Castiel sat in the hotel watching Sam and Dean laugh and drink beer after a successful hunt. He enjoyed it when Dean smiled. Castiel had seen enough days of Dean's where there had been no smile, no laugh. Then there were days where it was all he could do not to smile along with him.
You see, Castiel didn't meet Dean that day he pulled him out of Hell. Castiel didn't find out he was going to save the righteous man that day either. From the first day of his exsistance Castiel knew he would do something great. And from the day Dean was just a thought Castiel knew he was the one he was going to save.
The first time Castiel met Dean was the day he was born. Castiel had overheard some angels talking about him. They weren't sure if little baby Dean was going to live. There had been some complication and Dean's little heart couldn't keep up with what he needed. And even if baby Dean lived, he would never be able to play sports or play with his friends normally.
"Let his life work out as it will Castiel" Balthazar told him when Castiel voiced his worry.
"I'm supposed to save him someday aren't I?" Castiel asked even though he knew the answer.
"Well yes but…"
"How am I supposed to save him if he dies before he's even lived?" Castiel said. Balthazar probably protested more Castiel didn't listen and within minutes he was walking through the hospital where baby Dean slept. Castiel's vessel was a nurse who had just gotten off work. When she got to her car Castiel received her permission to use her. The hospital's white walls and floors would have confused most. But Castiel could hear his tiny heart working it's hardest.
Castiel found the nursery and tiny baby Dean in his blue blanket. Castiel laid his hand over the tiny heart in baby Dean. Dean's heart rate slowed to normal and Castiel left before anyone could know he was there.
The next time Castiel saw Dean in person was the night his mother died. Castiel was the fireman who held back Dean as his brother was checked out by paramedics. Castiel was the one who held Dean as his father didn't come out and he didn't still come out. But when John Winchester showed up for his sons, Castiel disappeared.
"Cas, come join us" Sam said. Castiel walked over to the small table and sat down in the extra chair.
"Beer?" Dean asked.
"I probably shouldn't" Castiel said.
"Yeah well, I probably shouldn't have when I was 12 but I did and stole a car. So take it" Dean said pushing on his way.
Castiel had been watching Dean ever since his first day. But he hadn't actually spoken to Dean yet. As Castiel was watching Dean he saw him take a drink from the beer sitting next to his sleeping father. The he took another drink, and another, and another before getting his own bottle from the fridge. Castiel just knew that Dean thought his father would never notice. This didn't worry Castiel though. Castiel thought that Dean would drink his bottle and fall asleep. But Dean was a wild child and unpredictable especially after his mother died.
Dean didn't stop at the one drink. He drank another and slipped out of the hotel room. This was getting out of hand and Castiel had to do something.
"Oh Castiel let him go. Let him learn like children do" Uriel said.
"I'm only getting a better look Uriel" Castiel replied but knowing Dean it would turn into a confrontation of some sort. Castiel watched closely to what Dean was doing. He was looking at the cars in the parking lot and would try a door every once and a while. They were all locked except for one. Dean looked around and even checked for video cameras and when there weren't any, he climbed in and found the keys were still in the ignition. Castiel didn't understand humans who did that. Even he knew that you didn't leave something important lying around unprotected. And Dean drove away speeding.
Castiel watched and Dean just kept driving. Then he saw the cop. He was sitting around the corner. It had been a long night for the cop with nothing to occupy him. He was testy and ready to arrest anyone who even looked at him funny.
Dean sped by and the cop flicked on his lights and chased after him. Castiel hoped Dean was smart enough to pull over so that he would be in less trouble. Dean, after a couple blocks, pulled over and looked like he was definitely rethinking what he had done.
"How old are you son?" the cop asked shining the light in the window.
"Sixssteen sir" Dean slurred.
"Yeah, right. If you're sixteen I'm white" the cop said. Dean, now noticing how dark skinned the cop was and not being able to resist the comeback said "Really? Cause you look pretty dark to me". That was it. Just as the cop was about to arrest Dean's snarky ass, Castiel convinced him to let him in.
"What's your name?" Castiel asked.
"Dean Winchester sir" he replied.
"Get out of the car Dean" Castiel told him. Dean stepped out of the car and Castiel put his hand on his shoulder trying to be normal as much as possible for Dean. It sobered Dean up and he finally realized just how much trouble he was in.
"Don't tell my dad. He'd kill me!" Dean said, worry written all over his face.
"No Dean I wouldn't do that. I'm taking you back to your hotel and you're going to go to bed. No one's ever going to know about this" Castiel told him. Dean seemed to believe him and Castiel drove the car he stole back to the hotel. He watched Dean enter his hotel room and then his disappeared like every other time.
Castiel wasn't only there in bad times for Dean. Multiple Christmas' he delivered presents to them when John couldn't afford anything. On Dean's birthday he bought him a pie and had the housekeeper bring it. And when Dean got a part in the school play when he was seven, Castiel was the one who cheered the loudest when they called out his name to be recognized.
"Man that girl was hot" Dean said. Sam just rolled his eyes and they both laughed.
"Don't judge me just because you've been in a committed relationship" Dean joked.
"At least I have been in a committed relationship. What about you Dean? Ever been in love?" Sam asked mainly joking around with his older brother but he really was curious, because for a while there, Sam really didn't know about his brother's life. Dean seemed thoughtful for a while.
"Nope" Dean said laughing slightly.
Castiel knew that wasn't true.
When Dean was 20, he fell head over heels for another hunter. Her name was Marty she was young and had been hunting her entire life just like him. John would go off on his own hunts and let the two of them go together. Then one day, Dean went with John and Marty stayed home.
John and Dean came home five days later and Dean planned on proposing. When he knocked on the door of her family's home, where she would have stayed, he was greeted by her father dressed in black. She had died during a minor hunt gone wrong.
Castiel watched Dean carefully as he spiraled down. Weeks later Dean stood at a dock on the east coast somewhere. He held the ring box in his hand and Castiel couldn't tell what Dean's plans were. A poor old man accepted Castiel and he walked toward the quiet Dean.
"Lost love young man?" Castiel asked. Dean looked at him and there was sadness in his eyes.
"Really lost. She um, she died" Dean said although he wasn't sure why.
"Life work mysteriously doesn't it Dean?" Castiel said without thinking that Dean hadn't told him his name yet. Castiel only said that because that was what the old man said a lot.
"How did you know my name?" Dean asked now on edge.
"Like I said, life works in mysterious ways. Take my advice young man and never forget. But forgive and let go" Castiel said before he disappeared and got into more trouble. Dean threw the ring in the ocean after that. Dean went back to being Dean.
Castiel wouldn't see Dean again until Hell.
"I'm wiped. I'm going to bed. Don't let him drink too much Cas" Sam said leaving the table. Dean finished his beer and smiled at Castiel.
"Yeah Cas, don't let me drink too much. My luck I'd end up meeting that black cop again if I went driving" Dean said getting out of his chair too.
"Goodnight Cas" Dean said leaving the angel sitting there. Castiel had no idea that Dean knew. Castiel looked at Dean lying on his bed and wondered if he really did know at all what Castiel did for him and how long they're known each other.