Here we go again. Saw this one on Pinterest multiple times, added to it over the last year or so every time I re-watched season 8. At least being provided with a request kept me busy for a while, but I fancied the idea of throwing out a little slash one-shot whilst posting it. Enjoy, my pretties!

Benny spun his cobbled-together blade in slow, lazy circles, eyes never leaving the rugaru in front of him. They'd always struck him as particularly ugly creatures, even more so than ghouls. Pale with bulging blood vessels and crimson eyes that stood out, even in Purgatory. Dean was already shoving his own opponent back against a tree, the other two that had jumped them dead on the ground.

"Traitor!"

With that war cry the rugaru in front of him sprang, eyes boiling with rage. Benny simply sidestepped and swung his blade, one more headless body dropping to the ground. That done, he turned his attention to his companion. He was a survivalist, he did what he had to, a natural skill that had evolved when he'd gotten here. For that reason alone not only was he alive, he had a way out.

Only one thing stood between him and that escape hatch. Funny enough, it was the same thing that guaranteed his way out.

"Where's the angel?"

It was the same question the human had demanded of every other monster he'd interrogated. Werewolves, wraiths, ghouls, other vampires, even a few leviathans. He asked them all the same question the same way, with the ferocity of a dozen monsters. Perhaps it was the tone, or the look in his eyes. Dean might be human, but he was easily one of the fiercest beings in this place. One of the perks of partnering with him. While he had come to like him, Benny had also come to see this side trip as a means to an end. He helped Dean get his angel back, showed him the exit door, and he'd get his ride out. So the vampire kept his distance, watching as Dean growled out those words yet again, his own weapon jammed underneath the rugaru's chin.

"Eat me," was the unoriginal retort.

"Not my type, douche bag. Answer me or die."

"You're going to kill me anyway."

"Yeah, it just depends on how fast you want it. Now answer the damn question. Where's the angel?"

"I don't know!"

"Like hell you don't."

"I just know where the leviathans go," the rugaru hissed. "Must be feasting on that feathered freak by now."

Benny had no pity for the foolish creature, even as the blade was rammed through his mouth, severing his spine. He shook his head, turning away. "Let's keep moving. Not much firewood here, night's coming on fast."

Dean didn't say anything, just yanked his weapon free and stalked onward, face set in hard lines.

The vampire kept pace, flanking Dean, one eye on the human, the other on their perimeter. He wasn't about to chance a surprise attack. Dean might not have nearly so many people to interrogate, but he was a human. He attracted monsters like a magnet, which could be irritating, but he was using it to his advantage. Benny might find it annoying, but he could appreciate a fellow opportunist.

As they rested Benny tried to ignore the low words coming from his companion. He was praying again, as he did every night. Sometimes, when they were huddling closer together, he couldn't help but hear. If they could afford to he tried to give the human his privacy. At first he'd listened out of curiosity, now he felt guilty if he heard, like he was intruding.

She must be beautiful. She had to be, to have someone so devoted to finding her, even in a place like this. Dean didn't talk about her much, not really. Not beyond his demands for her location. What little Benny knew of her was scraps he'd gathered during their interrogations and Dean's overheard prayers.

The first of which was the angel's name. Castiel. That was always what Dean addressed her as to monsters, but during his prayers it was always Cas. It certainly sounded like the name of an angel, but when he used the nickname it sounded different. Softer than when they discussed their plans to escape Purgatory. Benny knew that tone. It was the very one he himself had always used when he spoke of his Andrea. Even the gruffest of men became tender when speaking of those they loved, and for Dean it was his angel.

The second thing he knew for certain was that Dean refused to leave Purgatory without her. The one time he'd suggested it in the beginning had nearly cost him his windpipe. He'd never been so foolish again. Instead Benny focused his energy on finding her so they could get out. Dean refused to rest for long, and usually it was at the vampire's insistence so he'd stay sharp. When he wasn't resting or planning he was tearing up every inch of Purgatory, trying to find her. Benny had a hard time wrapping his mind around Dean still maintaining such devout commitment even after she'd abandoned him. He hadn't been so stupid as to voice this, not after last time, but it still baffled him. The prayers he'd overhead ranged a bit, though. Sometimes Dean did blame her for abandoning him, angry and accusing. But sometimes he sounded desperate, demanding Cas return to him. Other times he was tender, there was no other word for it. Coaxing, insisting he needed her, that she was forgiven for everything. No matter which one it was, Benny always walked away feeling as though he'd invaded on something truly personal.

