Sam didn't think things could get weirder than having a slightly overweight, emotionally-attuned Dean sitting in front of him, but clearly he was wrong.

"Um, not that I'm complaining… or judging… but since when are you a health nut?" Sam asked curiously, watching as Dean dug into his salad with gusto.

"Well, living off pie and beer isn't a good idea if you plan on living for a while," Dean muttered, but he looked a bit self-conscious. "Beer really adds on a few pounds, and I used to basically live in a bar."

"I guess without a hunter's workout, Dean wouldn't be in such good shape," Sam agreed thoughtfully, but he knew there was something more to it. "I guess a good body also helps with the ladies right?"

"Right," Dean said, and Sam was surprised to see a faint blush in his cheeks.

"Dude… do you like somebody?"

"What? No! What are you talking about?" Dean snapped, but he was definitely red now and his eyes wouldn't stay on an object for long.

"Dude, you're totally pining after somebody! Who is it? Cassie? Lisa?"

"No. Shut up, Sam," Dean muttered, ducking his head down.

"Hmm. Well, finish up. We shouldn't stay here too long," Sam said, growing serious. Cas had advised for them to stay on the move. They'd had a couple of run-ins with demons, though nothing Sam couldn't handle by himself. He had been a little worried about Dean at first, but the other man had quickly adjusted. Well, at least he was less likely to freeze up now.

The rustle of feathers caught them by surprise, but Sam acted quickly, drawing out the angel-blade Cas had left behind. He had decided against angel-warding, knowing Cas would keep an eye out for them, but he was still worried about the other angels, the ones loyal to Zachariah. Sam didn't feel like facing one of the fearsome warriors without a competent Dean to back him up.

"Cas, it's so good to see you," Sam said, sighing in relief at the sight of the shorter man.

"I've been contacted by a medium," Cas replied, forgoing greetings. "It seems Dean is trying to reach out to me."

"Then what are you doing here?" Dean asked, more curious than worried. He was strangely intimidated by the angel, but not in a normal this-being-can-kill-me-in-a-second way. It was more like the angel made him self-conscious, a look Sam rarely saw on his brother.

"Zachariah has set a net around that dimension to keep me out," Cas replied. "He needs time to try and get to you, and sending you back to your home is not to his advantage."

"How are we going to get to Dean, then?" Sam snapped. "My brother is stuck in some other world and I can't do anything about it."

"I can't get in through the net, but that doesn't mean things can't get out," Cas replied. "All I need is to talk to Dean and guide him to a source with enough power to make the switch."

"How would you do that?" Dean asked. "I thought you couldn't reach in because of the net?"

"Physically, it is impossible," Cas replied. "But there are planes in this world that angels can't interfere with. The only way to reach Dean would be going through your dreams."

"You mean you want to go inside my head?" Dean asked as his voice rose in pitch.

"It will not hurt," Cas replied, tilting his head.

"That's not what I'm worried about!" Dean snapped, blushing furiously. "You're going to be digging through my brain, reading my thoughts!"

"I won't see anything that you don't want me to see," Cas assured him. "I respect your privacy."

"Yeah, right."

"It's the only option," Sam cut in. "He'll do it."

"You don't decide squat for me, Sam," Dean growled, and he suddenly looked like the brother Sam had grown up with.

"Dean, this is the only way," Sam snapped. "What are you so worried about?"

"It will be wise for you to come as well, Sam," Cas added.

"What? Why?" Dean hurriedly asked, getting even redder, if that were possible.

"I don't think Dean would like you very much," Cas replied in an uncharacteristic show of sensibility. "He tends to be very protective of Sam, a quality you don't seem to share."

What Cas had said was true, Sam realized. His brother would have no problem leaving this Dean to deal with Zachariah on his own. This doppelganger would need protection but the only person Sam trusted with his brother's life (even in a different dimension) was himself. However, going by Dean's stories, Sam wasn't too sure his look-a-like would be eager to help. Perhaps he could visit other-Sam's dream world and convince him. And maybe, he would be able to fix the broken relationship these other Winchesters had.

"Yeah, I think that's best," Sam said, the wheels in his mind still turning with thoughts.

"You're both talking like I already said yes," Dean growled.

"Oh, come on, dude! You're going to be in my head too, technically. It's a two-way road."

"You're going to have control over what we see," Cas added. "It is your dream-world, and you make the rules."

Dean looked slightly appeased by that, but it still took a little bit of physical force from Sam for him to agree.

"Alright fine!" Dean exclaimed, rubbing his arm where Sam had punched him. "But if any of you wander off the yellow path, I'll send you to dream-hell."

"Clowns or midgets?" Sam grinned.

"Shut up, Sam."

