Dean stirred in the backseat of the Impala, his face pressed flush to his angel's neck. He breathed in the heady scent of sweat, cinnamon, and clean laundry; it was intoxicating. Cas was inhaling deeply, his breaths blowing the Hunter's hair back and forth in gentle puffs of air. Dean stayed as he was for a moment, confused as to what had awakened him. Then he heard a series of wet coughs from the front seat. He untangled himself gently from Castiel, so as not to wake him and leaned into the front seat.

Crowley was coughing loudly and without a break. Sam leaned over and rummaged in the glove box for a second. When he resurfaced, he had a handful of napkins which he handed over to the former demon, his face tense with concern. Crowley promptly buried his face into the tissues, hacking. Sam reached over with his free hand and patted his shoulder, speaking words of comfort. When Crowley resurfaced, his lips were stained with blood.

"It's happening faster than it did last time," said Dean softly.

Crowley looked back at the Hunter, a small smile crossing his mouth. "These trials purify you, remember? Sam was never all that impure, despite what he thinks of himself," Sam looked over at the former demon, his eyes shining gratefully at his friend's words. "I on the other hand, have done some bad things. And that's putting it mildly. It's no surprise that I would react at a different rate than Moose over here."

They were silent the rest of the way back to the bunker, trying not to think about what was to come. When they pulled into the drive, Sam looked over at Crowley. "You don't have to do this, man. It's not too late to stop."

The former demon looked over at the hunter with sadness in his dark eyes. "Yeah I do, Sam. I can't stop now. I'm sorry." He gave Sam a gentle squeeze on the shoulder before getting out of the car and heading to the front door. Sam made a choking noise, his shoulders shaking. The effort it was taking him not to cry was taking a toll on him, and Dean honestly understood.

He was also having a hard time with the concept that Crowley would be gone. In the last weeks since he had become human, they had gotten attached to him; he was their friend, but the former demon and Sam were the closest.

Dean had made a lot of friends recently. Castiel, Charlie, Garth; Sam was also friends with all of them, but they just weren't as close to him as they were to Dean. It wasn't right that his little brother's first meaningful relationship with someone in years was going to be cut off. Sam was going to have to bury another friend and it just wasn't fair.

Dean didn't take any more time to reflect on the situation; he locked his own feelings of loss and grief and injustice away in the back of his mind where he wouldn't have to examine them. He was more concerned with Sam's shaking frame. After all, that was rule number one in his book; watch out for Sammy. He reached out and touched his brother's good shoulder. Sam looked up at him, his eyes desperate for reassurance, just like when they were kids. "It's gonna be okay, Sammy."

Those five little words rolled in the space between them, and Sam visibly relaxed. He didn't question it, didn't care whether Dean could be sure or not; it was going to be okay just because Dean said so, and Sammy always trusted his big brother.

Sam nodded and gave Dean's arm a small pat. "Thanks."

The hunter smiled and gave his brother's shoulder a small squeeze. "No problem, kiddo. Now let's go get some sleep before you pass out in the car and I have to drag your gigantor ass inside."

Sam grinned and got out of the car. He brightened when he saw Kevin waiting for him in the entryway of the bunker. Dean smiled as he watched Sam haul the kid over his shoulder, spinning him around, laughing like a fool. It warmed Dean's heart to know that even after Crowley was gone, Sam would still have Kevin.

He clambered out of the backseat and walked around, to open Cas' door. His angel looked so peaceful that Dean couldn't bring himself to wake him. He bent down and scooped him into his arms. Cas grumbled a little in his sleep before snuggling his face into Dean's chest and letting out a soft snore. Dean chuckled as he carried him to their room. He turned the covers down with one arm before settling Cas down. He took his angel's shoes off before throwing the cover over him. Cas pulled them up to his chin and curled into a ball, snoring peacefully.

Dean smiled at his angel before tiptoeing to the bathroom. He had gotten hellhound blood in his mouth and wanted to brush his teeth before bed. When he was done, he rinsed and looked into the mirror. He made a face to look at his handiwork, and as he caught sight of his reflection, he froze. Dean stared at himself for a whole ten seconds before moving. Green. His teeth were fucking green, which meant Sam had put something in his fucking toothpaste. He thought about shouting, but he didn't want to wake the others.

