This story was absolutely phenomenal! I'm so glad I found it. My heart ached through the whole thing but it was so freaking perfect. I could hear and see everything so perfectly in my head. It was very realistic - I could see something like that happening in the show.

Dean's thoughts, Cas' thoughts - they were just perfect. The Homeward Bound analogy was even so very fitting for our Team Free Will. They are brothers. They are family.

I REALLY loved this story! Excellent job!

Protective Sam is extremely awesome! Gid i love this fic.

Thanks.

Aw, cute ending!

This was such a beautiful conclusion, angst and all! And of course I expected angst - you wrote it after all. :)

I think it was good for Castiel to get that all out in the open though. Hopefully Dean will think before he speaks about angels being dicks next time. And I'm sure part of what threw the boys is just that Cas rarely ever speaks out, unleashes his emotions like that, but with the pain and exhaustion and flayed grace, he just can't help himself. It was a beautiful resolution, though, with Castiel feeling better about where he belongs. And it can really all be summed up with "And maybe that, plus open and vulnerable honesty without fear of repercussion for the first time in his life, was all Castiel needed to start to realize that he did, in fact, belong there. With them."

I love the analogy of "Homeward Bound," but I have to disagree with Castiel when he said "'...the cat found her way back to the dogs on her own.'" Because he seems to think he should be able to do *everything* on his own and feels guilty when he can't. It's not true. Sassy *didn't* find her way back on her own: the kind bird watcher found her wounded and alone, stranded at the river's edge and nursed her back to health; a stranger took care of her. It was only after she had pretty much completely recovered, staying in the stranger's home the whole time, did she hear the two dogs carrying on and was able to find them and rejoin them in their search for home. So he shouldn't feel bad or weak for needing help!

And FYI Chance was an American bulldog. I am not sure the breed is considered a pit bull (it might depend on who you ask), which is actually not a specific breed of dog per se but really just a generalized type.

What an awesome, lovely story and thank you so much for sharing it!

What a frigging awesome story! The boys find Castiel at long last in a hospital and though he's in a coma at first, he quickly awakens and just wants to go home. So the Winchesters break him out - I love it!

Again, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, your characterization is so wonderful. I love being in both of the Winchesters' POV's, seeing how both are utterly devoted to Cas, anxious and worried about him, showing a deep level of concern I wish they'd show him while he's awake. I have to tell you, this story makes me like Sam *a lot;* even more so than in "Abandon All Faith." I *ahem* actually adore him in this story ... so kudos! (But never more than Cas!) The mood and pacing were perfect, and the level of detail and description held me firmly anchored.

Parts that completely and utterly captivated me for one reason or another:
1) "He'd take a conspiracy theory nut's blog at this point if it'd just tell them *where* Cas was."
2) "He'd want to be sober so they could get up and leave at a moment's notice."
3) "'...And you might want to keep your distance for awhile, because I won't be responsible for what my brother does if he sees you right now.' He lowered his voice darkly. 'Which will be nothing compared to what I'll do if you come near us or Cas.'"
4) Just putting "Cas Winchester" on all his documents, firmly claiming him as theirs.
5) The boys' reactions when they first see Cas in his hospital room
6) "But the rhythmic timing of the ventilator pump was like the raspy ringing of a death knell."
7) Sam holding Cas's hand and talking to him, though he's in a coma, anchoring him here.
8) The boys' lack of response to the nurse's prodding when visiting hours ended - loved all of that section!
9) "Though it wasn't like Cas did that only for angels. How many times had Dean hurt his best friend, and Cas had still always come when Dean called? He always came back. Even when Dean thought it was impossible." (Because he's seeing and *appreciating* his best friend, his other brother; now if only he'd remember all this when Cas wasn't broken!)
10) Dean commenting, thought and spoken, on Sam's response to the doctor's "options."

I could probably go on more, but I'll stop now. Suffice it to say, I *loved* this chapter!

