The Secret Cove

by kandisi

Dean Winchester takes his next case... at a nudist colony... with Castiel. Dean, Cass, and Crowley all have to get naked there as they struggle to take down a spirit at the nudist colony who's been killing members. Dean and Castiel share a kiss there which leads to more...

Title: The Secret Cove

Summary: Dean Winchester takes his next case... at a nudist colony... with Castiel. Dean, Cass, and Crowley all have to get naked there as they struggle to take down a spirit at the nudist colony who's been killing members. Dean and Castiel share a kiss there which leads to more...

A/N: This is the first thing I've posted here in a long long time. There is sex at the end so if you're not comfortable with slash, please don't read this!

The Secret Cove is also a real place, lol...

The Secret Cove

"I don't even know."

"Me either... I mean I know, I just..."

"Don't even know?"

"Yeah..."

"I thought you both said that you did know."

"Cass, it's just an expression of speech."

"Right." Castiel nodded. "When you say that you don't know, it means that you do know," he said, before he appeared confused. "Does that mean when you say that you do know that you don't know?"

"No," Dean Winchester replied. "No, it doesn't mean that, it's just... oh hell, it's just some stupid expression."

"Hey," Sam Winchester snapped his fingers in front of Dean and Castiel. "Eyes on the prize, remember?"

Dean nodded at him. "This is the third one, so I'm pretty sure that seals it."

Sam looked down at the cadaver. "Yeah," he sighed. "What a way to go, huh?"

"So what are we looking at?" Dean asked as he stared down at the body. "Witches, Ghosts, demons, hex-bags?"

"We really have no idea," Sam replied, and then turned to face his brother. "The only thing we do know is that all three of the people who died were members of the same club."

"Yeah," Dean said, laughing slightly before Sam looked at him seriously. "The, uh, the 'Secret Cove'..."

"But none of the vitcims were actually "at" the Secret Cove at the time of death," Sam said as he examined the body with his eyes again. She was very pretty, or at least she had been. Her heart was missing, as though it had been ripped straight out of her body by the Incredible Hulk himself. But, somehow that was not the most disturbing factor. No, the most grotesque one had to be the fact that both of her eyes were missing... "She was at home," Sam continued, earnestly, "taking a shower, when whoever or whatever it was decided to pay her a visit."

"Well," Dean began, inhaling. "They don't have anything to prove that whatever did this to them was biased against them personally. The first two victims were both guys, both different in build, different hair colors, one married, one single, and now it kills a woman. But their eyes, man... that's just creepy."

"Uh yeah," Sam said in a huff. "But that's the only thing they all have in common. Their eyes."

"So, what do we do?" Dean asked Sam. "Check into it and see who's going all See No Evil on their asses?"

"What's See No Evil?" Castiel inquired. "Is that an expression humans use for blindness?"

Dean and Sam both sighed.

Dean rubbed his forehead for a brief moment. "No, Cass. It's a movie."

Castiel said, "Why would you compare a movie to your case?"

"Because," Dean replied, "the movie's about people getting their eyes pulled out by some psychotic killer."

Castiel nodded. "I see. Then that means I could compare us to the TV show Friends, because we are all friends."

Dean and Sam sighed again.

"Dude," Dean began with another sigh. "We've gotta get you some new material, buddy."

"You've told me that before," Castiel replied, his face straight and his voice monotone. "I have watched Dr. Sexy MD. I found it to be "dramatic", like you said."

"You two might as well be watching anime porn together," Sam said under his breath. This topic would get them nowhere on their new case.

Castiel continued to look Dean straight in the eyes. "I watched Bible Black, too. It was... interesting."

Dean's eyes widened. "You hacked into the laptop...?"

"No," Castiel said gruffly. "You left it on in "the bat cave" while I was there, when you and Sam were in a hurry to arrive on the scene of another case."

"Privacy, Cass," Dean almost hissed. "Privacy."

"Wait, Dean," Sam said, appearing flabbergasted and unhappy. "Isn't that the anime where... a chick has a—"

Loudly, Dean said, "Alright!" and then pointed to the deceased woman's body on the table. "That's enough about what I watch in my free time. We need to get back to what's actually important here. We've got some psycho out there who's targeting naked chicks and dudes, taking their eyes out and writing on the walls with their blood and we've got to do something about it!"

Castiel blinked at him. "I am sorry, Dean. I will not watch "hentai" on your computer again."

"Dude," Sam said to his brother, appearing unhappy, yet perplexed. "What have you been teaching him...?"

"I went to Japan to study it," Castiel said, his face as straight as ever. "There's also what they call "yuri" and "yaoi"."

Sam couldn't fight a slight fit of laughter while Dean looked embarrassed for a moment. Finally, Dean said, "yuri" is a green light for me, but I've never watched a "yaoi" video in my life!"

"Okay, you two," Sam said eventually, smirking at them. "The case, remember?"

"Right," Dean said, wanting to get back to case as well. Then he remembered the Secret Cove and his thoughts did a 1-80. "Let's get back to the motel and talk over what we're going to do there."

"I'll take you," Castiel said in response.

Dean shook his head. "Uh no. How do you think the people here would respond to several agents who were just here disappearing into thin air?"

"Alright, we will walk out first, and then I will take you both back."

Just then the local mortician walked back into the room. "Bedazzling, right?" he said to who he believed to be the three FBI agents. "I think it's one of those psychopathic serial killers who targets people at random but wants to leave his "signature" on them, if you know what I mean."

Sam replied, "Yes," and then said, "that might very well be what we are dealing with. We're going to leave now and debate the possibilities."

"Whoever it is sure is angry, that much is sure," the mortician said, shaking his head side-to-side as he looked at the unmoving body that was on the table.

"Probably," Dean replied, making his way to leave thereafter. "Well, detectives? I think we've gathered all the evidence we'll need here."

Sam turned to face Dean. "Agreed. Let's go and discuss the case."

They and Castiel began walking out of the morgue and through it, until they were outside again, walking down the flight of cement stairs.

"What do you think?" Dean asked Sam.

"What I think is that we're going to have to investigate the Secret Cove..."

Sam and Dean suddenly found themselves back in their motel room, Castiel's hands on their shoulders.

Dean appeared displeased. "Cass, I told you to warn me before you did that. And, wait. Did we just leave my car at the station?"

"I'll take you back," Castiel said to them. "I'm sorry. It's not like me to make so many mistakes. I have, what you would say, is "a lot on my mind."

"Take me back," Dean said. "I'm not leaving my baby anywhere. Sam, you can look into the details of our case until I get back."

"Alright." Sam nodded.

Castiel touched Dean's shoulder, and within moments, they were both standing in front of Dean's Impala. Dean got into the vehicle, before Castiel did the same. Castiel opted to sit in to front seat, as Dean and Sam never seemed to mind if he rode shotgun when Sam was not there.

In of yet another imitation of Dean, Castiel turned on the radio, fiddling with the buttons.

"I'll be your cloud up in the sky, I'll be your shoulder when you cry, I hear your voices when you call me, I am your angel..."

"No way, man," Dean said, turning the radio to another station in which "Back in Black" happened to be playing. "I don't do very much of the 90's," he added, and then sat back in his seat, roaring the engine to full life before they took off.

Initially, no words were exchanged between them. Dean stared at the road intently, thinking about his new case as he drove.

Finally, it was Castiel who broke the silence. "Dean," he said, "I am sorry for forgetting that your car was here."

"It's alright," Dean replied as he drove. "I'm only surprised that you forgot in the first place. You said that you had a lot on your mind. Well, what is on your mind?"

"You are," Castiel replied casually. "You and Sam, but you more so. I've been thinking about my purpose more, praying to God that He tell me what that purpose is... and I feel like my reason for existing is to protect you."

Dean didn't know what to say, in spite of the fact that he agreed with Castiel.

"Yeah," Dean muttered, pretending to be more caught up in his driving that he actually was. "That's nice, Cass. It really is... but, right now we need to put your "feelings" on the back burner so we can focus on our case."

"Alright," Castiel replied.

It was only a small matter of time before Dean and Castiel had arrived at the motel to which Sam and Dean were crashing at for the time being. Dean pulled into the parking space nearest to their room and then got out of the car.

Dean and Castiel had made the trip in what had turned out to be a rather uncomfortable silence, except for the part where Castiel had asked Dean if he could drive some time, to which Dean had replied with a quick and resounding "no."

They walked into the motel room, where they soon saw Sam typing away on his laptop.

"Well?" Dean said to him. "Any news?"

Sam cast a quick glance at his laptop, and then looked at his brother. "Yeah. I found out that these murders seem to start up every thirty years, and always with people who are members of the Secret Cove. Before the club existed, the murders took place only with people who had been to that area of the lake..."

"So..." Dean began. "That means we are going to have to investigate it..."

"Yeah," Sam replied solemnly.

A silence filled the room.

Sam and Dean continued to look at one another, before they both raised their hands at each other.

"Rock, paper, scissors..."

"Oh," Sam said happily. "Stone beats scissors. It looks like you're going to Secret Cove..."

"Damnit," Dean muttered.

"If I may ask," Castiel said, looking at the brothers curiously, "why do you have such a problem with going to "Secret Cove?"

"Because it's a nudist colony, Cass," Dean replied, huffing and running a hand back through his dark fringe of hair.

"So?" Castiel asked, looking from Sam to Dean. "Is there a problem with it?"

Dean nodded rapidly. "Yes. Because it's a damn nudist colony, Cass. You can't get in unless you're..." He swallowed. "...naked."

"Oh," Castiel said after a brief pause. "And because of the game you just played with your hands, you have lost and have to go investigate this colony you speak of without any of your clothing on?"

"Yes!" Dean said in what sounded like a whine. "I'm going to have to walk around some lake naked with other naked dudes...!"

"Don't forget the naked women," Sam said with a chuckle. "You should really like that, Dean. Just close your eyes around the guys and focus on the women."

"I plan on it," Dean said, huffing.

"Why aren't you going, too?" Castiel asked Sam.

"Woah." Sam raised both hands in a 'stop right there' motion, looking at the angel. "Cass, we're brothers. We don't want to see each other naked."

"Exactly," Dean agreed. "We'd never be able to look at each other the same way if were we both to go."

Castiel nodded. He had already known the reason why they wouldn't both go to investigate this particular case, he had just asked anyway. He was an angel again—not a human—and he was trying to think more the way he was before his experience as a human. He had been human, and a part of him was human still. Hell, he had been crazy, and a part of him was crazy still.

He had been a lot of things, now. No matter what, though, he was still the brother's angel. Always and forever.

He was still Dean Winchester's angel.

Dean swallowed again. "Alright, I'll join the club and then get in. Only to investigate and check out the naked chicks."

"What about me?" Castiel asked them.

Dean looked at him. "You can stay with Sam. I'll pray to you when the time is right, and you can show up at help me finish it off. But for now, I'm gonna have to fly this one solo." He put forth a bold expression. "Yeah, I'm 'flying solo'..."

The old Castiel would've said "But you don't have wings." The new Castiel, however...

He placed his hand on Dean's shoulder. "Good luck."

"Yeah, good luck, Dean," Sam said, seeming much less worried than he actually was. "I'll poke around later as an agent and won't go any further than the front desk. I don't won't to risk the chance that I'll bump into you. Or any other naked dudes."

"I won't need any luck," Dean said. "I've got this one covered. Or not covered... Heh..."

"So, you understand what it means to have a membership here?"

Dean nodded. "I do. It's about, uh, 'embracing' our inner selves for what we are, and not what we have to 'hide'."

The woman smiled at him. "That is correct. Well, Mr. Dawson, that about wraps things up."

"Thank you, Miss Stevenson."

"Call me Niki." She continued to smile. "Everyone does."

"Alright," he replied. "Niki. Just one more thing. I read about the disappearances in the local paper. What's up with that?"

She sighed, her elbows resting on the surface of her desk. "I don't really know how to answer that. It's definitely hurt our business. We apparently have some sort of psycho out there who's killing people. Many of our members are talking about the killings, and we've warned them to take the proper precautions by not straying too far from the group, especially alone."

"I got it," Dean said, nodding.

He figured most people probably did believe this was the work of some psycho killer. No one would suspect a witch or ghost... shape shifter, werewolf, ghoul... Dean knew it really could be anything...

"Welcome to Secret Cove," Niki said, shaking Dean's hand.

He winked at her afterwards.

Niki was hot.

"Thank you," he said to her.

"Here's your locker room key," she stated with a smile.

He smiled as he accepted the key, checking out the woman's breast as she leaned over to hand him the key to him. She was at least a C cup, maybe a D...

"Have fun," she said, winking back at him.

"Oh, I will," he said back, thinking that maybe this wouldn't be so bad. Yes, it was like Sam had said; ignore the naked dudes, focus on the naked chicks...

In the locker room for men, however, Dean caught his first eyeful...

Dean made the mistake of looking down.

Afterwards, he realized he was now scarred for life.

He blinked a few times as he opened his locker, closing his eyes as he pulled his pants down in realization that a bunch of naked dudes could be checking out his junk on the beach and in the locker room he was currently in.

With the sigh of defeat, he pulled down his boxer shorts and then sturffed them in the locker along with his pants and shirt.

Worst.. case.. ever..

Dean missed the old days, when everything was simple; burning bones to stop a run of the mill ghost, going after Yellow Eyes, decapitating a vamp or two, running into a reaper while dead, having a shifter take his form...

Things just hadn't been the same after the apocalypse.

Now all of his cases had to be wild and crazy and downright W-T-F...

Hell, Dean would rather be going after Crowley again.

He slammed the door to his locker and straightened up, keeping his eyes at eye-level as he walked his way to the exit and cautiously opened the door...

Naked people. A hundred—no—a thousand of them.

Dean looked left, and then right. He didn't even know where to begin.

He was hoping that he could play bait to the monster. Yeah, walk away from the general group to a loner area where like all of the victims had. Just get a glimpse of whatever kind of monster it was, and then Cass could show up and burn its eyes out of its skull, or at the very least teleport some iron or salt to him.

Not that he was taking advantage of the angel. It was just... well, things seemed to go much more smoothly when Castiel was on the case. But things were different now. Cass used to be by Dean's side—his side—day and night, night and day, and now... it almost made Dean feel lucky just to see Cass around at all. He was one busy little angel these days... and for... the past few years.

Meg had once asked Dean if he ever missed the apocalypse.

There was only one thing he missed about it.

And that was the fact that he'd always had Castiel by his side.

Dean huffed, snapping back to reality at the sight of a naked couple walking past him.

Don't look down don't look down, he thought sheepishly. Don't.. look.. down.

He walked forward, walking in the direction of the beach. At least underwater he wouldn't have to look at some guy's junk or risk anyone looking at his, and... come to think, why weren't there any "all female" naked clubs?

"Hey there, cutie."

Dean snapped back to reality all over again

He looked down, God help him, he looked down...

"You're new, right?"

Dean swallowed, forcing his eyes to look at the lovely blonde woman's face.

"Yes," Dean said in a squeaky voice. He cleared his throat. "How did you know?"

"Aw," she smiled. "A lot of newbies like to stand near the locker room exits on their first day out. You don't need to be afraid."

He scratched the back of his head, forcing himself to stare into the beautiful, naked woman's eyes. "I'm not afraid," Dean said huskily, clearing his throat once more. "It's just... um, the view is really nice from here. Yeah..."

"Right," she said slowly, smile still on her face.

Dean's eyes were so frozen to the gaze of her eyes that he appeared as though he was in the military, staring past the eyes of a commanding officer.

Finally and swiftly, Dean said, "You have nice eyes," while his own eyes were still locked on hers in that strange, military gaze.

She laughed at him, all too sweetly. "Well." She posed for him. "I must say, not a lot of people here notice my eyes, if you know what I mean."

Military gaze still one his face, he replied, "You're eyes are very nice. Blue. A nice shade of... blue..."

She raised an eyebrow. "Have you ever been in the military?" she asked him, smiling still.

Dean blinked. Why would she be asking him something like that?

"No," he responded. "I've never been in the military."

He couldn't help but ask, "Why would you ask me something like that?"

"I don't know," she said, looking back into his eyes, "You've got that look about you, I guess. The way you're standing straight as an arrow with your arms locked at your sides and your lovely green eyes keep looking past me or at me like their frozen in place."

"Yes," he said finally, through his teeth. "I am... 'new' here..."

"Why didn't you just say so? Let me give you the grand tour!"

"Um... alright...?"

"Great," she clapped her hands together a single time, "so what's your name?"

"I'm Dean," he said to her, still appearing as though he were a military man.

She laughed a little. "Why don't you just salute me, captain?" She then saluted him.

He turned his head slightly and emitted a chuckle or two. Then he began looking into her eyes again... "Right... and what's your name?"

"Casey," she replied, all smiles. Then she looked down, which made Dean blush scarlet. "Hey. C'mon, there's no reason to be nervous, and... hey, are you blushing?"

"Sunburn," Dean said, appearing as if her were now a blushing military man.

"Like I said," she began looking down at Dean once again. "There's no reason to be nervous here. We do get that a lot with newbies, but give or take a day or two, it goes away." She bumped him lightly in the shoulder with her fist. "So don't worry, green eyes; we're going to have you feeling right at home here before you know it."

He remained frozen.

She sighed. "C'mon. You are allowed to look down. We don't judge people for it any more than we judge them when we look down."

He blinked at her. "Okay," he said quietly.

"Good," she smiled. "Well, let's go." She took his arm, intertwining it with her own. "I'll introduce you to my friends. I mean 'close' friends, that is, because here, we're all friends."

Dean seemed incredibly nervous as he began walking along the beach with Casey and through the crowd of naked people. However, he was still staring straight ahead and now walking as though he were marching in the military...

A naked man walking across his path.

Dean tensed up.

Just don't look down, he thought, don't.. look.. down...

