The Innocent

Chapter 14: Blink Twice For Yes

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Song(s) of the Chapter:

Love Don't Run- Steve Holy

See You Soon- Coldplay

Castiel sat boneless in that cold plastic chair for what seemed like years. He was so tired, but he couldn't fall asleep, he wouldn't. He had to stay awake for Dean. He pulled out his cell phone and absently flipped through his pictures.

Dean struggling to put his T-shirt on.

Dean smiling stupidly at a cartoon Cas hadn't seen in years. Ren and Stimpy.

He came to one of Dean trying to brush his teeth, the toothpaste running down his chin, a dripping toothbrush in hand. He clicked to the next one.

It was of him and Dean, Dean's arm thrown around his shoulders a huge smile on his face. Castiel's lips were pressed to his cheek, his right arm out of the shot so he could take the picture. He could just barely see the face of a giggling Caelan in the background, her hands over her mouth.

Cas smiled sadly, clutching his phone tightly.

What if he doesn't pull through? said that aggravating voice in his mind.

He will. God has given him enough shit to deal with, he'll pull through.

We'll see.

"Dr. Collins?"

Castiel looked up into the face of an unfamiliar nurse. He must have been new.

"Would you please come with me?" he asked. Castiel stood and wordlessly followed him, thinking the worst and the best at the same time.

Dean groaned and shifted. Something pulled at his wrist and he opened his eyes. He was blinded by an unbelievably bright light. He tried to throw a hand over his eyes but found his arm too heavy to move. He turned his head to the side, keeping his eyes closed. Where the Hell was he?

Then it hit him.

The screaming. The squealing tires. The horns. He'd been hit by a car.

The realization made him sit up abruptly in bed. His body erupted in flames and he gasped, his eyes popping open. He gasped again, but not from pain. He could see. He could actually see the nasty peach colour the walls were painted. He could see the light green of his hospital gown. Everything else was white but he didn't care, he could see everything.

The door at the far end of the room opening had him turning his head. A nurse walked in with a man behind him. He had disheveled, dark hair and he looked like he needed to shave. Dean admired the way the blue sweater he was wearing highlighted what had to be the bluest eyes he'd ever seen. The stranger approached the bed cautiously. He was absolutely stunning; it almost took Dean's breath away.

Dean didn't want to admit how beautiful this man was because he suddenly thought of Castiel. He wondered where he was.

"Dean?" asked the man.

Oh, that voice.

Dean would know it anywhere. This was Castiel? This absolutely beautiful man with rugged features?

"Cas…Castiel?" Dean asked uncertainly. Cas's face lit up with joy and Dean's heart swelled, knowing he was the one caused it.

Castiel nodded. "Yeah, Dean, it's me. Not what you expected?" Cas asked, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Come here," Dean said, holding out his seemingly weighted down hands. Castiel obliged and leant forward into Dean's hands, letting his jaw be cradled by the familiar and calloused fingers. Dean closed his eyes and ran his hands over that stubble coated face and through that silky hair. Dean huffed out a laugh.

"It's so much better than what I expected. Damn you, you're beautiful!" Dean said, pulling Castiel forward and into his chest, ignoring the stabs of pain in his ribs.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have an over exaggeration!" Castiel said into Dean's neck. Dean chuckled.

"Nope. And I'm glad you're the first thing I could see, Cas. Now can we call it love at first sight?" Dean asked, running a hand through Castiel's hair. Castiel made an appreciative sound in the back of his throat. The nurse looked at the two reunited men and stepped back out the door, figuring they needed a moment to be alone.

"So, who do you like more? Picasso or me?" asked Castiel, stroking Dean's cheek absently. Dean moved away for a moment and Castiel cocked his head. Then Dean patted the space beside him.

"Sit with me and I'll tell you," said Dean, arranging himself on the narrow hospital bed. Castiel hesitantly and carefully eased himself onto the bed beside Dean. He leant back against the pillows and clasped his and Dean's hands together. Dean pressed closer to him and rested his head on Castiel's shoulder.

"So…?" Castiel asked, watching their intertwined hands.

"Definitely you," Dean said, looking up from his place nestled in Cas's shoulder. He didn't think he would ever get enough of looking into those cerulean eyes that shone bright in the fast fading sunlight coming through the blinds.

