For the first time, he was happy. Truly happy. After all the shit that he had to deal with: the werewolves, the ghosts, the demons and the whole end-of-the-world thing, Dean was finally happy. Sam was here. Their mother and father were here. Castiel was here.
Dean smiled at the angel. Castiel took on the form of Jimmy Novak for Dean's sake. Dean told him that he didn't have to do that but Castiel knew how much Dean appreciated seeing a familiar face.
Heaven was definitely an interesting place. There was a lot of light, that was to be expected, and the light was bright. But it didn't hurt Dean's eyes at all. The rays of the light were such a pure golden color that they looked solid. Another thing about Heaven was the water. It flowed in a river and was crystal clear. So clear that it looked like glass. Heaven also had lots of shops, something that Dean was not expecting. Except you didn't have to pay to get the things from the shops. Literally everything (that God didn't consider immoral) that was ever made on Earth was available in these shops. You could get books that were destroyed 1000 years ago, gemstones, any video games, and even clothes from ancient times. Dean thought about getting himself a real toga for a party before.
For once, there was nothing to hunt. Dean was the last in his family to die. He couldn't take Sam's death for very long. He was hunting solo for about a year before he made a mistake and got killed by a ghost. Morbid, but it had a happy ending. Another hunter got the ghost and Dean was now here.
He felt soft lips kissing his forehead.
"Affectionate today, Cas?"
"Why do you call me that?" Castiel pouted (at least to Dean it looked like a pout).
Dean chuckled. He had been sitting by a golden tree that grew fruit so delicious that nothing on Earth could compete with. Dean didn't even want burgers and fries after eating the fruit. He was now spoiled.
"Come on. Don't you like your pet name?" Dean joked.
Castiel flew up to get a piece of fruit. He descended back down to Dean and split the fruit in half, giving one to his lover. Dean accepted it gratefully.
"Thanks. Anything going on down there?"
God didn't want the humans to concern themselves with Earth once they made it into Heaven. So only the angels could see what was going on. The humans were allowed to ask the angels and the angels could answer if the question was not inappropriate. Humans could not ask how their friends and family were coping with their death. But humans could know about non-personal things like what kind of new technologies were being developed and such.
Castiel took a bite out of his fruit. Dean waited patiently for an answer. It was so much easier to be patient once you got into Heaven.
"The apocalypse hasn't happened yet, if that's what you're asking," Castiel answered teasingly.
Dean felt a smile forming on his lips. He had been smiling a lot lately. He never thought he would be grateful to a ghost for anything.
He didn't have the weight of the world on his shoulders anymore. That was what Castiel was really trying to tell him. Sam and Jessica came up to the two The woman smiled at Dean.
"What's going on, you two? Are you guys on a date? That's a sin, you know?"
She was joking. It wasn't really a sin. That was just a common misconception. Dean smiled up at her. Sam rolled his eyes.
Castiel tilted his head in confusion. Dean finished the last of his fruit before standing up.
"Weren't you two going to see Bobby?" he asked them.
"We already did. He called Jessica beautiful and me an 'idgit' before he went to hang out with Mom and Dad. Why? Did you want to be alone with Castiel?" Sam asked teasingly.
Castiel turned to Dean.
"We can be alone at any time, Dean. I'm sorry, I thought you knew this already."
Dean did already know. Each person in Heaven had their own little place they could call their own. It was sort of like a bedroom except that it was actually a part of their soul. What a person's room looked like was determined by what their soul was like. Dean liked to call those rooms 'Happy Places.'
"I know about those. I actually saw Sam's happy place not too long ago," Dean informed.
Sam's room was both wonderful and sad to see at the same time. There was a crib with a monster doll inside. A representation of Sam's childhood that was invaded by the supernatural when he was just a baby. There were also floating soccer balls and weapons Sam had been taught to use as a child. As you went farther into the room, it was like Sam was aging. You saw his posters he had as a teenager, then when you went a little bit farther you saw all his lawyer books at college. What Dean liked most about Sam's room was the single candle that bathed the room in Heaven's light. Sam had told him how the candle represented Sam's light overcoming all of Sam's darkness.
God, Dean was so glad that Sam wasn't in Hell. Castiel rubbed Dean's shoulder, startling the human out of his thoughts.
"I haven't seen your room yet, though. You gonna' show it to us sometime?" Sam asked Dean.