The third and final thing Benny was absolutely sure of was that there was something truly profound between the human and his angel. Whatever they'd been through was earth-shattering. It had to be, given the circumstances. He hadn't asked. He was curious, though. Perhaps once they'd found her he'd finally get to hear their story. Though likely as not it wouldn't be until they were out of Purgatory, which was fine with him. Even a vampire had to have his priorities.

Benny had stopped keeping track of time well before he'd partnered up with Dean, he didn't know how long it had taken, but they finally did it. They finally found a few monsters with solid leads. Those brought them to a stream, one of the few clean ones in Purgatory. All that work had finally born fruit.

As relieved as he was they'd finally made progress, Benny found himself doing a double take when they were face-to-face with the angel. He hung back, watching with a mix of surprise and satisfaction as Dean called, "Cas?"

Well, this had to be the angel. Dean clearly recognized them, striding forward, weapon lowered. He couldn't see the human's face, but he could hear what was probably the first real smile Dean had had since getting here.

There was someone crouching at the river's edge, dipping their hands into clear water, using it to wash their hands and face. But this was no pretty female. Before him was a man covered in dirt, grime, and a filthy trench coat.

"Dean." As if he didn't need further affirmation, the gravely voice set it in stone. They straightened, turning to face Dean as the human surged down the short slope. A rough beard covered the lower half of his face, and a set of blue eyes pierced the gloom of Purgatory. He didn't advance, but nor did he retreat.

"Cas."

Benny slowly followed down the slope, watching as Dean walked right up to the angel and wrapped both arms around him in an embrace. It was brief, but he got the sense such things were rare with Dean. The angel didn't return the brief grip, and he seemed distracted, blue eyes flitting around the perimeter before turning back to Dean.

Had he missed a few pronouns? Surely Dean had used a few. Or maybe he'd forgotten them, something he could easily attribute to old habit. Such things were frowned upon, as he remembered it. When he'd been executed things had hardly been looking up for those who preferred alternative lifestyles. While he'd not fallen into that category himself he'd never understood why people seemed so offended, as though they were contagious sinners. Nor had he asked how things had changed. He'd had much, much bigger things to worry about.

It occurred to Benny that perhaps things were different with angels. Dean had given him a brief run-down about the species, perhaps they were genderless and this one simply happened to be in a male vessel. Whether he'd been blind to the vessel's gender, or oblivious, it didn't change the facts. And the simple fact was, Dean was in love.

So many possibilities he shouldn't be wasting his thoughts on.

"It's good to see you," Dean was saying, the relief in his voice obvious as he took a step back. "Nice peach fuzz."

"Thank you."

"'Want you to meet somebody," Dean said, half turning towards the vampire. "This is Benny. Benny, this is Cas."

"Hola." It seemed a casual enough greeting, though he was keeping an eye on the perimeter as much as he was the exchange.

"How did you find me?"

"The bloody way. You doing okay?"

"You mean am I still…?" The angle circled an index finger at his temple in what was still the apparent universal signal for not-all-there.

"Yeah, if you wanna be on the nose about it, sure."

"No, I'm perfectly sane. But then ninety-four percent of psychotics think they're perfectly sane, so I guess we have to ask ourselves what is sane."

Benny shot Dean a look. Frankly he'd question if the angel wasn't in that ninety-four percent, but Dean didn't look phased. Was this normal?

"Yeah, good question."

"Why'd you bail on Dean?" He had to ask. How could this angel, regardless of their vessel's gender, be so casual after Dean had torn Purgatory apart to find him?

"Dude."

Ignoring the warning, he pressed on. "'Way I hear it, you two hit monster land and hot-wings here took off. I figure he owes you some backstory."

"We were surrounded, okay? Some freak jumped Cas, obviously he kicked its ass, right?"

"No." The single word was so quiet Benny almost missed it, even with his sensitive ears. He didn't like how carefully blank the angel's face was.

"What?"

"I ran away."

"You ran away?" Dean repeated.

"I had to."

Suddenly Benny felt like he was intruding again.

