Methos paced as he told them what Silas had said "Raphael resurrected him. He doesn't know why specifically. Raphael ordered him to kill Dean and didn't tell him why."

"What would be the point of killing Dean?" Connor asked.

"There is no point" Balthazar drawled "he keeps coming back to life anyway."

"Why won't you let me sit with Dean?" Castiel demanded. Again.

Lucifer sighed "Because you're human at the moment. It wouldn't be wise for you to be near him when the transformation is complete. How many times must I explain this?"

"I understand where he's coming from" Sam said and sighed heavily "but Cas, he's right. You know Dean wouldn't want you to get hurt."

Gabriel reappeared right then, dressed in traditional archangel garb.

Lucifer raised an eyebrow "What's with the getup?"

"I got my job back" Gabriel grinned "Did I miss anything?"

"Not really. You spoke to Father?"

"Yes. First of all He says we need to learn from our own mistakes so He's not going to snap His fingers and fix all this. We dug this hole, blah, blah…very disappointed, blah, blah…"

"What about Dean?" Sam asked.

"Seraph, first class" Dean walked into the room. His wings were black with shades of dark green and gold. "Hi, Dean Winchester, Patron Angel of Hunters, nice to meet ya."

Both Sam and Castiel got to their feet "Dean."

"How does he automatically get promoted to seraph, first class?" Balthazar asked incredulously.

"When was the last time you saved the world?" Castiel snapped at him before pulling Dean into a hug. "Your wings are magnificent, my love."

"Thanks Cas" Dean kissed the top of his head "can't wait to see yours."

"All right" Gabriel clapped his hands "time to start angel lessons. Who wants to go flying?"

Dean clutched at Castiel "Sorry did you say flying?"

Sam cleared his throat "Gabe, it's been a long day and it's after midnight, maybe those of us who need sleep, you know, should."

Gabriel looked at the clock on the wall "Oh would you look at the time."

"Sounds good to me" Dean said "I want Cas to be there during this flying thing and…"

"All right fine" Gabriel waved a hand "but we're all waking up when I say we're waking up."

…

Sam joined Dean, Gabe and Cas on the roof not long after sunrise. He just had to see Dean's flying lesson. It may have been daylight but no one who shouldn't, would be able to see them thanks to Gabriel's magic.

"Though" Gabe had said "I would love to show that atheist magician across the street a thing or two one of these days."

"Can't we get Cas's Grace back first so he could teach me?" Dean asked, sounding much like he did the time they went on that plane.

Gabriel rolled his eyes "You have to help us get it back, dummy. But problem solved" he snapped his fingers and a pair of winged sandals appeared on Cas's feet. "Try those out, Cassie."

Cas looked down "How do these work?"

"Just like regular wings. Want me to push you off?"

Cas glared at him "I am perfectly capable of flying on my own thank you" he marched over to the edge.

"Be careful, babe" Dean said.

"Always dear" Cas took a breath and leapt off the roof. He floated in mid-air "Quite interesting. But Hermes has wings doesn't he?"

"Yeah" Gabriel rose into the air "but he doesn't show 'em all the time and he likes to tinker. Come on Dino, first thing's first, spread your wings."

"Uh, how?" Dean stepped back, close to Sam, almost as if he expected Sam to protect him.

Gabe spun around and did a summersault in the air "Whoo, I haven't done this in way too long. Dean, your wings are like your other limbs. How do you move your arms?"

"I just move 'em."

"Exactly Dino."

Cas took a few minutes to get used to the sandals and then flew back to Dean "I won't let you fall Dean. Do you trust me?" he held out his hand.

Dean took the offered hand "You know I do, baby."

"Keep your eyes on me, pumpkin."

Pumpkin? How cute.

Cas pulled Dean close to him and rose back into the air. Gabriel appeared next to Sam "Wanna ride, muffin?"

Sam grinned "Hell yeah." He took Gabe's hand and found himself floating. "This is amazing" he laughed "thanks cupcake."

"I've flown you before."

"Yeah, but that was in Hell, didn't have the best view."

"True." He held Sam close as they rose higher. Sam looked over at the other two. Dean was still clinging to Cas but his wings were spread out and Cas was murmuring what was probably reassurances in his ear. "Aw" Gabe said "aren't those two just the beesknees? Seriously though Sam, why is your brother so afraid of flying? You'd think it'd be fire that would give him panic attacks."

Sam sighed "Yeah, I don't know. I don't really care for fire."

Gabe rubbed his back "I know muffin, I'm sorry. At least you don't remember that night."

"Yeah, I wish Dean didn't. I mean he was only four. I don't even know if he had nightmares."

"He did. But the poor little guy shoved everything down so your dad wouldn't worry and because you were more important to him."

Sam felt his eyes prickle, whether from the desert air or not he couldn't tell "Fuck," he bent down and rested his head on top of Gabe's.

…

The wind was catching in Dean's wings but he still refused to let go of Castiel. "Dean, my love, you will not fall if you let go."

"Yeah, not chancing it" he hadn't looked anywhere except Castiel's face.

"How did you learn to swim?"

"Uh, I was maybe five and a half. I remember, we didn't start moving around so much till Sammy was like a year. Anyway, it was summer and Dad decided it was time I learn to swim, really swim. We, uh, had this little kiddie pool at the house before…you know, everything. Anyway, so we went to the pool at the apartment we were living at and he just threw me in the shallow end. When I managed that, he threw me in the deep end."

While Dean had been talking Castiel slowly loosened his old on Dean till he wasn't holding on anymore and it was Dean keeping them up. "He just threw you in? What if you'd drowned?"

"He was right there. He wasn't gonna let anything happen to me. I think it's how his step-dad taught him."

"Is that how you taught Sam?"

"Uh, no, I taught him gradually you know. He didn't want to be thrown in so I held him steady while he learned to float first. Wasn't long before he was jumping in himself."

"Dean?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"I stopped controlling the sandals."

"You what?" and they began plummeting towards the ground.

"Dean, concentrate! You can do this!"

Dean's eyes were shut tight and he spread his wings, catching the wind again just before they hit the ground. Fortunately Dean had still been holding onto Castiel.

"You guys all right?" Gabe called as he and Sam came towards them.

Castiel's heart was pumping erratically "That was actually very unpleasant. I'd forgotten how much I dislike falling."

"See!" Dean cried, eyes still closed "it's not fun!"

"All right, that's it" Gabriel said "Dean, I swear I will take you up to the clouds and throw you off. Do you want that? Cas, tell him how I teach fledglings how to fly."

"Come on Dean," Sam said "how would it look for the patron angel of hunters to be afraid of flying? Besides you're immortal now."

Dean opened his eyes and glared at his brother "All right, fine." Still holding on to Castiel he rose quickly up into the air.

"That's it, Dean" Castiel smiled "you wanna try solo?"

With determination, Dean nodded "Yeah, you good?"

"I am" he got out of Dean's grip and floated beside him "Would you like to race?"

Dean smirked "Yeah, let's do this!"

Please review.

The next chapter we start Operation Retrieve Castiel's Grace. Stay tuned.