So Jared and Jensen are back on set to film the series finale and there's a lot of posts about it on social media and I'm just in my feelings so here's a new chapter! Thanks so much for all of your support and I hope you enjoy!

Chapter Three: Care

"Have you been reading about the disappearances around town?" Rory asked as she set the day's newspaper down in front of him. She'd spotted the headline on the front page and picked it up from a table after the customer left.

She was closing, so Cas had been eating pie while she cleaned tables and rolled silverware while her last few customers finished up.

"I have… Do you think they're related?" he asked, glancing down at the paper and shoveling another bite of boysenberry pie into his mouth.

Rory shrugged, taking a seat across from him and grabbing a bite of pie for herself, "It seems like the police think so. You know, there hasn't been a disappearance or murder or anything here in years."

Cas read and reread the article, knowing in his gut that this was a case for Dean. As much as he didn't want to get involved, or to draw any attention to himself, he knew he had to call and let him know.

"I need to make a call- I'm just going to step outside for a second, okay?" Cas told her, and Rory nodded absently as she focused on the silverware in front of her.

Outside and off to the side of the entrance to the diner, Castiel took his phone from his pocket and called Dean. It took a few rings, and he briefly considered calling another one of his numbers when the line connected and a gruff "Hello?" filled his ear.

Cas greeted his friend before quickly filling him on the potential case in Rexford, and when he was done laying it out and promising he'd send online articles when he got the chance.

Dean said he'd take a look at it and see if he could get out there, then asked Cas how he was doing.

"I- I'm doing well, Dean. I really like life here," he answered, glancing into the diner and spotting Rory, her back to him as she brought her last customers their check.

"That's good to hear, man. I really hope this isn't our type of thing, but if it is, I'll take care of it," Dean told him, and Cas nodded.

They spoke for another minute or so, and hung up. Castiel sent Dean the links he had been collecting on his phone, and hoped that there wasn't something supernatural going on in town.

He took a deep breath and headed back into the diner, his eyes immediately seeking out Rory and he forgot everything he had been thinking about when he saw her look up from the menus she'd just stacked and wink at him.

"I just gotta lock everything up. You ready to get out of here, babe?" she asked, and he nodded, a small smile on his face.

After he'd told her his real name, she refused to call him Steve. In private she called him Cas or Castiel, which always sent a tingle through him. But in public, she preferred to use pet names. It started with babe, then once she figured out he liked it, she started trying out new ones, gauging how he liked them and keeping the ones he liked best.

Rory had called him love, dear, handsome, and Cheez-Whiz, after he'd accidentally filled his entire mouth with the stuff the first time he tried it. She had accidentally called him angel once as they were doing the dishes, but she quickly apologized and he brushed it off, telling her that he preferred Cheez-Wiz as he flicked bubbles at her, slip-up forgotten.

The first time she called him Honeybee, she'd been putting on perfume and talking about how he was always attracted to sweet things- sweet smells, sweet foods, being sweet. He nearly cried, and his suddenly glossy eyes had caught her off guard. When she asked what was wrong, he told her about how much he admired them and spent a lot of time watching honeybees when he had gone through a period of his life where he wasn't quite himself. Rory didn't need to know that he'd taken Sam's scars from Hell upon himself and suffered from it greatly. He could tell she was worried, so he merely smiled and told her it was his favorite pet name she'd given him.

"So how'd your call go?" she asked as they drove home. Cas had offered to drive, and she gladly let him, tired from her long day.

"Better than I expected. I sent him the articles about the disappearances and he said he'd take a look. If it seems supernatural, he said he's going to come and help."

"That's reassuring," she nodded, "I know you want to look into it yourself, but I'd feel better if you had someone with you."

When they got through the front door, Cas found a text on his phone from Dean, saying that he would be on the road in the morning.

Dean and Rory got along surprisingly well. Cas hadn't been sure of what to expect when the two met, but he had a sneaking suspicion that it had to do with the fact that she made amazing pies.

