By the time Dean pulls the Impala up to the cabin, he's been laughing for what's probably been a solid fifteen minutes. Castiel's been glaring at him for the same length of time.

"I still don't see what was so amusing about my comment," he states petulantly, which only makes Dean laugh harder. "I was merely expressing my disbelief over the headline on the front of that newspaper!" Castiel protests. "I do not think it is a reputable resource."

"It's the Enquirer," Dean replies, struggling to regain control over himself. "Everyone knows it's not real. It's basically a joke, Cas."

"And how was I to know that?" Castiel grumbles. Dean grins widely.

"No, but the best part was the look on the cashier's face," he puts in. Castiel pouts - actually freaking pouts - at the comment. "And your…" Dean has to bite his lip to keep from bursting into another bout of laughter. He gives Castiel a serious look. "Don't ever change," he tells him sternly. Castiel still looks slightly offended by the laughing, but the sentiment, an echo of what Dean told him years ago, makes him soften a bit.

"I'll bring the bags into the kitchen," he offers.

"Wait, but aren't you not supposed to strain your-" Dean starts, but Castiel's already gone. "Wings," Dean finishes with a sigh. "Stupid angel."

Dean gets out of the Impala and trudges up to the door of the cabin. He opens it quietly, expecting Adam to be asleep on the couch. Instead, his eyes go wide as he's greeted by a scene he never would have expected in a million years.

Adam and Samandriel are kissing.

Dean stares for half a second before silently closing the door behind him and sneaking into the kitchen. Neither Adam nor Samandriel notice him. Castiel is in the kitchen, leaning on a chair and looking a little pale. Dean frowns.

"Cas, you okay?" he asks worriedly. Castiel looks at him with an embarrassed smile.

"I overextended myself," he replies, looking chagrined. "I should not have attempted to fly yet."

"What did I say, Cas?" Dean demands in a voice that is a lot more annoyed than he actually feels. Castiel looks down. "It's fine, you idiot," Dean adds, feeling a little bad about snapping at him. "Let's put the groceries away."

Castiel shyly starts to get the groceries out of their bags. Dean watches him for a moment, then smiles and moves to do the same. The fact that Adam and Samandriel were kissing only cements the idea that Sam and Gabriel already instilled in Dean's mind, that angels aren't unwilling to be with humans. But even among angels, Castiel is pretty weird, so Dean shouldn't take the other angels as a standard to judge Castiel on.

A plan slowly unfolds in Dean's mind. It's stupid and childish and there's a high chance that it'll go wrong, but it's subtle, so Dean decides he'll try it. It's not like he has anything to lose.

"So I just saw Adam and Samandriel kissing on the couch," he says conversationally. Castiel's back is facing him, so Dean can't discern a reaction.

"Really?" Castiel asks. His voice is neutral. Dean can't tell if he's making it so or if he really just doesn't care.

"Yeah," Dean replies. "Are relationships like that common? You know, angel and human?"

Dean's pretty sure Castiel's back stiffens before answering. "They are not common, but nor are they uncommon," he replies. Dean nods in understanding.

"God, this cabin has become a giant freaking chick flick," he remarks offhandedly. Castiel turns around with a confused frown on his face.

"What do you mean?" he asks as he grabs some more groceries to put away. Dean grabs another bag as well before continuing.

"With all the relationships and shit," he replies. "I mean, Sam and Gabriel are dating, and now it looks like Adam's dating Samandriel too."

Castiel shrugs almost imperceptibly. "As I already said, it is not unheard of," he replies.

"Yeah, but it's my brothers," Dean replies. "Almost seems like it runs in the family or something." No reaction from Castiel. "At least we'll never be like that. We're just friends, right, Cas?"

"Of course," Castiel replies in a completely normal voice. Dean's heart sinks. There's no reaction. If Castiel cared about him that way, surely there would be a reaction. Right?

"Good," Dean replies. He yawns widely. He hadn't thought he was tired, but apparently he is.

"Why don't you go to bed?" Castiel suggests. "I can finish up with the groceries."

"Really?" Dean asks, grinning. "Thanks, Cas. You're the best." Dean claps Castiel on the shoulder as he walks past him. Castiel only smiles softly in response.