"That's your excuse for leaving me with those gorilla-wolves?"

"Dean- "

"You bailed out and what? Went camping? I prayed to you, Cas. Every night."

If he hadn't been looking Benny would have missed it. The pain in the angel's eyes. It was brief, but unmistakable.

"I know."

"You knew, and you didn't….what was wrong with you?"

"I'm an angel in a land of abominations. There had been things hunting me from the moment we arrived."

"Join the club!"

"These are not just monsters, Dean, they're leviathan. I have a price on my head. I've been trying to stay one step ahead of them to…." He stopped, looking away before refocusing on the human. "To keep them away from you. That's why I ran."

Benny raised his eyebrows at that. It was true, the only thing more juicy to the monsters of Purgatory than a human would be an angel. Just as interesting, it seemed Dean's infatuation wasn't completely one-sided.

"Just leave me. Please."

"Sounds like a plan. Let's roll." He doubted Dean would go with it, but it was worth a shot.

"Hold on, hold on."

Sometimes Benny hated being right.

"Cas, we're getting out of here. We're going home."

"I can't."

"You can. Benny, tell him."

Shaking his head, the vampire stepped forward. "Purgatory has an escape hatch, but I got no idea if it's angel-friendly."

"We'll figure it out," Dean promised, waving away the concern. "Cas, buddy, I need you. And if leviathan wanna take a shot at us?" He shrugged. "Let 'em. We ganked those bitches once before, we can do it again."

"It's too dangerous."

"Let me bottom-line it for you," the human stated flatly, done negotiating. "I'm not leaving here without you. Understand?"

The angel didn't respond right away. From the looks of it he was familiar with the human's stubbornness. So rather than argue further he said simply, "I understand."

Great. Now if they could just make it to that escape hatch in one piece, it'd all be worth it.

It didn't take long before Benny began to wonder if it was worth teaming up with the angel to try talking Dean around. Within an hour of finding the guy they had to fight off no less than three leviathan, six werewolves, and a ghoul. The angel didn't carry any weapons, which Benny considered suicide in this place, but he held his own well enough. If in that he managed not to get himself killed and did something that involved exploding a thing from the inside out. Dean called it smiting.

"Well, I gatta admit, the angel's got his strong points. But holy hell if he ain't a magnet," Benny pointed out, watching as Castiel walked away from his most recent smiting victim.

That only earned him an irked look. "Before we found Cas you said it was my humanity that was drawing too much attention."

"Yeah, that too," he affirmed. Just his luck that his best shot out of here was with two magnets.

"Well, I think we're clear for the moment," the angel was saying as he joined them. Turning his gaze to one of the dead werewolves he mused, "It does present a curious curl in the metaphysics, doesn't it? If you murder a monster in Monster Heaven, where does it go?"

Benny glanced at Dean. All this philosophical babble wasn't his thing even before he'd been separated from his head. But Dean only wore an oddly patient expression, as if he were long used to it this.

"And this is the crazy aunt I wanna take on the road?" the vampire deadpanned wearily.

The angel took a step closer, eyes hardening as they locked onto Benny's. "I am not your aunt," he stated stiffly. If Benny didn't know better, he'd say the angel was getting angry.

"What? Really?" He'd never gotten the chance to poke fun an angel before. He was starting to like it.

"I have no possible relationship to your sibling offspring."

"No? You're kidding me."

"Oh, you two are killing me," Dean groaned, head thrown back in an exasperated fashion.

The angel gave him a grim look, then turned to the human. "I have to agree with the vampire, Dean. The risk of crossing purgatory with a seraph, it's less than strategic. And certainly when we have no reason to believe I can pass through the door you're headed for."

Finally, they agreed on something. Not one to waste an opportunity, Benny explained, "See, you're an intact, living human being stuck in purgatory's craw. This dimension wants to spit you out. Which is exactly what's gonna power out escape pod. Now, I'm pretty sure I can squeeze through too because after all, you take away the fangs and the fun, I was born human too." Turning his attention to the angel, he started to continue, "But- "

"I don't think it will work for me," Castiel finished for him.