"Hey Casey," he began, having realized that this was still a case. "Have you noticed anything strange here lately?"

"Strange?" She thought about it. "Well, nothing outside of the usual creeps we get in here. But you're not a creep, right?"

"Define 'creep'."

"Men or women who come in here just to stare at people or try to pick people up, like this was a bar or something."

"No," Dean answered. "I'm not a creep."

"Don't get me wrong, though," she continued, earnestly, "It's okay to look down at people, we just don't like them to stare all of the time. Like you see that guy right there?" She raised her free hand and pointed her finger. "That's Danny, and he's a creep. He doesn't get involved with people; he only stares at us all the time. The women, that is."

She looked up at Dean. "And then we get types like you. The 'shy ones' or 'shyers', who refuse to look at us at all. Like..." She pointed again. "...Her. Elaine. She just wraps herself in a beach towel, puts on her shades, and then acts like she's getting a tan when we all know that's not really what she's doing, due to the towel she's wrapped in, like she's in a cocoon or something."

"Towel, huh?" Dean said through his teeth, a forced smile on his face. "I should've brought one," he whispered to himself, though Casey still managed to hear him.

"We don't like towels here," she stated, looking up at Dean and then back to the beach. "Just like the club's nakedness can bother some people, we have an aversion to people trying to wear clothing here, which includes never taking a towel off. It bothers us because that's not what the club is about."

"And what's it about?" Dean asked her.

"You know, it's about embracing ourselves and our bodies for what they are: beautiful. All shapes, all sizes. We feel no shame and we all open up to the freedom that our being naked can bring oneself."

The duo reached a small group of people.

Casey stopped walking, and so did Dean.

"This is Mark," she said, gesturing to a tall man with dark hair and dark eyes.

He held out his hand. "And what's your name?"

"Dean," he choked out.

Mark appeared a bit bedazzled. "Were you ever in the military?" he asked Dean.

Casey looked up at Dean. "See? Told you."

"No," Dean replied. "I was never in the military..."

Mark looked Dean up and down. "Nice birthday suit."

"Uh, right..." Dean whispered. He desperately wanted to break this guy's face already.

Instead, though, Dean found himself shaking the man's hand. However, Dean did muster up the strength to whisper, "Look at my birthday suit like that again and instead of my hand shaking yours you'll find it in your face, punching your lights out."

"And this is Leah," Casey said, gesturing to the brunette woman of average build, hazel eyes and long, wavy hair.

"Nice to meet you," Dean said as he shook her hand, catching a glimpse of her cleavage along the way.

She was a D cup.

And Dean liked large breasts.

He usually preferred skinny woman over those of average size, but Leah looked good to him anyway. He would totally bone her.

"And this is Ebony," Casey said, gesturing to the very pretty African American woman of short, dark hair.

Dean was suddenly feeling a little better, especially after he took a chance and looked Ebony up and down. She looked him up and down as well.

"Nice to meet you...—"

"Dean," he said, filling in the gap.

"Well, Dean," she replied happily, "It's nice to meet you, too."

"And this is Shawn," Casey said, pointing at him.

Not another dude, he thought, although he found himself shaking the man's hand anyway.

"We were about to play beach volleyball," Mark said, holding out the beach ball with both hands. "Do you want to join us?"

"Maybe later," Dean remarked idly. "Uh, before you guys go play though, can I ask you guys something?"

"Sure," Ebony said with a shrug.

"Well," Dean said, looking around at the small group from person to person, "have you guys seen anything weird here? Anything seem stranger than usual? Smell any sulfur? Seen any small, brown bags anywhere? Anyone carrying salt on them?"

They all looked at Dean with slight bewilderment. "No," Mark and Leah replied slowly and at the same time, while Shawn and Ebony looked at him like he was just a little nuts...

Casey looked up at Dean. "You asked me something like that, too. Is it like a bracelet thing?"

Dean blinked. "A bracelet thing? What's that?"

"Oh my God, honey," Ebony said with a chuckle. "Casey, you wanna do the honors?"

Casey laughed out loud. After having calmed her laugher, she began to explain things to Dean. "A bracelet thing is when club members wear colored bracelets in order to tell others what they're willing to do... you know, what they're willing to do sexually."

Dean didn't want to look down at their hands for risk of copping a look at the two men's junk. "Are you guys wearing any bracelets?"

"Of course not," Mark answered him. "That's only for special occasions."

"O-kay," Dean whispered slowly, having not needed to hear any of that. Also, he had known what a bracelet party was... he was just nervous and therefore slightly off of his game.

I am going to kill Sam, Dean thought. Cass, too. Sam is probably laughing right now while Cass acts all cute and oblivious to Sam's jokes about me walking around naked in a group of naked dudes... some of who are... He looked at Mark's eyes. ...checking me out right now.

If Dean lived through this, he just knew the first line to come out of Sam's mouth would be some sort of smart-ass joke about him and naked dudes, something Dean swore he knew nothing about.

And now, Mark was making him highly uncomfortable by looking him up and down while licking his lips. It took everything in Dean not to punch him right in the jaw.

Instead, Dean said, "Alright, um, thank you. You all seem very nice, but... I'm gonna go check out the beach now. You know how much I can't wait, being a... new member and all."

"Hey, wait a minute," Ebony said to the group, particularly to Dean. "You sounded a lot like jonesing John. With your questions, I mean."

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Jonesing John?"

"Yeah," Ebony said.

Casey bumped Ebony in the shoulder. "That's not very nice, Eb."

"Why's that?" Dean asked Casey.

Casey sighed. "Because he's another kind of creep, different from the ones I told you about. Yeah, a whole new kind of creep... the drug addict variety who spends most of his time thinking of the drugs he's going to do when he leaves. We're not allowed to have drugs here, but Johnnie sneaks them in anyway. The only people who go up to him are looking to buy, if you know what I mean."

Shawn nodded. "Yeah, guy's a real piece of wacky-work. Comes up to us one day acting all spooked-out, saying that he saw some mysterious naked lady on the beach near the outside of the Cove whose feet left no prints in the sand."

"Yeah," Leah agreed, nodding her head, too. "But the weirdest thing was the fact that he said the woman had 'no eyes'..."

Bingo, Dean thought.

"But relax, man," Mark said, touching Dean on the shoulder, winking at him. "You haven't got anything to worry about. Guy's nuts – an addict – and you can't take anything he says seriously. He didn't see anything except for some drug-induced hallucination."

"That's right," Shawn and Ebony said together, the whole group nodding in agreement.

"Thanks," Dean said slowly, taking a step back so that Mark's hand would slip from his shoulder. "I'll just go and talk to him."

"Why?" Casey asked.

"Because the murders concerning members here have me a little freaked out."

"I think we have a psycho here who's stalking particular members," Mark said seriously. "You know, he lays low, sets his eyes on a person or two and then stalks them home and to their graves..."

"We're all really careful of who we hang with here," Leah said. "We don't hang with the creeps, and, hell, now that these mysterious murders have started, we avoid them—"

"Even more," Casey finished with her. "But you..." she said, caressing Dean's arm. "We know it can't be someone like you who's so shy. And you're a new member to boot."

"And very cute," Mark said, smiling.

Ebony rolled her dark eyes. "Give it up, Mark. The guy's not gay. I can tell."

"How's that?" Mark asked her.

"Uh, because he was checking me out, and because he hasn't even looked down at you once yet."

"I'm not gay," Dean said through his smile, and through his teeth.

"Not even a little bi?" Mark asked him playfully.

"No," Dean said sternly.

"Maybe you already have a boyfriend?" Mark asked insistently.

"Cool it, Mark," Casey said with a sigh.

"No," Dean said uncomfortably, looking into Mark's eyes.

"Huh," Mark said, tilting his head slightly as he looked at Dean. "Usually my gay-dar isn't off."

"It's off today," Dean said swiftly, frowning at him. "Anyway, you all seem really nice but I'll think I'll go talk to John for a little while..."

Casey shrugged both of her shoulders. "Well, alright then... Anyway, you're still welcome to join us in our beach volleyball game any time later."

Dean nodded. "That sounds like a fair deal."

Mark held up his multi-colored beach ball. "Well, let's go and play before somebody else gets the net."

"Bye, Dean," Casey said sexily, running her hand down the line of Dean's back before she ran off with her friends to play beach volleyball. She looked back at him over her shoulder as she ran. Mark looked back over his to take a last look at Dean, too.

Dean sighed. That hadn't been so bad, minus Mark's advances and the fact that he had talked to two naked dudes while he was naked.

He eyed 'Jonesing John', who looked as though he were, well, jonesing. That didn't matter, though. This was the best lead he had gotten so far.

He began to walk in John's direction, feet leaving prints in the warm sand as he did. As he walked through the crowd, however, he swore he could feel dudes' eyes on him. Staring at his junk.

"Nice birthday suit," Dean said mockingly in what he considered to be a gay voice, mimicking Mark's first words to him.

Yes, he would be killing Sam today.

He looked at John, who was by himself in an area slightly away from the rest of the members. He appeared to be... talking to himself?

Dean didn't do drugs, with the exception of alcohol. He also would not go home with a woman who was under the influence of drugs. It just seemed wrong.

Had he done drugs before? Yes. He couldn't forget his time with the Double Mint twins, shortly after he had sold his soul, but... c'mon! Everyone his age had tried drugs at least once or twice...!

John was sitting alone on a beach towel, staring off into the ocean-like lake, moving his hands in contrast to whatever it was he was whispering. Dean could tell right off the bat that this guy was generally crazy.

Dean reached the man, looking down at him. "Hey, John. Is, uh, is this seat taken?"

John looked up at him. He shrugged. "No, man."

"Alright if I sit down?"

John shrugged again. "Yeah, I guess."

Dean was relieved when John didn't look at him in that way. In fact, he didn't look at Dean's junk at all, which made Dean very happy; in spite of the fact that this guy was apparently some sort of dealer.

"What do you want?" John asked Dean after he had sat down to his right.

"Excuse me?"

"You know, coke, schmack, bud."

"I don't want any drugs," Dean said to him. "I came to talk to you about the mysterious woman you saw the other day."

"Mysterious woman, mysterious woman, mysterious woman," John said three times over. "Not alive, I tell you. Not alive."

"Tell me about her, and what you were doing and where you were when you saw her."

John flinched a little, flinching as he spoke, "Alright, man, alright." Dean could tell that this guy was tweeked-out... Usually that made for a less than credible witness, but Dean just knew there had to be something behind this guy's story, going by what the group of people he had previously talked with had told him about John.

"She was a ghost," John said, appearing spooked. "A naked ghost."

"What color was her hair?"

"Brown," John replied. "Long, dark brown. She just came at me, out of nowhere, telling me to bring her the angel."

"The angel?" Dean said, brow furrowing in confusion.

"Yeah," John said, twitching once more as he continued to stare straight ahead, at the lake. "She said she wouldn't stop until she had the angel. I screamed and tried to make a run for it, but then the bitch just... I don't know, 'materialized' in front of me. I finally said "alright alright, I bring you the angel," and then she told me I had one weak to bring it to her before she came for me to make a statement or some kind of some shit like that."

Good, Dean thought. Well, good for his case. This finally gave him a credible lead, and he and Sam could follow this guy to his home and set up a watch.

"John," Dean began, looking at John from the side. "How many days has it been since you saw the ghost?"

"Six days, man, six days. Including today, I mean. That's one of the reasons that I'm here today. If she was serious and if I saw what I think I saw she's gonna come for me tomorrow. I figure, Cove's open after midnight so safer here than at home, right?"

"Uh, is that why you're so... fidgety?"

"No, man, I snorted back an extra forty just to deal with what that bitch said to me." John sniffed a little and then wiped at his nose. "I've told other people about her, and they all just think I'm nuts or high." He shrugged a little. "Or both."

"Well, you are higher than a kite right now, John," Dean replied, shaking his head as he talked. "But I believe you."

"You do?"

"Yeah," Dean said, nodding. "Where did you say you saw this ghost?"

John turned to his left and pointed. "Over there, near the outside. Club limits, man, near the trees where the park ends and the forest begins. I was over there waiting for some deal to show up when the ghost lady appeared instead. Cost me sixty bucks."

"Uh, yeah, sorry about your 'deal' or whatever," Dean said, although he clearly didn't mean it. "Now tell me some more about this 'ghost'. What else did she say to you?"

John shrugged. "She said something about how it was 'her turn now', I think. Just that and that she wanted the angel. That's all she would say, over and over and over again."

Dean was meanwhile thinking about the case. This sounded like something that Cass would be good for, though he hated himself for even thinking about using Cass as bait.

Still... what harm could a ghost do to an angel?

"Well," Dean said, standing and brushing some of the sand away from his hips and thighs. "Thank you for your time."

"So you really believe me?" John asked him.

Dean nodded once more. "Yeah, I believe you."

Dean then turned on his heal and began to walk away.

This was the perfect lead for him. He knew what he was up against and how to take care of it. Now that he knew that, he and Sam could check the web and try to dig up a name so they could burn this bitch's bones.

Just one thing... why would she ask people to 'bring her the angel'?

Since she had no eyes, the logical explanation was that some angel had burnt her eyes out... Sounded like the kind of thing Michael or Raphael would be responsible for... but they were both dead. Well, Raphael was dust while Michael was rotting away in the cage with Lucifer. Hell, maybe Lucifer had done it while he was out.

Dean was so caught up in thought that the fact that he was naked as a jay bird totally evaded him.

"What's up?"

Dean blinked and revisited reality. "Huh?"

"You're sexy."

"And I'm straight," Dean replied and kept walking.

"Yeah, let me see that ass, honey."

Dean's teeth clinched.

"Damnit," he said to himself. "I did not come here to be hit on by a bunch of naked homos."

Then a naked woman passed him, having first stopped to smile at him. "Yeah baby," he said, staring at her ass. "Shake that ass!" He whistled.

She looked back over her shoulder at Dean before a woman joined her, wrapping one arm around her before they kissed.

"Damn," Dean said with a huge smile on his face. If it weren't for the dudes, Dean would fucking love this place. It was all like the making of a bad hentai-anime porno.

Dean walked to the locker room where a naked man opened the door for him, looking him up and down.

He couldn't help it. He said, "Why are so many guys checking me out?"

"It's because you are so damn cute," the guy who was holding the door said to Dean, smiling fully at him. "And you are ripped, honey. Most guys who come here got a little flab going on."

Dean had noticed that the more muscular the guy was meant the more likely he was gay... Here at the Secret Cove, that was.

Dean forced a smile at him. "Thanks," he said through his teeth, walking into the locker room.

He made it to his locker and then took the key off from around his wrist, using it to open the locker.

"Thank God," he said to his clothes. "Damn, you have no idea how I've missed you..."

He took his clothes out of the locker and put them on, thinking about what John had said to him.

The case didn't seem too difficult. Heaven and hell knew alike knew he and Sam had seen much worse.

And with that thought in mind, he shut the locker door and headed out to where his Impala was parked...

Dean walked into the motel room.

Sam smiled big. "Did you have a good time, Dean?" he said sweetly.

"Go to hell," Dean replied, going straight for the cooler before he grabbed a beer.

"Touch-y," Sam said, laughing at Dean.

"Just... damn, and I thought dealing with the Mark of Cain was bad." Dean cringed. "This was worse."

Castiel stood on the sideline much like he always did with Sam and Dean, appearing bedazzled.

"Why would Dean have a good time?" Castiel asked Sam. "He made it quite clear that he didn't want to go."

"Sarcasm, Cass. Sarcasm," Dean said to him, and then took a large sip of cold beer. Then he looked at the angel. "I would've thought you had the human thing down by now."

"So," Sam said, "did you learn anything?"

Dean nodded. "We're dealing with a ghost—a woman who had her eyes burnt out by an angel and now wants revenge on the angel who killed her. She's going after members of the colony and telling them to "bring her the angel", probably referring to the angel who killed her."

Sam booted up his laptop. "Great, I'll get on it and hopefully we can be burning her bones before dark."

Dean toasted his beer to Sam. "Sounds good to me. Hell... anything sounds good to me that doesn't involve me having to go back to that place."

"Alright." Sam turned in his chair to face his brother. "Tell me how bad it was."

Dean shook his head with disgust and frowned. "There were..." He swallowed. "...naked dudes all over the place, and several of them were... gay, and they... came onto me..."

Castiel tilted his head ever so slightly. "I didn't know you carried such dislike for homosexuals."

Dean held his head back and took another sip of beer, then looking at Castiel. "I don't, I just... don't like them hitting on me; that's all... If someone wants to be gay, that's fine. I just don't want to be pulled into it." He looked back at Sam, arm flailing. "One of them even touched me, Sam. A gay man freakin' touched me while we were both naked. I am seriously scarred for life."

"Uh-huh," Sam replied, chortling. "And what if burning her bones doesn't do it? What if her spirit turns out to be attached to something instead?"

Dean almost wanted to cry. "Then I guess I'll have to go back..."

Sam sighed with relief. After all, it could have been his naked ass on the line.

Sam turned to his laptop and began to type. Meanwhile, Dean sat down on his bed and continued to drink, in silence.

Castiel approached Dean, looking down at him. "Dean," he said, "why did the nudity bother you so much?"

"Because I'm not gay, I guess," Dean replied, appearing as if he were in a state of temporary shock. "Oh my God, all of those naked dudes staring at my junk. Just... damn..."

"Adam and Eve didn't have any problem with it."

"Yeah, but Eve gave the apple to Adam and then they felt naked. It actually makes me grateful that they ate from the forbidden fruit. Could you imagine everyone being and walking around naked, all of the time?"

Castiel blinked at him. "Angels don't wear clothes. Not in our true forms. I'm indifferent to the general idea of it, though I believe that our vessels should be clothed. Before any of us take a vessel, we always tell them to put on their finest of attire."