He stomped off to his brother's room and flung the door open without preamble. Sam was getting ready for bed, stripped down to his t-shirt and boxers. He looked up at his brother in confusion as he approached him. "Dean?" He didn't get anything else out because Dean had tackled him to the floor, pinning him down. "Dean, what the fuck?" hissed Sam. In answer, Dean bared his teeth. Sam took one look and started wheezing with laughter, trying not to be too loud. "Oh, Jesus Dean, you weren't supposed to brush your teeth till morning."

The hunter's face twisted in rage, but Sam just laughed harder; green teeth weren't very intimidating apparently. "You think this is fucking funny? Why would you do this, Sam?"

Sam smirked. "Remember when you screwed with my IPod? Well consider this vengeance. Told you I would get you back." Dean thought back; that had been a couple weeks ago. He had just assumed that Sam had forgotten, but no. He had been waiting for Dean to let his guard down before striking. That little shit. Without thinking, he grabbed Sam by the shoulders and slammed him into the floor, not violently; just enough to rough him up a little. He remembered his brother's injured shoulder a second too late.

Sam's back hit the ground and Dean was immediately apologizing, removing his hand from the injured flesh. "Oh shit, Sam I'm sorry. You alright?" Dean expected Sam to gasp in pain, flinch, something, but nothing happened except the look of confusion that clouded his hazel eyes. "Sam?"

Sam looked astonished. "It doesn't hurt." He scrambled off the floor and pulled his shirt off and looked in the mirror. They gasped at the same time; where the hound had bitten, almost deep enough to graze the bone, there was nothing. The skin was smooth and fresh as if it had never happened. If it wasn't for the torn and bloody t-shirt, no one could have known the skin had ever been broken. "What the hell?" said Sam.

Dean looked at his little brother wide eyed. "How did that happen?"

Sam's brow furrowed in thought. "I'm not sure, but now that I think back on it, I have been healing faster than usual. When we fought those demons that were attacking Joshua, I got a small cut. It was gone the next day, but it was so tiny, I didn't think anything of it at the time."

The next thing Dean knew, Sam was crossing the room to his bed side table, rummaging inside. "What are you doing, Sam?"

"I have an idea, but I've gotta be sure," he said. He emerged with a bowie knife, glinting in the lamplight. Before Dean could stop him, his brother had run the blade across the flesh of his forearm. Blood dripped steadily from the gash.

"Jesus, Sam! Why'd you cut it so deep?" Dean bounded forward, pulling a bandana from his pocket to staunch the flow of blood.

Sam held up his hand, stopping his brother in his tracks. "Wait!"

Dean stopped and waited. The handprint that had been burned onto Sam's chest after the cleansing ritual began to glow. "Sam," he choked out, afraid.

Sam looked down, watching as the print glowed brighter. His hair began to blow in a breeze that blew only for him; the blood trickling down his arm began to reverse its path, drawing back into the wound as the skin of his arm began to knit itself back together. They watched, speechless as the glowing on his chest began to fade and the gentle wind blew out with a final gust.

"What the fuck just happened?" asked Dean, his voice hushed and awed.

"I don't know, but it didn't feel bad. It felt… clean. This must be a side effect from the ritual. I mean, Cas said that this was the hand of God, right?" Sam gestured to his chest, a faraway look in his eyes as he thought. "So maybe it has something to do with that."

"What, God is watching over you?" said Dean, his voice laced with skepticism.

"I dunno Dean, but it doesn't feel bad, so I don't think we should worry about it. We have bigger problems."

Dean worried at his lip as he thought. He hadn't sensed any malevolent presence during the healing, and Sam seemed fine now. If it was something nasty, it wouldn't be doing something like healing; if anything it would hinder Sam's healing rate. "Dean," Sam snapped him from his wayward thoughts.

"I dunno, Sammy. I don't know what to make of this."

Sam looked at Dean, eyes full of understanding. "Look, you're worried, I get it, but I don't think this is bad. Remember how you said you followed your instincts to turn Crowley human because it felt right? Well this feels right. You said that not trusting your instincts is what gets you killed. It's going to be okay. I'm not going anywhere, Dean."

His last sentence really got to the heart of the matter; he was afraid of losing Sam. He had just gotten him back. They were in harmony for the first time in a long time, and Dean wasn't about to let anything take his brother from him again. Dean looked into Sam's eyes and saw nothing bad there; no shadows of secrets kept, no deceit, just truth. But how could this be God? He knew God was out there, but he didn't believe he would come back or interfere with their lives directly. He had thought of the ritual as a metaphor, the mark had been brushed off as coincidence. It didn't matter that he was out there; Dean didn't believe in God. Not anymore. Sam looked at him pleadingly.

