"What?" Dean whispered in a deadly soft voice.
Any progress Sam had made in ride up in the elevator in getting Dean under control was just blown away with the woman's simple statement. The thin membrane of calm burst and all hell in the form of Dean Winchester was released upon the poor woman sitting in front of them,
"What in the fuck are you saying? Where is he? You tell where he is right now!" Dean rapped his hand sharply on the counter, the noise sounded like a gunshot and caused the nurse to flinch. She slowly moved her hand towards the phone. The movement did not escape Sam's notice, so in an effort to keep them from being dragged out of the hospital before getting to Castiel. He tried once more to calm his brother down. Reaching out to take hold of Dean's sleeve, Sam said in a firm voice "Dean, you have to calm down..." Dean jerked his arm out of Sam's grasp and barked out,
"You need to tell me where Cas is right now." The nurse cringed and folded herself away from Dean's onslaught. Sam watched the one-sided exchange between his brother and the poor woman and he was sure that to the young nurse, Dean's outburst may have sounded like anger but to Sam it sounded like fear and before he could cut Dean off in order to prevent him from destroying the nurse. Nurse Campenella, herself was able to stop the oncoming storm by interrupting him "I'm sorry sir. You misunderstand me. I am so sorry." her face now stricken with remorse and embarrassment "I am so sorry. It's not what you think. I meant he checked himself out. Against the doctor's request. He said he was fine and th...tha...that, he had to get back to his baby." Her words became laced with confusion as she continued to try and explain "He said someone who meant the world to him was going to be very upset. If he didn't get back to him and explain about his car. Which it turns out is named Baby. Then he mentioned something about needing to get pie and some beer. It made no sense." Dean shifted in his shoes and began to lean over the counter but before he could Sam squeezed himself between his about to go nuclear brother and nurse Tina, and asked how long before their arrival did Castiel leave. The nurse turned once more to the screen to check the records. Apologizing profusely as she did so. Sam, trying to keep things calm smiled and just nodded. Dean simmered next to him.
"Your friend. You must have just passed him. It shows he sign the self release papers about fifteen minutes ago. He was going to go down and call a cab. Said he couldn't teleport because his angel power wasn't at full strength." Looking around the nurse whispered "At first they thought it was some sort of miracle because he was critical when he came in. And according to the triage team downstairs they didn't think he was going to make it. But by the time they stabilize him enough to bring him up to get an MRI. Well, he was banged up and except for some contusions and a couple of broken ribs. He seemed pretty much okay. But then he mentioned the thing about not being able to angel teleport. That is when the doctors wanted to force him to stay. They were concerned he had some brain damage."
Dean muttered something under his breath about there being some brain damage here at the nurse's station and Sam felt compelled to knock his elbow into Dean's side and from the side of his mouth whispered "Not helping, Dean"
Dean looked at Sam and rolled his eyes and the spun on his heels and made for the stairway door. He wasn't going to wait for an elevator and as he smashed through the door, Dean allowed his anger and fear to take over and took the steps two or three at a time as he made his way back down to the first floor. Sam, with his longer legs was close on his heels. Despite having taken the time to thank the nurse and also offering the tip that she learn to choose her words more wisely in the future.
Dean reached the first floor landing and in one swift motion threw the door open and ran out into the lobby area of the first floor. Stopping just long enough to get his bearing, Dean spotted the big hospital entry doors they had come through just a short time before off to the right. Dean ran across the lobby and as he reached the automatic doors, he readied himself to run through but his rapid approach was faster than the automatic door's sensors and so he was forced to skid to a stop and wait... impatiently for the doors to open enough for him to proceed through. Once outside, the cool winter air hit his face and as he began to look left and then right for Castiel, Dean heard Sam grab his arm and say "He's right there."
Dean gaze followed the Sam's arm in the direction it was pointing and as he looked off the finger tip he saw a very battered up Castiel sitting on a bench staring straight ahead. There was a sign above his head that read: Taxi Queue.