When Dean gets to his bedroom, he's sure he won't be able to fall asleep. His mind is whirring through all of the possible interpretations of what just happened. But apparently, he's exhausted, because the second Dean's head hits the pillow, he's out like a light.


Gabriel frowns slightly when he hears someone knocking on the bedroom door. Sam is still fast asleep and Gabriel's planning out what will be a fabulous prank, but his thoughts are interrupted by the soft rapping at the door. Carefully, so as not to wake Sam, he gets up and goes over to let whoever's outside in.

On the other side of the door is Castiel, his face tearstained. Gabriel's eyes go wide.

"Cas, what happened?" he asks. Another tear slips down Castiel's face as he gives Gabriel a look that makes it seem like the younger angel just saw someone kick a puppy or something.

"That was a cruel trick to play, Gabriel," Castiel whispers, his voice choked with tears. "I thought you above that."

Gabriel frowns in confusion. "What trick?" he asks, thinking hard. There's nothing he's done recently that would make Castiel this upset.

"Making me believe that Dean cares for me as I care for him!" Castiel replies in a voice that Gabriel thinks is supposed to sound angry. It just sounds miserable.

Then the words catch up with Gabriel and his eyes narrow in anger. "What the hell did that idiot say this time?" he demands.

"He's not an idiot," Castiel reprimands. Gabriel almost rolls his eyes. Even when Dean's clearly broken Castiel's heart, the lovestruck fool still won't let anyone insult the hunter. Typical. "He just made it quite clear that he only cares for me as a friend." Castiel's breath hitches halfway through the sentence and by the time he's done with it, new tears are streaming down his face.

"What did he say?" Gabriel demands angrily. Castiel takes a moment to compose himself before answering.

"He saw Adam and Samandriel kissing," Castiel says softly. "And he told me that the whole cabin seemed to have become a 'chick flick.'"

"Well that's not that bad," Gabriel says, trying to be positive. Castiel only looks more miserable.

"That's not the worst part," he replies, his voice unsteady. "D-Dean said, a-and I quote, 'A-At least we'll n-never be like that. We're j-just friends, right, Cas?'" Castiel lets out another sob after telling Gabriel what Dean told him. Personally, Gabriel's about ready to strangle the idiotic hunter. He knows that Dean cares about Castiel. He and Sam both see it. Samandriel sees it. And apparently Adam sees it too, if what Sam was trying to say earlier in the evening is true. The only one that can't see it is Castiel.

"Look, Cas, Dean cares about you-" Gabriel tries, but it only looks like it makes Castiel feel worse.

"No!" he sobs. "Stop telling me that Dean cares about me when he clearly doesn't!"

"He's just being an idiot," Gabriel replies, trying to be soothing. "I doubt he's comfortable with his own feelings, so he's just trying to deny them. This is Dean. That's what he does."

"Stop it!" Castiel can barely get the words out through his fast-flowing tears. Gabriel's never seen his brother this emotional ever before. "Stop lying to me, Gabriel!"

"I'm not lying!" Gabriel protests. "Ask Sam. Ask Samandriel. Ask Adam. We can all see that Dean cares, so why the hell can't you?"

"Because he doesn't!" Castiel cries. He can't seem to stop sobbing. "And why would he? I'm a monster. Look at the things I've done."

"Cas," Gabriel says in a half-scolding, half-weary tone. "You're not a monster."

"Death follows me wherever I go!" Castiel protests through his tears. "I'm a poison. I ruin everything! No wonder Dean doesn't care about me!"

"I thought we went through this already," Gabriel replies. "You're not a poison. You don't ruin everything. You're not a monster."

Castiel looks like he wants to argue, but his own tears cut him off and he can't speak through them. Gabriel puts a comforting arm around Castiel's shoulders and leads the sobbing angel to the bed. Sam's still asleep somehow. Gabriel plans on trying to keep it that way, but he's not sure if he'll be able to manage it.

"Cas, listen to me," he says softly. Castiel looks up at him through his tears. "Dean cares about you. And you deserve to have someone care about you like that. I know where this is probably coming from." Castiel avoids eye contact with Gabriel. "It's from what Naomi said, isn't it?"

