Author's Note:

A take on chapter 3 from Cas' POV

(so filler I guess, but I thought it'd be fun to add)

Castiel had paced the inside of his home so many times but nothing different seemed to happen. He tried screaming, shrieking as loud as he could but no answers came. He stood in the center of his dome and realized what he'd done to himself and anything else in the same hell. He killed MacLeod, destroyed the man's mind in a dream and for the first time felt control over his surroundings.

But then no one came by his dome, no one hit the button on the pole outside to bring up his food. Cas couldn't open it himself, he'd tried but it was no use as it hadn't been the first time he found himself inside that horrid place. He stood at the door for another day and waited, no one was there to dim the lights in his dome either, it was constantly bright so he didn't know how much time had passed. Other cells were dim, though they were always that way unless Master had come by to check. Cas' default was lit so that's how it stayed until it was time for bed.

The day he'd gotten rid of his master had been a tiring day; he'd been somewhat uncooperative during the days leading up and invaded Master's dreams frequently. A minor nightmare was the best he could accomplish at first but it grew more and more until he was able to cause real harm. Master had left his dome the way it was, too exhausted to turn the lights down or feed Cas. Maybe it was exhaustion but Cas suspected it was probably hatred that made those decisions.

In turn Castiel realized over the last few days that not only was hungrier but he was also more aware. He could retain information for longer periods of time and actually think them over. He could feel instinctual behaviour but had the ability to consider it, even if only vaguely. Cas didn't understand what was going on, he didn't know why he was more cognitive than he'd been before and he didn't know why he was thinking so much lately. It felt good at the same time as scary, he wanted to discover more things but he feared what they might do to him. He could worry now, worry about where his food was or what might happen if he never got it. He worried about other Castiels and if they might find a way into his home. It'd happened before, maybe that was a test but it was awful.

Regardless of all that he was now sitting in a brightly lit cage, no signs of life outside and no way of getting out. Castiel whined softly in defeat, he was so hungry and he had no energy to try and open the door anymore. He sighed and moved to his burrow, he didn't even bother to crawl in all the way this time. He laid there, legs sticking out and wings folded over his head to block the light, at least he could sleep somewhat peacefully now. No interruptions, no more tests, no fighting or hurting. Castiel smiled to himself; at least he could die quietly in the light, unafraid and comfortable.

As he was drifting off to sleep he heard and felt the rush of air, instantly he pulled his legs into his hide-away grunting softly in surprise. There was a new scent and the sound of a new voice.

Castiel's heart rate increased rapidly as he tried to make sense of his situation, who it might be and why they were here now. He couldn't control his breathing as he panicked, trying to keep himself calm was hard but he knew that whoever this was couldn't be his old master. His master sounded different, sounded older and tired, he smelled awful and the sounds of his movement were creakier. This stranger was new; he didn't have even the slightest bit of Master's old scent on him.

Cas kept his eyes on the stranger and watched him move closer, it was frightening and threatening and Cas didn't hesitate to let him know. A low growl left his throat and he saw the light glow of his eyes starting to brighten his den. The person stopped and stared at the burrow, at Castiel but didn't seem to see him. Cas' focus left controlling himself, his train of thought fell back onto the tracks of instincts and he made sounds of concern and fear, like he might have been threatened by this person's presence.

Then the stranger spoke again, "It's okay, I'm here t…" the words all fell into a garbled mess but Cas understood a few. He froze up and stared when he realized he understood part of this man's speech. The idea that he could possibly know what was said moved his limbs for him and he started to crawl out of the burrow. He paused in the entrance and stared a little longer.

Seeing the stranger closer was unreal; he'd never seen a face like that and had no idea if it was dangerous or not. But the words 'it's okay, I'm here' were the first kind things he could remember in so long, he had to take the risk that this guy was safe. The man spoke again but Castiel couldn't understand him that time. Regardless it had the same gentle tone as the previous sentence so he slowly crawled forward, his wings grazing the sides of his den as he left it and its safety behind him.

The stranger was so pretty. Castiel didn't know his intentions though, so instead of being slow and careful he pushed forward on the offensive. The element of surprise was still his and he dragged the newcomer's legs out from under him, causing the man to fall to the ground. Cas clambered over top of him, pinning him down and staring more intently. He wanted this person to be kind, he wanted this pretty face to be filled with good intent, but he couldn't trust it just yet.

Instincts said attack, told Cas to tear out this stranger's throat and escape through the door but he forced the urge down. He could worry now, he could worry about what might happen if he left, that there might be more people waiting. He could concern himself with the idea of getting lost or not knowing how to care for himself properly in his freedom. If he could trust this man then maybe he'd have a chance.

But he didn't know how to tell, so he perched there anxiously, keeping his feelings and uncertainties to himself. The man spoke and Cas couldn't understand so he just retorted with a gentle sound, something to indicate he wouldn't strike first if he didn't have to. Part of Castiel hoped the stranger got what he meant, but even he wasn't sure he knew how to convey it properly.

"… Dean," the man said and Castiel wasn't sure he got it right or knew what it meant. What Dean? What was that? Was it a name? He was confused as the man kept talking, trying to figure out what he was saying and then;

"Castiel?"

His ears burned and his mind sparked, that was his name. He was Castiel. So this man must be Dean? Dean knew his name somehow, Dean was there for him.

