly scamper to a corner and whine while trembling, seemingly trying to make himself appear as small as possible. And every time Castiel did this, Sam usually shot Dean a glare before making his way over to the corner and coaxing the trembling puppy out and into his arms.

After the umpteenth time this happened, Dean threw the book he was reading onto the table of the kitchen angrily, knocking over the empty beer bottles and shattering them all over the floor. Bobby turned around at the stove and glared at Dean angrily. "You going to clean that up, son?" asked Bobby menacingly.

Dean ignored Bobby's question and instead turned his attention to Sam, who side stepped the broken bottle shards and took a seat across the table from Dean with Castiel in his arms. "Why does Cas do that?"

"Because you have a violent temper?" offered Sam, pointedly looking at the mess on the floor while absently stroking a quivering Castiel's head comfortingly.

Dean threw a glare at Sam but couldn't stay angry at his brother long. Dean just swallowed around the lump that formed in his throat and instead went to the refrigerator to grab another beer.

"You're going to drink yourself to cirrhosis if you keep that up Dean," reprimanded Bobby without turning his back.

"Coming from the drunkard," muttered Dean into the bottle of his new beer. Dean turned to lean against the refrigerator to watch Sam and Castiel. Sam was…well, surprisingly. The first night after leaving the blood soaked hide-out of Castiel's, Sam had screamed and screamed from his nightmares, waking Bobby and Dean in a terrified panic. Surprisingly, it was Castiel who leapt up from the under Sam's motel bed where he had taken refuge, and nuzzled Sam's temple, instantly quieting Sam. Sam had awoken a few moments later to meet Dean and Bobby's anxious gazes before he turned to Castiel, his nose touching the little puppy's wet nose. Sam had smiled, muttering his thanks to Castiel before reassuring the two older hunters to go back to sleep. From that night on, Castiel had stayed with Sam when he slept, always stopping the nightmares and the screaming before they really began. For that and only that, Dean was grateful to Castiel.

But Dean was still pretty angry at Castiel and even though Castiel, the little puppy with bright sorrowful blue eyes, cowered in fear every time Dean approached, Dean still couldn't bring himself to forgive Castiel, his former friend. Half the times, Dean felt an urge to just kick the puppy knowing it was his former friend, but then Dean could also never bring himself to actually kick a puppy. Hell, Dean was certain the only people—things that could do that were demons and angels. Maybe that's why God turned Castiel into a puppy? To win sympathy points out of Dean? Either way, Dean was still pissed at both Castiel and God; the former for betraying them and the latter for never stepping in and doing something until now when everything basically went to hell. And even God's version of stepping in was screwy. What the hell does turning Castiel into a puppy have to do with anything?

Dean snapped out of his reverie when he heard the tinkling of glass striking each other as though it were attached to a wind chime. Dean blinked in surprise as Bobby turned around with a spatula in one hand and a skillet in the other to stare at Castiel. Castiel had finally stopped shaking and was instead staring intently at the glass shards of the broken beer bottles. The shards were sliding together slowly and forming a sort of vortex that floated in a graceful arch into the rubbish bin.

Bobby returned to the stove, muttering with evident amusement in his voice, "Looks like the puppy is more useful than these two idjits."

Sam stroked Castiel's fluffy forehead fondly with a fond smile tugging at his lips.

Dean frowned, a scowl forming on his features as he glared at his brother and the puppy that was Castiel. Dean growled lowly to himself before draining his beer and dropping the bottle onto the floor with a loud smash. Sam and Bobby jumped in surprise and turned to see Dean leave the kitchen in an angry huff. Castiel was once again shaking in Sam's lap.

After a week of Castiel cowering in a corner every time Dean enters the room, an exasperated and annoyed Dean made his way to the corner Castiel occupied and crouched down to meet the terrified puppy's watery blue eyes. "If you're going to do this every time, you might as well leave Cas. Because you're sure as hell not winning sympathy points from me for the shit you pulled."

Castiel mewled pitifully before scampering between Dean's legs and past Sam who entered the room after Dean. Sam turned to watch Castiel scamper away before returning his attention to his brother with an angry glare. "Seriously Dean? Since when were you that much of a dick?"

