Well everyone this is the final chapter! I hope you all enjoy the family feels and everything. The end is very fluffy, just warning :P Thanks so much to everyone who has followed, read, and reviewed, it always means a lot to have people read this stuff that I like to write lol. And thanks again to 29Pieces for suggesting this one in the first place, because I had a really good time writing it :)

Without further ado, the final chapter:

Chapter Nine

Castiel let out a small uncomfortable noise in reaction to Dean's embrace, his body feeling like it was made of only broken glass and tissue paper, but he didn't protest, and weakly grabbed a handful of Dean's flannel shirt, making sure this was indeed reality. He had to admit he was a bit confused. He wasn't entirely sure of the events that had led to this point, and wondered why Dean seemed so unbelievably happy he had woken up.

Dean finally pulled back, laying him gently against the pillows again before he ducked his head and did that quick movement with the back of his hand he always did when he didn't want anyone to know he was crying. Then he was on his feet and calling out the door for Sam. The younger man came running in, a worried expression on his face, but when Dean nodded toward the bed his face lit up with relief and he hurried over.

"Cas! Thank God, are you all right?" He too stooped and gave Cas an awkward hug, a little more considerate than Dean had been of his state, but it was just as welcome to the angel who was feeling a bit bewildered, and bleary.

After that followed a flurry of activity, where Sam helped prop him up with pillows behind his back, and Dean hurried to get him a glass of water for which he was very thankful, the cold liquid feeling glorious on his raw throat.

"We were really worried, Cas," Sam said finally once they had settled down again in the chairs. Seeing Sam with that sympathetic crease in his brow, and Dean with that hovering elder brother trait put a warm glow into Castiel's chest that he wasn't sure he should actually be feeling. There were so many thoughts jumbled up together in his head, he wasn't sure which to believe. He wasn't even sure if they were all true, or partly dreams, because certainly some had happened while he was unconscious. He remembered the feeling he had when he had said yes to Lucifer, that feeling of worthlessness, of needing to do something to pull his weight, of being expendable. And then all the memories Lucifer had drudged up, had pulled out of his mind against his will and tortured him with while they had been stuck together. Those made him sick to his stomach. He had come to terms with most of them over the years, but having them thrown in his face with the manipulative commentary of the fallen archangel, he had been made to feel those horrible feelings all over again. And then there had been the other ones. The familiar voices, Sam and Dean, talking to him for hours; first with apologies and pleading that he stay, and then with stories, some of which he had forgotten, but they had been good stories, and had worked to replace the memories Lucifer had dragged to the fore. He furrowed his brow as he looked from first one Winchester to the other.

Sam seemed to see his confusion and smiled kindly. "What do you remember, Cas?"

He frowned. "I…remember Lucifer. Defeating the Darkness, and…coming back here afterward." Here he glanced at Dean briefly and the pain that showed on the elder Winchester's face made his stomach turn. "After that, not much, though…" he closed his eyes, trying to make sense of the time he was unconscious. "Did you…pray to me? I heard you while I was sleeping, I think…"

"Yes," Sam said eagerly. "We did, do you remember what we talked about?"

Castiel thought back. "You didn't want me to go, but I…I wasn't so sure for a long time."

Dean cleared his throat. "So, what changed your mind?"

Castiel frowned, not really sure how to say exactly what it had been. "I…guess I just realized that maybe I had interpreted things badly, and I didn't want to leave before I could figure out if I was wrong or not."

Sam and Dean shared a look and Sam reached out to grasp Cas' hand in his, offering him a smile. "We'll talk more about it later when you're feeling better, okay, Cas?"

"Yeah," Dean agreed, clearing his throat, and scrubbing a hand over his eyes again. "We've got a lot to talk about."

The door opened then and Castiel looked up to see Gabriel lounging in the doorway, his typical nonchalant smirk on his lips, but Cas could see the relief underneath it too as the archangel saw him awake. "Hey, Sleeping Beauty. You finally decide to join the land of the living?"

"Gabriel," Castiel replied, managing a small smile as the archangel stepped over to the bed and ruffled a hand fondly through his hair, like he had when Cas was a fledgling. That brought back more warm memories that Cas collected into a mental box, tucking them away and shelving at the forefront of his thoughts while he continued to work on locking the others, the bad ones, away as they had been before Lucifer had broke them out.

