Fic: Destiny of a Hunter - Dean/Castiel - R - DCBB - 3/5
The Destiny of a Hunter 3/5
INFO
PART 2
Dean stood staring out of one of the top floor windows of the building, his thoughts went back to the day in the cemetery. The image of Sam taking a dive into the cage burned into his brain, playing on repeat, and the words Bobby spoke faded into the background.
"Did you hear me, Dean?" Bobby grabbed Dean by the arm to shake him out of his reverie.
Dean nodded, but his attention was still on the growing daylight outside. The sun was already starting to rise. Dean realized that he should have been on his honeymoon now. He and Lisa should have been driving up to the cabin they had booked for the weekend.
"This is an unexpected turn," Castiel said. He stood leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
"So you didn't know about this," Dean said, advancing on Castiel. His frustration and anger built with each step he took. He stopped in front of Castiel, trying to gauge the angel's reaction, uncertain as to weather he was telling the truth, or if he could be trusted now that Castiel served Heaven's interests.
Castiel straightened and stood with an air of defiance. "If I had known about this, I would have told you."
Dean sensed a defensive tone in his voice.
"Would you have?" Dean said. He leaned in closer until he captured Castiel's gaze. When Castiel looked away, Dean knew the truth. "You son of a bitch." Dean threw his arms out wide in frustration and turned his back on Castiel. "After everything we've been through, you couldn't tell me this."
"I..." Castiel reached for Dean's arm, but Dean swerved to avoid his touch.
"Don't," Dean said, pointing at Castiel. They both went silent, and then Dean glimpsed Bobby out of the corner of his eye. He could tell that the man wanted to say something, but Dean hoped for Bobby's sake that he knew better. "How long?" Dean closed in on Castiel and got inside his personal space, backing him up against the wall. He knew Castiel could take flight at any moment.
He also knew that he wouldn't.
"Almost a year," Castiel whispered the words so softly that Dean was sure he heard wrong.
"We don't have time for this," Bobby said. He reached for Dean, but Dean shrugged him off, turning a sneer on Castiel, who lifted his chin in the air and kept silent.
"We should go," Dean said, stomping across the room toward the door.
"We can't go," Bobby said. "We didn't do what we came here to do."
Dean paused in the hallway and took a deep breath. He spun on his heels and glared at Bobby. "You really think I care about that right now?" Even as he headed out of the room with the intention of leaving Castiel there, Dean realized it wasn't an option. As angry as he was with Castiel, the angel was their best weapon against whatever had decided to make Dean a target.
"Dean, you can't..." Castiel began, only to stop when Dean turned his glare on him.
"Don't you fucking tell me that I can't go search for my brother," Dean said. He paced away from Castiel, his frustration building at the time they were wasting. No one said anything and, finally, Dean stopped to look at Bobby then Castiel. "Fine, let's finish what we started here, and then we go after my brother," Dean said. He turned and rushed away from Bobby and Castiel before either of them had a chance to say anything.
Outside, the town was as silent as death. Time felt displaced again. The sun had risen, but there seemed to be a haze over them blocking its bright rays, leaching the color out of the town putting Dean even more on edge. Castiel paused and swept his gaze over the area. Dean could tell from his expression that something was up and motioned for Bobby to stay put.
"What is it?" Dean asked, cocking his weapon. Dean tucked the demon knife into his belt and the feel of the cold steel of the blade against his skin sent a thrill through him. It had been too long since he'd been on the hunt, and the adrenaline coursing through him felt exhilarating. A hunt was something Dean knew and could deal with, something he couldn't imagine ever giving up voluntarily. Except that was exactly what he'd done because of a promise to his brother, who was out there right now somewhere in this world and had been the whole time. Dean tried not to dwell on these thoughts, but they filled his mind even as he thought up possible strategies for what was coming.
"There is a presence that I recognize," Castiel said. When he started to walk west, Dean followed him. He couldn't understand why Castiel couldn't just whammy whatever was out there. Dean wanted it over fast so he could concentrate on finding his brother. The tension was driving him crazy.
Castiel stopped abruptly and Dean stopped just short of slamming into him.
