"I never knew how amazing this place was." Dean said as they walked down the streets of Rome.
"I think you've been surverying the food more than the surroundings." Maggie laughed, taking a bite of his canoli.
"I can't be here and not sample the local fair."
"I think you've gone a little past sampling." She took his hand. "Come on, VanHelsing will be waiting." She led Dean down a few side streets to where Castiel had said they would find VanHelsing.
The house was large, elegant, but not escessive, decorated to fit in with its surroundings. Maggie knocked gently and they waited. The door cracked open and a man peaked out before swing the door wide. The man was old, his silver hair tied back. He wore priests robes, a wooden rosary hanging from his right hip. He was old, but his green eyes showed youth.
"Magareta," he said with a smile and a hug. "You have been gone for far too long."
"Bonjourno, Abraham." Maggie hugged him in return. "Forgive me. I had much to do at Roberto's."
"Come in, come in. I trust things are going well there?"
"Very. We have a few permanent residents, and string of others that pass through regularly. Ellen is caring for them while I am away." Maggie nodded towards Dean. VanHelsing studied him.
"Dean Winchester. You have much to atone for, my son." Dean nodded.
"I know. I am ready, and willing." VanHelsing nodded approvingly.
"Magareta, now that you are here, I am sending you and Castiel to Romania." Magge's face fell.
"No, Abraham. When you said there was work for me, I thought you meant in Rome or France. I can't-"
"You will go where you are sent."
"But Dean -" Maggie tried again.
"I'm sure your lover will be fine without you for a few days." Maggie's face flushed.
"How do you know?"
"Castiel." VanHelsing nodded to where the angel had just appeared. Maggie turned to him.
"Cas, we talked about his." She glared at him.
"I'm sorry, it was an accident."
"Accident?" Dean asked. Maggie ignored him.
"You can read my emotions!" Cas at least had the decency to look embarrassed.
"I know, but it was the day Jo showed up. I came to wake you up and I was excited, and apparently so were you -"
"Cas!" Dean and Maggie yelled together.
"I'm sorry! I was only there for a few seconds, but I saw a new tattoo and I asked VanHelsing about it -"
"Stop, just stop." Maggie covered her face with her hands after seeing the amused look on VanHelsing's. "Okay," she sighed, her hands dropping to her hips. "I need to go get ready."
"Ready?" Dean asked. Maggie turned and gave him a coy glance.
"A princess does not go to court dressed in jeans." She said, allowing her accent to come through clearly. Maggie climbed the stairs and entered the first bedroom. He trunks were there, lining the walls. Laid out on the bed was a gown with underskirts. Maggie gathered everything and placed it behind the privacy screen, begiining to undress
"I didn't mean to to tell VanHelsing about you and Dean." Cas appeared in the room.
"He would have found out sooner or later anyway." Cas was silent for a moment.
"Dean is right, you know. You are very beautiful. I mean you're beautiful with clothes on -"
"Castiel!" Maggie yelled.
"I'm sorry!" He paused. "Maybe it would be better if I went downstairs."
"You think?" Cs disappeared and reappeared a second later.
"Maybe not." He said. "Dean has a knife."
"Fine, if you are going to be here, at least make yourself useful." Maggie came out from behind the screen, holding her bodice to her chest. "I trust you can tie a corset?"
"Yes, that I can do."
A short time later, Maggie emerged from the room. Dean and VanHelsing stood at the bottom of the steps waiting for her.
A door closed from upstairs. Dean looked up to find Maggie gracefully descending the steps.
"May I present Magareta Movila Draculea, Princess of Romania." VanHelsing announced. As she reached the bottom steps, Dean offered her his hand, in awe of what he saw.
Maggie wore a full, burgandy gown, ornamented in gold bodice was cinched tight, straightening her back and displaying her narrow waist. The deep, square cut of the neckline showed off the top of her breasts in a very exquisite way. The sleeves were long and tight fitting, secured with thin loops that went around her middle fingers. She wore her hair up and curled, wrapped around the arms of a delicate tiara. Around her neck, on a gold chain, hung the gold and ruby crest of the house Draculea. Dean smiled, seeing the hand she gently placed in his - she still wore the ring he had given her.
"You are stunning." He said quietly. She gave him a small, demure smile.
"Thank you." She turned to VanHelsing, raising an eyebrow.
"Very appropriate." He nodded. "You should be on your way." Maggie turned back to Dean, placing a hand on his chest.
"I'll be back soon." She said quietly. He put his hand over hers.
"You know the rules." She smiled and kissed him gently on the lips. The next instant, she and Cas had disappeared, leaving Dean and VanHelsing alone together.
"Walk with me." VanHelsing strolled out a side door into a garden, lush with beautiful flowers. "Tell me, Mr. Winchester, why do you wish to confess your sins to me?" Dean took a deep breath.
"I will not return to hell. If this is the only way to avoid that, then I do it willingly."
"Is that your only reason?" VanHelsing lifted a lily, inspecting the petals.
"No." VanHelsing lifted his eyes to Dean's face.
"Magareta."
"I know it may not seem like a good enough reason, or even a good one at all." Dean said. "But she is my other half in all sense of the words. I crave her as she craves me. I love her."
"Have you told her?" Dean shook his head. "My boy, of all the reasons there are to do something, love is the best one. Christ himself said 'above all things is love', why should we not practive what he taught? I believe that if more things were done in the name of love, this world would be a much better place." He continued to walk, Dean following. "This is not an easy path, but you are right, it is your only option. We will begin by confession." VanHelsing went into a cottage at the back of the garden. "I must know all your sins. In order to do so, I will put you into a trance. This trance will open your mind, help you to remember things you would normally not." He motioned for Dean to kneel at a small wooden alter. He, himself, sat on a wooden chair in front of it and lit sticks of incense. "Breathe deep, my son, and try to relax."