CHAPTER FOURTEEN

They weren't sure how, but the lustful-hordes attack had eased the tension in the room somewhat. Dean rushed to replace the mattress and the bedframe.

"They won't come back."

"I ain't taking any chance."

When that was done, Dean turned to Cas. He took a few slow steps towards his friend and sighed regretfully as the angel turned away from him. Dean was hesitant to stop Castiel but he need to apologize, so he reach out to grab the angels shoulder. "Cas."

"Yes Dean."

"I – Look at me." he forced the angel to turn back but he wouldn't meet his gaze. Dean was forced to try and regain eye contact. It always made it easier to talk to Cas when they were eye to eye. It was as if they were equals.

It was a few moments before Cas gave in and met Dean concern and guilt-ridden gaze.

"Cas. I'm sorry."

"It is alright Dean. You don't have to apologize. You were angry."

"Dammit Cas, that's no excuse for hitting you. Not ever."

"I was angry when I hit you Dean. I did a lot more than splitting your lip."

"Yeah well that was well deserved." Dean groaned at the memory. "That was not." He added pointing to the angels lip.

Cas pulled his lip between his teeth in a mirror of Dean nervous habit. "Your apology is accepted. If it wasn't for me you wouldn't be here…"

"Cas…"

Castiel allow him to continue. "And if it wasn't for you neither would I."

That had a thousand meanings to them both. If it hadn't been for Dean Winchester, Castiel would have remained an obedient little servant of heaven. He would not have rebelled against everything he knew. He wouldn't have died, twice. He wouldn't be fighting a civil war.

And if it hadn't been for Castiel, Dean would have remained in hell, and if another angel had pulled him out, Dean was more than sure he wouldn't have been able to convince them to help him. He wouldn't have made it to the convent and kill Ruby. He would have end up saying yes to Michael, however long it took. He wouldn't have survived after Lucifer's attack. Cas hadn't just healed his wounds that day, he given him the strength to face what lay ahead of him. A life without Sam, though he hadn't known it at the time. In fact he'd been pretty fuck-off with the feathery dude for skipping out on him.

So with all that taken into consideration, being trapped in a motel room wasn't all that bad really, was it?

"Truce." Dean sighed with a grin, holding out his hand.

Cas looked from the tight smile to the hand. He hesitated for only few seconds before shaking it. "Truce."

They both breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed just a little. Dean walking back to the bed, throwing himself down and swing one ankle over the other, folding his arms across his chest.

"So you sent Sam…"

Castiel became worried. He hoped they wouldn't fight again so soon. Dean must have seen his concern because his smile vanished. "Sit down man. – You know it irritates me when you stand there like that."

Dean had never seen Cas move so fast - on human legs anyway. He laughed.

"You said that on purpose."

"Yep. – I figured you wouldn't want to make me angry."

Dean had the image of Scanners in his mind for the second time that day as Cas scowled at him. It only caused him to laugh loader.

"I do not see what's so funny."

"No you wouldn't. Don't matter anyway. – So you sent Sam… because you'd figure he'd do anything for you, like those guys."

Cas relaxed. "Yes. – And I am really very confident that it'll wear off the moment he leaves town…." The angel coped Dean posture right down to the folded arms, but found it far too uncomfortable so chose to rest his hands in his coat pockets instead. "Are you mad Dean?"

Dean shrugged. "Someone had to do something and I obviously wasn't in any kind of conduction to."

"I think this spell is having the opposite effect on you. Though I can't understand why."

"Yeah I came to that conclusion too. – I don't know why either. I guess we're just going to have to wait for Sam to save us."

The amusement of the situation wasn't wasted on either of them. Usually it was one or both of them trying to save Sam, it made a nice change.

"So how long do you think it'll take Sam to contact Balthazar?" Dean asked growing more relaxed by the minutes, sleepy even as his head fell back against the pillow.

"That depends on Balthazar. The mood he's been in of late, it could be some time. – But I'm sure he'll help."

"You have more confidence in him than I do." Dean murmured sleepily.

"You should sleep Dean. I am safe at present."

"I'm fine." Dean insisted as his eyes drifted closed.

Out of habit, or maybe instinct Cas reached out his hand, his fingers where already brushing Dean's forehead when he realised he didn't have his powers at present but he didn't pull his hand away as quickly as he should.

Dean opened one eye and looked up at the angel. "You've been keeping my nightmare away, haven't you?"

Now Cass hand moved with the speed of light, slipping it back into his coat pockets.

"Even when I was living with Lisa?"

Castiel remained silent, staring straight ahead. His heart pounding and his jaw clenched so tight it hurt.

"Cas?"

"You should sleep Dean." That determined angel tone was back.

"Not until you tell me."

Castiel didn't sigh or roll his eyes; he did nothing but reply to Dean seemingly innocent inquiry. "Yes."

"Why?"

Now Castiel sighed, rolled his eyes and looked at his feet resting on the bed. That was not such an innocent question because the angel himself didn't have a clue why. Well that wasn't completely true. He knew why he'd started, because Dean was in a bad way and they needed him focused, slowly blocking out his memories of hell seemed a simple thing to do, but once Lucifer was free, once he'd rebelled, there had been no real reason to continued, but he had. For almost three years Castiel had keep Dean balanced. He hadn't taken away all his pain. Dean needed some of it to survive, but the stuff that went beyond the normal day to day agonies of the world. Hell, the more disturbing nightmare about Sam. Those he'd held at bay.

"Cas, why?"

The angel swallowed hard. "Because, you're my friend and I do not like to see you in pain."

There was silence. Long and drawn out and filled with things unsaid on both sides.

"Thank you Cas. – I don't say that enough."

"You welcome Dean. – Now sleep. I will wake you if I need to."

Nothing more was said as Dean turned onto his side and thankfully slipped into the abyss.