Sorry its late and short. i really need to work on making these chapters longer ugh.

Dean woke with a start and his mouth tasted like something had died in it overnight. He groaned and massaged his neck which was all locked up from spending the night in an awkward angle against the car window. His head pounded with a hangover, his vision blurred and his voice croaky. He looked to his side and saw a sleeping Castiel, his chest falling and rising softly as he breathed in the crisp morning air. The parking lot was empty and the Impala's radio read 6:14am. Dean straightened his body out so he could access his pocket. He pulled out his phone and found he had three missed called from an old friend of his; Garth.

Dean sighed and reached across the console to gripped Cas' shoulder. He shook him awake until a bleary eyed Castiel stared at him from under his droopy lids.

"What, Dean?" he slurred his words and rubbed his eyes with a lazy hand, yawning after he had finished.

"We gotta head out. Anything you need before we leave here?"

"No, not really," he answered.

"You positive?"

"Yeah yeah, I'm fine. What are we doing today?"

"Looks like we're going to see an old friend of mine," Dean signed and pressed the call button on his phone. After 4 rings a disgruntled Garth answered, sounding out of breath.

"Yeah, what?"

"Uh, Garth? That you?"

"Yeah who else would it be? Where were you last night?" his voice sounding accusing as he continued to pant.

"Uh, what did I miss last night?" Dean was unsure of where this conversation was going. Garth was a very confused individual.

"My car broke down, man! Totally blew a casket or some crap!" Dean pulled the phone away from his ear when Garth's voice peaked as he shouted about how useless his vehicle was.

"Okay okay we're on our way, calm down. Where are you?"

Garth's stopped shouting and caught his breath. "Side of the damn road. 40 miles up the road from the international parkway on interstate 635."

"Alrighty we just went through Arkansas so we're not too far away. See you soon, Garth," Dean hung up, hung his head and turned the ignition sideways. The engine roared to life and he looked over at Castiel who was yawning again, his arms above his head. Dean grinned and looked away, his mood infinitely better as he realised his best friend was with him again. He honestly couldn't believe it.

"Dean," Castiel said, turning his head from the window to look at Dean who was singing along with the radio. He clicked it off and looked back at Cas, his expression thoughtful.

"Uh yeah?"

"Why did you remember me all this time?" Cas titled his head to the side, his eyes unwavering as he stared contentedly at Castiel.

"I uh, I suppose it's because no one ever really replaced you, yknow? After you left I didn't really have anyone… so, yeah. I guess that'd be why," Dean tried to avoid eye contact, which thankfully was easy since he was driving.

"Why didn't you have anyone else, Dean?" Castiel sounded sincere, his voice somehow softer.

Dean shifted, his eyes glancing between the road and to his side where Castiel was still watching him. "I wasn't overly popular, Castiel," came Dean's cold reply. He didn't want to talk about his school years that Castiel wasn't around to help him.

"I see. I wish I could have stayed with you, Dean."

Dean felt his stomach lift at these words, fighting a smile that he could feel building up.

"How do you know you would have wanted that back then? Maybe you couldn't behave been more glad to be rid of me, for all you know, Cas," Dean tried to keep things from getting to touchy with his goofy smile and offhand tone of speaking.

"I just feel like you would have been my best friend, too, Dean."

Silence followed as they sat quietly thinking about what the other had said, but it wasn't long until Dean's thoughts came back to rest on the murder suspicions. He obviously doesn't know about it but should I be the one to tell him? What if he doesn't believe me and goes to the police to catch me out on it? What if he gets arrested? No. It's been 6 years. The true offender must have been caught by now. He should be in the clear, I mean, 6 years is more than long enough to find a murder suspect that isn't even hiding. Isn't it?

Dean decided not to tell Cas for fear of upsetting him. Castiel could never kill anyone and so there was no reason to upset him with something that no longer concerned either of them.

"So. How's life been with Anthony and Marianne?" Dean asked, grinning as he looked over at Cas.

"Oh it's been good I guess. I mean, I have nothing to compare it to so I can't really give an accurate response. But I help out with the animals and such when Anthony needs my assistance," he ended his sentence with a slight nod of his head, now looking back towards the road. "So how about you? What have you been up to these past years?"

"I uh. I lost my dad. Couple years after you left. Been living with a family friend ever since. Working for him, yknow; fixing cars and such. He runs his own business. My brother Sam still goes to school. I'm proud of him… he's gonna be a lawyer," Dean smiled to himself, thinking about Sam and despite his horrible start in life without a mother and then without a father, he's done pretty damn well for himself.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed me, Dean." Castiel looked back at Dean who refused to take his eyes off the road. No chick flick moments was a motto Dean lived by.

"Yeah well, wasn't your fault, Cas. Something things just happen."

Things went quiet and Dean put the radio back on until they finally after hours of driving, found Garth, asleep in the front seat of his beaten up van, shoes on the dashboard, radio playing some stupid song from the 90's.

Dean grabbed Garth's boot and shook it until he was awake and swearing. He laughed as Garth tried to compose himself.

"Where the hell do you even live anymore, Garth?" Dean asked, still chuckling.

"Not far from here. I just wanted to buy some bread but this stupid piece of crap broke down." Garth kicked the tire and he swore again, now hopping up and down cradling his foot.

Dean laughed at his expense and called a local road side assistance company whose number he found on a brochure in the glove box of Garth's van. Soon enough after paying about 100 bucks, Cas and Dean were back in the Impala, following a tow truck containing a very irritable driver and an annoying Garth.

The radio was off and Dean was still musing over Garth's injured foot when Castiel turned to him.

"I'm glad you found me again, Dean."