A/N: Thank you for all the favorites and reviews! They mean so much to me. This is the last chapter. Thanks to everyone who stuck around for this story.

Castiel should've known it was going to be a trap.

The Hunt had been too perfect.

A lone werewolf had been terrorizing a small town. Castiel should've known something was off in the way the wounds in the victims chests looked as if they'd been cut open instead of ripped apart by claws. Eileen had noticed and commented on it, but everything else had pointed to werewolf: it was a full moon, the local bartender didn't have a good alibi during the killings, and all of the victims were males in their 30s. It was a classic case. Or so they had all thought.

They track the bartender down to a dock full of shipping containers. The perfect place for a trap. The four of them split up and each take a direction. Dean goes North, Sam goes South, Eileen goes West, and Castiel goes East. Castiel quickly races around the docks, looking for the werewolf. He weaves through the shipping containers, rounds a corner, and finds himself surrounded by angels.

It's a trap. Of course.

Reflexively, Castiel grips his angel blade. "What do you want?" he snarls at the angels.

"We just want to talk, brother," one of them says, holding his hands up in a sign of peace. As if. "We want to make you an offer."

"What could you possibly offer me?" Castiel retorts.

"Your grace."

Oh. Castiel hadn't considered that. "Go on," he says.

One of his sisters speaks up, "Come back to Heaven. We need guidance. You'll have your grace there."

Castiel blinks then speaks, "You're really asking me to come back?"

"Yes," a third says. "We shall give you your grace, and you'll have a fundamental part in Heaven's reconstruction."

"Reconstruction?" Castiel asks skeptically. "You're rebuilding Heaven?"

"Yes," the first angel speaks. "And we need your guidance, Castiel. Come back with us. Help us fix Heaven. Reclaim your grace."

"No."

They stare at Castiel in surprise before exchanging looks with one another.

"No?" the second angel asks, as if she hadn't heard Castiel correctly the first time.

"No," Castiel confirms. He tucks in his angel blade and turns away. "I'm leaving now."

"Castiel, wait!" the third says.

Castiel pauses but doesn't turn around.

The angel continues, "Why? We are offering you everything! How can you say no?"

"You are offering me nothing. Everything I want is here," Castiel replies firmly. Without looking back, he walks towards the way he came.

Did he just make a mistake?

He rounds the corner and bumps into something. Castiel immediately jumps back and takes out his blade. "Dean?"

Dean is staring at him with wide eyes as if Castiel caught him doing something he shouldn't have been doing. …Dean had been listening. Castiel is about to call him out on it, when Dean grabs him by the front of his shirt and yanks him closer. Castiel thinks Dean is going to hit him, but Dean is suddenly pressing their lips together. Dean's lips are very soft.

Then Dean is pulling away.

Castiel didn't even close his eyes.

He didn't even kiss back.

He did it all wrong.

Dean's eyes are wide and dark. He's still gripping onto Castiel's shirt. "Oh, shit. Shit. Oh, no. Fuck." Dean looks down at his hands and releases Castiel's shirt and stumbles backwards. He stares at Castiel with wide eyes.

"Dean?" Castiel asks. He numbly brings a hand to his lips as if he can still feel Dean there. "Wha—"

"It's a trap!" Sam yells as he and Eileen come racing towards them. "Angels," he says. He and Eileen both stop to catch their breaths. Sam looks between Dean and Castiel. "You guys okay?"

Dean speaks, "Yeah, we're fine. The angels tried to get Cas, but, uh, we're all good." He's talking as if they hadn't just kissed. He pointedly looks at Castiel. "Right, Cas?"

Castiel nods. He can't talk apparently.

Sam studies him with a furrowed brow. "You sure you're okay, Cas?"

Castiel nods again and swallows. He needs to find his voice. He clears his throat. "Uh, yes, I'm—Dean and I are fine. We're fine." They are not fine. What the fuck is happening.

"I think we're done here, right?" Dean says.

"Uh, yeah, I think so," Sam agrees.

"Right," Dean replies. "Let's get going."