"You look like crap," Gabriel said dryly before he turned to the Winchesters. "I saved the soup, by the way, you left it boiling on the stove. Why don't you two go grab some of that, and make a bowl for Cas too, he should have some."

Sam and Dean looked reluctant to leave but Gabriel was brooking no arguments. The archangel took a seat next to Castiel on the side of the bed.

"How are you feeling?" Gabriel asked. "And don't lie to me."

Castiel gave a long sigh. "Truthfully? I feel like I've been torn apart from the inside out and stapled back together wrong. Everything hurts, I feel heavy, and…and human." This last admission made him slump, and if possible feel even worse.

"Yikes, can't say I've had that hangover," Gabriel said. "Well, it's understandable. Luci took some huge chunks out of you, and he rode you hard, put you away wet." He sighed and leaned over with his elbows on his knees, serious now. "So we need to talk. Starting with why you tried to block me from healing you."

Castiel looked down at his lap, hands clenching in the blankets as a sick feeling spread through his chest. "I—I don't know."

"Yes, you do," Gabriel informed him. "And I already know I'm not gonna like the answer so spit it out."

Castiel swallowed hard around his tight throat, and spoke, still looking at his lap. "I didn't plan on surviving the fight, Gabriel. I think…I think for a while I didn't want to survive it. Everything that's happened because of me, everything I've done…"

"Everything you've done?" Gabriel repeated blandly. "Like help save the world a few times? Look, I already gave those chuckleheads in there the talk for letting you get to the point of feeling like this, but now I think you need a talk too. I watched you grow up Cassie, I know you're stronger than that!"

"It has been a very hard few years," Castiel told him tiredly.

"So? Life is pain! Anyone who says different is selling something," Gabriel shrugged before he ducked down to and meet Castiel's eyes. "You don't still feel that way, do you?"

Castiel was silent but he shook his head. "No, I don't think so."

"Well, good, because I swear, Castiel, if you ever try to refuse healing from me again, if you ever want to give up, I will personally make every minute left of your miserable life, a living hell."

Castiel finally looked up at him in surprise at the vehemence in his voice, and a little indignation. It seemed to be just the reaction Gabriel had been looking for because he smiled slightly before shaking his head.

"I know I haven't been here, Cassie, and I'm sorry—yeah, this is me actually apologizing for once, I know, shocker. I shouldn't have left all those centuries ago, and I shouldn't have gotten myself killed and left all that post-apocalyptic mess for you to clean up. It's really my fault, you know, that you had to do all the bad things to try and fix heaven."

"You were dead, Gabriel, you couldn't exactly do anything," Castiel said kindly.

"Yeah, we'll I'm also the freaking Trickster, so I should have been able to at least do something," Gabriel scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "But I guess you're right, it's all in the past. I just thought I should apologize as well."

"I've already forgiven you," Castiel told him sincerely.

Gabriel smiled. "Well, thanks, little bro. But there's something else we need to talk about too. You want the truth, Cas?"

Castiel nodded reluctantly, unease clenching in his guts.

"Your grace is almost depleted," Gabriel told him as gently as possible. "You've been out for four days and I had to do most of the healing for you. The hard truth is that you're not going to be at full power again, even when you're done healing. This one really took it out of you, little bro."

Castiel looked down at his lap, taking stock of the bandages wrapped around his chest, half hidden with blankets, and contemplated his position. He had expected it. Well, actually, he had expected to die in the final fight, and hopefully take Lucifer with him so he couldn't hurt Sam and Dean. He had been ready to die, and then they had somehow, inexplicably, called him back, and now he wasn't sure if he should regret listening or not.

"Hey," Gabriel slapped his knee, startling him out of his dark thoughts. "I know that look, and don't you dare go there, little brother. You're gonna survive this. Because are you a survivor? Hells, yeah. And really, it's not so bad after all, is it? You do have practice."

"It's very hard to be human," Castiel said, not really wanting to remember that time of his life.

Gabriel made a dismissive sound. "Psh, sure, because normal humans do such a good job of it. And none of them get a second chance at it. Look, you're not going to be alone this time; you got me, and you got those two losers out there and we're gonna take care of you whether you like it or not. But we'll talk more about that later. Right now, you're gonna eat some soup, and then you're gonna go to sleep." He stood up and cast a look over his shoulder at the door before he bent and pulled Castiel into a gentle hug, infusing a little healing into the motion before he pulled back a few inches and rested his forehead against Castiel's. "Don't you ever do anything like that again, do you understand me?"