Castiel rested his head against Dean's and smiled. "Good." He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "Do you think it's going to be different?"

Dean sighed and played with Castiel's fingers. "I don't know. I won't love you any less…but I might miss the two person showers," Dean admitted, a light blush dusting his cheeks as he buried his face in Castiel's neck.

"Mmm…" Castiel rumbled. "Who said they were going to go away?" Castiel turned his head to look at Dean, a lazy smile donning his lips. "Who knows, things may just get…better."

Dean smiled. "I'd like that." Dean stared up at Castiel's face, yet again captured by those blue orbs. He wanted to drown in them. He wanted to dive in and never come back up. His eyes were drawn to his slightly chapped, full lips. Dean had kissed those lips so many times, but he wondered if it was different when you could see. Was it better or was it the same? Would it not have the same mind-numbing effect? Dean wanted to know.

"Dean? You're staring," Castiel was saying. Dean looked up.

"Huh?"

"Exactly," Castiel grinned. "If you want to kiss me, all you have to do is ask." Castiel shifted so he could rest on one elbow. He brought their intertwined fingers to his lips and lightly kissed Dean's knuckles. Dean shuddered then groaned.

"Why do I have to be even more crippled?" he whined.

"Because it makes you adorable?" Castiel offered, leaning closer to Dean. "You know, Beautiful, I really want to kiss you right now," Castiel breathed, his eyes flicking to Dean's lips.

"So why don't you?" Dean whispered, his hands involuntarily clutching Castiel's sweater.

Castiel's lips were an inch away from Dean's when he smiled. "Because my sister is about to burst through that door in about three seconds and it may be a little awkward," Castiel said, pulling back just as the door exploded inward and Anna barreled through.

"Oh, Dean, thank GOD!" she threw her arms around him and Castiel both, nearly squeezing the life out of him.

"Anna…I can't…ow…breathe," Dean gasped. Anna stepped back.

"Oh!" she gasped. "I'm sorry! I didn't hurt you, did I?" Her hands fluttered at her chest, total motherly panic attack in full swing. Castiel put an arm around her frail shoulders.

"Annie, calm down. Slow," he said. "He just got hit by a car and lived; we don't need you to crush him to death." Anna gulped large breaths and eventually her pupils turned down a couple thousand dilations. She smiled and reached up to tie her frazzled hair back into its equally frazzled bun.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Dean. Just glad you're alive. So is Caelan. Cael! You can come in now, Sweetie!" Ana yelled. Caelan barreled into the room, a flash of pink and silver and glitter before she was pouncing on the two of them.

"Uncle Cassy! Dean! The doctors said they couldn't tell me what happened!" she cried into Dean's shoulder. He patted her back and murmured nonsense things in her ear.

"Dean?"

They all turned to see Dane leaning against the wall, his glasses in his hand, his little face holding a solemnity that a six year shouldn't be able to possess.

"Dane, come here, Buddy," Dean said, patting the space beside him. Dane felt along the wall and then forward until he bumped into the bed. He hesitantly climbed onto the space at Dean's feet.

"Is it okay if I sit right here?" asked Dane, playing idly with the knitted blanket that covered Dean's legs.

"Of course, little man."

Dane was silent for a moment, his face pulled into a thoughtful expression. "Does this mean we can't be friends anymore?" Dane's lower lip wobbled, and then stiffened like he was trying not to cry.

"What? No! I mean, of course we can still be friends. Come here, buddy." Dane crawled up into Dean's waiting, cast covered, arm and pressed hesitantly into his side. Dean rubbed Dane's back and Castiel had to hold back the 'awwww' that was threatening to fall from his mouth as he watched his niece and nephew snuggle into Dean's sides like they'd known him their whole lives.

"Easy, easy-!"

"Dean! Stop squirming!"

"It tickles! Knock it off, Cas!"

Dean squirmed as Cas wrapped the stitches on his foot. It had been two weeks since Dean's discharge from the hospital. He'd been given what he liked to call his 'Gift Basket of Happiness' because it held more painkillers than Castiel had ever seen and they made him feel oh-so happy.