Dean doesn't even look at Castiel on the drive back to the motel. He talks to Sam and Eileen like nothing happened. Castiel is devastated. Dean just…he just kissed him, and it means absolutely nothing to Dean. But it means the absolute world to Castiel. Dean is everything to him. Dean showed him everything. He showed Castiel what it is to be good. What it means to be loyal. What love is and how to feel it in every way imaginable. Castiel would do—and has done—anything for Dean Winchester. He loves Dean with every piece of his being.

And Dean just kissed him and acts like it's nothing.

Castiel knows what happened. Dean was excited. Ever since that night Dean had made sure Castiel had seen him lick his lips, Dean's been…horny? Castiel knows he broke up with Heather and perhaps Dean just needs to have sex again. Why Dean is suddenly choosing Castiel, Castiel has no idea. Maybe Dean finally realized Castiel is in love with him and is using that to his advantage. But it's not fair. It's not right. Not when Castiel feels everything for Dean, and Dean can never see Castiel as something other than a friend.

Castiel is such an emotional mess, he doesn't even remember most of the drive back to the motel. Eileen gets a call from another Hunter as soon as they arrive, and she and Sam leave.

As he packed his things, Castiel could see Dean had tried to give Sam all the "don't go, help me" looks out of the corner of his eye. Sam didn't notice.

And now Castiel is angry. Dean kissed him, and now Dean's trying to get away? Maybe Dean should have thought about that before he kissed Castiel. Does it all really mean nothing to him? He…he hurt Castiel. No, it's still hurting. Dean can't do something like that and try to bury it! Castiel can let Dean do that with his own emotions, but not with Castiel's. Not this. This is too special.

Castiel is pretty sure Dean hadn't anticipated on them being trapped in the Impala together. Now they're stuck a foot apart from each other as Dean begins the five hour drive back to Kansas. Castiel is still pissed. The silence is horrible, but Castiel wants Dean to suffer for what he did, so he doesn't speak. Dean goes to turn on the radio, but before he can, Castiel says,

"You kissed me." And stares directly at him.

Dean nearly drives off the road. He manages to get back into his lane. He glances at Castiel, and Castiel can see genuine fear in the Hunter's eyes. Good.

"I, uh," Dean starts. "I…did. That is…that's a thing I did." Dean is gripping the wheel so hard his knuckles are white.

Castiel needs answers. He won't let Dean run away from this. "Why?"

Dean makes a choking sound. He licks his lips and looks at Castiel again. He immediately looks back at the road.

Castiel is completely done with this and repeats, "Why, Dean?"

"I—I dunno. You were—you said—the angels…" Dean swallows. "You're staying. You—you…want…to stay."

"Are you having a stroke?" Castiel's patience is running out.

"Jesus Christ, Cas, can't you cut me a break here?" Dean turns to him again, and there are tears in his eyes.

Dean must be realizing how much this is upsetting Castiel. Finally. "Why should I?" Castiel asks.

Dean pulls over so quickly the sudden stop is jarring. Tears are falling down his face when he turns to speak. "You're my best friend, Cas. It can't all mean nothing, right? We can get past this. Just forget and move on. We don't have to talk about this ever again."

Dean knows how Castiel feels and expects him to forget and move on? Castiel levels him with a firm gaze and says coldly, "I can never forget this."

"Shit," Dean says quietly. He finally takes his hands off the wheel, and they're shaking. He runs his hands through his hair and takes a few deep breaths. He doesn't seem any calmer. Dean turns to Castiel again. "I really fucked this up, didn't I?"

What did Dean expect was going to happen? "Your reaction seems a bit strong."

"My…my reaction?" Dean is staring at him like he's grown a second head. He scoffs and runs a hand down his face. He leans back in his seat. "Right. Right. I don't know why I expected an angel to understand. I thought since you're human now… You'll never understand, will you?"

Dean's vague sentences and lack of communication are the last straw. "Don't presume to know me!" Castiel spits out angrily. "Maybe it's your inability to explain things that leaves me confused. What don't I understand, Dean?"