Cas nodded, feeling another wave of warmth that only the affection of family could give, and reluctantly allowed Gabriel to break away as the door opened and Sam and Dean reappeared with his dinner.

After he had eaten as much of the soup as he could manage, Dean unwound his bandages and checked the still healing wounds from the fight, then Sam gave him one of his sweatshirts to wear, which was really too big, and the sleeves fell past his hands, but it was warm and comfortable and Castiel gratefully curled up in it, overwhelmed with their care, as he was tucked back into bed, and fell asleep almost instantly, dreaming of family and the better times that were hopefully to come.

Dean was dozing in the chair by Cas' bed when the angel woke again the next morning. The hunter gave a start as he felt the bed shift under his propped up feet and he quickly rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he saw Cas shifting in discomfort.

"Hey, you okay, buddy?" he asked, shifting to sit on the edge of the bed.

Castiel frowned. "I can't find a comfortable position. Everything hurts, and I'm very thirsty." He said it in a defeated voice that made Dean set his jaw in determination.

"Well, let me grab you a couple more pillows and then we'll see about getting some breakfast into you."

Dean fluffed a couple extra pillows and used them to prop Cas up into a sitting position that seemed to ease some of his pain, at least for the moment. He noticed as he maneuvered the angel however, that he was still running a fever, likely the cause of his discomfort. He frowned as he went to the kitchen, yawning as he started the coffee and grabbed a tray, looking around for something to give Cas to eat.

"Hey, what's up?" Sam asked as he stumbled into the room, still in his pajamas, looking longingly toward the coffee pot that was currently gurgling. "Is Cas awake?"

"Yeah, thought he should probably eat something," Dean had decided on oatmeal and toast as the easiest thing for him to get down. "You think Tylenol's a good idea? He's still running a fever."

Sam shrugged. "Can't hurt, I guess. Especially if he's mostly human. It might be a good thing to bring the fever down so it doesn't sap any more of his energy."

Dean nodded in agreement as he stirred the oatmeal, adding some butter and sugar, and putting some grape jelly on the toast. "I'll take this to him. Can you pour me a cup of joe when it's done?"

Sam nodded and Dean brought the breakfast to Cas who looked at him with a frown.

"Is it necessary that I eat?" he inquired tiredly.

"Are you hungry?" Dean asked with raised eyebrows.

Cas shrugged. "I feel more nauseous than hungry, but Gabriel seems to think I should eat. It does seem like my vessel needs more…sustenance. It would make sense since I seem to be utilizing more of it."

"Well, try this, you'll probably feel better after eating something, and then you can take these pills for the fever."

Cas frowned indignantly. "I don't need human medication."

Dean sighed and sat down after settling the tray in Cas' lap. "Look, Cas. It may help, and you can use all the help you can get. No offence, but you're gonna have to get used to being mostly human. It doesn't look like there's gonna be an alternative this time. But I promise that Sam and I are gonna help you through it, okay?"

Cas stared at him for a long moment then sighed, seeming to surrender. "I wish I wasn't so weak."

"I know, but you're still here, and that's what matters. You'll be back on your feet in no time," Dean told him and pointed to the bowl. "Now, am I gonna have to do the airplane or what?"

Castiel gave him a withering look and began to eat. Sam came in with two cups of coffee and handed one to Dean before he sat next to him and smiled at the angel.

"Feeling any better?" he asked.

"It is a…long process," Cas told him. "But I think with some more rest, I may be able to get out of bed within a couple days."

"Good," Sam said. They sat in companionable silence for a long moment until Cas broke it.

"While I was unconscious…I did hear you. I…remember more of it now, what you said."

Sam and Dean shared a look before turning back to Cas. "You did?"

"I don't know what Gabriel showed you, and I apologize if he was a bit abrasive, but I never meant for you to feel bad about those things—if it were indeed the things Lucifer enjoyed…tormenting me with while he was in my vessel."

Sam swallowed hard, a sympathetic look crossing his face, knowing all too well. "It wasn't a bad thing, Cas. Dean and I—sometimes we don't see, we don't realize what we're doing or saying until it's too late. And I am so sorry for everything we have put you through to get to the point you did." He stopped and shook his head. "I mean, I've been in a bad place before, Cas. Multiple times, and I know how it feels, and I hate to think you had to know what that felt like."

