A/N: So... OMG! WTF happened Tuesday night?! Wow. OK. Now that that's out of my system... I can write. The lovely bunnygirl2012 suggested I do No Matter What by Papa Roach. I love the song, and can make it a bit happier than the last Papa Roach song I did.. (if you don't know what I'm talking about, read Cut My Life Into Pieces.) So this one is slightly AU. Not completely...
Dean watched Benny leave. The vampire had muttered something about an old man and had walked away. Dean sighed to himself, he knew that vampire and he had purely a business relationship. Dean was using Benny to find Castiel and then a way out of Purgatory, and Benny was going to use Dean as a ride out.
Dean leaned back against the tree, and kept a lazy hold on his machete. At times like this, he really missed Castiel. He even missed the way the angel was always in his personal space. Dean smiled to himself as he thought of the last three years that he'd known the angel. As Dean thought about his friend, he found himself praying to Castiel. It was something he did often, even though he knew that the angel probably couldn't hear him, let alone poof in.
Cas, I dunno if you can hear me, but I need you, man. Look, I know that over the last couple years we've had our ups and downs, mostly downs, but right now I don't want anyone else but you at my side. God, everything is so much clearer with you here...
Dean sighed to himself. He had been struggling with trying to figure his feelings for Castiel out for a while now, and not having the angel around wasn't helping much.
Cas, dude, I just wanna let you know that I don't think all that talk about us having a "profound bond" is bullshit anymore. I just wanna see you again, to know you're OK. Please be OK, Cas. I don't know what I would do without you. I...I think I love you.
Dean banged his head into the tree, what was he thinking? Castiel probably couldn't hear him anyway, and if he could, well, Dean just made it nine times more awkward.
Dean saw Castiel at the river and ran down as fast as he could while checking for traps, and not tripping.
"Cas!"
Castiel turned to look at him. "Dean? What are you doing here?"
"Well, when we ganked Dick, we both flew first class here, I guess." Dean checked his friend over for injuries, "You OK? I mean, no broken bones or anything?"
Castiel looked at Dean, blue eyes meeting green. "Dean, I am fine. You should not be with me. I am an angel in Purgatory, I will only attract the monsters."
"The angel has a point," came a smooth voice from behind Dean.
Castiel's eyes widened in alarm and he raised his knife as he looked over Dean's shoulder. "What do you want, vampire?"
Benny raised his weapon as well, but before he could attack, Dean stepped in between the two men.
"Woah. Guys, calm down for a second." Dean looked at both of them and when he was sure they wouldn't kill each other, he continued. "Cas, this is Benny, Benny, this is Castiel, angel of the Lord, and the one who raised my ass from Hell. Cas, Benny said that he knows a way to get outta here."
"Is this true?" Castiel turned to Benny, still brandishing his weapon.
"Well, it's for humans only, but yeah."
"Then how do you plan to get out of here?"
"Catch a ride on the Dean machine."
Castiel's eyes narrowed, "Dean, how exactly are you planning to get me out of here?"
Dean sighed, "I don't know, but you're coming with me. I'm not leaving you behind."
Castiel sighed, knowing that he couldn't change Dean's mind once it was set. "All right, I guess we are following you, vampire."
Dean smiled, and wrapped Castiel in another hug.
Benny rolled his eyes, "Come on, let's go, we have a long way to go before we sleep tonight."
Dean looked at the portal in front of him. His way home. He grabbed Castiel's hand and was just about to enter, when Castiel stopped him.
"Dean, wait. Before we go, if this does not work, I want you to know that I heard your prayers. Every single one."
Dean swallowed, "Even the last one?"
Cas smiled, "Even the last one. I just wanted you know that I feel the same, Dean. I have felt that way about you since I raised you from Perdition and put your soul back together."
Dean smiled to himself, but before he could act on anything, his mouth got in the way, "Let's get going, we can finish this moment when we make it back."
The hardest moment in Dean's life came a few minutes later when he had to let go of his best friend, and leave him behind in Purgatory.
Dean was in the middle of working the case when he heard his name from behind him. He thought at first he was imagining it, the deep gravelly voice he hadn't heard for so long.
"Cas?" He turned in his chair to face the angel. "Cas. Damn, it's good to see you."
"It is good to see you as well, Dean Winchester."
Before anything else could be said, Dean got up and kissed the angel full on. After a minute of shock, Castiel relaxed into the kiss and let himself enjoy it. When they finally broke apart, Dean smiled, "Together, we'll kick heaven's ass. No way can they take the two of us."
A/N: So this fic was started last Wednesday, so that's what the freakout was about... I will be watching the new episode in about an hour. so.