Cas woke up, his head pounding, eyes unable to stand the bright light that greeted him. He tried to sit up, but something was holding him back down. He felt softness surround him, and he sighed.

"Easy, just rest, ok?" Dean's gruff voice soothed.

"Dean?" Cas' throat croaked. He swallowed hard. "What happened?"

"We got you out..." Dean's tear-stained face was coming into focus. "You're in your room in the Bunker right now, safe."

"But...I-"

Dean gave him a sad look. "Cas...I had to do what I had to, to get you out of there...I'm sorry, but-"

"Dean..." Cas pressed.

"The Empty took your grace...that was, the only way it'd let you go." Dean licked his lips, staring off.

"Oh..." Cas's gaze went down to his hands.

"I'm so sorry, Cas..."

"You don't have to apologize, Dean..." Cas smiled. "You did what you had to do, and I would've made the same decision. It's just, different...but I'll get the hang of it."

"You're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad?" Cas cocked his head to the side, deeper into the pillow. "I get another chance...I just, don't know where to start..."

"What do you mean?" Dean wondered.

"Well, now that I'm human, I'll have to find a place, and get a job, and-"

Dean's face frowned. "No. No, what the hell are you going on about?"

"I'm human...isn't that what humans do?" Cas had that confused look on his face Dean found irresistible.

"Yeah, but, not you..." Dean put a hand on his shoulder. "You're staying right here, and I-we will take care of you."

"I can stay?" Cas asked hopefully.

"Course you're staying, Cas." Dean scoffed. "I told you, you're family."

Cas started to cry. "Thank-you, Dean." He laughed, feeling embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's gotten into me."

"Welcome to humanity..." Dean smiled. "Where emotions are all over the place, and you have no idea what to do with them."

"You seem to have it under control...burying them so no one can see..." Cas raised a knowing eyebrow.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, I didn't say I was the expert to help you with your feelings." Dean took Cas' hand into his. "But, now that you have taste buds..." A grin slowly spread across his face. "Huh?"

"My stomach is hurting, growling at me...it's not going to eat me, is it?" Cas asked.

"That's called hunger." Dean explained. "Sucks, doesn't it?" Cas nodded. "What would you like to try first?"

"First?"

"You've seen how much I eat..." Dean grinned. "And I have no idea what kind of metabolism your body has, so, we'll just take it one meal at a time. Whenever you feel that, let me or Sammy know, and we'll whip something up, ok?"

"Ok, Dean..." Cas sat up, and thought about it for a second. "Are you hungry?"

"Always." Dean laughed.

"What would you like? You seem to love food, and know a lot of, interesting cuisines, so...I'd say you're an expert in that part of life." Cas said.

"You got that right." Dean kissed Cas' head. "I'll be right back."

Cas blushed, and silently laughed to himself as he saw Dean's face freeze when he realized what he just did.

Sam looked up from his laptop, noticing Dean frantically speeding past him into the kitchen.

"Hey, what's up? How's Cas?"

No answer.

Sam stands up and goes to ask again. "Dean, what's wrong?"

"Nothing..." Dean shakes his head.

Sam sees his brother's face fifty shades of red. Oh. Oooooooh.

As Dean runs back with food to his room, Sam calls out, "It's about damn time!"

A pillow suddenly hits the back of his head, and Sam cannot control himself. "SHUT UP SAMMY!"

Cas likes the taste of the sandwich, enjoying every detail in each flavor meshed together. "Wow, Dean, this is incredible!"

"I know, right?" Dean sits down on the edge of the bed next to him. "And there's more where that came from."

Cas blushed, then Dean got flustered.

"What?"

"Nothing." Cas shook his head. "I just, it's going to take me a while to get used to things, but..." He leaned in and kissed Dean on the cheek, pulling away quickly. "I'm looking forward to it."

Dean's brain ran a marathon trying to keep up. "I love you, Cas, and I am so glad you're ok..."

"Yeah?" Cas had never felt happier to hear those words come out of Dean.

"Yeah..." Dean kissed Cas on the lips, slowly and sweetly.

Cas hummed in pleasure, thanking Jack for another chance to live life with his family.