"You don't know what it's like to fall in love! Why the fuck do you think I kissed you, huh? You know people kiss each other when they're in love! You knew that as an angel. Why can't you get that now? Why can't you leave me alone? Okay, I get it, you don't love me back, I slipped up with the kiss, but, fuck, Cas, just let me move on, okay? I can't—I can't do this without you." He leans forward, desperate. "Please, don't leave. Please." He's breathless, his eyes are wild, and tears are still on his face. Castiel has never seen him so scared before.

Instinctively, Castiel moves closer and reaches for him. Dean looks like a spooked animal but lets Castiel take his hands. Castiel brings Dean's hands to his lips and kisses them gently. Dean lets out a shuddering breath. Castiel sniffs wetly and realizes he's also been crying.

He looks up at Dean. "I love you too."

Dean makes a small, broken sound and tears begin to run down his face again. Castiel releases Dean's hands in favor of pressing closer and cupping Dean's face in his hands. He gently wipes Dean's tears and leans their foreheads together.

"I'm here, Dean," Castiel whispers.

Dean whimpers and desperately pulls Castiel closer. But there isn't really much space for Castiel to be closer, so Castiel pulls away to swing a leg over both of Dean's and sits in his lap. Dean is looking up at Castiel like he's the most amazing thing he's ever seen. Castiel has never seen so much awe on someone's face before.

"I love you," Castiel says.

Dean's hands reach up behind Castiel's neck and pull him down. Their lips meet again, but this time Castiel kisses back. He slides his lips gently against Dean's. Dean's mouth is open and pliant beneath his; Dean is letting him take control.

Dean wants him to take control. So he does.

He keeps the kiss light, still holding Dean's face in his hands. Dean's hands are curled in Castiel's hair. Castiel breaks away every few seconds to catch his breath and murmur, "I love you." Dean melts under his touch.

Castiel isn't quite sure how long they do this. He has to stop because his legs are falling asleep and his back is aching. Reluctantly, he disentangles himself from Dean to sit beside him again. Dean chases after him, and Castiel kisses him—once, twice, three times—while they sit next to each other. Castiel pulls away.

"Cas." No one has ever said his name so reverently.

"I love you."

The hand Dean has on Castiel's hip tightens, and Dean moves closer and rests his forehead against Castiel's. "Cas," Dean repeats exactly like before.

"Yes, Dean?"

"Stay?"

"Always."

This thing between them is still so raw and new that they haven't told Sam yet. Castiel can tell it scares Dean sometimes. He'll catch Dean staring, or Dean will walk into the room and cling onto Castiel as if he's going to suddenly disappear. And Castiel doesn't mind. They can take their time. Finally.

There's a lull in the Hunt they're on, and they're walking around a lake while Sam and Eileen get back from town with dinner. The sun just set and there's a slight chill in the air. Castiel stops to watch the way the tall grass near the water bends in the breeze.

Dean pulls Castiel into a hug and moves back just far enough to kiss him. Castiel thinks he'll never tire of kissing Dean. Dean breaks away and cups Castiel's face with both of his hands, staring earnestly. At first, Castiel thinks Dean is having one of his moments where he's afraid and just needs to touch Castiel to reassure himself this is real. But there's something different about Dean's expression.

"I love you," Dean says for the first time.

Castiel's breath is stuck in his throat, and tears are welling in his eyes. He's never needed to hear Dean say it to know it's true. Dean speaks louder with his actions. He always has. And he's shown Castiel in every way he can that he loves him. But there's something about Dean saying it—hearing the actual words—that strikes something deep within Castiel. It's like that part of him was a dying flower, and Dean just gave it water and sunlight.

All Castiel can do is lean in and kiss Dean again.

Dean pulls away. "I love you so fucking much."

"Dean." Castiel doesn't think he's ever sounded this wrecked before.

Dean presses their foreheads together. "I'm gonna tell you every day." He smiles wide and beautiful. "You're gonna get so sick of me."

"That's impossible."

"I love you."

"I love you too."