"Hey, Cas?" Dean asked the next day, sitting up in bed after another morning sleep.
"Yes, Dean? How are you feeling?" Cas asked, getting out of his chair at the little table.
"I'm ok...I mean, I'm not, but I am, just..." Dean sighed. "I'm sorry about last night. Again, I keep losing my cool with you, and again, you were just trying to help. You don't deserve that."
"Well, again, you don't have to apologize to me, Dean." Cas said. "We can keep having this conversation, and it's never going to change anything. I'm not leaving you."
"What did I ever do to deserve you?" Dean playfully pushed Cas in the chest with a soft fist.
"Believe it, or not, but I've been asking myself the same question..."
"Yeah? Me? What, cause I'm your traveling companion in my awesome ride as we see the wonders of this scary world?"
"In a way, yes..." Cas nods. "And, whenever we deal with our little problem, I'd like to continue said travels and awesome rides."
"Really?" Dean raised an eyebrow. "You're not just saying that cause I'm the most popular guy in Hell right now?"
"So am I..." Cas said. "I really do enjoy our time together, Dean. You make me feel...almost human...you don't treat me like a freak of nature, it's almost like you forget sometimes what I am..."
"I do..." Dean admits. "But hey, for the record, you'd make a fine human..." His eyes stare into Cas', and he almost imagines what that would look like. Would Cas choose to stay with me, if he wasn't obligated to protect me? Duh, idjit, he just said that.
"Thank-you, Dean..." Cas smiled.
"You're welcome, Cas." Dean smiled back, feeling butterflies in his stomach. "Say, why don't we grab some grub, and hit the road. Got any angel friends that could help us?"
"I...don't know." Cas thought. "There's not many that I would trust..."
"Not the popular kid, huh?" Dean guessed.
"I'm very loyal to the cause. Always did what I was told, but, now that He's gone, everyone is distressed and pointing all of their fingers at us, so..."
"So, even Heaven is after us?" Dean said anxiously.
"No, Dean, don't worry about that. They're just not going to do us much good. They would never turn on me...we're family." Cas said. "Besides, I would've been smitten a hundred miles from the entrance of Heaven if they were out for blood." He added casually.
"Well, that's comforting." Dean tried not to get paranoid about that. "Let's get out of here."
"Dean? You're not eating...what's wrong?" Cas looked up from Dean's barely eaten food at the diner they stopped at.
Dean pushed the plate away. "I'm sorry, I'm just, thinking again. Wish I could shut it off and just enjoy a day, you know? I mean, I've got a job to do, always have, but sometimes I wonder, is there anything else for me? Something to live for besides killing?"
"Dean, you are not a killer." Cas stopped him right there. "I...when I was healing your soul...I saw your thoughts, your feelings, your desires...you deserve happiness, Dean. And I'm going to help you."
"Cas, you're too much..." Dean blushed. "I guess I should be flattered my soul isn't some mistake."
"You are definitely not a mistake." Cas looked sad. "Please, Dean, I don't want you to keep talking like this to yourself. I don't like it."
Dean was touched, seeing Cas feel that way about him. He forgets that Cas had his soul, therefore, he knows everything about himself. Sure, it was a shock at first when Lilith brought it up, but...he was literally and figuratively, touched.
"Well, it definitely wasn't a mistake meeting you..." Dean mentally kicked himself for such a cheesy line like that. But Cas lit up, the poor thing did not understand cliches, so he would let it slide this time.
"Thank-you, Dean. And I'm glad I had the honor of saving you." Cas said.
God, you're so sweet...