The world was a mix of whites and multi-colored blurs, the steady beep! the only sound Dean could make out for a moment. But more came to him slowly: Drawn out mutterings and echoing voices, whispers of what sounded like his name. Then, like a lightning bolt across the sky, Sam's laughter.

The world slid back into place, and Dean saw his family.

His brother was standing beside him, tall as ever, clean-shaven in a loose flannel shirt, and healthy, the gash on the side of head healing nicely. In his arms was Joan, her golden curls bouncing as she whipped around to look at him, her Unca' Dean! muffled but Dean could still make it out. Next to them was Jess and Mary, Jess's eyes red as she laughed and and called his name; Mary brightened, her mouth parting into a squealing grin that she had only ever given Dean.

For a moment, all Dean could do was wanted, just watching his brother with his family, smiling and laughing and alive. It was everything he had wanted — Sam and his family, together again — and Dean knew he could have just stared at them forever and been at peace.

But no. There was something missing. It tugged at Dean's heart before he realized why. No, not something. Someone was missing, someone he suddenly, desperately wanted to see then. That someone wasn't any of the others in the room — not Bobby, who was pulling his cap off his head; not Andrea in the shadows of the corner of the room, staring at him in awe. Not even the array of angels he saw outside the white room window, their tan, red and yellow wings blurring together a little in Dean's vision. The tug at his heart grew, and his gaze drifted over the room, passing over flowers on a nearby table and the balloons with the Get Well Soon! on them, past windows dotted with raindrops.

Where are you? he wondered, when a gentle squeeze of his hand made Dean look over.

That was when he found his angel.

It would be days before Dean recovered enough that he could joke with the doctor that she threw out the term "medical miracle" a lot. It would be weeks before he could convince his nurse that pie was an acceptable alternative to hospital food. There would be happy moments too, when he was able to properly introduce Cas to Jess and the twins, as well as Bobby and myriad of people he called family and friends that came to visit. Vice versa too, when Dean would meet Castiel's family: Balthazar, Rachel, Anna, the others... and the slightly annoying Gabriel, who kept calling him Deano! When he saw Andrea, Benny and the vampire family again, all looking healthy and happier than he had ever seen them, that was great too. And then there was the outpouring of well-wishes and gifts from people everywhere around the world, so many moved by the stories of the island's survivors, wanting to help however they could.

But there would be sad moments too, when Dean would notice Castiel growing tense when it was too quiet, and nightmares plagued them both. There was also when Dean had to look down at what remained of his leg, amputated at the knee; when doctors had to tell them that they all had a long road ahead of them, physically, mentally and emotionally.

In that moment, however, none of that mattered: it was just him and Cas, looking at each other.

Castiel was healthier too; Dean could see it in his fuller cheeks, and the way he was starting to fill out a blue sweater, a trenchcoat much like his old one draped over his shoulders. His injured wing was still in a sling (he would later learn Cas had multiple surgeries on it while Dean had been in a coma), and someone had styled his feathered hair too. Dean liked the look; he even would have teased him about that if he could. And then there were Cas's eyes: Warm and kind, promising everything would be okay and so much more.

It was sight Dean realized he might have never seen again, if it hadn't been for Cas. You saved me, he told him, the only way he could, and Cas's eyes grew wet.

But tears were okay, everything was okay. And so much waited for them too: Jokes and laughter, hamburgers and cars, love and family. All those things they would have as they figured out how to live together.

I want to live for you, Dean said to him, and tears slid down Cas's cheeks. But his answer was in his growing smile and the way he intertwined their fingers and held on tight.

I want to live for you too.

Dean smiled right back, before his eyes grew heavy again. He felt his mind began to drift like a boat bobbing in water, though it was anchored by Cas's hand. He closed his eyes, and was happy to fall asleep to Sam's whispers of, Promise me.