Cas flew to Heaven, feeling the light and peace surround him. He smiled. Though the feeling of Heaven was pure, and he loved it, nothing about it came close to the feeling he had around Dean. He walked into his favorite Heaven, as peaceful as he remembered it being, and observed the man flying a kite.

"Castiel!" a familiar voice called to him.

"Hello, Ezekiel," Cas smiled at the angel.

"You've come to give your decision?" Ezekiel asked.

"I have. I wish to turn human."

Ezekiel tilted his head, confused.

"You are unhappy with Heaven?"

"Not at all. I'm just happier with Dean. Being with him, even if it's temporary, is worth leaving all of this behind," Cas said.

"Very well. If that is what you want," Ezekiel said, and he placed his hand on Cas' forehead.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"Dean?" Cas asked a moment later, tapping on the glass.

Dean nearly jumped out of his skin. He clambered out the door, and Cas leaned in to turn off the radio. The simple human action made Dean's flutter.

"You did it. You're human," he said, leaning back against the car.

"I'm human," Cas said, grinning widely.

"Cas…," Dean began.

He wanted to say something. He felt guilty for Cas giving up his grace.

"Don't," Cas said, reaching forward and holding Dean in his arms. "Really, Dean, this is what I wanted. Just this, holding you…I can feel the difference. It isn't my vessel holding onto you. It's me. I can feel you now, and I can see you. It's perfect. You're perfect."

Dean smiled. If Cas was sure, then so was he. He leaned forward, kissing Cas fiercely on the mouth, and Cas whimpered in his throat. Dean pulled away.

"That's certainly a new feeling," Cas said. "I can feel your lips now, and taste your tongue…let's do that again."

They met again, Cas' hands traveling over Dean's body as though it was the first time he'd ever touched him. And, Dean thought, it probably was.

"Excuse me, boys," a voice said from behind them, and they broke apart.

"Bobby!" Dean said, walking over to shake his hand. "You're back!"

"Easy case. Rufus is such a newbie sometimes, I swear. What are we celebrating?" Bobby asked.

"I'm human now, Bobby," Cas said, walking forward to shake his hand in the way he saw Dean do.

Bobby took it, confusion spreading across his face. He met Dean's eyes, and Dean answered his unasked question.

"Angels can't have human love and grace too."

"Aw, hell. You chose Dean over grace? You damned fool," Bobby said, but there was a smile on his face. "Come on inside, I'm going to throw my stuff down in my room and order a pizza."

Dean and Cas followed Bobby inside the house, and stayed in the living room while he went upstairs to drop his bag.

"I bet you're hungry," Cas said suddenly. "We didn't eat all day. Why didn't you tell me?"

"It was more important to me that you be happy," Dean said, and Cas grinned.

A sudden shout drew their attention to the stairs.

"Dammit, boy!" Bobby's voice echoed, and Dean and Cas heard Sam saying something as Bobby came back down the stairs. "Jesus! When did my house turn into a whorehouse? Can't even walk in my own damn room without seeing two people going at it!"

He stomped past Cas and Dean into the study. A moment later, Sam came running down the stairs, red in the face. He went into the study, apologizing profusely.

"No, Sam, I don't want to hear it. You wash those sheets this second. And just-go. Go on, now," Bobby said loudly from the other room.

Sam walked by Dean and Cas, still blushing.

"Get caught, Sammy boy?" Dean asked with a serious face.

Sam gave him the mother of all bitch faces, and turned to storm back upstairs. Dean looked at Cas, and both of them laughed so loud and hard they had to sit down on one of the couches. God, it felt good. It felt right.

Bobby stayed in his study and Sam and Anna stayed upstairs, only coming to the same room when the pizza man showed up. Bobby dug out some money and paid for the pizzas, mumbling his thanks before closing the door. They opened the boxes and began to eat, a swelling silence filling the room.

"That's good," Cas said, chewing the pizza with his eyes closed, and Dean smiled.

