Dean couldn't deal with all the lovey-dovey crap Gabriel and his brother were spewing out in their motel room, so he took his leave before he was some third wheel in a budget porno. He shuddered at the unstoppable though that ran through his corrupt mind. He dug through his pocket for the address Sam had given him before Gabe had his full attention.

343 Mitchel Avenue,

Bayside,

Texas.

Dean did not want to face this. Things were bad enough just knowing that Cas was in the hands of some slimy, two-faced, psychopathic demon bitch without actually seeing it for himself. Dean had never even noticed that Cas had ever had feeling for women, let alone Meg. From his records, he wasn't even sure the two of them had even met before.

But then again, Death didn't need a reason to mess up Dean's life at any given stage. He was sure Death did it just for kicks, for something to laugh at when he wasn't escorting souls to their respective locations. Dean knew first hand that doing so wasn't the bundle of laughs he had expected it to be.

The house just seemed so… Normal. It didn't look as if it housed angels and demons that is if they were even still these creatures. But as Dean approached the house, he saw the faint warding symbols through the windows, pretty much sealing the deal on their supernatural past. He took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for what was going to be the worst sight imaginable.

"I can do this. It isn't that bad, I had him before, and I can get him back. He doesn't really love Meg. I mean… Dammit Cas..." The abrupt flutter of wings threw Dean off his trail of thought as he slowly turned to face his former lover. He couldn't breathe.

Castiel hadn't changed. No matter what Death had really done, his angel really was still his angel. Nothing could have changed so much that he couldn't win him back. He'd done it before. Hell, when he had met Castiel, he didn't even understand the concept of gender, let alone the relations between them.

"What's the matter, Dean? You thought my name, is there something you wish to say?" Cas tilted his head in the trademark fashion that had always made Dean weak in the knees. He looked so peaceful and innocent and relaxed, something Dean hadn't seen a while since the coming of the apocalypse. He had always tried to relax Castiel but to no avail. But now, it was as if nothing had ever happened. He just looked so… Happy.

Dean sighed, knowing it wouldn't be right to try and steal Cas away from his new happy life, but he just didn't like the thought of carrying on without his angel by his side.

"Er, nothing Cas, don't worry." A look of confusion spread across the angel's face as he looked up to meet Dean's eyes.

"Cas. That is a shortening of my name. Like a nickname." A smile spread across his face as if memories were slowly breaking through, but Death would not have been so kind as to leave any trace of their romance in Castiel's head. Dean chuckled softly, remembering the same conversation almost two years ago.

"Yeah, it is. It's just, easier to say in a hurry, yunno? Less formal." They were interrupted from their discussion by the sound of the door opening.

"Castiel, I told you I HATE it when you do that damn po…" Meg stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes flicking to black almost instantly as the sight of the Winchester, crouching slightly like a cheetah getting ready to pounce. Dean jumped back almost like a dance, moving in perfect symmetry as he pulled the Angel Blade from his jacket, stalking around Meg on their front porch. Castiel stood between them before either of them got the chance to strike.

"Why are you at each other's throats? Neither of you have done a thing to cause alarm or worry." He clicked his fingers and the Angel Blade was missing from Dean's grasp, now firmly in the hand of the Angel.

"Interesting. Where did you get this?" Dean stuttered. He honestly couldn't remember how he had obtained that specific blade. Was it Ruby..? Meg? He couldn't remember, so he went with the first thing that popped into his head.

"Sam found it. He gave it to me, as I'm better with hand to hand combat." He shot a glance at Meg and winked, a half smirk creeping across his face as she hissed in his direction. She rolled her eyes as she turned, strolling back inside, no longer wary of the unarmed hunter. I could still take you, bitch, Dean mumbled under his breath, pleased when she suddenly turned to stare at him, his threat clearly taking her by surprise. She turned on her heels and stormed up to be right in the hunters face, hissing her words;

"You better watch it, Winchester. I may not have a reason to kill you, but that doesn't mean I won't. Don't turn your back. Always pay attention."

"Shut up, Meg." Dean smirked as the Demon spat her words into his face and stropped away again. He took his Angel Blade back from Cas' grasp now the demon was surely out of reach. But if I threw it hard enough... Dean stopped the thought before Castiel could steal the blade again.

"You really shouldn't provoke her, Dean." Castiel was still stood by Dean's side, staring at the door. He started to walk back toward his house when Dean grabbed his arm, holding him in place. That's when he noticed.

Castiel was still wearing the engagement ring.

Dean didn't know when Death had reset things to. He didn't know if the apocalypse was still on the cards or if everything was set to peaceful. But Cas still had his ring.

"Cas, where did you get this?" Dean held up Cas' arm, indicating the ornate silver band circling his ring finger. Castiel looked down at it, smiling softly to himself.

"I don't know. I've always had it. I don't remember when it first appeared, but I haven't been able to bring myself to take it off. It's like… It's a part of me." He smiled widely to himself, looking as if he was suddenly lost in thought… Or a memory.

He turned on his heels without even a proper goodbye, just waving his hand slightly in Cas' direction as he rushed back to the Impala, almost throwing himself into the seat before starting the dusty drive back to the motel.

Dean knew Death had given him a chance. He was going to win back his angel if it was the death of him.