"She was right," Castiel mumbles.

"She wasn't," Gabriel replies firmly. "You were trying your hardest. You were pushed into an impossible situation and you did the best you could."

"Killing Balthazar was 'the best I could'?" Castiel asks bitterly, complete with air quotes. "Killing thousands of our siblings was 'the best I could'? Taking in all the souls of Purgatory and releasing the Leviathan onto Earth was 'the best I could'?"

"What else were you supposed to do?" Gabriel replies rhetorically. "Hell, if I were in your position and I had to face off with Raphael, I probably would have jumped at that deal too."

"I shouldn't have," Castiel mutters. "I should never have made a deal with the King of Hell."

"Sam and Dean did the same thing only the year before," Gabriel reminds him. "It's not like it's unprecedented. You needed a solution, and fast. Crowley offered one. So you took it. It's what most people would have done."

"Yes, but-"

"And you fixed the Leviathan problem," Gabriel continues, not allowing Castiel to speak. "You and Dean killed Dick Roman and sent the bastard back to Purgatory. And you were batshit crazy at the time. That's an accomplishment."

"But-"

"And you made the deal to prevent the freaking Apocalypse, so I'd say that you probably saved more lives than you took," Gabriel adds. "Like I said. You did the best you could, Cas."

"But that still doesn't address the true issue," Castiel argues. "The problem is that you lied to me" - Castiel's voice gets choked up here, and Gabriel puts an arm around his brother's shoulders only to have it shrugged off - "and made me hope that Dean loves me when he clearly doesn't."

"We've been over this, Cas!" Gabriel replies in a voice that's slightly louder than he meant for it to be. Sam shifts in his sleep but doesn't wake up. "Dean loves you."

"No he doesn't!" Castiel protests, and tears are starting to slide down his face again. "He doesn't love me. Stop saying that he does!"

"Cas-"

"He doesn't!" Castiel's voice is getting almost hysterical. "This is a cruel joke to play, Gabriel, and I would thank you to stop!"

"It's not a joke!" Gabriel protests.

"Well, if you truly think that you're correct, I would like to inform you that you're not," Castiel replies. "Dean d-doesn't care for me like that." More tears are streaming down Castiel's face. "He doesn't and I can accept that. But you only made it hurt more."

"I never meant to hurt you, Cas," Gabriel replies softly. Castiel closes his eyes.

"I know," he whispers. "But that doesn't mean you didn't."

The sorrow on Castiel's face is awakening Gabriel's big-brother instinct with a vengeance and he's about ready to go kill Dean. Then, an idea comes to him, and it's brilliant. It's simple, but he thinks it might actually work. Especially with what just happened. But there's still the underlying urge to go and murder Dean, so Gabriel thinks he'd better leave the cabin, just to be safe.

"Okay, Cas, I have to leave so I don't kill Dean," Gabriel starts explaining softly. Castiel sighs.

"It's not Dean's fault-" he tries to put in, but Gabriel just speaks over him.

"So I'm going to wake up Sammy so he can stay with you, okay?"

"I don't need someone to stay with me," Castiel protests. Gabriel raises an eyebrow.

"You can say that all you want, but with the shit you've been spouting recently, I'd rather be safe than sorry." Gabriel gets up and goes over next to Sam. "Sammy?" he asks softly.

"I'm already up," Sam replies groggily. "You two need to be quieter when you're in a room where someone's sleeping," he complains.

"I apologize," Castiel says softly. Sam sighs.

"Cas, I didn't hear much, but I know that my brother was an idiot. I'm sorry about that."

"Your dumbass brother broke my dumbass brother's heart," Gabriel explains to Sam. "So I'm leaving so I don't end up killing Dean, and I want you to stay with Cas."

"I don't need a babysitter," Castiel objects. He's ignored.

"Sure," Sam replies, yawning widely. Gabriel smiles softly and kisses his lover gently on the lips. He uses a bit of his angel mojo, as the Winchesters call it, to wake Sam up a bit more.

"Thanks, Sammy," he replies. "Cas, Dean is an idiot, but he loves you." Before Castiel has a chance to disagree, Gabriel flies off. He goes to his secret corner of Heaven where he took Castiel - was it really earlier that same day? - and starts to plan. This is the most private place he can think of, and he definitely needs someplace where he won't be disturbed.