"And since when were you suddenly on Team Cas?" Dean pointed an accusatory finger in the direction Castiel ran. "He removed your wall to try to stop us from stopping him from opening Purgatory—"

"I know! And I'm fine aren't I? I mean, there's no way I can live my life in fear of my own memories, and I forgive Cas—!"

"You forgive Cas? For destroying your wall and putting you in a coma which could have possibly killed you and now you forgive Cas? The hell Sam?"

"Look," started Sam placatingly. "I know what Cas did. And Cas said he was going to fix it, so I know it wasn't his intention to permanently incapacitate me. And—" continued Sam loudly to shut his brother up. "He was doing what he thought would save us from Raphael and another apocalypse. And really, Cas has just been trying to help me since then. He's been keeping the nightmares away and..." Sam smiled, shrugging a bit sheepishly. "I've always wanted a dog since I was kid, remember?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "So you're sucked in because Cas is a cute little puppy?"

"Dean. It's still Cas. I mean, you said it yourself. Cas is family. And Cas means something to you, which is why you're so pissed off. Otherwise you wouldn't care and just forget about it. Just…just give Cas a chance okay? I mean, you and I know Cas always means well—even if it isn't the right way. He still means well."

Dean opened his mouth and then shut it. "Fine." And with that, Dean brushed past Sam after Castiel. Sam watched his brother's back disappear into the study and rubbed his head, feeling the now near constant migraine worsen.

Suddenly, Bobby's angry roar cut another twinge of pain into Sam's migraine. "What the hell are you trying to do to Cas you idjit?" Sam couldn't make out Dean's answer but he could hear Castiel's scared bark and Sam looked up to see Castiel run back to Sam's side to hide behind his behemoth form.

Sam bent down and patted Castiel on the head. "Don't worry. Give Dean some time, okay Cas?" The puppy looked up at Sam and nodded before dropping its ears and curling around itself.

Sam sighed and rubbed his temple in pain.

For the next month, Castiel still trembled in distress at the sight of Dean, but he doesn't run away or take shelter with Bobby or Sam anymore. Every time, Dean would try to hold some kind of conversation with Cas before giving up, muttering angrily that he was talking to a dog and go grab another bottle of beer.

It wasn't until summer was pretty much burning its way into South Dakota that things changed and Dean did the one thing Sam and Bobby both thought Dean would never do, despite having tortured souls in who-knows-how-many ways in Hell. He kicked a puppy.

It was actually an accident, but from then on, Sam would glare at Dean like he was the worst person in existence every time he was in the same room as Castiel. And Castiel…well Dean now knows what a kicked puppy really looks like, and he didn't mean Sam's patented, trademarked, and registered puppy dog eyes that Dean just melts under. Not that he would ever admit to it.

Dean was in the study when it happened. He had a laptop opened on Bobby's desk with a cold bottle of beer close at hand and various news articles were spread across the desk and any free shelf space. A few weeks ago, the three hunters decided it was time to end their last problem and hunt down Crowley and finish him for good. Usual methods were employed that also excluded asking Castiel for help. Of course, it wasn't like they could actually understand the puppy's barking.

So on that hot summer day with that cold bottle of beer doing little to cool off Dean, Dean paced the study, reading a printed news article and absently chewing on his lips. Dean flipped the article over to the second page, cursing softly when he finished reading it and found no useful information. Dean threw the article onto his laptop and finished off his beer, frustration firing on every nerve ending since that bastard Crowley knew how to hide extremely well.

"Damn it to hell!" cursed Dean angrily as he slammed his beer bottle onto the bookshelf angrily and aimed a kick at a stack of books Dean knew Bobby kept by the entrance to the study. Only instead of his steel-toed boots colliding with the expected stack of hard covered books, Dean's foot smashed into something soft that went flying onto the bookcase with a painful yelp.

Dean turned to the bookcase in surprise that quickly morphed into horror as he saw Castiel's tiny golden form hit the bookcase and slide onto the floor in a rumpled heap. "Shit!"