"Well, you've had sex, Cass," Dean said under his breath, eyes averted. "So you should know that that's the kind of event you get naked for. Changing your clothes, showering and having sex. That's when you're supposed to be naked. You don't walk around naked in front of a bunch of naked dudes."

"But naked women are okay?"

Dean nodded and took another drink of his beer. "Absolutely."

"Guys," Sam said, turning in his chair once more. "I've got something."

"Yeah?" Dean said, rising from his seat on the bed and walking toward Sam and the laptop.

"She's been known as the Eyeless Ghost, Lake Lady, Mistress of the Lake... she dates back to the B.C. times... She's a poltergeist, too... And you know how they get crazier with time... well, they also grow more powerful with time. She appears every 29 years—the age in which she died."

Dean sighed. "So I suppose that means you have no idea where her bones are buried."

Sam sighed out the words, "Sorry, Dean..." Then he said, "But have you considered the fact that Cass could really help us out on this one? She wants an angel, and we've got one."

"Yes I did consider it," Dean replied, rubbing at his forehead. "But I don't know... what do you say, Cass?"

Castiel nodded. "I'll do whatever you say."

"Jesus, dude, could you quit talking to me like I'm your master?"

"Probably not," Castiel shrugged, "because it's a form of habit." He looked from Dean, to Sam and then back at Dean. "Is my loyalty really such a problem? I've given and done everything for you."

"Ease up off the drama," Dean said, pointing at Castiel. "This isn't a good time for serious talks. I'm the one who has to go walk around naked in front of naked dudes again."

"Okay, Dean," Sam said, rolling his eyes at him. "We get it. You don't like being naked around naked dudes, and we feel sorry for you—really we do—but there's nothing we can do about it, so... yeah."

"And it looks like you get the set this one out, Sam."

"What about me?" Castiel asked the brothers.

"You're going," Dean said, "but I don't want you to appear until I call on you." He scrunched his nose. "I don't want you to see me naked."

Castiel nodded. "I understand."

"Hello, boys," said a foreign, yet familiar voice.

Everyone turned.

"Crowley," Dean sighed. "Great, this is just what we need."

"That's some case you have," Crowley said, eyeing Dean. "Anything I can do?"

"No," Sam and Dean said concurrently.

"And you," Crowley said to Castiel. "You're their little piece of angel-bait. Tell me, what makes you think you can take down our naked ghost?"

"We've taken down a hundred ghosts," Sam replied, shooting Crowley a rather nasty look. "We don't need you."

"On the contrary, I think you do. I know that which you do not."

"Great," Dean said sarcastically. "And what's that?"

"Oh nothing," Crowley replied. "Maybe I know that she isn't your run-of-the-mill ghost... there's no way in hell," he shrugged, "or in heaven, that Cass will be able to take her on."

"Why's that?" Sam asked the demon king.

"Because she's older than him, moose," Crowley answered. "I'm not even sure Castiel will have any sort of power around this one. Remember Eve?"

"Damnit," Dean muttered under his breath. "Then what can we do to take her out?"

Crowley shrugged again. "I don't know. Maybe a good spell of the sorts... I'll consult my dear old mum and see if she knows any good tricks."

Sam huffed, shoulders dropping slightly as he looked at his brother. "Should we trust him on this one, Dean?"

"No," Dean replied quickly, voice low and firm. "Go away, Crowley. We'll find some way to figure this one out without you getting involved again. Damn, Crowley, I'm tired of you sneaking up on us all of the time, supposedly helping us when there's always something in it for you. So tell me... what is in this one for you?"

"Oh, I don't know," Crowley replied, slowly approaching the discontented trio. "I'll just say that this particular 'ghost' has caught my fancy."

"How's that?" Dean asked.

Crowley smirked at him. "Maybe it's the fact that this particular ghost knows more spells than my mother and that I want her—in the pit—so that I can put her in a chair and torture all the lovely information right out of her."

"Are you serious?" Sam asked Crowley.

Crowley nodded. "Yes. I've already got a rogue reaper's taxi services all lined up and ready to go."

"We still don't need your help," Dean said, pointing at the King of hell.

"Oh of course not," Crowley said with the slightest of chuckles. "You only want to deliver Castiel straight into the hands of Death himself."

Dean sighed loudly. "Alright. Then what would you suggest?"

"That we use Castiel as bait, just as you were thinking. Get an angel into that delightful park and you want have to worry about finding the ghost—she'll come to you."

"Listen, Crowley," Dean began, "I don't like the way you think you can move Cass like he's a piece on your damn chess table and I'm not going to—"

"It's alright, Dean," Castiel cut in. "I don't mind being the bait. This is still a ghost, and I'd be happy to deliver iron and salt to you."

"Well, alright," Sam said, nodding slightly at Castiel. "So what do we do now? Gather iron and salt?" He looked at Dean. "Are you sure you can't just, I don't know, sneak some in?"

Dean shook his head. "No, I can't."

"Well you're in luck, boys," Crowley said to them. "I'd be happy to offer my assistance to you as well. Just get our ghost out in the open and I'll bring you some weapons of the sorts."

Sam looked at his brother. "Dean?"

"Well," Dean began, huffing. "I don't like it, but what else are we gonna do?"

"I was just wondering," Crowley said to the group, "where's Sam in all this?"

"Sam won't be there," Dean answered for Sam, "because we don't need to look at each other's junk."

"I only asked because I was interested in seeing him in the nude, too."

"Sick," Sam replied angrily. "Now I'm glad that I'm not going for sure."

"Sam's gonna stay behind and look up whatever information he can find about the naked ghost girl and I'll have a phone on me the whole while."

"I shudder to think about where you're going to 'hide it' on your naked self," Crowley said, causing Dean to sigh an angry sigh at him while Sam let out a smirk. Castiel remained relatively indifferent, in spite of the fact that he had instantly understood Crowley's little pun.

"Go back to hell and sit on your damn thrown for all I care," Dean replied after a brief pause. "We don't need you."

"You always need me," Crowley said with a smirk. "I've found myself on so many of your little cases that I almost feel like one of the Scooby gang."

"Well you're not 'one of the gang', Crowley," Castiel said to him.

"And you are?" Crowley responded. "Both Sam and Dean would sacrifice you in a heartbeat if it meant saving each other's hide. You're nothing more than a third wheel."

"Hey," Dean said to Crowley. "Just shut up and go back to hell. My God, do you ever shut up?"

"Not in my nature," Crowley said, smiling. "Being a chatterbox is part of being one of my kind, I'm afraid."

"So I've noticed," Dean replied with a scowl. Nobody talked to Cass like that. Or Sam. If Crowley didn't go back to hell soon, he was going to punch him right in the jaw.

"Thinking about punching me in the face, are you?" Crowley said as though he were reading Dean's mind. "You know, you were much more fun as a demon, 'jerk'."

"Bitch," Dean replied.

And then Crowley was gone.

"Well," Sam said. "It looks like we have Crowley tagging along with us on yet another one of our cases."

"Ugh!" Dean said, taking another sip from his beer bottle. "When are we just going to kill that guy and be done with him?!"

Sam shrugged. "He has helped us a lot lately. He kept the First Blade from you before Cass hid it, and helped out with Cain by using that illusion spell he got from his mother."

"Yeah, great," Dean said, flailing his free arm. "Now we have Crowley's mother to deal with, too. She was a lot of fun."

Castiel blinked at him. "I'm in agreement with you, unfortunately."

"Yeah," Sam agreed. "I miss the days when all we had to do was worry about the classics."

"When did they stop being the classics?" Castiel asked them.

"The first second I saw your wings," Dean replied without thought.

"Oh," Castiel murmured. "Well, I'm sorry for that, Dean."

"Dean," Sam said. "Don't go picking on Cass again. You always pick on him when things don't go your way."

"Well I'm sorry, but it's true," Dean replied, sighing. "Ever since the angels got involved it seems like all they do is get in the way."

Castiel took a step toward Dean. "Well I'm sorry if I've been such a burden to you, Dean."

Dean waved his hand in Castiel's direction. "Oh c'mon, Cass. I didn't mean you."

"Yes, you did." Castiel mimicked Dean's sigh. "I can tell when you're lying, and what you said was not a lie."

"Okay, you two," Sam interrupted. "We need to get our minds back on the case. This one is bigger than we thought."

Dean nodded. "Oh," he said, snapping his fingers. "There's also another victim lined up for her. Some crazy drug addict named John. If we don't help him, he's going to become the latest Kane Hodder victim."

"I have an idea," Sam said, closing his laptop. "How about I keep an eye on John while you go back to Secret Cove?"

"Sounds like a solid plan," Dean said with approval. "She might strike tonight, but I'll be there."

"So will I," the angel said.

"Well," Sam began, standing from his chair at the desk. "Let's get started."

Dean and Castiel both nodded.

If only Dean could keep his clothes on... He'd never killed an already-dead ghost without his underwear on before...

Indeed. This was going to be another case that Dean would never forget...

Dean and Sam were in the Secret Cove's parking lot.

"Okay," Dean said, gesturing to the black car with shaded windows. "This is the make and model of John's car. You keep an eye out, Sam."

Sam nodded.

"Cass," Dean said to him. "You keep a lookout with Sam until I call you."

Castiel nodded. "Yes, Dean..."

"I'm going in there to be hit on by a bunch of naked dudes while naked again," Dean said as if it were the most normal thing in the world. "Do we have everything covered?"

"Everything except for you, Dean," Sam replied with ease.

"Ha Ha," Dean said to Sam.

"Well, later, Dean." Sam slipped on a pair of sunglasses. "We'll see you later. Just... be careful, alright?"

"I'll be 'careful'," Dean said. Yeah, careful, he thought, careful that a bunch of naked dudes don't get the jump on me like they did yesterday.

Dean turned and began walking toward the moderately large, one story building. He reached the door and walked to the desk, pulling out a membership badge. Within moments, he found himself back in that damn men's locker room, stuffing his clothing into said locker...

Some of the men were showering, half of them were walking around clothed, and the other half, naked...

Dean obeyed the rule he had made for himself and did not look down.

Before taking off his watch, Dean cast a glance down at it to check the time. Sunset wasn't too far away.

Dean sighed in misery as he pulled his jeans down, kicking them off before he picked them up from the floor, stuffing them into his locker. He shut the locker door with force, scowling to himself in shameful humiliation.

Then, he began walking in the direction of the exit door, gathering his strength as he opened it.

Right back to square one. Walking around naked in front of a lot of naked dudes...

And he had forgotten a beach towel.

Damnit.

Dean began walking through the sand, looking off to the right where a game of volleyball was going down, and then to the left were a few of the members were chilling in a hot tub. Straight ahead where the lake was located, a bunch of people were floating on their floats. On the beach there were many people doing things like tanning, talking—even having a picnic.

There were also tiki torches everywhere.

Dean couldn't wait for it to get dark. He'd have a lot less to worry about that way.

For a while Dean just walked up and down the beach, minding his own business.

Until...

"Hello, Dean."

Dean looked up.

And then he looked down... He hadn't been able to help himself. It was an autopilot decision, as though his body had an opinion about where to look all on its own.

"Oh my God!" Dean exclaimed. "Cass...!"

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? What's wrong? You're naked...!"

"Yes. And so are you."

"Christ, Cass. What are you thinking?!"

Castiel only blinked at Dean, much like he always did. "Everyone here is naked, Dean. I originally appeared on the other side of the beach, but then a small crowd gathered around me and insisted my clothing was not appropriate. Everyone was staring at me when I needed to blend in. So I took my clothes off." He tilted his head ever so slightly. "Strangely I still have a large number of people staring at me."

"But, I mean..." Dean didn't know what to say. "You're supposed to be with Sam...!"

"Sam worried about you, and in response he sent me here. He was afraid that the ghost would appear before you and didn't want you to be in this one on your own."

"I am going to kill Sam...!"

Castiel didn't know what to say, either. This was making him uncomfortable, too. He hadn't felt this much discomfort around the other guests... but he did feel it around Dean.

"Cass," Dean began, still having no idea what to say. "You're my best-friend... and for that reason I really don't want to look at you naked."

"Yes..." Cass huffed. "It is making me uncomfortable, too." He looked down at Dean.

"Just stop it, will ya'?" Dean complained, highly uncomfortable. "Eyes on my eyes, got it?"

Castiel began to stare into Dean's eyes.

"Damnit," Dean said, turning his head to the side and emitting a sigh of discomfort. "That makes me uncomfortable, too."

Castiel then looked down at himself. "This must have been the way Adam and Eve felt after having eaten the forbidden fruit."

"No, Cass." Dean shook his head. "You don't... 'stare down' at yourself, either. It's not cool."

"Where should I look?"

"You should... I don't know, look at me and everything else the way you normally do when we've got our freakin' clothes on. And don't look down under any circumstances."

"Hey, Dean!"

"A woman is calling your name," Castiel said to Dean.

Dean turned around.

It was Casey.

She ran through the sand and toward Dean and Castiel, stopping when she reached them.

"Hey, Dean," she said happily, and then noticed Castiel. "And... who is your friend?" she asked, eerily dreamy. "He's... very cute..."

"I'm Cass," he replied, shaking the woman's hand after she had held her hand out to him.

"Casey," she said as she shook his hand. Then she looked Castiel up and down, several times, which made Dean all the more upset.

For some reason, he was not down with a bunch of naked dudes or naked women checking out Cass.

What would Dean say? Castiel pondered.

"You have a nice body," he said to her, which made Dean frown. He wanted to tell Cass that he was being much too forward, though he knew that the angel didn't know any better.

"You have lovely breasts," Castiel added, still trying his hardest to imitate Dean. "And I like looking at them."

Dean wanted to smack himself upside the forehead.

"Well thanks," Casey replied, all smiles. "And you have nice... eyes."

Dean smirked.

Apparently he wasn't the only one there who knew how to act like they were in the military.

"So," Casey continued, staring into Castiel's sapphire blue eyes. "How do you two know each other?"

"Um..." Castiel clearly did not know what to say. But at least he wasn't outright saying "I'm an angel" to people anymore... hell, he had learned that much.

"Work," Dean said for him. "Yeah, he's a friend of mine from work."

"What kind of work are you in?" she asked them.

"Mechanics," Dean answered. "We're mechanics."

"Oh, that's nice," Casey said, still staring at Castiel, perhaps a bit taken by him. "So say... you two down for a picnic? Oh my God," she said to Dean. "Mark was still talking about you after you left!"

Dean's teeth clinched. No, he wasn't up to some goddamn picnic.

And the evening was already starting out so well he wouldn't be surprised if Sam freakin' showed up some time, too.

At this rate that damn ghost could take them one by one.

"I've never been on a picnic before," Castiel said to Casey. He looked at Dean, as if awaiting his approval.

Dean groaned. "Cass, if you want to go sit with a bunch of naked people and stare at food you're not gonna eat, be my guest. Remember, me not master, you not slave, capiche?"

"Capiche," Castiel replied, then looking back at Casey. "Very well. I accept your invitation."

"Great," Casey smiled. "We're right over," she raised her hand and pointed her finger, "there. Don't keep me waiting."

Castiel nodded.

Casey then jogged away to where her friends were located around a small fire.

Dean instantly looked Castiel in the eyes. "Dude," he said. "What the hell was that? You have a nice body? You have lovely breasts?"

"I was only saying what I thought you would say," Castiel replied softly. "I learned most of what I know about being human from you, Dean..."

Dean sighed. He didn't want to hurt Castiel's feelings. "Then you should know," Dean said, placing one hand on the angel's shoulder, "that I would never start off a conversation with a woman I just met—a naked woman I just met—like that. You start with compliments about things like a woman's hair, their eyes, or... their clothes... when they're wearing them... You don't just go straight for compliments about their bodies and boobs. Well, unless you're in a bar."

"I've had sex, Dean," Castiel said simply. "So I think I understand more about women than you think."

"Dude, you had sex with an evil reaper who later killed you. You don't know a damn thing about women," Dean stated in a firm tone of voice. "So in my book, you're still pretty much a non-reaper virgin."

"I've still seen 'more ass' than most angels."

"Stop it, Cass," Dean barked. "Stop trying to be me already."

Castiel only blinked at Dean again. "I'll try."

"Good."

"Well, I'll go to the picnic now. What are you going to do? Please don't go after the ghost without me."

"It's still too early." Dean groaned again. "So I guess I'll go with you..."

Castiel nodded. "First, tell me how oneself acts for a picnic."

Dean huffed, loudly. "I really don't have much advice to offer. Only that you need to smile more, talk less, and keep your eyes off the prize. And that last part translates to 'don't look down'. Especially at me..."

Castiel nodded again.

"And remember, you're not an angel, you're a regular dude who just came here to have a good time."

Castiel nodded once more.

"Good. Well, let's go."

Dean and Castiel turned around, and began walking in the direction of the small group and their picnic.

"Dean," Castiel began, looking up at the sky. "I still feel... strange... I know this is a vessel—and I've grown used to it—but I feel as though something's missing."

"Yeah," Dean said. "Your clothes."

"No," Castiel replied. "I feel like I should be doing something."

"Yeah," Dean repeated. "Having sex."

"Hmm... perhaps."

"God, I cannot possibly get any more uncomfortable than I already am."

"Dean, Cass!" Casey said happily. "Come and sit down."

"Alright," Castiel replied while Dean rubbed at his forehead as though he had a migraine headache.

Casey patted the beach towel, looking at Castiel as she did so.

Which meant Dean had to sit next to Mark.

The two sat down.

"You're just in time for the ghost story," Shawn said, enacting spooky fingers with his hands. "Whooooo," he whispered, still making spooky fingers.

"Want a cherry?" Casey asked Castiel. She brought a cherry to her mouth, holding it by the stem, before she sucked on the cherry and then finally ate it.

What would Dean do? Castiel thought. He then remembered having been at a bar this one time with Dean when a woman had offered him a cherry from her cosmopolitan.