With a look at Sam, Dean flicked his brother in the shoulder and with a voice filled with relief Dean yelled out "Cas...Castiel"
Castiel sat quietly waiting for a taxi to arrive. His damaged body was still healing underneath the medical scrubs using the small amount of grace he had left. The staff was kind enough to provide him the thin garments after he refused any further help and requested to be released. Grabbing the collar of his coat and pulling it in tighter to protect against the chill, Castiel reached down out of habit and touched his trench coat pocket once more just to make sure the cell phone Sam had given him months before was not hidden inside and even after checking several times, he was still disappointed to find the pocket empty. He piled on to his guilt, the knowledge that he will have to tell Sam he lost his gift. Releasing a heavy sigh, Castiel continued to wait for the cab the nice lady at the information booth said she would call for him. Castiel couldn't stop himself from replaying events leading up to his crash and what had happened to Dean's beloved auto. The doctors who tried to prevent him from leaving, had described the carnage he left behind when they took him away by helicopter, and he felt sick inside. How was he going to face Dean? How was he going to face Sam? Castiel felt bad about letting the younger Winchester down after he trusted him enough to take Dean's car. He knew Sam was going to get the full force of Dean's ire for trying to be nice in letting him take the car to get Dean his beer. Castiel recalled all of the events that led up to the accident. He remembered walking up to the black, sleek vehicle as it sat in the garage. The overhead shop lights, lighting it up as if it were some religious relic. He also recalled how wonderful it was to slide on the slick seats and settle behind the wheel and then insert the key into the classic's ignition and as the engine roared to life, Castiel felt his excitement build. What he didn't think about though was selecting the right music tape before he left the garage. He knew better, when Dean taught him how to drive, it was the one thing he would say over and over. "Never take your eyes from the road" But his excitement at being the "driver" and not "shotgun" or the in the back passenger seat. He wanted to have his turn at picking the music. Besides, he had only dropped his eyes for a moment when he grabbed the AC/DC tape and when his eyes returned to the road. There was a deer and it was walking across the road. He swerved...and when he finally woke up there was a bright light shining in his eyes and he was on a table that was slowly sliding into some sort of tube. Now sitting on the hard bench waiting for a ride, he just wished he could get those moments before grabbing the tape back, and do everything over. The right way.
Swallowing hard at the memory. Castiel dropped his head and began to study his bloodied fingers. He hadn't even given the medical team a chance to really clean him up all of the way. He was given some scrubs to wear when the medical staff could not convince him to stay. Thankfully, his coat was the only thing they had of his possessions that had not ruined. He drew it closer about him as a strong wind howled its way through the porte-chochere, and just as the rush of wind seemed to die down. Castiel's breath caught as he thought he heard Dean's voice float through the covered driveway, on top of the gust. Castiel shook his head in an attempt to clear what could only be a hallucination. After all, how could Dean know where he was, the nurses themselves kept asking him as he put on the scrubs, if there was someone to call for him. Someone they could call to be with him and of course, he had replied in the negative. There was no way he was going to have the medical staff call Dean. So, sitting here on this cold bench he chose to dismiss the idea that Dean was here at the hospital. Only, there it was again and this time. Castiel realized with a sinking feeling, that it was in fact, the unmistakable deep voice of an angry of Dean Winchester. Turning his head gingerly, in the direction of angry baritone. He stood up slowly and as he saw the denim clad man he cared most about come running towards him with furrowed brow and his face flush with what could only be anger. Castiel's heart filled with dread at the assault he was sure to come because of what he had done to the Impala but instead... as Dean drew closer, his senses were picking something else from the hunter, it was anger but it was mixed with something else, a stronger, deeper emotion.
Castiel began taking a measured step towards his friend and as he drew closer, Castiel closed his eyes in relief as the distance between the two men diminished, Cas could feel his pain racked body relax a little but mentally, he braced himself for the onslaught he felt was deserved because of the damage he had caused to Dean's beloved Impala. But instead of hearing Dean's sharp angry voice of rebuke, which when unleashed his way always seemed to cut him deeper than any blade, it was two strong arms wrapping around him like bands of iron then pulling him in for a hug. Grunting in pain from the force of his hug. Castiel suppressed the urge to cry out and just as he was about to lose his battle and cry out ayway. Warm lips covered his own and the pressure of those lips quickly removed any thoughts about the pain he was experiencing. Instead, his eyes popped open in astonishment, and Castiel found himself staring into sea-green ones that looked to be close to tears.
Dean saw Castiel's blue eyes widen, and pulled back with some apprehension and concern. It had been a last second, impulsive move to kiss Cas. It just felt like something he needed to do when he saw the angel stand and then close his eyes. Body tensing waiting for the full brunt his anger. He scanned the face of the angel still wrapped in his arms. Looking for any sign of doubt or even worse, rejection. Seeing nothing but confusion, Dean leaned in to recapture the slightly chapped lips with his own and began kissing him deeper stopping just short of thrusting his tongue forward. He wanted to make sure Castiel understood and that there would be no more confusion about what Dean feels towards Cas. Finally, after several languid moments, Dean heard his brother as he cleared his throat in an effort to try and break things up. Dean released his hold and pulled back so that he could get a better look at his damaged angel.
