Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural.

Metamorphosis Part 2

If someone would ask Castiel Novak to describe his beloved, he would first and foremost be at loss for words. It would be a hard task for him, but as always, he would give it his best shot. According to him, Dean is a good and righteous man with his heart in the right place - kind, loving, loyal. That would sound about right to Castiel's ears. He would most likely crack up a smile while listing Dean's qualities. Yeah, it would then be pretty clear that Castiel loved his boyfriend beyond words.

However, it's a universally known fact that life usually satisfied with easy solutions. If two people love each other and actually want to spend the rest of their lives together, of course there must be something to mess it up. Some bumps in the road just had to exist. One would do better just accepting it. Castiel was one of those people who wasn't too optimistic about life. Sure, he counted on meeting someone special and maybe, just maybe, being lucky enough to keep that person around for a very long time.

At the age of 23 he met a successful woman from Manhattan called Anna Milton. She was pretty, pleasant enough and quite radiant. Castiel was sure she would be his special person. After a year of nice dates and dinners, the young Novak was ready to propose. She accepted, gladly, and for the next five years, Castiel found himself in a working marriage. It wasn't all love and happiness, but he decided to settle for what he believed was the best offer fate would give him. So, when Anna filed in for divorce, he found himself amazed at how relived he actually was. Castiel Novak was convinced that marriage was not for him.

He never really understood what went wrong in his and Anna's relationship. He understood perfectly though, that something was in fact missing. He felt no real heart-ache after their breakup, and the feeling that he merely was back at square one didn't bother him at all. He was single. And he liked it. The occasional woman he found in upper-class bars and restaurants clenched his thirst for sex, but he eventually came to notice the lack of an significant other. He didn't want another Anna, nor an other anonymous woman in his bed.

Castiel wanted to understand. Simply. The feeling of wanting another one in your life forever, that's what he wanted to feel. He carved for it. Why? He had no idea whatsoever. His older brothers were all single, so he couldn't blame it on them. Their father never married anyone, so no influence there. Maybe it was his natural curiosity. Hell, it made him even experiment on men once in a while. By the way, he enjoyed them.

When Castiel returned to New York City with an boyfriend years later, he found himself in the same apartment he shared with Anna, with someone so very different from anyone he ever met before. He wanted to ask himself whether it was different now, whether it would last this time. He didn't know if this had that something that he and Anna couldn't have but he was more than willing to try. But, still he found himself confused over his actions. Was it really the right thing to do?

"Castiel, I have to admit, I am quite surprised. I didn't think that you had it in you. Where did you say you found him?" Michael's green eyes followed Castiel, a knowledgeable smile forming on his lips slowly.

"Lawrence, Kansas. I feel strongly for him, brother. I will not repeat the same mistakes. But... I fear my actions were too harsh. I did not exactly spend too much time mulling over my decision to bring him here. It was a whim, sort of."

"And that exactly was what you were missing with Anna! The will to do some radical, to take a real risk in life. Come on, Castiel! If this doesn't mean anything then... You're probably going to end up being alone for the rest of your life." Michael finished with a sigh, his eyes twinkling in amusement. His little brother had kidnapped himself a man from Kansas, he thought with a hint of pride. What further proof did anyone need to see that this is the real deal?

"Do you really think so? At the moment my actions simply felt righteous. As if I were meant to do it."

"Then what else do you need? I wish you luck Castiel. Hopefully you will do better at love than the rest of our family." Michael smiled ruefully at Castiel and the younger one could only nod in response.

Castiel remembered that discussion well, even though years and years had passed since it occurred between him and his older brother. Michael had always been a person Castiel could count on for emotional guidance. Michael's advice never seemed to disappoint. That gloomy Sunday afternoon, Castiel had left Dean alone in the Park Avenue Apartment for the first time since they arrived from Kansas and headed straight for family manor. The one where Michael lived alone even to this very day. Castiel was fond of that memory. It was the first time he truly acknowledged the possibility of a happy and fulfilled future with Dean.

(O)

According to Dean Winchester's opinion daytime TV sucked royally. He couldn't fathom why anyone would waste their actually paying attention to that piece of crap. But alas, there he was, sitting on his old bed in his old bedroom watching TV at 2 in the afternoon. The bedroom in which he spent his childhood years was suddenly the most appeasing room in the whole Winchester household. Probably because no-one wanted to enter it at the moment but Dean himself.

The news of his disease had shocked his family to the very core. Castiel was being interrogated at the moment of all the medical details, which no one but Sam probably even understood, and whether they were seeking the best treatments. Of course they were because Castiel made sure of that. Every cutting-edge treatment and drug known to man was tested. Money wasn't exactly an issue in the equation of Dean's health according to his wealthy boy-friend.

It was tiring, to tell the truth. The whole situation. Of course, the first and foremost problem being the fact that Dean had cancer. The dangerous, inoperable kind. One that had plagued him for almost five years already, teasing them with false hope and painful relapses. It was subtle but sure how it slowly changed Dean's entire life. The physical change, the loss of his career and ultimately, everything. Even his relationship with Castiel.

The most crucial thing in their relationship had remained unchanged though, they were in love with each other. Some set-backs and arguments were inevitable but all in all, Dean and Cass both considered their long relationship lasting and strong.

When they first arrived in New York, their life together had been about searching and exploring new grounds in their relationship. It was so different from anything either of them ever had experienced, making their journey unforgettable. Dean, as the ever so faithful protector, found ways to adapt his old persona into their life. Castiel, who still wasn't too sure about the enormous pressure set on him by his work, was happy to accept any kind of mental support Dean had to offer. They found a balance in roles for the beginning, but as an older and supposedly wiser person, Castiel understood the importance of adapting and changing yourself in life.

