Sam wasn't exactly listening to Cas's story, more so to Lucifer and Gabriel's hushed conversation.
"They'll kill us if we go back!" Gabe hissed. "You know that."
"We can't stay on Earth forever, and I need to make amends for all I've done. Can't Dad just explain to them why we did what we did?"
"What we did? We broke a Winchester out again, you know they want them dead for good. Nothing we say will go over well with the Angels."
Lucifer sighed. "Where's Dad when you need him?"
Sam sidestepped into the conversation. "Can't you just tell them God said you'd redeemed yourself and that you both stopped Armageddon by saving Dean?"
"It doesn't work like that Sam," Lucifer explained. "Unless Chuck specifically stated that in front of them, they wouldn't take it. I think they've started to loose trust in Him."
"I wonder why?" Gabe said sarcastically. "He's only been gone for...let's say...millennia."
"So what?" Sam asked. "You're stuck on Earth for all of time?"
"It appears to be headed in that direction," Lucifer said.
"You could stay in the bunker if you needed, until you find somewhere else."
Gabriel shook his head. "We couldn't do that. The Angels might track us there, we will be wanted by them after breaking your brother out."
"Cas said we were done. God said we were done, we have nothing to do with the Angels anymore."
"True," Lucifer said thoughtfully. "But you've done enough for us. We couldn't invade your home. We can try to go back to Heaven- two Archangel's against seraph? We could take them if we needed."
"We are not stirring up anything else in Heaven," Gabe snapped. "You've done enough of that, and we still owe them an explanation of what happened."
Sam sat back, allowing the Archangel's to continue their argument as he half listened to Cas talking. The rest of his brain was pondering over Crowley's question; "will they move out?" Sam had selfishly hoped they would stay but now, watching Dean holding Cas next to him, seeing the happiness on Dean's face that he thought had died long ago, he realized that they most certainly could and would not stay. They would move out, live their own lives, Dean would get his simple, Apple-pie life he had wanted. And Sam would be alone.
Almost all his life Sam had had Dean with him- saving the times Dean had died or been sent to Purgatory- and every time Dean left, even when they were kids, Sam couldn't help but miss him. It was a selfish need, Sam knew that, but he wanted Dean to stay. He just didn't want to be alone.
Dean laughed at something and leaned against Cas, squeezing him a little tighter. Cas leaned away teasingly before resting his head on Dean's shoulder. They were both so happy. It wasn't fair that Sam could ever ask Dean to stay with him despite having no doubt that, if it ever were to come down to it, that Dean would choose Sam over Cas in a heartbeat. That was the one thing Sam knew for certain. It was Sam and then Cas, it was Sam and then the world. It had been like that since Mary had died, it was Dean's job- keep Sammy safe- and that's exactly what Dean would do.
"Sam? Sammy?"
Sam blinked, looked around. Dean was watching him, slightly concerned. "Yeah?" Sam asked.
"You okay?"
"Zoned out, sorry." Sam shook his head to clear it. "What?"
Dean gave him a weird look. "We have to go now."
"Oh! Okay, umm, sorry." Sam grinned and walked over to Jody as she stood, bending down to give her a hug. "Bye Jody. We'll call, promise."
"You'd better," she murmured. "Take care of yourselves, okay?"
"We will," Sam said, straightening up. He glanced at Cas who was currently being given want looked like more of a headlock than a hug by Claire while Dean watched, laughing.
"Claire?" Cas asked. "Could you please release me now?"
Claire laughed and removed her arms. "I'm happy for you," she whispered. "You got Dean Freaking Winchester!"
Cas stared at her with a small smile, he nodded, feeling a rush of fatherly affection for the girl. "I suppose I did."
Claire pounced at Dean, hugging him furiously. "Make sure you call," she said loud enough for Cas to hear. "Jody will kill you if you don't."
"She's already made me promise I would," Sam said, walking over to them. He clapped Cas's shoulder and stood next to him, waiting for Dean to finish his goodbyes. "Dean, we need to go!" he called.
"I know," Dean replied. He quickly hugged Jody and Alex before walking over to his brother and Cas. "You gonna be okay with transporting?" he asked Cas worriedly.
"I should be fine," Cas said uncertainly. He gave Dean a slight smile that seemed to convince him somewhat.
"Okay," he said. "Ready Sammy?"
Sam nodded. Gabriel and Lucifer both raised a hand but Lucifer stopped, turning to Jody.
"We need to make two trips," he explained briefly. "Cas will remain here for a minute so do not think I forgot him."
Jody nodded, standing back.
Cas waited as both Sam and Dean disappeared.
They landed in the bunker. Sam stumbled forward, cursing his long body for being so unstable when it came to flight. He felt Dean's hands help right him and ask, "you good?"
"I'm fine," Sam said. "Flying just isn't my favorite thing."
"I can tell," Dean grinned. "Hey Sam, something on your mind?"
Sam blinked, taken aback at his older brothers uncanny ability to read him. "Yeah," he replied slowly, hesitantly.
"Sam, what is it?" Dean sounded more concerned than anything else. "Something wrong?"
"Are- are you and Cas going to leave the bunker?" Crap, Sam hadn't meant to say that, he had meant to slowly bring up the topic.
It was Dean's turn to look taken aback now. "Do you want us too?"
"God, no!" Sam said, half upset and half surprised that Dean could even think that.
"Okay..." Dean replied slowly. "So what's the worry?"
Sam shrugged, knowing full well Dean knew that the worry was. "Will you leave, move out? You know."
"I don't don't we have any plans to. But when you get a girlfriend, you'll want to leave won't you?"
"When? Dean, anyone I've ever had a relationship with is dead and you know I'm not good at making new ones."
Dean raised his eyebrows. "Not everyone."
There was a flutter of wings behind him and Sam swung around, momentarily scared it was an Angel sent to get Lucifer and Gabriel, not Lucifer with Cas. We're safe, he reminded himself. You don't have to worry about that anymore. You're safe, Dean's safe, Cas's safe.
And deep down his knew that, after all this time, he finally was.
