Dean never thought he'd have the reaction he did to seeing Cas shirtless. He felt his face heat up involuntarily and he gulped. Castiel was freaking hot.

"This looks weird," Cas said, hurriedly putting a shirt on. "I would've changed in the bathroom but you were already in there, so..." the angel trailed off, catching Dean ogling at him.

"You... work out?" Dean asked stupidly.

For kind of a lanky, non-muscular guy, Cas definitely had some nicely defined abs. Dean had to blink a few times to reset his thoughts away from the angel's attractiveness.

"Not really?" Cas replied, buttoning up his collared dress shirt. "Perks of being an angel, I guess. We naturally look fit."

Dean nodded appreciatively. "You look more than fit, Cas. You look—" the human stopped himself before he could say anything potentially embarrassing. "Um, I see you bought some new clothing?"

A subject change was safe, Dean decided. He had to be careful to stay in territory he was familiar with. At least until he and Cas were alone, alone.

"I did, yeah," Cas said, pulling on his freshly cleaned navy blue suit jacket. "Though I wasn't able to salvage my normal shoes, sadly."

"You can wear a pair of mine," Dean said without missing a beat. "I think we're the same shoe size."

Cas smiled, "Thanks, Dean. I especially appreciate it since you were the one who ruined my shoes in the first place, lest you forget that."

"I'll buy you a new pair," Dean said with an eye-roll. "I'll get you something better than the old ones."

Dean then watched with mild amusement as the angel attempted to put on his tie. Cas's tie tying never did end up quite right. The strip of fabric somehow always ended up looking a little crooked or lopsided.

Wordlessly Dean stepped closer and adjusted Cas's tie so that it sat properly against the white button down. The angel smiled shyly and it was such a cute smile that the human couldn't help but kiss him. It was a gentle kiss, barely a whisper of skin against skin. When Dean started to pull back from it, Cas wrapped his arms loosely behind the human's neck and pressed their lips together once more.

"We probably shouldn't be doing this here," Dean said a few beats later, casting a glance at his slumbering brother at the opposite end of the room.

"I can find somewhere more... private," Cas replied.

Before the human could protest, Cas had transported them to a clearing in the middle of some kind of forest. A glance upwards showed a patchwork of stars in a midnight colored sky. It was breathtaking.

"Wow," Dean breathed out.

"I used to visit here sometimes," Cas said, by way of explanation. "It's very peaceful."

The two spent the next few hours lying back on dewy grass and gazing up at the stars. Cas laced his fingers with Dean's and eventually the human started drifting off to sleep. He shivered a little at the crisp air of night, what with how he was still shirtless, and the angel shifted their positions slightly so that Dean could rest his head against Cas's shoulder and be enveloped by the angel's wings.

Cas propped Dean up with his wings and wrapped an arm around the human when he started to slump forward as he fell asleep. The angel felt so content in that moment, just sharing a quiet night under a blanket of stars with Dean.

After an indeterminate amount of time, the rustling of footsteps crunching through fallen leaves and tree branches cut through the otherwise silent forest. Cas was immediately on high alert.

With his enhanced angel hearing, he could pick up on the heartbeats of two individuals. Neither one was saying anything, though their breathing seemed abnormally loud, like they were struggling to trek through the woods.

"Dean," Cas whispered, gently shaking the human awake. "There's something out there."

Dean blinked open his eyes and gave Cas a confused look. "Huh?" he said. "They're probably hikers or something."

"Oh," Cas said, realizing that Dean was probably right. "Sorry for waking you."

"Nah, it's okay. We should probably get back to the motel anyhow."

So Cas zapped them back to the motel room, a little sad that his special night with Dean was over. The human plopped into bed without saying anything else and fell right back asleep almost instantly; the angel chuckled softly and admired the rise and fall of Dean's chest as he slumbered.

When morning officially arrived the two Winchesters and Cas packed up Dean's Impala to hit the road once more. Dean didn't make any mention of the previous night under the stars, but whenever Cas caught his gaze the human smiled fondly at him.

Since the drive back to the bunker will take two full days, they'll have to stop at a midpoint somewhere to crash for a few hours. Except, Cas could just drive for them and they could sleep in the car.

"I could drive," Cas offered later that day. "When you and Sam get tired of driving, I can take over. I don't mind."

Dean had never been too keen on letting Cas drive Baby. He'd really only gotten to drive it in emergency situations.

