Hell, Crowley liked him from the beginning, and Crowley is one of those guys who first hate everyone until they prove themselves to him. Before Cas came along, Dean held the record after which he was treated like an actual human being again – three weeks.

Cas, though... well, he snapped after one week of working with Crowley, one day answering, “Crowley, I can handle the fucking stretcher” in a completely calm tone that indicated he might as well gut him while he was at it when Crowley tried to admonish him, and he’s trusted the angel ever since.

It soon turned out that Dean and Cas are well suited to work together (and maybe – but no, Dean won’t think of that, he shouldn’t).

True, Dean was a bit wary in the beginning. For example, angels are not familiar with death. They know the concept of course, and they realize that if they locate to earth permanently they will grow out and cease to be eventually (which means that many of them just stay long enough to see the first signs of aging and proceed to hightail it back to Heaven) but few get what it really means.

So he was a little nervous when he was partnered with Cas the day the angel saw his first dead body. Part of him expected him to flee right there. Still, he’s nothing if not patient when it comes to his job, so he slowly led Cas to the body they had been called to.

An old man. He must have passed peacefully in his sleep. Dean was glad that was Cas’ first body, at least.

“Go ahead” he said gently. “Touch his hand. You’ll have to get used to it.”

Cas nodded and almost reverently reached out for the old man. Then, he closed his eyes and quietly prayed for him.

Dean was a gone right there and then. Not that anyone knows... Apart from his brother. He never could keep things from Sam. He’s been trying to get Dean to ask Cas out.

As if an honest-to-God angel would ever choose to date him. Dean knows that, no matter how much good karma he builds up with his job, he’s ninety percent crap. Plus, staying with him would mean that Cas indeed chooses Heaven over earth, and he’s not at all sure he’s comfortable with a guy literally dying out of love for him.

So he says nothing, just quietly admires Cas as they work together.

They make a great team, everyone knows it.

Everyone except their supervisor Lilith.

Dean knows Crowley has been after her job for a while now. The day he throws her of the throne cannot come soon enough.

She’s annoying, impolite, doesn’t care one bit about either the EMTs or patients, and only works at their place at all for her pay check every month.

Dean thought she hit rock bottom a while back, when she berated Cas for finding exactly one Feather on the bunk he’d collapsed on the previous day after a forty-hour shift.

But this might just take the cake.

Pie.

Whatever.

“Lilith” he says slowly, massaging his temple with his right hand, “Are you telling me you want Cas in the back with Ruby Cassidy?”

Ruby Cassidy is by no means a stranger to them. The pure girl was diagnosed with schizophrenia years ago, and there seem to be a few other mental disorders thrown into the mix as well.

She’s attacked at least four EMTs in the last year alone.

And here’s the thing: when she did, she claimed that they were angels and needed to be eradicated.

For some reason, she really hates angels.

And now there’s an actual angel on their team, and Lilith wants him of all people to ride in the back with Ruby.

“He’s our newest EMT” she explains to him, as if they’re on freaking Survivor and have to strategize who to eliminate.

“So you’re saying he’s expendable?” Dean fumes. Angel or not, EMT or not, Cas is a wonderful person, and even if he weren’t, he should still be protected by his own freaking boss. And Dean has met Ruby several times without being attacked; certainly it would be better if he were to ride with her.

“I am saying if something happens we won’t lose a well-trained operative.”

Well-trained. Of course Cas is well-trained. Anyone who makes it through the training is well-trained, for crying out loud. Dean’s old instructor Bobby made that pretty clear.

But there’s no arguing with Lilith, and soon enough, Dean is driving the car, Cas in the back.

He pretends that he isn’t nervous as hell. They gave Ruby a sedative before she even met Cas, and she was calm when she saw the wings, so he really hopes...

There’s a soft giggle from back and the hair on Dean’s neck rises. Then he hears Cas’ gentle murmur and knows everything’s fine. For now.