"What...?"
Castiel raised a hand for silence, and Dean glanced back at Bobby, who shrugged his shoulders. Dean scoped out the area, but saw nothing out there to account for Castiel's actions. The air was as still as death, and a reason suddenly occurred to Dean.
"Is it reapers?"
Castiel shook his head absently, as though he were barely paying attention to Dean, then a scream filled the air. Dean was about to shout for something to attack already when Castiel started to move forward again in the direction of the sound. They stopped at the end of the main street, and Castiel stood at the crossroads. Dean stared down at the dirt road, a feeling of déjà vu stealing over him.
Everything happened at once. Dean felt the air molecules move before he saw the apparition rushing at him. He turned and fired the rock salt blast without a second thought and, just at the last moment, he realized that there was something else right behind the ghost. Dean stood frozen for a second, and the other specter smiled and waved at him before it vanished, hair swirling around her pretty face.
Dean lowered his weapon and stared with mouth hanging open.
"Jo?"
"Behind you, Dean," Castiel said.
Dean turned to see where Castiel was pointing and, sure enough, a pale wisp of smoke coalesced before them. Jo floated legless and pale, the marks of the hellhound scratches on her torso. Her hair was a matted tangled mess the color of ash, nothing like the shimmering blond Dean remembered. She smiled and then spun around to become solid long enough to grab hold of the desiccated corpse-like specter that was after them. The two vanished, but not before Dean saw Jo open her mouth in a silent scream.
Castiel vanished without warning, leaving Dean and Bobby again. Another apparition dove at him and Dean jumped out of the way, unable to get his shotgun up in time. He tucked, rolled, and came up shooting. The apparition exploded under the blast of rock salt. Moments after, Castiel reappeared. Dean scrambled back to his feet, and all three moved until they were all back to back facing the ghosts.
"Can't you just poof them away?" Dean asked Castiel.
"No," Castiel said. The air around them went still again, and Castiel faced the gossamer apparition of Jo. "If I did, then she would go with them." Castiel reached out and touched two fingers to Jo's cheek. There was a bright flash of light so blinding that Dean had to cover his eyes. When he lowered his hand, Jo wavered before Castiel, her eyes wide as she fell forward. Dean rushed forward and reached out to help, but Castiel shouldered him away. He lifted Jo into his arms and held her close to himself.
"What the hell," Dean said. He stared down at Jo. She looked solid.
"Now I can 'poof' them away," Castiel said. He handed Jo over to Dean and once Dean had her unconscious body safe in his arms, Castiel spun around and raised one hand at the advancing ghosts. Castiel muttered some words under his breath, and the ghosts' forlorn cries filled the air. They had no time to become solid forms before their transparent bodies disintegrated.
Dean lowered Jo to the ground, setting her down gently. He could not believe that she was solid now, but with Castiel, anything was possible. He looked to Bobby, who had crouched down beside them. Bobby reached out and touched a palm to her forehead.
"This is impossible," Bobby muttered.
"No," Castiel said. He took a deep breath and gave Dean that warning look which meant he was about to zap them somewhere else.
*
Dean paced back and forth across Bobby's living room. He wanted to be out there looking for his brother, but there was something in here that needed his attention first. Jo lay on the cot, unconscious since they'd returned. In the meantime, Bobby had done all the usual incantations and tests on her to be sure she wasn't some sort of demon or trick that would blow up in their faces.
"Would you stop doing that?" Bobby said. They were all on edge so Dean couldn't blame Bobby for snapping at him. "You're wearing a hole in my floor."
Dean walked to the side of the cot and sat down in the chair, staring down at Jo. He reached out to touch her cheek then withdrew his hand, feeling as though he didn't have a right to touch her. He'd gotten her killed and now through some insane fate, she was back. His mind kept boggling, going back to the glimpse he'd caught of the expression on her face when she became real again, and how simple it had been for Castiel to just touch her and bring her back to life.
He pushed those thoughts aside and turned his attention back to Jo. She was starting to waken, her brown eyes fluttering open, and Dean felt his heart speed up. He leaned forward to stare down at her, wishing his mouth weren't so dry. The moment their eyes met, Dean swallowed his words, unsure of what to say. 'Welcome back' somehow seemed too insensitive.