What a great, suspenseful read so far. The boys stick with Castiel when he goes investigates what seems like angel killings and find a wounded, sick angel. Unfortunately, they also find Ketch, following the same case. Cas is wounded; the boys, even Dean, who pretty much despises all angels on sight - only excepting Cas - just try to wound her, not kill, recognizing she needs help. Ketch, of course, doesn't play nicely and escalates the situation to the point the wounded angel tries to do a spell. So Ketch banishes both angels. Leaving the boys reeling, knowing full well that banishing a wounded angel can be lethal. I love how the boys quickly turned to Rowena, despite past issues, because they just *need* to find Castiel; he's their number one priority (as he bloody well should be!). So now the boys are worrying and waiting, staying in the one place they *know* Castiel isn't; not knowing where else to go. I love the pacing and descriptions. The fight scene was amazing. Characterization, as usual, is where you shine brightest: Castiel is beautifully done and the boys are kinder, more empathetic than on the show. The first part ends in a perfect spot, the boys in an agony of anxiety, fear, nerves, impatience, grief; stuck in a maelstrom of just *not knowing,* which is one of the worst places to ever be. (I can totally appreciate your evil little cliffhanger, leaving your readers in the same predicament as the Winchesters, just because I don't have to wait a day or a week to find out what happens next!)

I am a little confused about one thing. In Castiel's second scene, at the morgue, he says "'... if we can just talk to them...'" and after Dean's reaction, Castiel thinks, "It was no more consideration than they had insisted on giving Lily Sunder when she'd been murdering angels." From what I recall, Castiel was the one who empathetically wanted to kill Lily Sunder, going so far as to say something like '4 dead angels argue against reasoning with her' or some such; it was the boys who adamantly wanted to talk to her, giving more consideration to a non-violent resolution. So I don't understand Castiel's thought ... (Don't get me wrong, he never knew the full truth until the end, not knowing all the lies Ishim had told so I don't think Cas did anything wrong! I just don't understand the whole "...no more consideration than they had insisted on giving Lily Sunder...") So am I just missing something? Hopelessly confused?

Awww. An ending I didn't know I needed. This reminds me about the thing I hate thinking about though, that Cas will eventually outlive the boys... it was brought up in S10, but I don't think anyone wants to touch that inevitably (which is okay, because it's heartbreaking).
And I digress. Homeward Bound is fantastic btw, and I like the analogy.

This was a really good and wholesome fic. 3 A true masterpiece! Five ouf of Five stars ;)

In my opinion simple fluff is useless anyway without working through the 'darker' (if you even want to call it that) stuff at first. Chapter Two was good but Three really brings it home. It's such an important theme with Cas's character. He's the one that is different no matter where he goes. Not human but also definitely not the stereotypical angel, closer to earth but in some ways still bound to heaven. It's not an easy role to play.
I loved that you addressed the issue directly and you even incorporated an analogy to a kids' movie.

Don't mind me. I'm not crying over the feelings I'm having or anything. *sobs in corner

Nice tie-up - all warm and fuzzy at the end, too. Thanks for extending this.

Pony

What a nice ending. I always felt like Cas was in a situation, where he wasn't considered human nor angelic but something inbetween, and I feel his role is sometimes a lonely one lacking belonging- you portrayed this conflict well :)

Well, that was a surprise, though an awesome one :) Poor cas! The British men of letters ARE so weird towards him, so that was a nice acknowledgment. Plus, just the best movie references. Great story!

Aw, I'm so glad you added another part to this, I think, even though it's a little angsty, it smoothed the story out nicely. I like how you addressed Cas' issues with feeling like he belongs, because that was a big thing for him early this season and even with the patching up they've done since, it hasn't been addressed directly. I'm glad he finally talked that out with the Winchesters. It it true that you can have family and feel at home with them without feeling like you belong, but I think Cas is on his way to feeling like he belongs too :) Also loved the Homeward Bound reference. That was one of my favorite movies as a kid lol ;)