A/N: Hey guys, I've decided I'll try and do this on weekdays except Wednesdays. Also fuck I'm not going to be able to make them a continuous story line, sorry. They'll likely just be snippets of AU's and things. Thank you for reading!

On this hunt Dean had nearly died.

That was the long and short of it. Not the normal 'nearly died' that was normally experienced by one of the brothers (and on rare occasion, both of them) bi hunt-ly, but a 'heart-stopped-was-actually-dead-for-a-full-minute' near death experience.

And Dean must be getting old, because he couldn't even lie to himself that he wasn't rattled.

Thank god (yes, absolutely little 'g'), Cas had been there to save his bacon.

But now… Dean was thinking.

Which was always a bad idea on his part.

He was stretched out on his bed shoes off and still stinking slightly. He hated the way his clothes clung to him but he was tired in that aching, boneless way where he just wanted to curl up and sleep. But his brain was in overdrive. Thinking. Pondering. Playing with what-if's in the dark motel room.

There was one question echoing around and around in his head in time with Sammy's snores.

What if I really had died?

Maybe he was whispering it aloud or something because the next thing he knew, the bed was dipping and Castiel was at his side, looking at the wall across from the bed. The wall was papered in a vibrantly visible 'red-with-large-hippo's wall paper and Dean was sort of glad it was too dark to see it properly.

"Do you really wish to know Dean?"

Cas still hadn't taken his eyes off the wall and Dean felt awkward just staring at him so he looked down at his hands.

"Depends on your answer Cas."

Cas got a faraway look in his already distant gaze. "You'll find yourself on top, as the leader of the flock."

Dean leaned in, confused. "I… Flock? Are you saying I'm going to be a bird?"

Castiel finally turned to face him. "No Dean. You will be an angel. Just as all vessels do."

Dean said nothing, his mouth hanging open. Cas took this as an indication to explain more. "A lower level angel. I myself was never a human. Nor was anyone on my angelic level. But others were, and you Dean, you will be the strongest of them all."

Dean shut his eyes before standing slowly. "Get out."

"I… Dean?" Dean couldn't meet Castiel's eyes. He knew they'd be large and blue and so, so lost just from the tone of his voice.

"Now."

He heard the air swirl around where Cas used to be and his shut his eyes and took a steading breath.

An angel.

He would turn into an angel when he died. That was beyond wrong. It was past weird.

To picture himself as one of them. Cold, unfeeling, dispassionate.

If there was one thing Dean was it was passionate.

He sat down; his head swimming with more thoughts than it had been before.

He was absolutely not sleeping tonight.