"I dunno, Cas," Dean started to protest. "Baby is fragile. You gotta be careful with her."

Sam, who was sitting opposite Dean on the passenger side of the car, rolled his eyes and said, "We'll get back faster if Cas takes a turn driving. It makes the most sense, Dean."

"But—"

"It'll be fine, Dean. Cas is a good driver," Sam assured him. "Right, Cas?"

Well, truthfully, the angel had never really gotten the hang of driving. Sometimes it still made him feel a little queasy.

"You can count on me," Cas said with a nod and a little smile as Dean glanced back at him.

"Uh-huh. I better be able to. If anything happens to Baby—"

"It won't," Cas insisted. "I promise."

By the time Cas took over driving they were about a day out from the bunker. He told Sam and Dean that he'd drive the rest of the way so that the humans could get some sleep. Sam squashed himself into the backseat, snoring loudly for about three hours. Meanwhile, in the front seat next to Cas, Dean rested his head against the window and slept soundly for a few hours as well.

When the angel stopped at a gas station to refuel, the brothers switched places so that Dean could stretch out a bit on the backseat.

Nighttime arrived shortly after the three stopped to get some dinner at a fast food place. Dean took the front seat once more and Sam settled himself in the back. This time the older Winchester didn't sleep, instead quietly talking to Cas about movies and music and other things the angel still didn't quite understand.

A couple hours after that—when they were approximately five hours out from home—Dean finally drifted off again, this time with his head lolling slightly with the movement of the car.

Cas was enjoying the sounds around him—the soft rumble of the Impala's engine as it glided along a dark country road, the steady breathing of Dean beside him and Sam in the backseat, the radio that was playing some song from one of Dean's playlists—when out of nowhere a blinding light shot down from the sky above.

It was far enough away that Cas had time to stop the car, but even from its distance the angel knew what he was seeing. It's another angel. It was still in its true-form, hence the blinding ball of energy.

"What's goin' on?" Dean said gruffly, shaking himself awake beside Cas. "Why're we stopped?"

"Stay here," Cas responded, shutting the vehicle off and opening the driver side door. "And if you look up, shield your eyes."

"Wait," Dean said, grabbing the sleeve of Cas's coat. "What's happening?"

"I'm not sure, but I'll handle it. Stay here."

Before Dean had a chance to say anything more, the angel hopped out of the car and started walking toward the mysterious newcomer. After taking a few steps, Cas was hit with a blast of Enochian. The angel standing in front of him wasn't speaking in sentences, though. Its words were incoherent and garbled—distorted screeching.

"Who are you? Are you hurt?" Cas asked in Enochian.

The energy ball flitted closer, revealing golden tendrils and sparkling fibers that would blind a human almost instantly.

"What's wrong?" Cas asked. "Why are you in your real form down here?"

"I... am... dying..." the angel screeched out in short bursts. "Heaven... needs... your help..."

"I don't understand," Cas said. "I thought Jack restored Heaven to the point where it was stable again."

"Jack... didn't create... enough... angels. There is too much... for... us to... maintain."

"I still don't understand how I can help any of you," Cas replied. "I'm only one angel and not a very good one at that. And, besides, my place isn't in Heaven anymore. So... I'm sorry this is happening to you, but the fate of my spiritual brethren is no longer my concern."

"You... chose the human... over us," the angel hissed. "Perhaps Jack has... a soft spot for you... and the Winchesters... but we... do not."

Perhaps Cas should be more afraid. Perhaps he should watch his words more carefully. But he's finally getting what he wants after so long, and he'll be damned if he has to give it up.

"You don't scare me," Cas said, giving the angel opposite him a defiant look.

"I am... not the one... you should... be afraid of, Castiel," the angel croaked out. "I came here to... ask for your help. But now that... you have refused... let me leave you... with a warning. More will come, Castiel. And they will be... stronger than I am. This is your last chance... to come with me, back to your real home. If you refuse, your next visit... will not be so civil."

"I'll take my chances," Cas said, still defiant. "As I said, I'm not afraid of you—of any of you—anymore."

That wasn't completely true, Cas knew. But he refused to be manipulated anymore. Free will means he got to choose what he did with the rest of his life, and he chose to spend it with the Winchesters, enjoying Earth and all that humanity has to offer.

"Have it your way..." the angel rasped out, its light suddenly dimming. "Don't say that you never warned, though..."

