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As Dean parks Baby in the open field, the rays of the setting sun paint the grass in warm hues. On the horizon the slopes of the hills seamlessly transform into the rigged contours of the higher mountains, their presence solid and ancient.
After another day of driving for hours with no purpose, Dean has found this place. Cas has instantly fallen in love with it. Apart from that, Dean has shown it only to Sam and Eileen. Heaven is vast, seemingly infinite. They can save a special spot only for themselves. It's perfect for their evening plans – endless sea of grass hidden under the dome of the sky.
He climbs on the hood, Cas following, until they are comfortably perched on the front window, arms touching. Dean's absentmindedly caresses Cas's hair. He pops open a beer bottle; Cas prefers his weird lemonade, so sour it twists his face. Baby's hood radiates warmth; it's been a hot day.
Time flies differently in Heaven. It's a cliche, but it's true. It's confusing at times – what for one person lasts for years, for the other can pass in a blink of an eye. Being here is also not a default, bursting happiness as everybody has always painted it to be. More an enveloping peace, as a waveless ocean just seconds after sunset.
Dean still feels, of course - sad, angry, happy. The piercing coldness of freshly fallen snow. The burn of Cas' stubble, as Cas leaves a trail of kisses on Dean's neck. The sting of salt in his eyes when he dives in the ocean. The warm rays of the summer sun.
But it's all different, because, deep down, there is certainty underlying everything else – he is safe here. Nothing threatens the people he loves. He can allow himself a luxury of being with Cas without any worry. Just them, together.
This though, it never gets old.
The stars sparkle, moving gracefully across the dark expanse of the sky, much faster than on Earth. He can never name the constellations, except for the main few – that has always been Sam's domain. This sky isn't similar to the one from back then. Cas has told him that he can see all of the stars in the universe from here.
Dean has never seen the northern lights when he was still on Earth. They probably can't compare with this, though.
The smudges of shimmering lights move above them. The perspective shifts, the shapes transforming, moving towards him and apart at the same moment. If he stretches his hand, they are so close he could almost touch them, but he knows that's not true. The delicate lines of the lights are bright, their colors soft and warm, inviting him into their arms.
'Beautiful,' he says. Castiel hums in response, tugging Dean closer. He kisses Dean's temple. The wind whispers in the tall grass, echoing with thousands of voices.
The sky murmurs of times long past; events that are still yet to come. Cas has once told him that this is a horizon of time. He understands more, now. There are also some things he will never comprehend as a human, even here, no matter how long Cas will take to explain it to him in his calm, raspy voice. He doesn't really need to understand them, he feels them at the core of his being, where his soul shines bright and warm.
Before, the unknown was always tied closely with danger. Another monster waiting around the bend, another evil to defend. Now there is only calm and curiosity.
It takes him a few moments to notice that Cas isn't looking up anymore. His face is turned towards Dean, eyes full of adoration, as if Dean is much more beautiful than the spectacle in the sky. Even after all this time, it still makes him squirm, but the feeling quickly passes.
'Hey, handsome,' Dean smiles, and kisses him. Cas' lips open under the pressure. He tastes like air just after a storm, soft wind in the high mountains and something alien, but sweet. Cas' hands caress his face and gently tug at his hair. Even with his eyes closed, small spots of light spark under his eyelids, just like after looking too long at the sharp summer sun.
They part after a while, stretching comfortably on the hood, the empty bottles thrown somewhere in the grass, forgotten. Dean will collect them when they go back.
For now, he takes the sight of Cas in, his black, mused hair, a gentle slope of his eyelids. Cas has ditched his coat, his shirt is unbuttoned at the top, showing a patch of skin. Dean is a little hot under his collar, but lets the feeling pass – they will have time for that later.
Cas looks up, his gaze longing and far away. Dean knows that look by now.
