Songs of the Lost: hi, everyone! This is my first story as a fic writer. I'm just playing with one of my favourite pairings and I hope I did a good job at portraying them. I intended this to originally be a one-shot but if I get enough reviews I might add more chapters! I'm open to reviews and suggestions, but please don't flame. Thanks!

Characters belong to the writers of Supernatural.

Sympathy

Dean, please. Give me a chance. I gave everything for you. I…I love you.

The voice, strangely familiar, echoes around the space of Dean's mind, but he can't quite place it. He's desperate to know whose voice it is, and Dean could have figured it out had his waking not cut the voice off abruptly. But he woke just in time. There's someone knocking on the door of his motel room, urgently. Deans quickly glances at the clock. It's almost four in the morning. Dean looks around. Sam isn't there. He's probably gone out somewhere, but Dean doesn't really care where exactly that might be. He isn't out hunting, that's for sure. Besides, Sam is a big boy. He can take care of himself. He's probably come home now, asking for advice on god knows what. Dean strides across the room and yanks the door open. Standing there, with eyes that seem to see into Dean's very soul, is Castiel.

"Uh….come in, Cas."

Dean ushers the angel into his room. Castiel steps in as Dean closes the door behind him. "Why did you come?" Dean asks worriedly. "There's nothing bad going on, is there?" Castiel gives an exasperated sigh. "No, not for the time being, at least. I've come here to talk." Dean turns to face the angel and the corner of his mouth pulls his lips into a disbelieving grin. "You came to talk to me? How sweet. Well then, I'm listening."

Castiel launches into what promises to be a long, drawn-out speech. "Dean, I- I don't know where to begin, exactly. Least of all when I talk to you. Others I can figure out. Easily. I can figure you out too, most of the time, but…there is some part of me that will always be at odds with you. Always trying to understand why you do the things you do."

Dean sighs, feeling guilty. But only slightly, really. "Look, Cas, I know I've done some things that weren't too great for you. And you come through, most of the time. But what are you here for? You want me to say 'I'm sorry'? Sorry for what I've done? Because I'm not sorry, Cas. I'm not sorry for trying to do the right thing."

Cas looks at Dean sadly. "I know. That's exactly it. I give so much for you, Dean, but I will never be repaid. And perhaps that is how it's meant to be, but I can't help yearning to help you again. I would give everything for you all over again, if you would just ask. And I do not know why I feel obliged to look after you, to follow you no matter what, to be your so-called guardian angel. I was wondering if you could tell me that." Cas walks closer to Dean, closing the distance so that now the pair are but a couple of feet apart.

Dean looks into Castiel's eyes and sees a mixture of emotions. Anger. Sorrow. Resentment. But most of all, longing. The emotion at the forefront of Castiel's startling blue eyes. Dean remembers what he said to Castiel once, and it seems like so long ago. "When humans want something, really really bad... we lie." And now, looking into Castiel's eyes, Dean thinks that maybe, just maybe, angels do the same thing too. But instead of lying to others, they lie to themselves. He recognizes who the voice in his dream belonged to now.

Castiel draws in a shaky breath and lets his eye flit down to the carpet, before bracing himself to look back into Dean's eyes. "Dean, please. Give me a chance. I gave everything for you. I-"

Castiel's voice slowly fades away as Dean closes the distance between them. Their noses almost touching, Castiel parts his lips as Dean closes his eyes and softly, slowly, kisses Castiel. "I know." Dean says, after he's pulled away. "I love you, too. I hate to admit it, but I'd be lost without you. And I'd be dead. I need you, Castiel. More than I could ever say out loud." Castiel looks up into Dean's face with wonder. Dean suddenly breaks out into laughter. "What? What have I done? Have I done something wrong?" Castiel seemed flustered, scared, hopeful, all at once. "No, not at all!" Dean finally manages to subdue his laughter and claps a hand onto Castiel's shoulder. "Never thought I'd be locking lips with a dude, or an angel. And I just did. With a dude who's also an angel!" Castiel looks at Dean, confused. "I don't understand. How is this funny to you?" Dean grins. "Man, you're hilarious, you know that?"

Castiel, for the first time in a while, feels his mouth break into a wide grin. He realizes that he only seems to smile around Dean. Castiel reaches out his hand in wonder, and leaves it to rest in Dean's short brown hair, at the back of his head. Castiel slowly, cautiously pulls Dean's head ever so slightly forward. Dean grins again, wider this time. "C'mon, relax! It's me, Cas. We've known each other for years." Castiel pulls Dean's head forward and his lips crash into Dean's. Cas wraps his other hand around Dean's back. Dean's hands pull Castiel to him and make it clear that Dean has no intention of letting go. Their tongues slip into each other's mouths, and they kiss ferociously, releasing years of pent-up desire and need into a single gesture.

When they finally pull away, they are both left breathless and astonished by the other. Castiel speaks, more to himself than Dean. "I have…never done something like this before. It feels…nice." Dean laughs again, a warm sound. "Well, you came pretty late, and I'm pretty exhausted to be honest. You gonna stay?" Castiel looks around, flustered at first, but he soon settles down. "Yes…I would like to stay." Dean lumbers back to his bed, and flops down. "Take the couch, there're some blankets in the closet if you need 'em." Dean mumbles from under the covers. Castiel eases off his trench coat and lays it gently on the table. "Thank you…Dean." He makes himself comfortable on the couch and turns off the small reading light. Dean turns flips off the main light, leaving the room in darkness. "Don't mention it…Cas."

Later in the morning, Dean wakes up early. He'd thought that maybe Castiel would like to stay with company during the night. He feels a pang of sympathy for his…friend? Lover? Castiel must be so lonely during the night, not sleeping while the human world has ground to a halt. Dean figures that he'll find Castiel up and about, maybe making Dean some food, maybe sitting on the couch waiting, or maybe he'll even have left the room already. Dean glances over at the couch. He is shocked to find Castiel curled up beneath a blanket on the couch with his eyes closed and a smile on his face. He looks so peaceful. Dean thinks to himself. He's never seen Castiel look this relaxed. He looks almost like a child, his face free of tension and worry. He isn't sleeping, Dean knows that much. He's just daydreaming. Dean snorts. Maybe, just maybe, I'll ask him out to dinner once our lives settle down just a bit. But then Dean has to suppress a laugh. When in hell is that going to happen? Our lives are never gonna settle down. But still, I think I'll ask him to dinner for tonight. Dean allows himself an amused smile as he pictures how Castiel will react. Castiel turns on the couch and Dean strides over and pulls the slipping blanket up the angel's shoulders. You know what? Dean thinks to himself. I sure as hell don't know where I'm going, but I'm glad that Cas is here with me. Castiel's voice, just barely audible, reaches Dean's ears. "And I'm glad you're here too. I…I love you." Dean smiles and reaches out his hands. Castiel's own hand emerges from the blanket and the two clasp hands, tightly. Castiel turns his head and his eyes meet Dean's. Dean leans in to kiss the angel softly. When their lips are seconds away from meeting, Dean whispers softly, "I love you too."