A/N: I do not own ant of these characters and I don't want your money (Unless you feel so inclined in which case please contact 867-5309 and ask for Jenny). It's my first successful attempt to create a Destiel fanfic, so if you have any comments, think any part is OOC or badly written, or just feel that something should be changed, please let me know. My feelings will not be hurt unless you word it as if I were only a baby in a trench coat. I know I'm not perfect. If you think otherwise and love the story, please by all means tell me in the reviews. Rated... idk... K? K+? Basically- not smut.

It began just like any other case, all signs pointing to a werewolf- one seemingly simple man who changed under the light of a full moon. The boys had not been expecting two. While fighting the younger, least experienced of them, the one the boys later came to realize as bait, the elder attacked from behind. It latched itself to the back of the older hunter, tearing away at flesh in hopes of a quick meal. Although to Dean it had seemed like an eternity that the wolf crouched atop him on the floor, it was only a matter of seconds before it had been knocked off his back by a silver bullet straight to the heart. Badly wounded, with both wolves taken care of, the boys headed back to the motel room for first aid. Dean, in his condition, had remembered being lead to the Impala on the arm of his younger brother before waking up in the motel room, his back roughly stitched, hours later. He found no sign of Sam in the room, but found a note informing him he had gone to iron out loose ends with the police and would be back in a few hours.

Never the type to lie around and wallow in pain, he decided to make himself useful by packing the guns into their duffle bag. After carefully putting on a new shirt, as not to disturb the stitches, he stood with his back to the door, organizing the guns spread out on the bed. Although attempting to clear his mind, his thoughts continued to wander to all the times had been close to death, wondering how many more times he could elude it. He couldn't help but think that death would keep him in his grasp next time. He winced at the thought of leaving his loved ones behind, however few, and again at the pain in his back as he picked up a small handgun.

"Hello Dean."

He turned sharply, gun in hand, before realizing the source of the voice.

"Dammit Cas!" He sighed "You'd think I'd be used to it by now!" The gun Dean held up did not waver in his hand, adrenaline still rushing.

"I startled you." the words came out, not as a question, but as a fact, as was common with Castiel.

"Ya think?!" Dean motioned towards the gun before lowering it, wincing as he did so. "So, what's up?" he continued packing away the guns, moving gingerly, and set the bag off to the side.

"You've been badly injured."

Dean shrugged, "What, this? It's not that that bad, man. I mean, uh, not sayin' I'd object to a little angel mojo here, but it's nothing, really. I've had worse." he chuckled, but he knew Cas could see right through this worn-out act. He knew Dean too well to be fooled by his sarcastic outer shell. Dean was in great pain.

"Oh, yes of course." Cas muttered as if preoccupied. Dean turned and lifted the back of his shirt just enough for Cas to place his palm in the small of his back. A warmth spread through him which left as quickly as it came, taking the pain with it. Cas admired his work before removing his hand and allowing Dean's shirt to fall back into place.

He cracked his shoulders and chuckled "Only exception to the personal space rule." He turned, only to see worried blue eyes staring back at him. His smile faltered. "You aren't just here to fix me up, are you?"

Cas frowned slightly and seemed to ponder his words carefully before saying anything. "Where is Sam?" He asked, obviously stalling to say what was really on his mind.

"He, uh, went out for a few. Had to finish up with the cops or something."

He nodded and looked downward, knowing he could no longer put off his point. "Dean, you came very near death on this hunt." There was a worry behind his voice.

"Well, yeah, I guess, but Sam..." He began.

"Your brother will not always be there to protect you, Dean." Coming from anyone else this statement would have worried him, sounded like a threat, but from Cas it only left an uneasy feeling in his stomach. Dean was sure Cas had been thinking the same thing he himself had only moments before about Death's grip.

"Good thing I've always got you to pull me back then, huh?" There was no conviction behind his voice.

"Dean, you know I cannot always do that. To bring you back disrupts the natural order and creates havoc for the fates." His voice grew more worried in every word, although he managed to keep his calm.

He huffed in both acknowledgment and annoyance. "Why are we talkin' about this, Cas? We know this; we HAVE known this for some time. My life ain't exactly rainbows and sunshine, here if you haven't noticed."

Cas straightened up, looking him in the eyes. "This is why I need you to allow me to say what is on my mind, Dean."

Dean sighed, knowing he had been beat. He motioned to Cas to tell him to speak his mind.

He took a breath in order to mentally prepare himself for what he was about to say. "Now, I have been told that when I speak I can be very, what was it, 'blunt?' but I know no other way to say this. Any hunt could be your last, and I would be full of regret not to say what I think."

He paused just long enough for Dean's mind to think through all the things he may say, many of which worried or even scared him.

