Disclaimer: I own nothing. Cas falls asleep in the Impala. Short fluff. This links to my fanfic 'God Knows Why.'

Busy Week

The Impala hummed steadily along the darkened highway, its headlights lighting the road ahead for its driver. For hours, Dean had been navigating the same dusty road and his eyes were growing tired, but he kept them firmly on the road. The hunt had been simple enough, a milk run, but with the added stress of Sam having a goddam angel possessing him and Cas losing his grace, it was mentally draining him. It was too much. It always was. It always would be.

"Dean, you should pull over."

Dean glanced into the rear view mirror; Cas was seated to the far right of the backseat, looking a little tired himself having helped on the hunt. It was a bit odd looking at him without his signature coat and crooked tie; instead, he was wearing an old pair of jeans and a green cotton shirt underneath a red hoody. He was also sporting a few days' worth of stubble; it didn't look half bad, but somehow it didn't seem very Cas. "There's a hotel a couple miles ahead; we'll make it," Dean responded

Cas frowned. "Dean-"

"Well make it Cas," Dean interrupted.

Cas was right; they could stop. Sleeping in the Impala was nothing new, but Cas had been living it rough these past couple days, and Dean doubted he had slept in a bed since he was human, and who knows when he last ate, especially after he had kicked him out of the bunker. The bunker, that's where they were heading back too, Dean had driven across states trying to find Cas after realising exactly how devastating kicking Cas out would have been on him.

The poor guy had his grace stolen and used against his will, saw his brothers and sisters fall to Earth and had to adapt to being human and everything that comes with it; pain, hunger, stronger emotions, life, and tiredness. He barely had a cent on him, no home or job, and when he finally thought he had a place to stay, Dean kicked him out. Glancing back at the rear view mirror, Dean noticed that Cas was drifting off to sleep; his red hoody piled up as a pillow between the window and his head as his eyes stared blankly into the night.

"Cas, you ok back there?"

"Yes, Dean."

Dean turned his eyes back to the road; he could see the hotel sign shining through the trees. It didn't look like much, probably a two star with a vending machine for food service. They'd probably be able to get a room. Dean glanced back at Cas; his eyes were closed now.

"Almost there, Cas."

"Mmm"

The Impala began to rumble as Dean drove along the worn hotel driveway, gravel pelting the bottom of the Impala. Dean frowned as his headlights illuminated a full parking lot. "What the hell," he muttered, driving slowly around the car pool in hopes of finding a spot to park.

Bingo. Right near the reception door was a gap between the cars just big enough to park the Impala facing the walkway. Carefully, Dean edged the Impala between the two cars, making sure there was enough space to exit the Impala with ease. Turning back the key, the engine faded and Dean turned the headlights off. He gave a quick glance to check on Cas before he stepped out of the Impala and into the cold night, breathing in the crisp air.

Hands in his pockets, Dean made his way to the reception. Breathing out a cloud of cold air, Dean pushed the door open. Inside, a woman with curly auburn hair lifted her head from the desk; her glasses crooked across her nose. "Oh hey, I imagining finding a place to park was a party."

Dean nodded, "It was, busy night?"

The girl huffed, "busy week."

"Something going on in town?"

"Must be, business has never been better. I think it may have had something to do with that meteor shower a few days back," the women responded, nodding at the sky outside.

"Right yea, the meteor shower…" Dean swallowed. "Do you have any rooms left? I've got a friend in the back of the car who's drooling all over the window."

"Yea, I've got one room left. Lucky huh?" The women said, preparing to write in a booking.

"I'll take it for the night, thanks," Dean said, glancing back at the Impala.

The girl nodded. "Name please?"

"Sam Novak," Dean said carelessly.

The women shuffled around a bit before turning back to Dean, "Alright here's the key, Mr Novak. Room 14 is yours for the night."

Dean then paid and headed back outside into the cold night air, with only the hotel sign to light the way. He made his way over to the hotel doors, passing a vending machine as he searched for 14 so it would be easier to find when he had Cas. A few moments later he stumbled upon it, directly in front of the Impala. Dean smirked, unlocking the door before moving back to his car. Convenient.

Slowly, Dean began to open the Impala's back right door, mindful that Cas might still be leaning on it. When it was fully open, a red hoodie fell to Dean's feet; the owners head lulling slightly to the side. Inside the Impala, Cas lay asleep, motionless except for the steady rise and fall of his chest. He'd never seen that before. He lent inside the Impala and slipped his arms underneath Cas, gently lifting him out of the Impala. Cas squirmed in his arms, mumbling in annoyance.