"Trust me, Dean."

And that was it. Dean crossed the space between them and pulled his brother into a hug. The bottom line was that Dean trusted Sam with his life. God and the Devil, angels and demons be damned. If Sammy said this was okay, then he believed him. Sam hugged him back without hesitation, his relief at being trusted bleeding through. There was a time where he distrusted his brother so deeply, he wouldn't have believed a word that was coming out of him mouth, but after the church and the promises they had made there, he believed. Dean might not believe in God, but he believed in Sam. Maybe wherever he was, God was watching over his little brother. Maybe God believed in Sam too.

They broke apart, and Sam smiled at him, a bright, happy smile that Dean hadn't seen in years. He returned it eagerly, and Sam started laughing. "Your fucking teeth, Dean, holy crap."

He gave him a shove towards the bed. "Yeah yeah, sasquatch. Get some sleep. And just you wait, I'll get you back."

"Night, Deano."

Dean shut the door and made his way down the hall, grinning like a fool the whole way back to his room. He slipped under the covers next to Cas. His angel rolled over in his sleep snuggling into his side. Before Cas, he never cuddled anyone ever. His angel was turning him into the girl he always accused Sam of being, and he didn't even mind. With that thought, smiling into Cas' fragrant hair, Dean drifted into dreams.

Cas awakened to the sound of the shower kicking on. He stretched out languidly, arms reaching for Dean, but the bed was empty. He must be the one getting in the shower. Cas smiled as he clambered out of the tangled covers and ran down the hall to the shower room. He slipped in, closing the door behind him and locking the deadbolt.

Dean was standing under the shower head in the middle of the room, his back turned to him. He was gloriously naked, water cascading down his broad shoulders and lean back, steam rolling through the entire room. Once again, Cas was taken aback by his hunters beauty, shocked that this Adonis belonged to him. He watched Dean wash himself, muscles bulging and glistening wet with water. Dean was his mate, his second chance at life. He loved him more than anything and seeing him like this -stoic and beautiful, like a marble statue in his perfection- touched a place in his heart. He felt his cock twitch and begin to fill, desire bolting through his blood. Cas quickly stripped and approached his hunter.

Dean felt arms close around him from behind; he knew it was Cas. The angel held him close, one arm around his waist, the other hand caressing his chest, tracing the rivulets of water pouring down his body. Castiel pulled him flush against his body, nipping, sucking the sensitive spot behind his ear. Dean let out a moan as he scraped his teeth down his exposed neck and bit gently into his shoulder, thrusting his hips forward so his arousal pressed into the swell of Dean's ass. The hunter was instantly, painfully hard. He spun around in Cas' arms and pulled him close, cocks brushing together as he pressed their mouths together.

Cas was putty in his hands as he traced the seam of his mouth with his tongue. His angel gasped and Dean took advantage, slipping into his mouth. He tasted warm and wild, sweet and clean, and Dean groaned as he ravished his mouth. The water running down his over sensitized skin was the best kind of torture. Suddenly, Cas pushed away and Dean released him, confused. Castiel looked at him, blue eyes clouded with lust, pupils blown wide, and sank to his knees.

Dean let out a choked noise as he watched Cas sink down, his fingers tracing over his chest and stomach as settled in. His angel grasped his girth in strong hands and began to stroke, slowly and gently. Heat slammed into his gut, the pleasure overwhelming. A burble of pre come escaped the tip and Cas swiped his thumb over the slit, collecting the drop. He looked up, eyes locked with Dean's as he sucked his finger into his mouth. His eyes fluttered shut at the taste, moaning wantonly like it was the best thing he had ever tasted. When he had sucked his finger clean, he looked up at his hunter.

"Tell me what you want, Dean." Castiel's voice was even deeper than usual, gravely and wrecked and it sent shivers down his spine.

Oh fuck, his angel wanted him to talk dirty to him. He was more than happy to oblige. "Suck me Cas. Want your mouth on me."

Cas leaned in, kissing his thighs, sucking bruises everywhere except where he needed it most. He let out a choked little noise, and he felt Cas' breath ghosting over the head of his cock as he chuckled. "God, please Castiel, fuck, please."