"Hey," Dean said with a faint smile.
She looked around the room with wild and terror-filled eyes. Dean could see her body tense and then relax.
"Dean," Jo said. Her voice cracked.
Dean reached for the glass of water and placed the straw to her lips. She took a sip and then pushed it away. Still avoiding her gaze, Dean set the glass down and then sat there, baffled as to what to say or do. He looked up to Bobby, who shrugged his shoulders and made no suggestion. Dean cleared his throat and returned his gaze to Jo.
"I was dead," Jo said with a feeble smile. She clutched at her head and flinched.
"Cas brought you back," said Dean quietly.
She tried to sit up, but winced and fell back. By her body language, Dean could see that she was exhausted and in some pain.
"Do you want me to get you anything?" Dean rushed to say as Bobby leaned in closer, peering right over Dean's shoulder. Standing, Dean moved away, allowing Bobby to slip into the spot he'd just vacated. Dean felt panicked and closed in, needing to get away. He paced across the room, glancing over a few times to watch as Bobby did what he could for Jo. He had his head bent close to Jo's, and there were whispered words that Dean couldn't make out from where he was standing.
Dean hoped they were better words than what he'd offered.
Stopping his nervous circling around the room, Dean leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. Every time Dean looked at Jo, he felt the same lump form in his throat, but he forced himself to watch Bobby smooth a comforting hand over her forehead. Her eyes fluttered shut but, just before they closed, they fell one last time on Dean and he wished he could understand what they were saying.
It was easier for him to sense Castiel before he heard the flutter of wings, and he turned his head to find Castiel standing at his elbow. "Hey, Cas," Dean said, too tired to chastise the angel for getting into his personal space. Castiel nodded at Dean then looked over at Bobby and Jo. The motion brought Castiel closer to Dean until their arms pressed together, and Dean slowly released a shaky breath.
"So what's up," Dean said. "You figure this out or are we still in the dark?" Dean waved a hand at Jo to indicate what he meant.
"It's complicated," Castiel said, turning his attention to Dean.
"It's always complicated," Dean said with resentment.
Bobby interrupted, glancing at his watch. "I'm bushed and it's getting late. I'm off for some shut eye." He turned to leave the room then pointed back at Dean. "You could use some beauty sleep too. You look like death warmed over."
Dean watched Bobby trudge out of the room and waited for his footsteps to fade. He cleared his throat and slid away from Castiel, turning to face him. He jerked his head and they moved out of the room together to leave Jo to sleep in peace, and then Dean closed the sliding doors to allow for privacy.
"Okay, spill," Dean said. He didn't wait long for Castiel to answer. "I know it's complicated, but I need to know what we're up against here. Is it related to the thing that has Lisa?" Dean leaned in closer, and forced Castiel to keep eye contact. He knew there was so much more going on than Castiel was letting on, but for some reason the angel was reluctant to spill it.
Dean searched Castiel's eyes. It was there again, the tension between them and that same feeling in the pit of his gut that he always got when he was this close to Castiel. It wasn't the time or the place, but Dean didn't care about that now. He reached up and cupped Castiel's stubble-covered cheek. His mouth felt dry all of a sudden and, when Dean licked his lips, Castiel's gaze followed the motion.
Dean could see the tension in Castiel fade. He leaned forward with eyes open, and placed his lips on Castiel's mouth. The last time he'd done this, Castiel had thrown him across the room. This time, much to Dean's relief, the reaction was much different - Castiel reciprocated. Feeling more confident, Dean gripped Castiel by the back of the neck, pulled him in closer, and deepened the kiss. Castiel's mouth felt moist, cool, and so tempting. Dean felt exhilaration course through him at the thought that if Castiel wanted to, he could end this at any time, but he wasn't.
Their mouths parted slowly and the hint of tongue sent shivers through Dean. He ended the kiss with reluctance and pressed their foreheads together before he shuddered and took a deep breath.