"I am not human, and therefore not very good with emotions. However, I have been among the humans for a few years now, and I have watched over them nearly since the dawn of man. From this time I have come to realize, the emotion I feel around you... is love."

Dean was worried he knew where Cas was going with this, but he tried anyways, "Yeah man, we're family. Family loves each other, that's how it works."

"Around you though, Dean, it's different." his voice wavered in confidence as he attempted to explain "As with Sam, and Bobby, I felt a love for them. When briefly I met Joe and Ellen, I felt a loving, familiar nature to them. But you..." he sighed and closed his eyes. When he opened them, Dean saw a level of determination he only ever before seen from Hunters. "I love you, Dean Winchester."

"Yeah, I love you too man." Dean quickly remarked, "In the friendly, BROTHERLY, least homo way po..."

Cas lowered his voice to a point that Dean could barely hear it. "Angels have fallen for this."

Before Dean could think about what Cas had said, he felt a pair of lips meet his own. They were dry against his, but they brushed against him as softly as a feather.

He pulled away without returning the kiss. "Ok, that was the MOST homo way possible!" Dean quipped, horrified.

"You do not feel the same." His matter-of-fact voice had a miserable undertone to it.

Dean didn't know how to feel. He wanted to feel angry, both at Cas and at himself for even giving Cas the idea he might feel this way. He wanted to feel sorry for turning Cas down in such a moment of bravery. He wanted to feel ashamed, being kissed by another man, dead vessel of an angel or not. But he couldn't bring himself to feel anything.

"Cas, I'm sorry, man, I just..."

"You do not need to apologize. If you are certain you feel nothing of the same sort, I will leave and we can forget this happened."

Dean turned away to collect his thoughts. "I don't know if I can just, forget and forgive on something like this, ya know? I mean, Cas, this is kinda huge." Without turning, he felt Cas hang his head in shame, and in hurt.

"I completely understand" Dean heard the rush of air as Cas left without another word. Dean turned to assure himself he had gone and shrank on the bed, putting his head in his hands. His best and only friend had just showed up, out of the blue, confessed his love for him, KISSED him, and left. So why couldn't he bring himself to feel mad, or even upset? All he could feel was an odd sensation creeping into his mind, like a weight being lifted...

'No' he told himself. 'This is Cas we're talking about. He's like a brother to you, isn't he? Isn't he...?'

An odd, yet not entirely unusual feeling began to surface in his mind. No matter how hard he tried to push it back down it wouldn't go, it only seemed to grow in strength.

Hadn't he thought of this before? 'Never seriously,' he thought 'Or...'

Head still in his hands, sitting on the motel bed, he felt the rush of wings as Cas returned.

Dean lifted his head to look at the angel in front of him, who looked as if he had a deep sense of restored confidence.

"Cas..." Dean's voice seemed to plead as he said his name.

"Dean, listen. I will leave again, if that's what you wish, but first I need to hear it from you." He spoke calmly as if it were any other situation.

"Hear what, Cas?"

"I need to hear you say that you do not feel the same. After everything we have been through, after I rebelled against heaven, after I fought my own brothers, after I saved you from Hell," Dean unintentionally looked to the mark peeking out from under his sleeve. It was his own mark on Dean's soul. "I need you to tell me that you do not love me in the same sense that I love you."

Dean stood and allowed his deep, mysterious green eyes to meet Cas's blue, loving ones. They stood in that way, facing one another, staring into the other's eyes for a long time, or so it seemed to them. Cas saw a man whom he had saved even though that man had felt unworthy. A man who had taught him more about humans in these few short years than watching over them from above had taught him all along. A man who stood next to him through anything. A man whom he connected with over secrets and pain of loss. Dean saw an angel who had saved his life many times. An angel who always kept his word. An angel who was there for Dean whenever he needed him, and who Dean was there for whenever he was needed. An angel who made him believe. An angel would do anything for him, including fall.

"Cas..." He spoke lightly as he recited the name of the angel.

The name of his angel.

He leaned in quickly, as if Castiel might disappear at any moment. The dry lips were against his again, contrasting his own soft ones. He put his hand to his Angel's face in a loving gesture, and could feel Cas do the same. They leaned into each other, as if the world outside were a vast nothingness pushing them together. Still locked, Cas began to slide his hand down Dean's face to his shoulder, then to his arm, where he pushed up Dean's sleeve and placed his hand over the mark. A healing warmth spread again through Dean. They could feel the years of love compress into one kiss.

"Cas?" Dean pulled away slightly, forehead still pressed to the angel's, wrapping his hand around into Castiel's hair. "I love you, too."

He pulled Cas back in for one last glorious moment, before hearing a key turning inside the door.

"Fallen for this"

He again felt the rush of wings as the comforting heat faded from his arm, faded from all around him. Cas was gone again, leaving Dean to his thoughts.

Leaving Dean to think of his angel.