The drive home was exceedingly awkward. It didn't take long for Sam to start asking questions.

"Well." The uncomfortable silence was broken. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"

"No." Dean's reply was terse. He didn't think at this point he could have managed to be particularly friendly, even if he'd wanted to, and to be honest, he DIDN'T want to.

"…..okay." Sam seemed to understand that he should be treading very lightly. There was a long moment before he spoke again. "So what's up with you and Cas?"

"I don't know!" Dean snapped. Sam raised his hands in surrender.

"Hey, I'm sorry, okay? I just….it's weird, seeing the two of you like that."

"Yeah, well I don't know what's wrong with him. He's been like that since he showed up at the hotel and found Charlie and me naked."

"….oh." There was silence but for a tiny noise that sounded a lot like a muffled laugh. Dean glanced suspiciously at Sam.

"What. What's so funny?"

Sam shook his head. "Nothing. Just a cough."

Dean turned back to the road, grumbling "yeah, bullshit."

Back at the bunker, Dean wasted no time in heading straight for his room. He didn't want to spend any more time talking to Sam. He doubted that Sam would try to initiate conversation again, not after the lack of success in the car, but he didn't want to risk it. Best thing to do was try to relax.

Dean flopped on his bed, sinking into the memory foam. He tried to let the memories wash away, but they just kept replaying as if they were on loop.

Why had Cas looked at him that way? Cas knew Dean went out most nights. Well...not anymore. But he used to. Hell, Dean had even tried to take Cas to a brothel. The angel definitely knew Dean was no blushing virgin...not by a long shot. He knew Dean spent many evenings in the company of many different women. And yet his face...the look in those blue eyes...

Was it because he'd been with Charlie? Dean didn't see how it could be. It seemed strange that Cas would be bothered Dean had sex with a friend rather than a stranger, and it wouldn't be because she was gay. God didn't discriminate against sexuality. Dean had been told that by Cas himself. So what WAS it?

He shook his head, rolling to a sitting position. He could sit here wondering all day and he'd never have an answer. The only solution was to distract himself. Rising, he grabbed the gun off his dresser and headed down the hall towards the range. Maybe shooting something would help get his mind off things.

Having a gun in his hand provided a decent distraction. True, he couldn't completely shake the thoughts from his head, but at least he could push them down, shove them deep down in his gut, to some far off corner of his mind where they were only a nagging little voice trying to tempt him into another drawn out internal debate.

He shoved another clip into the gun and emptied the whole round into the target without a pause, each bullet hitting dead center.

"Wow."

Dean actually startled at Sam's voice. That was a bad sign. It showed that he was in deep. Deep enough that he could be caught by surprise. That was not good. That was not good at all. Turning, he came face to face with his brother, who was arching a brow at Dean's obvious surprise to his presence. Dean didn't wait for him to say anything. "Shut up," he grumbled.

"Okay," Sam replied obligingly, but the expression on his face didn't change.

"I said shut up."

"And I didn't say anything." Sam tossed a pile of papers onto the low wall beside Dean. "Another case came up."

Dean set the gun down on the ledge and picked up the papers, thumbing through them. He had barely gotten to the second page before Sam spoke up again.

"…..I think we should call Cas."

Dean felt his heart jump in his chest, whether in hope or alarm, he couldn't say. He looked at Sam. "Why? I mean….." He didn't know what to say. "…..why?" All he got for his troubles was another arched brow. "I mean, this all seems pretty average." He waved the papers. "Nothing we need Cas for."

"I don't know. I just think he'd be helpful." There was something to Sam's tone of voice, though. Something suspicious. Dean knew that tone. He knew his brother all too well after years of raising him. That was the way Sam's voice sounded when he was trying to come off as completely innocent. That was the 'I've done nothing wrong, why are you looking at me that way' voice.

"Sam…" he began, but Sam interrupted.

"Dean….please. I really think he can help."

Dean wasn't buying it, not for an instant, but Sam gave him those huge puppy eyes that Dean would swear could get him out of anything, and he felt his resolve weakening. "Why don't YOU call him?"

"He never comes when I call, you know that."

Dean sighed. "Fine. Fine." He took a deep breath. This was probably going to suck. "Cas….wherever you are…..if you've got time…I mean…if you're free….." He realized he was pussyfooting around the question and wasn't entirely sure why. Get a hold of yourself. "We could sure use your help down here."