"Alright," Castiel said, picking up a cherry and putting it in his mouth.

Then, he leaned toward Casey before they practically kissed. Casey took the damn cherry out of his mouth with her own.

Dean frowned majorly. He wanted that bitch off of Cass. They had just sat down, and already they were all over each other. While naked!

Casey savored the cherry in her mouth for a while longer, and then began to chew on it. After she had swallowed it, she asked Castiel, "Would you like me to give you one now?"

"Very much," Castiel replied.

"Hey Dean," Mark said to him. "Would you like a cherry?" He licked his lips.

"No," Dean replied, fed up with this already. Meanwhile, Cass was using his lips to play "pass the cherry" with Casey's mouth. Dean watched as Castiel savored the cherry, articulating a long "mmm" as he looked at that bitch.

"Time for the ghost story," Shawn said. "Whoooo." He made spooky fingers again.

Dean didn't want to hear a damn ghost story. Hell, his life was one.

"A few years back," Shawn began, looking around the small fire, "there was a woman... she was a regular member back then, who loved walking along the beach... but little did she know she had a stalker... A man. Some say he was an angel... but only God knows why because he was no angel... he was a psychotic murderer... The woman was beautiful then, with the most beautiful eyes you've ever seen. The killer fell in love with those eyes, and decided that he had to have them..."

Dean was paying attention to the story, in spite of the fact that he already knew its outcome.

"So one day," Shawn continued, earnestly, "the woman strayed a little too far from the other members, and went into what's now known as the 'Haunted Piece' of Paradise... Little did she know that that was exactly where the killer wanted her... for he had been waiting... watching... wanting to get her alone. The killer jumped at her!" He imitated more spooky fingers. "With a knife he had smuggled inside! She screamed, but no one could hear her. He stabbed her in the heart, cradling her in his arms as they fell down to the sand... her blood poured from her chest, dripping and turning the sand red. Then he looked into her beautiful eyes, and with his hands... he pulled them right out...! One at a time... One.. at.. a.. time... Yes, he had pulled her eyes out while she was still alive... He kissed her corpse once she was dead, and then left her body there in the sand, having taken her eyes with him as some sort of demented prize..." Shawn paused, staring at the fire for a moment. "Some say her spirit still haunts the beach to this very day... on the haunted piece... Anyone who goes over there is damned, for she attacks them, demanding that the person bring her the killer... Others say she demands an angel to free her spirit from the Haunted Piece... Once you see her, its game over... for afterwards she can stalk you to your home, to your grave... and takes your eyes right out... leaving bloody and empty sockets. She waits until you're as you were born—naked—before she goes in for the kill... wanting others to suffer the pain she's suffered... Indeed, that's why no one treads the Haunted Pieceof Paradise. Jonesing John claims he saw her only a week ago, and now..." Shawn leaned forward. "...he is damned...!"

"I say we go to the Haunted Piece right now!" Ebony declared.

"Yeah," Mark agreed, smiling. "That would be fun. Let's see if we can meet a ghost."

"No...!" Dean said firmly. Everyone looked at him. "I mean," he continued, "that there's no reason to. We're already having so much fun right here."

"I agree," Casey said, looking at Castiel. "Hey, do you know any ghost stories?" she asked him.

Castiel nodded. "Yes. I know many ghost stories."

"Will you tell us one?" Ebony inquired.

Castiel looked to Dean, as if asking for permission.

Dean straightened his hand and pulled it back under his chin a couple of times, signaling a "no".

"Uh," Castiel began. "Once there were two brothers..."

"O-kay," Dean interrupted, loudly. "That's enough ghost stories for now. Why don't we all talk about... stuff. And we have all this lovely picnic food."

"Do you have any peanut butter and jelly?" Castiel asked Casey.

She giggled. "Oh my God, you are just too adorable."

Dean rolled his eyes.

This had to be the worst day of his life next to the day Sam threw himself in the pit with Lucifer.

And that bitch Casey was all over Cass. Her hands all over him... rubbing and caressing...

Dean did not like it.

"Oh look, Dean," Castiel said to him, holding up a piece of dessert. "They have pie."

"I don't want anything," Dean replied in all seriousness. "I haven't had an appetite since I got here."

"Still so shy," Shawn said to Dean. "Dude, you have no reason to be shy. We're all naked here."

"Cass, are you shy?" Casey asked him.

"Oh no," Castiel lied, forcing a human-like smile. "I just don't look down."

"Well you're allowed to look down," Mark replied, checking Castiel out. Then he looked down... at Castiel's dick...

Dean held his breath. People. All those damn people checking Castiel out. Ebony was checking him out too, and so was Leah. Suddenly the idea of everyone checking him—Dean—out, was obliterated. He just didn't want people checking out Cass. That was his—Dean's—angel...

"Are you straight?" Mark asked Castiel.

"You mean am I heterosexual?" Castiel replied, appearing slightly confused. He looked at Dean. "What do you think?" he asked him.

"You are straight, Cass," Dean said, firmly.

Castiel shrugged a little. "It's difficult for me to determine. Most angels—I mean—people like me are indifferent toward sexuality. I am indifferent to it, too, and I've only ever had sex one time, so... I don't really know what I am."

"You've only had sex once?" Casey said, appearing as shocked as the rest of the group.

"And you're bi-curious, al-right," Mark said, nodding with a large smile on his face. Then he checked Castiel out again... down there...

Casey was also looking 'down there' at Castiel.

That was it.

Dean frowned. "C'mon, Cass. Let's go for a walk on the beach."

"Alright," Castiel replied, and made way to stand.

Dean stood as well, and then walked toward Castiel, taking him by the arm and practically dragging him away from the picnic.

As they walked away, Mark said, "You can tell they're into each other."

"Yeah," everyone said.

Meanwhile...

Sam was waiting in the parking lot of 'Jonesing John's' apartment complex. He had been waiting there for quite some time.

Finally, John pulled up in his vehicle, parking only a few cars down from where Sam was located. Keys in hand, John raced up the stairs, unlocking the door to his second-story apartment. The window blinds where closed, however, so Sam had no way of seeing inside of the apartment. It looked like Sam was going to have to go inside.

Sam got out of the Impala, walking toward and then up the stairs. He then found himself at John's door, knocking on it a few times.

John opened the door. "Are you Tony? I got your stuff in here but it's gonna cost you fifty bucks. Eight balls sell for one-twenty. You down?"

"Uuh, no..." Sam replied slowly. "I'm the guy who's going to save your life."

John's brow furrowed. "What?"

"Just let me in," Sam said before he barged into the apartment.

He immediately noticed that John's apartment was full of top-dollar electronics and furniture, obviously the fruits of his drug-dealing.

Sam said, "You remember the ghost you saw at the Secret Cove?"

John nodded.

"Well," Sam continued, "It's coming for you, tonight. We've got to salt this place down."

"Woah," John said, looking at Sam oddly. "I have no idea what you mean by that, and I don't know you." He raised an eyebrow. "Are you a cop? Damnit, you are, aren't you? What are you, a narc? Undercover? Damn those guys are good..."

"I'm not a narc," Sam said insistently. "I'm a hunter who takes care of people in your situation. The ghost you saw at Secret Cove was real, and will be coming after you tonight."

"How do you know about what I saw there?"

"That doesn't matter. What does matter is that you keep your clothes on for this one. The ghost only comes for people when they're naked."

This case is insane, Sam thought. This was even crazier than their cases that had dealt with Oz.

"I still don't know you," John insisted.

"I'm Sam. Sam Winchester."

"Are you some sort of ghost hunter?"

"Yes," Sam replied, and then closed the front door of John's apartment.

"Sadly my life is too crazy-crazy for me to not believe this," John said, before he sniffed a little. "I'm gonna go do some coke. You want?"

Sam frowned. "Uh, no..."

"Suit yourself," John said. Then from his pocket, he removed a forty.

"Maybe you should lay off of that stuff for a while..."

John removed a cocaine rock from the little baggie, and then got out a credit card from his wallet. He cut the coke with the card, dividing it into a number of lines.

Sam watched with ultimate disapproval as John snorted back one of the lines. Go figure he'd be watching after a loser like this.

Sam had seen it before. The drugs, that was, but this guy was definitely one Sam wouldn't forget. Hell, this case was one he wouldn't forget.

He thought of Dean, who was out at some lake walking around naked. Dean would probably kill him for sending Cass out there... hopefully Castiel had kept his clothes on. Yes. Maybe Cass was invisible and just watching over Dean... However, that meant Cass was watching Dean naked... no way to look at this situation would make it right.

But Sam hadn't had a choice. Dean being Dean, he was bound to try going after that ghost alone, and the last thing Dean needed was another curse. He already had enough to deal with.

John turned around. "Oh. You're still here?"

Sam continued to frown. "Yes, John. I'm still here."

"Most people that I told about the ghost I saw tried to insist that I was having another drug-induced hallucination."

"Yeah, well, you didn't. The ghost you saw was for real and she's coming for you tonight."

John paled a little. "I just knew it had to be real... Well, what should I do?"

"Ghosts can't go past salt. We need to make a circle of salt around you and you can't leave it once the circle is complete."

"This is ridiculous, man," John said, his pupils fully dilated. "I think you must be the one who's high. I mean, this has gotta be a joke, right?" He narrowed his eyes, a smile gracing his lips. "Who sent you? Jerry sent you, didn't he? This is payback for his washing machine."

"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about," Sam said, removing a large can of salt from his bag. Now move." He proceeded to draw a large circle on the carpeted floor with the salt. "Get inside of the circle."

"But—"

"Do you want your eyes taken out?"

Finally, that was all it took. John grabbed a pipe and then stepped into the circle.

Sam approached him. "Give me that," he said, snatching the pipe from John's hand. He tossed it aside like it was a piece of trash.

"Hey," John said, upset.

Sam smirked at him. "I think you've had enough drugs for one lifetime. Believe me—you have more important things to worry about at the moment."

"Yeah, guess you're right," John replied, fidgeting inside of the circle of salt. "How long do I have to stay in here?"

Sam formed a serious expression. "Until my brother kills the ghost."

Back on the beach...

"It's sunset," Castiel said. "The ghost will be able to come out soon."

"Yeah," Dean agreed, exhaling a sigh of relief. He wouldn't have to worry about looking down as much.

"Are you feeling any better?" Castiel asked him. "Does the situation feel any less awkward for you?"

Dean shook his head. "No, it doesn't. I'm still walking around naked in front of a bunch of naked dudes."

"Really? I'm starting to get used to it."

Dean frowned. "They were all staring at you back there and you're not feeling awkward?"

"I don't feel as awkward as I did initially."

"Well," Dean began. "I'll feel awkward for you, then. I did not like them looking at you," he whispered under his breath.

"Why would you care if they look at me?"

"Because, Cass, I..." Dean found himself at a temporary loss for words. "I..."

Castiel furrowed his brow. "You don't know?"

"It's because you're my friend," Dean said finally. "I don't want naked people checking you out while you're naked. This whole thing is so messed up. You're naked, yet you're an angel. I don't recall anything about naked angels in the bible."

Castiel turned his head and looked up at Dean. "Do I still make you uncomfortable?"

"Yes," Dean replied.

"I'm sorry," Castiel whispered. "Maybe I should have stayed with Sam..."

"You think?"

"There's still time to go back."

Dean sighed and rubbed at his forehead. "There's no point, now. You're here, and the damage has already been done. I am officially scarred for life."

Castiel said, "I am sorry, Dean."

Dean forced a laugh. "It's not like this should surprise me. I mean, this is my life we're talking about, here."

"You have a point," Castiel said sincerely. "You're life has been very difficult. No human should be put under the kinds of stress and the situations you've endured."

"Right back at you, buddy," Dean said to him. "No angel should have to deal with it, either."

"Not many angels know what it's like to be human." Castiel exhaled. "But I do, and I still remember what it's like."

"Yeah... well, did you enjoy being one of the gang?"

Castiel shrugged. "I'm indifferent to it, really. It wasn't horrible, and there were definitely some... perks to it..." He chuckled silently. "But even as a human I was still an angel deep down. Even in this vessel I've worn for so long. That's another thing. It's been a long time since I haven't worn this vessel. In heaven, other angels could still see me in my true form and I theirs, but the vessel was still a part of me. With Jimmy Novak in Heaven ever since Lucifer destroyed this vessel, I'm all alone in here. Few angels have ever known what it's like to have a vessel of their own..."

"God must have thought it looked good on you," Dean said, shrugging one of his shoulders. "I have to say that now, after everything, I couldn't imagine you any other way. I only wish you had your clothes on." He laughed a little. "Hell, I wish I had my clothes on."

"Like you say," Castiel said, "I guess 'it's just one of those cases.'"

"Tell me about it," Dean replied. "Aren't they all just 'one of those cases' now?"

"Hey, Dean," Castiel said with a hint of surprise. "What is everyone looking at over there?"

Dean's brow furrowed. "I don't know. Let's go over and check it out." He sighed. "In spite of all the naked dudes who're over there," he whispered silently.

Castiel nodded, before he and Dean began ambling in the direction of the large crowd that was gathering. Dean made his way to the front, through the crowd, Castiel right behind him.

"Who did it? We didn't see anyone over here," said a club member who was standing next to Dean, eyeing the lettering in the sand.

"What does it say?" another member asked from behind Dean.

"It says 'I want the angel'..." Dean murmured.

"Dean," Castiel whispered into his ear. "Do you think she means me?"

"Yes," Dean whispered back. "I think she means you."

Dean took Castiel by the wrist and dragged him through the crowed, walking away from it until he and Castiel were nearer to the lake.

"That was not good," Dean said under his breath, sighing again.

"You mean my whispering to you?" Castiel said to him. "I'm sorry, I forgot about personal space, I know..."

"No," Dean huffed. "That wasn't it—though we will be talking about that later," he muttered out of the corner of his mouth. "No, I mean the fact that somebody or something that nobody saw found the time to write out 'I want the angel' into over thirty feet of sand."

"So you think the ghost wants me?" Castiel asked.

"Yes," Dean said earnestly, "I believe the ghost wants you..."

"But isn't that why I'm here?" Castiel looked into Dean's eyes. "To be your bait?"

"Yes and no." Dean shook his head slightly. "But I'm starting to think this may not be such a good idea..."

"Why not?"

"It's the whole 'you as bait' thing. I'm starting to think it's not such a good idea."

"It's only a ghost, Dean. I should be able to hold my own while protecting you at the same time."

"But Sam said this ghost was older than you, Cass."

Castiel shook his head. "That doesn't matter," he said to him. "I'm still an angel."

"Now isn't the time to get cocky," Dean said, pointing at Castiel while shaking his hand at him. "We still don't know fully what we're up against, much less what the bitch is bound to."

"It's dark now," Castiel said, looking up at the stars. "Shouldn't we investigate the haunted part of the lake now?"

Dean shrugged one of his shoulders. "We can, but are you ready for it?"

Castiel nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be, Dean."

"Well," Dean began with a sigh. "Let's go, then. The other members said the 'Haunted Piece' was this way near the colony limitations."

Castiel nodded. "Let's go."

They began to walk.

"I had better call Sam," Dean said, unzipping the small carrier from around his belt. The fanny pack was the only piece of attire Dean was wearing, though a few other members had them all as well. They were all living in a 'cell-phone not optional' society, it seemed.

Ring.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Pick up.

"Dean?"

"Sam," Dean said into the phone. "Cass and I are heading over to what they call 'Haunted Piece' now, where the ghost has been sighted. How are you doing on your end?"

"Fine so far," Sam replied, and then turned around to take a look at John.

John was trying to stretch his arm over his location in the circle of salt to reach a marijuana pipe that was located on a nightstand.

Sam sighed, loudly. "Except for John's drug cravings," he continued silently. "I'm telling you, Dean—this guy is quite the character..."

"They all are these days," Dean replied, shaking his head slightly. "Anyway, if you catch wind of the ghost, I want you to call me back."

"Likewise to you, Dean. Sam rubbed at his forehead as he looked at John, who was still struggling to reach his pipe. "And Dean," he said, rubbing at his forehead still, "Don't try anything stupid, okay? We decided this isn't our average ghost case..."

Dean looked to his left at Castiel, who was still at eye-level with the stars in an obvious attempt not to look down. "You got that right," Dean replied to Sam. "On most cases Cass and I have gotten to keep our clothes on..."

"Oh," Sam began, speaking into his cell-phone's base as he pushed a strand of dark hair back behind one ear. "How is Cass doing, anyway? I take it he revealed himself to you?"

Dean looked at Castiel again, whose eyes were still fixated on the stars. "...Yes, he's plenty 'revealed' himself to me alright," Dean replied sarcastically. Castiel, meanwhile, was so fixated on the stars that he was holding his head back. "And he's... fine. He hasn't looked down at me once yet," he said, sarcastic still.

"O-kay," Sam said slowly, already not wanting to know anymore. He was only thankful that he wasn't there with Dean and Cass. "Anyway, I'll call you back if our ghost decides to make an appearance here."

"Right back at you," Dean said, and then hung up, tucking the phone back into the small pocket which was attached to the belt around his waist.

As Dean and Castiel continued to walk along the lake's beach, they began to see less and less naked people. They would arrive at the Haunted Piece any minute now.

"Alright," Dean said, turning his head to face Castiel again. "When we get there, stay close. All we need to do is attract her and then Crowley is supposed to show up with some back up."

"Some backup," Castiel replied lowly. "Dean, I worked alongside him once and as a result you were almost killed and many others were killed, both in Heaven and on Earth. It was also I who made him the new King of Hell... It's because of all of that and more that I'm not partial to the idea of working with him again."

Dean nodded. "I'm right there with you. I'm not partial to the idea of working with him, either. Hell, who knows if he'll even show up? And..." He sighed, rolling his eyes a single time. "...Cass, just because I told you not to look down at me doesn't mean you have to hold your head back all the way while looking at the sky all night long..."