The Winchester had been more than surprised to find that Castiel had gone and got himself a girlfriend since he'd last seen him.

"Holy crap she's hot, Cas. What exactly does she see in you?" Dean asked as they sat across from one another at the diner, stuffing his third slice of pie into his face.

"Your guess is as good as mine," he shrugged in response. "I'm still trying to figure that out."

"He has good table manners, for one," Rory laughed as she came up to their table, asking what flavor he'd like to try next.

"Whatever feels right, Ror," Dean grinned as she filled up his coffee cup. "Actually. What's his favorite? Bring me that."

Rory lit up in response, her eyes gleaming as she looked at Cas before returning her attention to Dean.

"Peach blackberry coming right up."

She sauntered away, and Dean watched until she disappeared into the kitchen. Cas didn't like the way his friend was watching her, and voiced his opinion lowly.

"Dean, I don't appreciate you looking at Rory like she's a piece of meat."

The hunter's familiar laughter filled the diner, and Dean shook his head, wiping at his mouth with his napkin.

"I'm just feeling her out, Cas. She already passed my monster tests, so I gotta make sure she's serious about you. I just don't want what happened last time to happen again. But don't worry. I'm not gonna steal your woman," Dean shrugged, before a smirk crossed his lips, "I might rethink that, though. Her pies are like a gift from God."

Cas frowned, and Dean shook his head, "Wrong choice of words. But you get what I'm saying."

"Could you at least stop flirting with her?" he asked, shooting his friend a pointed look when he got an innocent look in response. "You thought I didn't notice?"

"Relax, I'm making sure she's as into you as you're into her, and it seems like she is," Dean winked, "Not many women are able to resist the charms of Dean Winchester. But her? She hasn't given me a second glance. She looks at you like the sun shines out of your ass."

"Contrary to what you may believe, you aren't every woman's type," Rory interrupted, playfulness in her voice as she set a plate down in front of Dean. "Your face is a little too symmetrical for me. It's very Uncanny Valley."

Dean let out another laugh, "Now that's a first. I think she's a keeper."

"Glad you approve, Dean," she answered with a dramatic roll of her eyes before focusing on Cas, using her thumb and pointer finger to tilt his chin up to look at her. "You good? Need anything, love?"

The suddenly soft look on her face and genuine concern in her eyes shocked Dean, but he knew that sometimes Cas needed to be asked those kinds of things directly. Cas wasn't forthcoming with his emotions or needs, and hell, neither was he. What was equally surprising was the way his friend nodded and asked if he could get a plate of hash browns.

Rory patted his cheek, kissed the top of his head, and told him that yes, of course he could have that. And judging by the look she gave him before she walked away, Dean knew she'd give him whatever he wanted, no matter what it took.

She was out of their line of sight in an instant, and Cas finally seemed to remember that Dean was there, his face flushed with embarrassment at his entire exchange with Rory being watched so closely.

"You got it bad, man. So does she, but I've never seen you like this. You're really happy here, huh?"

Castiel nodded, "I am, Dean. I.. I hope that these disappearances aren't something we handle, because I just want to move on. I have something good here. Something that isn't affected by demons or vampires or angels."

"I want you to have this life," Dean told him honestly, "After everything you've done for me and Sam, you deserve it."

"Thank you… I really appreciate that," Cas said warmly, and Dean brushed it off quickly, mumbling something about no chick flick moments as Rory came back with a fresh glass of lemonade in her hand.

"Saw you were empty, figured you'd want a refill," she explained as she placed it in front of Cas. "I poured some extra sugar and that peach flavoring in there for you, Honeybee."

"You read my mind. Thanks-"

"Aurora Grace!"

Rory whirled around, her cheeks bright red when she heard her full name.

Irene was standing beside a table that needed to be bussed, an expectant look on her face and her arms crossed over her chest as she looked at the younger woman.

"I know your man and his very handsome friend are here, but that doesn't mean you can ignore cleanup," Irene chided, and Rory quickly started stacking up empty plates and carried them to the kitchen.

