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Death was literally knocking on their door, well the door to the storage room, but all the same.
Dean looked at the door and the sigil that Cas just painted there. “Will it hold?”
Cas nodded. “For now.”
Turning, Dean raked the fingers through his hair. A sense of anguish washed over him. It was all happening again, all because of him. It was always his fault. “It was Chuck all along. We should be out there. Everybody's gonna die, Cas, everybody and I can't stop it.” Dean swallowed. “She's gonna get through that door – “
“ – I know...” Cas looked crestfallen.”
“And she's gonna kill you and then she's gonna kill me.” Dean looked down. “I'm sorry.”
Cas paused suddenly as if a thought had occurred to him. “There's one thing she's afraid of, one thing strong enough to stop her.” He turned towards Dean. “When Jack was dying I made a deal, to save him.”
At those words, Dean looked up at Cas. “You what?”
“When I experienced true happiness, the Empty would be summoned and it would take me forever.”
Dean shook his head slightly, and tried to make sense of it all. “Why are you telling me this now?”
“I always wondered, ever since I took that burden, that curse, I wondered what it could be... what my true happiness could even look like. I never found an answer.” Cas looked at Dean and Dean was shocked to see Cas' eyes wet, like he was about to cry. “Because the one thing I want... it's something I know I can't have. But I think I know... I think I know now. Happiness isn't in the having. It's in just being. It's in just saying it.”
Dean's heart thrummed in his chest. He didn't understand what the fuck Cas was on about, but he knew it was something important, deeply so and that knowledge alone filled his stomach with dread. “What are you talking about, man?”
Cas took a step towards Dean, his voice softer now. “I know. I know how you see yourself, Dean. You see yourself the same way our enemies see you. You're destructive and you're angry and you're broken. You're... You're 'Daddy's Blunt Instrument'. And you think hate and anger, that's... that's what drives you. That's who you are.”
At those words, Dean wanted to object, he wanted to disagree with Cas. Instead, he just stood there, frozen in shock. It couldn't be...
Cas continued as Billie pounded on the door, but not louder than his pulse. “It's not. And everyone who knows you sees it. Everything you have ever done, the good and the bad, you have done for love. You raised your little brother for love. You fought for this whole world for love. That is who you are. You're the most caring man on Earth. You are the most selfless, loving human being I will ever know.”
An actual tear rolled down Cas' check.
Dean swallowed hard. He couldn't believe what he was hearing yet he didn't dare interrupt Cas.
You know, ever since we met and ever since I pulled you out of Hell, knowing you has changed me. Because you cared, I cared. I cared about you. I cared about Sam. I cared about Jack. I cared about the whole world because of you.”
Billie pounded on the door again.
“You changed me, Dean.”
Dread had consumed Dean, and he knew, he knew, he knew what this sounded like, what Cas was saying. His voice sounded dejected, defeated, when he finally spoke. “Why does this sound like a goodbye?”
Cas smiled softly. “Because it is. I love you.”
Dean felt an infinitesimal sliver of joy, he allowed himself that much, before pleading to the angel that had just made his dreams come true but also his worst nightmare. “Don't do this, Cas.”
A harsh sound prompted them both to look back and Dean saw the inky black of the Empty as it manifested. It was a dark portal of despair and it threatened to take Cas away from him. Forever.
At that moment the door swung wide open and Billie entered.
Just as Dean was about to jump Billie, Cas placed his hand on Dean's shoulder. “Goodbye, Dean.” He shoved Dean towards the wall.
Dean looked back up towards Cas in horror as the Empty loomed.
Suddenly there was a knock at the door and everyone turned at the sound.
Sam entered the storage room.
“Sam?” Dean asked. He wasn't supposed to be here but Dean had never been happier to see him.
Cas frowned and shook his head. “No, that's not Sam Winchester. That's... Jared Padalecki. The guy who played Sam Winchester in that world –“
Getting up, Dean cleared his throat. “What's he doing here?”
Billie frowned and turned to look at Jared. “I don't know. The line between worlds is solid. He shouldn't be here.”
The Empty shrunk itself, hovering about them like a celestial slimeball of goo.
“That was really great, you guys,” Jared said as he stalked over to Dean and patted his shoulder.
Dean looked over at Cas and emotions – love he wanted to speak out loud to him – whirled through him but this was not the time. He needed to save Cas, get rid of Death and the Empty and get this Jared guy back to his world.
“What – what are you doing here?”
Jared laughed thinly like the question was ridiculous. “I'm so proud of you guys, but you know, I don't think the point is that it's.. you know, you both have male bodies. Human male bodies. Even you Cas.”
Cas looked down at his body. “Actually this is my own body. Chuck remade – “
Jared continued. “Yeah but this speech, it's not romantic. You're junkless.”