"Yeah. About time you got something from the pizza man other than porn ideas. But, you know, I'm sure Sam has some tips," Dean said, barely holding in his laughter.

"Shut up, Dean," Sam said, and Dean couldn't hold it in anymore.

Cas met Anna's eyes across the table, and she started to giggle too. Before long, everyone at the table was laughing so hard they had tears streaming down their faces. Dean couldn't remember the last time he'd felt like this. Everyone was happy, no one was dying, and for a brief moment, the world was at peace.

"Oh, God," Bobby said, leaning back in his chair. "We're just going to have to start putting ties on the doors or something."

The rest of the meal passed in happy conversation, with Bobby filling in everyone on the case he'd worked. When dinner was over, Dean and Sam helped Bobby clean up the mess, and Anna and Cas went out onto the porch.

"So, you're human now, huh?" Anna asked, and Cas nodded. "How do you feel?"

"Different," Cas admitted. "But really good. Great, actually. It's strange. All of my senses are heightened. When Dean and I kiss, it's amazing. And the fact that I could die tomorrow makes it all feel so much stronger."

Cas shrugged, and reached out to take Anna's hand.

"And you? You and Sam must have acted on your connection," Cas said.

"We did," Anna said bashfully, tucking her hair behind her ear. "And Cas, it was…amazing."

"You have a decision to make as well," Cas said gently.

"I do. And I have already discussed that with Sam. I give my answer to Ezekiel tomorrow morning."

"Or now," a voice said from next to them.

Cas and Anna turned, Cas instinctively stepping in front of Anna.

"Relax, Castiel," Ezekiel said.

The door behind him opened, and Sam and Dean came out onto the front porch. They tensed, but Cas lifted his hand to tell them everything was fine. Still, they came over and stood next to Cas and Anna, and Ezekiel tilted his head in a birdlike way.

"I had to come see this for myself. What it could be that is causing the angels to fall whenever they find a Winchester?" he said, without malice in his voice; it was more of a curiosity.

"You cannot possibly understand, Ezekiel," Anna said, stepping up next to Cas.

"Ah, Anna, don't tell me you've already decided," Ezekiel said.

Anna turned her head back to briefly glance at Sam. He gave her a reassuring nod.

"I have," she said, standing straighter. "I want to be human."

Ezekiel laughed sharply.

"Of course you do. But will that change in thirty years, when your body is failing, and everything hurts? When Sam and Dean look like wrinkled, scarred versions of themselves? What then?" Ezekiel asked.

"Then it will have been thirty wonderful, life-filled years," Anna replied.

Ezekiel looked Anna over.

"If you are so sure, then come here," Ezekiel said, and Sam was touched to see that Anna didn't hesitate.

Anna stood in front of Ezekiel, who put his hands on her face. A silver liquid began to pour from her mouth and nose. It was over in seconds, and Anna staggered back against the rail.

"That's all?" she asked, but Ezekiel had gone.

"How do you feel?" Sam asked, rushing forward.

"Let me check," Anna said, and she grabbed Sam's face and brought it down to kiss him.

Dean curled his nose up, but Cas smiled. Sam and Anna broke apart, and Sam looked like he'd just had the kiss of a lifetime.

"Wow, Cas, you were right!" Anna said, and reached up to kiss Sam again, who was more than happy to do it again.

"What did you tell her?" Dean asked, trying to ignore the lust radiating his direction from his brother and Anna.

"The truth. How everything feels new. Like this," Cas said, closing the distance between them and kissing Dean deeply.

No one heard the screen door open, or Bobby step out. He glanced at the couples on the porch, then quietly stepped back into the house.

"Son of a bitch," he said to himself.

But he was smiling.

A/N I think I'm getting close to the end of this story. I have some ideas planned, and maybe even a sequel, so hang in there for the end in the next few chapters. And thank you for your sweet reviews. You all make me so happy!