DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own Supernatural...or Castiel...or Dean...or even Sam... Of course if I did then it probably wouldn't be able to air on television ;-)

SPOILERS: Takes place sometime after 5.10 Abandon All Hope

ɋɳɠɵɭ ɭɷɤɩɳ'

҉҉҉ Chapter One ҉҉҉

Castiel was in the room. Dean felt his presence without fully understanding how. Sometimes he thinks that Cas just didn't put him back together quite the same, that perhaps he left something of himself behind… something more than his handprint.

Dean lies still wondering how long Cas had been there watching him sleep. While Dean always acts creeped out by this, on some level Dean knows that Castiel's presence holds his nightmares at bay. He brings Dean peace. On another level, Castiel makes Dean feel far more powerfully than he can bring himself to admit.

Dean rolls over and peers into the night, searching the darkness for the angel he knows is there. "Cas?" he whispers, not wanting to wake Sammy.

"Yes, Dean. I'm here."

"What's up?"

"You were having a nightmare," Castiel states in his normal, distracted voice.

"Exactly how long were you sitting there?"

Castiel looks away, not meeting Dean's gaze.

"Dude… that's creepy."

"So you have told me." Castiel looks back at Dean intently and even though he cannot clearly see his eyes in the darkened room, Dean knows that Cas is looking directly into his eyes. Dean shifts uncomfortably then sits up.

"So what brings you to the neighborhood? I'm sure you have better things to do than watch me sleep."

Cas tilts his head to the side studying Dean thoughtfully. Dean's eyes have adjusted better to the lighting and for a moment he could swear that Cas was thinking up an excuse. Castiel spoke slowly and calmly, "There's a town nearby that is rumored to be the current location of a weapon that might help stop the apocalypse."

"Do we need to leave right away? This is the first time Sammy has been able to sleep in a few days."

"It can wait until morning Dean." Castiel stood up and walked towards the bed and stretched his hand out.

Dean scrambled back, a terrified look on his face, "Cas! What the hell?"

"I was just going to help you go back to sleep," Castiel stated lowering his head with a hurt-puppy expression on his face.

"Dude," Dean said exasperated. "Don't do stuff like that without asking first! You can give someone the wrong idea."

"What idea is that, Dean?"

Dean couldn't help it. The moment Cas asked him about getting a wrong idea images flashed through his mind. Castiel reaching for his face… them leaning towards each other… their lips meeting… Dean pulling Cas onto the bed… It was kinda like the images he was faced with when he first learned of Chuck and found out about Wincest. Except for those images grossed him out beyond belief and these images… didn't.

"Dean?"

Dean jerked himself out of his wayward thoughts stammering "What? I wasn't thin- I didn't- What was the question?"

Castiel just tilted his head to the side and gazed at him thoughtfully, like Dean was some kind of puzzle to be taken apart and studied and then put back together again. Which is funny since Castiel might as well have done just that when he grabbed him tight and raised him from perdition and remade him.

Dean began to squirm where he sat on the bed. He opened his mouth, but was saved from whatever stupid comment he was going to say by Sam crying out in his sleep.

Sammy had been having nightmares about Lucifer taking control of his body. Dean met Castiel's eyes and tipped his head in Sam's direction. Immediately understanding, Castiel walked over to Sam's side and mechanically touched him on the forehead and Sam instantly stilled.

"How many times have you come in here and done that for me?" Dean asked, remembering all the times that his dreams had abruptly changed or stopped.

Castiel couldn't make himself meet Dean's eyes. He didn't like it when Dean was upset with him. He knew instinctively that Dean probably didn't really want to know the answer.

Peeking up at Dean sheepishly through his eyelashes, Castiel slowly took a breath then quickly states, "I have only done that to you six times."

"Six…but-" Dean thought of all of the times when he had been in the middle of Hell in his dreams and then suddenly wasn't. Sometimes he had woken up to find Cas there, other times he had slept soundly, dreamlessly or had peaceful dreams for the remainder of the night. If Cas didn't – "If it wasn't you all the time then who-" Having Castiel enter mine and Sammy's room unannounced was one thing, but… what else could it be but another angel?

"Dean, I am the only angel who has ever been present while you sleep."

"Then what Cas?"

Castiel knew that Dean would not let the issue drop at that. He swallowed nervously and averted his eyes, "When I am here your nightmares cease."