Dean gaped. “Excuse me?”
Cas narrowed his eyes. “I can assure you, I'm anything but junkless, Jared.”
Billie crossed her arms. “I came to kill, and by God, I will slay something today.”
“As long as it's my logic, only then will all of this make sense,” Dean muttered.
“But listen,” Jared continued, “I say 'I love you with all my friends. And that is the point of the story, you love each other. Like Sam and Dean does. So, uh, you can love each other, it's not about incest.”
Dean looked at Cas and mouthed a 'what the fuck'.
Cas shrugged, looking bewildered.
The Empty shrunk some more and hovered over to Jared's shoulder, where it settled with a big, squishy noise. Jared petted it absentmindedly. “The show isn't about heterosexuality or nonbinary. It's a show about love. Lead your life with love. That doesn't mean that you want to make out, it's not about that. I can tell my daughter I love her, it doesn't mean I wanna do something with her, uh... this isn't the point of this scene.” He waved at Dean and Cas.
Dean took step forward, and for the first time, he dared to show a little smile. He said the next words, mostly for himself. “But I do wanna make out with you, Cas.”
Cas' eyes widened in surprise as Dean spoke those words.
Jared takes a step forward, placing his hand on Dean's shoulder. “You can love whoever you love. I hope that was the message people and you guys took away from over three hundred episodes of Supernatural.”
Billie rolled her eyes. “I think I'll take Jared. The cosmic scale will balance itself out.”
The Empty vibrated on Jared's shoulder but Dean wasn't sure if it was due to anger or laughter.
“Cas...”
“Yes, Dean?” Cas sounded hopeful and how that made Dean's heart sing.
“I – you've always said that we had a profound bond. And we do. I never... I didn't think angels could love like this. And I sure as hell never thought that I was worthy of that love. This... what happened here tonight. You changed me, Cas.” Dean took another step towards Cas and grabbed his hands. “I thought that the love I had for you, that it was a love, a primal one, a human one.” He licked his lips. “And you're an angel. What I feel for you is more than love. It's something that humans can't define or identify. It supersedes humanity.”
Cas looked at Dean like he was an idiot. “Yes. You just described the profound bond we have. One we've always had. I'm both. Didn't I say you changed me? I love you. Not like the Host loves humans, or like a parent loves a child. I love you romantically, epically, unconditionally and willingly.”
“Love is love,” Jared interjected.”
Cas glared at Jared. “Are you Dean? Are you two attached at the hips?”
Death tapped her foot. “Boys, you're totally ruining this dramatic moment.”
“Shut up, Billie!” Dean and Cas yelled.
Jared rubbed the back of his neck. “No, I'm not Dean but I've been on this show for fifteen years.”
The inky black blob jumped up and down in agreement.
Dean had had about enough. “It's really good to be with you here again, 'brother'. But – “
Jared nodded. “It's great being here.”
Billie grabbed her scythe and pointed it at Jared's chest. “Really? Even when you're faced with your impending doom?”
Pushing the scythe away, Dean grabbed Jared's arm. “I've missed you. And I will miss you again.”
Jared frowned in confusion. “What are you talking about, I'm right here.”
Dean ignored Jared and looked at the Empty. “You want someone. Here. I know your place is one of sleep and silence. Please, take him in Cas' stead and make him shut up. And then stay the fuck away from Cas, or I'll come to kill your slimey ass.”
The Empty vibrated and Dean had no idea what it meant.
Two seconds later, Jared was engulfed, faster than some chaotic guy named Mike could scream 'I will out them!”
Death's scythe clanked to the floor.
Dean and Cas looked at Billie.
She shrugged. “It's been a busy and taxing day.” She arched an eyebrow. “So, you're in love?”
Cas looked at Billie, defiance in his eyes. “Yes.”
“Who am I to stand in the way of the most epic love story of all time? But if I hear you messing with the balance of the universe again, I'll have your hide.” She turned to walk away.
“Where are you going,” Dean asked.
“I'm going to kill God.”
When Billie left them, the silence was loud, but not sexy.
“Um, Cas... I – I, just wanted to tell you that,” he looked up at the angel, “I love you, alright? I love you. And I've loved you for years. I love your loyalty, and how you fight for what you believe in. I love that you always try to do the right thing, even when it comes and bites you in the ass. I love that you're grumpy in the mornings. I love that you always have faith, even when I couldn't. I love that – “
Cas surged forward and kissed Dean passionately. Not at all in a brotherly way but deeply and with tongue.
Finally breaking away from the kiss, Dean exhaled. “Wow.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Dean nodded towards the exit. “Let's go find Sam and Jack. Then we have to save the world again. One last time.”
Except it wasn't the last time because five years later we got the prequel/in-depth view of Dean and Cas' relationship post 15x20 we all had been waiting for.