As there were no vessels available during the era Dean wanted to visit, the memory began with a flash of light which left Dean seeing stars.
"Is that a giant column of light, or am I having a stroke?" Dean asked aloud.
The light condensed abruptly, and Cas stepped out in his trench coat-wearing vessel.
"You're not having a stroke," Castiel said flatly, "This is a diluted version of my true form. I assume you are more comfortable with this representation?"
Dean felt like he was looking at the scary Angel who stalked into the barn more than four years earlier. It took a few seconds for Dean to recognise his trusted friend again.
"As this is a memory, we are observers only. None of the animals will be able to sense you in any way."
"That's good. Jurassic Park was a great movie, but I'd rather not die in the original," Dean joked.
The crease above Castiel's eyes indicated confusion. Dean was impressed that the Angel was so expressive in the image of his previous vessel.
"A movie," Dean clarified, "We're having a Jurassic Park marathon in the near future."
"Movies," Castiel realized, "Ok. Anyway, I spent a few hours on Earth, so this memory should satisfy your curiosity. We have to follow the glow of my true form."
Dean hurried after the floating glow, which was drifting away behind Castiel.
Castiel enjoyed seeing Dean smile and hearing him laugh was even better His memory of the visit to the den of iniquity was dominated by Dean's amusement as they escaped.
"That one has feathers!" Dean shouted with excitement, "Cas; why do the little ones have feathers?"
"Evolution," Castiel replied simply, "Father knew that feathers had to exist well before humans evolved. The wing design developed further in birds was based on Angel wings."
Dean studied the small dinosaur before if darted back into the vegetation. He was still amazed that he was seeing an actual dinosaur.
"Even bird wings are kind of lame compared to yours," Dean decided.
Castiel wasn't sure why he was filled with a smug pride when Dean appreciated his wings. Logically, he should have been uncomfortable with the reminder that Dean could still see them.
Dean noticed Castiel's wings fluff up in a movement he had associated with happiness. He chose not to comment that it was easier to interpret the Angel's moods by the movements of his feathers.
Dean knew he was acting like an awestruck child and he wasn't going to apologize for it. Even Sam would be jealous that he had missed out.
Castiel watched Dean approach a carnivore lying in wait in the ferns. He had to remind himself that the Hunter wasn't in any danger.
"You were bigger in the movies," Dean said to the velociraptor, "And those feathers don't suit you. That obnoxious kid was right; you look like a big, half-naked turkey."
Castiel didn't understand why Dean was so excited, and he didn't really care. He simply followed the man with a contented smile on his fac. There was something utterly fascinating about the unrestrained delight he had never observed in Dean before.
"This way, Dean," Castiel prompted.
"You had a short attention span, Cas," Dean decided, "You didn't even stop for that baby stegosaurus."
Dean was having so much fun that he didn't realize how draining the experience was for Cas until the Angel stumbled and dropped to his knees with a groan.
"Cas!"
Castiel was pulled back to his feet by the concerned Hunter with an ease which was only possible because they were not corporeal.
Dean grunted as the Angel slumped against him, "Cas! What's wrong?"
The image around them flickered ominously, "Guiding you through these memories is more taxing than I anticipated," Castiel mumbled into Dean's shoulder.
"Shit," Dean muttered, "Can I help?"
Castiel leaned back unsteadily, "Connecting with the Grace in your soul might increase the rate of recharge."
"Another soul hickey?"
"No; the same one," Castiel assured him quietly.
Dean was seriously concerned that the Angel would keel over into a dinosaur turd, "Go for it."
Castiel let his forehead press against Dean's shoulder again. He gently dismantled the barrier he had put in place to keep his Grace from overwhelming Dean's free will. He was sure he was so weak that he would be nothing except a shadow in the back of the Hunter's thoughts.
The surroundings blurred and Dean tensed with dread. If Cas died because he was too busy admiring dinosaurs to realize his best friend was dying, he would never forgive himself.
Dean was once again surrounded by a bright glow. Before he could feel trapped and fight back, the energy engulfed him completely.
Castiel felt the missing part of his Grace slip into place easily. He was startled to realize Dean's soul was so tightly bound around the fragment that it followed.
As far as Castiel knew, an Angel had never fully bonded with a human soul. A touch could leave a mark, and prolonged contact left a permanent connection like he had with Dean.
Castiel was not sure how to keep Dean's soul close without it seeking out tendrils of his Grace.
Dean was no longer alert; Castiel could only compare the functioning and yet unresponsive mind of the Hunter to a coma patient.
Castiel worked fervently to keep his Grace away from Dean's soul without success. The bright essence of the hunter spread out so fast that new bonds were being formed before the Angel could avoid them.
In a final, desperate move to protect Dean from being violated telepathically, Castiel ripped the fragment of his Grace free once more. He fled from the soul and attempted to tear himself free of Dean's body.
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Gabriel enjoyed spending time with Linda. The feisty woman dismissed his status as an Archangel and didn't hesitate to grab him by the ear when he made a blatantly inappropriate suggestion.
"I don't care how old you are, boy," she had growled, "I'll turn you over my knee if you don't shut your mouth."
"You promise?" Gabriel retorted automatically.
He had been impressed when the door to her room was outlined with sigils to deny any Angel access.
Taking her shopping had been a good way to initiate a truce. Kevin had made it clear that his mother was a 'distraction' and Gabriel liked distractions in many forms.
Gabriel was making a nuisance of himself while Linda transferred the shopping into various cupboards or the refrigerator. He had already opened a pack of lollipops when a ripple of Angelic power slammed into him.