"You hear what he's telling you?" Benny urged. "Your buddy is saying- "

"Listen to me you undead blood junkie," Dean warned turning hard eyes on him. "I'm the one with the mojo. I'm the one with the plan." Turning his attention back to the angel he continued, "Cas, we're gonna shove your ass back through the eye of that needle if it kills all three of us."

Benny fought the urge to roll his eyes. Something he'd never done before he'd gotten himself saddled with a human and their angel. "Obviously, I'm less than comfortable with that."

They'd returned to slogging their way onward when Dean asked grumpily, "What the hell do you know about the value of life? You're a vampire."

"Yep. And I think we both know which of our kids kills more humans."

The Crazy Aunt, who was right behind them, chose that moment to pipe up. "Well, statistically speaking, that'd be your- "

"Yes, thank you, Cas."

"I get it," Benny admitted. "You're worried what I might do if we make it topside. Then I'll start eating your little piggies. I already told you, man. By the time I got iced, I was strictly on blood transfusions. Donated blood. Not donated to me, I'll give you that, but I paid good black-market scratch for it."

"So, what is that, like the vampire zone diet?"

"Look, all I'm saying is that I started seeing something in humanity, okay?" He stopped, turning to face Dean as Castiel kept going. "Something that shouldn't be taken. I drink blood. I don't drink people."

"Why the hell should I believe you?"

"What does it matter what you believe? You've got your head so far up your ass, Dean, you don't even realize we're already done for. 'Angel knows it. We are never gonna make it with him next to us, glowing like a beacon."

"Do I need to remind you of our deal? Of what you committed to?"

"He is gonna get us killed!"

"We may get to test that theory."

Both of them turned to look at the angel, who had been looking to the sky.

"More monsters?" Dean asked.

"Leviathan."

Dean glanced at the sky. "Why don't you blip out of here?"

"They're too close, I can't. Run."

Benny hated having to run, but took off anyway. He guessed they made it a hundred feet before a comet of black goo hit the ground, cutting him and Castiel off from Dean, who was surprisingly fast for a human. He and the angle skidded to a stop as the goo formed a crouching male, dark eyes raising to them as an angry growl hissed in his throat.

"Oh great." Dean, who'd also stopped, sounded more inconvenienced than anything else.

This brought him to the leviathan's attention, and he started stalking towards the human. Benny turned as the angel started going the other way, only to stop as a second comet hit the ground. This one morphed into a female, her attention on them. Or more specifically, on Castiel. She was on him before either of them could move, slamming him flat to the ground. Benny spared a glance back at Dean, who was cutting off the leviathan's head and stabbing him for good measure, then sighed. As much as it would make his life easier to let this angel get eaten, he also knew that it wouldn't sit well with his conscious. What's more, it would also cement Dean's loyalty to him.

So as the female reared her head back, jaws and forked tongue coming out in a gruesome display, Benny took her head off with one swing. Her body fell sideways, and Castiel stared up at him with wide, surprised eyes. As he slowly sat up, Benny reached a hand down. The angel grasped it, still watching him as the vampire helped him to his feet. He seemed to be wondering why Benny had saved him, not that the vampire was going to tell. When he turned back to Dean, it was to find him wearing a wide-eyed expression. Right then Benny knew he'd made the right call. Not just because he knew Dean wouldn't kill him now, but because he wasn't sure the human would have kept going if he'd let the angel die. He knew that look, knew the expression behind it. It was what he'd felt, right before they'd cut off his head, as the old man had torn into Andrea's throat.

None of them said anything, just pressed onward. At least there was a lull after that, only a wraith and a rugaru or two crossing their path. They were finally able to make serious headway, and before long Benny knew the gate wasn't far.

"We're getting close."

"Really? I don't see crap. What the hell is this escape hatch supposed to look like?"

"He doesn't know," Castiel deadpanned.

"Hey, you just drug me through fire. Please tell me you know."

"It's here. They promised."

"Oh, they?" Dean demanded incredulously. "Oh, that's comforting."

"Well, even if it does exist- "

"Broken record, Cas," Benny interjected wearily. He was half interested to see if either would balk at his barrowing Dean's nickname for the angel. They didn't seem to. Maybe others had used it on the outside, then.

"Dean, it's a human portal." Apparently he wasn't as resigned to the human's stubbornness as the vampire was. "There's still no proof that an angel can pass."

"Stow it, Cas. You're coming. That's final."

