For once, Dean appeared strangely eager to be on the road; to Sam, it was slightly odd. To Castiel, well; he took little notice, simply admiring the view of the landscape of California that continuously flitted past their eyes. With Black Sabbath roaring in their ears, the older Winchester wound down his window and clambered to reach out, one hand clenching the roof of the impala to steady himself; in the other sat the camera, fully-functioning and apparently of use to Dean. Against the roaring wind at the speed of the Impala, his over-shirt billowed, short spikes of hair refusing to stay in place; to feel such a powerful blast against his exposed form was amazing, he realised. A woop of exhilaration howled from him, eliciting smiles from both Sam and Castiel alike. To see Dean in good spirits promised good things indeed.

"Careful, Dean." The angel murmured, although his words of caution went unnoticed; to a degree, he was happy to accept that. To ruin Dean's pleasure, no matter how simple it appeared to be, would be a crime.

"Yeah, I don't exactly want to be left with just the lower half of my brother's body." Sam snorted, the glance cast across to Dean kept brief in order to maintain his sight on the road ahead.

"Sam?"

The angel. Sam narrowed his gaze back to Castiel briefly.

"Yeah, Cas?"

There was a moment of hesitation for the angel, lips parted as though to speak although his words refused to come to him. Understanding of this, Sam continued to drive down the highway, though he kept attentive of Castiel should he suddenly decide to speak; it was the least he could do, after all.

"Is this sudden happiness common for humans?" The angel inquired, his head slightly cocked as appeared to be habit with his questions. Sam hesitated, barely able to function on the road with such a question jarring his thought process.

"'Ay, bitch! Eyes on the road!" Dean barked back to them, having apparently noticed the lack of focus to his little brother's driving. Sam immediately snapped to the attention of the road with a swerve of the Impala, a wince marring his features at the screech-like sound of the tires. Thankfully, Dean had not heard Castiel's question; perhaps there would be no harm in replying.

"Well, Cas…" Sam began in his uncertainty, his concentration divided between driving and an explanation of some significance to the angel. "There hasn't really been… much to smile about in our lives, y'know? I'm really not gonna lie here; it's been a whole load of crap for us. Sure, it's had its ups and downs for us, but really, it's been pretty hard. I think… that little suggestion of yours managed to bring a smile to Dean's face. For once, he's… genuinely happy, I think." He mused, a slight shrug of his shoulders ending his narration; he was almost glad that his expression remained unread, a sense of tiredness about his features; the younger Winchester was emotionally drained at such a conversation.

There came little response from Castiel, a slight 'mmm' in the back of his throat to assure Sam that he had heard him, understood his explanation. Silence between them yet again, disregarding the roar of Black Sabbath.

"Thanks, Cas."

"What?" Confusion laced the angel's tone; what need would Sam have to thank him? Was it customary to simply say it once in a while, or was there some significant purpose behind his sudden words?

"For making my brother happy today; he needs it. In fact, we both do." He smiled, albeit a small one. "I dunno if you need us as much as we need you, but… yeah, we need you, Cas." He concluded, tapping his index and middle finger of his right on the wheel to the beat of Sabbath. The response from Castiel's thought process was incredibly delayed at this point, considering Sam's words in a state of thought.

No.

He needed them just as much as they needed him; wasn't that what family was about? Or at least, that was the concept Castiel had come to grasp. His brothers in heaven had been incredibly dysfunctional, their true sense of family swayed and chaotic, perhaps even unpleasant to him. Teeth softly worried his lower lip, eyes of a gentle blue dancing back and forth as his mind continued to function in an analytical manner.

"I need you too, Sam. I need both you and Dean too."

Sam attested to this with a backward glance to Castiel, his smile for once genuine, much like his big brother's had been for the past few hours.

"You think he'll come back inside anytime soon?" Sam asked as opposed to replying to the angel's comment.

"It seems highly unlikely." He told him, amusement once again encircling the blue of his eyes. "Now, do as your brother said, Sam; eyes on the road." He almost teased; he managed to toy with the concept of teasing, much like Dean often did to the younger Winchester.

"Yes, sir." Sam huffed, drumming his fingertips once more on the wheel, eyes locking properly on the road ahead as ordered by his brother, reinforced by the angel. He heard a chuckle slip from Castiel's lips that brought a smile to his face, his heart lightened by another woop of exhilaration from his brother half-outside the Impala.

Today was a good day to be alive, he concluded.

Today was a good day to have family like this.