The Archangel dropped a string of curse words in Enochian and flew directly to the room where Castiel was supposed to be meditating with Dean.
Castiel was in control of Dean's body. He was sitting up and tearing desperately at the handcuffs. There was a visible glow over his whole body as he tried to escape.
"I have to leave!" Castiel cried as soon as Gabriel appeared, "Take them off!"
"You have to stay with Dean," Gabriel argued. He moved forward to calm his brother.
"His soul is merging with my Grace!"
Gabriel halted immediately, "Already?"
Castiel lunged forward to grab fistfuls of the shirt the Archangel was wearing, "He is not conscious; he didn't consent to this!"
"Consent to what?" Sam demanded from the doorway. Faith was right behind him.
Gabriel removed the handcuffs while muttering in Enochian. From his tone, he was saying something very unflattering.
"Faith, are you willing to host my brother for a while?" Gabriel asked quickly.
Castiel left Dean the moment he was able, his essence represented as an impossibly bright light above the bed. He was very thankful for Gabriel throwing up a shield to save the eyes of the mortals in the room.
"Yes!"
Castiel streamed toward the Dhampir. As the glow settled over Faith, Dean sat up with a strangled cry of outrage.
"What happened to the dinosaurs?" Dean demanded wildly.
"A bloody great rock screwed up their habitat and the smallest ones evolved into birds," Gabriel replied sharply.
"We were in a memory," Dean recalled, "Cas! What happened? He's gone!"
"I am here, Dean," Castiel said in a deeper version of Faith's voice. She moved forward with careful steps and posture was more rigid than normal for the Dhampir.
Sam could not form words. Knowing Castiel was inhabiting Faith's body was deeply unsettling on multiple levels.
"Your soul is as easy as you at a bar on St Patrick's Day," Gabriel explained as he put the handcuffs on Faith's wrists, "If Castiel hadn't fled, your soul would have fully merged with his Grace."
Dean held a hand to his pounding head, "And that's bad?"
Castiel nodded, "Without your consent it would be a violation."
"If that handprint is a hickey, your soul just molested an Angel," Gabriel said with a smirk.
"What?" Dean spluttered, "I did not!"
Castiel regarded Dean with the same piercing gaze, no matter which vessel he was residing within, "My Grace sought to draw on the missing piece and your soul could not be held back. I apologize, Dean; I did not realize this could happen."
"You did warn me that the bond-thingy could cause problems," Dean pointed out.
"Can I speak to Dean alone, please?" Castiel asked tightly.
Gabriel winked suggestively and made some obnoxious kissing noises. Sam glanced between his brother and the woman he was falling for nervously.
"Faith?"
The rigid posture relaxed, and Faith offered Sam a reassuring smile, "I'll be fine; Castiel has learned the art of communication from you two," she explained, "Trust me, they need my help."
Sam visibly relaxed, "Try not to break either of them."
"No promises," Faith replied wearily.
"How sweet," Gabriel sighed, "Both Winchesters are looking at you the same way. Is there an awkward threesome in your future?"
"Go away, Gabriel," Faith said flatly, "Castiel is grateful for your help, but I could convince him to spread nasty rumours about you via Angel radio."
"My survival needs to be kept a secret a bit longer," Gabriel argued.
Faith smiled sweetly, "Which is why you don't want Castiel to announce an impotency problem to Heaven."
Dean barked a laugh while Sam was tactful enough to restrain his reaction to an amused snort.
"I'll have you know - "
"I don't care," Faith cut off the Archangel, "Ten minutes privacy and your survival remains a secret."
"You're boring anyway," Gabriel said snidely. He reached out to touch Sam on the arm and they both disappeared.
"This is weird," Dean decided.
"I know," Faith agreed, "But I knew it had to happen. Castiel needs all the help he can get to navigate your emotional minefield."
Dean was clearly annoyed, "I am surprisingly well-adjusted, considering my life experiences."
Faith folded her arms across her chest, "That's a polite way of saying your life has been insane and you should have broken mentally long ago. You're messed up, Dean; and it is to be expected. Just accept it."
"There are two theories for arguing with a woman," Dean muttered, "And neither of them work."
"Good. Now, Castiel is still panicking over the soul-Grace thing," Faith sat at the foot of the bed as though she visited he room regularly, "Apparently, no Angel has ever fully bonded with a human before; when he rebelled against Heaven, he knew it was a death sentence."
Dean shook his head, as though denial could change anything, "No; we'll find a way to save him."
"Your soul tried to do that," Faith explained, "Had Castiel not retreated, you would be completely bound to him."
Dean huffed with irritation, "What does that even mean?"
Faith tilted her head and stared at the wall while she conferred with Castiel, "He's struggling to describe it. The closest approximation would be telepathic rape."
Dean looked like he wanted to vomit, "I nearly did that."
"No; Castiel is very emphatic that as you were not able to consent, it would have been a violation of your soul."
"Oh."
Faith wanted to smile at the stunned expression the man wore, "Castiel believes your soul was trying to deepen the bond to save his life."
"And that's never happened between a human and an Angel before," Dean said thoughtfully, "Well if it's the only way to stop his wings from going black, that's what we'll do."
Faith reached out to pat his knee, "When you and Castiel choose to bond, it should be for love. He can stay with me to heal."
Faith could see the distress in Dean well before he found the words to explain why his hands were digging into his knees so tightly.
"I think my soul was too quick," Dean admitted, "Something is different. I can feel it."
The explosion of concern from Castiel would have been cute if the situation was not so serious.
"Can you describe what's different?"
Dean pressed his palm to his chest, "The pain from Hell is lighter, but Cas feels too far away."
"He'll stay close, I promise."