Castiel.
"Missouri, I need to speak with you," I said when we were alone in the kitchen.
"What's wrong, Honey?" she asked, turning to look at me.
"Dean and I had intercourse for the first time last night."
"I know. You think I'm deaf?"
"I apologize for disturbing you."
"Never mind that. I'm not stupid either. I figured you would get up to something in that room. So what went wrong?"
"Nothing was wrong, but I don't know how to deal with a human."
"Dean doesn't know anything about dragons, but he's still clearly willing to give learning a chance."
"That is not it. I don't know how to deal with humans' short lifespans. I will have to watch as he dies."
Missouri looked at the ceiling, seemingly having an internal argument. "Are you serious about keeping him and the relationship? How much do you truly care for him?"
"Yes. I have never felt this way about anyone or anything. I care more for him then my Hoard."
"Does Dean feel the same way?"
"I cannot know another's thoughts, but I believe that he desires to be with me as much as I desire him."
"There a secret that I know. A dragon that knows a way to turn humans part way into dragons. One of the biggest effects of this is a longer life. Still not quite as long as a pure dragon, but close. You will need to have a talk with Dean next time you are alone. This is a very serious commitment and not entirely safe. Both of you need to think about it before you decide whether to do this or not."
"Thank you so much for this, Missouri. I will talk to him."
I helped Missouri set the table for breakfast, and we all ate when Dean came out saying that Sam was sleeping. After we had all eaten and cleaned the dishes, Dean and I went back upstairs to the room we were sharing.
"Dean, I need to talk to you," I said, sitting down on the bed.
"Yeah, what's wrong?" he asked, sitting next to me.
"Nothing is wrong. I was talking to Missouri while you were seeing Sam. I told her about my worries about you being human and having a decreased life expectancy from me. She told me about a dragon that could turn you into a half dragon. She said that this will give you a longer lifespan, but it will also change other things and that it is not guaranteed that everything will go well."
"Well, that's, I don't…"
"You should wait and take some time to think about this. It is a very big decision and I will understand if you decline."
"No, Cas, I'll do it."
"You should take more time to think this through."
"I don't need to. If there's a way for us to be together I want to take it. I want to be with you. I don't need to think about this."
"Thank you. I don't know what I did to deserve someone like you. I care for you more than I care for my Hoard."
Dean looked at me with a startled expression. "Cas, I don't. I'm just not. Look I'm the one that doesn't deserve you. I still don't know what I did that made you want to help me, but I'm glad you're still here." Dean leaned over and kissed me before I could correct his strange line of thinking.
That night at dinner we told Missouri our decision. "You should think about this more. This is a life-changing decision."
"I know Missouri," Dean said, "but I want to do this, and more time won't change my mind."
"If you're completely certain," Missouri said. "I'll tell you the way to go, and help get you packed so you can leave in the morning."
"In the morning?" Dean exclaimed. "We can't leave now. What about Sam?"
"It's better if you leave before he finishes healing," Missouri said calmly. "There is nothing you could do to help him heal faster if you stayed, and if you waited until he was finished healing then you would be leaving him alone in your cave. It's better if you go now so I can take care of him."
"Couldn't you just keep him until we get back if we do wait to go?"
"I can't predict when someone is going to get injured. I'm not psychic. No offense to you, but I need all of you gone as soon as possible so I have room to treat someone else when they get injured. Now if you're done eating, clean up those plates, boy. I cooked the meal for you and I'm not here to be a maid." With that, the conversation was efficiently ended.
We set off in the morning for the cave that was owned by a fern dragon named Gadreel. It took us four days to get there and when we did we were greeted by a small female dragon with lavender wings.
"Hello, how may I help you two today?"
"We are here to see Gadreel," I said.
"Oh," she exclaimed. "Of course. I will be right back."
Missouri had explained to us that this place was meant to be kept a secret. The premise was a cave for various types of plant dragons to meet together. Very few dragons knew that the place was actually run by Gadreel as a space to perform experiments on other dragons that wanted something enough that they felt it alright to test out a new procedure to get it.
A small, blond dragon with pink-red wings and a bright red tail walked in to greet us. "My name is Samandriel. Come with me and we can discuss why you have come here."
"We are here to speak with Gadreel," I said raising my wings slightly.
The small dragon did not seem to care. "Gadreel does not like to have his time wasted. My job is to make sure you are not here to try and steal anything or bother him with useless questions. If you have a true reason to be here, then I will take you to speak with Gadreel." He turned around and gestured for us to follow with one wing.
Samandriel led us to a small circular cavern and we all sat down on a rock outcropping. "Tell me everything about why you are here," he said.
"We want you to turn Dean into a half-scale," I answered.
"No. I said to tell me every part of why you are here. Many dragons only come to try and steal our products," he countered.
Dean and I explained what we wanted and why and at the end Samandriel gave a small nod and said, "I will go tell Gadreel. If he agrees I will bring you to meet him." Then the dragon left.
It was a long wait until he came back, and I was becoming very worried although I was careful not to let Dean see. He already looked nervous enough despite the fact that he was doing the same thing as me and trying to hide it. When the red dragon did come back he simply said, "Gadreel has agreed to see you. Come with me," before leaving with a flick of his tail. Samandriel led us into a much larger cavern with many tunnels branching off of it. He walked over to stand behind a larger blond dragon with green wings and tail in the middle of the room.
Gadreel didn't waste any time with introductions. As soon as we were standing in front of him he turned to Dean and asked, "You understand that this procedure will change you in many ways other than the longer lifespan you desire? That it will be a painful transition, and that there is no guarantee that you will live through it?"
"Yes," Dean said with a small nod.
I could see that despite his unwavering voice that he was more worried than before so I said, "We were aware that he would be a half-scale, but not what specifically would be changed."
"Turn-scales," Gadreel started, "almost always grow wings and a tail. Any other features seem to appear randomly. Turn-scales can grow claws, sharper teeth, oil glands in any of our six spots, random patches of scales, or slitted pupils. Presuming you would like me to make him an ice turn-scale, he will also be able to handle much lower levels of cold. Anything else you need to know or can we get started?"
"Nothing else," I said. He sounded irritated by the delay that the question caused and I did not want him to retract his agreement.
Gadreel turned and began to walk away, telling us to follow with a flick of his tail. "Your human will be kept in a cavern and not allowed to leave until the process is finished. You may stay with him if you would like, but if you do you will have to stay the entire time. Samandriel will feed you and will monitor the changes. When the wings are ready to come out I will examine your human. At this point, I will be able to tell all the changes that will occur."
I did not like how he continuously referred to Dean as my human and he clearly didn't either, but I silenced him with one wing so he could not offend the fern dragon that could give us a future together.
"This is the cavern," Gadreel said, leading us into a small room with only a bed in it. "I will go get the formula that will change him. If you do not plan on staying go back to where you came in and Hannah will show you a room you can stay in." With those last instruction, Gadreel turned and left.
Dean turned to me and nervously muttered, "Well, uh, I guess I see you then."
"What? I'm not leaving you alone."
"Oh come on. You don't want to be stuck in this room for however long."
"I am not leaving you alone," I repeated more firmly.
Dean looked relieved at that but only said, "Well, whatever you want."
Gadreel came back and handed Dean a tube filled with a blue liquid. "Drink this. Samandriel will come to look in on you tonight. I would recommend getting as much rest as possible before the effects start."