"Whatever has possessed Lisa is not a demon," Castiel said. Their lips brushed as Castiel spoke and Dean could feel Castiel's cool breath puff against his cheek.
Dean pulled away, the name of his fiancée like a slap in the face. Castiel reached up and turned Dean's head until their gazes met. Dean felt a surge of frustration, and he slapped Castiel away, then pushed him up against the wall, pinning him to it.
"Then what the fuck has her?"
Castiel relaxed beneath his touch, and Dean slid a hand down his chest, frisking him and coming up with the angel sword in his hand. He held it up. "So it is just a sword and you're not just happy to see me." Dean slammed up against Castiel, full bodies pressed close, the hand with the sword on the wall just beside Castiel's left ear.
"I am always happy to see you, Dean," Castiel said with a tilt of his head.
Dean tossed the sword aside. It clattered to the floor, rolling to stop just a few feet away. When Dean turned his attention back to Castiel, the angel had his chin in the air.
"We need to get this over with," Dean said.
"Yes," Castiel said with a deep sigh of exasperation. He gripped Dean by his shoulders, and held him at arm's length. There was a flash and they both fell back and landed on a bed, Castiel atop Dean. He had no time to react, before their mouths mashed together. Dean pushed his tongue past Castiel's parted lips and groaned when the kiss sent shivers to his groin. He hadn't felt that way in months, and no amount of denial would change that.
Castiel pinned Dean to the bed, his kiss hungry and alive, burning through Dean like a fire. No matter how much they kissed or touched, it would never be enough. Dean felt the tug on his shirtsleeve and heard the rip of fabric. He broke the kiss and watched Castiel tear away the right sleeve of his shirt. Castiel discarded the fabric and stopped, staring down at the exposed skin. The burn mark Castiel had left there looked redder than before, and Dean stared up into Castiel's intense eyes, though his attention was no longer on Dean's face. Castiel flexed his hand above the mark and then met Dean's gaze.
Their bodies flush, Dean watched as Castiel hesitated just short of placing his hand down on the handprint. His body felt so alive, and each movement sent pleasure coursing through him. Dean slid his hand past the trench coat and suit jacket and tugged at the white dress shirt, yanking the rumpled shirt from Castiel's pants. Out of the corner of his eye, Dean watched as Castiel lowered his hand and placed it on the mark. He wasn't sure what to expect, but the moment Castiel's hand touched bare skin, the electric feel of the touch pulsed through Dean. His cock became fully erect, and Dean pulled Castiel to him by his tie, mashing their lips together and smothering his mouth with a hard kiss.
He knew it was insane. Just a few moments earlier, they had been standing in the living room, and then suddenly here they were up in Bobby's guest room, swapping spit like there was no tomorrow.
Not caring, hungry for more, Dean thrust against Castiel, pushing his aching cock against Castiel's hip, stunned when his cock pulsed. Dean licked and kissed Castiel's eager wet mouth.
"We should..." Castiel said between kisses.
"Be naked," Dean said. He tore at Castiel's clothes, yanking the coat and jacket off and tossing them aside. Each time, Castiel's hand broke contact with the burn on Dean's shoulder, Dean felt bereft, but then Castiel rushed to touch him again. The feeling was like fire and ice all at once, and Dean reached up to press Castiel's hand down harder, wishing it would scorch right through him.
Once Castiel was shirtless, Dean paused long enough to examine his body. There was not a mark on him. Dean swirled his fingers over the area on Castiel's chest where he'd once upon a time carved the banishment sigil, but not even a raised scar remained. Every inch of his body was pale and flawless, and Dean pushed Castiel up to lick at his unmarred chest. Castiel closed his eyes and tossed his head back, his body shivering beneath Dean's touch.
Dean tore at the rest of Castiel's clothes, anxious to get to more bare skin. He rolled them until he was on top and somehow managed to remove his flannel shirt and slip out of his t-shirt. Both shirtless now, Dean caressed every inch of Castiel's naked body. He pressed their hard cocks together, and scrambled to get both his and Castiel's pants undone. Both the zippers down and his own cock freed from confinement, Dean stuffed his hand down Castiel's pants and grabbed a hand full of his hard cock, squeezing it tight. The motion elicited a moan of pleasure from Castiel.