"We did a lot of screwing up," Dean agreed. "I especially made a lot of crappy decisions. But I'm actually glad Gabriel showed us where we went wrong. Because, honestly Cas, I had no idea; or at least, I didn't give it much thought. But you are certainly not expendable, Cas. Don't ever let me hear you say that, you hear me? Don't even think it." His voice trembled at the end, and Cas' eyes softened as he saw the sincerity in his friend's face.

"It wasn't that I took it all to heart," Cas said. "I just…some things were easier to ignore than others. I did eventually understand why you couldn't allow me to stay here when Sam was possessed by Gadreel, and I also understood your anger and mistrust after I opened Purgatory. It was well deserved."

"No, see, that's the point, Cas, it wasn't," Dean said firmly, reaching out to grip his wrist. "We have all done something to ruin the world at least once. And you, a freakin' angel, have forgiven Sam and me on multiple occasions, but for some reason we could never do the same, and I'm sorry. For everything."

Cas smiled kindly. "You don't have to be, Dean. Like you said, this is a fresh start. We should forget the past and just move on from here."

"I agree," Sam nodded, smiling.

"I don't want you two to torture yourselves with guilt either," Cas told them firmly. "You sounded very guilty when you were praying to me. It was very painful, and I wanted to wake up and assure you that I didn't blame you."

"Well, you took long enough," Dean said, only half joking. "We really thought we were gonna lose you, man."

"I didn't have the strength to wake up for a while," Cas told him. "And believe me, I wanted to. Gabriel sat for hours telling me very…explicit stories that I had no choice but to listen to. I wish I could have asked him to stop."

The brothers laughed at this. "Well, we'll make sure he doesn't tell you any more of his X-rated exploits while you're trying to recuperate," Sam said with a smile then stood to reach for his tray. "I can take that if you're done."

Cas nodded and Sam left the room, leaving Dean holding the bottle of Tylenol insistently. Cas eyed it warily.

"Dean…"

"Cas, just try it," Dean told him firmly and Cas finally sighed and held out a hand. Dean shook out two pills and watched as Cas swallowed them. Dean took the glass of water back from him and settled it on the side table before he leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Cas, I need to apologize to you."

"Dean, you already have," Cas said shaking his head. "It's in the past, as you said."

"No, I—I need to apologize for what I said when we got back after fighting Amara."

Cas' eyes looked pained. "I know it was dangerous for all of us, I just thought it was the only way."

"No Cas," Dean pleaded. "Please, I need you to understand. I was angry that you did it, and yeah, partly because I was worried about what could have happened, and Lucifer did almost kill Sam, but you stopped him, and I can't even imagine the power that took, Sam would know better than me, but you managed it somehow, and that was brave." The look on Cas' face made Dean's stomach clench and he had a feeling it was after that when Lucifer had started torturing Cas in earnest, drudging up the memories he had tried to forget. "I mean, you know I would do anything to protect Sammy, I know he's a grown man, but it's hard to let go of that instinct. But I shouldn't…you're my brother too, Cas, and I should extend the same policy to you as well." He looked down at his clasped hands, trying to get a hold of his emotions. "And I shouldn't have yelled at you, but you have to understand, it wasn't just Sam I was worried about. I was angry because I thought you had thrown your life away, and I didn't understand why, because Sam and I had just agreed not to do that again, not on purpose. And I was angry because I was scared I was gonna lose you too, after everything." He swallowed hard and squeezed his eyes shut, but was unable to stop the single tear that escaped. "Cas, I've lost too many people. My parents, Bobby who was a second father to me, Ellen and Jo; and Lisa and Ben, Kevin, and then Charlie too…" He ran a hand over his face, trying to compose himself enough to continue. "You and Sam—you're all the family I have left, and if I lose you two…there just ain't no more me, Cas. It's either we all stay alive or we all go out together; there just ain't no other options. And I can't stand the thought that I almost lost you because of my own damn stupid mistakes. I mean, what am I? Every time you and Sam try and sacrifice yourselves it seems like it's really because I drive you to it one way or another. Am I that horrible of a person that I…?" He couldn't continue, he just slumped over and buried his face in his hands.

"Dean," Cas whispered, and there was a hand on his shoulder, tight, steadying, right in the spot Dean used to have the handprint from when Cas had dragged him out of hell. "Didn't Bobby say family was supposed to make you miserable?"

Dean chuckled wetly, scrubbing at his eyes as he looked up to see Cas smiling, tears in his eyes as well. "Yeah, yeah he did. He was always right."

