So... this is my first foray into the realm of writing Supernatural fanfiction but I like to think I can keep characters mostly canon (though I might be horribly wrong.) I do however have a tendency not to use names but hopefully you can still follow easily. Anyway, thinking over this last episode I realized just how easily things could have gone totally different if Cas had been willing to talk to Dean and interrupt his new life and thus, this idea was born. I feel there might be a couple moments outside Dean's character but he's probably still in the grieving stage so let's chalk it up to that.

Coda to 6.20 "The Man Who Would Be King" but I don't believe there are many spoilers other than Crowley's offer as this functions more as post 5.

No ownership rights for me, though I'd settle just for being able to make correct guesses lately.

"Ah Castiel, angel of Thursday. Just not your day, is it?"

"What are you doing here?" As he spoke the angel glanced back at the hunter before returning his focus to the demon.

"I want to help you help me help ourselves."

"Speak plain."

"I want to discuss a... simple business transaction, that's all."

The angel cut in almost on top of the last words, his disbelief apparent. "You want to make a deal?" A short pause. "With me." A shorter pause. "I'm an angel, you ass. I don't have a soul to sell."

"But that's it, isn't it? It's all of it. It's the souls. It all comes down to the souls in the end, doesn't it?"

"What in the Hell are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about Raphael's head on a pike. I'm talking about happy endings for all of us, with all possible entendres intended." A wry smile sat on the demon's face to match the slipping reluctance of the angel's features. "Come on." A tip of the head. "Just a chat."

As the demon turned to start walking away, the angel's voice stopped him. "I have no interest in talking with you."

"Why not? I'm very interesting." For a moment they just studied each other with the only sounds coming from the forgotten hunter doing yard work. "Come on, hear me out. Five minutes, no obligations. I promise."

The angel started to look back. "I'll make it worth your while," the demon teased and that brought the necessary break in the angel's resolve.

Just as he turned to follow the smug demon, the forgotten ex-hunter stopped his yard work and spoke.

"Hey Cas," he began slowly. "I know I haven't said anything to you since that night but I didn't know what to say. I've been working through a lot since Sammy..." Here his voice choked up but Dean pushed on. "Well, you know... And I'm sure you're too busy playing sheriff upstairs to care about what I have to say anyway so, Hell, I might as well be talking to myself but you're the only one up there I can believe cares at all and I just need someone to listen so here goes.

"I've had enough. I know I promised Sam, but all this apple pie-after school special-normality... it's just not me. It never was. Lisa and Ben are great, don't get me wrong, and maybe I could have made a life with them at some point but not right now. Not after losing my brother, my entire way of life. Even Bobby doesn't answer my calls anymore, which might be best, but damn if it doesn't hurt like losing dad or Sam all over again.

"Look at me, going all chick-flick," the hunter commented, breaking his own monologue with a scoff of a laugh. His eyes were misty but his cheeks dry and he continued to stare into the sky above Lisa's house. "All I really wanted to say was I'm still a hunter, no matter what, and if you ever want my help all you have to do is ask."

A flutter of wings and displaced air, and the angel appeared before the hunter. Over his shoulder the demon wore a scowl but he was ignored as blue eyes met green. "Hello Dean."

Alright, so this is totally not what I planned to be my first Supernatural fic but the idea latched onto my brain when I was supposed to be sleeping and I couldn't even think of rest until I got it out on paper. Course that was about midnight Tuesday night when I worked at 6 the next day (and the one after) and I'm horrible at remembering stuff but here this is now. Please forgive any continuity issues as I'm sure this sounded loads better to my mind at midnight than it might to you now. Yay for not sleeping.

Reviews greatly appreciated.