"I'm just saying…" Benny kept going as the angel put a hand on Dean's shoulder, stopping him, but his vampiric-boosted hearing was still able to pick up on their words. "…if it doesn't work…thank you. For everything."

"Save the Hallmark. Okay? It's gonna work. Nobody gets left behind."

They'd caught up to him, pressing on and getting even closer before Castiel continued his insistents. "Maybe you were lied to. Maybe there is no seam."

Benny spared him a brief glance. "I lie, I don't get lied to. Aren't you guys all about faith?"

"Not particularly."

They'd slowed to a stop, all of them able to feel it now. It was close, this seam. It took a moment, but Benny saw it. A ripple in space at the top of a rise, leaves and brush drifting towards it, disappearing in a faint flicker of light. Their way out.

"Oh, ye of frigging little faith," he drawled, lips curling in a relieved smile.

"What the hell?" Dean muttered.

"There it is. It's reacting to you," Castiel noted.

Benny exchanged a look with Dean, who gave a faint nod and set down his primary weapon, drawing out a smaller blade. "Alright, you ready? Just like we talked about." He rolled up the sleeves over his left arm, baring his forearm and making a cut across the middle.

"'Putting a lot of trust in you, brother," the vampire reminded him, chin dipping in a nod of recognition.

Dean returned the gesture, saying, "You earned it." He caught Benny's arm, making a similar cut on his forearm.

Once it was done, Benny grasped the cut in the human's arm, Dean doing the same to his. "I'll see you on the other side," the vampire reminded him.

Dean began the incantation, and Benny grimaced as he felt it start to work, even before the short spell was done. The moment it was, though, his back arched as heat lit his veins. It was an odd sensation, being reduced to a mess of fire and smoke and sucked beneath the skin of a human. He had a vague sense of awareness, but nothing more. After a moment he realized there was a secondary awareness, likely coming from outside Dean's flesh. Having his sleeve pulled down, feeling his heart pumping as they started up the hill.

They didn't seem to get far before there was a jolt, and Benny got that familiar sense of battle. Again. Great. He didn't think much about it, he doubted Dean was going to let himself get killed in the home stretch. Even in this state he felt the faint pull of their escape hatch.

They were in it now. He could feel it. At last. Then, right before they were sucked through, the broiling mess of anger and desperation morphed into despair. Right then Benny knew Dean's angel hadn't made it. Something confirmed when, after what seemed like an eternity, he found himself being poured back into his old body. It was almost odder on the flip side, being rebuilt. The moment he opened his eyes the first thing Benny did was scramble out of his grave, putting some distance between him and it before taking a look around.

The old field was overgrown, but the graves were apparently intact. Dean was leaning against a now ancient windmill, catching his breath, wrapping a scrap of cloth around the wound in his arm. There was no sign of Castiel. Considering he'd put all that effort into trying to talk Dean around, to convince him it wouldn't work, the vampire did feel regret. If only because he knew how it felt, to lose the one you loved, to have them torn away from you.

Dean finally turned to look back at him, saying, "Well that was fast."

Choosing not to go poking at a raw wound, instead of asking after Castiel he drawled, "No thanks to you. The hell took you so long?

The human made a face, dragging himself to his feet. "You're welcome."

Benny cracked a smile at that, then rolled his neck experimentally.

"Everything working?"

"Good enough." He let out his fangs for good measure. Yep, everything seemed to be in working order. Everything as intact as the day he'd died, more in fact, considering his head was attached. "So, what now?"

"Like we talked about, I guess."

Benny nodded slowly. "Then this is goodbye." He was almost giddy, realizing they'd actually done it. They'd managed what had only been rumored before, getting out of purgatory in one piece.

"Keep your nose clean, Benny, you hear me?"

The vampire nodded slowly, then stepped forward to grasp his hand in farewell. "We made it, brother. I can't believe it."

He chose to ignore the pain that flickered in Dean's eyes, for all he seemed equally relived, returning the vampire's brief embrace.

"You and me both," Dean agreed.

It seemed he'd never hear their story after all, unless they met up again down the road after the pain had eased. For all he'd been against it, now he felt remorse Dean's angel hadn't made it. The next time he got a drink, alcohol not blood, he'd pour some out for the Crazy Aunt.

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