Dean woke to a light breeze and a face full of feathers. Neither sensation could he immediately account for. Snapping his eyes open hadn't been the smartest idea as he was now being blinded by the newly risen sun. Dean blinked a few times in rapid succession, willing the black spots to disappear. He shifted into an upright position, his body protesting slightly after spending the night lying on a hard surface. It was then that he realized he'd been curled on the hood of his car, Cas bundled next to him, his wings once again on display.

The feathers were moving softly in the breeze, the sunlight bouncing off the glossy black and giving them an extra shine. They almost looked a deep blue at this angle.
They looked so pristine, something exceedingly exquisite that surpassed the wonder of most things on earth.

Dean couldn't help himself, he extended his hand and gently swiped it down one of the wings. The same way you would a cat that you were trying not to startle.
The texture was softer than he expected, sleek as silk at the top, growing suppler the closer to the downy underside you reached. Dean cautiously continued to run his fingers through the feathers gently, Cas only lightly shuffling in his sleep a satisfied sigh falling past his lips.

Dean felt perfectly content, lying in the early morning atmosphere, letting the sun's ray's seep into his body. He couldn't remember the last time he'd fallen asleep outside. It used to happen on occasion, many years ago now, when John had first allowed Dean to take the car off by himself. Him and Sam would leave their Dad to deal with a case and drive out into the country side somewhere, spending their nights looking at the stars, dreaming of a different life.

Reluctantly Dean paused his hand in Cas' wings, the knowledge that he couldn't stay here forever sinking in.

"Don't stop," Cas mumbled out, "Feel's good," he blinked his blue eyes open, shyly gazing up at Dean.

Dean smiled down at him, "Didn't mean to wake you," he retracted his hand.

"I said don't stop," Cas stated firmly, reaching forward and pulling Dean's hand back to its original position, nestled in his wings.

Dean chuckled at Cas' insistence, even as he resumed his stroking of the feathers, "We have to go inside eventually Cas," Dean mumbled, sorrow lacing his tone.

"It's warm here." Cas mumbled out, stretching his arms and legs out as far as they would go, figuring that was a good enough reason to stay put.

Dean had never seen Cas like this. He looked entirely relaxed, completely content with the world around him. He looked so innocent.
In this state it made it easy to imagine that the angel could share some of Dean's desires; the longing to stay by each other's side, needing nothing more than the car beneath them and an abundant amount of food.
Dean shook his head to himself. He needed coffee, his brain was leading him on ridiculous tangents.

"We think we know where one of the witches is," Dean stated softly, watching his hand disappear in and out of the mixture of blue and black.

"I'm coming with you." Cas said immediately.

"No, you'll stay here with Bobby where it's safe."

"But-"

"No arguing Cas, I want to know that you're safe." Dean said firmly.

"But it doesn't matter if I don't know whether you're safe or not?" Cas ground out, the hint of a growl in his youthful tone.

"Me and Sam are just going to check the place out, we're not going to do anything hasty."

Cas rolled his eyes, "Why don't I believe you?" his tiny face expressing his cynicism.

"Because you're a disbelieving little shit." Dean tried to say it with a serious face, but his grin cracked through, ruining any negative coercion he might have held.

"I want to help Dean," Cas said softly, "I feel of no use like this."

"I'm not asking you to stay here because I think you're useless Cas. You gotta understand that I want to know you're out of harm's way, protected, here." Dean sighed, "We won't be gone long. Half a day at most."

Cas rolled onto his back. He plucked the hand that was still buried in his wings out, bringing it to rest in both of his own much smaller ones. Cas spent some time measuring the size difference between his and Dean's hands. He looked closely at everything, from the difference between where their knuckles sat to the thickness of their wrists.

Cas snuggled up to Dean's chest once he was finished his examination, clutching onto Dean's shirt roughly. Dean wound his arms securely around Cas' waist, holding him in place.

"Promise me you'll be careful Dean," Cas whispered into his neck.

"Always."

Dean remained holding Cas to him as the sun continued to rise in the sky. The two of them quite content to ignore the pressing matter that they would eventually have to face reality again.

"Come on Cas," Dean said motioning his head back to the car. "Let's go get some breakfast first."

Cas nodded his head eagerly and clambered into the passenger side seat, Dean chuckled as his small frame could barely see over the window ledge. Dean reached over and pulled Cas into his lap even though he was driving. Cas grinning up at him, copied Dean and placed his hands on the steering wheel.

