Disclaimer: They aren't mine, but honestly they have been so beautifully written I am quite grateful for that fact. I am momentarily borrowing with the greatest of respect and recieve nothing, but pleasure from writing this.

Dorks with Wings and Freaks in Impala's

Dean stood in his backyard just gazing up at the stars that lay in the seemingly vast expanse of sky known as space. He wasn't sure how long it had been since Sammy left, maybe it was mere moments, maybe hours. But what he was certain of through all the pain and betrayal was that he was elated. Simply happy. This weight had been lifted off his shoulders, a rock rolled off his chest; he could breathe again. Not these ragged, strangled breaths that had been sustaining him for the past year, but heaps of nice, beautiful, fresh air filling his lungs. He couldn't stop himself from taking these huge gulps of air, his brother wasn't trapped in Hell, little Sammy was going to be okay.

After he allowed the relief to sweep over him and soak into his very bones, he admitted the curiosity and anger. Sammy had been alive, almost this entire time and he had been running around like a fucking chicken with head cut off, having way to many damn chick flick moments to even remember, and nightmares that rivaled Hell itself. And he was only person who had been left in the dark. Bobby knew. He was sure other hunters knew. These Campbell people who claimed they were 'family' knew. Hell, he bet even Cas knew and hadn't bothered to pop in and tell him, the son of a bitch.

When he finally looked down from the stars he came face to face with the angel in question. And even though a year had passed since he last saw him that quizzical look it was as familiar as though it were only yesterday.

"Damn it, Cas, what the hell are you doing here?" he inquired slumping down into the chair that was behind him and popping open a beer from the ice-chest beside it.

"I heard you call for me," was his simple answer, head cocking to one side as if this were some sort of quiz and Dean really should have known the answer.

"Might want to get your angel-dar checked, you must be confusing me with someone else."

"Dean, though I am unsure what this angel-dar you speak of is, I can assure you that I know exactly whom requires my assistance and when, and you called so here I am."

"Well thanks a lot, Yoda. You are about one-year and a brother who isn't in Hell too late."

"Sam has visited you?" Castiel inquired finally bending down into a somewhat kneeling position before Dean, confused etched on his face.

"So you did know. All this time, you knew and you didn't care enough to pop down here and go, Oh yeah, Dean, I know that this is KILLING you, but no worries Sam is still ALIVE!" Dean yelled jumping out of his chair and almost knocking Castiel down as he flew past him to stare at the sky again, really to stare anywhere but at the two blue eyes that always seemed to be probing into his mind. He needed somewhere to look that didn't invade his space, somewhere so that Cas didn't see the silent tears that were beginning to try to roll down his cheeks.s.

"I have always cared, Dean. That's been the problem," Castiel stated quietly walking up behind him.

"If you cared, then why did you let me go through a YEAR, Cas, a whole damn year thinking Sammy was in Hell?"

"Sam requested that I didn't disturb you and though I never answered him directly and led him to believe I had simply ignored him I came anyway, but when I did you were at a baseball game with Lisa, watching a young boy play with a smile on your face. You were happy, Dean. And I know you were tortured, but I didn't want to deny you at least a chance at what you've always wanted. A normal life."

"That's everyone's excuse, but let's get real, Cas. You all knew that sooner or later something was going to come after me. I'm a fucking Winchester for crying out loud, these sons of bitches target us. So yes, this year I had some moments that rival the happiest of my life, but I was never completely happy because I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Everything in my life so far has told me that Winchesters don't get to live a normal life. We're cursed, or blessed, or some crazy messed up shit like that. And you all knew, crappy excuses, semblance of a normal life shit you want to throw at me, you KNEW they and eventually YOU were coming back for me, so why bother? To make it harder to leave when I know that is what's best, what I should do. To make my life an even bigger hell than it has to be?"

"Dean, we just wanted you to be happy. Or as close to happy as you could be. I know you don't understand it and I know you will never accept it, but at least try to make peace with it."

"But...I don't belong," Dean muttered half expecting Cas to have performed another angelic disappearing act.

"I don't understand," Castiel stated simply moving in front of Dean and forcing him to look at him.

"I'm pissed because I don't belong here. I guess a part of me always knew that. I'm a Winchester for crying out loud, normal shouldn't even be in our vocabulary; but I never had it, and I guess people always want what they can't have, right? Human nature and all that crap Sammy always seems to be droning on about. I love them, Cas. Dammit, I do, but what kind of life is this for them. They weren't meant to be a part of it. It isn't their destiny."

"I thought you were all for free-will and people deciding their own destinies," Castiel inquired marveling a little at how much Dean had grown in a year, though he'd been watching from afar all this time; it was nice to see up close. Kind of like seeing Haley's comet or something, he felt he was getting a chance few people ever got and he needed to look hard right now because sooner than he could blink, or Jimmy could blink rather since angels themselves have no disposition to blink, Dean would be building up the old walls and probably enforcing these more than he ever had before.

"For some reason this past year I've been thinking, maybe free-will is just a hands-on form of destiny. Maybe God knew what would happen all along. I mean if he is as great as you claim he is, he had to know neither Sammy or I would take being Lucifer and Michael's vessels lying down. That is of course assuming God is real."

"And for a moment, I was going to be proud of you."

"Ehhh well, Cas, couldn't let that happen could I, pretty sure it's a sign of the apocalypse or something," Dean said smiling over at Castiel. Somehow between the time they first met and now they had become friends, he wasn't exactly sure when the line had blurred, but he was grateful it did.

"You believe something is different about Sam; you question his return." Castiel suddenly stated, knowing if he was not the one to verbalize these thoughts they may end up being just another nightmare in the life of Dean Winchester, and he deserved a peaceful nights sleep.

"It just doesn't add up, and he's different; off. I would know, spent most of my life with the kid, hell I raised that kid."

"I believe you."

"But you have no idea how he got out either do you?" Dean stated, finally allowing the question he feared to see the light of day, or darkness of night; though that metaphor didn't seen as compelling.

"I'm sorry, I don't."

"And people think angels are these all powerful creatures. Personally, I see dorks with wings," Dean joked shaking his head at Castiel, who once again cocked his head to the side and Dean momentarily wondered if that would give him a crick.

"You are unable to see angel wings in most ordinary circumstances, they are very well hidden; in fact you would have to be standing at a certain trajectory or in a..."

Dean cut him by smacking him on the shoulder and laughing, a real deep laugh, the kind he hadn't laughed in over a year. "Like I said, dorks with wings, Cas, dorks with wings."

And while Dean was pretty sure that any moment Cas was going to say some nonsensical slew of words and disappear on him, he laughed and enjoyed this moment with an old friend. After all, the mystery, intrigue and horror would be there tomorrow; so for tonight he was going to be happy. His brother was alive, he was joking with an angel, and he was about to crank up the old Impala, so for tonight, in this moment he could throw his head back and laugh; life was good.

So that's all folks, hope you enjoyed it. I am not quite sure if I have the characters down, I wanted to keep it in character; but as I said, they are such awesome characters and for me a bit difficult to write so please leave a review, they are like candy without the needless calories :)