AN: Thank you all for your patience, I know it's been ages and I do apologize for the slow going on this. I thought about posting one of those "sorry I'm busy" fake chapters, but I hate getting those myself (they're very misleading). I'm trying really I am...


The men ride out in the opposite direction; Dean, Bobby and Adam heading one way while Cas, Rufus and Ash veer in another in case Sam's trail fails. As they ride Dean mentally curses the whole ordeal, being spotted means they're going to have to travel miles out of their way and that puts them behind schedule. Its a couple hours later when the posse finally meets back up again at a seemingly safe distance away; however, Castiel's group had yet to come back.

"Where the hell are they?" Dean gruffly snaps aloud, striking a nearby tree.

"Calm down, boy," Bobby instructs, "They're grown men they can handle it."

"Ya, well they should have been back by now." Dean paces slightly, "Sammy you sure you didn't see anything?"

"Dean I told you, I laid the trail until I lost them and then circled around to meet up… Just like always."

"Well something's not right here… Damn it! I knew I shouldn't have let him out of my sight." He scrubs his face in frustration.

"Relax, man," Adam tries, "The priest is an ace he's got it."

"He's still a green horn."

"Yea, but worrying yourself sick, like an old maid, ain't gunna get them here no faster." Bobby informed him.

No sooner had the words left his mouth then they saw the familiar gallop of his men racing towards them. At first they were posed to draw, in case it turned out that it wasn't their own approaching. Relief washed over Dean as he caught glimpse of Cas, a harsh look plastered on the blue eye man's face.

"What the hell happened?" Dean asked, meeting Ash as he dismounts his horse.

"I don't know, man those law dogs where clever. " Ash supplied, "They must have split off, some following Sam and some us." He goes to help Cas off his horse.

"We had to ride all over the place to lose them," Rufus adds, aiding Ash to pull Castiel down.

"I'm fine," Cas winces trying to shake the men off him.

"What's going on?" Dean questions, his hands on hips expectantly.

"We kind of came face to face with some of them, apparently if you take a closer look at the wanted posters, Cas was presumed kidnapped." Rufus says.

"Psh , showed them," Ash chuckles riley, "Cas sent one off to meet they're maker, not before they took a chunk though," he adds.

Sam helps Cas sit down as he moves his jacket to see where the bullet just grazed his side, blood soaking his shirt.

"It's really not that bad," Castiel assures, gruffly.

"Dean, wanta take a look here," Sam pleads.

"Shit," Dean curses, kneeling down to take a look. He carefully pulls Cas's shirt out of the way to fully assess the damage. "Alright," He rises, turning to face his men, and trying to keep a clear head. "Bobby, help Sam patch Cas up. If they're as clever as they say we need to hit the trail as soon as possible." He sighs knowing that this is a delay they really don't need right now, but at least Cas wasn't really shot.

They're patched up and riding in less than an hour, the posse doing their best to make sure their trail can't be followed. Dean keeps a wary eye on Cas, afraid he'll fall right off the saddle. They start to slow to more of a trot, satisfied that they put a great enough distance between them.

"How ya feeling?" Dean asks quietly, bringing Imp alongside Cas' own stead.

"Hmm," he hums distractedly, his eyes closed against the sun.

"Cas?" Dean places his hand the other mans arm, "You with me?"

"I'm fine Dean," Cas intones with a scathing look.

"Yeah… right," he shakes his head, "Just a little longer and we'll camp down, ok?"

Castiel just nods, looking pale as he holds his reigns in one hand and his injured side with the other.

Dean leads them to an appropriate area to set up camp, internally debating if he should give them a day to allow Cas to recuperate. He's not sure if they can really afford that, however. After doling out the jobs and doing his part to set up camp he joins Cas against the tree where he's smoking.

"How you doing there, padre?" Dean asks lightly, striking a match to light his own.

"I'll live, as always," he sighs, resting his head against the tree trunk.

"What exactly happened out there?"

"They caught up to us somehow," he sighs, "Like Rufus said, they thought I had been kidnapped so they told them to hand me over and I answered with gunfire."

"That a boy," Dean smirks clapping him on the shoulder roughly, eliciting a groan from the other man. "Shit, I'm sorry Cas."

"It's fine," he states, gritting his teeth.

"I'm a go check on things…" Dean states rising awkwardly, "You need anything?"

Castiel shakes his head watching as Dean takes his leave. While the camp is busy preparing some food, Sam comes around and gives Cas a bottle of Laudanum to help with the pain. It does its job, but when it comes time to eat he has no appetite. A fact he tries to hide from Dean's watchful eyes.

"You not hungry?" Dean questions him later on.

"I ate," Cas lies.

"You're a terrible liar you know that."

"Only when I lie to you…" he states off handedly before sighing, "I just don't want you to worry, I realize how much of a setback all this is for you."

"I need you to keep your strength, is all," Dean shrugs, playing it off.

"You could make up for time if you just leave me," Castiel informs him, "I'd understand, the wounds not bad but I need to heal up a bit and right now I'm slowing you down."

"Shit, Cas," Dean starts, shaking his head at the idea. "You're one of us, you think I'm gunna just leave you with your horse and hope we meet up later."

"That's exactly what I expect you to do," he replies gravely.

"Well think again, cuz I ain't doing anything of the sort." Dean bristles in indignation. "Yeah, I want to find John and we've had a couple setbacks, but…" he trails off, placing his hand on Cas knee. "I'm not just gunna leave you behind, not now or ever again, ya get me?"

Castiel nods silently as they study each other in the dim light of the fire.

"Let me take a look at ya," Dean instructs, Cas shifting to reveal his bandaged side. "Does it hurt much?" He questions, running his fingers over the wrapping lightly.

"Not anymore," Cas breathes, "It's funny I can barley recall how his shot got so close."

"That happens…" he supplies, "Well, it seems like the bleeding has subsided, just try not to jostle it much."

"Yes doctor," he jests, as Dean returns to his spot next to him.

They're quiet for a while, observing the camp as the fire begins it's slow descent into nothingness. Dean's aroused from his thoughts by a weight on his shoulder, turning to see that Cas had drifted off during the silence. Quiet snores emanate from the sleeping man who's now using him as a pillow and Dean can't help the small smirk that graces his features.


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