A/N: Thanks to all reading this! This is the final chapter to this little adventure. Enjoy!
Castiel closed the back door of his empty van. He had no more reservations to get to. Three weeks of carefully pinpointed stops had twelve dogs and fifteen kittens adopted. His van had been like a three ring circus. But he had made some great memories along the way. Castiel grinned, sitting on the boardwalk with Gunner at his side. The ocean was so vast. He held a paper tightly in his hand and glanced down at it, furrowing his brow.
'What am I doing here? What if I make a fool out of myself?'
Gunner nudged Castiel's hand, interrupting his moment of doubt and weakness. "I know," he muttered softly, petting Gunner's silky fur soothing himself as much, if not more, than the dog, "quit stalling and go find him."
Cas stood, dusting sand from his jeans and walked back toward the van when he noticed a sign for a dog park. "Okay, maybe one more pit stop before I go and make an idiot out of myself."
Gunner barked.
Cas rolled his eyes. "I mean, before I go and find him."
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Dean grinned at his brother's text.
S: are you really running with the dogs? You been gone two hours.
D: the dogs are fine. It's like you don't trust me. I raised you and look how good you turned out.
S: now you are scaring me. Bring my dogs home, jerk.
D: chill out bitch.
Dean exited his messages and put his phone in his pocket. 'Running is for people in danger, Sammy. Dog parks, however, are for smart people to run their dogs.' California was great. He had been asked out several times in the past month since he had dropped into his brother's life. He hadn't taken any of the offers, none of them seeming quite right for him, but it was nice all the same. The breezes here were light, the people relaxed, and he had Sam back. Life was good. He looked down at Wendal, Sam's Bassett hound who lay panting at his feet. Whiskey came back in a rush of gold fur, dropping the red frisbee with pleading eyes to throw it again. The Golden Retriever was tireless. He winged the disc and watched him take off. Wendal sat up suddenly, ears lifting. A large movement for the lazy hound. Dean squatted and was immediately bowled over by another dog.
"Hey, hey! Easy!" Dean sat up, holding the dog at arm's length. Honey eyes and a familiar whine greeted his ears. "Holy shit!"
Dean stood, looking around the wide dog park. He looked back at Gunner.
"How did you get here, Gunner? Where?"
He turned around and there he stood, messy hair, piercing eyes, a vintage Pepsi t-shirt, jeans and sneakers. His eyes quickly traveled back up, landing on those crystal blue eyes, crinkled at the corners in an easy smile.
"Hello, Dean."
"Cas! What are you doing here?" Dean stammered.
"You..uh..left me clues in your letter." Dean watched as the man pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. Dean grimaced, feeling guilty and wondering what exactly he had written in it. He had been very angry at the moment, not to mention sexually frustrated, and was not sure how much of a dick he had been.
"Wow. Uh...I just...can't believe you're here," Dean stammered helplessly. His brain was absolutely stuck. Not functioning. Whiskey had returned and was nudging Cas' hand with the red frisbee. Cas took it and threw it, sending the dog flying. He folded the worn paper and put it back in his pocket.
"I have been...traveling," Cas said, kneeling to pet Wendal, who was sniffing his shoes insistently.
"Yeah?" Dean asked, gently.
Cas looked up at him, squinting in the sun. "I'm not here to pressure you, Dean. I just...wanted to be sure you knew that you changed my life. Anna's too maybe. For the better." He grinned, but there was a sadness to it.
"Cas, I...I hope I didn't ruin your relationship with your sister."
"No," Cas laughed quietly, standing. "We are closer now than ever. She can even say the word 'gay' without looking like she will be struck by lightening."
Dean nodded, grinning and remembering the jiggling door knob. "That's great."
Cas looked off to the side, looking like he might be out of things to say. Dean snapped his still gaping mouth shut and kicked his brain into gear before they left him. "So...where did you travel to?"
"Oh...I went on a 'Novak Sanctuary' road trip." He grinned as he airquoted. Dean shoved his hands in his pockets to keep them from shaking. "I placed twelve dogs in homes. Fifteen kittens in homes. I went through Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming. Gunner and I did a lot of site seeing and star gazing through Wyoming. Pretty much slept through Idaho. I let Gunner drive."
Dean laughed, picturing the perky eared dog behind the wheel while Cas was passed out in the passenger seat.
"Oregon is beautiful. I saw the Redwood Forest. It was...amazing. And then I came here. First time I saw an ocean. Pretty amazing."