"Just make sure you duck down if you see any cop cars." Dean stated, "Can't be bothered dealing with them."

Cas nodded eagerly trying to stay as still as possible so it wasn't overly difficult for Dean to change gears.

Breakfast turned into being overly large sundaes.
Dean could hardly deny the wondrous look that appeared on Cas' face as his wide eyes glanced the rows of ice cream in a shop front window that they passed.

Dean ordered two of the biggest selection that they had, much to Cas' delight, and the two of them spent the next thirty minutes once again on the hood of the Impala digging into their delicious 'breakfast'.

Dean couldn't help laughing every so often as Cas made more of a mess of himself. The majority of Cas' serving somehow seeming to end up on Cas' face and clothes rather than in his mouth.

Cas gave Dean a toothy grin as he leant forward, with his spoon full, and promptly nudged it against Dean's nose in retaliation for Dean's laughter.

It took Dean a moment to make it over his shock at Cas' cheekiness before he was retaliating with a dollop of his own ice cream being lobbed accurately at Cas' ear.

Cas let out a giggle as the next few minutes divulged into nothing more than child's play, both of them becoming covered with ice cream quicker than Dean would have expected.

When they were both out of the substance to misuse on each other, Dean tossed aside their bowls and tackled Cas onto the hood of his car tickling him until he was squealing happily in his arms.

Dean only ceased his ministrations when they were both struggling to regain their breath.

Nothing in the world could wipe the grins off either one of their faces as they climbed back into the front seat of the Impala, seated resolutely together.

-/-

Dean did not like leaving Cas behind. He knew it was the practical, sensible, option. He knew Cas was perfectly safe with Bobby, more safe than he would be traveling to confront a witch. But that didn't mean Dean had to like it. It already felt strange without Cas in the Impala with them. It gave Dean that feeling as if he'd forgotten something.

Although Dean was rightly behind the wheel of his beloved baby again, it didn't help to improve his mood. Tearing through streets, and ripping past civilization, the image of Cas' watery eyes as they left him at Bobby's, still swam in his vision.
Sam could sense Dean's tension from a mile away and didn't attempt to push conversation.

Dean could tell that Sam still believed everything he'd said yesterday. Dean couldn't fathom how Sam could even think such things of him. How dare he insinuate that he didn't want to help Cas. Cas, who was always there when they needed him, Cas who would never hesitate to lend his skills. How could Sam think he wouldn't facilitate to fix him in return?

So what if it maybe felt nice when Cas wanted to be so close, or that it perhaps was awesome to be able to curl up with his best -, No! There was no reason Dean wouldn't help Cas if he ever needed it! No reason at all dammit! Sam was an idiot for suggesting otherwise.

Silence didn't seem to be helping Dean's temper. The further they drove, the more his irritation seemed to stew into full on rage. It took less than half an hour for them to arrive at the apartment block Bobby's contact believed to have witnessed Maggie, Dean pulled the Impala up to a halting stop on the curb alongside it.

"Dean take it easy," Sam berated as Dean slammed the driver door closed, barely taking a breath before heading towards the decent looking dwelling.

"I am taking it easy Sam," Dean snapped, catching the door before it closed behind someone else, preventing them from having to buzz in. "Besides couldn't have you thinking I'm avoiding doing my job right."

They walked swiftly through the almost deserted lobby, comfortable looking couches placed at intervals along the way, and headed for the stairwell. Dean took the steps up to the fourth floor two at a time, his feet pounding heavily, Sam endeavoring to keep close on his tail. "We need information that this girl might have Dean! So keep your head on straight!"

Dean kicked in the door with the numbers 113 before Sam could stop him. There was a shrill scream from inside as wood splinters went flying. Both boys had their guns drawn and barreled in.

There was only one occupant inside and it was thankfully the one they were looking for.

Maggie stood next to her kitchen table, frozen in shock, a cup of tea that had been half way to her lips, crashing to the floor, the cup shattering and spilling its hot liquid. She recognized her intruders immediately, taking in their loaded weapons she attempted to defend herself. Picking up the first thing she could, a book, she lobbed it at Sam's head.

Unworried Sam and Dean continued to advance on her as she attempted to back away, stumbling over chairs as she went, sending them and herself clattering to the floor.

Dean and Sam watched as the girl attempted waving her hands in their direction, halting Latin falling from her tongue. The actions had no effect.

"What's the matter? Lost all your mojo?" Dean spat scathingly.

