Castiel held his breath as the hunter's face first registered shock, then muted joy, the seconds ticking by sluggishly. Dean was mostly as he remembered him, maybe thinner, maybe with slightly longer hair. The summer sun had left the tips lighter than the darker roots underneath. A few new freckles powdered his nose. The details didn't matter though, he was unmistakably Dean.

"Hey man," he said, his words breathy with exhalation.

Cas nodded, allowing a small smile to play on his mouth. He felt foggy, as if this were happening underwater. His voice cracked on the phonation.

"Hello Dean. We—Can we come in?"

Dean jerked to life, huffing out a "Sure, sure," before standing aside and ushering them in with a wave of his arm. He eyed the angels as they shuffled in, dragging their feet, but they always turned back to look at Cas who took his place to the right of Dean.

For former agents of the divine host, the fallen angels moved at a deadening pace. First, came Rebecca, the angel who had noticed that they were cut off from angel radio once they inhabited corporeal bodies. Not to be outdone, Remiel followed behind, eyes scanning the cavernous entryway. They rest filed in, some clinging to Rebecca for her motherly aura, others to Remiel who were seeking a leader. Ambriel took her place next to Castiel, looking Dean up and down.

"It's good to see you again, Dean Winchester," she said, a rare smile ghosting her face.

Confusion registered on Dean's face, and Castiel belatedly understood. "I believe you and Ambriel met, Dean, she just looks different now."

"Oh we go way back." A smirk played on the corner of Dean's mouth. "Finally found a meat suit that's legal, eh?"

Ambriel's eyes flashed, "This is not a me—" she cut off, turning to Castiel, eyes ablaze with her own special brand of fire, "You didn't tell him, did you?"

Dean's brow furrowed. "Tell me what?" Castiel didn't recognize the new lines that appeared on the hunter's forehead.

"Castiel, did you bring us here so we could watch you chat with your human? Or was there a greater purpose in mind?" Remiel's voice interrupted, overly nasal to provide resonance.

Castiel ignored his brother, addressing Dean once more, "I didn't keep this from you on purpose, I just wanted to make sure it would work first before getting your hopes up and then we got here so fast and—"

"Cas." Dean interrupted, placing on hand on the former angel's shoulder, "Just tell me."

Castiel exhaled, letting the warmth of Dean's hand spread throughout his body. Words churned in his chest, dying before they could pass his lips.I missed you so much. Can we make up for lost time?

Instead, he stuck to the business end of things. "None of the angels in this room have human vessels, they have their own bodies now." Dean's eyebrows shot up. "After the confrontation with Abaddon, Hadarniel discovered that he was not possessing a human, but had in fact created his own vessel through sheer force of will."

A tick of time passed before Dean spoke. "So… Amber here, she's not possessing anyone?"

"Ambriel has her own body now, and can do what she pleases, guilt free," Ambriel cut in. "And before you ask, my previous vessel has been returned, unharmed, to her parents."

"That's… awesome, Cas," Dean said, finally meeting the angel's eyes, "Really it is. I can't really wrap my mind around it… But what does it have to do with helping Sam?"

"Curing Sam," Castiel said, "This is what God intended for us on earth, so we—they are at their most powerful. They have the power to cure Sam. To purify him."

Dean placed his hands on his waist, nodding as if all the cogs were fitting into place. "The Crown of Twelve Stars shit that Kevin wouldn't shut up about. There's twelve angels here."

"Precisely," Hadarniel cut in, emerging from the back of the group. "And we must act fast. Where is your brother?"

Kevin chose that moment to poke his head around the corner from the basement stairwell. "I'll show you to the royal suite. Just down the hall." The angels inched their way towards the prophet, happy to have concrete instructions. Kevin tossed a quick "Hey Cas, glad you're back!" over his shoulder before heading down the hallway.

… Which left him alone with Dean in the hallway.

"Cas, about—"

"Dean, let's take care of your brother. The rest can wait." The words were out before he could stop them, dreading what was on the other side of this conversation. He didn't want to know. Not yet.

Dean sighed and nodded, his shining eyes fading away, turning toward where his sick brother lay in bed waiting for a miracle. "Yeah. Yeah you're right. Thanks for this. I don't think I need to tell you how much it means."

Castiel shrugged, breaking their eye contact and making to follow the angels. "Don't thank me yet. We can only wait and see."