Rachel had thought that she knew everything about Cas.

I mean, when you've participated in several orgies and an intense one-on-one session with him you know the ins and outs of his physical body pretty well. And everyone knew about Cas' drinking and drug problems. Anything that he could get his hands on was gone, down the hatch, and Rachel was actually really surprised that he hadn't overdosed yet.

Cas was just a really attractive, really horny, really screwed guy in the middle of the freakin' Apocalypse, who just happened to have the ear of Dean Winchester. And really, who wasn't screwed nowadays?

Rachel also thought that she knew everyone in the camp. She had spent the last two years here, and everyone knew everything about everyone. She knew that there was no way that even if someone had managed to get past the guards and fences and precautions that they had, they would be foaming at the mouth ready to kill, not some tall, clean, well dressed, blonde English-accented dude. And Cas most certainly would not be talking to them. Even if the guy was high ninety per cent of the time, he knew his way around a gun, and he wouldn't waste time on a Croat.

"Aw, come on Cassy. You really want to stay here? In the dirt and the mud and become one of these blathering idiots? Look, the orders have come from high up – you could come back, everything shiny new and no hard feelings."

"And I have told you already Balthazar, I have no wish to return to Heaven."

"I thought you only said that because you were high. But I clean you up, and what to do I find? A depressed angel with no future besides looking forward to get his fix as soon as I leave. Have you really fallen so far? You used to give me moral advice whenever I screwed up! I mean, come on, that time in Babylon, with the princess and the horde of… Don't give me that look Cassy, I know you remember it."

"I also remember that you ignored me."

"Yes, but if I had listened to you everything would have turned out okay! Or at least I would have gotten only a few decades instead of a few centuries… Anyway, that doesn't matter."

Rachel frowned. What on earth were they going on about? She would have almost thought that Cas had been hallucinating, or that he had finally jumped off the deep end, but she was seeing this Baltha-person as well. Even as crazy as things had gotten nowadays, she sincerely doubted that double hallucinations were a thing.

The two men had been standing in silence for a minute. The blonde dude finally spoke, his voice dripping with sincerity. He'd been missing it before, Rachel realised.

"This is it Cas. We're bailing. This is the last chance you have to hop back on board. Please, come with me. Forget this world, forget this time, forget him."

Cas smiled at the English guy. "I cannot do that Balthazar. We will find a way to end the Apocalypse, we will kill Lucifer, and then when we have you can come and tell me about how everyone was cramped and annoyed in the time you had to wait."

Balthazar sighed. "I think we just all want it to be over. I mean, sure, we thought we would win, but… I don't know Cas. You were always the sensible one, you always had the right choices. I mean, you were the one who thought about the whole Ark thing back in the day. No other angel would have cared enough to deliver the message."

"And when this is over, you will sit there while I tell you that, once again, I made the right decision."

They stared at each other for a moment. "Please, Cassy. For me. Everyone else sucks. You were the only fun one." Balthazar smiled slightly at Cas' confused expression. "See, even now you don't get it! You prove me right, every time. Please." The last words was said in a hushed, desperate voice, and Rachel wondered what exactly was going on here.

"No. I can't. He needs me."

Balthazar was suddenly angry looking. "Is this what this is all about? That stupid human who can't say yes to save his planet?" When Cas said nothing, Rachel could see a tinge of red glowing at Balthazar's cheeks. "Stop this Cas! He won't ever love you back, and you will be throwing everything you have away, again, for him."

Cas looked away from Balthazar, studying his knuckles as if they were the most interesting thing in the world. "I do not think you understand how love works Balthazar. What you have explained is the exact situation that many put themselves in in its name."

"Yes, and all of the are stupid fools who should have known better!"

"Then I am simply a stupid fool who doesn't know any better." Cas sighs and looks back up at Balthazar. His voice is sad when he says his next words. "Goodbye Balthazar."

Balthazar gazes sadly at Cas, before he sighs as well. "If you are sure." When Cas nods he bites his lip angrily, before Rachel can physically see himself letting the anger go, letting Cas go. "Then goodbye Castiel."

Rachel swears that she doesn't blink. She doesn't look away. Balthazar is just gone, and Cas is left standing there.

But even as she gawps at the empty space, she doesn't miss the single tear that falls from a crystal blue eye.