"Oh," Castiel said, and then lowered his head slightly, opting to instead stare straight ahead.

"Much better," Dean said, patting Castiel on his right-shoulder.

The two looked ahead, and saw no one around. Almost there...

"We should be there in a couple more minutes." Dean pointed ahead of himself, at the location where the Haunted Piece was.

"What should we do when we get there?" Castiel asked Dean. "Just wait for Crowley to arrive?"

"I guess so," Dean sighed. "I still don't like this plan. I don't like anything that has to do with that son of a bitch."

"Yes," Castiel agreed. "I'm certainly with you on that one."

A minute later, they had arrived at their destination.

"What should we do?" Castiel asked again.

"Just stay close to me," Dean said as he looked around, particularly at the small forest which neighbored the sandy beach.

"Why do think this ghost wants me?" Castiel said from behind Dean. "I haven't the slightest clue as to why this ghost desires me."

"I honestly have no idea," Dean said, his eyes still on the forest. Damn, he had better hope this ghost's spirit wasn't attached to a damn tree, or he'd have to set one of the whole things on a fire that would surely gather some attention back on the mainland of the Cove.

Castiel said, "What are you thinking about?"

Dean replied, "I'm wondering when the ghost will show up, and if or if not Crowley will show up with it."

Castiel nodded. "We'll just wait here, then."

"I guess so."

Meanwhile...

"How long do I have to stay in this damn circle?"

"As long as I tell you to," Sam said, guarding the circle of salt that John was standing in. "I hate to say it, but you may have to do something to attract the ghost to you..."

"Like what?"

"Like..." Sam swallowed. "Like taking off your clothes..."

John blinked at him. "Say what? Ah hell no, man. I don't swing that way."

"Well neither do I," Sam said, rubbing at his forehead, "but we may not have a choice. It would be safer for me to face the ghost right now than it would be for my brother because I have weapons and he doesn't.

"What do you have that can take out a ghost?"

Sam walked over to the fireplace, and then picked up a fire iron. "Like this," he said, swinging the fire iron a single time for good measure. "I brought some iron with me, but this will work even better."

"So you can kill her with that?" John asked him, strangely optimistic.

Sam shook his head. "No. Unfortunately this won't be enough to kill her. To do that we need to know about what object her spirit's bound to. That's where my brother comes in."

John began to fidget inside of the circle. "Where does my taking off my clothes do anything to help?"

"It's one of the ghost's calling cards," Sam replied with a sigh. "All of the victims have been naked so far. This must be the kind of ghost that reenacts its death through its victims. What I don't understand though is how this ghost is older than the Secret Cove. The ghost's legend must've had something to do with the park having been opened in the first place..."

"The owner must be fuckin' stupid," John said, and then began to fidget all the more. "Why would anyone want to build anything next to a ghost?"

Sam sighed again. "Because they don't believe in the legends they hear. My brother and I have investigated tons of buildings where the owner had heard about a ghost's presence in the building yet chose to ignore it."

"I should cancel my membership," John said firmly. He had momentarily forgotten about Sam's telling him that he would have to take off all of his clothes.

But then he was reminded.

"Okay," Sam whispered under his breath. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you... need to strip..."

"Oh hell no," John replied in all seriousness. "Like I told you, I don't swing this way."

Sam was becoming very irritated. "Look, either you take off your clothes, or I'm gonna have no choice but to hop in there and take them off of you for myself."

John blinked. "Uuh... you wouldn't actually try that, would you man?"

"Again, I can't believe I'm saying this," Sam said through his teeth. "But yes..."

"Fine," John replied, highly frustrated and very high. He took off his already open, button down shirt, before he then pulled his white t-shirt over his head. Then he unbuckled his pants...

"I hate my life," Sam couldn't help but say. Mentally he prayed to God, asking him why him over and over again. He felt comfort in the fact that Dean was having it way worse than him; reminding him that he could've been the one walking around naked in front of a bunch of naked dudes. It made looking at one not seem so bad...

He turned around to face a very naked John. "O-kay," Sam said quickly and then turned back around, away from John.

"This isn't exactly paradise for me either, buddy."

Sam nodded. "I know that, John, and I feel sorry for you—I do—but I can't help but feel slightly sorry for myself, too. I don't gain any joy out of looking at another guy naked."

"And I don't gain any joy out of being naked around..." He paused. "...What the hell was that?"

"Was what?" Sam couldn't help but turn around.

"I just saw the ghost lady!" John exclaimed with terror in his voice. "Over there, near the entrance to the bathroom!"

Sam held up the fire iron in his hands, the tip of the iron over his right-shoulder. He began treading his way toward the bathroom.

"Behind you, man!"

Sam turned around.

"I want the angel," said the ghost, charging at Sam.

Sam swung the fire iron at her before she seemingly disintegrated into thin air. Of course Sam knew that didn't mean she was gone. All iron really did was buy him some time while pissing off the ghost in unison.

"Where'd she go?" John asked, his eyes scanning the perimeter.

The ghost then reappeared behind John.

"You didn't bring me the angel," she said, seemingly looking at John even though she had no eyes. "But one of you did bring me an angel. I'll collect you first and then the angel is mine."

Sam knew she had to be speaking of Dean and Cass. Sam wanted to do something—anything—to help them, but he had no idea what her damn spirit was bound to, in the way that Bobby had been bound to the flask.

Until...

The ghost pulled out an angel blade.

That had to be it. The angel blade.

Sam went for her with the fire iron again. If he could only get close enough to her to snatch the blade...

"What should I do?" John asked in a panic.

"Just don't step outside of the salt," Sam said, swinging the fire iron at the ghost again. "She can't get to you as long as you stay inside of the circle!"

The ghost reappeared on the other side of the living room, near the blinded windows.

"He will be mine," she said to Sam. "I'll come back for him. But first I'm going back to Secret Cove to deal with the angel."

"You leave Dean and Cass alone!" Sam said, charging at the ghost with the fire iron.

However, she had vanished before Sam had the chance to take another whack at her.

"Damnit!" Sam almost yelled, lowering the fire iron as he let out a groan.

"Did you kill her?" John asked. "Is she gone?"

"She's gone for now," Sam said, whipping out his cellular phone. "But she's going after my brother and my friend now. I've got to warn them! Hell, she has a damn angel blade with her! Cass could be killed!"

John sighed. He needed to get high. Well, higher. At any rate, he wasn't high enough.

This was definitely not his day.

And it wasn't Sam's, either...

A naked dude and a very angry naked ghost.

This was just his luck.

Back at Secret Cove...

"How long have we been waiting here?" Castiel asked Dean.

Dean looked down at his left wrist where a watch usually was. "I don't know," Dean replied. "Maybe twenty minutes? I'm not sure."

Dean's phone began to ring.

"That must be Sam," Castiel said. He was going to make a gesture down to the small carrier on the belt around Dean's waist, but he remembered he wasn't supposed to look down, so... he didn't and returned to looking upwards at the sky.

Dean brought the phone to his ear. "Sam?"

"Dean!" Sam practically yelled into the phone. "You've gotta get Cass out of there! I know what she's bound to—it's—"

"Dean!" Castiel exclaimed as he looked into the small forest. He could see the ghost, who was holding a shiny, silver object in her hands. "She has an angel blade!"

Dean nearly dropped his phone into the sand. "Sam I'll call you back," Dean said quickly, and then put his phone away just as quickly. "Cass. We need to run...!"

Castiel laid his hand on Dean's shoulder, before he made an attempt to teleport them.

It didn't work.

The ghost had too much power.

"I'm older than you, Castiel," the ghost said, holding up the angel blade. "You can't harm me." She smiled at him. "I've been watching you ever since you arrived. Granted you're not the angel I wanted, but you'll do just fine. I hate you, Castiel. I hate all angels!"

"Now look here," Dean said, moving to stand in front of Castiel while holding his right-arm out in front of the angel, as if to protect him. "I'm sure you do hate the angel who killed you, but Cass here had nothing to do with it. None of your victims did."

"I'll make a deal with you," she said, hate dripping from her lips. "Castiel... you call the angel who killed me and bring him here, and I'll let you and your... 'friend' go..."

"What was his name?" Castiel asked, curious.

"The archangel Gabriel," she spat, hating the sound of his name against her tongue.

"Figures..." Dean said under his breath. It seemed Gabriel's joke was on him and Cass again, go figure.

"Gabriel is dead," Castiel said to her. "He was killed by Lucifer years ago."

"Damnit," she yelled, fists clenching into tight balls as she held Gabriel's blade in her hand.

"Now look," Dean said again, "Gabriel is already dead so there's no need to take out your anger on Cass or on any of the people here."

"That's where you're wrong," she said, holding up the angel blade. "I've been waiting a small eternity to kill an angel, and now that the opportunity has presented itself I'm not going to let it lay to waste..."

She disappeared.

"So it's the angel blade her spirit is attached to," Castiel said, looking up at Dean. "How are we going to destroy it? There's no easy way on Earth to destroy one."

An angel blade appeared in Castiel's right-hand. "I'll just have to fight her."

Dean shook his head. "No, Cass. This is too dangerous. We need you to go to Heaven and obtain whatever it is that can destroy one of your blades..."

"We need holy fire," Castiel said seriously. "That will destroy the blade. But... I can't go to Jerusalem while the ghost is near. What do you think we should do, Dean?"

The ghost appeared directly behind Cass, angel blade raised and ready to kill.

"We should run...!" Dean replied quickly, pushing Castiel out of the way hard enough to knock him down into the sand. Dean unfortunately looked down at Castiel again, but seeing another guy's junk was suddenly no longer an issue. Castiel got up, and along with Dean, made a run for it.

As they ran, Dean remembered he had a small quantity of salt of on him.

When the ghost appeared in front of Dean's and Castiel's running path, Dean ducked to the side and quickly laid a circle of salt around a small changing tent. Then he grabbed Castiel by the arm, and pulled him inside.

"Dean," Castiel whispered, noting how... 'close' together he and Dean were. "Doesn't this violate your personal space rule?"

"Yeah, it does, but between the personal space rule and our lives, I'm gonna say our lives are more important."

"Thank you, Dean," Castiel whispered, his face a mere foot away from Dean's. "Thank you for saving my life back there."

"No problem," Dean whispered in response.

"Where do you think Crowley is?"

"Probably still in hell, looking at us through some sort of damn crystal ball while he gets his rocks off laughing at us."

"That does sound like Crowley," Castiel replied, suddenly very uncomfortable. Being this close to Dean, naked and feeling such a strong sense of vulnerability, he suddenly knew why Dean had invented the personal space rule. "These tents are very small," he whispered, struggling not to touch Dean. The tent was too small for them not to touch.

"I should call Sam again," Dean stated, looking into Castiel's eyes.

"Yes, you should."

A silence.

And then something happened to Dean that made him want to die then and there.

"Dean," Castiel began, just knowing there had to be a reasonable explanation for it. "Why are you poking me in the thigh?"

Dean thought about it and realized he'd rather take his chances with the ghost woman.

"Dean," Castiel said again. "What's wrong?"

Oh my God, Dean thought, this cannot be happening.

"May I look down?" Castiel asked. He couldn't understand why Dean would be poking him all over.

"No, you may not," Dean replied uneasily.

"But why are you poking me?"

"I'm not...!"

Dean tried to back away from Castiel, but there was just no room.

Castiel noted that Dean was trying to use both of his hands to push against the tent, as if to gain more room. Dean was poking him at the same time, which meant...

"...oh," Castiel whispered. "Dean, I—I'm sure it's perfectly natural..."

Dean couldn't believe it. All of the naked dudes all over the place and not one of them had gotten hard, including himself. In spite of all of the naked women, he had not gotten a hard on. He had been worried about it before, and he didn't know—maybe the fear had helped keep him soft.

But now... he had gotten hard for Castiel... and he did not know why or what to do about it.

A silence.

They both remained silent for what seemed like a small eternity.

"Dean," Castiel said finally, breaking the silence. "Would you like to kiss me...?"

"No," Dean remarked, shocked. "I would not like to kiss you. I don't swing that way, and I can't believe you would ask me that!"

"I only thought that was what people did in your situation."

"I-I don't know why this is happening," Dean said nervously. "All of the naked chicks must have finally gotten to me. Yeah..."

"Oh," Castiel said, and then went silent.

The silence returned.

Dean looked into Castiel's eyes. "No, I... would not like to kiss you... I'm straight."

"Me too. Well, according to you."

"That's right. No friend of mine is going to swing that way when he doesn't even have any idea about his sexuality."

"I'm an angel, Dean. We don't have sexualities."

Dean gritted his teeth. "Then why are you the one 'poking' me, now?"

"I don't know."

"Would you like to kiss me, Cass? Is that why you asked me that?"

"I've thought about it before," Castiel admitted silently.

"Oh my God," Dean said, sighing. "This is by far the worst case of my life."

Castiel's brow furrowed. "Is it because of me?"

"I'm standing in a cramped tent naked with a boner, with my best-friend who's an angel and who also is naked with a boner. What do you think?"

Castiel only blinked at him.

Dean needed to get out of here. Now.

But first...

Dean studied Castiel. His dark hair, the sapphire eyes sparking in the darkness, his full lips...

Dean didn't know. Maybe his body was trying to tell him something that his mind couldn't.

The hell with it.

Dean brought one of his hands upward, cupping Castiel's cheek. And then he leaned down, kissing Castiel wholeheartedly.

Castiel kissed him back, their bodies rubbing against one another all over the place.

Dean thought Cass was a good kisser, despite his inexperience. He slipped his tongue into Castiel's mouth, kissing him with fervor. Castiel welcomed it, opening his mouth slightly as they continued to kiss. Dean traced his hand down the side of Castiel's body and then wrapped one arm around the angel. Castiel tilted his head back, kissing Dean still more.

"Thanks for getting me out of hell, Cass," Dean whispered into the kiss. "I realized I never thanked you. In fact, I should say thank you for all the times you have had my back..."

"You're welcome," Castiel whispered back, and then went back to kissing Dean.

And then...

The tent was opened up by a foreign party who was holding a video camera.

Dean pulled away from Castiel. "What the hell?" he said, staring at the unwelcome visitor.

"Don't mind me, boys. Please—as you were."

"Crowley," Castiel said, upset for the fact that he and Dean had been interrupted.

"I've been waiting for this moment ever since you pulled Dean out of hell." Crowley sniggered, still holding the video camera in his left-hand. "This fulfills every masturbatory fantasy of both myself and every girl who's ever read a book by Carver Edlund."

Also, Crowley was naked...

"Kill me," Dean whispered in horror. He had looked down a single time and now he wanted to die.

Crowley smiled at them. "Given the nature of our current location I just couldn't think of a single thing to wear."

"Where were you when we needed you?" Castiel asked, displeased.

"Oh," Crowley began, still holding the video camera which was pointed at Castiel and Dean. "I was in hell, waiting on a little delivery of the sorts. I've got your holy oil, boys," he said, smiling. "I have an angel on the side who just got back from Jerusalem." He looked at Dean. "Though I've never kissed my angel like that." He held up the video camera. "Would you two mind going back to your naked kiss for me? I'm going to be replaying that moment in hell for all eternity. It's absolutely perfect for a rainy day."

Dean made an attempt to snatch the video camera from the demon king, but then the camera disappeared.

If only Crowley had disappeared with it.

"Sorry," Crowley said, "but the only way you'll be getting that camera's memory card away from me would be to sell your soul."

"Where's the holy oil, Crowley?" Castiel asked him.

"Right here," Crowley said as the holy oil appeared in one hand, several fire irons in the other. "Now all we need to do is snatch the angel blade from the hands of your naked ghost."

"And you had to take your clothes off for this?" Dean asked Crowely with disbelief. Still, he didn't know why he was surprised. This was Crowley they were talking about, after all.

"My birthday suit was the only thing that fit the occasion." Crowley then looked down at them. "Speaking of birthday suits, you two may want to tame your trouser snakes before you come out of there."

Dean hated Crowley so very much, especially now. And now, Crowley would never let him hear the end of it.

"Look down at my dick or Cass's again and I'll break your goddamn jaw," Dean stated earnestly.

"Relax, Dean," Crowley replied, speaking with sarcasm. "I'll forget all about this in a matter of weeks."

Castiel stepped forward, and punched Crowley square in the jaw.

"Ow," Crowley said, rubbing at the fresh sore spot on his face. "I see you're still taking lessons from Dean. You remind me of this adorable lapdog I used to have back when I was human."

"Hey," Dean hissed. "Don't talk that way about Cass or I'll kick your ass."

"Ooh," Crowley said playfully, not the least bit intimidated. "Sexy."

"Shut-up," Dean ordered. "You just got here and I'm sick of you already."

Crowley smirked at him. "Need I remind you that there's a very powerful ghost of a witch out here that I'm trying to help you kill?"

Dean pointed at Crowley. "Just don't.. look at me.. Or Cass," he said sternly, having shaken his hand in between every articulation.

"Well," Crowley began, shrugging. "You're free to look down at me whenever you want. Just make sure you tell me first so I can get my video camera ready."

Dean wanted to break that damn camera. "Go to hell, Crowley."

"I'd love to, but I'm currently needed up here."

Dean groaned. "Let's just kill this damn ghost so we can all get out of here and back into our clothes."

Castiel nodded. "I agree."

"I see," Crowley said, playful still, "because the sooner you get into your clothes, the sooner you can take them all off... for each other."

"Damn I really want to break your face right now," Dean said quickly. "Hell, I always want to break your face. Every time that I see it."

"Let's just kill the ghost," Castiel interjected. "We can argue later."

"First you two will need to exit your love tent," Crowley said, smiling.

"Alright, but you stay away from me," Dean said, pointing at Crowley again. "Ten foot rule. I want you to stay at least ten feet away from me at all times."

