Dean had driven five hours on a hunch. His nerves were jangly and shot, even though he'd been sleeping like a king on his memory foam mattress. Maybe that's what was making his nerves do an off-time lambada through his brain.

As he reached the side of the road, he could feel a creeping thickness moving up his throat, as it though it were coated with molasses and cement. He found himself swallowing hard, his knees shaking while he was still sitting. He hands joined in the act while he tried to open the driver side door of the Impala when he finally found a clear place to park.

Steady, man, steady, Dean told himself. You could be wrong about this whole thing.

Walking toward the sight was like walking time in reverse. It was odd, how much time had passed, and yet how much he remember. The scratch on a certain piece of bark, the tiny dirt hill that his shoe had made explode since he hadn't been in the mood to climb over it. Time was nothing, the day moving into the shadow of early evening by the time he reached the spot where the trees lay felled and untouched by rain or wind. Everything was as he had left it.

"I thought you'd come eventually," came the voice from the man in the trenchcoat, back turned to Dean and not quite talking over his shoulder.

"Hey, you know me," Dean said with a lump in his throat, "I'm nothing if not predictable. Hey, Cas, man, why don't you turn around?"

"I shouldn't. I'm -I don't have long before they find me."

"Who?" Dean took a step forward. "Who, Cas? Tell me what's goin' on. You do this disappearin' act like you don't wanna be around and then-"

Castiel turned, pain in his eyes, but not from Dean's words. "You have no idea what's going on, what I'm protecting you from."

"You're always protectin' me, let me protect you Cas."

Cas shook his head. "No. I'm afraid."

"So? We'll be afraid together. The hunter and his angel. You and me and Sammy too. Cas and his boys, ridin' like always. Team Free Will, remember?"

Castiel watched Dean approach. He thought he might have the strength to walk away but found himself rooted to the spot. Dean was close to him, Dean's breath near enough to his own. They hadn't been this close in what seemed like the shortest and longest amounts of time that Castiel had ever experienced.

"It can't be like always. It can never be again."

"Is this about Samandriel?"

Cas hung his head, unwilling to bring his eyes up to see Dean's own. "And so much more. I just- there's so much I feel like I need to say before I go."

"Go? You can't go. You just got here. What the hell, Cas?"

Cas put his hand up to halt Dean speaking and looked up again. "Dean- I," his voice trembled and he felt a small prick against his neck. It didn't seem to change anything and then he heard himself start to sing.

I've heard it said

That people come into our lives for a reason

Leaving something we must learn

And we are lead to those

Who help us most to grow if we let them

And we help them in return

Cas shut his mouth, turning his head sharply with eyes wide into the surrouding forest area and seeing nothing.

Dean opened and closed his mouth, waiting for Castiel's gaze to return to his own. "Cas, did you just-" Dean felt a sting in his own neck and looked around, brushing the skin against his neck but not feeling a stinger or a leaf or anything, not even a smear of blood. "-you just sang to me."

"I could not help it. This is strange."

"Wait, don't disappear just yet. Please."

Castiel looked at Dean in the eyes. "You know I can't refuse you, Dean."

"Then tell me what's going on."

"Almost can't refuse you."

Dean closed that gap between him and Cas, putting his hand on Cas' shoulder. "Then don't," he said in a low voice. "Let me help you. I owe you that much."

"Don't," Cas said as he shook his head and started to sing again

It well may be

That we will never meet again in this lifetime

So let me say before I part

So much of me is made

Of what I learned from you

You'll be with me

Like a handprint on my heart

Castiel found his hand hovering over Dean's chest, afraid to actually touch him or be close. Because he knew if he were any closer, he'd get in the Impala and let the Winchesters save him again. And he couldn't. Not this time.

"Wait," Dean said with a low growl, "I know that look. That's your pre-leavin' look. Don't go. Please. Stay awhile. We'll go out, get burgers. You look like you ain't eaten in days. We got a lair now, got a bed for ya. You got somewhere you can stay, somewhere safe. Cas, please. I'm beggin' ya."

Cas stood stiffly as Dean broached the space and filled it with himself, hugging Cas. Castiel stood there, clenching his hands in a hug he couldn't return. Dean didn't know how much he was killing Castiel on the inside, how much it hurt him to have to refuse. And then he heard Dean's voice singing in his ear low.

And just to clear the air

I ask forgiveness for the things I've done you blamed me for

But then I guess we know there's blame to share

And none of it seems to matter anymore

Castiel pulled away a little, finding that he had a trickle of a tear coming from his eye. Dean was right there with his thumb, pulling it away. There was a new lump in his throat now, not one associated with his old grave site.

"Wait- I can't stop you from going, but I want you to know I hope it's not long. Don't let it be long."

Like a ship blown from its mooring by a wind off the sea

Like a comet pulled from orbit as it passes the sun

They found both themselves singing, locked together in a hard embrace, neither wanting to move, neither able to finish a word without breaking words just a little.

Who can say if I've been changed for the better

I do believe I have been changed for the better

Because I knew you

Castiel found himself walking backwards, still singing low and watching Dean watch him go.

Because I knew you

Dean found himself waving goodbye to Castiel, one hand in his jacket pocket, clenching his side so he wouldn't go running after the angel. And in a split second, Castiel was gone. And Dean was left with a vaccuum of air from where he had been and nothing but worry behind it.

I have been changed for good

(A/N: "For Good" is from the musical Wicked.)