Well, it hasn't been TOO too long, but I'm sorry for not updating sooner. This one is a little rushed on account of my guilt for starting another story without finishing this one. Always awkward when that happens!

Well anyway, thank you to all the wonderful people who reviewed! It really makes my day, and I'll be sure to read some of your work as well!

Enjoy!

Dean woke up feeling groggy and more hungover than he had in years. For him, that's saying something because he is quite used to drinking a lot. Well, he is now, at least. Or should he say again? He cursed Gabriel for making his life so goddamn confusing.

He opened one eye suspiciously, a hunter's instinct taking over. Sleeping was one of the most vulnerable times for someone like him, seeing as anything could get you whenever they wanted. You were just a sitting duck waiting to be shot.

His one eye swept the room quickly: empty. But then he heard that sound. That oh-so familiar sound of wings flapping and trenchcoats rustling. He opened both eyes and looked toward the sound. As expected, Castiel was standing in the doorway. He was looking down and sporting an almost guilty posture. This was unusual, seeing as angels don't feel guilt. Or any emotions, for that matter.

Dean had thought Castiel was different, but he had been wrong.

"I see you have awoken," he stated in a low voice.

"I think it's time we have a talk, Cas. Oh, and get Gabriel in here as well. We have so much to catch up on."

Dean could tell the sting he had laced through his command hurt Castiel when he cringed a little. He started to feel a pang of guilt, but pushed it to the back of his mind. Guilt was not something that Dean should be feeling, seeing as he was the one Cas had toyed around with and betrayed.

Nodding solemnly, Castiel disappeared as quickly as he had come.

Dean was left alone to ponder his thoughts. From past experience he learned that this was not ever, in the entire history of his life, a good thing. He disregarded that thought, though. Dean was a very stubborn man, after all.

He wondered whether Cas knew about what Gabriel had done. Maybe it was all just one big scheme? No, Cas wasn't perfect, but he wasn't evil either. He was just…obedient. And Dean couldn't blame him for that, could he? Who was he to judge, seeing as he was the exact same ay with his own father.

But a little voice was nagging at the back of his head, telling him it was not the same. Castiel hadn't even met his father; Dean had known his for years. Although that didn't mean much in terms of John Winchester, he had to admit. That man had more secrets than a middle school girl.

Maybe he should cut Cas a break. It wasn't as if Cas was forcing Dean to fall for him over and over. It wasn't as if Cas had planned it so Dean wouldn't be able to keep his eyes off of him. It wasn't as if Cas had known that when they first met, sparks would fly. Literally and metaphorically.

God, he was such a girl. He hated it. He grinded his teeth together and grimaced. Stupid Dean, he thought, Why do you always end up doing the most idiotic things?

Dean had met an angel, a frickin angel of the lord, and he had something different than he had for any girl he'd every slept with. An angel: a different species. It wasn't even his body; he was inside of some person who had a family. And on top of all that, as if it wasn't bad enough, he was inside a man! If he'd ever heard of something more taboo, he couldn't remember it now.

So he bottled it up, he pushed it away. He did what Dean Winchester always did, and he didn't think about it. But then it was Castiel's "last day," and Dean just couldn't let him die a virgin. So he took an angel to a strip club, of all places.

He should have known that a nerdy angel who chose to wear a trenchcoat and never got jokes wouldn't like girls. He should have known that an angel who chose to be on Earth with two human men over being up in Heaven with other heavenly beings would be gay.

"Cool it, Cas. They're just girls. Don't' be scared. Here, let's find you a good one," Dean mused, as if they were just shopping for groceries, "Wait…You aren't gay, are you?"

Castiel paused, wondering how to answer the question in words Dean would be able to understand. Humans were frustrating in that way. It was much easier to get his point across when talking to angels.

"Gay not a divine term, Dean. I, and the rest of Heaven, am utterly indifferent to sexual orientation. I just would prefer not to engage in activities with some…common whore."

"Wow, Cas. Tell me what you really think."

"I just did, Dean. Could we leave now? This is a den of iniquity. I should not be here."

"You can't die a virgin, Cas. You just can't. It would be a sin."

"I don't think—"

"Oh, look. Showtime!" Dean said with a smirk. He might as well bury himself with boose and girls if he's going to help his best friend, and possible romantic interest, get laid, right?

Thinking back, he cursed himself for being that stupid. Did he actually think that would have worked forever? He had to have known that he would have slipped eventually. Maybe gotten drunk and ending up spilling the whole thing to Sam, who would have just sat there through it, possibly horrified.

But he should have just done it then and there. He should have called Sam, they should have gotten back their old team months sooner. He should have told Sam everything, to the last detail.

If he had, he would've learned how supportive Sammy actually was, despite everything he himself was going through. How well Sam understood. How Sam helped boost his confidence and reassure Dean that he was, in fact, a man. Sam had known about Dean's feelings, and he didn't care. And that was ultimately what convinced him to tell Cas at all.

Dean had hunted countless things, things people couldn't imagine in their worst nightmares. He had died, he had gone to hell, suffered through the damn Apocalypse. But nothing was scarier to him than confronting feelings.

Especially feelings about Cas.

As he began to recall that night, which seemed so far away to him now, Castiel appeared. This time he had Gabriel in tow.

"Finally," Dean drew out in an annoyed voice, "I thought you dicks were supposed to be fast."

Glancing between the two angels, he was surprised to find emotion on both of their faces.

Castiel: sad, hurt, hopeful for forgiveness, shy, caring, passionate—all in one glance.

Gabriel: surprised, nervous, guilty. Guilty?

Dean closed his mouth, which was poised and ready for a good ol' fashioned Dean-rant. He made the slightest turn of his head toward Gabriel and narrowed his eyes. This angel was going to feel the pain that Dean felt when he realized what had happened. This angel was going to realize that lives were not something you could just toy around with, angel or not.

When Dean was done, Gabriel will wish that he had never even met him. He interfered with the wrong relationship. One full of bitter feelings, two vengeful people, and one very broken love.

Castiel saw Dean's expression. He read Dean like a book. He knew Dean very well, almost as well as Sam did. He could almost hear Dean's thoughts. It wasn't mind-reading. Although he possessed that ability, he had never used it on Dean. It was just an intuition one gets when they feel for someone so deeply. And with Castiel's heightened sense of—well, everything—the inner workings of Dean's mind were as clear as day.

He was going to threaten Gabriel, torture him, even. He was going to make him feel the pain of Dean's loss. He knew this because he had felt the same way. But he had resisted, and if Dean didn't he would never be the same. The person coming from the other side of that experience would not be the same Dean that Castiel had rebelled for, had fallen in love with.

He knew that he had to stop it, but he didn't know how. Why are humans so very complicated? he wondered in frustration.

Hello there good readers! If you are confused about why they are so angry, do not fret. All will be explained in the next chapter, which may be the last one. So sad! But if I get a real spurt of inspiration perhaps I'll do an epilogue, yes? Thank you!