Dean felt cold. He was on the ground. When had he fallen? His eyes were closed but he forced them open. His back hurt in a weird way, like the pain itself was far away. He couldn't move. He coughed involuntarily and tasted blood.
"Cas," Dean's deep voice was now barely over a whisper. The sound of feet approaching made him tense.
"Dean," Cas crouched beside him. "I'm here." Cas looked over Dean with worry in his deep blue eyes. "I can fix this."
"No." Dean turned his face away. The sounds around him were growing weaker and the cold was creeping in faster. He knew he was dying. "Cas," was all Dean said. Cas readjusted Dean so his hunter's head was in his lap and they could see each other.
"Are you in pain?" Cas left his hand on Dean's jaw.
"Not anymore," Dean smiled a little. "You'll visit me right?"
"I'll visit you," Castiel promised. Cas rested his free hand on Dean's, which Dean held tightly for a moment. Dean watched the angel's worried face as he tried to comfort him. He was at a loss for how to comfort Cas as he left.
"I love you," Dean breathed out, the darkness sweeping in and taking him away from Cas.
Dean stumbled back and shook the memory away. "I'm dead," Dean repeated numbly. Castiel watched his hunter's face with worry in his blue eyes. "When? How long ago? How are you here?"
"You died about a month ago. I gave you a hunter's funeral before coming here." Cas looked away for a moment. "Dean?"
"Yeah?"
"Why Purgatory? Why is this your Heaven?" Dean didn't miss the crack of worry and sadness in the angel's voice and Cas didn't try to cover it.
"You weren't here," Dean answered before he could think. The words hung in the air between them. "My Heaven isn't Heaven without you," Dean said after a moment. Cas lit up, hope in his eyes before Dean cupped his angel's face between his hands and kissed him gently. Cas's permanently chapped lips were oddly soft against Dean's. Dean pulled away just enough to look into Cas's deep blue eyes.
"You're here," Dean whispered. Around them, the trees of Purgatory seemed to fade away to a brighter landscape with a single road. Parked beside them was a familiar shining black Impala with tan interior, toy soldiers, initials, sigils and all.
"I'm here," Cas whispered back as Dean moved his hands from his angel's face to his hands. Dean felt himself smile, finally feeling contentment.
"Will you have to go?" Dean asked, worry seeping into the moment.
"I broke into Heaven to come here, Dean. I closed the door behind me. I have no intention of leaving you." Cas squeezed Dean's hands gently.
"Let's see what our Heaven really is, then," Dean grinned.