Hi Guys! Thanks a million for all your alerts and faves!
I know this is a bit slow, but I really hope you like my story :)
Please let me know what you think, so I know what to do next. Thanks!
And now I leave you to it.
Enjoy, E.
It wasn't slow, he wasn't drifting slowly back to reality. It was sharp, abrupt, very painful and definitely new. Castiel opened his eyes and tried to assess what was happening. Every inch of his body ached and his vision was slightly blurred. He tried to take a deep breath to steady himself, but it didn't work – apparently taking deep breaths hurt. Finally he focused on the slight pressure he felt on his leg and saw Dean's head resting there. Dean was probably sitting in the armchair but at some point he had drifted to sleep and rested his head on Castiel's leg. He noticed Dean was wearing the same clothes he did when he left to find Raphael.
Raphael… And then Castiel remembered everything. It hurt because Raphael had beaten him severely. But it also hurt because Raphael was dead. He was Castiel's brother after all and it pained that he had died. But he was also shamefully relieved - Raphael would not threaten them again.
Castiel looked around him. He seemed to be lying on a bed in a hospital. There were many tubes poking from his left arm and his right arm was entrapped in some kind of the cast. His head was wrapped in bandages and there was something that felt like a cast around his torso. The knee of one of his legs was immobilized by something hard and uncomfortable. All in all – he was appallingly powerless. He frowned and tried to move his right arm. His fingers were free to move and so Castiel tried to pull the tubes from his left arm. Suddenly, the machinery above his head started to beep and Dean stirred in his sleep. Before he did more than that, the nurse burst into the room and shoved Dean out of her way.
"What?" – Dean was quickly on his feet and staring at the rushing nurse.
"You need to get out!" – She turned away from him and spoke quickly to the phone receiver. – "Doctor, your 3103 patient is up."
Dean's eyes darted to Castiel's and he sighed with relief seeing the angel look back at him.
"I'm alright, Dean." – He whispered and his voice croaked from obvious lack of use.
Then against his better judgment, against any judgment whatsoever Dean growled under his breath.
"You almost died!" – He yelled, his relief was flushed out and replaced with so much anger even he was surprised. – "I told you to stay away and you go and almost get yourself killed! You almost got yourself killed!"
"Boy, out!" – The nurse pushed him toward the door angrily. – "This is not the time! He needs rest and treatment, not the shouts from an angry boyfriend! No! Out, out, out!"
Although shaking with rage Dean allowed the nurse to push him out the door. He couldn't come down and if he stayed he knew he'd keep shouting and yelling at Cas. The poor bastard was so close to death the freakin' doctor had told Dean to get a priest! A priest, for crying out loud! Whoever had said life's humorless was a fucking moron! It's been two days since he brought bleeding, unconscious Castiel to the ER. Two freakin' days of hoping against hope that the stupid angel would make it. Dean couldn't bring himself to go home, to eat or drink. Sam was infuriatingly fussing about him , trying to get him eat something, but all Dean could think of was that if he left for even a moment Castiel might die. And so he stayed with him all the time.
And now the idiot is up and he's "alright"! Alright! The fury coursed through him once again. He would not let that damned fool out of his sight again! He will lock him up if that's what it takes, but he will definitely not let him get hurt again!
Castiel stayed completely focused all through the examination of the doctor. It hurt and it was hard to concentrate but he did as much as he could to show the doctor he was alright. Perhaps then the doctor would tell Dean this and he wouldn't be as angry.
Castiel couldn't understand why Dean was so angry. He did his job, after all. He was a soldier, he fought. Raphael was a better soldier and he won. So why did Dean yell? He saved Castiel and he killed Raphael – why was he unhappy? It was so confusing…
Once the examination was over, the doctor sat in the armchair that Dean was sleeping in.
"You seemed to be recovering quite well, Mr…." – Doctor said expectantly.
"I am called Castiel." – He replied.
