Author's Note:

Sorry the last chapter took so long to update! And thank you to my reviewers, these stories are for you ;)

Training Realm

Dean would describe his position as 'floating on his back', like he were at the beach or something. His mind rushed over things briefly but soon quieted itself; he kept going back to the thought of Castiel going through this same thing. What was it like for him? Had it been so peaceful or had his magic tried to tear him apart? Dean thought he was fairing pretty well, but then again everything about him seemed to be much more physical than Castiel. Cas was always spouting off spells and crazy magic, just kind of instinctively knowing things and how to do them. Maybe that's how this would turn out; maybe that's where his training would get him.

Considering nothing felt different yet he highly doubted it, but lately he'd learned not to completely dismiss anything.

As he started to drift again, his body and mind feeling like they were melting together and becoming one afterthought, he could hear something. Dean pulled himself from the state of peace and listened harder, everything in him telling him it was important to hear it. After a few seconds he recognized the sounds somewhat; someone was crying.

Dean lifted himself up and started walking, everything felt so weightless but he walked anyway. The scenery wasn't really there but at the same time he could see it, little things from his memories, from his life, and then some he remembered seeing in Cas' nightmare, from Castiel's past. The further he went the more it looked like things that Castiel might have been involved with and Dean was certain now who the crying belonged to.

"Cas?" He called out and immediately the crying quieted, like the other person was listening.

"Dean?" The voice was so meek and pained that it brought tears to Dean's eyes just to hear it.

"Cas, I'm right here." He called again, seeing a figure curled in on itself ahead of him. It had to be Castiel, it was his Castiel but from another timeline. He could feel it, between them, their partnership and everything else in between. Something about time in this space didn't really exist; he could feel it with every little part of his being that this space was something else. It wasn't meant to keep them separate from everyone else; it was to bring them together. He wondered if Castiel had known all that time they'd known one another, but his suspicions were put to rest when he finally settled next to Castiel's side.

"Dean? Is that really you?" Cas sobbed though Dean could tell he hadn't wanted to, Cas was a very strong-willed person and crying like this wasn't something he'd do in front of others willingly. "Baby I'm so sorry, I-"

"Shhh," Dean smiled and pulled Castiel into his arms, holding him still and secure, waiting for the crying and blubbering fit to pass. 'He doesn't know who I am, he thinks I'm the other Dean…' He thought briefly but decided it really wasn't worth it to try and explain. He knew Castiel could feel it, their connection, but at that moment in time Castiel believed it was because of the marriage he'd been in. It was alright though, Dean knew things would change. "It's okay, Cas. You didn't do anything wrong."

"But I killed you…" Cas sighed against his chest, sniveling and trying to regain his composure, "I-I murdered you. What's happening? Did I go crazy?"

"You're not crazy, this is just magic training." Dean said calmly and ran a hand through Cas' hair, something he'd wanted to do for a while. It felt so intimate, just that brief little touch. He could remember the moment they'd shared in that shower, how close they had been then. It was something he hadn't imagined himself being able to do, being intimate enough with someone to be able to touch them like this whenever he wanted. It was a strange feeling and yet it all seemed so right.

"Magic training?"

"Yeah," Dean chuckled at how confused and clueless Cas sounded. It didn't sound like him at all, the Cas he knew was so obnoxious with how he knew everything, always answering questions like they were the biggest annoyance to his entire existence.

"I don't understand… what do I do? What's happening, Dean?" The tears came again, Cas' body seized a little as he tried to fight it off but it shook him despite his best efforts. "I'm so scared," he whimpered, fingers digging into Dean's shirt and pulling it as his hand clenched around the fabric. "I'm so scared this isn't real, that I'll wake up and you won't be there. Dean, please don't leave. Please be there. Don't leave me, I'm so sorry! Don't, please don't… Don't be dead, Dean. Please. Please don't be dead. I need you. I love you."