When they arrive at the hospital, Dean breathes a sigh of relief and hurries to help Cas.

“Really, Dean, I’m fine” he immediately assure him when they are alone. “She wanted to touch my wings.”

“She wanted to... what?” It’s not like Dean has wished for the opportunity almost from the first moment he ever laid hands on the black shiny feathers. He assumed it was taboo to even ask. How could he demand to touch something so beautiful?

“I think she’s actually jealous of us. She wished to fly. She told me herself.”

He can only nod.

“Dean” Cas says, suddenly nervous, “I didn’t do anything wrong, did I?”

“No, why would you think – “

“That’s your unhappy face.”

Dean takes a deep breath. “Cas, it’s the whole situation, alright? Yes, everything worked out fine, but she could just as easily have attacked you.”

Cas nods. “Thank you for looking out for me.”

Dean smiles. “You know I always do.”

“Yes” and Cas gives him one of his happy smiles, the kind that makes Dean’s heart beat faster and his throat constrict, and then suddenly Cas reaches out with his right wing and gently strokes his cheek.

“Thank you.”

Dean doesn’t know what to say, so he just stands there, trying to swallow the lump in his throat.

Cas withdraws his wing. “We should get back to base.”

Dean nods, still feeling the soft touch of feathers on his cheek.

When they return, they find Crowley fuming. “Is it true?”

“Is what true?”

“Did Lilith use Cas as a human shield? Angelic shield. Whatever.”

“Something like that” Dean replies before Cas can, “Thank God Ruby was under drugs and rather enamoured by his wings.”

Crowley chuckles but is serious again in an instant. “But Lilith gave the order? She made you ride in the back?”

“Yes” Cas confirms.

Crowley nods and is gone.

“What do you think he’s going to do?”

“He’s after Lilith’s job; it’s rather easy to imagine” Cas says simply, “Although I’m not sure how to feel about it.”

“Cas, she made you –“

They were interrupted by Lilith leaving the base.

“Lilith” Cas calls out, clearly trying to see if she was worried about him. Turns out she wasn’t. She doesn’t even acknowledge them properly.

“Quite frankly” Dean tells him, “Anytime Crowley wants to take over is fine by me.”

Cas nods, clearly troubled.

“Hey” Dean says, laying a hand on his shoulder, “You did good tonight, alright? In fact, you did great. Our shift’s almost over. I’ll buy you a beer later, alright?”

“Alright” Cas confirms, his eyes shining, and Dean does his best not to remember the smile from before, or the touch of –

He clears his throat and steps away.

Over a few beers that night, they talk of their families, and Cas’ voice become wistful and gentle as he talks about the angels he left behind to live and die on earth, but there’s no regret. Dean answers honestly that he could never imagine leaving Sam behind, but the angel just tells him “I know. You love too strongly for that” and Dean almost, almost says it, confesses to the sin of loving something so pure, so good.

This night, he goes home alone, as always, so he should be used to it, but his place feels lonelier than ever before.

Crowley makes is move a few days later. Dean should probably have been expecting it, but he’s still tired since e only got four hours of sleep last night (the Skype call with Sam was still worth it, though) and trying to wake himself up with coffee.

“Lover boy isn’t working today I see, or he’d be by your side as always.”

“What do you want” he just mumbles tiredly.

Crowley raises an eyebrow. “Don’t look so sad Squirrel, I’m sure he still loves you.”

Dean doesn’t reply.

“So” Crowley finally declares, breaking the silence, “This is it.”

“This is –“ before Dean can finish his question, Crowley dramatically pulls out a scroll and just... lets it unravel.

“Dude. We’re not in an Indiana Jones movie. How many feet – “

“I am quite as handsome as Harrison Ford, just so you know. And this is a 7 feet long list of grievances against Lilith, already signed by the majority of EMTs working here.”

“You are actually gonna send this in?”

“I’ll hand-deliver it. I can’t risk anyone destroying this beauty through incompetence. Will you sign? The story of her forcing Cassie to possibly die for a good cause is right at the bottom.”

