A/N: So I had a bit of a break from updates. No spoilers, but given the events of Season 15 Ep. 18, I was feeling pretty overwhelmed about writing about Cas. Since this was an AU anyway, back at a time when Dean didn't throw Cas out of the bunker, I decided to press forward, completely ignoring season 15's events, as they don't have anything to do with this.

Dean was back in his room, just finishing getting dressed after cleaning up, when he heard the knock. "Yeah." He invited.

Sam cracked open his door and walked inside. "Hey… did you know Bobby had a lock-up in Western New York?"

Dean pulled his t-shirt on over his head. "No, but nothing about him surprises me anymore. Wait, New York, near Dad's old unit?"

"Yeah, maybe half an hour away."

"Weird." Dean muttered. He shrugged on his flannel. "Why, whats up?"

"Break in." Sam replied, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against Dean's desk.

"Anything taken?"

Sam shrugged. "Guy said he shined his light around, but it just looked messy. I told him not to go in, just to lock it up again, standard stuff."

"Good."

"But one of us should go check it out." Sam finished.

"Yeah, wait, one of us?" Dean asked.

"Kevin isn't up to a road trip that long, and I don't think we should leave him alone yet."

Dean lowered his head, considering that. "Right."

"I can go on my own, check this out-"

"No." Dean insisted. "I gotta get out of here. I feel like the walls are closing in on me, it'd be nice to take Baby out for some air."

"Alright. You call if it's something you need back up on, okay? I don't have your whole…" He gestured upwards, "plane thing, I can fly out there and meet up with you."

Dean pulled a face at him before rolling his eyes. "Yeah whatever." He paused, his brain mulling through the problem.

"You should say bye to Cas before you head out." Sam said, standing to leave.

"I think I'm going to take him with." Dean said carefully.

Sam turned back to look at him. "What? Really?"

"Yeah. Why not?" Dean tried to brush off, trying to sound natural about it.

"Maybe because by your own admission he just almost died? Don't you think the man needs a bit more rest and recovery before you haul him more than halfway across the country?"

Dean attempted to look confident and dismissive. "Dude's been through worse. He'll be fine."

Sam's incredulous look didn't let up. "Dean-"

"Hey, I'll ask him, and if he doesn't feel up to it, I'll head out on my own, but I'm going to give him the choice." Dean lied.

"You're bringing him, for what, for backup? He's been human less than a week! He's not going to know how to help."

Dean latched onto that for justification. "Exactly! He used to be an angel, snap his fingers, find himself anywhere in the world. Gotta be feeling more trapped than me. Sunlight, wind in his hair, do a world of wonders." Dean tried to paint on a confident grin. "Besides, New York? Eh? I'm not gonna let him try Buffalo Wings anywhere but Buffalo."

Sam's half glaring expression told Dean his argument had fallen flat, but he wasn't about to back down now. "I'll offer it." he finally said, his voice dropping into that gruff tone that told his brother he wasn't going to argue about it anymore.

He left Sam in his room, heading to the kitchen to stock the cooler, giving himself a few minutes to work out what he was going to say to Cas to convince him to travel at a time like this. Truthfully he was quite worried about the physical stress of Cas on a long road trip. More than that, the worry that they were vulnerable outside of the bunker. Every angel and maybe half the reapers had it in for the former angel.

But it was a risk he had to weigh against the alternative. Years of hunting had taught him to never ignore his gut instinct, and his gut was telling him not to leave Cas alone with Gadreel. He didn't trust the angel not to take control and put Cas out of the bunker, or worse.

The only other option was to let Sam go check out the unit on his own, but his big brother instincts didn't want the younger hunter out, potentially hunting so soon after he almost died in the trials. No, this was the best way.

Cooler stocked with beer for their trip and his mind made up, Dean headed towards the former angel's room. He knocked, slipping in, finding Cas at the desk in the room, flipping absently through a book. He cleared his throat. "Hey. What do you think about getting out of here?"

Cas tilted his head. "Out of the bunker?"

"Yeah. Bobby had a storage unit, got busted into. Gotta check it out. Probably nothing, figured you could use the fresh air." He said gruffly. He had to hope that Cas would just go along with it. He didn't have much of a plan B if he said no.

Cas considered it for a moment. "Alright." He said softly. "What do I need?"

Dean let out a relieved breath, quickly covering it with a short cough. "Just grab some clothes, deodorant, toothbrush. Maybe a book or two if you want for the car. I don't know. Sam brings all sorts of crap. I got a cooler full of beer waiting to go, and we'll stop for food on the road." He shrugged. "I'm going to go gather my stuff, meet me in the library when you're ready to go."

Dean walked back into his room, letting his shoulders sink in relief when his door was closed. One obstacle down. He threw his clothes and laptop into his duffel. He pulled his favorite gun out from under his pillow, doing a routine check of the magazine before throwing it on top of the clothes and zipping it shut. He slung it over his shoulder, heading out to the library himself.

Sam was there, nose in a book, but he shut it when Dean strode in. "He's going?"

Dean nodded, letting his duffel thud down next to the cooler. "Yeah, he's in."

"Dean, you're sure about this? I don't-"

"Cas says he's fine, he's fine. Dude used to lead armies for god's sake, he's capable of a little recon."

"Yeah, he also spent the better part of the last two years out of his mind after he trusted Crowley, cracked purgatory, and exploded." Sam shot back.

Dean opened and shut his mouth. After a pause, "Yeah well, I trust him on this."

Sam sighed. "Like I said-"

"Yeah yeah, call you if we can't handle it. I got it." Dean looked up, hearing Cas walk in, his stuff in a second-hand backpack that used to be Sam's. "You got everything?"

Cas returned a genuine smile. "Yeah. I think so."

"Good." Dean said, trying once more to project confidence. He grinned, clapping Cas on the shoulder before picking up his bag and cooler and leading the way up the steps towards the waiting impala.

"Be safe." Sam called after them.

"Never." Dean shot back over his shoulder, letting the bunker door thud closed behind them.