Wincing at the sight of the partially healed laceration and the yellowing bruises covering almost half of Castiel's face. Dean brought his hand up and with gentle fingers caressed the damage working his fingers slowly downwards along Castiel's face and under his chin.
Stunned by the turn of events, Castiel felt as if the weight of the universe had just been lifted from his shoulders and when Dean came back in for the second kiss. The shock of everything that had happened to him, the fight with the shapeshifters, wrecking the car, Dean's ire... everything disappeared. Feeling himself move forward at Dean's gentle caress because he wasn't ready to stop this wonderful thing that was happening between them. Castiel began to do what he had always wanted to do. He kissed Dean Winchester back. Only, he did not hold back. And when he parted his lips, Dean allowed his to part as well and Cas thrust his tongue forward and began to tease and probe the handsome hunter's mouth. The years of suppressed want and desire from both men began to take them over right there in the hospital's entrance.
"Um guys. Dean." A now thoroughly embarrassed Sam tried once more to get his brother's attention, "It's great that you have figured out...things" Sam tossed his head back towards the parking area and the truck. "But Cas you still look like hell and Dean, I don't think squeezing him like that is helping at all. So, I'm going to go get the truck and bring it around and we are going to head home." Dean nodded his agreement at Sam's plan and turned back to Cas as his brother trotted away, he replied "I'll stay with my Angel" as he pulled the trench coat closer around Castiel's shoulders after seeing him shiver from the cold,. Oh god, Dean thought to himself, did he just tell Sam, Cas was "his Angel", Dean spoke first cutting off Cas who had opened his mouth as if he were about to say something. Dean could see by Cas' demeanor that he was worried and he quickly understood why.
"Listen, I want you to know I am not angry about the car or about you driving it. I know you are worried about that. I want you to know, I appreciate the fact that you thought you were doing a good thing for me by running out to get beer and pie."
"Dean, I" Dean leaned forward and planted another quick kiss on Cas lips. Cutting him off from any further talking. Castiel though happy and still just a little confused at the change in his relationship with Dean. He still needed to understand how or why it was happening but it seemed Dean wasn't going to let him get to far in analyzing it. For right now anyway. So he gave up and just leaned into Dean, his body now beginning to rebel against him as the pain and fatigue began to return to the forefront of Castiel's mind.
"Cas we will talk about everything once you get better. You are still pretty banged up and when you have a couple of days to let yourself heal. We are going to talk about this...us. And how I feel about you and how, I hope- how you feel about me"
Cas stared at Dean and with a small smile turning up the corners of his mouth he replied "Yes. I would like that. I'd like that very much."
The rumble of Bobby's old truck's engine approaching distracted both men enough to end any further talk and they turned towards the sound as it reached the apex of the circular drive.
Dean pulled open the door and realized the close quarters they would be forced to endure for the next few hours and so with some concern he turned towards Castiel and asked "You going to be okay riding back like this. We could find a place to stay."
Castiel softened his eyes as he looked at Dean and replied. "I will be fine. The pain is a lot better now" Cas wanted to add 'Because you are here" but held it back and instead he started to climb into the truck but felt Dean tug him back as he said. "Here I will sit in the middle. That way you won't get jabbed by Sam's elbows on the way back" Cas smiled his appreciation and stepped back to let Dean in first and then gingerly lifted his leg and foot to follow suit climbing up on to the bench seat of the truck and slid in snug against Dean. Cas soaked in the warmth from his body and already felt a little better. Turning to grab the handle of the truck's door, Castiel looked at the chasm that separated himself from the now wide open passenger door. Cas glanced back at Dean and the look on his pained face said volumes. So Dean turned and looked at Sam with raised eyebrow. Sam got the message loud and clear and with his mouth set and a roll of his eyes. Sam, threw the gear shift into park, and climbed out of the truck and walked around to shut the passenger door for Cas. Returning to his position in the driver's seat Sam looked at his brother in the eyes as if to say "you owe me."
Dean looked at Castiel and with his trademark smirk asked "Comfortable?" Castiel nodded and then tilted his head back and closed his eyes. The pain inside his vessel was slowly creeping back along with the fatigue. Cas adjusted his head to lean a little more towards Dean's shoulder and as the truck's engine began to rumble louder and the interior of the cab began to rock a little as Sam pressed on the gas, Castiel felt Dean take his hand into his own and all he could think of at this near perfect moment was Dean's lips against his own and how much he wanted to feel them again- soon.