Bobby's psychic turned out to be Pam, and although she didn't have as much luck contacting Cas as she had the first time, it was probably for the best. Dean still couldn't get the sight of Pam's burned eyes from his mind.

Sam still wasn't talking to him unless necessary. Apparently, Jess didn't know that her fiancé was a part-time hunter of the supernatural. Of course, Sam didn't want to hear what Dean thought about that, but that didn't stop him from ranting to Cas.

"I mean, he's going to spend his life with her and he can't tell her?" Dean exclaimed, pacing a hole in Bobby's floor. Much to his embarrassment (but mostly relief) Dean was sharing a room with Cas since Gabriel's dislike for him didn't surpass his libido for his wife, Kali.

"People don't react to the supernatural excitedly, Dean," Cas sighed. He had long ago given up on getting the anxious man to sit down. "The last time he tried to convince somebody, they called him crazy and walked out of his life."

"Low blow, dude," Dean muttered, knowing that Cas was referencing his other self.

Cas shrugged. "I'm just saying, Sam has a point."

"Yeah, but Jess has a right," Dean shot back. "I'm not saying he needs to tell her, I'm just saying that if he decides to keep quiet, then he needs to stay out. A hunter's life is not meant for families, Cas, especially when you're keeping secrets." Learned that one the hard way, Dean thought bitterly.

"You're right," Cas said so quietly that Dean almost didn't hear him.

"You okay man?" Dean asked curiously.

"Yes. I'm just a bit tired. I think I'm gonna go ahead and lie down," Cas said. "You want the bed? I can sleep on the floor."

"Nah, man. Take the bed, I don't mind," Dean said, pulling out a couple of blankets from the closet.

Cas stared quietly at Dean as he made himself comfortable on the ground. The staring wasn't new to Dean (this Cas had nothing on his angel) so he simply turned his back on those amazing blue eyes and closed his own.

He didn't feel sleep taking over him, but he was suddenly standing on a freshly mown lawn, a large house in front of him. Frowning, he looked around. What the hell? He knew he was asleep, he remembered laying down and closing his eyes, but why the hell was he dreaming a house?

"Hello, Dean."

He quickly turned around and was almost knocked down with relief when his eyes fell on the familiar tan trench coat and penetrating blue eyes.

"Cas," he breathed, taking a step forward. But he immediately stopped when his eyes fell on the two people behind Cas: Sam and… Dean.

"You," Dean growled, advancing on the suddenly nervous man, but Sam quickly stepped in front of him.

"Dean, calm down," Sam said soothingly, placing a hand out protectively in front of the other Dean.

"Calm down? Calm down? I will not calm down!" Dean yelled, straining to see his jerk of a double over Sam's gigantic frame. "Do you know how bad our relationship is messed up because of him?"

"Yes," Sam replied, surprising him. "And I also know it's not all his fault, so why don't you calm down and listen?"

With great effort, Dean took two steps back and folded his arms. "I'm listening," he growled, eyes trained on his doppelganger.

"I will not be able to pull you out of the other dimension, Dean," Cas spoke and raised a hand to halt Dean's expected protests. "Zachariah has locked me out. However, you can still get out on your own."

"Angels don't exist in this dimension," Dean said, shaking his head. "I don't think there's anything over here with enough juice to pull me out."

"That's not the only problem," Sam added, still standing half-way in front of the other Dean. "Zachariah has his eyes on Dean, and even if we switch you back, he will try to get him to say yes."

"Michael can wear his ass to prom for all I care," Dean muttered. "Not my problem."

"The apocalypse is all our problem, Dean," Cas said, lowering his head slightly to give Dean a menacing look. "We need to protect him."

"How do you expect to do that?"

"I'm going to have a talk with myself," Sam said, sounding oddly pleased. "What?" he added when Dean turned to stare at him. "When else am I'm going to be able to say that without sounding like a complete head case?"

"I will also visit my vessel's dream world," Cas added. "He will have information about this other dimension that I do not possess. Dean, I think it will be for the best for you to talk to this Dean. We can't afford for him to say 'yes.'"

"Wait, you're going to leave me alone?" the other Dean asked, his voice betraying a hint of fear.

"Don't worry, this is a dream. He can't really kill you," Cas said before grabbing Sam's elbow and leaving with a flutter of wings.

Dean turned his eyes to his double, eyeing the long hair and round belly distastefully. "So," he began, grinning widely, "Let's have a talk."

The other man (or Douche-Dean as he had started to think of him) gave him a weary look. "So I guess you're pretty pissed, huh?"

"Pissed doesn't even begin to cover it, buddy," Dean growled, losing the smile. "You fucking left Sam! The first thing Dad told us: take care of Sam. Don't let your brother get hurt. Its basics, man! If it's going to hurt Sam, you don't fucking do it!"