Crowley smirked again. "And does your ten foot rule apply to Cass?"

"No." Dean smiled sarcastically. "It doesn't. Just to you."

Crowley backed away, doing as he was told. Then Dean and Castiel exited the tent.

"Well," Crowley said, making a gesture to his left. "Let's go track down our lovely ghost so that one of my reapers can give her a ride to my kingdom."

Dean nodded and then began walking back toward the Haunted Piece, Castiel close behind him.

Crowley was holding the holy oil, though a large part of him wished it was his camera instead. He was enjoying himself thoroughly, and seeing Dean and Castiel making out in that tent had made his day for a centuries' worth of time.

"Dean," Castiel said in the form of a whisper. "We do need to talk about what happened back there..."

"Maybe," Dean replied, "but not while we have Crowley with us. It's none of his business."

Castiel nodded. "Agreed."

Dean, Castiel and Crowley all walked a few yards, until they were back in the Haunted Piece.

They waited for a moment.

The ghost wasn't showing just yet.

Castiel had his own angel blade out, ready to fight if needed. He couldn't think of any other way to get the angel blade out of the ghost's hands. Oh no, she wouldn't let it go without a fight.

Finally the ghost reappeared, angel blade in her left-hand.

"I want the angel," she said, staring straight at Castiel.

"Yeah, well," Dean began, staring back at her, "We don't always get what we want. You can't have the angel."

"Oh no, you can't," Crowley said, his voice filled to the brim with heavy sarcasm, "because the angel's already taken." He pointed at Dean. "By this lovely gentlemen right here."

The ghost lunged at Castiel, who began fighting back instantly. Then Crowley tossed a fire iron to Dean before Dean came at the ghost from behind and swung at her.

She disappeared.

Dean, Castiel and Crowley all huddled together, back-to-back. Dean thought about throwing out another insult to Crowley, but realized how ill-timed it was. Apparently this ghost was also older than Crowley, since the demon king had yet to pull a disappearing act on them yet. Dean's thoughts were right—Crowley wasn't as old as the ghost, and he wanted to go back to hell to gather more supplies but found that he could not. He was just as grounded as Castiel was. This was the oldest ghost that any of them had ever seen.

The ghost reappeared, this time in front of Crowley. He swung at her with his fire iron (which he had brought from hell) but she vanished before Crowley's iron had the chance to have an impact on her.

"This ghost really has it in for you, Cass," Crowley said to him, keeping his eyes open.

"You think?" Castiel replied, keeping a lookout for the ghost as well.

Dean tightened his grip around the fire iron. "You stand back, Cass. I've got this."

"You're a regular knight in shining armor, aren't you Dean?" Crowley said with a smirk. "How would you feel if that angel blade went through my chest instead?"

"I'll add it to my list of things I don't care about," Dean insisted.

Castiel groaned. "God, could you two be any more 'gay' right now?"

Dean blinked.

Crowley sighed out the words, "Look who's talking. Dean and I do share a certain chemistry, but I assure you we're not each other's type."

"Dean," Castiel said in an assertive manner. "You're not to go to a bar alone with Crowley again."

"Dominant Cass," Crowley said sarcastically. "Don't worry, Dean. He's still a bottom. He'd eat rocks if you told him to."

"Will everyone just shut up?" Dean said earnestly. "This isn't the time or the place for this."

"I want the angel," the ghost said, having reappeared in front of Castiel. She tried to strike out at him with the angel blade, but Castiel struck back just in time, their blades clinking together as Castiel fought back.

"We've got to find a way to get that bloody angel blade out of her hand!" Crowley yelled, and then swung at the ghost with the fire iron.

"I'm on it," Castiel said as the ghost disappeared again. "It's me she wants. Let her try and take me down."

"Now's not the time to get cocky, Cass," Dean said, worried for Castiel's safety.

"I said I've got it," Castiel replied in a serious voice. "Crowley, poor the holy oil and light a fire."

Crowley saluted. "Yes, sir," he said, slightly playful, in spite of their current situation. Crowley poured a gracious amount of holy oil unto the sand, and then lit a match before throwing it down.

The holy oil burned hot.

The ghost appeared, again in front of Castiel. He fought hard, his angel blade swinging in every direction as he continued to fight the ghost. He tried desperately to knock the angel blade out of her hand, but her grip was as tight as a rope.

Dean turned and swung at her again, and again she disappeared.

"We can't just keep swinging iron at her!" Castiel said firmly.

"I agree. Maybe we should just let Cass take her on?" Crowley suggested, his words directed at Dean.

"No," Dean said argumentatively. "Cass could be killed!"

"I've fought and won against more angels than I can count, Dean." Castiel sighed.

"Here, here," Crowley said. "Just let Castiel fight her."

Castiel nodded. "I'll get that angel blade out of her hand."

"Well what if you don't?" Dean asked him, the fire iron firm in his grip.

"Then I have a plan B," Castiel replied, his angel blade held high. "But I'll need your help for it, Dean."

"Anything," Dean said in a soft voice, "I'll do anything you ask me to."

"I want the angel," the ghost said again, going in for Castiel.

Castiel fought her hard, until...

She flung Castiel back against a tree, who then found that he was unable to move. The ghost surged at him.

"Dean!" Castiel yelled. "It's time for plan B! I need you to say 'yes!'" As long as I'm not in my vessel when she stabs it, it won't have an effect on me!"

The ghost was about to stab Castiel with Gabriel's blade.

Swiftly and without thinking, Dean said, "Yes!"

A bright, white light came forth out of Castiel's mouth, right before his vessel was stabbed in the chest by the ghost. The light went through the air, until it came before Dean, going into his mouth and then into his body.

"Oh my God," Crowley said, partially amazed. "And just when I thought this situation couldn't get any sexier..."

Castiel opened Dean's eyes, a bright light filling them before the eyes faded back into an emerald green.

Now in Dean's vessel, Castiel turned to Crowley.

"Dean," Crowley said with a smile on his face. "I mean, Cass—let's get that ghost!"

The ghost seemed confused; looking at Castiel's empty vessel, wondering briefly... had that been it? Had she succeeded in killing the angel?

Castiel came up behind her, snatching the angel blade right out of the ghost's hand. Afterwards, he tossed the stolen blade to Crowley.

"Let's get this show on the road," Crowley said, dropping the blade into the fire. As it burned, so did the ghost, burning piece by piece until there was nothing left of her. In the thin air, she had faded into nothing just like that.

"Now," Crowley said, snapping his fingers together before a rogue reaper appeared. "Take her soul to hell."

"Yes, my king," the reaper said, walking forth in the empty air where the ghost had seemingly evaporated.

And while no one could see the spirit of the ghost, the reaper could... touching her on the shoulder before he escorted her to hell.

"Well it seems my work here is done." Crowley continued to smile as he looked at Castiel in Dean's vessel. "Cass, please don't come out of there just yet. Having you in Dean's naked vessel is super-sexy."

"Be quiet, Crowley," Castiel said to him. "I did what I had to do. We both did."

"Dean," Crowley said to Castiel. "If you're in there, I want you to know that I hope Castiel rides you to the grave!"

Castiel shook his head and sighed, then looking to his empty vessel before a light filled his eyes. And then, the light came forth from Dean's mouth, traveling though the air and stopping before his fallen vessel. There, the light went into his mouth, filling his vessel with bright, white light.

Castiel's eyes opened, shining like white fire. He looked down at the hole in his chest, which healed abruptly.

"Cass," Dean choked out. "Don't ever do that again. Hell, that really was like being strapped to the back of a comet!"

"I am sorry, Dean," Castiel replied softly. "But I could've died otherwise. We all could have. Thank you for letting me in."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Sure, Cass. It was no problem."

"At least we finally got an angel to ride your ass," Crowley said, smiling as a smirk escaped his lips. "I'd been waiting for that for I don't know how long. I don't know which looks sexier on you; white eyes or black."

"Try green, asshole," Dean said to him, returning Crowley's smirk.

Crowley only smirked again. "Well it's been lovely, boys, but I've got to return hell now where I'll slip into something a little less comfortable..."

Dean sighed, loudly. "Please do that. If I never seen you naked again, it'll be way too soon..."

Crowley waved at Dean and Castiel in a playful, sarcastic fashion, and then disappeared from sight.

Dean looked at Castiel. "C'mon, Cass—let's put our clothes back on."

"I can go get my clothes now if you like?"

"Well," Dean began, looking into Castiel's eyes. "I suppose I can stand looking at you like this for a little while longer."

"About what happened in the tent..." Castiel looked back into Dean's eyes. "I..."

"Listen," Dean said as he and Castiel began to walk, "I'm only sorry about it if you are."

"I'm not sorry about it, Dean," Castiel replied silently. "As I had said... that wasn't the first time I'd thought of you in that way..."

"I have to admit," Dean replied softy, "that was the first time I'd thought of you in that way." He forced a chuckle. "I mean, I'd thought about it a couple times when you got too close into my personal space, but I'd never thought about acting on it, and I gotta say I was always thinking that you were the one who wanted to kiss me."

"Well," Castiel sighed. "Where does that leave us now?"

"You mean do I ever want to kiss you again?" Dean whispered softly, and then stopped walking along the beach, looking at the angel.

He brought a hand upwards to Castiel's face, stroking one cheek with the back of his fingers.

"I've lost so much, so many people..." Dean whispered to him. "My father, Bobby, Rufus, Jo, Ellen, Annie, Anna, Samuel, Adam, now Charlie... and many more... Hell, you even lost Meg and Sam lost Ruby. We lost Gabriel and Michael. Even Death himself. Not that I care especially regarding some of those last ones, but that's not the point. The point is that I've lost everyone who's even made so much as a guest appearance in my life. Except for you." He stroked Castiel's cheek. "My point is, that in the Dean Winchester book, you're like the last man standing... and I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. I don't even want to think about what I'd do..."

Dean looked around for a moment and then emitted a forced chuckle, his hand still brushing the side of Castiel's face. "Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I really do love you, Cass... We've been through a lot together and in spite of the bad things you've done, I'd still take you over losing you any day of the week. Next to Sam, you're the one I'm closest to. My best friend. Like I've said before, I'd die for you."

"And I'd die for you, Dean," Castiel replied silently. "But where do we stand with each other now? I must admit I am... confused. I mean, are we just going to pretend that what happened never happened now, or are you actually considering a relationship with me?"

Dean sighed. "I don't know. I'm really confused, too, Cass. I guess it's obvious that I'm attracted to you is some way now. Frankly I don't really know if things even could go back to the way they were after what's happened." He sighed again. "I also don't know how Sam would react to this."

"We don't necessarily have to tell him," Castiel suggested lowly.

Dean shook his head. "No, we don't, but... he would find out eventually."

"So what does that mean?" Castiel asked him. "Does that mean you would want to be with me?"

Dean sighed again. "Yes," he whispered softly. "You'll have to forgive me for not sounding more romantic here. You're pretty different from propositioning some girl at a bar."

"Well, how about..." Castiel smiled ever so slightly. "You have my permission to look down..."

Dean forced another chuckle. "Right... I don't think I'm ready for that just yet, Cass."

"What are you ready for?"

"This," Dean whispered, leaning forward and down as he placed a gentle kiss on the angel's lips. "Now," he said as he pulled away, "let's go get our clothes."

"It will be nice to have my clothes on again," Castiel stated. "I'm not really all that comfortable walking around in a nude vessel."

Dean smirked. "You and me both. Now... tell me where you put your clothes."

"Um," Castiel muttered. "There on the other side of the beach hanging from a tree..."

Dean should've known. "Well," he said as they began to walk. "I guess we'll have to walk across this beach one more time."

Castiel placed his hand on Dean's shoulder, before they teleported and then reappeared on the other side of the beach, next to a tree that had Castiel's clothing hanging from it.

Dean blinked. "I stand corrected," he said, looking up at Castiel's clothing as it hung from a tree branch.

Castiel pulled his clothes down and then began putting them back on. "You don't know how glad I am to see you," he said to his clothes.

After Castiel had put on his clothes, Dean and Castiel made their ways to the locker room where Dean collected and put on his clothes. After that, they left the Secret Cove and walked along the parking lot to Dean's Impala.

Dean got in on the driver's side while Castiel got in on the front passenger's side.

Dean huffed and turned the keys. "I remember when a case was just about killing some run of the mill fang... Cases today are just completely what-the-fuck material."

"Right." Castiel nodded. "Completely... what-the-fuck material."

"I tell ya," Dean said simply, "I'll remember the one we just had until the day I die."

He began to drive, pulling out of the parking lot and going out onto the street.

It thundered.

"Looks like a storm is coming," Castiel said.

"Yeah," Dean agreed. "Now those people back at the colony can be naked and covered in rain."

Castiel nodded.

And as Dean drove back to the motel, it began to rain.

Dean inserted a key-card into the motel door and then opened it.

"Huh," Dean said, slightly wet from the rain. "Sam's still not back yet. I had better phone him up."

Castiel walked in behind Dean, shutting the door behind them.

Dean dialed Sam's number and then brought the phone to his ear.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Pick up.

"Dean?"

"Sam," Dean said into the phone's base. "It's over. We got her."

Sam sighed with relief. "Good. I don't know how much more I can take from this 'Jonesing John' character."

"Get out of there," Dean said. "You can tell me about it when you get back to the motel."

"Right," Sam replied, and then hung up.

Dean placed the phone back into the pocket of his jeans.

Castiel asked, "So Sam's okay?"

Dean nodded. "As okay as anyone can be after having to deal with a jonesing drug dealer."

Castiel swallowed. "So," he began anxiously. "What do we do until Sam gets back?"

"Well," Dean huffed. "I think I'll have a beer."

Dean approached the ice chest and removed a beer from its confines. Afterwards he put the lid back on the chest and stood fully, opening the beer and taking a sip.

"I would like some alcohol," Castiel admitted. "But I'd like something heavier than beer. Like some tequila. Or vodka..."

Dean furrowed his brow. "Why would you want to get drunk?"

"I don't feel well the way I am right now," Castiel replied, looking away from Dean for a moment before he turned to look back at him.

Dean furrowed his brow again. "What, so you want to get drunk so you won't have to deal with me?"

Castiel said nothing.

"Look," Dean began, looking at the angel straight in the eyes, "I'm not particularly cool with everything that happened either."

"You're not?"

Dean shook his head. "No, I'm not." He shrugged. "Something about it just doesn't feel right."

"I knew it," Castiel sighed angrily. "I knew you wouldn't want me anymore once we left that beach."

"Now I didn't say that," Dean said, angry as well. "I did not say that. What I am trying to say is that I'm very confused about what happened. You're not only a guy – you're an angel. Hell, I have no idea what the 'real you' actually looks like, just that you're bigger than the Chrysler Building."

Castiel said nothing, his hands balling into tight fists. He began to walk toward Dean, extending his right hand and index finger. Dean appeared reasonably confused as Castiel reached out and touched his forehead before Dean fell to the ground, beer spilling on the floor.

Dean 'awoke'. It was pitch black everywhere and Dean wondered where he was. Behind him there was this huge mirror. He looked down. More mirror. There were mirrors all around and it was dark and Dean didn't like any of it. Then in the mirror behind him...

Castiel appeared. Dean tried to get to him but Castiel was inside the mirror, as if trapped. Dean began to beat on the mirror with his fists but it just would give.

"Dean," he heard, the mirror cracking to a degree.

"Cass," Dean called out. "Where are you?"

"I behind you, Dean," Castiel replied, voice layered. It was as though Dean was hearing both the voice of the Castiel he knew, and a much deeper voice underneath; the voice Dean had heard when he first got out of hell, at the gas station.

"Turn around, Dean," Castiel's reflection said unto him.

Dean turned around.

"Oh my God," Dean said, falling to his knees. It was quite possibly the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

It was Castiel, only... not him at the same time. The mirror behind him broke into a thousand pieces, as they floated around Dean and Castiel in midair.

"Cass..." Dean whispered. "Is that... you?"

"You're dreaming, Dean," Castiel's true form and true voice said to him. "It's the only way I can show you without hurting you."

Castiel's true form was huge. Every part of him burned white hot with grace, his wings were gigantic—full and spread—and his face was... indescribable. He extended one of his long arms, his hand opening, large enough to scoop Dean up in his palm if he wanted to.

Instead he touched Dean's face with the tip of his fingers, warm and gentle.

"I love you, Dean," came the deep voice as fingertips touched Dean's face.

Dean felt tears coming to his eyes. Just the sight of what he was seeing... the beauty, the sheer perfection of God's work... It was enough, for a moment, to make Dean believe in God again—to really, truly believe.

"I am sorry, Dean," Castiel continued, "for not being around you as much as I used to. Being around you now hurts me. It has for a long time."

"How could I hurt you?" Dean asked him.

"Because I love you so much, and have no way of acting on it," Castiel replied solemnly. I love Sam, too. You're both my best-friends, my family... But you're my favorite, Dean, and I will always be your angel... You're my best-friend, my brother, my teacher, my mentor, and my reason for believing that even angels can pave the roads to their own destinies." He stroked Dean's face with a gentle if gigantic finger. "I chose you over God."

Dean inhaled softly. "How can you believe in me so much when you are what you are? I'm no God, Cass..."

"I know that, and I know my beliefs and loyalties are all mixed up. God has brought me back so many times and deep down, I know it's always been God's way of gifting you and Sam, Dean, because you both love me as I love the both of you."

"What are you trying to say?" Dean asked, confused.

"That I am God's gift to you," Castiel whispered in a voice so low that the mirror floating through the air around them shattered into still more pieces.

"And where is God in all this?"

"That I don't know," Castiel replied silently. "Joshua said he was on Earth, and I believe he still is. I believe God has taken on human form and in the form is hiding among us."

"Like the Joan Osborne song?" Dean asked him.

"What?"

"You know... 'What if God was one of us? Just a slob like one of us? Just a stranger on the bus... trying to make his way home...'"

