My first Dean/Cas fic ever, be nice!

"The Space Between"

There is no sun in this place, just trees, dead grass and rivers that flow endlessly. It's dark and dreary and dangerous, but oddly not cool at all. It's like Dean can't even feel the cold or the hunger he should feel. He's been traveling alone for days, looking for his angel. The only possession he has right now is a makeshift machete made out of stone, savage looking and heavy, but sharp and useful.

Dean grins as he swings the blade. Finally, something better than hands to defend himself from the monsters—the vampires, the werewolves, the shape shifters, the deadly leviathan—that live in this dreadful hole between heaven and hell.

Fighting had always been a part of Dean's life since he was young, and while this should be like any other day for him, it's not. It's more like a normal day on crack with monsters at every corner. It's so intense that being here feels like war—he and the angel, who is nowhere in sight, are against all of the creatures of purgatory.

The monsters don't bother Dean though because he could fight things ten times his size and strength. Monsters attack from behind, in front, and on top, jumping down from tree branches. They're no competition. He slashes their throats to intimidate, shoving them against trees, demanding in a deep voice, "Where's the angel?" The angel that was mysteriously transported to purgatory with him along side the entire leviathan species, and now has gone missing.

'Where's my angel' almost came out, but that's only a thought, so brief like dust in the wind, it blows away. But there's no wind here, so the thought stays for a moment and then retreats to the back of his mind. Dean buries it so far in his unconscious that the thought feels gone. But it's not forgotten, it only seems that way. Survival is too important for Dean to be thinking about his possession over anything.

Often though no words would be said in response to Dean's threats, and Dean would be quick to act. He chops their heads off one by one until there is no one trailing after him, or at least so many died that the rest of the monsters are now scared to approach the human, so he walks alone but alert and poised for a fight.

Finally without monster interference, he finally spots the angel, kneeling by the river, splashing his face with water. Dean wants to know Cas. He wants to understand his social awkwardness, his loyalty and devotion, and his strange religiousness that really isn't strange at all. He thinks Cas is washing away his sins as if he is being baptized, but Dean doesn't care about redemption or God, just Cas. But Cas doesn't care anymore either Dean realizes. They both no longer believe, they're twin doubters. Cas is most likely cleaning himself of dirt and nothing more, wishing there was a God to forgive him for his wrongs.

Now they can find a way out. They could double team all the evil in this universe and figure out an escape plan. Dean runs to Cas, pulls him up and hugs him, taking him away from his cleansing. Cas tenses like he's too full of sin to be loved, but finally relaxes in Dean's embrace. After all Dean forgave him, and that was all the forgiveness Cas needed, or so Dean thought. Cas is coming home with him.

"You need to go on without me, Dean. I ran to stay one step ahead of you, so the leviathans wouldn't attack you. They are after me. They cannot be after you," Cas says in his gravely voice, pulling away from the hug. Dean strokes Cas's face so briefly that Cas barely notices as he tilts his head, looking at Dean with such intensity and seriousness.

Dean smiles and lets out a breath, vocalizing his appreciation for Cas's 'peach fuzz.' Surprisingly, Dean is thankful to have the angel back in his presence. Cas looks rough and tired and sad, but like himself like he's sane again and no longer carries Sam's burden of time in Lucifer's cage. He's still dirty despite the rinsing of his face, but Dean is dirty too. Their filth and stink doesn't matter, nothing matters, but escaping together.

"I'm not leaving you behind, you hear me?" Dean says intensely as he grips Cas's shoulders tightly. "We're going home, Cas, now let's move before the leviathan find us."

Cas does that half-smile thing he does that shows his appreciation and just looks at Dean for a long time. Dean used to cringe at Cas's staring problem. It brought out more frustration in Dean than Dean even knew he had. But this time Dean lets him stare and stay in his personal space. It feels normal now, comforting even. The warmth of Cas's body so close to his body feels refreshing in a place that's neither hot nor cold. Dean wants to draw him closer once again, but Cas finally nods and backs away from Dean before walking ahead, slowly but surely.

"We will find you away out," Cas just says. Dean's so swept away with finally having Cas back that he doesn't hear the you in Cas's sentence. Dean just walks next to Cas with oblivious and hopeful eyes.

Night falls, and Dean is sitting against a tall oak tree while Cas lays on the ground, looking up at the muted, starless sky. Cas's head is resting against a pile of leaves. The angel doesn't need sleep, and here in purgatory, Dean doesn't need it either, though his body craves it. He resituates his body so he's on his knees, and he shuffles towards Cas in the silence of the night. It's not that Cas is far, but getting closer by knee is a slow process. By the time he gets to Cas, he's sure Cas knew he was coming even though he's still looking up at the sky.

Dean doesn't say a word as his knees bump against Cas's arms. Cas looks over at him and blinks at him.

Dean doesn't know what to do or say, but he smiles. His finger trails down Cas's trench coat covered arm, and Dean realizes he missed him, that he needs him, and that he's thankful for him being here. Cas hesitates and then he opens his arms slowly and stiffly.

"I'll watch over you while you sleep," Cas whispers in that deep voice of his. His eyes lock on Dean's eyes. They're filled with something like regret and hope, but Dean doesn't know which one, so Dean instead focuses his gaze at Cas's open arms.

"Only this once," Dean whispers back and lays beside Cas. Cas wraps his arms around Dean in what Cas believes is a hug. It's tight and confining, but secure and warm. Dean hopes nothing comes to get them in the night, and if it did, they could fight them off, no problem.

Dean starts to fall asleep with visions of him, Cas and Sam in his Impala. Cas is in the front seat next to him, looking over at him while they're at a stoplight, and Sam is in the back, squished, but happy.

"We'll get home," Dean mutters, not noticing the sadness on Cas's face, but only feeling Cas's reassuring grip as he squeezes him tighter.

Thoughts?