"That is amazing, Cas. It sounds like the trip of a lifetime."
"First of many, I hope," Cas grinned. "Gunner is a great traveler. Not my van so much though. It's not gonna make it out of the state, I'm afraid."
A nervous silence stretched as the two scanned the dog park. Dean kept his eyes on Cas' sneakers for a lack of nerve to look the guy in the eyes. They had had an intense evening together...but did he come to California to find him? The thought seemed too unreal.
Dean made himself man-up and find those blue eyes. "Would you like to get some lunch? I mean, if you aren't headed out of town right away?"
"Sure. Just has to be dog friendly."
"Everything is dog friendly here," Dean grinned. He whistled and the two dogs came running for their leashes and treats. They walked back to the parking lot and Cas stopped by a big white van. "This is me," he said.
Dean looked at the bulky, white van. "That is so not you, man," Dean laughed.
"Yeah, well, she got the job done. And got me here."
The two exchanged a quiet look, Cas looking away first, biting his lip softly.
Dean had Cas follow him back to Sam's place.
Cas waited out front of Sam's tiny house while Dean ran the dogs inside.
Sam came out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a towel, greeting his excited dogs.
"I gotta go," Dean said in a rush, pointing his thumb at the door.
Sam leaned over to look out the window. "That guy with you?"
"Yeah," Dean said, hearing the incredulity in his own voice.
"Dude, chill!" Sam laughed, "you're a wreck!"
Dean took a deep breath. "I think I might puke," he said weakly.
"What the hell?" Sam said, looking out the window again. "Do I need to fuck this guy up?"
Dean laughed, pulling himself up taller. "No, Sam. He's...he's the guy. That's Cas."
"What?! The dog guy?" Sam stepped closer to the window. "Why is he in California?"
Dean shrugged helplessly.
"Dude, did he come to California to find you? That's like...huge."
"I know! I mean, I don't know. I don't know why he's here. But he found me. And I can't fucking think straight!"
Sam laughed, but stifled it quickly seeing the state Dean was in. "Come on man, if he came across the country to talk to you...you're in! I mean, if that's what you want. You can't make a bigger gesture than that!"
"Right," Dean nodded. "I'm gonna go. We're getting lunch."
"Bring him back, if you want. Just get your shit together man, and don't be a dick."
Dean scoffed. "Why would I be a dick?"
"I don't know," Sam said, shoving Dean out the door, "you just can't seem to help yourself sometimes." He grinned and waved to Cas, closing the door quickly.
Dean rolled his neck and turned to face the guy in the yard that was totally not a figment of his imagination. 'Get it together, Winchester. Was he that adorable a month ago? How did I leave him? Maybe I am a dick.'
They left the van and Cas and Gunner hopped into Dean's car.
"Where we going?" Cas asked, slouching into the passenger seat. Dean marveled at how much more relaxed Cas seemed, than the uptight, shy guy he first met.
"Food trucks here are fantastic. Figured I'd take you down to the beach and hit up the food trucks."
Cas nodded. "So, what have you been doing since we last saw each other?"
"Well, nothing as grand as what you did. Went back to Kansas. Had it out with my dad. Packed my shit and came here. I've been crashing at Sammy's for too long now. Need my own place. I think I'm gonna stay here. Sam's here."
"Did you and your dad ever reconcile?" Cas asked.
"Sorta. He apologized. Half-assed. I forgave him. Whatever. But neither Sam or I will ever live there again. Distance is good for us."
Dean parked and the three got out, heading for several trucks at the end of the parking lot. "What do you suggest," Cas asked.
Dean stopped in his tracks, Cas stopping as well. "Cas, did I make you feel bad in that letter I wrote? It is what sparked your trip, right?"
Cas sighed. "It was a dose of reality that I needed so badly. I got brave, like you said. I got to know myself. I am comfortable with who I am. And who I am is the same guy you met, Dean. Just bolder."
"I remember you being pretty bold," Dean grinned ornery.
Cas laughed, looking away. "Faking bravery is not the same as just manning up and taking charge. And I did man up, Dean."
A smoldering look touched his blue eyes. Dean swallowed, unable to stop his eyes from searching out that mouth.
"Cas, when I landed on your doorstep...I was not in a good place of my own. I'm sorry if I said anything harsh. And...I am a lot more stable than I was then. Emotionally anyway."