Of course he signs, even though he still thinks the scroll is a tad overdramatic. But Crowley knows what he’s doing.

“Alright, now all we need is the angel’s scrawl and we’re good.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Dean asks. Many of the higher-ups don’t think much of Castiel joining their ranks.

Crowley shrugs. “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”

And that’s that. He catches Cas at another time, it seems, because when Dean next partners with the angel, he says, “I think I underestimated Crowley.”

Dean’s pretty sure most of them did that, in the beginning, but then, they did the same with Cas.

Still – he never thought the guy would work that quickly, but a week later Lilith’s been given the boot, and they are celebrating their new supervisor don’t-call-me-Fergus-if-you-want-to-live Crowley.

“On this most auspicious of days, may I bring a toast” Crowley finally declares. It’s pretty later, and some of them who have the early shift went home long ago, but both Dean and Cas have the day off tomorrow, thank God.

He obediently raises his glass, blushing as he feels Cas’ wing brush his side.

“Here’s to Winchester finally admitting that he wants to sail off into the sunset with our very own angel”.

And just like that, he’s in the spotlight.

Cas turns to him, frowning.

“I can’t sail – “

And maybe he can save this after all –

“Oh for God’s sake” Crowley groans. “Winchester’s in love with you, Feathers. Have I made that clear enough?”

Dean can’t breathe.

“Dean? Is it true?”

There’s no point in lying. He squeezes his eye shut and nods.

He’s not entirely sure what happened, but the next thing he knows, he’s pressed against the bench he’s sitting on and Cas is kissing him within an inch of his life, and he’s pretty sure there are some catcalls, but who freaking cares?

Cas pulls back, his eyes shining. “Dean – will you fly with me?”

Dean’s heart beating fast. If an angel asks a human to fly with them, that’s it. They have chosen them as their equal, their partner, their one and only.

“Of course, Cas” he says roughly and then he’s enfolded in Cas’ wings and nothing else matters.

Whenever Dean’s name was mentioned to the businessman Crowley, who was voted “most likely to succeed” in the same year the Winchester left and has since done everything to prove he deserves the title, he’d shake his head and smile a secretive, smug smile. Why, people didn’t understand. Then again, their friendship always was baffling to most. Why would the never-do-well and the clever ambitious student get along in the first place?

The point is: Dean Winchester was never supposed to come back, and if he did, certainly not as their very own fire chief. If anything, people thought he’d come back as the drunkard his father was, once upon a time.

Sure, they knew Sam and him made contact a few years ago, and that their relationship has by all appearances progressed well, even though he sadly kept silent about it. Now, he’s all smiles and furnishing the house next to his and Sarah’s.

People are curious. Of course they are.

But not even the nosiest could have anticipated Dean Winchester breezing back into town in the same car he left in, a cheeky grin on his face and his husband at his side.

Husband.

Dean Winchester has a husband.

Dean Winchester, who had a different girl on his arm every week, who was the prom king to Lisa Braeden’s queen, who never even looked at another man that way, as far as people know.

His old man wouldn’t have been happy about it, that’s for sure.

The people soon learn that Crowley knew all about that. As he tells Meg in the grocery store (and if he didn’t want people to hear, he really shouldn’t talk about it in public, he’s live in the town his whole life, he knows), “Four years now. Dean was still too stupid to contact his brother, and they needed a best man... how could I have said no?”

The people listen, but they don’t learn more about the enigma that is Castiel Winchester.

They know he’s an EMT, and that he and Dean met on the job.

From what Doctor Moseley says, he’s good at his job. Anna, his partner, knows a bit more; seems he’s quite and efficient, minds his own business.

All in all, he sounds like the complete opposite of Dean, who’s already reacquainting himself with their hometown and throwing out invitations to a house warming party left and right.

People are curious, and so they flock to the Winchester house –

The new Winchester house. They haven’t quite gotten used to there being two of those yet.