"Dean? What's going on?" Bobby rushed downstairs with his weight thumping on the stairs heavily. "Boy, you better not have destroyed anything!"

Dean shook his head with no one around to see his response as he kneeled down by Castiel's side. The puppy was moaning softly in a high pitch whine of pain, its tiny body curled around its middle and eyes clenched tightly. Sam rushed into the room just as Bobby came in after him. Dean turned to face the two other hunters, his hands hovering hesitantly over Castiel's injured form and wide horror in his eyes.

"Dean? What happened? Cas!" Sam rushed from Bobby's side to Dean's, carefully pressing a hand to Castiel's tiny body before Castiel released another bark of pain. Sam turned to Dean. "What happened to Cas?"

Dean opened and shut his mouth twice before swallowing and muttering shamefully. "I kicked him…"

Silence followed Dean's proclamation and it was nearly thirty seconds of muted horror with Castiel's painful moans breaking the silence that Bobby finally spoke. "I'm sorry, but I must be getting old and losing my hearing. Did I just hear you say you kicked Cas? A puppy?" Dean nodded silently. "Why? I know you and Cas are having a bit of a fallout, but seriously? You kicked a puppy?"

"I was aiming for that."

Bobby turned to look at that stack of books Dean was pointing to. "Now that's almost as bad as kicking a puppy! Are you trying to have me kick your arse Dean Winchester?"

"I—" But whatever excuse Dean was going to give was abruptly cut off when Sam pressed an elbow into Dean's abdomen to push Dean aside. Sam scooped Castiel into his arms as gently as possibly could and held out a hand to Dean. "What?"

"Your shirt. Cas needs some kind of pillow. Bobby we have to get Cas to the vet; I think his ribs are broken."

"Right, I know a doc that used to take care of Rumsfeld. Let me get my keys. I'll drive."

Sam turned back to Dean and glared insistently. Grimacing, Dean pulled of his sweaty shirt and passed it to Sam who accepted it with a look of disgust, for the sweaty shirt or at Dean's action, Dean wasn't certain. Instead, Sam carefully wrapped Castiel in Dean's shirt, muttering softly to Castiel, "It's a good thing you like my idiot brother enough to be wrapped up in his sweaty shirt."

Castiel whimpered softly and blinked a few times before tucking its head into Dean's shirt and closed its eyes, releasing a small mewl of pain every time Sam took a step. Dean watched Sam carry Castiel out to the hall, meeting Bobby along the way and leaving with a loud bang. Dean winced as he watched them get into Bobby's truck and drive away and shivered with cold revulsion gripping his heart tightly.

Sam and Bobby returned the next day with Castiel's head wrapped in a cone and a cast on its left front leg. Sam carried Castiel into the study as Bobby set a newly bought dog bed onto the floor by his desk with a pillow over top of it. Sam carefully set Castiel onto the pillow and the dog whined pitifully as it blinked a few times before shaking its hear floppily. Bobby shook his head and muttered something about water and pain medication and left Sam and Dean alone with Castiel in the study.

Sam continued to watch Castiel as Dean stepped up beside him. "He has a couple of fractured ribs, and a broken leg. The doctor said it was miraculous that Castiel was still alive since he's only a puppy…" Sam drifted off to silence.

Dean chuckled awkwardly without humour. "Well, he was always a tough little angel."

"He's a puppy," answered Sam rather scathingly. "He may have some of his angel powers or god powers of whatever they are, but he obviously doesn't have the same invincibility he used to have." Sam shot Dean another glare that obviously meant 'Be nice to Cas or else,' before he followed after Bobby.

Dean watched his brother leave before sitting down by Castiel's dog bed guiltily. The former angel watched Dean warily but made no attempt to move. However, Castiel did flinch when Dean reached out to Castiel with a hand. Dean halted as Castiel whined in pain. Frowning deeply, Dean got up and left the study as Bobby and Sam returned with some pain medication laced water.