"Yes," Castiel said, slightly amused. Dean couldn't sing all that well. "I'm sure you've seen him somewhere, only you didn't know it was Him. Therefore, God is watching you, only He's watching you from a safe distance."

"Where was God when Charlie died?" Dean asked, his voice grating through the tears on his face. "When Bobby died? Or Jo or Ellen?"

"Where was God when I died?" Castiel whispered lovingly. "He was there, every time."

"Maybe you're not enough," Dean said, and then wished he could take it back.

"I'm sorry for that," Castiel sighed. "I wish there was more I could do."

"You look like you could do anything."

"It's harder to be on Earth than it is to be in Heaven. I can't compete with free will, Dean. Without God, the angels are still so lost... We have free will, yet know not what to do with it."

"Tell me about it," Dean replied, staring up and into Castiel's large, beautiful eyes. "Angels just sort of get in the way. I mean, except for you..."

Castiel smiled. "Angels do get in your way, Dean, hence my reason for not being around as much... You have enough problems to worry about without me getting in your way."

"No," Dean protested. "Please, get in my way! You're everything to me! I love you, Cass... and looking at you now... God, you're so beautiful... I had no idea..."

"I love you, too, Dean Winchester, and remember... I will always be your angel..."

Dean stared into Castiel's eyes, which were lit up and burning with grace.

And then he awoke.

He was lying in bed. He quickly looked around, his eyes searching for any sign of Castiel.

"Cass? Cass!" Dean called out.

"I'm right here, Dean," Castiel said, having appeared at Dean's side. "I always come when you call. Only somewhere down the line you began calling me with a cell-phone instead."

"Oh my... God, Cass. You're so beautiful. Vessel or no vessel..."

"I feel the same way about you, Dean," Castiel whispered, laying a gentle hand on Dean's left-shoulder. "You're the most beautiful sight I've ever seen."

"You didn't have to do that for me, Cass," Dean said to him. "I didn't know what I was saying when I said any of that. I am cool with what happened at the Secret Cove, I'm just... confused, you know?"

"I'm confused too, Dean," Castiel whispered. "And I'm sorry I went behind your back."

"That's only because Sam pulled you into it."

"But I have free will, remember Dean?"

"You were only trying to help," Dean said with a sigh. "I know, I know all of that, okay?" He stood up, looking into Castiel's sapphire eyes. "I get it. What I don't get is you."

"I don't fully understand you either, Dean," Castiel whispered, his eyes darting down to look at Dean's lips for a moment. "But I'm willing to learn... I'll do anything you ask of me, even leave if that is your wish..."

"Now where would you get a crazy idea like that?" Dean asked, still staring into blue depths of Castiel's eyes. "Like I said, I'm just... confused, okay?"

"If your only reason for not being with me is because of my male vessel, I could always take on a female vessel..."

Dean blinked at him. "Dear God no. That's the worst idea you've ever have and I am just more uncomfortable now over the mental image you just gave me of you in a skirt with boobs. I like you the way you are, Cass. Your... 'vessel' is the vessel I know and is part of what I love about you." He forced a chuckle. "Still... I guess it's a good thing Jimmy went upstairs. Back during the apocalypse, when I had a thought or two about you in that way... I would give myself a mental pounding over the fact that there was a dude trapped inside of your vessel and that having sex with you would be like having sex with two people and a guy inside of you who couldn't consent. I felt like I was eye-raping him when I looked at you like that."

"I admit I've gotten used to my vessel over the years, though I still feel very badly for what my taking this vessel did to his family..."

"All part of the Dean Winchester show," Dean said, sighing still more. "No one ever catches a break who's even remotely connected to my life. Like I said at the Cove... you really are the last man standing, err, last 'angel' standing, I guess..."

"You said you were confused," Castiel whispered. "About what, exactly?"

"About us," Dean replied, rubbing at his forehead and turning halfway. "Christ, Cass, you just said you'd take a chick's vessel to be with me, that's... am I really some sort of replacement for God to you?"

"Yes and no," Castiel said slowly. "Raphael wasn't completely wrong... I'm a soldier, and was built to follow. Through free will here on Earth, I found that I could lead, just not as... God. And then... so many died because of me as a result of what I did when the Leviathan came and then God brought me back yet again... and then I shifted Sam's hellfire into myself and lived every day of my life with Lucifer in that hellfire, and I wanted it, Dean, God, I wanted to burn. And then in purgatory, I stayed because I wanted to. Anyway, my point is that I feel like... like I don't deserve you anymore..."

"That-that's crazy, Cass," Dean replied in the form of a whisper. "I've never had anyone work so hard to help me in my life, not since my father, anyway."

"That still doesn't answer the question..." Castiel murmured.

"What question?"

"The question of 'what happens now?' The question of 'where do we go from here?'"

Dean scratched at the back of his head, even though there was no itch. Then he flopped his arm down to the side, his mouth moving but no words coming out.

"Where do you want it to go?" was all he could muster.

"I want whatever you want," Castiel replied softly. "Serving your wishes always make me happy."

"Oh stop that, Cass," Dean said quickly. "I already told you—I'm not your God."

It thundered loudly outside.

"No," Castiel continued, earnestly, "You are my friend."

"Yeah, well," Dean huffed. "I think we're a little closer now."

"Do you want us to be?"

"Stop it, Cass!" Dean said and then walked away from him. "What I'm trying to say is that I don't know! Why don't you try telling me what you want?!"

"I'm... unsure too, Dean... as long as you are..."

"You know, this is all your fault," Dean said, spotting and discarding his spilt beer on the floor. He went to the ice chest to get another, opening it and then twisting its cap off. He took a sip. "If you weren't so goddamn beautiful in both forms..."

"You're beautiful too, Dean..."

"Alright," Dean admitted finally. "I have a thing for you. I wish that I didn't, but I do. And apparently you have a thing for me, too, just... God, this fucks up our entire relationship, not to mention what Sam would say... He'd have a field day with this."

"That still doesn't answer my question," Castiel replied, otherwise still. "Do you want me or not?"

"Always straight to the point," Dean whispered and then took another drink from his beer. "I do want you, Cass..."

"But?"

"But I can't have you."

"Why not, Dean?"

"Because I just can't, okay? I'm not Sam with Ruby. You're also still in a dude's vessel. A beautiful vessel, but still a dude, not to mention the angel thing."

Castiel's hands fisted at his sides. "I... understand, Dean. If that's how you feel, then... that's how I feel... I am indifferent to sexuality, but—"

"Hold it, Cass," Dean cut in. "I'm not a homophobe, either. This is about much more than that. I've also always gone by the saying of 'don't fuck your friends'. It ends badly."

"I never asked you to have sex with me," Castiel said, hands still fisted at his sides. An angry gesture, it was. "You must have been thinking it to say something like that."

"Chill out, man. Why don't you go and fetch some drinks for Sam and I?"

Castiel sighed and then finally let go of his fisted hands. "Yes, Dean..."

He disappeared.

No sooner, the door opened and Sam appeared, wet from the rain.

"Hey, Dean," he said to him. "Man, do I ever have a story to tell you..."

Dean smirked. "Nothing like the story I have for you."

"That Jonesing John guy actually wanted to make a circle of cocaine around himself. He asked me if it would work as well as salt."

"I was naked in front of a bunch of naked dudes."

"John took all of his clothes off to bait the ghost."

"I saw Castiel naked."

"I watched a naked guy inject himself with heroin after offering me a 'hit'."

"I don't think you heard me, Sam. I saw Castiel naked."

"So? No one made you look down."

Dean sat down on one of the identical twin beds. "Yeah, but I did." His eyes shifted to the right, away from Sam. "I need to talk to you about something, Sam... Something that happened in that crazy-ass colony."

"What happened?" Sam furrowed his brow. "Was it something Crowley did?"

"Well, that too, but..." Dean exhaled a long breath. "It's about Cass. He and I... we..."

Castiel reappeared with two bottles of Jack Daniels.

"Hey, Cass," Sam said to him. "I heard you and Dean had a tough time at the Secret Cove. Dean was just telling me about it."

"Yes," Castiel said slowly, his eyes adverting away from Dean. "It was... difficult."

"I had a difficult time, too," Sam replied with a sigh. "Baby sitting Jonesing John was a nightmare. He's lucky he still has his eyes because I came close to saying the hell with it and leaving."

"You know you'd never leave someone who has a ghost or any type of monster after them," Dean said, looking at Sam.

"Yeah, guess you're right," Sam said simply. "So tell me about the Secret Cove. Were there a lot of fine woman, Dean? I know you had to like that part."

"I won't lie and say I didn't," Dean said to him. "That was the only good thing about that place. I even had several dudes check me out and hit on me. It was awful."

"What about you, Cass?" Sam asked the angel. "What did you think of it?"

"I was indifferent to it," Castiel remarked. "I mostly looked at the sky, although during the campfire picnic I was 'hit on' by several people, one woman in particular."

"Oh yeah?" Sam said back to him. "That must have been fun."

"It wasn't fun for either of us," Dean replied, and then took a sip from his beer, wishing it were the Jack. "Sam, I could kill you for sending Cass out there with me. I had it covered without him. Well, or didn't have 'it' covered, but you know what I mean. Didn't you consider how uncomfortable it made me and Cass? We'll never be able to look at each other the same way again. Not to mention Crowley showing up in his own birthday suit with that damn video camera."

"What an awful sight that must have been," Sam said, shaking off the mental image Dean had given him. "Damn man, I'm sorry about that. It does sound like Crowley, though." He furrowed his brow. "But why did he have a video camera?"

"Uuh," Dean stuttered. "He, um... he had it because, err..."

"He said he wanted the footage of Dean and me so he could watch it in hell," Castiel said, making it sound simple enough."

Sam scrunched his nose. "Ew, seriously? He just wanted footage of you both naked?"

"Well, that is the truth, isn't it, Dean?" Cass asked, looking at Dean.

"Yeah, in not so many words it is," Dean replied, and then looked at Sam. "I also got a ride from Cass when I said 'yes' to him taking my vessel."

"Wait, what?" Sam said, astonished. "You had Cass take your vessel?"

"Not for very long, but I'll never forget it," Dean said, standing and then stretching slightly before he walked toward Castiel and took one of the bottles out of his hands. "It was indescribable. I could see and hear everything that was happening, but couldn't move or talk. I could hear Cass's voice in my head saying, "It's okay, Dean. Everything will be alright." Meanwhile it was also like Jimmy Novak told us in that it was like being strapped to a comet or something."

"Whoa," Sam said, blinking at Dean. "That is... wow, I don't even know."

"Cass got the ghost while he was riding me," Dean said, unscrewing the top to the bottle of whiskey. "And then he threw the angel blade to Crowley who then dropped it in the fire."

"Well," Sam said, blinking at Dean still more. "Sounds like I missed quite a ride for myself. I'm sorry you and Cass had to go through that."

Dean removed the cap from the bottle of Jack Daniels. "Yeah, nothing like having my best-friend ride my naked vessel in front of a very naked Crowley and a naked ghost who had it in for Gabriel."

"I'm just glad it wasn't me," Sam replied as Dean handed him a glass. "I mean, it sounds like you and Cass had a terrible time at that place. Not to mention all of the naked dudes, like you said."

Dean poured some whisky into Sam's glass. "Well," he began as he then poured some of the Jack into his own glass. "I'm just glad that it's over."

Dean offered a glass to Castiel. "Cass, you want any?"

Castiel shook his head. "No. I think I'll be leaving now."

"To do what?" Dean asked after he had taken a sip from his glass. "Watch over people who don't even know you're there? Or go to heaven to mingle with crazy angels?"

"I think I'll just get my own room here," Castiel said, although he didn't know why he should need his own room. He had watched over Sam and Dean in their sleep before and had planned on doing so again. But something... a feeling he had – a strange feeling – was telling him he needed to get his own room.

"Okay," Dean said slowly, and then blinked at Castiel a single time. Cass had never gotten his own room before.

Castiel turned and walked for the door, opening it before the door shut behind him.

"Well," Sam said before he took a drink from his glass of whiskey. "That was weird."

"Yeah," Dean agreed, worried. He needed to talk to Castiel. Their conversation wasn't anywhere far from over yet.

"What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Sam asked Dean. "You wanted to tell me something about you and Cass."

"Oh," Dean said following a swallow from his glass. "It was nothing..."

Sam shrugged it off. "Hey," he began. "You want to turn on the TV?"

"Alright," Dean replied, and then sat down on the foot of his bed.

Meanwhile...

Castiel didn't know what to think.

He knew he loved Dean, but he didn't know. Maybe he loved Dean in the wrong way?

He continued to ponder as he sat, motionless at the foot of his bed. Part him wanted to get up and walk over to the next room. After all, just because things had gotten a little weird between he and Dean didn't necessarily mean he needed to be alone.

But he was still used to being alone. When he wasn't on a mission of some sort, it was just like Dean had said for him; he watched over strangers who didn't even know he was there, or mingled with (crazy) angels in Heaven.

And when he wasn't doing that, he was with either Sam or Dean or both of them.

He knew he had to be crazy. He shouldn't be thinking of Dean like this. Dean had been right. Dean was a human, he was an angel. It was just... crazy.

But he was the Winchester's angel. Dean's angel more than anyone. He would do anything for him. He would die for Dean as Dean said he would for him. He loved him so, so much, that it had eaten away at him over the years. Looking back at the past, of all the things he had done to wrong him in any way, still hurt so much that it had driven him crazy on the inside.

He didn't know what to do now. As angels did not sleep, he supposed he could simply stay up all night and watch TV. He liked TV.

He picked up the remote and turned the television on.

And go figure, porno was on.

A man and a woman having sex on a diving board. Castiel didn't understand why two people would do that, but come again, he still didn't understand why the pizza man had spanked the woman who had been leaning over a table at the time.

Sex, sex, sex. That was all anyone seemed to think about anymore. It was on TV, in the music... even every episode of Family Feud had questions which all related to sex in some way.

Castiel had had sex now, so he knew how it worked. It had felt good. Really good. The best he had ever felt in his whole life.

Still... he had thought of Dean. Maybe he had actually wished it had been Dean instead of April. Castiel didn't know. He didn't know how two men had sex. He had an idea of how it went, but it would help if a gay porno came on.

Castiel flipped through the channels, but as he had figured, all of the porno on was straight porno.

He knew what he needed to do. So, without further ado, he teleported himself to the video store which he and Dean had passed on the way back to the motel.

Meanwhile...

Dean was watching Dr. Sexy MD while Sam fiddled on his laptop.

"Dude," Sam said, looking up from his laptop. "Can you turn that down?"

No answer.

"Dean," Sam said, annoyed. "Can you turn that down a little?"

"What?" Dean's head snapped to the right. "What'd you say?"

"I asked you if you could turn that down," Sam replied.

"Oh," Dean said, and then grabbed the remote control. "Sure, Sammy." He turned the TV down a couple of bars. Then he had some more whiskey.

"Dean," Sam said again. "Are you okay? You sure are knocking back the Jack. You only drink like this when you're extremely upset about something. I haven't seen you drink like this since the apocalypse."

"I don't want to talk about it," Dean said to him.

"Talking helps." Sam shrugged.

"No," Dean replied. "I really don't want to talk about it. You weren't there, so you wouldn't understand."

Sam's brow furrowed. "Does this have anything to do with the Secret Cove?"

"Yes and no," Dean said simply. "But like I said, I don't want to talk about it and there's nothing you can say or do to get me to talk about it." He took another drink of Jack Daniels.

Sam took a sip from his own glass. "Does this have anything to do with Cass, by any chance...?" he asked Dean.

Dean frowned. "Will you stop asking me these crazy questions already? And-and no, it has nothing to do with... with Cass..."

Slowly, Sam said, "O-kay," before he asked, "Are you sure you're telling the truth?"

"Yeah," Dean replied, slowly. "But," he began, taking another drink of the powerful whiskey, "I think I'll go next door and pay Cass a visit. We need to... talk... about something..."

Sam sighed a little. "What do you need to talk about with him?"

"It's private, okay?" Dean replied quickly, standing from the bed.

"O-kay," Sam said again, even more slowly than before. "I must've missed something today."

"Yeah, you missed a crazy time at the Cove."

Sam knew this had to do with Castiel in some way, he just didn't know how or it what way. What he did know was that something had gone down at the Secret Cove.

Whiskey bottle and glass in hand, Dean opened the motel door and stepped out.

Sam shrugged, and went back to the internet to watch YouTube videos about monsters.

Meanwhile...

Castiel continued to set on the bed, watching the DVD he had swiped from the video store.

He knew one of the Ten Commandments was "I shall not steal," but Castiel had done so anyway.

He had stolen a gay porno.

A loud moan emitted from the screen, and Castiel felt a small twitch in his pants.

On the screen, a man on his hands and knees was getting pounded by the man who was taking him from behind.

"Yeah, that's it," the man on his hands and knees said. "Fuck me," he repeated as the other man took him. "Fuck me!"

They were rocking back and forth, the smaller man underneath the larger man rocking in sync with every thrust the man on top aimed to make.

"You dirty whore," the man on top said to the smaller man underneath him. "You like getting pounded by my hard cock?"

"Fuck yeah," the smaller man replied to him. "Split me in two!"

A knock on the door.

Castiel knew it had to be Dean. He stood from the bed and walked his way the door.

Castiel swallowed, and then opened the door.

Sure enough, it was Dean Winchester.

"Dean," Castiel whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"We have unfished business," Dean said, opening the door fully before he walked inside of the motel room. He shut the door behind him.

Dean was about to say something to Castiel, when the TV caught his attention.

"What the hell are you watching in here?" Dean asked him, and then walked closer to the TV to take a closer look. "Is that... oh my God, Cass. You've been in here watching gay porno... why?"

"Because I wanted to understand it," Castiel replied, and then stood still, blinking at Dean.

