Sam walked in to the Bunker around five thirty in the morning. He was quiet as he entered, not wanting to wake Dean who needed to catch up on sleep. It had been a weird ass night, he'd gone out drinking with the King of Hell and banged the waitress in the storage room of the shitty bar they had been at.

He grabbed himself some coffee to hopefully relieve the aching hangover last night had left him and walked through the hall, stopping to slowly open the door to Dean's room on the way to his own. The sight made his heart expand.

Dean, was topless and wearing a pair of old sweats, was asleep with his head on Cas's lap. Cas was wearing a baggy shirt and pants that Sam knew belonged to his brother. The Angel was awake and running a hand absentmindedly though Dean's hair.

"Sam," Cas said softly, looking up. "You were out a while."

Sam nodded. "Can I come in?"

"Of course."

Sam silently walked into the room to sit on a chair by Dean's bed. "So how is he?"

"He's doing better," Cas said quietly and contently. "This last week has drained him emotionally and physically. It will take time but he should fully recover."

Sam knew this to be true, having seen Dean's panic and pain first hand day after day. "He was desperate to get you back. I mean it, Cas. He was up night after night trying to find a spell, a ritual, anything, to save you."

"Thank you." Cas glanced down at Dean. "You know," he said, and Sam felt strangely emotional seeing all the love in the world in the Angel's blue eyes. "I've watched you both growing up, I entered your lives when Dean was first born. My charge, that was all he was at first but I started to like him, grow fond of you both. The Angels insisted I was flawed, broken, an abomination."

"But you aren't," Sam said. "You were the only Angel to love us, Humanity. We wouldn't have been able to do it without you."

"Thank you," Cas said again. He paused for a moment before saying, "you know I love Dean, right? That everything I've ever done was for him?"

"Oh I know," Sam said, falling silent as Dean groaned as shifted a little.

"Then you know I'd never do anything to ever harm you or him?"

"I do," Sam said, curious as to where this was going. "Cas, you know I know that, why are you even asking?"

Cas didn't answer for a moment. "I talked to your parents when I was in Heaven."

"Really? What did you say?"

"I told them their sons grew to be great men, the greatest. I told them that I would protect you both no matter what. I received permission from both of your parents to be with Dean. I need to ask yours now. Is it all right for me to be with your brother?" Cas looked so serious as he met Sam's eyes. His gaze seemed to challenge Sam, asking, 'if you have a problem I am ready to hear it, however if it is a 'no' that will not change my course of action.'

Sam leaned forwards. "Of course you have my permission. But I'm telling you, if you hurt him, emotionally, physically, whatever, I swear I will kill you."

Cas leaned forward, mimicking Sam's movements. With a dead serious expression on his face and determination in his eyes, he said, "if I ever hurt him you have every right as well as my permission to do so."

Dean woke up half hour later, surprised and pleased to feel Cas underneath his head and his hands tangled in his hair, combing it out. "Hey," he murmured, slowly opening his eyes, smiling up at the beautiful Angel above him.

"Good morning," Cas replied, hands pausing.

"What time is it?"

"Six."

"Mmh, really? That early?" Dean rubbed his eyes, blinking up and the Angel. "Sam back?"

"He came about a half hour ago. He's hungover so we shouldn't bother him."

Dean laughed. "Of course he is," he said fondly. "Sam's just like that."

Cas shifted under him. "We might want to get dressed."

"Why would we want to do that?" Dean asked, smirking.

Cas shot him a light bitch face in exasperation, a trait he had picked up from Sam. "I may need to use your clothes again. I do not have any of my own."

"True," Dean said, sitting up slowly, reluctant to let Cas up. "I'll get something."

"Thank you."

Dean ruffled through his drawers, finally tossing a pair of jeans and a plain grey shirt at Cas. "Try these. They'll be big so you might want a belt."

Turns out Cas looked amazing in a baggy shirt and loose jeans. So amazing, in fact, Dean couldn't resist the urge to gently kiss his neck from behind. "You look good in those," he murmured.

