"Ya know what we need?"
"Dean I swear to God if you say beer…I just bought some this afternoon. You can't have drank it already"
"Keep your hair on Sammy. I was gonna say a holiday"
"That sounds nice Dean" Cas piped up.
"We don't exactly have much time for that though really"
"Aw cmon Sammy. I don't mean anywhere too far, just maybe a weekend at the beach or something cause we've never been"
Without thinking Cas blurted out "Yes you have. You loved the beach"
"I've never been to the beach Cas, neither has Sam. Are you okay man?"
"Yes Dean I'm fine. I got confused is all" Cas tried his best to cover up what he had just said. Of course Dean didn't remember the beach, he couldn't remember anything. "I think I mistook what humans call a beach"
Dean knew something was off but decided not to push it. "So what do you say? Beach?"
"Okay okay. I'm in" Sam let out a small chuckle.
"Cas?"
"I suppose I am in as well Dean" Cas really did want to go but it would be hard with Dean now. He wanted so badly to walk along the sand, fingers entwined with Dean's. The beach was their happy place and the probably the best memory they both had. But now Dean doesn't know it, Cas blinked hard to push back small tears that were threatening to fall from the corners of his now hazy blue eyes.
"Awesome I want you both awake and down here for 6am in the morning. I want to get me some beach time!"
"Well I had better get some rest. Goodnight Sam. Goodnight Dean" Cas didn't hear their responses, he left the room in a hurry trying to get back to his room before he cracked. He closed the door of his room and knelt before his bed. One hand scrabbled under the bed and retrieved an old wooden box, his face was overtaken by a bittersweet smile as he opened it. Inside it was their old Polaroid camera, the letters he had written to Dean, the letter Dean wrote back, some film and Polaroids. Cas picked up the polaroids from the beach and cradled them for a moment before laying on the bed and leafing through them. As he looked tears rolled down his cheeks but a small smile remained fixed on his face and that is how he fell asleep that night, he dreamed of waves crashing onto the beach.
—
Dean was the first one up, he walked to Sammy's room then knocked loudly before throwing the door open."SAMMY! Get your lazy ass up. We are going in 25 minutes" Dean ran off just narrowly being missed by the pillow Sam had just launched at him. Dean made his way to Cas' room and knocked a little more politely but still pretty loud, "Castiel get your feathery butt out here we're going soon!" Dean started to open the door.
"DEAN! You can't come in yet" Cas sounded frantic and Dean could hear him rustling things around. Dean made a confused noise. "You can't come in cause I'm dressing"
"Okay man cya downstairs in 20 minutes"
Cas breathed a sigh of relief. The Polaroids were still spread out across the bed, That was a close call. Cas gathered them back up. He slipped them back into the box except one, he put that in his pocket and made his way downstairs, with the old camera tucked carefully under his arm.
—–
They were almost at the beach, Dean had been singing for the whole journey, he even sang their order into the microphone at the drive-through where they got breakfast. Cas sat in the back of the impala smiling, it was good to see Dean being so happy, it made him think of the first time they went to the beach. Sam started out pretty grumpy, probably due to Dean's unsubtle wake up call, but as they got closer to the beach Sam joined in singing too. Maybe today wouldn't be as hard as Cas thought.
—-
Finally they were at the beach and after finding a suitable parking space for Baby they headed towards the sea front. Dean's eyes glittered at the row of arcades and the fast food stands. Sam stood staring at the light brown sand and the murky blue water, it wasn't as vibrant as he imagined but it was one of the best sights he had ever seen. Cas watched Dean until he was snapped back to reality by Sam and Dean having a childish argument about what to do first.
"Cas you agree with me right? Food, then arcades and then beach? I don't want sand in my pants while I'm eating"
"Dean we need to go check into the hotel…"
"You're such a buzzkill Sammy, that can wait"
"Maybe we should check in, we can put our things in the hotel and then if you get sand in your pants you can just change them?" Cas tried his best to steer Dean towards the more sensible option without offending him.
"Dean c'mon"
"Fine but it had better not take long" Dean pouted slightly and headed towards the hotel following behind Sammy. "Coming Cas?"