After all, it's no easy job, getting two emotionally constipated idiots to admit that they're in love with each other.

But before he starts, Gabriel might do a little messing around within a certain hunter's dream.


The lake before him is placid. Dean has been to this place before, many times. He sits in a chair on the dock and holds a fishing rod casually in his right hand, but he knows he probably won't catch anything. He never seems to catch a fish here.

The day is the sort of perfect day that you normally only see in movies. The sun is shining brightly, but not too brightly and it's not too hot either. There's a gentle breeze that whispers through the trees behind Dean's seat on the dock. There's a cooler to the left of him that he knows is full of beers, so he'll have a drink if he gets thirsty. It's perfect. Far more perfect than his life ever gets. Which is why he knows it's a dream. He always knows that it's a dream. But he's still had the same dream of the same lake time and time again.

The lake is real. The memory that he's in is real as well, albeit modified greatly. When Dean was seven and Sam was three, Bobby took them both to a lake, this lake, for a day off. The plan was for Sam to watch while Dean and Bobby fished, but about ten minutes in, Sam decided that watching was boring and tried to jump off the dock. Bobby was able to stop him with time to spare and he took the boy to go get ice cream, leaving Dean sitting on the end of the dock with a fishing rod in his hand, the line cast out into the lake. He didn't catch anything that day. Neither did Bobby. Dean guesses that's why he never catches anything in his dreams. The memory modifies itself as he gets older - enlarging the chair from a child's size to an adult's size, making him grow in the dream to match his aging in the real world, adding the cooler full of beer as he starts to enjoy the drink more - but it's still basically the same. Dean, fishing alone on the dock, having a perfectly peaceful day at the lake.

Except this time, it's different.

It's not bad-different. And it's not just different-different either. The difference in this dream is awesome. Because this time, sitting next to Dean on the dock in his own chair, is Castiel.

"Isn't it beautiful out?" Dean asks, painfully aware that this is only a dream and this isn't actually Castiel sitting next to him.

"Yes, it is," dream-Castiel replies. "And very peaceful. Is this what you dream about often?"

"You're not really Cas, just popping in on my dream, are you?" Dean asks, suddenly worried. Dream-Castiel laughs.

"No. I'm just part of your subconscious. When you wake up, I'll be gone."

"Why are you here?" Dean asks. Dream-Castiel shrugs.

"It's your head," he replies. "Why do you think I'm here? In this memory, one of your most precious moments, so dear to you that you haven't shared it with anyone?"

"Are you psychoanalyzing me?" Dean asks incredulously. "Is my own freaking subconscious psychoanalyzing me?"

"Maybe," dream-Castiel replies with a sly smile. Dean rolls his eyes.

"Well, if you're supposed to be like Castiel, my subconscious is doing a crappy job at it," Dean replies. "You're not like Cas at all."

"Would you prefer I be more like him?" dream-Castiel asks. "I can be exactly as you picture Castiel. But where's the fun in that?"

"Why are you here?" Dean asks again. Dream-Castiel shrugs.

"Perhaps because you wish to have me with you. The real me," he replies. "You just refuse to admit it to yourself. So your own freaking subconscious has to come to you in a dream to get you to pull your head out of your ass."

"And now my subconscious is insulting me," Dean replies. "Awesome."

"Think what you want. But I'm just saying what you know inside. I'm you, Dean." The image of Castiel slowly morphs into an image of Dean. Not-Dean smiles at real-Dean. "See? I'm you." Not-Dean turns back into Castiel. "So maybe you should listen to me a bit when I say that you're in love with Castiel, he's in love with you, and the two of you should realize when you've got a good thing and take advantage of it, because something like this doesn't happen all that often."

"Can I go back to my dream now?" Dean asks sarcastically. Dream-Castiel sighs and disappears. Dean goes back to fishing peacefully on the lake, though he's now got the nagging feeling that something is missing. Damn his freaking subconscious for making him think about things he's perfectly content ignoring!

Not that long after dream-Castiel disappears, Dean wakes up. He rolls over, falls back asleep, and remembers nothing of his dream when he wakes up the next morning.