Sam and Dean had retreated to a motel to regroup and gather their thoughts. Sam had - as usual - taken to researching frantically. Dean couldn't bring himself to be so enthusiastic right now. He had been sipping beer and brooding.

Now that Dean had been given time to mull recent events over, he started to wonder if telling Castiel he wanted little to do with him anymore had been the wisest decision.

He'd been trying to make a point of course. It shouldn't have taken that much persuasion to make Castiel side with him over Zachariah. In Dean's head, it had brought Castiel's morals and intentions into question. It would take a lot for the hunter to feel like he would be able to trust the Angel again.

However, now Dean wondered if they had lost a valuable ally. Castiel's powers were obviously of great use, but above that the Angel had shown loyalty and determination to help Sam and Dean previously, and they really did need all the friends they could get.

Dean scoffed and shook his head a little. Sam looked at him questioningly, but the tapping of keys soon started up again.

Dean's amusement has been brought on by the fact he highly doubted Castiel was even thinking about his ultimatum. The Angel was an emotionless soldier as he often liked to remind Dean, so why would he even care about the hunter's dismissal? If anything, he would probably laugh at the small, lone, hairless ape trying to tell him - a powerful Angel of the Lord that he was no longer going to be spoken too.

The tense silence in the room was cut when Sam's phone suddenly started ringing. Dean was only half paying attention when his younger brother answered it, but when Sam spoke the name he instantly became captivated.

"Cas...yeah we're in a motel."

Sam gave the address and only moments later there was a flap of wings, and Castiel appeared in the room.

"I'm going to work outside" Sam announced, as there was an obvious tension between his brother and the Angel.

The younger Winchester left, and Dean took a large swig of beer.

"Hello, Dean" Castiel said quietly.

The hunter ignored him. Instead, he took another long sip of beer before going to lay down on the bed and looking up at the ceiling.

"Dean?" Castiel said again, as if hoping the hunter had simply not heard him.

Again, Dean did not respond. Sam knew how petulant the older Winchester could be in us retaliations sometimes, but also how stubborn he was when pride took over.

"I...I know that you are angry with me" Castiel stated.

He still hadn't moved from the spot he'd landed in, but his head was bowed slightly from remorse. Dean frowned; the Angel had always held his head high with conceit. When Castiel looked up at Dean, catching his gaze, the hunter immediately snapped back to looking at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry that I forced you into that room with Zachariah. I'm sorry that I tried to prevent you from reaching Sam."

He moved to the end of the bed. Dean's eyes flickered to him for a few brief moments, but just from that he could see more grief in the Angel's eyes than any emotion before. The hunter didn't understand; was the mighty celestial being really taking his silence this hard?

"You must understand, that everything I've done since I met you...has been what I thought was best. What was the best for the world. At least...that's how it seemed" he sighed.

Dean now openly let Castiel know he and his attention by looking at him in a questioning manner.

"I was doing what Zachariah told me was best. You were right. I did want to warn you before...because in the brief period I have known you you've taught me about free will and how hopeful it is.I...I do believe in you and Sam. I believe you are the right, and Zachariah is the wrong.

Dean looked back up the ceiling with a contemplative frown. Castiel did certainly seem genuine, but Dean had been torn apart by people he trusted too many times. He really did want to believe Cas...

"Please."

Dean's head whipped back around to look at Castiel with shock. The word had come out so small, and so broken...

"What do I need to do to prove myself?" The Angel asked somewhat desperately. "I've already given up a lot to help your cause, but I will give whatever else I can to help it...to help you. I'll give up anything for you."

With that, Dean sat up. Seeing Castiel so upset twisted something deep within him Dean didn't even know existed. He found he wanted to suddenly take back everything he said before. He never wanted to see Castiel like this again.

He looked the Angel up and down once before standing up from the bed and approaching him.

He placed a hand on Castiel's shoulder.

"Welcome to the family" he announced. "Newsflash: we fight...each other...a lot...but we care about each other none-the-less, and we learn to put our crap aside."

Castiel seemed to visibly sag with relief and a small smile graced his lips.

"Thank you."

"Thank you for doing the right thing" Dean reiterated. "I know it must be hard to side against your brothers and sisters, but you are the true hero amongst them all.

Castiel's chest puffed out a little as his pride was restored. Dean's lips twitched slightly upwards,despite everything else that was going on around them.

He patted Castiel's shoulder. "C'mon, let's go kill this Lilith bitch once and for all."