On some basic level Dean had suspected this, "So then why the six times?"

"The nightmares begin anew when I leave. I have had to use my grace to keep them at bay when I was forced to leave."

Dean decided to ignore the implication that Castiel spent all night, almost every night, watching him sleep. The fact that he was not entirely creeped out by this was something he did not want to explore.

"Are you sure that you want to sit up all night?" Dean asked, feeling guilty.

"Do you think I should stand?"

Dean chuckled softly. "Sammy kicks, but you can bunk with me if you'd like."

Castiel looked confused for a moment, but when Dean scooched over and held back the sheets, Cas walked over to the bed. Fully clothed, Castiel started to climb in.

"Dude, shoes?"

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Castiel looked down at his feet. When he didn't lean down to remove them, Dean prompted, "Take 'em off."

It took Dean about a minute of watching Castiel stare at his shoes to realize that Cas didn't know how to go about removing them.

"Can't you just angel mojo them off or something?" When Castiel didn't immediately respond, Dean got up and walked around the bed to get onto his knees and help Cas with his shoes. "Watch me do this so you can do it for yourself next time," Dean instructed, ignoring the fact that the only way that Castiel was going to need this particular skill again was if they did this more than once. Dean removed Castiel's shoes slowly, making sure that he could see the process clearly.

Dean looked up about to ask Cas if he thinks he's got it when he finally realized that he's almost eyelevel with Castiel's package. Standing up quickly, Dean gruffly asked, "Think you can do that by yourself next time?"

"Yes."

"'k." Dean looked at Castiel thoughtfully. Might as well do this right. "Stand up."

When Castiel got up and stood patiently in front of Dean, Dean leaned forward and divested Cas of his trench coat and tossed it onto the chair Cas had been sitting at earlier. Then he loosened Cas' crooked tie and gently pulled it loose before tossing it with the trench coat. Keeping his eyes studiously fixated on the task before him, Dean unbuttoned Cas' wrinkled white shirt then pulled it off and tossed it, missing the chair this time.

Dean glanced at Castiel's face. Castiel almost looked unaffected by this treatment. If it wasn't for him quickly averting his eyes when Dean looked at him… I wonder what he wouldn't let me do to- Dean cutoff the thought before it could fully form in his head.

Dean was tempted to stop there, but he had passed out in his clothes often enough to know how uncomfortable a belt could be. Alright, just the belt, Cas can sleep with his pants on. Who knows what would happen if I took it that far…

Castiel watched Dean's hands, trembling slightly as they reached for his belt. Dean was too intent in his task to notice Castiel's quizzical looks. Fumbling, it took Dean about a full minute to undo Cas' belt and pull it loose. As soon as the belt cleared the last loop, Castiel's too-loose pants slid to the floor. Dean found himself holding a belt, staring at Castiel standing in front of him in just boxers, socks, and a t-shirt. They stood there for some time. Castiel looking questioningly at Dean who was staring down at Castiel's pants pooled around Cas' feet.

Castiel could tell that Dean was breathing heavier than usual, and Dean had been standing still for a while. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen Dean's breathing so affected, even after a fight. When Dean let the belt slip out of his fingers onto the floor, Castiel asked "Are you unwell?"

Dean finally raised his eyes to meet Cas'. "Sorry, guess I'm more tired than I thought," he deflected. "Let's get some rest." Dean crawled into bed and again held back the covers for Castiel.

Castiel climbed in and laid down leaving no space between him and Dean.

What is it with Cas and personal space? As Dean opened his mouth, fully intending to tell Castiel to scooch over, he instead found himself saying, "Goodnight, Cas."

Dean tossed the sheets over Castiel and situated himself, closing his eyes and trying to go back to sleep. His entire left side burned with awareness where Castiel's body touched his.

Dude, I'm sick. It's Cas! He's a dude…well a dude shaped angel. That's even worse!

But wait. Anna was an angel…well not really. She tore out her grace so she could be reborn as human. Still she wasn't really human when he-

But…dude!

Stop thinking too much. That's Sammy's department.

Five minutes later, even more inappropriate thoughts flitting through his restless head, Dean whispered, "Cas. Angel whammy, please," he begged.

Without saying a word, Castiel gently touched two fingers to Dean's forehead, immediately sending him into a deep sleep.