"Turn it off," Dean said, picking up the remote before he turned off the TV.

Dean poured himself some more of the Jack before he sat the bottle down on the nightstand. He put the glass to his lips, taking a drink. Then he said, "Cass, how do you feel about having some sort of relationship with me?"

"That's what I've wanted since the moment I pulled you out of hell."

Dean smiled a little. "Yeah," he said in between drinks, "Our lives sure have been crazy. I miss the days when my job was just taking down some vamp or burning the bones of a ghost. But now... we've had Greek Gods, Leviathan, angels, military monsters, Frankensteins, the Mark of Cain... What happened to the simple stuff?"

"I don't know," Castiel said with a sigh. "I agree with you. During the apocalypse, things were... simpler. I remember being angry at God, and I still am."

"Me too," Dean said, sitting down on one of the beds. "But hey, we're straying way off topic here. We're supposed to be talking about us."

"I love you, Dean," Castiel whispered. "But I don't know what to do with that love."

Dean stood up and walked his way to Castiel, until he was standing directly before him. "How about this," he murmured, and then gave Castiel a kiss.

Castiel kissed Dean back, ironically thinking of the porno he had just watched. He mimicked what he had seen in it, breaking the kiss and trailing his lips down to Dean's neck, kissing it.

"Cass," Dean moaned, tilting his head back as Castiel kissed his neck. "Take off your clothes..."

Dean grabbed the collar of Castiel's trench coat, pulling it down and off of Castiel before he reached for his blue tie. Once the tie was off of Castiel, Dean grabbed the base of his own shirt and pulled it over his head. Then Dean ripped open Castiel's white, button down shirt before pulling it down and off of Castiel.

Afterwards, Castiel unbuttoned Dean's jeans before he went to work on his own pants, unbuttoning them and pulling them down.

And then Dean pulled down his pants along with his boxer shorts, before Castiel did the same to his own pants. Dean kicked off his jeans while Castiel stepped out of his black slacks.

Both naked, they studied each other's bodies.

"I feel like we're back at the Secret Cove," Dean said to Castiel.

Castiel smiled a little. "I was thinking the same thing."

"Come here," Dean said, pulling Castiel close to him. He kissed Castiel again, tasting his sweet, full lips. Castiel moaned into Dean's mouth, wrapping his arms around Dean. Dean and Castiel continued to kiss as Dean began stepping toward the bed, his mouth still kissing Castiel's.

They fell down to the bed, Dean on top.

Quickly, Dean breathed out the words, "I want to have sex with you."

Castiel nodded. "I want to have sex with you too, Dean..."

Dean turned Castiel onto his stomach, and then began kissing the angel's back, guiding his tongue down, down, and down, until...

"Oh Dean," Castiel whispered into the pillow. "Dean..."

Dean continued to lick between Castiel's cheeks, licking his most sacred spot for all he was worth. Dean continued to lick at Castiel's hole, holding his cheeks apart with his hands.

Dean had never had sex with a man before, but he knew enough. It couldn't be all that different from having anal sex with a woman, and he knew what women liked.

"Dean," Castiel moaned again. "Dean, it feels so good..."

Dean plunged his tongue inside of Castiel before the angel moaned again.

Castiel thought of the porno he had just seen, before he said, "Make me your dirty little whore."

Dean chuckled and thought of the time when Castiel had kissed Meg. "What have you been watching this time?"

"Who cares, Dean?" Castiel whimpered. "Keep licking me. I like being licked by you."

Dean shoved a set of fingers into his own mouth, wetting them with saliva. Afterwards he moved his hand downwards, until they were in between Castiel's cheeks.

"This might hurt a little," Dean whispered to him, gently stoking Castiel's back with his left-hand.

"I'm an angel," Castiel whispered back. "I don't feel pain the way humans do. Can I feel uncomfortable? Yes... so I do feel pain, just not in the way humans do..."

"Well," Dean began, stroking Castiel's back, "This might feel a little 'uncomfortable'..."

"I don't care," Castiel said into the pillow. "Just do it."

Dean positioned his fingers in between Castiel's cheeks and then slowly, he pushed them into Castiel.

Castiel moaned loudly, burying his face into the pillow still more.

"On your hands and knees, Cass," Dean said to him as he continued to stroke his back with his free hand.

"I'll do anything," Castiel replied sensually, "I'll do anything you ask of me." He got on his hands and knees.

Dean continued to work his fingers in and out of Castiel, scissoring them inside of him. Castiel moaned again, pushing his hips back to meet the thrusts of Dean's hand.

"You're so hot like this, Cass," Dean whispered. "I wish you could see yourself."

"And I wish I could see your eyes," Castiel whispered back.

"Anything," Dean murmured, withdrawing his fingers from Castiel before flipping him over, onto his back.

Their eyes met, and a brief, wordless silence set in.

Finally, Castiel said, "Do it."

Dean nodded, spreading Castiel's legs on either side of him.

Afterwards, he took his hardness into hand, aligning it with Castiel's opening. Slowly, he pushed into Castiel, who moaned loudly as he was filled, inch by inch.

"Are you okay?" Dean asked him.

Castiel forced a nod. "It hurts a little, but... I'm sure that will pass..."

"I don't want to hurt you," Dean whispered. "I'll go real slow, okay?"

Castiel nodded, before Dean began to push in and out of him, establishing a slow, steady rhythm.

"Oh Dean," Castiel moaned, wrapping his arms around Dean's neck. "Kiss me."

Dean leaned forwards and down, kissing the angel as he continued to take him. Castiel moaned into his mouth while Dean kissed him, and Dean could not remember the last time he had felt this good. All of these years, all of the subtext between them... there was a lot bottled up in their relationship.

Finally, they were getting what they both had wanted. Dean knew they had wanted each other even before they knew they had wanted each other.

Dean continued to push in and out of Castiel, before sensually, Castiel moaned, "Please touch me, Dean..."

Dean knew what Castiel had meant, and then he encircled the grip of his right hand around Castiel's hardness, stroking him in timing with his thrusts into him.

"Oh Dean," Castiel said loudly, "It feels so-so good..."

"Yeah it does," Dean whispered back. "I only wish I had been your first."

"You are in this way," Castiel said to him. "I've never been taken before."

"I know that," Dean whispered softly. "I shouldn't be thinking about all of that at a time like this. My only thought should be pleasing you, making you feel good."

"This is the best I've ever felt in all of my existence," Castiel whispered, his hand cupping the side of Dean's face. Dean kissed him again, and then felt as Castiel wrapped his legs around his waist. Dean grabbed the back of his knees before pushing them down against Castiel's chest, thrusting into him faster and harder than before.

"Dean!" Castiel moaned out, his nails scratching trails down Dean's back. And then Dean moaned loudly into Castiel's mouth, delivering a powerful thrust into his body as he continued to stroke him at the same time.

Castiel whispered, "I think I'm about to orgasm."

"You mean you're coming?"

"Coming where?"

"Never mind," Dean huffed.

Castiel nuzzled the side of his face against Dean's, kissing his cheek before Dean turned his head and went in for another kiss with Castiel. Castiel wrapped his arms around Dean's neck, moving his hips in timing with Dean's thrusts.

"Come for me, baby," Dean whispered into Castiel's ear.

"Oh God, oh Dean... I-I... Dean...!" Castiel moaned, and then came into Dean's hand.

Dean continued to thrust into Castiel, hard and fast. "God you're hot," he said, picking up the pace.

"Come for me," Castiel whispered against Dean's lips. Dean nodded and said, "You know I will."

Dean moaned louder than he ever had before, coming inside of Castiel as he said, "Oh, Cass..."

"Cass," Dean moaned again, thrusting through the aftershocks of his orgasm. It felt so good...

Finally, Dean collapsed on top of Castiel and they both lied there in a sweaty heap.

Castiel whispered, "Was I okay? I mean, did I perform accurately?"

Dean nodded into the crook of Castiel's neck. "Yes, you did."

Dean sat up a little and then pulled himself out of Castiel. Afterwards he flopped down on the bed next to Castiel, wrapping an arm around the angel.

"That felt really good, Dean," Castiel whispered to him.

"Yeah," Dean agreed. "It did." He turned Castiel's face toward him before he went in for a kiss.

Castiel swallowed. "So... does this mean we're... 'together' now?"

Dean let out a chuckle. "What do you think, Cass?"

"I don't know. That's why I'm asking you."

"Well," Dean began. "I'd say that after that, we're definitely together."

"You know," Castiel said as he laid his head on Dean's chest. "I still remember when I pulled you out of hell. I couldn't believe how horrible it was down there, and I didn't know why you were there and I really didn't care. I was just following orders. Now I know that my purpose, the reason I was chosen to save you, was because God wanted me to be your angel... Every time I've died, God brought me back, for you..."

"God," Dean whispered. "You know, I still wonder where He is in all of this, and, hey, that reminds me of this passing thought I've had before. I... wonder if I've seen Him before, you know? Maybe I've passed Him on the streets or even worked with Him. I feel like He's got his eye on me and Sam... you, too. I also wonder if that means God's watching you and me right now..."

"That's... a disquieting thought," Castiel replied. "However, I agree with you... even though He hasn't answered me when I've called out to Him, I feel like He's paying close attention to me, to us. Back when I... tried to become God... my real reason for doing so was to get back at Him for not answering my calls or my prayers. I'll spend the rest of my life regretting that..."

"You paid for that already," Dean whispered, running his hand through Castiel's dark hair. "You did your time and so did I."

"After I shifted Sam's hell unto myself, not only for him but as a way of paying for my sins, I spent twenty-four hours a day in a living hell with Lucifer. It stopped when I was cast into purgatory, but still, I'll never forget how awful it was."

"Hey," Dean said after placing a gentle kiss into Castiel's hair, "As much as I don't mind you playing 'confess your sins' with me, it's depressing. We should be happy right now."

"I am happy," Castiel said silently. "I suppose part of me just feels like I don't deserve you..."

"Hey," Dean said again, holding onto Castiel tightly. He kissed his hair again. "You'll always be my angel..."

"I love you, Dean..."

"I love you too, Cass."

A knock on the door.

"Dean," Sam's voice called out between knocks. "Are you in there?"

"Uh, yeah!" Dean called back. "Just give me a minute!"

"Oh my God," Sam said loudly enough so that Dean and Castiel could hear him. "Crowley was right!"

"Crowley?" Dean muttered, and then it hit him. "Oh, shit..." He jumped out of bed. "Cass, get your clothes on, we've got a demon to kill!"

Dean pulled his pants back on and then pulled his shirt down over his head. Meanwhile Castiel was trying to button up his shirt when he realized most of the buttons were gone due to Dean's having ripped his shirt open earlier.

"Just... put on everything that you can!" Dean almost shouted, sounding panic stricken.

Once Dean had all of his clothing back on and after Castiel had done the best he could in getting his back on, Dean opened the motel door and began walking down the small sidewalk, back toward his and Sam's room. Castiel followed closely behind Dean.

When Dean had reached the proper room, he opened the door to see Sam pacing about the floor while Crowley was sitting at the small desk with Sam's laptop open.

"Moose," Crowley said to Sam. "Look who's here."

Castiel then walked in, shirt torn and tie wrapped untied around his neck.

"Sexy," Crowley said, smiling.

"Sam, I... I..." Dean was unable to finish, as Sam had cut in.

"No!" Sam yelped. "I don't want to know anything." He temporarily plugged his fingers into his ears.

"Damnit, Crowley," Dean said to him. "Have you been showing Sam that video you took from the Secret Cove?!"

Crowley nodded. "I have. By the way, I have a video of you two having sex as well."

"I'll kill you," Dean replied angrily.

Sam unplugged the fingers from his ears. "Now hold on a minute. Just tell me what the hell is going on here!" he yelled, looking around the motel room. "Dean," he continued, earnestly, "have you and Cass actually been having sex together?"

Dean blinked at him and said nothing.

"Oh-oh my God," Sam said, rubbing at his forehead. "But Dean, he's an angel...!
He sighed. "And a dude," he added, continuing to rub at his forehead.

"It's none of your business," Dean affirmed.

"That's right," Castiel said simply. "It is none of your business."

Crowley laughed out loud. "Seriously, Cass," Crowley said to him. "Why don't you just get a bracelet that says "WWDWD". Get it? Instead of it saying "What would Jesus do?" It'll say "What would Dean Winchester do?" He laughed again.

"Just get out of here," Dean said to Crowley. "I need to talk to Sam. Alone."

"Alright," Crowley said, standing from his chair at the desk. Then he walked over to Sam and handed him a USB port. "This has to special 'footage' on it." Afterwards, he disappeared, probably going back to hell.

"Dean," Sam said, looking into his eyes, "Crowley showed me a video of you two..." He swallowed. "...kissing... in a tent on the beach of the Secret Cove. And then earlier when I knocked on Cass's door you couldn't answer because... you two were... were..."

"Alright!" Dean yelled at him. "I had sex with Cass!"

"But why?" Sam asked quickly.

"Because I love him..."

"I love him too but you don't see me jumping into bed with an angel who probably doesn't even know or understand the first thing about sex."

"I'm attracted to Cass, too."

"So?" Sam said with a heavy sigh. "He's also our best friend. Didn't you always say not to fuck your friends?"

"I know, I know," Dean replied. "I'm not gonna apologize for it, though. Cass and I are together now and that's that."

Sam looked to Castiel. "And how do you feel about all of this?"

"I..." Blue eyes met brown. "I only know that I love Dean, and I want him to be happy."

"You're an angel," Sam said back. "How can you know the first thing about love when you yourself told us that you were not built to love, but only to serve God?"

"You and Dean taught me how to love," Castiel said to him.

Sam nodded and said, "I agree with you... Alright, then, was this a onetime thing, or will it continue?"

"It'll continue," Dean answered.

Castiel looked at Dean. "Can we go back to my room now? I want to lay my head on your chest, be in your arms, while we just... talk..."

"Sure, Cass," Dean replied, and then looked back at Sam. "I'm going back to Cass's room."

Sam looked away temporarily, and then realized he had that damn USB port in his hand. Carelessly, he tossed it aside.

He so did not need to see what was on it.

Castiel headed for the door with Dean following close behind him. After Castiel had stepped out, Dean held onto the door for a moment and looked at his brother.

"I saw him first," Dean said in a playful manner, and then shut the door.

Sam got into bed and turned on the TV, thinking to himself, they're probably having sex right now.

Meanwhile, Dean and Castiel were lying in bed together, Castiel's head on Dean's chest with Dean's arms wrapped around him.

"This has been one crazy day," Dean whispered into Castiel's hair.

Castiel nodded against his chest. "It has... but I like where it ended."

"Yeah," Dean agreed. "Me too." He placed a gentle kiss on Castiel's hair.

Castiel held onto Dean tightly, as though he never wanted to let go. "I love you, Dean Winchester, and I'll always be your angel..."

"I'm tired," Dean said to him. "You don't have to stay where you are while I sleep.

"I'll stay," Castiel whispered. Then he sat up a little so as to look at Dean, and placed the tip of a set of fingers against his forehead.

Inside of Dean's mind, there were images of what Dean wanted to do to the angel... images of Castiel riding Dean while Dean held onto Castiel's hips. Images of Dean talking him from behind with Castiel's back against Dean's chest. Images of them kissing, ardently, until the saliva ran from the corner of their mouths.

"You don't want to go to sleep," Castiel whispered with a chuckle, pulling his fingers away from Dean's forehead.

Dean sighed. He hated it when Castiel did that.

"I just didn't want to give you more that you could handle," Dean said simply. "I think we should take this slow... even though I would love to have you ride me right now, or how much I would love to bend you over and fuck you again."

Castiel chuckled and touched his fingers to Dean's forehead again. Before Dean could tell him not to do it, Castiel had implanted images into his head of Castiel fucking him... of Dean bent over on the bed while Castiel took him from behind, licking a trail up his back.

Dean appeared horrified. "I don't know how I feel about that just yet."

"Relax, Dean," Castiel replied. "It was only a fantasy. I prefer things the other way around anyway. It feels better to receive your love than to give it."

"I'll let you fuck me if that's what you want," Dean whispered shyly.

"I'd rather ride you first." Castiel smiled, sitting up until he was straddling Dean.

They made love again, Castiel riding Dean, Dean's hands on Castiel's hips as he took him again.

Castiel moaned so loudly that Dean wondered if Sam could hear it from three rooms down.

When they were finished, Castiel and Dean kissed passionately, before the angel once again laid his head on Dean's sweaty chest.

After a while, Dean was asleep with Castiel in his arms.

"I love you, Dean," Castiel whispered against his chest. "You will have good dreams tonight..."

Castiel entered Dean's dream. He was at first dreaming of The Darkness, a real nightmare, until Castiel turned the nightmare into a dream.

Dean found himself sitting on a park bench, with Castiel sitting next to him.

"Tell me what you'd like to dream about, and I'll make it so," Castiel said from his spot next to Dean on the bench.

"I only want to dream about us right now," Dean whispered to him. He wrapped an arm around Castiel and then went in for a chaste kiss.

Castiel made Dean a beautiful dream, deciding that he would do this every night for him.

When Dean awoke the next morning, Castiel was still lying on his chest, smiling against his skin.

"I thought I told you to stay out of my dreams, Cass," Dean stated, though he was smiling nevertheless.

"I'm glad for what happened at the Secret Cove."

"Yeah, me too. I just don't ever want to go back. No one should see you naked but me."

Castiel laughed against Dean's chest. "Alright."

Dean held onto Castiel and kissed his hair once more.

"I love you, Cass."

"I love you too, Dean."

Indeed, things would never be the same.

But they wouldn't have it any other way...

If only they had known about Crowley's hidden camera.

Chuck stared at his laptop.

He'd had fun writing this.

God was closer than they thought...

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the fic. Please review if you have something nice to say!