The following weeks, Dean watched Castiel silently as the puppy recovered in what the veterinarian described as 'miraculously fast.' Castiel had the protective head cone removed and still couldn't walk around, but he stopped flinching every time Dean came near him. Though it wasn't until a week and a half after Dean had kicked Castiel that Dean finally touched Castiel for the first time since Castiel became a puppy.

Castiel was moved into Sam's room upstairs weeks before and Dean had given up searching for Crowley for the night. He trekked upstairs wearily, mentally cursing Sam for taking the shower first and paused outside of Sam's open door. Castiel's ears perked up and he turned his head in his bed and looked at Dean with bright blue eyes. Dean hesitated at the door briefly before stepping into Sam's room and plopping himself down by Castiel's dog bed. Like the day Sam and Bobby brought the injured Castiel home, Dean reached out and paused with his hand hovering over Castiel's head. This time, instead of flinching and whimpering in pain, Castiel lifted its head and licked Dean's hand once. Dean felt a smile crack his lips as he pressed his hand to Castiel's soft head.

Castiel released a pleased growl before closing its eyes and setting its head back on its pillow, evidently tired from that small strain.

Wetting his lips, Dean swallowed around the nervous tightness that gripped his throat. "I'm sorry Cas. For kicking you."

Castiel opened his eyes and turned to nuzzle Dean's hand with his wet little nose. Dean smiled again as the puppy tiredly set his head back down to sleep. Well, it was a start if anything.

Dean got up and left Sam's room, ignoring Sam who was watching at his door and went to shower, hoping to wash away his sweaty grime and the guilt tugging at his heart.

It was two weeks later when a powerful thunderstorm knocked out the power that Dean finally decided to actually talk to the little puppy. Because Castiel could obviously understand human speech, despite not being able to respond, and the guilt that had been nagging Dean had gotten to the point where it was preventing him from sleeping at night. So while Sam and Bobby crowded around the study with several sticks of candles, Dean went upstairs to Sam's room to see Castiel.

As expected, the former angel was napping, as the veterinarian recommended, and its ears perked up when Dean stepped into the room. "Hey Cas," whispered Dean softly as the puppy turned its head to watch Dean seat himself beside the dog bed. Dean reached out and stroked Castiel's soft head absently as the angel released a small growl of appreciation. Dean snorted softly, ignoring the battering of wind and rain against the windows. "You've really taken to this puppy thing, huh?"

Castiel cocked his head, his ears dropping downward. Dean let out a small chuckle, remembering the fond times years ago when Castiel would tilt his head in confusion and look exactly like…well, a lost puppy. Which was exactly what Castiel was right now.

Dean sat back and leaned up against Sam's bed and reached out to carefully pluck Castiel from his dog bed. Carefully, Dean cradled Castiel to his chest, vaguely recalling a time when he was young and wanted a dog too. But that was a long time ago.

Castiel carefully turned itself and got comfortable in Dean's arms before turning to look up at Dean. Dean absently stroked Castiel's body, mindful of Castiel's fractured ribs, and licked his lips wondering where the hell he should start. Chick-flick moments were rare enough with him, and cradling a puppy, which was also a property of God, who used to be an angel and his friend was just plain anomalous. But God had turned Castiel into a puppy, so it had to mean something, right?

Dean turned the collar towards him to read Castiel's name again and decided to just speak without thinking. Just like he normally does with his foot-in-mouth disease.

"So you know, I'm still pretty pissed at you even though Sam and Bobby aren't. But it's really hard to be pissed at a guy once you've kicked them. Of course, you're a puppy and I think I just gave a whole new meaning to kicking a puppy huh? It's bad enough you look at me with those eyes when you're an man, or well…angel. But now? It's like the puppy dog eyes on steroids.

"Maybe that's why God turned you into a puppy? So I couldn't be mad at you. Who knows what the hell your shit-excuse of a father is thinking. Although he did fix the Impala." Dean paused as Castiel playfully bit Dean's thumb, adding only enough pressure to feel the canines and not actually hurt.

Dean smiled. "You actually still like me don't you Cas?" The puppy in his arms nodded. "Why? I thought by the time you ripped open the gates to Purgatory, you hated me for standing against you every step of the way?"