Cas groaned at Dean's begging and leaned in. He licked softly at the head, tasting the pre come that had collected there and Dean jerked his hips forward, whimpering. Cas reached up and grasped his hips firmly before sealing his lips over the head of Dean's dick, taking him deeply into the wet heat of his mouth.

Dean felt as if his knees would buckle at the sensation of Cas sucking him. His angel twirled his tongue around the head and hollowed his cheeks, bobbing his head. Dean's fingers tangled in Castiel's dark, wet hair. He tugged gently and Cas moaned, raking his fingernails gently up and down his hunter's thighs. Dean was burning up, an inferno raging out of control as Cas worshiped his body with his touch. His angel teased the bundle of nerves under the head before swiping his tongue over the slit, moaning at the flavor that burst on his taste buds.

Cas pulled off, and Dean whimpered at the loss of sensation. His angel looked up at him, lips swollen and pink, dripping wet, eyes burning and said, "Fuck my mouth, Dean."

The hunter groaned loudly and Cas kept on talking. "Please. Want it so bad." He sealed his lips back around his cock head. Dean grasped double handfuls of Cas' hair and thrust into his mouth shallowly, afraid of choking him. Cas broke off again, causing his hunter to whimper. "Come on, Dean, I can take it. Fuck my mouth," his voice was deep and wrecked and Dean was lost. He regained his handhold on his hair and thrust into the wet heat of his angel's mouth. Cas didn't choke; he moaned like it was the best feeling in the world and swallowed around him, taking him deep into his throat.

Dean thrust, rough and fast. It was sloppy and without finesse and the best blowjob he had ever received. The fact that it was Cas made it so much better. Castiel reached down to his own aching cock and began stroking fast and hard as Dean fucked his mouth. His orgasm was barreling down on him, threatening to tear him to shreds and he started babbling. "God, fuck Cas, you love this, don't you? Love getting your mouth fucked, lips stretched so pretty over my cock? Fucking love it, don't you? That's right, so good for me. Fuck, Cas, I'm gonna-"

Dean shouted as he shattered, pleasure ripping him apart from the inside. His hips stuttered, and Cas took him to the back of his throat and swallowed every drop his hunter gave him. It took all of his effort not to scream I love you at the top of his lungs as he came and came in never ending waves of ecstasy.

When it was over, Cas let his softening cock slip from his lips. Dean looked down; his angel was still kneeling, hand stroking over his dick. Dean dropped to the ground and pushed the angel on his back on the shower floor, smacking his hand away from his aching cock. He took over, stroking him quickly. Cas' eyes rolled to the back of his head as he growled nonsense in Enochian. When he came, he shouted out, spilling all over Dean's hand, pulling him down for a desperate kiss. When it was over, they made out lazily, letting the hot water wash over them, rinsing them clean.

When the kiss broke, Cas lay his head back, eyes closed, content; Dean watched him. He was stunningly beautiful; dark hair clinging to his face, lashes casting shadows over high cheekbones, the strong column of his throat exposed and open. "Cas?" he started.

"Hmmm?"

Dean wanted to tell him he loved him so bad it was killing him, but the words got stuck in his throat. He couldn't do it. He could face down a blood thirsty monster or a demon or Satan himself, but he couldn't say three little words. Goddamnit. He chickened out and instead said, "Where did you learn to do that?"

Cas opened one eye, grinning cheekily. "From the pizza man."

Dean laughed, loud peals echoing around the tile walls. "We better get clean before the hot water runs out," he chuckled.

Cas smiled and took his hand, standing up. They showered off, exchanging kisses and sweet touches as they went. Cas smiled, a wide toothy grin and Dean dropped the bottle of soap he was holding, howling in laughter. Cas tilted his head in confusion. "What is it Dean?"

The hunter just pointed at the mirror. Cas approached it and examined his reflection. Everything looked normal, and he looked back at Dean bewildered. He snickered. "Smile, Cas."

He obliged and froze. His teeth were green. "Dean, how-" and then he caught sight of Dean's teeth; they were also green.

"Sammy pranked me. He put something in my toothpaste, and when you kissed me, it got on you."

Cas was silent for a moment, searching in his head for the proper thing to say. He couldn't think of anything, so he took a leaf out of Dean's book. "SAM, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Dean had never laughed harder in his life. God he was in love, and it was wonderful.