"I forgive you, Dean," Cas told him firmly, still squeezing his shoulder. "As you said, this can be a new start for all of us. I think it's a good thing."

"Well, then let's start with me saying this," Dean told him and looked him straight in the eyes. "I forgive you too, Cas. For everything. I realize now I never really said it, at least apparently not to mean it, so I'm going to say it now."

Cas smiled. "I think it will make us all feel better, right?"

Dean smiled back. "Right." He sighed and stood up. "Well, I should probably let you rest. Are you still good?"

"Very tired," Cas admitted wearily. Then frowned and held up his hand. "And I…meant to ask whether this was some strange side effect?"

Dean laughed at the little smiley faces drawn onto his fingers. "Only a side effect of having an idiot for brother." He reached down and pulled one of the blankets over Cas' shoulders.

The angel suffered his ministrations with a fond tolerance. He knew Dean had to do this, had watched him do as much to Sam on multiple occasions and felt comforted that Dean was extending the same brotherly devotion to him. He finally felt at home. His eyelids were already drooping when Dean turned off the light and left the room.

"Call if you need anything," the hunter said but Cas was already asleep as he reached the door and he closed it quietly behind him.

He didn't get two steps before he saw Sam lurking in the hallway and was suddenly engulfed in a surprise hug.

"Woah, what's this all about?" he asked, feeling Sam huff against his neck.

"I heard you and Cas talking," he said as he pulled back, giving Dean a pained look. "You are not a horrible person, Dean. Don't ever think that, okay? It goes both ways you know. And you can't expect to help Cas if you are too busy hating yourself. You hear me?"

Dean's face softened and he reached up to cup the side of Sam's neck. "Okay, I hear you, little brother."

Sam smiled and gripped his shoulder tightly. "Okay, good. Now, I think we have a couple things to do."

Castiel woke later to whispering. It irritated him a bit, as he was tired and just wished to sleep, his head and body aching dully, but he couldn't sleep any more now and opened his eyes with a scowl as he heard the door creak open and Sam peeked in.

"Hey, Cas, sorry if we woke you, thought you might like some dinner?"

This eating all the time was getting annoying too, but Cas had to admit there was an emptiness in his stomach that he hadn't felt there since he had been fully human. It should have made him sad, this feeling, and partly he was regretful of it, but he was also happy and grateful. Grateful that his friends had brought him back when he was ready to give up, and happy that he had been given this chance at a new start when he needed it most. So he smiled at Sam and nodded to him as he came into the room with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on a plate with a glass of milk.

"I remember how much you liked these," the younger Winchester told him with a grin. "And don't worry, it's jelly, not jam."

Cas smiled, touched that Sam had remembered their conversation. Dean came into the room a second later and held up a small thin device.

"Before you eat, time to take your temperature," Dean told him firmly.

"Dean, I—" he didn't get to protest anymore before the thermometer was stuck into his mouth. He glared at the elder Winchester and Dean ignored him as it beeped and he took it out.

"99.8," he said. "It's gone down. You should take some more of the Tylenol though, it seems to be helping and it's time for another dose."

Castiel gave a longsuffering sigh. He supposed he was just going to have to allow them to do this and instead of protesting he should just return the favor the next time they were injured. It seemed like a losing battle he didn't have the strength or heart to fight. It was really rather touching, after all. Of course, too many more days of this and he might be ready to smite them.

They sat and talked with him while he ate, and as he was finishing up, Gabriel strode in with a grin on his face, arms behind his back.

"Hey, bro, how are you doing? I got you a moving in present," Gabriel said, pulling something from behind his back with a flourish and handing Cas a wrapped, tall rectangular box. Cas looked at it with a frown, casting a questioning gaze toward Sam and Dean who smiled encouragingly.

"I…don't understand," Cas said.

Gabriel shot the Winchesters a look and Dean stepped forward, clearing his throat. "This is your room now, Cas. You're going to stay here with us from now on," Dean told him.

"If you want to," Sam added, quickly, so it didn't seem too much like a command. "But we wanted you to know that the option is there."

"And we'd like to have you here," Dean added with a smile, reaching out to grip Cas' shoulder.

"Really?" the angel asked, somewhat hesitantly, but there was hope in his eyes.

"Hell yes," Dean said firmly. "You're family, Cas. This is our home, and you deserve a part of it too."

"As soon as you feel better, we'll help you pick out some stuff to make the room more yours," Sam added then smiled. "But we thought we'd all get something to start you off with."

