Work Text:
Dean awakes to the incessant buzzing of his cell phone, answers one handed, eyes closed, "'Lo?"
"Hello, Dean."
"Cas?" Dean lifts his head from the book he's currently sleeping on, "That really you?" There's a small voice in the back of his mind that questions if he's dreaming, but it's silenced by the sharp twinge of protest in his neck from falling asleep in a motel chair.
"Yes, Lucifer is gone. I don't think he'll be a problem for us anymore."
"What do you —" Dean pauses, collects himself, "Cas what happened? Where are you? One minute, Lucifer was blasting Amara, the next, all three of you were just gone."
"God destroyed her."
"Like, God, God? Did you see him? Lemme guess, long white beard and a toga?"
Cas sighs, "I would very much like to come home, Dean. I promise I will tell you everything. You and Sam."
There is a moment of heart stopping joy, Cas is okay, he's coming back, he's coming home. "Yeah, Cas, of course you should come home. Where are you? Should I come get you?"
"That's not necessary, Dean. I will find my way back."
"I guess I'll see you soon, then, Cas."
"You will."
"Hey, Cas?"
"Yes, Dean?"
"I'm ― I'm really glad you're back."
They both linger a little longer than necessary, and when Dean hangs up he just smiles at the phone. Reveling in things going right, for once. Maybe things were finally coming up Winchester; Sam is safe, the devil is gone, Amara is dead, Cas is coming home. He's practically giddy as he wakes Sam up.
"What's wrong with you?" Sam glances at the clock on the bedside table, "Dude, it's not even four yet. I went to sleep two hours ago."
Dean grins, "It's over, Sammy, Amara's dead. We're leaving."
That gets his attention, "How?"
"God finally stepped up. He saved Cas — saved everyone."
"You're sure it was Cas you were talking to, right?" Sam's brow knits together, "Not Lucifer?"
"I'm sure, Sammy. I don't think the Devil's first instinct in the face of victory would be to call me."
Sam pushes a hand through his hair and starts packing, "Alright, let's go get him."
"Cas says he's gonna meet us at home," Dean feels as though he's soaring, (Cas is back, he's alive, he's coming home to me.) "So I figure we should head towards Kansas, we're not too far, I can make it by morning. If Cas got his wings back, he'll be waiting for us, if not, we'll be waiting for him."
Sam just nods and heads to the car. Dean's right, they make it to the bunker with the dawn. Sam stumbles his way inside, far too tired to register the disappointment on his brother's face when they find it empty.
It takes Cas a week to reach them. He's bedraggled and arrives in an ancient Toyota bearing Maine tags. Dean barely opens the door before he's pulling him in, grin lighting up his face. It's the happiest Sam has seen him in years. Cas is grinning right back, all teeth and gums. "Hello, Dean."