"Yes, Castiel. Well, you did give us a scare. For the moment there we were not sure you were going to make it. Your lung was punctured by one of the broken ribs and you were bleeding quite severely. You're lucky your boyfriend brought you here so quickly after your injuries occurred."
"I don't have a boyfriend." – Castiel answered confusedly.
"Oh… I'm so sorry. It's my mistake. He didn't leave your side for a moment so I thought… Well you have a good friend then. Anyway, I'm pleased to see the progress you're making. All your injuries have been patched up and they are healing quite well. There was some blood pressure rising in your brain, but with the medication we managed to lower it, so no head surgery was needed. You've been unconscious for two days and most of that time you spent in surgeries during which we put the cast on your arm, patched up your lung and immobilized your ribs, straighten your knee and put a cast on it as well. The healing won't be easy, but there should not be any permanent damage. And I expect you will be able to walk in two to three weeks."
"I want to leave." – Castiel said silently.
"This is out of the question, Castiel. You need constant care. We're not sure as of yet that your head wound won't get any worse and honestly – you are going to be in significant pain for some time."
"Can I speak to Dean?" – Castiel asked dismissively. This doctor knew nothing of the raging war. He needed to get out, now.
"I think your friend there is in no state to speak to you. The nurse told me he was shouting at you from the moment you woke up."
"Dean is confusing person," – he agreed and then continued, - "I wish to speak to him."
"Alright, I will let him in as I go. Castiel, there's one more thing I need to talk to you. I will have to call the police shortly as you have been severely injured. What has happened to you?"
"Doctor, I wish to speak to Dean." – Castiel repeated ignoring his question.
"Fine, but just tell me this – did he have anything to do with what happened to you? I saw him worrying for you, but I have been in this hospital for too long not to know that sometimes the worrying is more driven by guilt than actual caring."
"From what you've told me, Dean saved my life doctor. He is angry with me for getting in this situation, but he is definitely not the cause of it."
"Alright, I'll let him in then. Remember, you need to rest, so don't let him stay long. Make him go home – he's been here for two days. He needs some sleep and frankly he needs to take a shower – the nurses have started complaining already." – The doctor smiled and left.
Castiel took a deep breath and winced, but at that moment Dean burst into the room.
"Cas…" – he sighed and slouching on the edge of his bed. – "God damn it, Cas!"
"I apologize Dean. I didn't intend to make you mad with me."
"Man, I'm sorry, I overreacted." – He growled silently. There was no anger left in him anymore. He was just exhausted and relieved. – "It's been long couple of days…"
"You look tired. You should get some sleep." – Castiel gave him a worried look.
"I look tired, really?" – Dean asked sarcastically. – "You almost died on me, but I look tired…"
"You are angry with me." – Castiel stated, but the question in his tone was apparent.
"I'm fucking pissed at you!"
"I don't understand."
"Cas, what the hell were you thinking? You're human now! How could you have hoped to kick Raphael's ass being a human?"
"You are human." – Castiel stated frowning.
"This is different. I'm a damned hunter!"
"And I am an Angel of the Lord! I might not have all of my grace, but I'm still an angel!" – Castiel's gaze sharpened and there was some steely coldness in it that Dean had never seen before. – "Don't forget I am a soldier and I have been such for a very long time. It is not your place to guard me – it is my job to guard you. I am not a child, Dean Winchester."
"You're unbelievable!" – Dean rolled his eyes. He didn't have it in him anymore – he simply didn't want to fight the stupid angel.
"I think we've established your belief in angels two years ago."
Dean stared at him perplexed.
"Was that… No! Was that a joke?"
"Yes. And I think it was a good one." – Castiel nodded seriously.
Dean burst out laughing and when he started he simply couldn't stop. He laughed hard and long, all the tension finally leaving him.
"Good one!" – He gasped trying to breathe. - "Freakin' amazing for you!"
