Chapter 25.

Sam and Anael went back to the bunker. Charlie was in the library with Eileen and Jules. "I told them what's happened." said Charlie, "I'd have let Dean explain, but he's not coming out of his room." She turned to to Anael and said, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." said Anael, "I'm sorry to have caused all this."

"You have nothing to apologise for." said Charlie, "The truth is, we've been hoping something would happen between you and Dean."

"You knew it was a possibility?" said Anael.

"We thought there was potential there." said Jules.

"And you didn't tell me?"

"We were hoping you would tell us, when you were ready." said Charlie.

"Charlie's right," said Eileen, "You have no case to answer here. You did nothing wrong."

"So the only one not happy that I had sex with Dean, is Dean?" she said.

"And Cas, apparently." said Jules, "Normally, I understand him, but on this, I don't have a clue. He's always been so sure he wanted Dean to find someone."

"I don't think I was the someone he had in mind." said Anael, "Maybe he thinks I'm not good enough for Dean."

"Well, what he thinks doesn't matter." said Jules, "Dean clearly thought you were."

"Until he didn't." said Anael, "It wasn't his idea. I just walked into his shower."

"You saw what you wanted and you went for it." said Eileen, "I wish I'd been that direct. You need to be, with these boys. Otherwise, you have to die a couple of times for them to take notice."

"Not fair," said Sam, "I took notice after the first time."

Eileen grinned. "Yeah, you did."

"Do we know what kind of state Cas is in right now?" said Jules.

"Cas wants to stay at the farm." said Sam, "He's feeling bad about his argument with Dean and hurt about Dean and Anael, but I think the guilt is winning for now."

"If he's still there tonight, I'll join him there." she said.

"You make sure he knows we all love him." said Charlie.

"Tell him I didn't do this to hurt him." said Anael, "I didn't think it would hurt anyone." She added more quietly, "I didn't think it would hurt Dean, either."

"Is Dean talking at all?" said Sam.

"Doesn't want to discuss anything." said Charlie, "Sounds like he's watching a lot of TV in there."

"There are worse things he could be doing." said Sam, "TV and comfort food are the least damaging things he uses to handle this stuff."

"What stuff?" said Anael, as if afraid that he might constantly be dealing with naked angels in his bathroom.

"Emotions." said Sam, "Good and bad."

"Will he come out while I'm around?" she said.

"Don't even think about leaving." said Charlie, "This is your home."

"This is his bunker and I was only ever allowed to be here as a favour to Castiel." she said.

"As I said," said Dean, walking into the library, "We're both grown-ups. If we'd kept this under wraps, it would have been easier, but nobody here is gonna give you a hard time over this, right, everyone?"

"Right." said Jules.

"We already told her that." said Charlie.

"I'm gonna say this again, loud and clear in words even an angel can't misinterpret. I want you to stay. I want us to be friends. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Neither did you." said Sam.

"Anael is unhappy and that's on me." said Dean. He went to a shelf where he usually kept a bottle of whisky. "Are we out of booze again?" he said. He shrugged. "Kitchen, probably." he said to himself.

He was heading out again when Sam said, "Dean, Cas is at the farm."

"Get him back here." said Dean.

"I tried. No dice."

"Jules?" said Dean, "Have you tried?"

"Not yet."

"He needs to be here." said Dean.

"Maybe you should try." said Sam.

"Yeah, because he's so happy with me right now. Tell him Anael and I have put this thing behind us. Tell him it was a mistake, my mistake. Tell him anything you need to, but get him back here."

"What if he says I have to go?" said Anael.

"What? You think the girls are gonna ever accept that?"

"Would you?" she said.

He seemed shocked by the question. "Of course not! Didn't I just tell you ... "

"But he's Castiel, your brother." she said, "I'm just the spare angel."

"Who did nothing wrong." said Dean, "If Sam told you to go, I'd still want you to stay. If anyone leaves, it's gonna be me."

Alarm bells rang in Sam's head. "No." he said firmly, "We need you here."

"if Cas can't bear to see me around Anael after this or if Anael feels weird having me around, the obvious solution is that I move to Sioux Falls."

"To become permanent referee between Meg and Crowley?" said Sam.

"Why not? I'm not much use here."

"How can you say that?" said Sam.

"Because it's true. Charlie's Angels here can do all the stuff I can do. You're the unquestioned commander, here and at the Krak ... "

"You're still bothered about the castle?" said Sam.

"No. I'm not bothered about anything. I just accept that I am as much use here as a chocolate chassis and with last night's little adventure, I may have become an actual liability."

"Dean ... " Sam began, but Charlie interrupted.

"Can we stop this, now?" she said.

"Stop what?" said Dean.

"I came back from Heaven to be with you two. Now you're looking to ditch me?"

"No, never, not at all." said Dean.

"All this, 'I should be away from here.' crap and you don't even mean it. You'd be miserable away from here and you know it."

"I can handle miserable." he said. He seemed offended.

"And you want to? Is it really easier to run away and hide in Sioux Falls than to admit you have human feelings for someone?"

"Someone who, no offence to Anael, is not human." said Dean.

"So you admit, there are feelings?"

"No, there aren't." said Anael, "He was honest with me from the start, that he feels nothing for me."

"That's not exactly ... " his voice faltered and died.

"If you leave this bunker without resolving anything, it's just gonna be harder to come back." said Charlie, "And Sam needs you, because he's dealing with being a Dad when the only good role models he had were you and Bobby. I need you because you're the big brother I always wanted. You don't even have to decide how you feel. Anael isn't demanding a thing from you, but just admit that you feel something, because every time you say you don't, you're hurting her again."

"Then I should go to Sioux Falls." he said.

"And it's not just her you're hurting. I can see it in your eyes, every time. This is breaking your heart."

"What heart?" said Dean, "Never had one. Never had a use for one."

"I'll go." said Anael, "I've lived in the world before. I can do it again."

"You called these people your family." said Dean.

"They were yours first. I did this, I should be the one to be exiled."

"You did nothing." he said.

"Then why won't you look at me?"

There was a faint attempt at a smile. "I looked at you yesterday and that ended badly."

"You were happy enough at the time." she said.

"I didn't mean for me." he said.

"I need both of you to do something for me." said Sam, "Because my wife is pregnant and I don't want her stressed and I don't want me stressed. So, for the sake of the baby you both love, promise me one week. Both of you will stay in the bunker for a week and try to figure this thing out. If, at the end of that time, you still can't stand to be around each other, we can discuss solutions. Deal?"

"Deal." said Dean, quickly enough that it was clear he would rather stay.

Anael didn't answer until he had. Even then, she waited until he briefly met her gaze and then she said, "Deal, but what about Cas?"

"Leave Cas to me." said Jules, "He just needs someone to take his hand and lead him through the emotional minefield."

Sam relaxed a little. He had faith in her ability to bring Cas to his senses and he knew Dean and Anael would keep their word. "Oh, Dean," he said, "Great work on finding that car. She's in perfect condition."

Dean looked happy for a moment. "She is, isn't she? At least I got that right."

"You get everything right." said Anael, "Except maybe angels."