Maggie attempted to scramble past them but Dean was quicker, grabbing her roughly by the arms, she let out a strangled scream. He threw her against the closest wall, pinning her there with his strength, an arm firmly across her throat limiting her air supply.

Sam stood not far behind them, looming threateningly over his brother's shoulder.

"Tell me where I can find her!" Dean demanded.

"Who?!"

"You're bitch of a friend!"

"What friend?" Maggie defiantly chocked out.

Dean dragged her slim body forward and slammed her back again, her orange curls bounced around her face. "The friend who cast the damn curse!" Dean's arm was back across her throat, beginning to press down.

"I won't tell you anything," Maggie snapped as harshly as she could as she continued to lose air.

"You will," Dean said firmly, "I think you'll find I can be very persuasive."

Neither Maggie nor Sam missed the glint in Dean's eye. Maggie whimpered as her vision began to blur, she clutched at Dean's arm trying to pry him off.

"Dean," Sam said warningly from behind him.

It wasn't until Maggie gave a sharp nod that Dean released her from the wall. She almost crumpled to the ground, using the wall as support to keep herself semi upright. She raised her hand to her neck trying to sooth it.

"This can go either one of two days," Dean said as she continued to stay quiet.

"Meaning the easy way or the hard way?" Maggie spat out.

"Meaning," Dean leant threatening in towards her again, she backed herself into the wall as far as she could, "You leave this room breathing or in a body bag."

"You wouldn't truly hurt me," Maggie attempted for superiority.

"Try me," Dean ground out through gritted teeth.

"Where can we find Jayde, Maggie?" Sam asked, he sounded torn between keeping things civil or following his brother's lead and simply pinning the woman to a wall.

"What do you want with her?" It was the first time she'd sounded afraid. She looked away from the men looming over her, their weapons still clearly visible.

"We want her to reverse the curse she put on our friend."

Maggie looked up at that, "What curse? She never told us about any curse."

"I'm guessing there's quite a few things she didn't tell you. Like where she was getting all her information."

She looked away again, "We never asked."

"Who is Jayde, Maggie?" Sam asked, pulling his brother back slightly to give the girl some room, "How do you know her?"

"We didn't really," Maggie sounded defeated, "Silvia met her at some therapy group. It all sounded like such a good idea at the start, just a bit of simple revenge on the idiot bastards we were fool enough to marry, then she started suggesting things, things we didn't want to be a part of. She bought her sister along shortly after, it was then that she wouldn't take no for an answer." Maggie chocked back a sob, "Now Silvia's dead! I can't find David! And the police are pounding down the door!"

"We're not the police." Dean stated, still staring down with malice in his eyes, "That's the thing about you stupid people. Someone offers you a bit of retribution and you take it. No questions asked. You'll be lucky if your soul's still intact."

Maggie's eyes went saucer wide.

"Dean," Sam said harshly, before turning to Maggie, "Look, our friend is in trouble. We just want to help him and we need Jayde to be able to do that. We'll leave you be, as long as you give us something to go on. No police, no nothing, you'll have time to skip town, start afresh. I promise."

Maggie shook her head firmly, "No, I can't! She'll find me. You can't imagine what she'll possibly do to me."

Dean spoke before Sam had the chance, "Believe me I can, and it won't be half as bad as what I'll do to you myself."

Sam pulled his brother further back, frustrated, "If you tell us Maggie, we'll find her first, she won't have the chance to come looking for you."

"Oh well that's reassuring," Maggie spat sarcastically.

"Right now it's the only option you have." Sam said fairly, "And that's no one's fault but your own."

Maggie hesitated before continuing, a resigned look on her face, "She spoke of this place. It was only once or twice, but she talked about taking us up there. I reckon it would be where she'd go."

"Where was it?"

"Fairmont, Minnesota," She said with a sigh, "That's all I know, I swear."

"That's all we wanted." Sam turned to leave, "Dean come on." Sam made it halfway to the door before he realized his brother wasn't following him. "Dean!"

"Fine!" Dean finally turned away from the miserable girl in front of him, "If you ever meddle with stuff you don't know how to control again, we'll be back for you."

She nodded her head quickly.

"Wait!" She called to their retreating backs, "What do I tell the landlord happened to my door?" Maggie pointed to the remnants.

"Not our problem sweetheart." Dean said with a departing smirk.

Truly, the conceitedness of ordinary humans was sometimes absolutely astounding.

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