In his laughter Dean accidentally touched Cas' leg and saw him wince slightly. The laughter died down immediately.
"How are you Cas?" – He asked seriously. – "Do you want me to get you some drugs?"
"I am alright. I think they're drugging me already, I don't need more."
"You're in pain…"
"Not so much."
"I hate it!"
"Dean, I have been worse. This is just… Well, new. The pain feels different now, sharper somehow. But trust me, I've had it worse and I survived. Besides, I think I'm healing faster than humans – two days ago my lip and eyebrow felt hurt and now they're fine."
Dean looked at him curiously.
"You know, you're right… Now there's a silver lining!'
"Dean… I want to go back to Bobby's."
"No."
"Dean, please."
"This is not a discussion, Cas. You need to get better."
"And don't you think the doctors will be surprised to see just how quickly I'm getting better?"
"It doesn't matter, we'll think of something."
"Dean, I don't like it here."
"Cas, this is out of question. I'm not smuggling you out of the god damned hospital! You need to rest and you need to get the drugs. I can't take you home."
"Tomorrow then?" – Castiel asked hopefully.
"Let's see how you're doing tomorrow and then speak about it, ok?"
Castiel sighed and nodded.
"You need to go home though." – He said smirking slightly. – "The nurses complain you smell…"
"Do they now? I smell of the man!" – He laughed. – "They're right anyway, I really should take a shower."
"You should sleep too. You look terrible."
"And here I thought you liked me!" – He teased tiredly.
"I do like you." – Castiel tilted his head confusedly. – "I think you're astonishing, but that doesn't mean you don't look tired or that you don't smell…"
"Cas!" – Dean rolled his eyes exasperated. – "Will you ever learn you shouldn't say things like that to a dude?"
"I'm not saying it to other dudes, you know. I thought you were my friend."
"I am, I am, but that doesn't mean…"
At that moment the nurse came in through the door and Dean fell silent.
"It's time for you pain medication, Castiel." – The nurse said gravely and Dean wondered if it was in the job description of the nurse to look pissed all the time. He was still annoyed by the way she shoved him out and then glared at him once she left. – "Doctor's orders! You'll want to sleep soon, so you better say good bye to your friend here."
She injected something to the drip above Castiels head, smiled at him, straightened his blanket and after throwing dissatisfied look at Dean, left the room.
Castiel's vision started drifting slightly out of focus, but he looked at Dean anyway. He felt slightly dizzy. It was somewhat similar to the time Dean gave him whiskey.
"You know, I had a vision about you before my death." – Castiel said slowly.
"You didn't die, Cas. You need to rest. And so do I, I really should go."
"I thought I was going to. And I had this dream. It was strange." – The angel said ignoring Dean's reply.
"Yeah? What was it?"
"You and I were in the drive-in cinema. We watched a movie about Dracula."
"You had a vision about Dracula at the moment you thought you were dying?!" – He asked smiling again. This angel was definitely unbelievable.
"No, I had a vision about you. We were watching Dracula. And then we went to a fair. You had a hotdog and you said it was incredible. It was fine. And we went on a rollercoaster ride."
"Great, now I want a hotdog and I'd really like a rollercoaster ride. Thanks, Cas!"
"You did enjoy it." – Castiel smiled lazily. – "I did too."
Dean shifted uncomfortably. Castiel's gaze came to focus and he was looking at him intently with those shockingly blue eyes.
"It's a strange near death experience anyway." – Dean groaned. – "I would think you'd dream of something more than old movie and a cheap hotdog."
"I don't think it was about a hotdog, Dean. I think it was about you." – His words became slightly slurred. He was evidently falling asleep. – "You said I've grown on you… You didn't care about personal space… You said you wished I felt what people do…"
Dean stared at him, words failing him. What the hell was he saying? But before he could ask, or better yet change the subject all together, he felt Cas' fingertips touch his leg very lightly as he whispered his last words before falling asleep:
"I think I do…"