"For now I smell the rain, and with it pain, and it's headed my way."
"Dean!" Cas called out, "There's something I need to say." Dean sighed and rolled his eyes, stepping out of the truck.
"Yeah well spit it out quick 'cos we need to go kill the devil." He asked as he walked forward, eyes darting sideways as if he were distracted. Cas retrieved something from his pocket and paused, some sort of necklace enclosed in his fist, as if he were reconsidering.
"I want you to have this back." Cas said, thrusting the object into Dean's chest, who flinched slightly before picking it up and seeing what it was. He almost looked shocked when he looked at the little amulet that had been a symbol of all the good in the world to him at a time. It had been a symbol of Sam.
"Where the hell did you get this?" He asked accusingly, swallowing away any good thoughts of Sam that he couldn't afford to have right now. Not when... not now. Because times had changed.
"I picked it up after you threw it in the trash." Dean looked away, the accusation in the words hitting him like a punch to the stomach.
"You done judging?" Dean's voice was harsh. Cas didn't even flinch, as if he were used to Dean's less than pleasant attitude. He had dealt with it for about five years now after all.
"I wasn't judging. I just think you need it now – more than ever." Cas told him, his hand fisting into Dean's shirt to show his resolve. Dean looked down at Cas' closed fist, letting himself be vulnerable for a moment.
"Why? Don't you think it's going to be hard enough already?" Dean asked softly, then when he lifted his head back up, all sign of vulnerability was gone and his voice became harsh. "The hell are you playing at Cas?!" Dean tried to shove the amulet back into Cas' hand.
"You need something to hold onto Dean, something to remind you what you're fighting for." Cas told him, pushing Dean's fist back to his chest firmly. Obviously not satisfied, he took the amulet out of their entwined fists and wrapped it around his neck, placing it beneath his shirt. Cas' hand stayed there for a moment and his determined blue eyes met Dean's emotional ones.
"This uh... thanks, I guess."
"Having past you here must be making you soft," Cas noted, smiling softly. You haven't thanked me in five years, the words hung in the air. When Dean's eyes hardened a moment later and he moved away from Cas, the fallen angel knew that past Dean was gone
"Yeah well I can't be soft. Not when I'm about to go gank my own brother." Dean bit out, turning away from Cas and marching back to the truck. Cas stared after him, only realising the meaning of Dean's wording later, that he had said 'my brother' instead of 'the devil'.
Later on, the amulet would hold Dean back, would make him reconsider when he reached his possessed brother. And that pause, that moment of doubt would be what cost him his life. And Cas wouldn't even be around to feel guilty.