Dean waited until everyone went to sleep before he even wrote the note: I'm sorry, Sammy. I couldn't take it anymore. I'm tired. He got his keys and went out to his car. Finally, he thought, a decision I can make for myself. As he put the keys into the ignition, something strange happened. Small vines wrapped around his body. He struggled, but couldn't break free. Someone appeared at his window. Cassidy.

"Sorry Dean," She said, "I knew you would never ask for help. This was the only way."

"What?" He demanded, "Let me go!"

"Castiel?"

The angel appeared.

"It's all right, Dean," He said.

He grabbed the both of them and teleported to Apollo's palace.

"Set him on that couch over there," Apollo said, pointing to the orange fluffy couch in the corner.

The room looked like a doctor's office, or a shrink. They set Dean on the couch. Cassidy took out the key and handed it to Castiel.

"Take this to heaven with you. It's the key to the box in the depths of Tartarus."

The angel nodded and left.

"What do you want with me?" Dean demanded.

"Dean, you are as stubborn as a child of Ares," Cassidy said.

"What?"

"Ares, god of war," She explained, "His children…they could have their intestines sprawled over the battlefield and still want to go back in to battle."

Apollo touched Dean's head gently.

"Just as I thought," He said.

"Can you get these goddamn vines off of me," Dean yelled.

Apollo waved his hand and the vines disappeared. Dean sat up.

"What's wrong with me?" Dean worried.

"You have depression," Apollo said, "You've had it for a while, actually. Though, I usually don't see it this bad in mortals…"

"Whoa…what are you talking about," Dean interrupted, "I don't…I'm not…"

"You don't REALLY want to die, do you?" The god asked, "You just want the pain to go away, the guilt, the anger. You refuse to ask for help, thinking you can handle it yourself, pretending it doesn't hurt you."

Dean clenched his teeth, nostrils flaring like he was about to punch Apollo's lights out. Then, his expression softened.

"Can you really make the pain go away?" He asked like a lost puppy.

"Of course," The god said empathetically, "You'll need medicine and rest. Maybe therapy."

…

"How did you know?" Dean asked.

"Sam told me," Cassidy said, "After you were done, you were going to run off where your body wouldn't be found and…"

"I'll never be normal."

"None of us are," She said, "None of the demigods, the hunters. But there's this camp, a Roman one, Camp Jupiter. There's a college there for adult demigods. Its borders are protected as well. I've been thinking of going there. Maybe you and Sam could go too."

"We're mortals."

"Doesn't matter. You're heroes."

Dean just started at her. He sure as hell didn't FEEL like a hero. She grabbed his hand.

"It's okay to be selfish sometimes," She assured him, "When you're hurting like this…you HAVE to worry about yourself. Not Sam, not Castiel, not even me. Focus on your needs."

"Thank you. For everything."

…

Dean stayed in the palace, resting and taking the herbal medicine given to him by Apollo until he felt better. He couldn't remember that last time he was so happy, the last time he'd truly wanted to be alive. Sam, Cassidy, Castiel and even Gabriel visited him almost every day. He was able to talk about his problems with his father, with Sam, with Castiel and the angels and demons, his anger and guilt without being called whiny or told to "suck it up."

He'd broken down in Cassidy's arms, and even Sam's more than once. The medicine began by taking away the anger and leaving the sadness. Both his brother and Cassidy would hold him as he cried.

"Let it out, Dean," Cassidy would say to him.

"It's gonna be okay, Dean," Sam would say to him, "I'm right here."

He owed his life to them.

…

One day, when Cassidy visited him, she wore a familiar looking necklace. He stared at her in silence.

"What is it?" She asked.

"That necklace," He said, "Where did you get it?"

"I found it while dumpster diving a long time ago," She answered, "I thought it looked cool, so I cleaned it off and kept it. Then, my dad comes along and tells me its owner is my soulmate."

"Can I see it?"

"Umm…sure."

Cassidy pulled off the necklace and handed it to him. He examined the charm-golden head with horns, a spiral above its head-the Samulet.

"This…Sam gave me this for Christmas as a kid," He was in shock, "It was supposed to find God, but it didn't work, so I threw it away."

He handed it back.

"Keep it," She offered, "It's yours."

He slipped it over his head.

"Wow. Awesome."

She cuddled on the couch with him.

"I'm going back to camp tomorrow," The hunter said.

"You and Sam can to Camp Jupiter with me. If you want, YOU can go to college."

Dean grimaced.

"What did you want to be?" She asked, "If you were never a hunter."

He thought for a moment.

"I honestly don't know."

…

Castiel found Sam out by the Impala, which Cassidy had fixed.

"How are you, Sam?"

"I'm…great, Cas."

The angel embraced Sam.

"What was that for?" The hunter was confused.

"God has returned," Castiel said, "Heaven is back in order. I have been forgiven. I have…found my soulmate."

Sam looked discouraged.

"Oh," He said, "That's great."

The angel smiled and grabbed the hand of the obviously hurt Sam.

"It's you," He said, "YOU are my soulmate."

Sam felt the warmth of the angel's wings wrap tightly around him.

"How are you doing that?"

"I love you, more than anything. It is why I pulled you out of Hell…tried to."

"I love you too, Cas," He said, then, "I'm going back to college. Camp Jupiter. I can live a normal life. The closest I can get to one, anyways."