"Fuck," Dean mumbled against Castiel's wet mouth. He couldn't get enough. The hunger in him built, growing to the point that Dean was sure he would explode inside.
"Yes." Castiel's deep voice rumbled through Dean.
Dean stared down at Castiel's disheveled form. "We should slow down," said Dean. He wanted to enjoy every second of this stolen moment.
"Yes, we should," said Castiel. He pulled Dean down, silencing him with a rough kiss. The kiss turned soft, and Dean bit down on Castiel's bottom lip.
"This is bad timing," Dean mumbled while thrusting his tongue into Castiel's inviting mouth.
"Yes, it is." Castiel pushed Dean up, breaking the kiss. Startled, Dean stared down with wide eyes at Castiel. The next moment he found himself on the floor beneath Castiel, out of breath. Castiel straddled Dean across his hips and pinned him to the floor by his shoulders. The sight of Castiel panting all out of breath made Dean's dick jump.
Dean struggled beneath Castiel's weight, but Castiel's angelic strength was overpowering, which only turned Dean on more. He reached up and caressed Castiel's bare chest. His skin was cool and dry to the touch, and Dean couldn't resist pinching a nipple between his fingers.
Sitting up, Dean latched on to the peaked nipple, suckling on the flesh with relish. He rolled them and pushed Castiel to the floor to lay him out on his back, and then resumed his attack on the nipple, biting then laving it with his tongue. He gripped Castiel by the hips, brushing his thumbs over the protruding bone. Everything they did made him harder, and Dean pressed his erection against Castiel's thigh, humping him like an animal in heat. He could feel his orgasm building, and whatever Castiel said next was lost to Dean as he concentrated on gaining his release. Castiel muttered in some language Dean couldn't understand. Maybe it was Latin or maybe Enochian. He wrapped his mouth around Castiel's nipple and latched on, a desperate moan escaping him.
His cock ached and his balls tensed, Dean thrust one more time against Castiel's leg. When he looked up, he locked gazes with Castiel and the look in his eyes sent Dean over the edge. He grunted his release. His cock pulsed and with each pulse, Dean felt his body shudder with pleasure and mouthed a curse beneath his breath.
Dean relaxed, sprawling across Castiel. He closed his eyes and buried his face against Castiel's side, one hand still caressing Castiel's hip.
"Perhaps we should..."
"Fuck," Dean mumbled. The lethargy he'd felt just a few moments before vanished and Dean felt a jolt of reality set in. He sat up and turned away from Castiel, scrambling to tuck himself away and zip up his pants. Dean struggled to his feet and stood with his back to Castiel. The sound or wings filled the room and Dean turned to find that Castiel was gone.
Dean lowered himself to the bed, his heart pounding in his chest a feeling of guilt flooding through him. Dean should have been on his honeymoon right this second and instead he was here with Castiel, giving in to his base need to claim and take whatever Castiel had to offer. He couldn't help but feel that he had just betrayed Lisa and destroyed any chance of their future together. Despite that, deep down there was a part of Dean that couldn't regret a damned moment of what they had done together.
PART 4
INFO
PART 2
Dean stood staring out of one of the top floor windows of the building, his thoughts went back to the day in the cemetery. The image of Sam taking a dive into the cage burned into his brain, playing on repeat, and the words Bobby spoke faded into the background.
"Did you hear me, Dean?" Bobby grabbed Dean by the arm to shake him out of his reverie.
Dean nodded, but his attention was still on the growing daylight outside. The sun was already starting to rise. Dean realized that he should have been on his honeymoon now. He and Lisa should have been driving up to the cabin they had booked for the weekend.
"This is an unexpected turn," Castiel said. He stood leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
"So you didn't know about this," Dean said, advancing on Castiel. His frustration and anger built with each step he took. He stopped in front of Castiel, trying to gauge the angel's reaction, uncertain as to weather he was telling the truth, or if he could be trusted now that Castiel served Heaven's interests.
Castiel straightened and stood with an air of defiance. "If I had known about this, I would have told you."