The puppy shook its head and barked once. "Well that's very informative…but I guess I normally don't listen either way so it doesn't matter whether or not I can understand you. That's always been the root of a lot of my problems, whether it's with Sam or dad or Bobby or you.

"You're family you know. You really are. And I don't know—you use to be shit at lying. But over the last year or so, you've just gotten so good at it that it's just plain fucking scary. I just didn't know if I could trust you anymore. Like Sam when he was off with Ruby. Everything he said, I just didn't trust anymore."

Dean stopped as the angel puppy rubbed its head against Dean's palms. "Is that supposed to mean I'm sorry?" Castiel nodded, its wide blue eyes wet and sad. Dean leaned his head back against the bed to look at the ceiling. "Damn puppy dog eyes."

Castiel barked in response.

"I guess I'm the only one between the two of us that can fill in the silence huh? Well, I guess…just sorry. I mean, everything worked out in the end. Sort of. I mean you're alive, there are no monsters running around Earth, and you're not a giant nuke. So I guess everything's good.

"You had me really scared you know? I just never thought there would ever come a day where I would have to fear you. Well, again—after the whole 'you should show me some respect' bit or Hell I go. You were always that awkward, stiff, angel who came around only for business and then left without ever saying anything—" Dean stopped and looked back down at Castiel, meeting the puppy's blue eyes. "It's been two years since we just well, hung out, hasn't it? I mean I get you're busy but…I kind of missed it. You know, us, going to brothels to get kicked out, out in bars drinking, eating in shit diners…it really has been two years huh?"

Dean released a heavy sigh, feeling the weight of the last year pushing down on him. "Why did we stop doing things like that? I guess you can't tell me that now…" Dean fell silent as he watched the puppy in his arms. The puppy who was supposed to be an angel; not a puppy, not a human, and most certainly not a god. An honest-to-God angel who gripped him tight and raised him from perdition and became his friend when he had absolutely no reason to. Castiel had done everything Dean had asked of him and then some. It wasn't some 'mojo' he had that made it easy to convince Castiel to side with him all the time. It was, like Sam and so many others had indicated before, because Castiel liked him. It was because he meant something to the puppy in his arms. That something, Dean was almost afraid to ask.

But Dean owed Castiel this much. Because he sure as hell still believes he was right about Crowley and Purgatory, but it doesn't feel right anymore. That night, the moment he agreed to trap Castiel in a holy ring of fire, something changed between them. And maybe Dean was too angry to see it then, or maybe Dean just didn't want to see it then. But in these months where Dean was literally raging against an innocent little puppy, Dean just feels plain stupid for not even trying months before. So Dean asked, even though he was afraid of what answer that tiny little puppy would give. "Cas…are you in love with me?"

The puppy looked up at Dean before its ears fell flat on his head guiltily and nodded once curtly before leaning back down and hiding its face in Dean's arms.

Dean felt his heart sink and the guilt clench tighter. "Then why the hell didn't you just ask me for help before going to Crowley?" asked Dean wearily. But the puppy couldn't offer Dean any answers.

Dean lifted the puppy to his face, cautious of its injuries. "Cas? Did you…I don't know, not want to bother me or something?" Castiel gave a small abrupt nod.

Dean shook his head. "You stupid angel. Stop being so…so ready to die—so self-sacrificing. That's my job! So…just ask me next time okay?" Again, Castiel nodded solemnly.

Dean smiled self-deprecatingly. "I don't know why or how the hell you're in love with me. I'm a dick you know? I treat you like shit a lot too, I'll admit that. But I guess, I always expected you to be strong—the solid wall that I could always lean on without it ever leaning back because it doesn't need support. I guess I was wrong.

"I'm sorry Cas. That's all I can offer. Just, I'm sorry." Castiel whined softly in Dean's arm and Dean leaned forward, pressing a kiss to Castiel's wet nose.