Cas didn't respond, just leaned into Dean, relishing in the joy of Dean's warmth. He couldn't believe it, that he could just be with Dean, no consequences, no pain. No slaughter and bloodshed. He felt his heart expand just as a sharp pain shot through his abdomen and he doubled over, vision going black.

"Cas?" came Dean's panicked voice. "Cas! Hey!" He was shouting but Cas couldn't respond. He heard hurried footsteps in the hall, indicating Sam having heard.

"Cas?" Sam said worriedly. "What's happening?" he asked Dean.

"I don't know!" Dean said, his higher with fear. "He just doubled over."

Cas took a deep breath, trying to calm himself as the pain hit harder for a moment, then it stopped and he slumped backwards. "I'm alright," he panted. "Amara's poison still lingers in my Grace. It will do this as part of a healing process. It gets worse before it gets better. My Grace is trying to fight it off. I'm alright."

Dean gripped him tightly from behind, propping him up. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine."

Sam spoke up then. "So how long will these...pain episodes...happen?"

"Not long. A few more days, maybe less," Cas said, waving a hand and pushing off from Dean. "We should call my brothers. They might not know I'm alive."

"Shouldn't you rest or something Cas?" Sam asked, concerned, hangover apparently forgotten. "That seems pretty freaking painful."

"I'll be fine."

Dean slid an arm around his waist. "Anything like that happens again or you even think you feel it coming tell us. Please Cas."

Cas nodded. "Promise Dean."

Sam felt extraordinary awkward, like he was intruding on something special. Seeing Cas, all dressed in Dean's clothes, red marks running up the Angels neck as well as his brothers made Sam want to clean his eyes out with bleach and curse his very imaginative brain.

"I guess I'll call Gabe," he said awkwardly.

"Okay," Dean said, slightly unseated. "Yeah. That's a good idea."

Sam tapped once again of Gabriel's contact. The Archangel picked up on the first ring. "Trickster," he answered, and it may have been Sam's imagination but he sounded mournful.

"Hey," Sam said. "Bunker. Come now. Bring Lucifer, ASAP."

"Why?" He sounded suspicious.

"Dammit Gabriel," Sam snapped as his head started pounding again. "Hurry up, okay. You won't regret it."

"Okay! Give me a sec." He hung up.

"He's on his way, Cas," Sam said, turning around. Cas was still leaning against Dean but seemed to be supporting his own weight better. "How are you holding up?"

"Better," Cas answered. "I should be back to normal in a few days."

"Good," Dean and Sam said at the same time.

Cas smiled tiredly just as the sound of wings sounded. "They're here," he murmured.

Gabriel stepped into the room. He didn't look good, eyes dark and sad, slumped over, entire light demeanor turned to grief. Lucifer didn't look much better. He looked forlorn, drawn, tired.

"Gabe, Lucifer," Cas said softly, pushing himself away from Dean who reached out to steady him as he wavered on his feet. "I missed you."

Lucifer opened his mouth to speak but no sound came out. He felt his throat close up, his eyes burning. "Castiel," he whispered, walking forward. "You...you're alive?"

"I am." Cas looked pale, shaky, and tired but alive! There were hickeys running like grapevines up his neck and Dean's. Lucifer felt himself smile as Cas opened his arms and Lucifer walked into them like a child.

"I can't believe it," Lucifer whispered, hugging his little brother tighter. "I thought it was forever this time."

"So did I," Cas whispered back. "But here I am. I'll explain in a moment."

"Gabe," Cas said as he released Lucifer. "Nice to see you again."

Gabriel couldn't hold back a dry sob. "I thought you were dead."

"So little faith?" Cas teased. "I was dead. Not any more." Cas hugged Gabriel close to him, letting the Archangel show weakness for the first time in forever.

"How?" he whispered. "Was it God who brought you back?"

Cas shrugged. "Yes."