Castiel keeps watch over Dean and Sam from Heaven, making sure they're safe. The sigils on their ribs work, and John eventually stops trying to beat them. That doesn't mean he stops the verbal abuse though. Cas listens as he calls his sons all sorts of derogatory terms, hating the man even more each time it happened.

He flew down to Earth on a night, when the Winchesters were fast asleep, and sat watching over Dean, making sure nothing happened to him. He was always gone before anyone woke up though; he didn't want to be caught and have to awkwardly explain what he was doing.

Castiel watched Dean on his sixteenth birthday. He should have been happy, out with friends. But he was busy on a hunt, and had to take care of Sam. Sam gave him a homemade card, blazoned with colours that read "Happy 16th Birthday Dean!". Dean grinned as he read it and pulled Sam into a hug.

'Sorry I couldn't get you a present,' Sam frowned.

'I got the best present I could ever have,' Dean assured him. 'My wonderful baby bro.'

I'm not a baby anymore, Dean,' Sam said in a deadpan tone. 'I'm twelve.'

'You'll always be a baby to me,' grinned the elder brother.

Castiel flew down later in the night, when Dean was asleep. He accidentally stood on a creaky floorboard, and Dean started, awake and alert. He blinked a few times, eyes adjusting to the dark.

'Cas?' he whispered.

Castiel stood like a deer in headlights. 'Hello Dean.'

'What are you doing here?'

The angel looked around, avoiding eye contact. 'I was just making sure you were safe.'

'I'm fine,' Dean assured him defensively. 'Where've you been?'

'Busy in Heaven,' Cas admitted, looking down at his feet. 'I watched over you. Every night. You were asleep, but I was there.'

Dean studied him for a while before tapping the space on the bed beside him. 'Come sit down.'

Castiel obliged, sitting beside the Winchester. Dean turned so they were facing each other, looking at Castiel's face intently.

Cas opened his mouth to say something, but all thought of such words were lost as Dean leaned forward and placed their lips together. They stayed still for a few seconds, both of them too shocked by Dean's actions to do anything. Then Dean drew back and turned away.

They stayed in silence for a while, tension building between them. Eventually, Dean cleared his throat and asked, 'How's Gabriel?'

The question alarmed Cas; surely he would have wanted to talk about what had just happened. But he answered it anyway. 'He's gone AWOL. No one's quite sure where he is. He disappeared not long after the Abaddon incident.'

'Oh right.'

Castiel stood up.

'Cas, don't go,' Dean said quickly. 'Stay with me. Please.'

Castiel cautiously sat back down again, looking at Dean intently.

'Lie with me like you did when we were younger.'

Castiel shifted so he was laid out on the bed, and waited until Dean got sufficiently close enough to wrap his wings around the human's frame. He realised his wings were visible, and blushed.

They didn't say anything more, Dean falling asleep in Cas' embrace eventually.

Castiel was gone before Dean woke up.

A/N: Finally my exams are done whoo! I'll be trying to update once a week again.

Thank you for being patient and sticking it through with me.