We leave for the bunker the next morning. We don't actually get there until afternoon. Cas greets us when we walk in the door and down the stairs. I never really stopped to realize how adorable he is. He's a few millennia old, but he still doesn't quite grasp the whole human interaction thing. Makes me wonder how he landed my mom.
Dean and I further enter the bunker and put our things away. When we meet back up in the lobby, Cas is still standing right where we left him. He wears a distraught look on his face. I imagine that he's still mulling over how exactly to human.
"So how do you like being human, Dad?" I ask, patting him on the shoulder.
"I'm hungry," he simply states. "I find this all very tiring and high-maintenance."
I smile and shake my head. Then I take his hand. "How about I make you some lunch?"
He nods. "That would be lovely."
With that, I lead him to the kitchen. There, I sit him down at the small kitchen table we never use. I decide to make him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Everyone needs to try a PB&J at least once in their life. I get out everything I need and lay it out on the counter.
"How are things with you and Dean?" Cas asks.
The question takes me by surprise. "Great," I say. "Why do you ask?"
He shrugs. "I was curious," he explains. "I want to learn from the both of you."
I stop mid spread and turn around to look at him. "Learn what from us?"
"The way couples act. I would very much like to model myself after you two."
I can't help blushing a little. I turn around and return to his sandwich. "So, what?, you're saying you wanna try and find yourself a girl now?" I tease. I glance behind myself to look at him. He looks like he's thinking.
"Well, that is what normal humans do, yes? They find someone to love and reproduce."
I nearly drop my butter knife. "It's not just about reproducing, Castiel," I correct him. "Some people don't want kids, and that's okay. They find other people who don't want kids to love," I say. "But you don't need to find love to be happy. It just helps." I smile and turn back around.
I flip the slice of bread with peanut butter smeared on it face down on top of the jelly-covered slice, fusing the two ingredients together. I move the sandwich to a plate and place it on the table in front of Cas. Then I sit down across from him as he bites into it. I watch as his face changes to a look that can only be described as that of awe.
"Is it possible to be in love with food?" He asks.
I laugh. "It's definitely possible to love food. I don't know about being in love with it."
"Is there a difference?" Cas asks, taking another bite. I open my mouth to answer, but I'm cut off by Dean.
"Cel?" He says. I look up at him standing in the doorway. His expression instantly worries me. It's a look of bad news. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" He asks, only worrying my more.
I give Cas a reassuring smile before I get up and follow Dean out of the kitchen. "What's wrong?" I ask.
Dean runs a hand through his hair and scratches the back of his neck. "I don't know how to tell you this."
I frown. I knew it. "Tell me what?"
He sighs. There's a long pause before he finally speaks. "Cas can't stay here."
"Why the hell not?" I say, anger bubbling up in my chest.
"Don't be mad," Dean tries. "It's Zeke. He said that pretty much every angel alive is looking for Cas, and we can't risk them finding him here and exposing Zeke. Sam isn't strong enough for him to leave yet, Cel."
"Well what about Dad?" I defend. "Dean, he was homeless when we found him! He was starving! We can't just throw him back out on the street again!"
"Cas is a big boy, he can handle himself!" Our voices gradually rise.
"Can he? Can he really?" Now I'm irritated. That's got to be the dumbest thing he's ever said to me. "Have you forgotten where he was when we found him?"
"Cel-"
"Let me refresh your memory," I interrupt. "He trusted a woman he didn't know because she offered him food and a place to stay. Then wouldn't it figure that she was a reaper who was among the thousands of angels with him at the top of their hit list."
Dean tries again. "I know, Cel, but-"
"She killed him, Dean," I argue. "He was hungry and alone and probably terrified when she found him, and she killed him."
"But he came back, didn't he?!" He finally snaps. "If Zeke leaves, my brother won't come back! Sam will be gone. And God knows no other angel will help us." He manages to calm himself down again. "If Cas stays, Zeke goes, and we can't afford to lose Sam right now. I can't afford to lose Sam ever."
I just stare at him for a moment. I can't believe he's doing this to Cas. After all that Cas has helped him through. Dean would be dead if it weren't for him. I finally settle on a solution.
"Fine," I say. "Then I'm going with him." I brush past him and head towards my room.
"Oh come on, Cel, don't be like that," Dean says, following me.
"Why are you following me? Don't you have a best friend to kick to the curb?" I don't break stride.
"Wow, really?" Dean says. "You're really going to act like a kid about this?"
I stop. He did not just say that to me. I slowly turn around and glare at him.
"Crap," Dean mumbles, "Cel, I didn't mean that." I don't even respond before I turn back around and start walking again. He places his hand on my shoulder, but I yank it away from his grasp before he can stop me or turn me around to face him. "Come on, you know I didn't mean it," he repeats.
I ignore him. I keep walking and don't stop until I get to my room. Dean tries to follow me in, but I slam the door in his face and lock it. I'm unable to stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks as I shove my belongings into my large bag. Dean knocks on the door in between his apologies.
With my packed bag slung over my shoulder, I fling the door open, bringing Dean to a silent halt. He sees the tears staining my cheeks and immediately cups my face in both his hands. This only makes more tears fall.
He lowers his voice as his thumbs glide back and forth on my cheeks. "Please listen to me, baby," he pleads. He's only ever called me that once before. When he did, he was genuinely concerned for me.
There's a long silence between us. I just stare into his forest-colored eyes. The color calms me down. Green has always had a calming effect on me. I've never really realized it, but I have quite a fondness of green. I guess that would make it my favorite color, right?
Dean's voice pulls me out of the trance his eyes put me in. "I need you here too, Sweetheart," he says. "I can't handle this angel crap alone."
I shake my head. "I can't leave Cas to handle this by himself. I can't. Not with so many feathered bastards looking for him." He opens his mouth to say something, but I cut him off. "Dean, I need to do this. If Cas can't stay here, then I have to go with him. I need to protect him and make sure he has enough to eat and that he sleeps and everything. Just until he gets his grace back. Or until Sam is healed. Whichever comes first."
He sighs. It's quiet for a moment until he nods. "Okay. Please be safe," he says, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.
I nod. "I will be. We'll stay close. If I ever need you, I'll come by."
He leans forward and kisses my forehead. When he pulls away, I lift myself onto my toes and kiss his lips. I lower myself again and Dean finds my hand to kiss my knuckles.
"How am I supposed to explain this to Sam?" He suddenly says.
My smile drops. I hadn't thought of that. God, this whole thing is exhausting. We stay quiet for what feels like five minutes before I finally come up with something.
"Tell him I took Cas on a trip," I suggest. "Ya know, to bond or whatever. I mean that's kinda what it'll end up being anyway, right?"
Dean smiles. "You always have the best ideas." He kisses me again before pulling me into a tight embrace. "Come back to me, okay?"
I nod. "I'll always come back to you."