Cas stared with his jaw set in a firm line as the angel vanished into the air. He was so caught up in his emotions that he barely registered Dean's hand on his shoulder.

"Cas, what the hell just happened?"

Turning to look at the human's face, Cas saw Dean's worried expression. Behind him stood Sam, who also looked quite concerned.

"It was... nothing," Cas forced himself to say. "Nothing either of you need to concern yourselves with."

"Cas," Dean repeated, a warning now in his tone. "Don't lie to me."

"It doesn't concern you," the angel snapped, his voice sharper than he intended.

Undeterred, Dean said, "If it concerns you, it concerns me. We're in this together now, whether you like that or not."

Behind the worry and slight anger in the human's expression, Cas could see the love Dean had for him. As always, Dean felt the need to protect Cas, no matter what the current threat might be.

"I can handle it myself," Cas argued, though his tone was softer now. "If you get involved it'll just make things more complicated than they already are."

"I don't care," Dean aaid. "I don't know what the hell I just saw but I'm betting it has to do with Heaven, doesn't it?"

Cas pursed his lips together and didn't answer.

"If you think you can just leave us—leave me—and go off to deal with whatever bullshit you've gotten yourself into—" Dean started, his voice rising in volume as he continued.

"Whoa, whoa. No, hold on," Cas interrupted, confused. "I'm not leaving, Dean. Why would I leave you?"

"Because Heaven is falling apart... right?" Dean said, though he now sounded a bit uncertain. "You have a job to do up there or something."

Cas sighed a tired sigh and ran a hand through his hair. Then he looked down at the ground. Then he lifted his gaze a bit and laced one of his hands in one of Dean's.

"I made the choice to stay here on Earth with you and Sam. Nothing will change that decision, ever. If push comes to shove I'll be here to protect you. Every time I've screwed up in the past it's because I wasn't with you, Dean. You and Sam are the only people I know for certain that I can trust. I would give my life for either of you... and I know you'd do the same for me. I will not give up what we have built together over so many years of pain and blood and death."

Dean did not look satisfied with that answer. "Part of the reason why you've messed up in the past was because of how you were keeping secrets from me and Sam," he said quietly. "We care about you, Cas. Please don't do any kind of stupid self-sacrificial bullshit."

"I'm not trying to," Cas said softly, still looking at their entwined hands. "Look... this is nothing we haven't dealt with before. Just... they're just idle threats."

The angel didn't really believe that, but he felt the need to downplay the ultimatum he was given only minutes ago. Sam and Dean had enough going on with the box issue to be bothered with Cas's current problems.

"Threats?" Dean repeated, concern now present in his tone. "Who threatened you? What did they want?" he demanded.

"It was a dying angel," Cas answered reluctantly. "They... gave me a choice."

"What kind of choice?" Sam chimed in, stepping next to Dean.

"To either go back to Heaven and help rebuild things there or stay here and be... hunted, I guess. It was a rather vague threat," the angel admitted.

Dean let go of Cas's hand and started to pace back and forth on the road.

"Do you really think the threat was an idle one?" Sam asked.

"I... am not sure," Cas said hesitantly. "Heaven can't have that many extra angels to be throwing around to deal with one person. I suspect there are less than one-hundred—including any that might be on Earth."

"That's still one-hundred against three," Sam said with a frown.

"We don't even know for sure if they'll actually go after me," Cas said. "If they weren't desperate, why would they send a half-dead angel to threaten me? Why not send someone who could do actual damage?"

Sam pondered this for a moment while his brother continued to pace. Dean looked extremely tense, coiled up like he was ready for a fight. Cas wanted to say something reassuring, but truth be told he couldn't think of anything to make the situation less concerning.

"We should get home," Sam eventually said. "I can put up some warding to keep any unwanted visitors out of the bunker."

Cas knew that wasn't a permanent fix, but for now it would have to work.

The rest of the ride back to the bunker was quiet. Cas drove and kept stealing glances in Dean's direction. His expression was mostly hidden in shadows, but there was a distinct frown etched on his face. The angel wanted to reach out a comforting hand, but he didn't know if it was the right time. He understood the human's worry, he really did, but this wasn't Cas's first time being hunted down by Heaven's finest. He'd dealt with it in the past and he could deal with it now.

(Author's Note: sorry this chapter is probably a bit shorter than some of the last ones have been. Big things are happening soon, though, so be prepared. Also, let me know what you thought of this chapter! I always appreciate feedback!)