Dean chuckled. "Cas, if you carried my ass out of hell, I can carry you out of a goddam car," he said, bringing him closer to his chest, "just get some rest ok." Cas mumbled something tiredly, nodding into his chest. Carefully, Dean carried the former angel to the hotel room, balancing Cas slightly with his knee as he opened the door.

Upon entering the room, Dean stopped. There was only one bed. "Dammit, not again." Sighing, Dean carried Castiel to the right side of the bed, gently laying him down with his head resting on a pillow. Cas, his eyes still closed, mumbled something along the lines of "thank you, Dean." Cas looked really sleepy now.

Dean smiled, "I'll be back in a minute, a saw a vending machine a few rooms over." He placed a hand on Cas's arm briefly before he made his way out of the room, locking the door behind him just to be safe. He shivered, pushing his hands back into his pockets. The night's air was cold, but not suspiciously cold. Nothing he needed to worry about. He walked back to the Impala, stopping at the back right door to pick up Cas' hoodie. He dusted the gravel off it before heading back along the row of hotel rooms, the vending machine waiting with all of its glorious fat filled contents. Halfway there Dean realised he had no change in his pocket, just notes. Muttering, he jogged to the reception, his boots scuffing against the pavement.

A gust of cold air blew into the room as Dean opened the reception door in haste, causing the receptionist to freeze where she stood, the strap of her bag only halfway to her shoulder. "Oh hey, I was just about to leave, did you need something?" She asked.

Dean nodded, reaching his hand into his pocket to retrieve the notes, "yea, could you possibly exchange this for change. I need to get some food from the vending machine."

"Yea sure, want do you need?"

Dean shrugged tiredly, "Do you have ten bucks in coins?"

The women laughed, "sure do, just give me a sec, it's Katy by the way." Katy began to thumble around her bag; she pulled out a couple of coins before moving to the counter and retrieving a few more. She held out her hand to Dean, a pile of quarters, fifty cent pieces and dollar coins rested in her palm.

Dean traded the coins for the notes. "Thanks."

Katy smiled "No problem, buy something nice for your boyfriend."

Dean frowned, "He's not my boyfrie-"

Katy laughed heartily, shaking her head, curly hair flopping over her glasses, "Yea sure, whatever."

Dean opened his mouth to protest, but instead just turned to leave, "goodnight Katy."

Once again breathing in the cold air, Dean made his way back to the vending machine, change in hand, hoodie in the other. He peered through the plastic display window, scanning the treats inside. There was obviously nothing that could qualify as food by his brother's standards, but he didn't care, except now he did. Cas probably hadn't had a proper meal in days. He sighed, it would have to do. He punched in a few numbers and inserted the cash. A Hershey's bar and a packet of crisps fell to the bottom of the machine. It took a bit of an effort to retrieve them with one hand, but he managed. Quickly, he made his way back to the hotel room.

Upon entering, he noticed the damp smell of mold that seemed to fill the room. It wasn't strong but definitely noticible. Typical roadside hotel smell. He dumped Cas's hoodie on the table.

Then his eyes fell on the bed.

Dean smiled fondly, a small smile on his lips. Cas was fast asleep, his head resting in the palm of his hand with his knees tucked under himself slightly. A warm feeling formed in his heart as he watched the steady rise and fall of Cas's chest. Slowly, Dean pulled the covers up over Cas, tucking them around him gently as he did so.

It was so mesmerising to see Cas sleep; he was lying on his right side so that Dean couldn't see his face but Dean found himself staring, the same lopsided smile still on his face. Perhaps Cas had been feeling the same when he had caught him watching him sleep all those times.

Quietly, Dean slipped off his shoes and made his way to the other side of the bed and slowly pulled back the beige covers and slid under them, forgetting the 'no chick flick moment' rule for a moment. He gently pulled the covers back over the both of them, settling down so he was facing Cas, finally able to see his sleeping face.

Cas looked beautiful, angelic even. Even without his grace.

Still smiling, Dean closed his own eyes, barely able to keep his eyes open any longer. He was asleep within the minute.

And if they somehow ended up in each other's embrace during the night, they didn't feel the need mention it to Sam.

He would find out, eventually. God knows why.

End