Cas' eyes were suddenly downward, examining his shoes. "I like to run. I run every day." His eyes came back up. "I never knew that."
"Still eating fresh baked bread and salads?" Dean smirked.
"Not so much. It's what made me start running. Burgers. I have a major weakness for burgers."
Dean grinned. "I love a good burger."
"And apple pie?" Cas asked, his eyes flicking down to Dean's mouth.
Dean almost choked. 'Fucking apple pie...I can still taste it...'
"Haven't had any. Not since yours."
Cas smiled. There was an exchange in their gazes that told each other that there was still room for something to happen here.
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Dean and Cas ate by the beach, people watching. They went back to Sam's so Dean could introduce the two. They spent several hours hanging out and talking. Gunner sat snuggly by Dean's side. "You still like me, don't ya, boy?" Dean asked, scrubbing behind the dog's ears. "No more limp, I see," he said to Cas.
"Nope. He is very healthy. He is terrified of soda bottles though. I never was much of a soda drinker anyway, but even water bottles. I stick to coffee. Keeps him relaxed and me on high alert."
Sam and Dean laughed.
"Dean," Cas asked tentatively, "I need to trade my van in. Would you like to come with me to the dealer to help me pick something more...me?"
"Yeah," Dean grinned.
"You can leave Gunner here if you want," Sam offered. "He likes my guys and it might be a little easier for test driving."
"Thanks, Sam. That would be great."
An hour later, they were slowly cruising through the third car lot. As Cas leaned over to look at a truck, the bottom of a tattoo peaked out of his shirt sleeve.
"Cas, did you get a tattoo?" Dean asked. Cas sat back in his seat, a nervous look crossing his face. "Uh, yeah."
"What is it?" Dean asked, reaching for his sleeve to slide it up.
Cas' cheeks flushed furiously red as Dean slid the soft sleeve up to reveal a gun. A rifle. Dean peered closer, checking the detail a bit more. A Winchester Saddle Ring Carbine.
Dean sat back and Cas steered the van out of the car dealer and back onto the highway.
Cas was chewing his lip nervously, looking like he was going to say something but didn't know what.
"Cas," Dean said softly.
"Dean...I can explain-"
"It's pretty clear, I mean, I think it's pretty clear," Dean stammered.
Cas pulled into a motel, parking randomly in a spot. Cas looked like he was ready to jump out of the van. And he did.
"Shit," Dean swore, getting out as well. He came around the van quickly. "Cas, it's ok," he started.
Cas was running his hands through his hair. "I didn't mean to freak you out," Cas all but whispered.
Dean caught Cas' eye and pulled his own shirt up, revealing some kind of writing running gracefully from just under his arm to below the waistband of his jeans. "What is that?" Cas asked.
"It is Enochian. The language of the Angels."
Cas' eyes came back to his, a look of pure wonder in his wide eyes. "Angels?"
Dean dropped his shirt, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Yeah."
"Because of...me?" Cas asked.
Dean blushed. "Yeah man."
"Dean...what does it say?"
Dean looked away awkwardly, but brought his eyes back to meet Cas'. "It says, Castiel, temperance be mine."
"That's my name," Cas said in awe.
"It's a cool name," Dean practically whispered.
"Temperance...the Angel Castiel is the Angel of temperance."
"And the Angel of Saturday. But I thought 'Saturday night live', even in Enochian, might be kinda dumb."
Cas laughed, looking more relaxed than he had since his arrival in California. "You had to research that!"
"And you just happened to want a Winchester rifle on your arm? No relation to me?" Dean asked defensively.
"Oh," Cas nodded, his grin sobering. "It was for you. For the change you brought to my life. Dean...I came to California to find you. To see if we had more than a snowed in chance at something."
Dean pinned Cas with a look. "We do. Have something."
Cas grinned. "I know. I knew the moment I met you. And again at the dog park. I knew."
Dean wanted to know. Wanted to feel so sure. But he had never been one to jump all in to anything.
"Can I see it again?" Cas said, his hand timidly touching Dean's shirt.
Dean pulled his shirt up, his eyes pinned to Cas' face.
Cas reached out and touched it lightly. The touch made Dean grin as it tickled and his breath caught at the touch. "Temperance."
"Yeah," Dean explained, "I need balance. Moderation. I don't have to be all bad-ass. And I'm definitely not a foo foo kinda guy. But mostly to find the middle. The happy part of life. Not all hard-ass."