"Aurora Grace, huh?" Dean asked with a raised eyebrow. "Y'know, you might've lost your angel grace, but it seems like you've found a new one here."

"I guess I have," he nodded thoughtfully.

After Rory's shift was over the three went to the local dive bar where Dean had practically begged to play pool. Cas didn't know how to play so Rory indulged him for a while, letting him have his fun as she learned more about him.

Castiel was constantly surprised by Rory and tonight was no different. He figured that while she was keeping Dean entertained, he would be relegated to the background to watch in silence. Instead, he found himself being engaged in their conversation, pulled close to the table by Rory's questions about his time on the road with Dean, but still out of the way of their shots.

Every time he'd try to move away from the pool table and out of a conversation he thought he had no business being part of, Rory would gently nudge him back with her shoulder, stealing a kiss and flashing a smile before turning to take her shot. It was her own way of keeping him involved in their chatter.

Cas noticed Dean would prod her for information about herself, asking innocent questions about her life, then following up so he could get to what he was really after. He wouldn't be surprised if Dean ran a complete background check on her later tonight.

"C'mon Dean, I thought you were supposed to be awesome at pool," Rory teased after he missed a shot, and Cas laughed when the man ran a hand over his face in embarrassment.

"Kinda hard to concentrate with a pretty thing like you watching," he winked back, and Cas watched Rory roll her eyes and flip him off.

"Your eyes should be on the felt, Uncanny Valley," she told him as she lined up her next shot, "Because I'm about to take you down a peg or two."

She did in fact knock Dean down a peg, beating him not once, but twice, prompting him to buy them all the next round of drinks. Rory made him promise it'd be beer, rather than whiskey or shots, and he reluctantly agreed.

While Dean was off at the bar, Cas thanked her for suggesting beers, knowing he didn't want a repeat of their first date. She was in the middle of telling him it was no problem when her phone began to ring, and Cas watched her glance down at the screen, her eyes widening as she swore.

"Shit. It's my mom. I told her I'd call after my shift. If I'm not back in five minutes, come get me," she kissed him quickly, then took off through the bar, answering the phone as she went.

Three beers were set in front of him and Dean came into view, a curious look on his face as he asked where Rory went.

"Her mother was calling. She went outside to answer it," Cas explained with a small shrug, picking up his beer and tilting it towards Dean in a cheers.

"Are you good here? It looks like you've got a great thing going for you. Why don't you just let me handle this stuff tomorrow?" Dean offered, but Cas shook his head.

"I'm great here, but I have to help if something's not right, you know that."

"All I'm saying is that maybe you should keep laying low," the Winchester shrugged in response, "If things go sideways, you're not as indestructible as you used to be, you know?"

"It'll be fine, Dean. I understand my limitations-"

Dean quickly cut him off, asking if he really understood.

"It's not just you that you have to worry about, Cas. It's her, too," he explained. "I don't want to have to explain to that girl how you put yourself in harm's way and got yourself killed."

Castiel didn't know what to say to that, but he didn't have to answer when he saw Rory making her way through the bar and back towards them.

"Sorry about that," she quickly apologized as she got to them, standing beside Cas and squeezing his upper arm gently. "So what'd you get for us, Dean?"

Dean immediately launched into why he chose the beer he did, and Cas let out a small sigh of relief. He didn't know how she had been able to tell they'd been in a tense conversation, but he was thankful she'd diffused it with ease.

By the end of the night Cas was a little buzzed, so Rory took the initiative and offered to drop Dean off at his motel.

"I'd offer to put you up, but I don't think you'd like sleeping on my couch," she laughed as they all got into her car. "Though I think it's pretty comfortable. Cas had no complaints the first time he spent the night on it."

"I wouldn't want to intrude. Plus it isn't often that I get a motel room to myself," Dean grinned from the back seat, "I can't wait to get some me time."

"Gross," Rory mumbled, and Cas chuckled as she started the car and they were off.

