"Dean?" The response from the other end was a muffled moan. "Dean? Is that you?" Cas wasn't so sure at the moment. That sounded nothing like Dean Winchester.

"Yeah s'me. Whaddya want Cas?"

"Dean, are you...allright?" There was something off about him. His voice sounded different and he seemed... cranky.

"I'm just peachy. Whaddya want?"

"I...where are you Dean?"

"None of your friggin beeswax."

"Dean," Cas let out a sigh. "If you dont tell me I can always call Sam and ask him."

"Fuck off."

"Dean-"

"Springfiel Illinois

"Im on my way-" But the only respnse Cas got was a dial tone.

Dean heard the usual whoosh of air and knew his angel had arrived. "Dean, you look-"

"Horrible, I know. I feel even worse." Dean muttered.

"Whats wrong? Here, let me heal you-"

"No." Dean barked. Cas took a good look at him and recognized what was going on immediately. Dean was sick. "Just go 'way, leave me alone."

"Dean, I can heal you. You'd feel better-"

"No, I dont need your stupid healing powers Cas. Im fine now go-"

"Im not leaving Dean." Cas abruptly folded his arms, hoping it would further prove his point. "If you dont let me heal you I'll stay around and help you get better...in human ways. You are sick, arnt you? I believe thats your aliment. Perhaps the cold or flu-"

"Yes, I'm sick okay? Jeez doesnt take a genius to figure that one out."

"Why wont you let me heal you Dean? This doesn't look very pleasant for you at the moment, I could-"

"Because I said no." Dean coughed weakly and Cas became concerned, moving closer. "You do too much for me allready Cas, and your new grace isn't going to last forever you know. I...you've allready done so much for me and Sammy, I can't ask for anthing more."

"Healing you is simple Dean and don't be so concerned about my grace. The only time I have to be careful is when it starts to dimish, until then I will be fine."

"Whatever." Dean rolled over on the couch so Cas was faced with his back.

"Dean," Cas leaned down and tenderly touched Dean's shoulder. "Let me help you. I will be a 'pain in your ass' until you let me."

"You allready are." Dean muttered.

Cas squinted his eyes in what passed as a glare but made no comment. With a whoosh he was gone.

Dean turned arond, feeling a little sad that Cas hadn't stuck around. Yeah, he had been a douche, but he was absolutely miserable. He wasn't in the mood to put up with Cas...or was he? Now that the angel was gone Dean felt like he should have done more to keep him around, because he hated being miserable but miserable and alone? He couldn't stand it.

Cas cocked his head and watched the sleeping human's form. He hated seeing Dean like this, especially when there was something he could do about it. Dean must have sensed his presence because he turned his head to face Cas and let out a groan. "Oh great,your back."

"I know you are happy to see me Dean, don't deny it." Dean bit the inside of his lip, he'd caught him. But how? "I'm sorry that you are not feeling well at the moment." Cas perched on the edge of the couch. "And since you wont let me heal you, I have researched ways to reduce your levels of discomfort." What? Cas placed a hand on Dean's forehead and cocked his head again. "It does seem warm, but I'm not sure if its unusually warm or all humans are-"

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Checking to see if you have a fever." Cas dug around in his trenchcoat pocket and pulled out a thermometer. "Perhaps this device will be more usefull. Open your mouth." When Dean made no move to Cas placed his thumb on Dean's jaw, causing his mouth to open. Cas popped the thermometer in, a little too forcefully if you asked dean, and then closed his mouth again.

"What the hell cas?" Dean sputtered.

"Shhhh," Cas rested his hand on Dean's cheek. "Don't talk."

Dean's mind was reeling but he obediently obeyed. He oddly liked the strange, gentle pressure of Cas's hand on his cheek. "I hope I am doing this correctly." Cas muttered to himself as he yanked the thermometer out of Dean's mouth. "101 degrees ...is that normal Dean?"

"Thought you told me not to talk." Dean smirked.

"Tell me!"

"No, it means I have a fever."

"A fever..." Cas seemed to think. "Which means you need advil, that will reduce the fever the book said."

"The book?" Dean questioned. "You read a freaking book on-"

"You are not supposed to be talking." Cas said harshly, placing a finger over Dean's lips. He rose from the couch and searched through the cupboards in the bathroom. "Do you happen to have advil?"

"Yeah, check my bag."

Cas searched Dean's duffle bag and found what he was looking for. "Here," He thrust the bottle at Dean along with a glass of water.

"What do you want me to do, take the whole bottle?" Dean joked.

"Will that make you better quicker?"

"Ah, no, it'll probably kill me."

Casd quickly snatched the bottle back and dumped one pull out into his hand. "Here, take one, or maybe half of one-"

"I can take two and I'll be fine, here." Dean grabbed the bottle from Cas's hand and swallowed two advil. "There, happy?"

"Not particularly, you are still sick." Dean chuckled a bit at this, which promptly turned into a cough. Cas immediately rushed over. "Dean, are you-"

Dean waved him away, "I'm fine Cas."