Cas nodded. "Now instead of 'escalator' I will have to call you moderator."
Dean smirked. "I said, 'be mine' not 'I am'."
Cas chuckled. "Good to know. So if I tell you your tattoo is hot...then what?"
Dean recognized the challenge. Not to be undone from his apple pie victory, he stepped forward and kissed Cas heatedly. Cas was ready this time, reciprocating immediately. His mouth was warm and wet, his tongue probing and pushing. Dean felt his warm hand under his shirt where the tattoo ran down his side. He moaned at the touch.
"Mm," Cas responded in a moan. Dean pressed his slightly smaller frame against the side of the van, his hands in Cas' hair, his mouth leaving his and working its way down the slight stubble on his chin and jaw.
"Uhhh, fuck," Cas whined, his hips pushing away from the van and into Dean's.
"Get a room," Dean panted, "let's get a room!"
Cas flipped Dean around, pushing his head back against the van and ravaging Dean's throat and collarbones. He stopped suddenly, almost painfully and was walking away. Dean watched in shock, realizing Cas was headed to the office of the motel. 'He's getting a room. A fucking room. With a bed. Cas is here. In California. With a Winchester tattooed on his arm. A fuckin Winchester! '
Cas was walking toward him again when Dean shook his head to bring himself to reality. He stopped just in front of him. They locked gazes a moment, breathing heavier than should have been necessary. "I got a room," Cas said.
"Okay," Dean nodded.
Cas took him firmly by the hand and led him to room 117. The door opened and the floral print bed loomed, seeming to be all there was to the room.
"Dean," Cas' deep, rumbly voice made Dean sigh with lust and his dick give a jerk.
"Dean," Cas repeated, eying him with so much lust, his eyes were nearly black. "I want you."
"Fuck, Cas," Dean muttered at his bravery. "I have wanted you since the moment I met you."
Cas grabbed his shirt, pulling it off, Dean following suit. Cas snagged his lips with his own as soon as the material of his shirt cleared his mouth. He pushed Dean down to the bed.
"Now, where were we?" He grumbled into the side of Dean's neck.
"Right here," Dean said back, weakly. Their mouths worked feverishly while his hands braved their way to the button of Dean's jeans. He pulled, releasing the pressure of the denim and relieving a guttural moan from Dean. "God, Cas."
Their mouths battled again. Hips pushed back and forth.
"Have you...have you done this before? Everything, I mean?" Cas asked between possessive kisses down Dean's abdomen.
Dean lay with arms wide apart on the bed, heaving air after every scorching bite from Cas. "Not everything. Most things. Oh...shit."
"What?" Cas stopped, looking up at Dean with a trace of worry.
"I don't have any...lube. Or condoms. I've...uh...been outa business for awhile."
Cas frowned, the two making eye contact over Dean's smooth chest.
"Me either. I guess I'm not a good planner."
"Well, I'm sure you didn't think this would be happening," Dean grinned.
"Oh, I had hopes," Cas said in all seriousness. "I don't know why I didn't think to get supplies."
Dean sat up, Cas looked disappointed for a moment and then a wicked grin tugged at his lips. He looked up at Dean through his lashes. "No problem though," he said in a deep rumbling voice. "I can improvise. There are other things to do."
Dean grinned back, taking in Castiel's smooth skin. He was only wearing blue jeans and socks. His hair looked...like he'd been having sex. "You have the sexiest hair in the world," Dean growled.
Cas chuckled. "You have the sexiest mouth in the world."
"Oh yeah? You wanna see it look even better?" Dean pointedly looked down at the denim bulge between Cas' legs.
Dean helped Cas slide up onto the bed further, removing his pants as he went. The long, hot, silky cock that bobbed at him, made his mouth water. He started slow. Small, random licks, glancing up at the look of pure ecstasy on Cas' face. He moved to the swollen head, taking the translucent drop for his own. Cas moaned. He gently grasped the length, waiting for Cas to look down at him and his mouth engulfed him whole. Cas cried out, writhing beneath him. A string of moans and incoherent words slid incessantly from his mouth. Dean moved up and down, working his tongue over the satin-soft skin. Cas' hands fluttered up to Dean's head, curling into his hair, flexing and unflexing. Dean pulled all the way off.
"Cas," they made eye contact. "Go ahead...take the wheel."
Cas dropped his head back, panting. Dean went down on him again. Cas' finger flexed with purpose and Dean relaxed, allowing Cas to direct how hard and how fast. Dean moaned in pleasure at the sounds and body underneath him.