Dean's happy place was a spacious park with his favorite Impala parked close by. It brought Dean such amazing peace to be there. The elder Winchester wondered what it all symbolized. Maybe he could ask his know-it-all brother?
"Sure, you can. Whenever you want," Dean told him.
"I would like to see it too, Dean," Castiel said suddenly.
"That's right. You haven't seen it either," it totally slipped Dean's mind.
Sam looked at Jessica.
"Why don't we let Castiel see Dean's so-called 'happy place' before we do? I think it'd be better if they're alone in his room."
"You don't have to do that," Castiel turned to the younger Winchester.
"I think it's a good idea," Dean suddenly said, "Do you want to see it now, Cas?"
Castiel's face flushed red. He turned to his human lover and hesitantly nodded. Sam and Jessica waved them off while Dean took Castiel to his happy place.
A person could go to their happy place at any time. Dean now knew how to teleport. But he couldn't explain how he was able to do it. Once he got into Heaven, teleporting seemed as natural as blinking.
A second later, the two men were at the park of Dean's happy place. Castiel took in the sight and smiled.
"It's beautiful, Dean," he said breathlessly.
"Yeah," Dean put a hand over his head sheepishly, "But I don't know what it's all supposed to mean. Sam's happy place had a whole bunch of metaphors or whatever the term is when you see one thing and it actually represents something else."
"Metaphor is a good word. There is also the word symbol," Castiel explained, "But I know what this all means."
Dean grinned at him. His winning grin that got him so many willing partners when he was alive. Dean was happy to only use that smile on Castiel.
"Really? Then tell me."
Castiel took a few steps forward, as if savoring the gentle breeze in his face.
"What do you think of when you see a park?"
Dean shrugged.
"Peaceful place that kids play in? I don't know."
"Not just kids," Castiel said, "Lovers who want to spend time with each other. The elderly taking their time to watch the birds and squirrels. Students diligently studying for their tests."
The human took a long moment to ponder over Castiel's words.
"But I still don't know what it means," he told Castiel.
The angel gently touched the Impala that was parked close by, rubbing his hand against the side view mirror.
"Did you ever wonder why your favorite car is always unlocked?"
"I thought it was so I could get into it," explained Dean.
Castiel smiled.
"Your so-called 'happy place' is a wonderful one. It is sending a message loud and clear about one of your many virtues."
At this point Dean slightly leaned his head in, urging the angel to go on.
"Openness, Dean," said Castiel simply, "Both the park and the car allows everyone into their hearts."
Dean was a bit confused. Open? He wouldn't think himself an open person. After all, he wanted to kill Gordon long before Sam even considered it. He wanted to celebrate when they killed Azazel. He never wanted to talk to Sam when they were fighting. There were so many others he closed off.
"I don't think I'm that open, Cas. Maybe to my friends and family but not to assholes who want to kill people."
"That's why this is a park of peace. Only the peaceful people come here," Castiel explained.
Dean looked around.
"But there's no one here," he pointed out.
Castiel smiled at him. Dean blinked for a split second and when he opened his eyes, everyone was there. Bobby, Mom, Dad, Sam, Jessica, Ellen, Joe, and so many more. Dean had to take a step back in surprise.
"You have a tendency to bury your feelings, yes," Castiel said, "But you have never stopped giving people a chance to be in your life. Even when you tried so hard to close Sam out when he drank demon blood, a small part of you was still open to loving him. You're a great fighter, Dean. But you're an even better lover. That's what your 'happy place' means."
Dean saw all his friends and family looking around and he felt so much love. He felt like he was embracing them all and they were all embracing him. Dean looked at the angel.
"I've never considered myself open before you explained all this to me," he admitted.
Castiel smiled. He kissed Dean very gently on the lips, pulled away, and said, "Thy soul is a window into thyself. It is who you truly are."
"Like the unconscious or something?" Dean couldn't help but ask.
Castiel smiled.
"It's a little more complicated than that idea proposed by Sigmund Freud. I could try to teach you all about the concept of the soul, but it would take a few centuries. And God would still know more than you."
Dean smiled.
"Then teach me. I've got all the time in the world."
I decided to do a sweet Destiel fic for once. Abducted's fun to write but sometimes I want to write some nice!Castiel too.
By the way, I had the most difficult time trying to come up with a good title. Sorry if it sucks.