"Castiel, huh?" Dean repeated and Cas let a soft grunt be his reply. Dean looked much more relaxed and his tone was so friendly. Cas wanted to believe he was nice, after all he did know Cas' name. He said 'it's okay.'

As he tried to find his answer to the 'is Dean nice' question, Dean's hand reached up for his face. Instincts kicked in immediately and he dodged the touch before smacking the hand back to the ground. Not a sound was made except for a very low growl in his throat. Castiel stared down at Dean with a warning in his eyes, waiting for another move to give him an excuse to believe the worst.

But it didn't come. Dean stayed on his back in the dirt and didn't move, he'd even closed his eyes. Castiel's vicious intent died down and he stared curiously, wondering if Dean might be asleep or what he was doing. A little flash of green excited him, Cas' wings fluttered and he watched a little more closely as Dean closed his eyes again.

Cas waited about a second before he reached over and gently touched at Dean's eyelid, wondering what he was doing and why he was doing it. Dean looked so peaceful like that, though, eyes closed and quiet and-

Dean's chest moved as a rush of air left him with a sudden sound. It came out of nowhere for Cas and startled him. He fluttered off with a grunt and he shuffled away to try and shake off the shock. He realized quickly it was just Dean laughing but it had him frazzled, so he walked it off by circling round to his burrow and rushing back with a little more excitement. Dean's laugh was sweet and had no malice that he could tell.

Cas leapt right back onto Dean and continued to touch his face, Dean was friendly, Dean wouldn't hurt him for his curiosity. Cas happily felt the skin of another person, he liked the hairs on Dean's face but there was something else he wanted to investigate more. Those little dots on his skin weren't hair, they were speckled all over and Cas thought they were so pretty. He wanted to see if they were there forever, if they were like the hair and had their own feeling or if maybe they were just colours on Dean's face.

Despite his enthrallment with Dean's face and the placement of little specks, Castiel was dragged back to the reality of his starvation as his stomach groaned in protest of all the spent energy. Cas covered his stomach and whimpered, Dean spoke again but he didn't pay attention enough to know if he even understood the words.

That morning he'd just accepted the idea of death and now here he was, a burst of energy he didn't even know he still had and a strange man named Dean who knew his name. Castiel watched Dean get up and walk toward the door, he didn't know how to feel about it but he followed. Dean had the door open so Cas could do the thing to make food appear, but he wasn't quite sure what it was he really had to do. Maybe Dean would do it; maybe Dean understood that he was hungry.

Cas watched Dean and couldn't understand his words, he was anxious and didn't want to step out of the dome. He'd never left there with good things following, and if he stayed inside then when Dean got the food he'd be right there to receive it.

He saw Dean hit the same spot that his master used to, a certain button that made the floor open up. He rushed to the spot and waited, nothing came up. Maybe he'd just blacked out for a second, that happened sometimes. Maybe his food was live and he had to chase it? Cas looked around for it, his stomach grumbling harder and the idea that food was so close made him feel anxious. He looked hard and while he found nothing he heard Dean say his name again.

He was so close to starving; his stomach hurt and his limbs went through waves of weakness. He wanted to eat, he was hungry. He had given up but Dean brought him a little bit of hope, enough to get him moving like he used to, enough to have him feeling that excitement he'd long forgotten about. But nothing was there. The food button hadn't brought his meal to him.

Castiel looked back at Dean and saw that Dean looked just as sad as he felt. Maybe Dean had pushed the button wrong? Maybe the food got stuck. Cas decided that he'd have to do it himself.

He didn't like the floor beyond his cage; it made him think of horrible things. He knew that floor; it led to his testing room. But it was the only way to bring food back up so he gathered the courage to step out. Ignoring Dean he hit the buttons and turned back to go to where the food would come up, but instead of rushing to the spot he hit the door. Castiel cried out immediately, it was locked. He was stuck outside of his dome.

He had to see if there was food inside, he had to get back into the safety of his home and out of the testing areas. Cas kept voicing his distress, hoping Dean would understand as he scrambled up the side of his home. He sat on top of it, above the ground and his burrow and pressed his face against the glass. Trying to see if any food had been brought up he heard Dean's voice again.

"Cas, it's okay."

Castiel peered down anxiously, tears in his eyes and grief gripping his senses he watched Dean wave something at him. He didn't understand at first but he smelled it; food. Some kind of edible thing, he didn't know what it was but he knew it had to be food. Cas flew down and had little energy to make it a graceful landing, he sniffed the thing Dean was offering him and knew that it was definitely food.

The next question was if he trusted it or not. Cas had decided that Dean was friendly though Dean did let the doors close and lock him out of his home. He looked at Dean's face and then the bar, it was edible and it came wrapped up. Dean was offering it to him in exchange for nothing, which meant it was either bad for him or a gesture of kindness.

Dean's face was so gentle and his smile looked nothing like the smiles Cas could remember. He looked honest and when Castiel had been sad about nothing coming up from his food hole Dean was sad too. Dean was kind so his gift must've been from a kind place.

Cas took the food and decided with his new cognitive thoughts that he'd try to remember that moment. Dean got him out of the dome and fed him; Dean smiled so sweetly and talked to him softly. Cas liked Dean, even when Dean was stupid and didn't understand he liked him.