"I took take care of him!" Douche-Dean yelled back, anger spurring him on. "He was the one who walked away. After I didn't believe him… he just left. I was ready to be there for him, to forgive him for what he did—."

"What he did?" Dean yelled. "He didn't do shit! It was a fucking demon that killed our parents!"

"I didn't know that," Douche-Dean shot back, though his voice was much softer. "To me, my brother was making a joke out of our parents' deaths. I understood that he was grieving, that it was going to take a while, but when it didn't stop… five years later, and he was still spewing that demon crap. How do you think I felt? I was trying to be there for him, to help him move on, but he kept pushing me back, insisting that a demon—a freaking demon!—had killed our parents."

"How you felt?" Dean spat, his voice making the word an insult. "What does it fucking matter how you felt? It was a simple case of trusting your brother. Like Dad always said—."

"I wasn't raised by Dad, Dean. I was raised by Mom," Douche-Dean interrupted and Dean froze at the words. "I wasn't raised with shotguns and salt-rounds. I wasn't left alone in hotel rooms with the threats of monsters over my head and Sam's life in my hands. I was raised there," he said, pointing to the house behind Dean. Dean turned around and suddenly recognize the house. It was his home… the home where Mary had died. "I was raised by two parents that took care of me and my brother. I didn't have to worry about Sam—I had Mom and Dad to do that."

"How was she?" The words left his mouth before he could stop them and he froze on the spot, fearing the answer.

"She was amazing," other-Dean replied, wistful. "She used to bake this amazing apple pie that had the house smelling like it for days… there was this flowery apron that was ages old, but she never threw it away, saying it was lucky. She used to put her hair in a ponytail and sing "Hey Jude" while she cooked. Sam would be outside on the grill with Dad, but I would stay inside. She always let me lick the spoon after she was done mixing the batter."

Dean couldn't imagine it. It had been so long since he had looked at his mother's face, so long since he had heard her singing voice. He had forgotten that feeling that simply said 'home.' When he tried to search for it, when he tried to dig in and find it, all he could think of was his baby on the road, Sam next to him.

"I wish I could have what you have," his double spoke and Dean was surprised to see that they were standing next to each other; he hadn't noticed the man move. His eyes were on the house as well, a deep sadness in them that Dean understood. "I grew up in a home, I grew up loved… but you, you still have it. You have Sam… he looks proud when he talks about you, you know? Sam never gave me that look; he used to reserve it only for Dad. And you have Cas—."

"Dude, don't even start. You have me beat in that department," Dean laughed.

"What are you talking about?" the other man asked, frowning.

Dean stared at him. Was he really that blind? "Cas has the hots for you, dude!"

"No he doesn't," he replied quickly, his ears turning bright pink.

"You like him too!" Dean laughed. "Oh, this is priceless."

"You like Cas, too," his double replied, shrugging in defeat. "You can't judge me for not making a move on my Cas when you haven't done anything with yours."

"What? You can't compare the two," Dean said. "My Cas is a freaking Angel of the Lord, not my secretary. So what if he's a hunter? He likes you and he's willing to put up with your sorry ass. So I say, take the wheel and hit the gas."

"I don't really think Cas likes me all that much," other-Dean muttered, eyes glued to the floor. "I haven't been the kindest person to him."

"That's true. You were a pretty big dick," Dean conceded. "But Cas is amazing like that. All you have to do is apologize, lose the hair, shed a few pounds, and go after him. If you don't, I might take him for myself."

"Why do I have to confess to my Cas when you don't?" other-Dean insisted. "I have as much chance as you do."

"What part of Cas being a wave of celestial intent do you not understand?" Dean said, exasperated. "His body isn't even his own body! It belongs to some poor guy name Jimmy Novak. At least your Cas is human!"

"It all just sounds like excuses to me," his twin shrugged. "No, hear me out," he said before Dean could interrupt. "If I tell Cas that I like him and for some reason he decides to give me a chance, it's going to be for life. I'm not going to give him up that easily, not after I finally get to have him. And if you're me, then you're going to be the same. The only difference between the two of us is that your Cas won't grow old, but then again, who the fuck cares."

"It's not that simple," Dean insisted.

"You're not making it simple!" the other replied, frustrated. "If he says yes, if he's willing to have you, who cares if he's not human? The bad things are going to happen anyway, you might as well enjoy the ride. Look, I'm not doing anything unless you are," he finished, glaring at Dean.

"I'm fucking annoying," Dean muttered.

"Yeah, I don't know how Sam keeps up with you," the other man replied swiftly, giving him a snarky grin. "So… weren't you supposed to be talking to me about some guy named Zachariah?"

"Oh yeah…"