Chapter Text
Dean shifted in his sleep, uttering a grunt. His hand automatically moved, slapping the spot under his hear where he felt the mosquito bite. Sam Winchester lied a few feet away, hands curled around his body, shivering from time to time.
He’s cold, Castiel realized. He headed to Sam, stripping off the trench coat he wore constantly. After covering Sam he headed back to the rock. Since he’s the only one of the group who can’t fall asleep, the task of keeping them safe at night fell upon him. He’s been sitting here all night. If he wasn’t an angel who already lived the equivalence of a thousand human lives, he would’ve gotten bored within the first hour.
Contemplating humanity never gets old though. Everywhere Castiel laid his eyes he could see the proof of his Father’s love for this world. At night, the forest resurrected. The wind carried away its music, a concerto of wolves’ howls, cicadas’ drones and owls’ hoots. Above them a few stars hang on to the limpid sky, almost afraid to shine, tiny crystal of lights on this dark void.
Castiel closed his eyes for a brief second. During his lifetime he never encountered anything as compelling as the nature on earth. He opened them, the eldest Winchester catching his sight. Well… Humans were also quite compelling, though Castiel couldn’t allow himself to nurture such thoughts about Dean. Not ever.
Somewhere behind the trees surrounding them, a silhouette appeared. Castiel lift his head but it was no longer there. The angel stood up, leaving the brothers behind, he walked to the darkness.
He reached a glade in the woods and stopped in the middle of it, circled by pines so high they seemed to reach the sky. Their thin trunk couldn’t dissimulate an intruder but the angel was not alone. He could feel the presence of a human being.
“I know you’re here. Show yourself or I’ll make you.” Castiel’s eyes glowed, a manifestation of his angelic powers. He remained immobile, senses alert. Time passed. An owl flew away and a frog jumped past him.
“Sammy? Cas?!”
The voice that broke the silence came from where he left the Winchesters sleeping. There! Castiel’s head swerved to the right. Those bushes just moved. The angel blade slid down on his hand. He took one step forward and halted. A hand had grabbed his shoulder. Castiel turned around, ready to strike.
“Do we have company?”
Sam. The angel exhaled.
“You should have wake Dean up. He’s worried.”
“Pretty sure he’s used to it by now. What’s going on here?”
Castiel gestured toward the bushes, his eyes sending the message. Sam took the lead, brandishing the machete he brought with him. They reached their target and exchanged a look. A moment later the metal sliced through the leaves, exposing an unexpected scene.
Sam’s tensed shoulders relaxed.
“Intercourse,” Castiel stated. He caught Sam studying him and misunderstood the humor sparkling in his eyes for confusion. “It’s mating season. It’s when the… the…” He designated the rabbit pounding the female under it.
“I know what sex is Cas, you don’t have to give me the talk.” Sam could barely keep a straight face and seeing the angel so uncomfortable made it harder.
“Hey, you two!” Dean appeared the trench coat a ball compressed between his fists. “So what, none of you guys thought about waking me the hell up?” The anger showing on his face would make anyone else shudder but not Sam. He caused this expression so many times he became immune to it.
“It was a false signal Dean. Let’s go back to sleep.”
He began walking off but his brother wasn’t done yet.
“That’s not the point Sam. This place is not earth, hell it can be even worse than earth! You can’t disappear whenever you feel like it without telling me first. And you…” Dean got closer to Castiel before throwing the coat at him, the satisfaction of the clothe smacking the angel made him feel better. “You better not let him do that again.”
Castiel looked down, ashamed. The only thing he seemed to be brilliant at was disappointing Dean. They wouldn’t be here in the first place if he’d been able to find Kaia when they were still on earth. Without the weapon she created the chances of defeating Michael were close to zero. She managed to escape and went back to “the bad place.” They had no choice but to follow.
“Is that really you Cas?”
A new voice, quite familiar though, came from behind the angel and all the attention drifted on the new comer. They all froze. Three long seconds passed, stretching out like eternity. Where did this man come from? His eyes were wild, tired, tormented… And despite the beard there was no mistaking the person standing in front of them.
“I can’t… I can’t believe it. That’s… fuck!”
The bag on his shoulder hit the ground. He ran to Castiel, shoving him in a hug. Arms clung to the angel, nose breathing him in, hands recovering the sensation of having him so close. No one reacted. Everybody just…starred. Trembling fingers brushed Castiel’s skin, caressing his neck, fidgeting with his hair, lips started pecking his jaw, firm, feverish, and desperate.
“God… I missed you. I missed this.”
When lips reached to meet his, Castiel finally moved, his hands squeezing the shoulders of the man standing in front of him. A simple gesture but a clear message: stop. Confusion spread in the green eyes looking at him. In the tense silence that followed the only thing that made a sound was the gun Dean Winchester loaded behind Castiel.
“Alright pal, show’s over. Step back.” Dean pointed the gun at another version of himself. They clothes were different but the style remained the same, jacket over two layers of flannel and a plain t-shirt. His hand was still on Castiel’s chest when he spotted the gun pointed at him, then the person holding it. He gaped at Dean, his hand falling down.
“Shape shifter, right? How’d you get in here?” Sam approached, machete in hand, silver thankfully. One swing and the bastard’s head go down. “Did you follow us from earth?” That would mean Jack could be injured. He stayed behind in the bunker to keep an eye on the rift. Even without his powers a shape shifter couldn’t have fooled the nephilim. Maybe he got knocked unconscious.
As if echoing Sam’s thought Castiel’s voice struck, “What did you do to Jack?”
“Jack?” Confused green eyes looked back to Castiel and the angel quivered as he witnessed the emotions displaying behind the emeralds. His warrior alter ego takes over crushing this moment of foolishness and the angel blade finds his way against the imposter’s neck.
“Speak.”
When hurt flashed in the imposter’s eyes, Castiel tried to ignore the guilt spreading in his chest. This man wasn’t Dean. He couldn’t be. Dean would never look at him the way this man did, let alone touch him, kiss him…
“Now,” Castiel growled, the blade dipping further against the flesh when the imposter remained silent for too long.
“I’ve been stuck here for months, Cas I…” His voice trailed off as tears appeared in his eyes. “I waited, and I prayed to you, every goddamn night. Jesus! Darling…”
Castiel winced, so much love in a simple word. He let go, blade disappearing. Unsure of what to do the angel turned to the Winchesters. At his left, Sam seemed torn between mistrust and curiosity. Dean kept studying the imposter, not buying his crap. Castiel guessed the hunter’s next move on his face. But before he had a chance to stop him Dean already pulled the trigger.