Stray Thoughts and Sleeping Angels

By Daylight

There's an angel asleep on the couch.

Thoughts like this strike Sam sometimes.

There's an angel asleep on the couch. There's an angel sitting in the back seat of the Impala. There's an angel talking on the phone, reading his research notes, examining the cheap motel wallpaper, giving Sam's brother a disgusted look as Dean tries to get help with their dirty laundry.

Castiel is essentially a member of the family now, and Sam forgets sometimes just how odd it is for an angel to be part of their daily lives; then those little thoughts creep up and remind him.

There's an angel asleep on the couch.

His permanently windblown hair is even messier than usual. The ever present five days worth of stubble stands out against his pale skin, and there are dark bags under his eyes, but that's not unusual. Castiel often looks like he's on the verge of exhaustion. At least now, he's finally getting some rest.

A faded patchwork quilt is tucked around him. Sam thinks it used to belong to the mother of Bobby's dead wife. She'd never believe who it's keeping warm now. It adds a touch of home comfort to the scene amidst the old hunter's dusty occult clutter.

There's an angel asleep on the couch.

Except he's not so much asleep as unconscious. Sam can see part of the white bandages that cover his chest and arms peeking out from under the blanket, all that's visible after hours of work filled with stitching and healing, panic and screaming.

Sam can still see the pain in the lines around Castiel's tightly closed eyes.

He never knew what would happen if a pack of hellhounds ever cornered an angel. Now, he really wishes he didn't.

There's an angel asleep on the couch

And Dean is sitting on the floor, head resting against the armrest of the couch, eyes closed. His arms are draped over his bent knees, the blood on his hands having dried while he's been sitting there. There's blood splattered up his arms too and staining his gray T-shirt and worn jeans. That blood will come out though. They've gotten very good at removing blood stains.

There's a slight tremble in Dean's blood covered fingers, but Sam won't mention it.

There's an angel asleep on the couch.

And Sam sits on the other side of the room watching every rise and fall of his chest without knowing what breathing even means to an angel.

Bobby left an hour ago on a much needed run to restock their medical supplies. Before he went, he told Sam to keep an eye on both Cas and his brother. Sam knows he should tell Dean to get cleaned up, get a glass of water and something to eat, but Sam doesn't say a word.

There's an angel asleep on the couch.

And neither brother intends to leave until he wakes up again.