Over the next few days, Dean and Cas investigated the disappearances. They hadn't gotten any closer to finding the cause, until Castiel was babysitting for his boss while she was on a date.

He had been so close to dying at the hands of Ephraim, the Rit Zien angel who had been responsible for the deaths in town, but Dean had come through at the last second and saved his life.

Sure, he had been close to dying when he was an angel, and he had died before, but he always ended up being brought back. He was grateful to Dean for once again saving him, only for it to be brushed off.

"No need to thank me, Cas. Just live your life with your girl. Be happy, okay?" Dean had told him as he dropped him off at his and Rory's apartment. "Have her send me a pie every once in a while."

Rory had lost it when he came through the door, battered and bruised, but calmed down when he reassured her that he was okay and that the angel that had been killing people was taken care of.

He didn't miss the sad look in her eyes when she cleaned the blood off of his face with a warm washcloth, and he noticed that she hovered around him more than usual in the days following the incident. It didn't bother him, but she didn't need to be as worried as she was.

"I'm okay, I promise," he finally told her as she prodded gently at his wrist. It was still covered in fading bruises, and he could see that she was concerned. "It doesn't really hurt anymore."

Rory pinched him playfully, rolling her eyes as she huffed, "Just let me baby you, okay?"

"Why?" Cas asked, curiosity in his voice rather than annoyance. He wasn't trying to be rude or unappreciative. He just wanted to understand. Normally, Sam and Dean dealt with their injuries and went about their lives. They'd stitch each other up or pop dislocated shoulders back into place, have a drink, and be done with it.

They had curled up on the couch together, and Rory moved so she could face him straight on, her green eyes focused in on him intently.

"Because I love you, and want to take care of you," she explained like it was the most obvious thing. "That's what partners do. So, let me do this? If- if it's too much and I'm smothering you, I'll stop. Just let me know, I won't be mad."

He finally nodded, and Rory grinned in response before she laid back down. She moved him so that he was laying flat against her chest, and she ran her fingers through his hair, gently scraping her nails against his scalp. Cas hummed and closed his eyes, letting himself relax and listen to Rory's heartbeat and the show that they had been watching on TV.

"Thank you, for dealing with the angel that was causing those disappearances," she said quietly, continuing to scratch his head. "I know you said you didn't want to get involved with that kind of stuff, but you did it anyway. You're stronger than you think, Honeybee."

Cas could feel the words rumbling through her chest, and he felt completely at peace.

They remained on the couch for hours, watching whatever movie was on TV and just being in each other's presence. Around 2 a.m., Cas opened his eyes and blinked tiredly, realizing that he had fallen asleep. He glanced up to see that Rory was sleeping too, so he carefully tried to get up, only to wake her in the process.

"Hmm, was I asleep?" she mumbled, rubbing her face tiredly. "What time is it?"

Cas glanced to the clock, telling her that it was 2:34 a.m.

"Want to go to bed?" he asked and she nodded, following him as he got up and led her to the bedroom.

While he quickly stripped off his t-shirt and stepped out of his jeans, he watched Rory try and pull off her sweatshirt, only to get stuck halfway through, her head caught in the material.

"Caaaas," she groaned, waving her arms at him helplessly. He laughed, quickly helping her out of the hoodie. Once she was free, she quickly changed into a big t-shirt and crawled into bed, and Castiel wasn't far behind her.

Rory's back was pressed against his chest and Cas took a deep breath, knowing that he had finally made up his mind on something he had been thinking about since Dean had come to town.

"You know how I told you that I could get my grace back, and you asked me if I wanted to?" he asked quietly, unsure if she was still awake.

She hummed in acknowledgement, nodding against the pillow.

"I wasn't sure then, but I've decided that I don't want it back. I'm going to remain human, with you," he told her, smiling when he felt her squeeze his hand she had been holding onto.

Rory looked back at him over her shoulder, a smile on her lips as she said, "That means the world to me, Castiel. You mean the world to me."

As he drifted off to sleep, Cas thought about his future with Rory, excited to spend the rest of his now human life with her.