Dean swore. "I told you not to sneak up on me like that!" he shouted. Several heads turned in their direction, curious. Dean glared, and the staring stopped. He turned back to face Castiel. "I mean it. You've got to stop following me around so much. It's creepy."
"I don't sneak up on you," Cas said earnestly, "Or I don't mean to, at least."
"Doesn't change the fact you're annoying," Dean snapped, shuffling several paces away from Cas, "Seriously, can't you see I'm busy?"
"Unless you're hallucinating, there's nobody in this corner but us," Cas replied, taking a tentative step forwards. Real life was so hard. The Dean he knew, dream-Dean, anyway, had seemed to be less antagonistic. Usually. But despite all the feelings of strange nostalgia and pressing deja vu that arose around Dean, it was not reciprocated. Not in the slightest. Maybe they were just dreams...
"Cas! Dean! Come join the group!" called a nurse, gesturing to the plastic chairs circled up in the center of the room. The other patients had seated themselves, which left two empty seats right next to each other-and right next to the group leader, which, in this case, was a nurse named Jo.
"Great," Dean muttered, noticing the seating arrangement, "I gotta sit by the freak again." He knocked Castiel aside with his shoulder as he headed towards the group. Cas followed, dejected. Dean chose the seat closest to Jo.
"Thank you two for joining us," Jo said with a smile. Cas knew better. Jo might look like a dainty girl, but she could whip the patients into shape if necessary. "This session, I thought it would be nice to talk about your families back home. Dean, would you like to start?"
"I don't want to talk about it," Dean muttered, staring at the ground.
"Look, Dean, I know this isn't easy, but it's important to remember what ties you to the outside world. Besides," said Jo, gesturing to the rest of the group, "It gives us another way to get to know you."
"I don't care about that," Dean snapped.
"I know your friend was transferred, but-" Jo began.
"I've got nothing back home!" Dean interrupted. "They're dead!"
Upon that declaration, the group burst into anxious whispers, some even moaning or putting their heads into their laps. Jo looked around, the look on her face implying she was starting to regret this choice of activity. "Castiel," she said loudly, "What about you?"
The group quieted and Cas paused, thinking. It was a while since he'd seen his family; no doubt Michael was married by now. Gabe could be anywhere, though he'd always had his eye on comedy and Anna...Anna would be graduating soon. He closed his eyes, envisioning a happy family celebration for Anna's graduation when-
He was surrounded by bodies. Tens, maybe even hundreds of them. And beneath them, as though burned into the ground, was the pattern of wings...
Castiel's eyes snapped open and he gasped. Somehow he'd fallen out of his seat, Jo hovered over him worriedly. The other patients were gathered behind her, watching him curiously. "Wha-what happened?" he croaked.
"You had another incident," Jo said, gravely, "What did you see?"
"What did I do?" Cas asked, avoiding the question.
"You...collapsed," Jo replied hesitantly. Then, offering a hand, "Can you stand?"
Cas nodded, grabbing her hand and allowing himself to be helped up. Jo was clearly hiding something, but it was unlikely she would talk. As he surveyed the room, he caught Dean's eye. Dean was staring at him with something of apprehension and curiosity.
As Cas was escorted out of the room by other nurses, he couldn't help but see a silver lining to it all. Whatever had happened, it had caught Dean's attention. And though there would surely be consequences for his outburst, Cas clung to this tiny sliver of hope.