He has seen it on Earth, many times. Head slightly up, eyes becoming unfocused, otherworldly undercurrents of silver swimming just under the surface. Dean didn't have time to think about it too much, back then. Always assumed it was one of countless other Cas' weird ticks. Only in Heaven has he learned what it truly meant.
Cas longs to fly.
No wonder he has never said anything before.
'Go,' he says.
'You sure? I can stay. I like these moments with you,' Cas says, his hand trailing a path down Dean's arm.
'I will be here when you come back,' Dean says. He can say that now, and be sure about the truth of his words. Cas smiles. Their goodbye kiss is soft and sweet, just a lingering touch of lips.
Cas goes, then, a dark silhouette slowly blending with darkness. His form transforms, slowly, changing shape, until it erupts in a whirlwind of colors and light, like a scattered stained glass. Six pairs of wings shimmer with black feathers. The sea of white and blue flames lick at his form. Few animal heads emerge from the roaring fire, their fur glowing like a finest silk. One of the heads turns to Dean, the iridescent blue of its irises still unmistakably Cas.
Dean gives him a thumbs up, and it would be so absurd on Earth, but here it is simply not.
Here, he can hear Cas, and his ears don't bleed. What was once a piercing, terrifying screech, now is a soothing, distant melody, their tone almost like whale songs.
Cas stretches his wings, and in a burst of light and flames he is far, far above. Dean watches in awe as Cas flies, fascinated by the movements of his wings, graceful and strong.
At first, he liked to drive after Cas, the wind brushing his hair through the open windows, almost as if he was flying himself. He pushed down the gas pedal, the world blurring around him, as he followed the flickering mass of light on the horizon. Now, he mostly stays, waiting, until Cas' disappears. Sometimes he stays long after, almost until dawn.
'Badass, huh.' he hears Sam say, and turns.
'Yeah.' Dean says. Sam must've come when he was still transfixed on Cas. Eileen waits nearby, perched up on their car. It's a Toyota Highlander, same as they had on Earth. Big, safe and boring. If somebody asked Dean, it shouldn't have a place in Heaven, but apparently it deserved it. Maybe for driving Sam and Eileen safely through all these years.
'Kind of glad we didn't see this on Earth.' Sam says, indicating the sky.
Dean laughs. That's true, though. As much as he likes to believe he wouldn't care, falling in love with Cas would probably be much more terrifying than it already was. He has been so sure he had seen it all, and it's a joy to know how wrong he had been.
'How is Dean Junior doing?' he asks.
'Amazing. They are expecting a kid, but he doesn't know it yet,' Sam smirks, but his eyes glow with tears.
They chat for a while, observing the sky and pointing to the shapes that remind them of something from their previous life. Dean insists that the purple mist that flows above them resembles Baby. Eileen snorts and signs that it looks like a rabbit at best.
They part and Dean drives home, the road wide and welcoming. It only takes a moment before the familiar sound of waves leads him home. It's a moderately small, but comfortable wooden house, hidden safely in the arms of the cliffs descending to the beach. He parks Baby in her shed. Miracle waves his tail, welcoming him in the door.
He puts on the light, just enough to envelop the house in a warm glow pointing him way to the bedroom. The living room is big, with the mixture of plushy chairs and a mismatched coffee table, wide windows overlooking the ocean. Few half-empty beer bottles lie scattered on the floor, from when Harvelles visited them earlier.
He goes upstairs and hops into bed, shedding his clothes on the worn boards of the floor. The waves lap gently on the shore, their hum blending with the rustle of leaves. Dean falls asleep.
Just before sunset, Cas will come home, human form and easy to touch. He will slip under the covers, carefully. If it wakes Dean up, Cas will murmur something sweet in his ear, leaving a trail of open-mouthed kisses on the side of his neck, until Dean stirs awake. He will melt under Cas' touch, reaching clumsily for him, until they are both left breathless.
Dean will be safe, and Cas will be with him. Both ready to face countless small eternities waiting for them.