The Vampire Fight

Dean looked over at Cas, was the angel even trying? Dean was very distracted by angel's current fighting technique. It seemed to involve leaning against the wall letting the vampire hit him again and again. Something about the angel's expression bothered him. Not the pain from his losing fight, but the look of utter defeat behind his eyes. His machete was on the floor several feet from him. Dean sighed internally, there was no way the angel was going to win this one without help.

Taking advantage of his temporary distraction, Dean's vampire punched him directly in the stomach. He grunted and flung the vampire against the wall. He dodged a right hook, but received the full force of the vampire's foot on his sternum, sending him onto his back. Dean rolled to the side, avoiding a kick to the face, and grabbed his machete. In a single swift motion he rose and sliced the vampire's head clean from his shoulders. He then turned and decapitated the second vampire.

Dean remained where he stood, breathing heavily, the machete slowly dripping blood onto the floor of the cabin. Cas slid down the wall and closed his eyes. They remained in silence for several moments.

"Hey, you okay?" Dean finally asked,

"I'm fine." Castiel's reply was short.

"Okay then," said Dean completely unconvinced, "you stay where you are, and I'll take care of all this." He gestured to the gore surrounding them. Cas didn't even reply.

Over the next couple of hours, Dean cleaned all traces of himself and Cas from the cabin and buried the vampires in the surrounding woods. He then headed back to the cabin. Cas stood when he entered, and looked questioningly at him. Dean nodded, and after getting in the impala, they started the drive home.

A couple hours into the journey, Dean's phone buzzed.

"Hiya Sammy"

"Dean, how did the hunt go?"

"Just fine. I told you it was a milk run"

"That's good. How is Cas doing?"

Dean glanced at the passenger seat.

"Hey Sam, since when do angels sleep?"

"They uh don't...I mean, not that I know of."

"Well you'll never guess who is snoring right now"

"Dean, that's not good, I'm getting worried about him. He hasn't been himself lately." Sam's voice was high-pitched with worry.

"I hear you." Dean sounded grim, "I think we should stop somewhere instead of driving through the night. I'm dead beat anyway."

"That's a good plan, call me if anything goes wrong."

"Night Sammy."

Dean put the phone away and tried to focus on the road. What was wrong with Cas? What if they lost him? What if there was nothing I can do? His jaw clenched. Not on my watch, Never!

Twenty minutes later, they pulled into a sleepy motel parking lot with a blinking vacancy sign. Within a few minutes Dean had checked in and returned to the car to collect his duffle bag and Cas. Dean opened the passenger door carefully.

"Hey Cas we're stopping for the night, come on."

Cas bolted awake. had he been sleeping? He slowly got out of the impala, blinking, and followed Dean to their room. Every muscle and fiber of his being ached with weariness. The distance from the car to the door seemed interminable to his stumbling feet. He sank down onto the edge of the nearest bed, and put his head in his hands.

"You can have the shower first" offered Dean.

"No, no you go ahead. I need a minute" Cas replied slowly.

Dean stood under the hot water, feeling the tension melt off his back and shoulders. Whatever was going on with Cas, they would be able to sort it out together when he and Cas got back to the bunker and Sam. Just not tonight. Definitely not tonight. Tonight he could sleep and forget everything for a little while.

"Hey Cas, its all yours" Dean called as he stepped out of the bathroom. He paused, amused and concerned at the sight he saw. Cas was sound asleep again. He had fallen backwards from his perch on the end of the bed, and lay sprawled across the bedspread, his arms outstretched, his mouth slightly open. Dean grabbed the throw blanket from the chair and draped it carefully over Cas. He then turned off the light and got into his bed. The sound of light, peaceful snoring came from the other side of the room. Dean chuckled to himself, and pulled a pillow over his head.