He waited. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. "Well. Guess he's not coming."

For some reason, Sam looked positively crestfallen. "But he always comes."

"Sam, the guy's busy. He can't always come when we call."

"When YOU call," Sam said pointedly. Dean chose to ignore him.

"Yeah well he's clearly not coming today."

"Hello, Dean."

The voice came from so close behind him that he jumped, spinning around and nearly crashing into Cas. The angel was as close as he used to be before he began to adjust to the concept of personal space. He still always stood ridiculously close, but today he was closer than usual…close as he used to be when they first met. They were toe to toe, their noses practically brushing.

Dean was at a loss for anything to say. "….ah…."

"You called me?" Cas asked, voice slightly irritated, as if he didn't like having to point this out to Dean.

Dean could feel his cheeks burn. "Ah. Yeah. Uh. Sammy?"

Sam was watching the two of them, amusement on his face, and he seemed in no hurry to answer. Dean glowered.

"Sam has a case he thought you could help on," he continued, turning his attention to Cas once again. The time, Cas was no longer meeting his eyes. No, his gaze was travelling over Dean's body, examining him as he had at the hotel. Finally, he met Dean's eyes once more, a look of almost satisfaction upon his face. Finally, he turned to Sam.

"Yes, Sam, what is it?" And he stepped away from Dean, the sudden absence of his body heat and the smell that was so uniquely Cas leaving Dean so empty that he felt dizzy with the loss. He didn't even hear Sam describing the case to Cas. He only regained focus again when he heard that deep, gravelly voice call his name. "Dean."

And with that one word, with his name upon Cas' lips, Dean awoke from his thoughts. "Yeah?"

Those gorgeous eyes were on him again, and even though they looked slightly irked to have been kept waiting by Dean's distraction, he couldn't care less. They were beautiful. "We're leaving."

"Mm. Yeah. Okay." He grabbed his gun again. "Let's go."

It really wasn't a complicated case at all. Dean didn't know what Sam's purpose was in bringing Cas along, but it wasn't necessary. Not that he was complaining. It felt nice to have Cas along, even if the angel WAS mad at him.

Dean scrubbed a hand across his forehead, wiping away some blood. Cas of course looked perfect, not a trace of blood on him, while Dean and Sam looked like crap. It was almost unfair. Dean thought he might be jealous if he wasn't so damn distracted by the way Cas' hair looked after the fight. It was mussed, tousled, and Dean found himself wondering if that's how it looked after a night of wild sex. It was a little alarming to realize how badly he wanted to find out.

Dean realized suddenly that this was how Cas' hair had looked the night they had met. Wild and untamed as he had walked into that warehouse, lights bursting around him. He was surprised that he even remembered how Cas had looked. Guess that night was more important than I thought. Guess Cas…. But no, he couldn't let himself finish that sentence.

Speaking of Cas….the angel was discreetly watching him, despite the fact that he'd been determinedly ignoring Dean all day, except for during the fight. Despite Cas' surly attitude, while fighting he had been fiercely protective of Dean, moreso than of Sam. That was nothing unusual, but given his obvious irritation, it had surprised Dean. And now Cas was watching him while trying to pretend he was doing anything but.

Dean cocked a brow at Cas. "You okay there, Cas?"

At the question, Cas gave up all pretense, walking over to Dean. "Are you hurt?" He reached out to Dean, to the blood that marred his face. Dean nodded.

"I'm fine. None of it's mine. Don't think so, anyway."

And despite the answer, Cas touched Dean's forehead. He couldn't feel any wounds healing, but Cas' magic cleaned up all the blood. Dean smiled. "Thanks."

Cas nodded. "You're welcome."

Dean felt his pocket vibrate as his phone buzzed loudly. "Shit. One second." He dug the phone out, looking at the screen.

"Who is it?"

Dean looked at Cas in surprise. There was a tone to his voice that Dean was unused to. Something predatory and possessive. He looked to the screen and back at Cas again. "Just Charlie."

Immediately a cloud rolled over Cas' face, darkening it with an impossible anger that Dean had never seen before. He never knew Cas could be like this. "…Cas?"

"I must go." And with the soft fluttering of wings, Castiel vanished, leaving Dean staring after him, phone in hand, utterly bewildered.

~tbc~