ONE SHOT - I'm trying valiantly to shake loose my muse so I can get on with my other stories, so I wrote this to see if I could get going. Castiel helps Dean the only way God will allow after the Leviathan debacle. No slash. Dean, Castiel, Bobby (with the best line of the story) and Sam.

Kripke and the CW own these guys...I just play with them when I can...yada yada yada.

They don't know I'm alive…and I am fairly certain they don't care. They have all mentioned me in the past months, but in passing or as a footnote to more serious conversations. I listened for prayers at first, but it was clear that none were forthcoming….not even from Sam. So I stopped listening. It hurt for a bit, but I knew that I had existed for millennia before them, and barring another debacle on my part I would exist for many more. It was time to accept that they no longer needed or wanted me. The only thing that gave me hope that they might want me back one day was that my…no Jimmy's…trench coat still resided in the trunk of whatever car Dean was currently driving. If he kept it that must mean something?

I wanted to help them rid the world of my mistake, but I knew that any efforts I made would be thwarted by my Father. He had exiled me to earth after resurrecting me once again, but only to watch. I suppose he thought that by watching what my former friends had to go through to right my wrong I would learn a lesson. My Grace ached as I watched Bobby's house burn, watched Dean get hurt and saw Sam's struggle with Lucifer. Any effort on my part to help, if only a little, was met with what I perceived to be a short circuit of sorts. A mere sputter of my Grace. I was also invisible to any human eyes, so I began to understand how a spirit must feel when unable to interact with their former friends and family.

I resigned myself to watching, but soon found that my Grace was accessible if I wasn't directly attempting to help them. So I did the only thing I knew would make Dean happy, even if he didn't know I was doing it. I kept watch over the Impala. I was pleased that I could do this one thing. I only hoped that they would survive long enough to see the fruits of my labor.

Many of the creatures I unleashed on the world had come to try to destroy it, and each time I used my angelic powers to repair it. It confused the Leviathans no end that they never succeeded in destroying the car and it gave me great satisfaction to know that they would never know how it was being repaired. They thought they had destroyed me, but I knew that Father was making sure they never became aware of my presence. He didn't want them to take me hostage, thus giving the Winchesters another distraction. Others also came. Random humans hoping to take the Impala as their own, but I made sure that they were unable to do so.

I took great care not to repair anything that would make the car noticeably different to Dean, and made sure that the ravages of the sun, wind, rain, and snow that fell on it over the months that they could not protect it did no lasting damage. In the absence of someone to talk to I talked to her, and found myself loving her as Dean did. Strange how putting so much of yourself into an inanimate object made you feel close to it. I understood for the first time why he loved her so much.

When the time came that they had managed to save the world once again and they came to retrieve her I was happy at first because my friends were safe, but sad at the same time because it meant that she was leaving. I stood by the tree that had shaded her, invisible to them as Dean inspected her carefully. I wanted to reveal myself…cognizant of the fact that hiding from them was what got me in trouble in the first place, but I knew that Father would not allow it. It saddened me that I couldn't even let them know I was alive now that the danger had passed.

When Dean cocked his head in confusion I realized I had made one glaring error. She was clean and much too shiny, with not so much as a water spot dotting the hood from that morning's rain.

He shook his head and started transferring his belongings out of the beat up car he had driven here. When he came to my overcoat he hesitated for a second…then lifted his eyes skyward. Sam and Bobby averted their eyes and shuffled their feet as he stood there not saying anything.

For a second I thought I would have to watch as they drove away, and wondered what I would do with myself now. I felt my Father's hand reach down to free me from my vessel and I felt remorse knowing that Jimmy's body would now be wasted since he had gone to his reward long ago. It seemed fitting that I wouldn't survive either. Just as I thought it was all over I heard Dean's unspoken prayer.

Castiel you feathery bastard…we need you to come home. We…I miss you. Damn it God…we want him back!

The tug on my Grace lessened slightly and after a few moments I felt nothing again. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, waiting for what would come next. I opened my eyes again when I heard Dean speaking.

"Come on God. It was as much our fault as it was his. Give him back please? Human…Angel…whatever. He's our family…our brother as surely as if he was blood. We want him back."

I heard murmured agreement from Sam and Bobby and then another more violent tug on my Grace…it felt like my vessel was exploding and I resigned myself to death. When I was still standing there a few seconds later I saw their eyes widen. Dean dropped my coat and stared. I was visible…and alive. I returned their gaze, but said nothing. It wouldn't be the first time Dean Winchester had lied just to summon something so he could destroy it.

"Cas?"

"Hello Dean."

No one moved and I had never been so uncertain what I should do. Would they be mad because I hadn't helped them? Were they really glad to see me? I reached for my Grace so I could protect myself if necessary. It wasn't there. Father had taken it, but I was still alive. Human, but alive.

