After being teased relentlessly by both his mother and Sam, about 'sampling' away a whole pie. Dean promised to bake a new one for Thanksgiving. While he was working on the dough for the crust, Cas' parting remark kept buzzing through his head. "Too bad you stopped calling me little Honey Bee." Had he been calling Cas that? And why would Cas think it too bad that he'd stopped?

"Hello, Dean."

Dean jumped a bit. "Geez Cas! Don't do that!" he bit out, harsher than he wanted to. Turning around, he found himself almost nose to nose with his friend. Using every ounce of his willpower, Dean fought his rising blush back down. "You need something, Cas?"

Cas tilted his head a little. "I thought it would be nice to keep you company. And I am interested in seeing how a pie is made. The saying goes 'easy as pie' but I feel there is more to it."

Relaxing, Dean smirked. "You're right, bud. Overwork the dough, and the crust is just gross." His hands knead the dough fast and supple. "Sit down, I'll show you."

After putting the dough to settle in the fridge, Dean pulled out the stuff for the filling.

"Do you need that many spices? Really? I thought pumpkinpie was sweet." Cas wondered.

Mixing eggs, cream and pumpkin in a bowl, Dean smiled, a bit of pride rising. "Pumpkin itself... that doesn't taste of much." He poured the sugar into the mix and resumed whisking. "So we spice it up, and with the sugar I just added, it's gonna be amazing!"

Stil, Cas didn't seem satisfied. "But so many different spices... isn't it too much?"

Carefully meassuring out his cinnamon on a teaspoon, Dean answered.

"Nope. A lot of people just use pumpkin spice, but I like doing it oldschool. That way I can control the taste better. I use 1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon ground allspice and 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger. Now if you don't like any of these, or you're allergic like dad, you can leave it out."

Mary entered the room just as he said that. "Aw. You remember that?"

Dean smiled warmly. "Yeah. You said Gran Winchester used to make two pumpkin pies. One regular, and one without allspice, because Dad got an upset stomach from it."

"Huh." came Sam, who'd followed their mom in. "So that's why he never ate pumpkin pie. Go figure. I always thought he just hated pumpkin pie." Grabbing a beer, he looked at Mary. "Want one?" Mary smiled. "Yeah. I'd love one." She turned to her eldest. "Sam is going to introduce me to Game of Thrones."

Surprised, Dean stopped mixing. "Not watching the game?"

Mary scoffed. "No. I hate football."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Have fun, I'm not done here yet."

Sam nodded. "Cas, you coming?"

Cas crinkled his his nose. "No thank you. Metratron shared the whole bookseries with me. I try not to remember any of it."

Dean chuckled. "Not your thing, huh? That's fine. I don't mind you sitting there. I like sharing my knowledge with you."

Cas smiled at that, while Sam and Mary chuckled.

"Then I will stay and learn, Dean."

Dean actually enjoyed Cas sitting at the table, whilst he was working at his pie. The Honey Bee remark was still nagging at him, though. He put the finished pie in the oven and set the timer, before turning around to Cas. "So, GoT a bit too much for you?" he asked, smiling.

Cas nodded once. "Yes. I see enough human pain and suffering in real life to not need it on tv or in a book."

Humming, Dean grabbed a beer and held it out to him. "Want one?" With a nod, Cas took it, while Dean grabbed another for himself. "I can see how you would say that, yeah..." he said, sitting down next to his friend.

After a few more beers, Dean finally breached the subject. "Cas... I've been meaning to ask..." His voice failed as those deep blue eyes turned to him.

"What was that, Dean?" Cas' intense stare softened.

Damn his tendency to blush! "Wh...why did you say I called you little Honey Bee?" He dropped his gaze and bit his lip.

A hand slipped over his. "Because that is what you called me when I put you in bed. You started right here." A long, slender index tapped the tabletop. "You fell asleep after you ate the pie. I think your mother called it a 'foodcoma'. When I checked on you, to see if you were allright, you mumbled: 'gimme some sugar... little Honey Bee...' which, according to Sam, was nothing to be alarmed about. When I picked you up to bring you to bed, you said: 'don't tell your boyfriend, little Honey Bee.'"

Dean's cheeks were burning, but he tried to wave it off. "That's just from..." he started, but Cas wasn't done yet.

"Sam told me. From a song by mr. Tom Petty. So of course I listened to it. No where does he sing what you said when I had tucked you in."

Heart thumping like a drum, Dean looked up, only to get caught on that deep blue stare. "Wh... what did I say?" He didn't want to know, but he had to, otherwise he'd drive himself crazy wondering.

Cas hummed. "If memory serves me, it was: 'don't go, Honey Bee... I need you. Please stay.' So, I stayed."

So simple. He stated it as if it was normal, but Dean's intestines knotted, his heart raced and his cheeks flamed. "So... you stayed... Jus...just like that?"

Cas' smile was warm, loving. "Of course. You asked. I couldn't leave if you needed me."

The sincerity had Dean sway on the spot. "I... I always need you, Cas." he stuttered.

Cas still had Dean's hand in his own, a warm preassure, anchoring him to the table. "Then I will be here, Dean."

"Cas?" Dean barely heard his own question, but he wasn't sure if it was because it was asked so softly, or because his heart was drumming in his own ears.

"Yes, Dean?" Oh good. Not too soft then. Dean clenched his free hand into a fist.

"Did... do.. UGH." He ran his hand through his sandy hair. "Do you really thing it too bad I stopped saying it?" It came out in a rush, and left Dean a bit winded. He peeked up at his friend.

"Yes." came the simple answer.

"Why?" Dean rasped, his vocal chords on the verge of strike.

"Because I loved to hear it. It was a term of endearment you never used on anybody else. That made it extra special." Damn those honest, blue eyes. Dean kept staring at them.

Cas gave him that soulsearching stare, pinning him. "It made me feel loved."

Dean knew his cheeks were burning, but he couldn't look away, and he couldn't stop what he said next, even if it meant causing another Apocalypse. This one very private.

"But I do... Don't you ever believe you are unloved, Cas. You... you are a part of me... Honey Bee. Don't ever go." The last bit came out on a breath, so soft, but Cas leant in and kissed him softly on his lips.

"I have every intention to stay, Dean." Bringing his mouth right next to Dean's ear, he whispered. "Because I love you too."