"Cas," Dean wanted to quiet Castiel's incoherent babbling but no matter how tightly he held on Castiel still seemed to shake violently. The harder Cas clung to him the more it started to hurt, Dean could feel the front of his shirt getting wet and wished with all his might that he had the power to stop Castiel from going through this. "It's okay, Cas, baby it's okay."

Cas inhaled so sharply and sporadically that it wracked his body harder, "It hurts," he whined softly, lifting his head from Dean's chest only to wrap his arms around him and bury his face against Dean's neck. "I can't take it… baby I want to be with you. I can't do this alone."

"You won't be alone," Dean adjusted the way he was holding Cas and cradled him a little better, trying his best to soothe the stiffened muscles and relax Castiel. "I know you will be okay one day. It hurts now, I know that and I can't stop that, but someday you will be with me again. I promise you, if you keep going you will see me again."

Castiel quieted down and seemed to loosen up, his grip much less painful and slowly drifting to something normal. "I will?" His voice was hushed and a little raspy from the crying.

"Yes, but you'll have to continue on your own for a little while. I know you can do it," Dean smiled and nudged Castiel's cheek when the other man leaned back to look at him, "You're the toughest guy I've ever met."

Cas tried to smile but it looked like it got a little stuck. "So… how do I do this magic thing?"

Dean laughed and held onto Cas as he lay back again, "You lean back like this, close your eyes and relax until you feel like you're floating." He felt weird explaining things to Castiel and he had to wonder about the Castiel he knew, was he going to know which Dean had helped him? Dean had an inkling that the answer was 'probably not', which only furthered his questioning to 'how would Castiel take this information?' Regardless, he had work to do in helping Cas figure out his magic.

"I… I kind of feel like I'm floating…" Cas muttered quietly, still happily pressed against Dean and really Dean wasn't about to push him away.

"Good, so then do you feel it?"

Cas was quiet for a long time and Dean thought the answer might be no but when he looked down, Cas was glowing. His skin had a luminescence about it, a pale light glistening very softly and making him look more angelic than ever. "I do… I think I do." The light flickered and brightened every few moments, Dean was starting to worry but Castiel only smiled as it shone. "It feels so warm, but it's not a temperature at all. I don't know how to explain it, Dean."

"Just embrace it and learn it, baby." Dean relaxed and leaned back as well, a little surprised at himself for calling Castiel 'baby' so easily. Part of him was worried Cas might snap to his senses and suddenly know who Dean was, that he'd be pissed for all of this and basically end all of Dean's chances at getting closer. Of course he knew that was actually fairly ridiculous, Cas was waiting for him back with Sam, Jet, and the celestials. Cas wasn't about to start kicking his ass any time soon.

Despite his mind's ability to distract itself Dean found that he was feeling that warmth Castiel had mentioned. He was right, it wasn't like a temperature but more of that kind of warmth you feel when you're with people you care about, or when you know that someone loves you. It tingled at times but that didn't bother him too much, not when he knew that Cas was right there experiencing it with him.

The process didn't take that long, or at least it didn't feel like it. Dean opened his eyes to see blue staring back at him; Castiel was perched over him with a smile that was enough to make Dean feel like he was falling in love all over again. "Hey," He grinned in return but before he could say more Cas' lips were on his. It was so soft and sweet, a perfect pressure against his mouth that didn't demand anything or require more from him. He felt like he could slip into that kiss forever and it wouldn't matter to him, but he knew better than that.

"Thanks, Dean." Cas whispered as he pulled away, "I feel better now, though I'm still not sure what's going on."

"It's okay not to know sometimes." Dean chuckled, "I guess that's it… I'll see you around." He could feel himself slipping, being pulled back to where he was supposed to be. He didn't really want to go, especially not when he could see Castiel's face twist like it did at his words. All the pain there, the redness of his eyes and the way he tried so desperately not to cry again just made Dean want to stay but he couldn't. He was going back to Cas now, the later he had just promised this Cas was right now.