That one party is enough to make one thing very obvious.

The elder Winchester and his husband are over-the-heels, passionately, irrevocably in love.

Many a young woman can remember going on a date with Dean (it should be awkward to make small talk with Castiel but isn’t) but he never looked at a single one of them as he does at his husband. They get lost in each other’s eyes for minutes at a time. Then there are the casual touches, the gentle smiles.

“You think that’s bad?” Crowley comments to one of his and Dean’s old high school teachers. “Should’ve seen them when they first met. So much pining going on.”

Someone reminds him he wasn’t even living in the same city as them, then.

He rolls his eyes.

“Skype is a wonderful invention, my dear”.

Life goes on.

People talk. People watch.

And they learn.

They learn that Cas is quiet while Dean is loud, that he’s friendly and has a strange sense of humour, and most importantly that he is a good neighbour.

They also learn that Dean Winchester, the same Dean Winchester who parents used to warn their daughters about, is the best fire chief they’ve ever had; and that Cas is quite as adept at his job as his husband.

This doesn’t mean they gossip any less about the fact that Dean and Cas make sure their small town gets its very first pride parade or that, two years later, they adopt twin boys.

People talk. It’s what people do.

More screaming. A smell of fire.

Dean turns and lets all of his attention settle on Sam, whose eyes are closed and whose breathing is shallow.

“Hey,” Dean says urgently, kneeling over his brother, gently patting his cheek. “Hey, hey Sammy, you in there? You with me? Come on, open those pretty eyes for me. You think you can do that? Come on Sammy.”

Sam inhales deeply, intensely. His eyes flutter open and then back closed.

Dean reaches out and holds them open. The pupils are unfocused; not enough light in the space for them to shrink or respond at all.

“Hey,” Dean says. “Hey, Sam, come on. Open up.”

Sam’s eyes open, but they’re still unfocused. “Don’ wanna, Dean,” he slurs. He sounds so small all of the sudden. Like a little boy. “Don’ feel good.”

“I know,” Dean soothes. “I know. But I’ve got to make sure you’re okay, little brother.”

“Don’ make me go to school,” Sam slurs. “Don’-don’ want to go.”

Dean huffs a laugh. There is no humor in it.

“Shit,” he says. “I guess that answers my question about what year it is. Hey, can you tell me how many fingers I’m holding up for me?” Sam looks at them for a long time before his face cracks and he says, “Stop moving them, Dean, I can’t count that fast.” Sounds like he’s about to cry.

“Okay, Sammy, okay,” Dean says. “Okay. It sounds like you’ve got a nasty concussion right now, okay? I need you to stay awake for me while I call someone. Can you do that? Can you stay awake?”

Sam begins to nod but stops. “Feel dizzy,” he says.

“Yeah, I know, baby boy,” Dean says. “Just stay awake, okay? Gonna make a phone call. Just listen to my voice.”

“Okay,” Sam sighs. The word sounds heavy in his mouth, breathed roughly and tiredly.

“Hey,” Dean says into the phone. “Sam’s taken a bad fall. I need some help.”

“Dean,” Sam says, urgently. “Dean, I’m gonna throw up.”

“Okay, Sammy, okay,” Dean says, putting the phone down to help his brother sit up and over, so he doesn’t vomit on himself or such that he would suffocate.

Sam pukes and blood comes up with it.

“Shit,” Dean hisses. “Shit, okay. Hey, Sammy, I need you to stay awake for me okay?”

Sam’s eyes have rolled back into his head. Distant.

Bobby is practically screaming into the other end of the phone, but Dean doesn’t hear him. Dean doesn’t care. He’s got to take care of Sammy, got to make sure he’s alright. He hangs up and dials Nine-One-One frantically, all while trying to talk to Sam, to keep him present and at least somewhat responsive.

This isn’t what’s going to happen. This isn’t what happens to Sam. This isn’t his end.