"You must be cold." Cas tugged at his trenchcoat and Dean's eyes widened. He suddenly lost all ability to think because was Cas stripping right there in front of him? Cas removed his trenchcoat and place it over Dean. "Better?"

Dean decided to humor him. "Yeah, thanks." Dean rolled his eyes. Had Cas missed the blanket just casually lying on the back of the couch? Dean wasn't going to complain though. He pulled Cas's trenchcoat tighter around him and breathed deeply. It smelled like Cas. No, Dean couldn't describe what Cas smelled like, but it was a scent he recognized instantly. Because it had become his home. Cas gave him a soft smile, noticing the way Dean seemed pleased to have the trenchcoat wrapped around him. "I'm going to make you some soup."

"Wait, you in a kitchen? I dont think that's such a good idea-"

"Dean," Cas gave him a stern look. "Sit back down, you need your rest."

"I dont want any stupid soup." Dean complained.

Cas wordlessly walked into the kitchen and Dean could hear the clang of pots and pans. Cas was muttering to himself and Dean smiled, this was too funny. Cas emerged and surveyed Dean. "I think I will go out and get some soup for you, will you be okay?"

The concern on Cas's face was flattering. "I'll be fine cas." Dean said honestly. Then the angel was gone.

When he returned Dean was watching television. "Here," Cas placed a container of chicken noodle soup carefully in Dean's hands. "Eat."

"Cas, I don't want any damn soup. This is stupid, you don't need to cater to me, I'm capable of looking after myself, even if I am sick."

Cas gave him a look and pulled out his cell phone. "Sam? Dean's grouchy, I think he is sick. What should I do?" He disapeared into another room and Dean couldn't hear him anymore.

Cas reappeared a few minutes later. "Where is the soup?" Cas asked. Spoon, bowl and all its contents had vanished from Dean's hands. Dean gave an innocent shrug of his shoulders. Cas seemed annoyed and Dean smiled to himself. "Fine, I will go get you some more."

This time when he returned Cas didn't hand the bowl to Dean. Instead, he pulled up a chair and sat in it. He looked into the bowl of soup mournfully. "Dean, I am worried about you. I don't like seeing you like this, I like it much better when you are yourself, when you smile. I just want to help you, please...you have to let me help you." Wow, sappy Cas. Carefuly, you might even get some tears soon. Dean tried to put a stop to his sarcastic thoughts and focused on Cas. He could sense a genuine worry from the angel. "Sam said to keep babying you and you would give in eventually, but...that doesn't seem to be working. So I decided to tell you the truth."

"You know I'll be fine, right? You dont have to baby me Cas-"

"Maybe I want to." Dean gave the angel a look. "I mean, it would make me feel better Dean, to know I was helping you somehow. I always have to help you." Dean sighed loudly and Cas shoved a spoonful of soup in his face. "Open your mouth."

"Nuh uh, no way in hell I'm going to let you feed me-"

Cas placed the spoon in Deans mouth, barley spilling any of the soup. "Now swallow."

"I know how to eat Cas, jeez."

Cas smiled at him and Dean finally realized what he'd seeen in those eyes so many times before but hadn't been able to recognize, affection. Pure, adorning affection. Cas moved another spoonful of soup towards him and Dean obediently opened his mouth. "Thank you dean." Cas whsipered. Dean smiled and maybe it wasn't so bad after all.

Soon the soup was all gone. Cas placed the empty container in the kitchen and reappeared, scooting Dean over so he could sit beside him. "What are you watching?"

"What happened to me not talking?" Dean asked with a cheeky grin.

"Oh...yes...I forgot-"

"It's allright, it's some shitty talk show, I wasn't really paying much attention."

"How are you feeling?" Cas murmered, moving and placing Dean's head in his lap.

"Ah..." Dean was surprised by the angels actions. "...Good, I'm feeling, good."

"Good." Cas repied with a smile as he slowely began stroking his hand through Dean's hair.

"Ah Cas..." Dean couldnt help it, he had to ask. It seemed like Cas was possesed by some weird...he didn't even know what. "What are you doing?"

"Oh...ah." Cas's hand stopped and he let out an akward laugh.

"No, I didn't say stop. I asked you what you were doing."

"Tendery running my hands through your hair to show you my affection and also in hopes it would lull you to sleep."

Wow. Dean had never expected any of those words from the angel or for those words to be directed to him for that matter. "Okay." No objections, no complaining, no eye rolling, no sarcastic comments. Just okay. This is not what Castiel had expected.

"Okay?"

"Yeah, you not understand that word or something?"

"It's just...nevermind."

"You expected me to blow if off, didn't you? You expected me to tell you to stop. Well I guess I'm just full of surprises today."

"So..."

"Keep goong, I like it." Dean chuckled.

"Okay." Cas resumed running his hands through Dean's hair and it fell silent. A comfortable kind of silence.

"You want to know what happened to that soup?" Dean asked quietly, almost half asleep.

"Okay."

"I ate it."

Cas chuckled softly and that was all Dean needed to finally close his eyes and drift off to sleep.