"Five missing bodies? C'mon, Sammy, there's definitely a case here," Dean pleaded with his little brother.
"I get that! But I'm already on a case. Take Cas with you, he's getting a little edgy hanging out in the motel all the time." Dean sighed.
"Cas! We're going to a case," Dean yelled. The former angel stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist.
"Dean, I need more than a second's notice to be prepared for a case. Please, allow me a bit more time."
"Ten minutes. Then I'm leaving without you."
"Dr. Morrisson?" Dean approached the petite brunette that was sitting at a desk, surrounded by paperwork.
"Yeah, that's me," she looked up.
"We're with the FBI, we'd like to ask you a few questions about the missing bodies," Dean flipped open his badge, and then nudged Castiel to do the same.
"What are you two, like a couple? Isn't it against regulation for FBI agents to work with their partners or something?" the brunette chuckled.
"Oh, no, we're not – "
"While Dean and I do share a profound bond, we are not, as you say, a 'couple'," Castiel cut Dean off.
"Right..." she said suspiciously, "Well, call me Amber, to start off with. What do you want to know?"
"Okay, Amber. Was there anything off about the missing bodies before they went missing?" Amber shook her head.
"Normal deaths, really. I mean, they were all young, but young people do die."
"Right. I notice the reports on the second, third, fourth and fifth victims were a lot closer than the first to the second."
"That's because I only noticed the first two bodies missing when I went to prepare them for the funeral home. After the second missing body, I started checking every day. They disappeared a week from each other, like clockwork."
"How'd someone manage to get in here, five times? Surely they upped the security after at least the second body."
"Funding is a little low, I guess you'd say. They changed the locks, but that's about it. Not that it helps, I'm the only one who has access to the keys anyway, and I'm certainly not stealing the bodies."
"Of course not," Dean laughed cautiously.
"Well, if that's all you need me for, I have a lot of paperwork to do about this missing body. A lot. I hope you figure out who took them, it's so disrespectful to the dead."
"Thank you for your time. We'll let you know if we find anything out," Dean nodded.
"Do you ever wonder why, Dean?" Castiel asked as they drove away from the morgue.
"Why what?"
"Why people always mistake us for a couple?"
"I wish I knew Cas. Then maybe I'd do something to stop it," Dean replied. Castiel looked a little crestfallen at the comment, but Dean pretended he didn't see.
"I guess we've been through a lot together. A lot more than most people have. Like you said, we do share a profound bond." Castiel nodded.
"Becoming human has taught me a lot of things," Castiel began, "It's taught me a lot about feelings. When I was an angel, the closest I got to any sort of affection for someone was fondness. Now, my affections are a lot stronger. Especially towards you, Dean."
"Woah, Cas. Are you... hitting on me?"
"I know I have done so in the past but right now it is unimaginable to me that I would hit you."
"Cas..." Dean sighed, "Look. You're a huge part of my life, and I don't know what I'd do without you in it. But you can't go around saying that your affections for me are a lot stronger. Some people might misinterpret it."
"In what way?"
"They might misinterpret it and think that we're a couple. Or at least, that you have a thing for me."
"And having a thing for you would be bad."
"Yes, Cas. I mean, I've had guys hit on me before, don't get me wrong. But it's like... it's like if Sam had a thing for me. It would be really weird. You're like a brother to me, Cas, and brothers can't be couples," Dean realised he was lying to Cas, and to himself. Cas was just as important to him as Sam, yes. But not in a brotherly way. It was different with Cas. But Dean didn't know how to explain that to Cas, and so he had lied.
"Dean, did something happen on that case you and Cas took?" Sam asked, "He's been sulking for a week," Sam said while Castiel was in the shower. Dean sighed. He knew it was time to come clean.
"Cas... asked me why people kept mistaking us for a couple," Dean said, "And then he said his affection for me has grown a lot, and then I said he couldn't hit on me because he's like a brother."
"But you don't treat Cas like you treat me. He's not like a brother to you at all."
"I didn't know how to explain it to him," Dean said, "I care about the guy, a lot. But I don't even know how to explain how I feel to myself."
"I think Cas really does have a thing for you, Dean," Sam said, "Whether you like it or not. Would it be any easier if he were in a female vessel?" Dean sighed.
"Yeah. It would be. I mean, c'mon, Sam, of course I have feelings for the guy! He's Cas, he's... but you know I don't do relationships, Sammy, especially not with guys!"
"Maybe you just haven't done relationships because you haven't been with the right person." Dean sighed.
"I'm gonna have to break the news to him, aren't I?"
"No need, Dean," A deep voice came from behind him, "I heard... most of the conversation. Enough of the conversation. I am not well adept at describing human emotions just yet, but I remember when I first began using Jimmy as a vessel, I could feel remnants of his love for his wife. This is how I feel about you."
"No chick flick moments," Dean held up his hand, "Cas, I think we need to talk."