"I love you…" Cas' whimper echoed in Dean's ears as everything rushed away. He inhaled deeply and swallowed thickly past a lump in his throat, trying just as hard not to cry for Castiel.

In Between

Sam looked up when he heard it, a shaky breath that didn't belong to the three already present in the room. "Dean!" He bolted to his brother's side who was just starting to sit up. "Dean, are you okay? How did it go?"

"Hey Sammy," Dean rubbed his eyes quickly and smiled at the bright eyes of his curiosity driven brother. "I'm fine and it went pretty well."

"What happened in there, man? Cas said his experience was a little rocky, yours go smoothly at least?" Jet knelt down at Dean's other side, a quick glance over him to make sure he was okay.

"Rocky how?" Dean looked up at Castiel who had also approached though the other priest had given Sam and Jet the closer spaces next to Dean.

"Nothing, just a little loss of sanity." Castiel's mouth quirked in a sort of smile like he was hiding it. Dean smirked back at him and shook his head.

"I don't think that's what it was, Cas." The way he'd said it hinted that he knew, and even been so subtle as to hint toward it Castiel still caught on. Dean could see it in his face.

"Was…" Cas' lower lip trembled, he was emotionally shaken up- Dean could hear it all in his voice. "Was that you?"

"Just now, yeah." Dean stood up and steadied himself enough to look Cas in the eye, "You remember it all, don't you? Even though it was a long time ago for you?"

Cas bit back a sob, taking a shuddering breath as he turned away to cover his mouth. His movements indicated he really didn't know what he was doing, one step forward and a few to the side. He turned a couple times to try and choose a direction but he had none.

"Cas," Dean went to his side and took his hand, holding firmly despite Castiel's flinching attempt to pull away. "Cas, would you please look at me?"

"You're… you're not lying." Cas stammered out, lifting his gaze to Dean's, "I never remembered it… but you were wearing the uniform back then, before I'd ever even seen it. It really was you. You were there then- just now… I don't-"

"Calm down," Dean wrapped his arms around Castiel, calming him again, just like he had done before. "It's okay, Cas. I don't think there's any kind of time in that space. But that doesn't matter, what matters is that I'm here. Just like I promised you, I'm here."

Castiel stared blankly as the words settled, his hands hesitating as his mind did the same before he threw his arms around Dean and crushed his face against his partner's shoulder. He dug his fingers in again, his heart thundering in his ears as his brain caught up with it. He could feel it again, the strength of the connection he'd felt during his training. Cas had always thought it was the love he'd felt for his husband that gave him that feeling, the one that made him feel like he'd be okay. It was what gave him hope and strength to push forward, because he knew how important and strong that connection was. But now he understood he was wrong. It was the connection to his partner that he'd felt that day, not the love for his husband.

"I still had nightmares about him," Cas whispered.

Dean nodded silently, his hand daring to cradle the back of Castiel's head as they stood together.

"Him trying to strangle me… I would wake up in my nightmare and though I couldn't see him I could hear him ask me to look. He would ask me to look at him, over and over until I did. His face… I would open my eyes to see the same dead… He was always just lying there." Cas stammered before lifting his head again to look at Dean, "But those nightmares haven't come back since you, since I met you."

Dean smiled and nodded, "I'm glad."

"I don't know if it means anything…"

"Does it matter?" Dean gently pushed Cas' head back against his shoulder and rested cheek on the soft dark hairs, "It's okay now."

Cas closed his eyes and relaxed against him, "Thank you." He sighed.

"What just happened?" Jet looked over at Sam who couldn't help the 'little brother' smirk on his face.

"Dean and Cas finally figured out they were made for each other, I think."

Jet scoffed lightly and looked at the two high priests with a raised eyebrow, "Somehow I doubt it's that easy, Dean's too much of a mutton-head for it to ever go that smoothly."

Sam laughed and nodded, "Yeah, probably."