Even though Castiel had problems with the inherited company in the beginning, he knew at heart that he was no quitter. The support from Dean made him remember why he wanted to continue in the family-business in the first place. He always held a passion for his father's accomplishments and wished for the chance to run it himself one day. Never had he though that it would actually arrive, having three older brothers as potential successors, but fate proved him wrong. He liked to think about that time as his true moment of realization. He didn't need to be in his father's shadow or anyone's for that matter. Castiel Novak belonged in the headlights, by himself.

Dean was more than happy for Castiel's acceptance of his situation and as the year rolled by, they both enjoyed a peaceful time. The garage was proving out to be an excellent place to get started as a mechanic in New York, and Dean soon found himself dreaming of an garage of his own. Why not ? He was 24, which in his case equaled healthy and full of spare energy. Even his ever so loving boyfriend agreed that maybe he should find himself some more challenges. After all, they were running out of sex-poses to master.

It was a sunny day in middle march, when things began to change truly. As a hard-working and honest man, Dean was busing himself in Xavier's garage. He was working on a Chevy Van from 1978, silently humming to himself. Even the infinite beauty of the grey Van couldn't help him forget the steady growing ache in his head. It had already started out this morning as a irritating throb he couldn't do anything about, not even the aspirin had helped a single bit. Rather than staying home, Dean had chosen to ignore his head and head to work as usual. By the time the Chevy was finished and washed up, his head felt like it was about to explode.

"You okay, man ? You look a little pale. It's already a quarter to three, so head home if you feel like it."

Xavier's deep voice had cut Dean out from his pain-filled stupor and the Winchester decided to head home early. Grabbing his old leather jacket from the worker's lounge, Dean was already starting his own car to get home a quick as possible. The thought of the aspirin bottle at home was probably the most tempting thing in the world. As a man who lived his entire life shy of any major head-aches or migraines for that matter, he couldn't help but wonder where it suddenly came from ? He wasn't paranoid, but to get attacked by something you've never experienced in your entire life, could get just about anyone a little spooked.

As Dean drove in their parking slot, he made notion of the fact that the parking slot beside his, Castiel's namely, was empty. He was perfectly aware of the fact that Cass liked to work late, especially since it was Monday, but the pang of disappointment was still there. Even though he knew he shouldn't have. Brushing it off as quickly as it came, he went to their apartment. The spacious pent-house seemed as welcoming as usual. Too bad Dean didn't have half a mind to admire it today. In a matter of no time he was drowning a total of three aspirins and moved to their bedroom to catch some sleep. He was certain he'd wake up when Cass came home.

(O)

"I am perfectly aware of that fact, Gabriel. In fact, why don't you and Michael discuss it privately ? I just came home, and I really am not in the mood for this. Alright. Great. Goodbye."

Castiel Novak sighed loudly as he dropped his keys and phone the kitchen table. It was impossibly frustrating to listen to a sibling's rambling after a hard day at work. Especially since said brother was taking a little extra vacation, while the thought of an little vacation was simply impossible to Castiel.

"Dean ? Are you home, babe ?"

Silence greeted him, which was actually more than a little unusual. His boyfriend had made a habit out of listening to old classic rock whenever he was home, which by the way bugged the old lady downstairs a whole lot. Only now, a perfect silence floated in the apartment. It was only 6.30 pm so Castiel brushed of the possibility of Dean already being asleep. Moving to his study, the Novak turned on his laptop and proceeded to work. If his lover wasn't home there simply was nothing better to do.

After a few minutes of vigorous typing, Castiel decided to retrieve a bottle of Pinot Gris to hasten his process. A little habit of his, since wines had always been a passion of his family, especially when working. Loosening his blue tie, he made his way in the bedroom. He valued a clean and organized home, refusing to leave the tie and suit-jacket out of their places. Flipping on the lights to the beautiful bedroom, he simultaneously managed to get his lover a quite rude awakening.

"The fuck..? Oh, Cass. Christ, what time is it?"

There, lying on the beige bed-spread was his very own boy-friend. A very sick looking one, as a matter of fact. Bloodshot green eyes stared up at Castiel as a tired hand rubbed them slowly. The older man moved to sit on the bed, next to his lover. It was more than slightly unsettling seeing Dean in such a shape, being used to the myth of the indestructible Dean Winchester. In health issues anyway.

"I'm sorry. Are you alright? You look... quite horrible, actually."

"Thanks, Cass."

Dean pushed himself up to sit beside Castiel, truthfully leaning on his boy-friend. As if the head-ache wasn't enough, but now Dean was feeling quite feverish as well. Worry started claw at Castiel's insides even more rapidly than before. This wasn't normal, not to their standards.

"I want you to go to see someone about that."

Dean raised his eyebrow at Castiel's curt comment. It seemed quite alien coming from his lover's mouth. His blue-eyed lover who never seemed to ask anything of him, nor ever even think about commanding him. Not that Castiel was doing it now but Dean knew he detected something in that sentence. His lover made his opinion in the matter clear. There was nothing wrong with that.

"Of course. But you know me, always seemingly healthy. We'll just be wasting your hard-earned money."

"Thank you, babe."

As Dean rose from bed, Castiel felt a wave of reassurance. It would all be fine. It had to be. Because he knew, that if the green-eyed beauty were to disappear from his life, he wouldn't know what to do. But Castiel decided on one thing, he wouldn't allow anything happen to Dean. Ever.

(O)

I am very sorry for the delay. And yeah, this chapter was a bit shorter than intended. But I thank everyone who has the patience to read this and a review would be awesome.

Part 3 coming soon. Sooner than Part 2 came anyway. Laughs.