Dean approached cautiously and I stood still as he threw holy water and borax at me. I let my angel blade slip from my sleeve and winced as I slid it across my palm, showing Dean that it drew blood…and pain. I then handed it to him hilt first. If he wanted to kill me he had every right, and I was ready. It wouldn't take the Angel Blade to kill me now, but it would be fitting...or ironic...I wasn't sure which. As Dean had pointed out during my ill-fated run as God I didn't get irony. He took the blade, twirled it around a finger and then shifted it from hand to hand a few times as if testing the balance. I wasn't sure what to do so I closed my eyes and waited for the blow.

What I got was a hug. I heard the blade hit the ground and opened my eyes as Dean drew back.

"You did this?" Dean said, motioning toward the Impala.

"Yes. Father would not let me help you directly, so I did the only thing I could that was important to you. I cared for her."

Dean glanced down at my hand which was still bleeding. "Thanks Cas. That means a lot. Does that blood and the fact that it hasn't healed mean you are human?"

"Apparently." I lifted my hand and stared at it for a moment and marveled at the fact that it hadn't already healed.

"Damn Cas. It's good to have you back." Dean said, a smile forming at last.

My eyes wondered over to Sam and Bobby who were still hovering in the background. I wasn't sure they would forgive me as easily as Dean had, but as soon as I looked at them they approached and began to smile as well, Bobby shaking my hand vigorously and Sam giving me an awkward hug.

Once the greetings were over we all stood there for a few seconds before Dean leaned over and picked up the coat and shook the dirt off. "It's a little…uh…messed up."

I took it from him and turned it over in my hands, regretting that I had no Grace to fix it. "It's just clothing. I suppose I can get another one."

The truth was that I was incredibly saddened that my actions had destroyed it. I felt a strange sensation in my eyes and a tear slid down my cheek for the first time. It seemed to be so much more than a coat now…somehow symbolizing the profound bound between Dean and I…he could have just left it floating in the reservoir. But he didn't. It kept my hopes alive at a time I could have given up. I suppose it did the same for him. When I looked up again I saw a matching tear on Dean's cheek.

He wiped it away and rolled his eyes before saying, "Yeah sure…we can find you another one if you want…but there are other much more comfortable clothes you should be wearing if you are going to be a mud monkey like the rest of us."

"You don't have to take me in Dean. I know I did something incredibly stupid, and I don't deserve your help now. I can figure out this human existence on my own if you prefer."

"Now why would I want you to do that? Yeah, you did something stupid. I've done about a million stupid things, Sam and Bobby too. If we gave up on each other when we did something stupid we'd all be dead now."

Sam and Bobby looked at each other and walked away to the other car to get the rest of their belongings. I guess they thought we needed to talk alone.

"Thank you, Dean."

"So how many times did you have to put her back together?" Dean said as he walked over and ran a hand across her hood.

"Several. The Leviathans seemed intent on destroying her. I rather enjoyed the looks on their faces each time they came back and found her whole."

A chuckle escaped Dean's lips and he smiled. "How did you do it? I mean I know you can put a human body back together, but I didn't figure Angelic knowledge encompassed auto mechanics."

"It doesn't. I went to a book store and…um…appropriated a few books on the subject. She still ran the last time I cranked her so I guess I got it right."

"Don't tell me you drove her?"

"No. I wouldn't do that without your permission. I just read that it needed to run to keep the battery charged up, so I hot wired it so I could do so."

Dean grinned and slapped me on the back. "Appropriating books? Hot wiring cars? You're a Winchester all right. Now all we need to do is teach you to hustle pool."

I felt a smile creeping onto my lips. It felt strange since I hadn't done it much, but it felt good to know Dean considered me to be one of them. "I think I'll cease the nefarious activities if you don't mind…now that she is safe."

Dean reached into his pocket and withdrew his keys. He looked at them for a second and then threw them at me. "Think fast! What say you drive us home?"

I caught the keys and stared down at them and then back up at Dean. I was incredibly touched that he would offer to let me drive when it had been so long since he had driven her. "No, Dean. I think it is only fitting that you should drive her home, but I would like to sometime. I have…bonded with her."

Dean laughed and took the keys back, then opened the door and slid into the driver's seat. He caressed the steering wheel and talked to her lovingly as I opened the door to get in my usual position in the back seat.

"Hell no Cas. You get shotgun today. Sammy and Bobby can ride in back."

Bobby rolled his eyes and walked toward the other car. "Sam and I can take this one back. It runs good, so no reason to just leave it sitting here. Maybe we can find it for the person you stole it from or something. You, Cas, and the Impala can have your threesome without us."

Dean glared at Bobby, Sam broke into a fit of laughter, and I just stood there not understanding what had just transpired.

It occurs to me that I am going to have to figure out all of these references eventually. After all, I am human now…and I am going to get to drive the Impala soon. This human thing may not be so bad. I might even enjoy it.