Dean sat back in the chair with his feet propped up on the table. His arms were back behind his head and he stared up at the ceiling feeling bored beyond belief. Sam sat at the other end of the table flipping through a book with his laptop open next to him. Dean sighed. They hadn't left the bunker in days. Sam constantly had something to do with all the reading material in this place. Kevin was always doing "Kevin stuff" and Castiel was currently... well Dean wasn't really sure what Cas was doing. It was about mid morning, but Cas still hadn't gotten the hang of time in general. He thought about going to go wake him, but decided it wasn't likely Cas would provide him with anything to do he might as well let the guy sleep.

As Dean sat quietly with his thoughts he found his mind wandering to Castiel. He realized that Cas never having been human there's a lot of things he has never done. Apparently he'd crossed sex off the list (which Dean found it odd that he was disappointed about and he wasn't sure why) but there were so many other things. He'd never eaten candy til he puked or dressed up for Halloween. Dean bet he'd probably never had a birthday party either. If angels have birthdays, it doesn't seem like the sort of thing they'd celebrate when they live forever. Another year would be nothing more than time passing, but when you're human every birthday is special. It's a time for your friends and family to get together and say 'glad you were born, here's to another year!'.

"Hey, Sam?" Dean called to his younger brother.

Without glancing up from his book, he replied, "Huh?"

"Do you think, Cas has a birthday?"

Sam looked away from his book as though the question was both important and interesting. "Never thought about it. I honestly have no clue. Why?"

"Just thinking."

Sam gave a small laugh. "Don't strain yourself."

Normally Dean would have responded without thought to Sam's teasing, but he was already making plans. Sam went back to him book after giving Dean an odd look, but without questioning him further. After a few minutes, Dean stood and stretched his arms. He casually strolled into the kitchen and looked around in the cupboards. They didn't have much. They all tended to eat take-out most nights though Dean did sometimes like to utilize the kitchen. He'd have to go out and get supplies.

He didn't want Sam to bash his idea so he told his brother he was going out for beer before climbing up the stairs and getting into his car. He came back a few hours later with his arms full of groceries.

"Dude, I thought you going to beer not feeding an army. What is all that?" Sam asked.

"Stuff. For Cas's birthday."

"Birthday?"

"Yeah, Sam. I was thinking Cas has never had a birthday party. So, we should throw him one."

Sam gave him an odd look. "Okay..."

"Don't look at me like that. This is happening. Don't let him come in the kitchen when he gets up. I want to surprise him."

"Do you want any help?"

Dean tossed him a roll of blue streamers. "Get him to leave or something and then put these up. I'm gonna make pie."

"Pie? It's a birthday party not a picnic."

"Shut up. Cake is lame."

Dean went into the kitchen and set everything on the counter. He looked over everything hoping he had enough. He'd bought a few pie crusts feeling uncertain as to how well he could make one on his own. He bought cherries and sugar and several other things that looked useful for baking. He'd bought lots of party supplies as well. There were streamers of different colors, party hats, noisemakers, balloons, and small helium tank to blow them up. Dean was pretty proud and quite certain he'd thought of everything.

Sam let him borrow his laptop to find a recipe online. Dean got to mixing the batter giving it a few curious taste tests throughout the process. He kept stopping to listen for Cas coming down the hall, but he only ever heard Sam turning pages in a book.

He got the pie into the oven and carried a bag of decorations into the next room. "Help me with this," He told Sam.

Sam hung streamers on the shelves and on the ceiling while Dean blew up balloons. Kevin came in just as Sam finished with the streamers.

"We havin' a party?" He asked.

"Yep," Dean smiled. "For Cas's birthday."

"I didn't know Cas had a birthday."

"Well he should. He's human now and he deserves a birthday."

Kevin dug through the bag on the table and found the party hats. He smiled and put one on his head.

"So, is there gonna be cake?"

"Dean's making pie," Sam told him. He looked at the unappealing cardboard hats and decided one that was the least silly.

"Pie?"

"Shut up, pie is awesome," Dean insisted. "One of you finished these balloons while I check on it would ya?"

Dean went back into the kitchen while Kevin and Sam proceeded to fill the room with a rainbow array of helium filled rubber sacks. Dean pulled the pie from the oven and shut it off. His pie didn't look as good as his mother's, but pie was pie right? He stuck a big number one candle right in the middle and carried it out to the table.

Sam raised his eyebrow at the candle and Kevin handed Dean a hat. They turned out the lights and sat on the floor waiting for Cas to come out.

Cas woke and looked over at his alarm clock. The big red numbers said it was noon. He sighed and laid on his back looking up at the ceiling. He couldn't help the overwhelming depression that had been keeping him down for days. He felt so useless and helpless. All of his strength, his power, was gone. He couldn't save the Winchester if they got into trouble. He couldn't hear the angels if they found where they were hiding. It wasn't safe for him to be there.

He kept thinking about leaving. He didn't have anywhere to go, but at least the others would be safe. Or at least safer than with him there. He sighed again. He missed his grace. Not just for the power but because of the way the Winchester had looked at him. They respected him. They needed him. Not anymore. Now he was just in the way.