A genuine smile wreathed the angel's face. "Thank you, Dean, Sam. It means a lot to me."

Gabriel looked pleased as he nudged Cas' foot. "Open it up, kiddo."

Castiel slowly tore off the paper to reveal the gift, frowning in confusion.

"The hell?" Dean said as he saw it, casting a wavering look at the archangel who was smirking. Sam laughed.

"What…is it?" Cas asked his brother carefully.

"It's a lava lamp, featherbrain," Gabriel told him, taking the box and opening it. "Totally groovy. Thought you might like it."

He set it up on the desk beside the bed and plugged it into the wall. Bubbles started forming in the neon yellow liquid inside and Cas watched in fascination as they bobbed up and down.

"Are you trying to give him bad taste in decoration?" Dean asked Gabriel.

"Please, like guns, porn and outdated records are what Martha Stewart is using this year," Gabriel snarked.

"I like it," Cas said with a smile, still watching the lamp. "It's very cheerful."

Dean rolled his eyes, but couldn't stop the small smile quirking in the corner of his mouth as he shook his head. Sam reached into his jacket and pulled another smaller, flat package out of his pocket.

"I got you something too, Cas." He handed it to the angel.

Cas again took the paper off carefully and looked with interest at the leather journal that he uncovered.

"I thought you could use a journal since you're pretty much a hunter and Man of Letters now," Sam told him.

"Thank you, Sam, this is a lovely gift," Cas told him, genuinely touched by the thought. He thought he would very much enjoy taking down the accounts of their hunts.

"Well, I came to say goodnight, Cas, I have to get going and see to some dirty work," Gabriel told him, and reached out, ruffling his hair as usual. "Get some sleep."

Castiel smiled up at his brother as the archangel left the room, and then Sam picked up his plate and cup and said something about doing the dishes. Cas soon found himself alone with Dean, the elder Winchester standing awkwardly beside his bed. Cas looked up at him expectantly.

Dean cleared his throat and reached into his coat, pulling something out that was badly wrapped in newspaper. He cringed self-consciously and nearly thrust it at Cas as if he wanted to give it to him before he could change his mind.

"I, uh, didn't know what to get you. Thought you might like to choose stuff for the room yourself, but, um, I found this a while back in some of Bobby's stuff, and I—I don't know…thought you might like it." He shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck as he anxiously watched Cas unfold the object from the newspaper.

The angel was intrigued, seeing Dean's effected nonchalance for what it was—always worried about 'chick flick moments'—and he unwrapped the hard object, finding it to be a picture frame. It was turned over on its face and as he flipped it right side up, a smile formed on his face and spread warmth down into his chest.

It was a picture Bobby must have taken at some point, he couldn't remember exactly when, but likely sometime during the apocalypse, on a rare day they had been in a good mood. The backdrop was Bobby's kitchen, and framed in the center were himself and the Winchesters. Dean was in the middle, grinning as he had one arm around Cas' shoulders and the other around Sam's, pulling them in for the impromptu photo shoot. Sam had a genuine, yet vaguely longsuffering smile on his face, and Cas, though not exactly smiling, because he hadn't been entirely sure of what was going on, had a look of contentment that the angel was surprised to see on his own face. It was a comfortable one of belonging, and he knew for the first time, that he felt the same way now.

Dean tapped a finger on the frame. "This is to remind you that we're family, Cas," he said simply. "That you are very much part of it and that you always have a place here. So, don't let anyone, including Sam and me, let you think differently okay? And if we ever do again, you can just punch us in the face."

Cas smiled up at him. "Thank you, Dean. This means a lot."

Dean shrugged it off, but he couldn't stop the pleased smile that spread over his face. "Yeah, well, you're welcome." He reached down and gripped Cas' shoulder tightly. "Welcome home, Cas."

The angel felt a calmness wash over him that stayed long after Dean left to let him rest. He was tired, but even more so he just wanted to sit and revel in his contentment a little longer. He set the photo on the side table and then took his new journal onto his lap. And glancing at the picture in the strange yet pleasing glow from the lava lamp, Cas took up a pen and wrote his first entry as a Man of Letters.

Thanks again to everyone! You're all the best :)

I have a new story coming up called "Guardian" an AU of ep 8x21 that I will start posting on Monday. It has a TON of Cas!Whump and angst and more angst and more whump, so if you're into that kind of story, please feel free to check it out :)