"Dean, I swear, if you kick me in the shin one more time-"

"Hey, boys!" They both turned as Anna entered the room, Cael and Dane running around her to sit beside Dean, who hugged them both and began explaining to them what Cas was doing to his foot. As Cas lifted Dean's leg to start strapping on the boot, Dean hissed. It still hurt, even after a few weeks. A practically shattered tibia and a completely rotated fibula, they told him he may never walk the same again. But he wasn't worried; at least he'd have Castiel to lean on.

While Dean was quietly contemplating, Castiel was sweating like crazy. He was so nervous; he thought his skull might cave in from all the possible outcomes his actions might bring. The object of his uneasiness was nestled into the front pocket of his dark jeans, feeling like it weighed as much as a school bus driven by an overweight driver.

Cas strapped the last of the boot onto Dean's leg and grabbed his hand, pulling him to his feet. Cas gulped at the warmth of Dean's hand on his forearm and the pressure of his fingers holding tightly onto Castiel's as he wobbled unsteadily. Castiel looked over at Anna who nodded and ushered the kids into the kitchen.

Castiel led him and Dean down the hall, past the bedroom Dean had only slept in once since he'd arrived, and into Castiel's room. Dean looked at Castiel.

"What's wrong?" Dean placed his hand on Cas's cheek, brushing his thumb softly across his slightly chapped lips. Something was worrying Castiel.

Cas placed his hand over Dean's and smiled. "Nothing. Here, let me help you onto the bed."

"The bed?" Dean asked, confused, but still let Castiel lead him over to the bed and help him swing his bad leg over the side. Dean sat back against the dark blue comforter and folded his hands in his lap. Castiel stood awkwardly at the edge of the bed, looking everywhere but at Dean.

"Cas, you okay?" asked Dean, reaching for Castiel with his semi-good hand. Cas stepped back and ran a hand through his hair. He sighed.

"Not really." Castiel let out a shaky laugh. "If I told you to close your eyes and not open them, would you?"

Dean's eyebrows rose. He gestured to himself. "Cas, I'm a little out of commission right now."

"No, no, not anything like that. Just…close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you to, okay?" Cas said. Dean shrugged and closed his eyes.

"Whatever you say, Picasso." Cas smiled at that and stuck his hand in his pocket, feeling the small suede box. He pulled it out of his pocket and dropped to his knees. He felt under the bed for the card; the card that could mean life and death…or 'no' and 'yes'. He pulled it out, a small white card, no embroidery, no flowers, and only one sentence.

Castiel held the card carefully in his hand and stood. He approached the bed again and sat on the edge.

"You can open your eyes now," Castiel said, grasping Dean's hand. Dean opened his eyes and smiled up at Cas.

"So, what's got you all sweaty?" Dean asked.

"Dean."

"Yeah?"

"You know how much you mean to me, right?"

"Of course," Dean replied.

Castiel looked away and drew meaningless patterns on the comforter. "You know that you're my world. That every day I wake up and everything's okay, just because I see you? Because I get to hold you and sleep beside you and make you laugh?"

"Cas-?"

"Wait a moment, please." Castiel paused and breathed deeply. "I have this two part plan going on, and here's the first." Castiel handed Dean the card and held his breathe as he opened it.

Inside, in Castiel's tilting, chicken-scratch handwriting, were these words:

How would you like to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with me every morning for the rest of our lives?
How would you like to share secrets under the stars?
How would you like to fight over small things that don't matter and then feel sorry about it later?
How would you like to spend the rest of your life with me?

As Dean read the card with eyes that were blurring with tears, Castiel slipped from the side of the bed and onto one knee. Dean turned his head to see a very frightened, nervous and determined Castiel. Castiel's eyes were filling with tears as well. Dean's heart thudded in is chest as he tried to comprehend what was happening.

"Dean, I know I've only known you for a short while, but I can't imagine living without you and I don't know how I managed to do it before, but…I'd like to grow old with you. I know it's cheesy, but my heart belongs to you now, whether you say yes or no. So…what I'm saying is…"

Castiel gulped. Dean bit his lip and wondered why his heart hadn't broken through his ribcage and run into Castiel's arms yet.

"Dean Winchester, will you marry me?"

The whole world stood still. Every bird stopped singing, every car stopped moving, every person on the planet ceased to make a sound. As they waited for the one word that could change everything.