He got out of bed and turned on the light. He got dressed, missing the feel of his trench coat. He'd never thought he could become so attached to a piece of clothing. It had become a symbol to him. The coat said Castiel. Without it he was just Cas. Human and pointless in just an old t-shirt he'd borrowed from Dean and a pair of jeans.

When he opened the door he was struck by the heady scent of baked cherries. He imagined Dean lounging on the couch with a slice of pie and a half finished beer. He gave a small smile. Maybe Dean wouldn't mind if he joined him.

He went down the hall and found the main room where Sam was always reading dark and apparently empty. The lights were never off in there, not even at night. He went in and flipped the light switch.

"Surprise!" The whole gang leapt to their feet from where they'd been hiding, shouting in unison.

Cas stared at them, well and truly surprised. He took in the mass of balloons and the streamers hanging from ever surface. "What is this?"

"It's a surprise party," Dean told him and handed him a party hat.

"What for?" He looked at the paper hat in his hands.

"For you." Dean suddenly felt a bit awkward.

"It's not my birthday."

"No, but... you never really had a birthday before. I just thought it would be nice if we had a party for you. It's stupid I know."

"No. It's not stupid." Cas smiled and put the hat on. "Thank you." They stared at each other with smiles on their faces. Dean blushed a little.

"Get a room you too," Sam joked.

"Come blow out the candle," Kevin said. "I wanna eat."

Cas looked over at the table where Sam was lighting the candle that was stuck in the middle of the pie he'd smelled. "You got me pie?"

"I made it myself," Dean beamed proudly.

"Thank you."

"Alright, enough with the mushy stuff. Let's eat some dang pie."

Cas went around to the end of the table. "Make a wish," Kevin told him. Cas looked at him strangely. "You're supposed to wish for something before you blow out the candles, but you're not supposed to tell anyone what it is. Otherwise it won't come true."

"I don't think this candle holds any mystical powers and I'm much older than a year."

"Just do it," Dean said.

Cas thought about what he would wish for if the candle really could grant wishes. He closed his eyes and made his silent wish before he blew out the candles. The others cheered and Sam cut the pie putting it onto the plates that Dean handed him. They all sat around the table eating and talking. Kevin put on some music which Dean blocked out my making an impossible amount of noise with a noise maker. Kevin joined in and it turned into a noise maker battle. Cas declared Dean the winner to which Sam protested.

"I think your judgment it clouded. Clearly Kevin won," Sam said.

"Well I thought Dean's performance was better," Cas said. Kevin snickered.

"Somethin' funny over there Kevin?" Dean asked.

"I bet he did," Kevin laughed. He shared a look with Sam who joined in.

"What?"

"I don't understand," Cas said looking questioningly at Dean.

"It's nothing," Sam said still smiling.

"Oh, crap!" Dean exclaimed.

"What?" Sam asked.

"I knew I forgot something."

"What, Dean?" Cas asked.

"A present. I forgot about presents."

"That's okay Dean. You don't have to get me anything."

"But it's your birthday."

"It's not actually my birthday."

"Well we're celebrating it today aren't we?"

"It's fine."

"No, I'm the absolute worst." He jumped up from the table and ran outside.

"Dean!" Cas called after him, but he didn't stop.

Dean didn't come back for several hours. When he did, Sam and Kevin were cleaning up the mess of streamers, most of which had fallen down. He was carrying a box under one arm as he rushed into the bunker.

"Where's Cas?"

"In his room," Sam told him.

Dean hurried off again to find Cas. The door to Cas's bedroom was shut and all was quiet on the other side. Dean knocked.

"Cas? It's me."

"Come in," Cas called.

Dean walked in and found Cas lying on his bed. He'd just been lying there looking at the ceiling.

"Sorry about earlier."

"There's no need to apologize. I really wasn't upset."

"I know, but I was. I wanted it be perfect for you and I messed it all up."

"I really didn't need a present Dean. The pie and the... family was more than I could have expected."

"Well, I got you something anyway." He set the box on Cas's lap. "Happy birthday, man."

Cas took the lid off of the box. Inside was a blue and gray plaid button up, not unlike one Dean might wear himself. Cas pulled it out and pulled it on over his t-shirt.

"Thanks, Dean."

"You like it?"

Cas smiled. "It's perfect."

"So, uh. What did you wish for?" Dean asked wanting to push away the uncomfortable feelings he felt rising.

Cas thought about his wish and felt blood fill his cheeks. He quickly leaned forward and pressed his lips against Dean's. He only stayed there for a second before he leaned back again. He stared down at his lap.

"Uh.. you," Dean cleared his throat. His cheeks were red and he couldn't quite look at Cas.

"Kevin said I couldn't tell anyone. He didn't say I couldn't show you."

"You wished I would kiss you?" Cas didn't know what to say. He'd never felt so uncertain. "Well if I'd known that's what you wanted, I wouldn't have had to go all the way to town." Dean smiled.

It took a moment for Cas to process what Dean was saying, but finally he looked up. He smiled back at Dean. "When's my next birthday?"

"Not for a year, but Kevin's is in a week. You don't have to make a birthday wish just to kiss me, Cas. You could have done that anytime."