A/N: So, here's chapter 2. Sorry 'bout the wait. It took longer than I thought it would. There's one more to go and it's got a nice sappy ending. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You made my day 3
Lots of thanks and hugs to my editor for fixing all my accidental oxymorons. Love you Phines :)
"Cas! What the hell man!"
A group of scared loons leapt out of the water and flew off.
Castiel replied by putting one long finger to his lips, shushing Dean, and Dean couldn't help but track the movement with his eyes. He gave himself a mental reprimand. Focus Winchester!
Dean took a deep breath and his brain decided, without his permission, that it rather liked the smell of the pine trees that made up the forest behind them. It also thought that the lake they were standing next to did look rather pretty in the dying autumn light. Pretty? When had that freakishly girly word wandered into his vocabulary? Damnit! Focus!
"Where are we anyways?" Dean grumbled, pulling his jacket tighter around him. It was getting cold.
"This is a place I like to visit when I am feeling… to put it in human terms, 'down'" Cas said.
"Well, it's nice" Dean tried for nonchalance, "but when I'm feeling 'down', I usually go to a bar." He left the unspoken like the one I was in hang in the silence.
"And how was that working out for you this evening?" Cas asked with his signature head tilt.
Fuck. Now his concentration was really being shot to Hell… The dreams he had had about that head tilt… Wait. Cas had asked him something. About his bar comment?
"Uh… Well…" Dean stuttered, not really sure what he was supposed to say when he had almost completely missed the question in the first place.
Cas motioned to the rock beneath them.
"Sit" He said.
Dean knew he shouldn't. Knew he should demand to be taken back to the motel and not stay here, wherever they were, in the middle of freaking nowhere.
He sat down anyways. The rock was still warm from being in the sun all day and surprisingly comfortable. Cas sat down beside him and stared out at the lake. Dean leaned back on his elbows and looked at the darkening sky. He found a star. Then another.
It really was rather nice, sitting on a rock in the mountains in the middle of nowhere, Dean's brain supplied unhelpfully. And Cas is here. Shut up, Dean told it. But he's sitting right there… all you have to do is move a hand… Where had all his fucking repression skills gone?! Shut UP, he told it again, more forcefully. No ruining, remember?
"Dean" Cas saved him from his internal battle. Just focus on what he's saying Winchester. Nothing else.
"There is something of importance that I need to say before tomorrow… In case I do not return…"
Dean turned to look at him. "Don't do that Cas. You'll make it back. You are not dying on me. We are going to be fi– "
Cas cut him off. "Dean, just shut up for a minute. There is a very small chance that we will, both of us, make it out alive. I need to say this. If I die tomorrow, I will regret it forever if I don't."
Dean shut up.
"Dean, I…" Cas trailed off grumbling. "… was stupid to listen… can't say that… stupid advice…"
"Cas, come one. What is it?" Dean asked, slightly troubled. Obviously the angel was having a problem with this, whatever it was he wanted to say.
"Fine. I do not expect anything to come of this, in fact I am rather expecting that you'll hate me once I have finished, but Dean, I love you."