"Dean..."
Dean sucked with obvious pleasure and swallowed most of what Cas had to give. Cas bucked and cried out in wave after wave of pleasure. Finished and over sensitized, Cas gently pulled Dean's head away. Unfocused blue pools sought Dean's eyes. Dean looked up from the softening length, cum dripping from his mouth.
"Fucking hell," Cas swore. "I can't even think straight. Your mouth is...amazing is not good enough of a word to describe it."
Dean grinned, wiping his mouth and chin with part of the sheet and crawled up the still panting body beneath him.
As soon as he was face to face with Cas, Cas sprung to life, flipping Dean onto his back and pulling his pants away. He looked like a man on a mission. He kissed Dean hard, making him moan and buck. Leaving his mouth, he kissed a trail from his chin, down his neck, along one collarbone, down to both nipples, and down the tattoo, teasing every Enochian symbol to make Dean crazy with lust. When he got to Dean's hip bone, he paused appreciatively, moaning and bit him.
"Fuck!" Dean writhed.
Dean thought he would lose his mind when the lava hot mouth left his hip and immediately slid down his cock. He tried not to buck and found it hard to be still at all. Cas' hands slid up, grasping Dean's. He put them on his head and Dean needed no more direction. He drove Cas' head every which way he wanted, directing the speed and depth until his mind went absolutely haywire. "Cas! Fuck, I'm gonna-"
"Mm-hmm!" Cas willed.
Dean threw his head back, his hands letting go for fear of choking Cas. The world went away and all there was, was endless bliss.
He breathed again and writhed through the onslaught of waves. He lay wrecked and happier than he had ever been before. That was until Cas crawled up and curled into his chest.
"Cas...that was insanely good."
Cas chuckled. "It was delicious."
Dean laughed, kissing the top of Cas' head and the two entangled further, breathing deeply and touching as much skin as they could.
"Thank you for finding me, Cas."
"Thank you for finding me, Dean."
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Cas pulled his truck up to the barn, shutting the engine off. He grinned, seeing Dean coming out the side door of the house, Gunner at his side.
"Hey!" He called, ambling over to Cas' open window. Cas leaned through and kissed him. "Which one did you end up taking?" Dean asked.
Cas smiled guiltily.
"I knew you'd bring both those horses home," Dean laughed, shaking his head.
"Well, they are kinda attached," Cas defended. "And they both deserve a better home. That place was a wreck."
Dean nodded, reaching for the pin to slide, unbolting the horse trailer door.
"You softie," Dean laughed.
Cas grinned. He knew Dean was just as big a softie as he was. They had gotten a call from Sheriff Mills yesterday to see if he could house one or two horses. And they could. The barn was empty at the moment, having found homes for the last three they had. Cas knelt to give Gunner a proper petting and rub behind the ears. He came around the back of the horse trailer in time to help lower the ramp and undo the butt bar.
"Gunner," Dean warned, "back. Stay."
The dog gave the trailer and ring a wide birth, sitting to watch the newcomers from a safe distance.
The first horse backed out slowly on wobbly legs. He let Dean lead him easily into the paddock beside the barn. The second ran backwards, reared and pulled on the lead line, giving Cas a rush of adrenaline. Cas planted his feet calling soothingly to the horse who stood, legs wide, eyes wild and ears laying out flat.
Dean slowly stepped beside Cas, watching the scared horse calmly. "He's gonna be a handful."
"Nah, he just needs a minute," Cas said, letting the lead line loosen slightly. The horse gathered his legs under him, eyes relaxing and ears swiveling cautiously. Dean helped open the gate to the paddock as Cas lead the second horse in. Gate locked, the two sat on the top rail of the small ring, watching their new charges.
"We might need to delay our trip," Dean said quietly. "Not fair to dump these two on Anna with no notice."
Cas grinned. "Anna will be fine. But maybe just a day or two."
The first horse shyly came to snuffle Cas' leg. He reached up, petting gently along his large flat jaw. The horse moved over, snuffling Dean's leg next, then moving on slowly. Dean slid off the rail, standing between Cas' legs and wrapping his arms around his waist. Cas grinned down into the green eyes that made his day every day. "Love you," Dean said.
"Love you more," Cas answered, leaning down to kiss him.
These small moments peppered their days together. Every day was an adventure. Animals to save. Homes to hunt down. And road trips to take.