The knife was through Dean's chest before Cas could reach him. The hunter collapsed to the floor, grasping the hilt and staring up at his murderer in shock. Crowley bent down and drew the knife from the body. When he stood up, he smirked as he wiped the blood on his coat.
"One down, one to go, as they say." He chuckled, then turned to find Cas pointing an Angel's blade at his throat. Crowley frowned.
"Or not."
Cas drove the blade into the demon's jugular, and his body flashed with orange light before he fell like a rock beside Dean.
Cas knelt next to Dean, and cradled the hunter's head in his lap. Dean watched him with dulling green eyes, and wove his hand in to Cas' trench coat, grabbing his white button-up.
"Dean." Cas' voice shook terribly. He put one arm around the man's shoulder and pulled him closer. Dean winced, but didn't protest.
"Cas." Dean croaked, "I'm sorry."
"Don't. Dean, don't. Don't leave me." Cas wailed, pulling him closer. Dean's grip on Cas' shirt loosened.
"Cas...I love you." Dean whispered, still watching his friend. Cas squeezed his eyes shut and nodded, too choked up to respond.
"You'll always be my angel." Dean added in a voice that was as loud as a breath. Cas heard him, and raggedly responded, "I love you."
Dean's soft smile lasted merely seconds before his body suddenly relaxed, and the grip on Cas' shirt dropped.
"No. No no no no!" Cas screamed, burying his face in the hunter's coat. "Dean!"
"Cas!"
Cas jerked awake, and found himself staring up at the man he had just watched die. They were in Dean's room in the 'Batcave', and Dean was sitting up on the bed and watching Cas, who was propped up on his elbows.
"Dean?" He asked in utter disbelief.
"What the hell, man. I thought your nightmares were over." Dean said, looking down at his friend with a sympathetic expression.
"Nightmares...right." Cas sighed, and flopped back down. Dean laid down next to him, and turned his head so that he could see Cas. The ex-angel was staring at the ceiling.
"Tell me about this one." Dean said, more of a statement than a question.
"You died."
"That seems to be the theme." Dean sighed, adding, "I don't get why you care so much."
Cas turned to stare back at him. "Would you care if I died?"
"Don't say things like that." Dean shot back. Then he rolled his eyes. "Never mind, I get it."
Cas smiled. "I would care if you died because I need you. As you've told me before, I couldn't do this without you."
"I need you too, buddy." The hunter said, smiling back, but forcibly so. Cas narrowed his eyes.
"What's wrong?"
Dean didn't answer, and instead continued watching Cas's blue eyes.
"Dean?"
"Before you started screaming...ugh, never mind." Dean began, but shook his head and rolled over so that he was facing away from Cas. He felt his heart thumping in his chest and internally rolled his eyes. He was asleep when he said it anyway, Dean thought skeptically.
"Did I say something that bothered you?" Cas asked after a moment of silence passed
"No."
"Don't lie to me."
Dean glared at the wall. "It was nothing."
"What did I say?" Cas asked, but it sounded this time as if he was asking himself. Then Dean heard a sharp gasp. He heard Cas sit up, and then a hand gripped his shoulder and the hunter found himself being tugged toward the ex-angel. Cas was looking at him anxiously.
"Did I make you uncomfortable?"
Dean shook his head. Even though Cas was human now, he was still the most socially awkward person in the group. Usually Dean would feel second hand embarrassment for him, but sometimes his mistakes were too funny to ignore. This, however, was a bit more serious than the usual mishaps.
"There's one thing I don't understand." Dean said, and then he gave Cas the best puppy-dog eyes he could. Cas just gave him a weird look, and Dean cracked up.
"Why would you wait until I was dying to tell me you love me?" He asked, the laugh falling out of his voice. Cas frowned.
"I don't know."
"Then don't. Don't wait." Dean prompted, hoping Cas would take the bait. He did.
"I love you."
Dean grinned. "I love you more."
"That's not really possible, seeing as I have loved you for at least two-thousand years."
"Whatever you say, Spock."
It was Cas' turn to laugh. "For once I knew who you were referencing."
"About damn time."
Cas laid down next to Dean, and the hunter wrapped his arms around the ex-angel. Cas snuggled against his chest, tucking his head under Dean's.
"Night, Cas."
"Goodnight, Dean." Cas said, and Dean felt a trill tingle his spine as Cas' chest vibrated when he talked.
"About damn time." He mumbled to himself.