The blue dog collar around Castiel's neck suddenly snapped off and fell to the side. Dean blinked in surprise and he turned to the side but released his own very unmanly yelp as the puppy in his hands suddenly started glowing bright white with burning heat. Dean resisted the urge to release the injured puppy as long as he could before the heat became too unbearable and he had to release Castiel. Dean used his hands to cover his eyes as he suddenly felt a very heavy weight straddling his legs. As the light finally died down, Dean tentatively opened his eyes and caught his breath as he met Castiel's familiar blue human eyes peering down at him from where he propped himself up over Dean against the bed.

"Cas," breathed Dean, taking in Castiel's familiar human form, trench coat and skewed tie and all.

"Dean," returned Castiel solemnly. "I'm sorry too. For everything I've done…and for failing to meet your expectations. I didn't realise how far I had fallen until it was too late." Dean nodded mutely, still in shock's clutches as Castiel broke eye contact and looked away guiltily. "I fear…I am unable to be that solid wall that you need."

Dean snapped himself back to the present and snorted. "We really do suck at the whole listening to each other bit huh?" Castiel met Dean's eyes again and blinked in confusion. Dean shook his head and cupped Castiel's face in his hands. "You're the solid wall, but it's okay if you lean back, because even a solid wall needs supports to hold it up."

"Dean…"

Dean released Castiel's face and leaned back against Sam's bed. "So you love me? In love with me in fact."

"Yes," mumbled Castiel apologetically. Castiel cast a fearful glance at his position and quickly moved to un-straddle Dean's legs.

But Dean stopped him by grabbing his arms that were still propped over Dean's head. Instead, Dean pulled Castiel back down to sit on his legs and reached up to cup Castiel's face again. "I think I can learn to live with that fact…so…" Dean leaned up and pressed a kiss to Castiel's parted lips, carefully coaxing Castiel into kissing him back. Dean smirked against Castiel's lips when he released a whine low in his throat, reminiscent of Castiel the puppy.

Maybe God wasn't that much of a dick after all. But he still had a shitty sense of humour.

"You don't want to look in there."

Bobby blinked with a beer bottle in one hand and Castiel's pain medication in the other. "Why the hell are you whispering?"

Sam tentatively peeked into his room again and made a face, half relieved and half disgusted. "Cas is back."

Bobby raised an eyebrow and stepped around Sam to look into Sam's room. "Oh." Bobby stepped away from the door and instead moved next to Sam by the door. Bobby took a look at the pain medication in his hand and shrugged. "I guess I won't need this anymore. Although I'm going to need another beer."

"Brain bleach for me. And new bed sheets possibly if they progress any further."

Bobby shot Sam an annoyed glare before he turned and started to head back downstairs. "I doubt that. Besides, you can tell they're still completely chickens."

Sam stepped up besides Bobby as they headed back downstairs under the guidance of Sam's torch. "What do you mean by that?"

At the foot of the stairs, Bobby turned back to Sam with a nostalgic smile. "You kind of recognise these things once you go through the whole courtship thing and get married. Not that I would recommend it."

Sam blinked in surprise before nodding, remembering Jess fondly. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I can't say I'm surprised." Bobby turned to head back to the study, grumbling under his breath, "They barely kept it rated R when they're in a room together with the whole eye bit before this whole puppy thing started."

Sam smiled, amused at the sheer ridiculousness of Dean and his stubbornness, before pressing a hand to his temple to stave off another migraine. Sam turned around to look back up the stairs affectionately, glad that this final mess has been sorted out. But still, Sam acknowledged, he's going to miss having a puppy around the house.

This was just kind of random and I wrote it as a kind of pick-me-up and feel-good fic. Some quick notes.

Cirrhosis usually results from prolonged liver diseases that can be caused by alcoholism. I've always wondered how Dean, Sam, and Bobby could drink so much without a concern for their liver, but that's just the in-training doctor in me.

On another doctor-ish note, though I'm in med school and not veterinary school, if your pet (which is typically a cat or dog) has a broken rib or you suspect them of having a broken rib, you should definitely take them to the vet to get an X-ray. The broken rib may have a chance of puncturing their lung or heart. Obvious signs are trouble breathing characterised by raspy breaths or fatigue. And please, don't kick any puppies. I should also say no puppies were kicked in the writing process of this one-shot.

-Sailor Moonac