Forever Winter // Benjen Stark

22. Not Without You

Castiel was washing his hands and face at a stream when they found him.

"Castiel!" Katie declared running towards him.

'Cas!' Dean called out.

"Katie.... Dean." Castiel said disoriented as he stood up.

'Cas.' Katie lunged at him hugging him tight. "We were so worried." She said not letting him go. Castiel kissed her forehead as Dean came up giving him a hug.

''Damn, it's good to see you." Dean remarked. 'Nice peach fuzz.' He mused.

'Thank you.' Castiel said sincerely. Katie couldn't help but smile.

''You should meet somebody. This is Benny. Benny, this is Cas. And you know Benjen." Dean remarked and Benjen waved back at him.

''Hola.' Benny said with a nod. But Castiel turned back to Katie and Dean.

'How did you find me?' Castiel asked.

''The bloody way." Dean informed him.

''You feeling okay, Cas?' Katie asked.

''You mean am I still...'' Cas began as he pointed to his head and made circles with his finger.

"No," Katie said as Dean agreed.

''Yeah,'' Dean said and katie slapped a hand at him. ''if you want to be on the nose about it, sure.'

"Dean." Katie hissed.

''No. I'm perfectly sane.'' Castiel assured and Benjen and Benny shared a confused look.

"I knew you were." Katie offered.

"But, then," Castiel went on ''94% of psychotics think they're perfectly sane, so I guess we'd have to ask ourselves, what is sane?" Castiel looked to Katie.

''That's a good question.'' Katie she agreed. "I'm probably not the best person to ask though." She offered.

''Why'd you bail on Dean and Katie?" Benny spat.

''Dude –'' Katie warned.

''The way I hear it, you three hit monster land, and hot wings here took off. I figure he owes you some backstory." Benny countered and Dean had to agree. It was sketchy. But Cas was Cas.

''Look, we were surrounded, okay? Some freak jumped Cas. Obviously, he kicked its ass, right?" Dean said hopefully.

''No.'' Castiel admitted.

''What?' Dean spat.

''I ran away.' Castiel told them. "I'm sorry Katie." Castiel told her softly as she grabbed his hand.

''You ran away?'' Dean hissed

''I had to.'' Cas told them.

''That's your excuse for leaving me, leaving Katie, with those gorilla-wolves?" Dean shouted.

''Dean –' Cas began but dean wasn't done yelling.

''You bailed out and, what, went camping? I prayed to you, Cas, every night.'' Dean informed him.

"Me too." Katie added and Castiel brought a hand to her face brushing back her hair.

''I know.'' Castiel admitted softly.

''You know and you didn't... What the hell's wrong with you?" Dean shouted.

"Dean, stop it, you are going to draw unwanted attention." Katie reminded him.

''I am an angel in a land of abominations." Castiel reminded them. ''There have been things hunting me from the moment we arrived.''

''Join the club!'' Dean shouted.

"Dean stop it!" Katie begged.

''These are not just monsters, Dean. They're Leviathan." Castiel explained. ''I have a price on my head, and I've been trying to stay one step ahead of them, to – to keep them away from you, all of you..." Castiel told them. ''That's why I ran. Just leave me, please.'' He looked to Katie. "I'm sorry Katie, I left to protect you." She understood but she didn't want him to be alone here either.

''Sounds like a plan. Let's roll.'' Benny agreed.

"We are not leaving you were Castiel." Katie told him. "We are getting out of here. All of us."

"No, there is no-" Castiel began.

''Hold on, hold on. Cas, we're getting out of here. We're going home." Dean agreed

''Dean, I can't.'' Cas reminded them.

''You can. Benny, tell him.'' Benjen agreed. "There is this doorway or something. We are getting out."

''Purgatory has an escape hatch, but I got no idea if it's angel-friendly.'' Benny countered.

''We'll figure it out. Cas, buddy, I need you.'' Dean begged.

"I need you." Katie added and Castiel always had a hard time saying no to those eyes. But them being near him put them in danger, put Katie in danger.

'Katie-"

''And if Leviathan want to take a shot at us, let 'em. We ganked those bitches once before." Dean reminded him.

"And we can do it again." Katie agreed.

''It's too dangerous.'' Castiel corrected.

''Let me bottom-line it for you. I'm not leaving here without you. Understand?" Katie told him sternly. Castiel stared at her a long moment and Benjen couldn't help but see the long standing history, the bond the two had. He wondered how deep it ran.

''I understand.'' Castiel told her.