Dean sensed a defensive tone in his voice.
"Would you have?" Dean said. He leaned in closer until he captured Castiel's gaze. When Castiel looked away, Dean knew the truth. "You son of a bitch." Dean threw his arms out wide in frustration and turned his back on Castiel. "After everything we've been through, you couldn't tell me this."
"I..." Castiel reached for Dean's arm, but Dean swerved to avoid his touch.
"Don't," Dean said, pointing at Castiel. They both went silent, and then Dean glimpsed Bobby out of the corner of his eye. He could tell that the man wanted to say something, but Dean hoped for Bobby's sake that he knew better. "How long?" Dean closed in on Castiel and got inside his personal space, backing him up against the wall. He knew Castiel could take flight at any moment.
He also knew that he wouldn't.
"Almost a year," Castiel whispered the words so softly that Dean was sure he heard wrong.
"We don't have time for this," Bobby said. He reached for Dean, but Dean shrugged him off, turning a sneer on Castiel, who lifted his chin in the air and kept silent.
"We should go," Dean said, stomping across the room toward the door.
"We can't go," Bobby said. "We didn't do what we came here to do."
Dean paused in the hallway and took a deep breath. He spun on his heels and glared at Bobby. "You really think I care about that right now?" Even as he headed out of the room with the intention of leaving Castiel there, Dean realized it wasn't an option. As angry as he was with Castiel, the angel was their best weapon against whatever had decided to make Dean a target.
"Dean, you can't..." Castiel began, only to stop when Dean turned his glare on him.
"Don't you fucking tell me that I can't go search for my brother," Dean said. He paced away from Castiel, his frustration building at the time they were wasting. No one said anything and, finally, Dean stopped to look at Bobby then Castiel. "Fine, let's finish what we started here, and then we go after my brother," Dean said. He turned and rushed away from Bobby and Castiel before either of them had a chance to say anything.
Outside, the town was as silent as death. Time felt displaced again. The sun had risen, but there seemed to be a haze over them blocking its bright rays, leaching the color out of the town putting Dean even more on edge. Castiel paused and swept his gaze over the area. Dean could tell from his expression that something was up and motioned for Bobby to stay put.
"What is it?" Dean asked, cocking his weapon. Dean tucked the demon knife into his belt and the feel of the cold steel of the blade against his skin sent a thrill through him. It had been too long since he'd been on the hunt, and the adrenaline coursing through him felt exhilarating. A hunt was something Dean knew and could deal with, something he couldn't imagine ever giving up voluntarily. Except that was exactly what he'd done because of a promise to his brother, who was out there right now somewhere in this world and had been the whole time. Dean tried not to dwell on these thoughts, but they filled his mind even as he thought up possible strategies for what was coming.
"There is a presence that I recognize," Castiel said. When he started to walk west, Dean followed him. He couldn't understand why Castiel couldn't just whammy whatever was out there. Dean wanted it over fast so he could concentrate on finding his brother. The tension was driving him crazy.
Castiel stopped abruptly and Dean stopped just short of slamming into him.
"What...?"
Castiel raised a hand for silence, and Dean glanced back at Bobby, who shrugged his shoulders. Dean scoped out the area, but saw nothing out there to account for Castiel's actions. The air was as still as death, and a reason suddenly occurred to Dean.
"Is it reapers?"
Castiel shook his head absently, as though he were barely paying attention to Dean, then a scream filled the air. Dean was about to shout for something to attack already when Castiel started to move forward again in the direction of the sound. They stopped at the end of the main street, and Castiel stood at the crossroads. Dean stared down at the dirt road, a feeling of déjà vu stealing over him.
Everything happened at once. Dean felt the air molecules move before he saw the apparition rushing at him. He turned and fired the rock salt blast without a second thought and, just at the last moment, he realized that there was something else right behind the ghost. Dean stood frozen for a second, and the other specter smiled and waved at him before it vanished, hair swirling around her pretty face.
Dean lowered his weapon and stared with mouth hanging open.
"Jo?"
"Behind you, Dean," Castiel said.
Dean turned to see where Castiel was pointing and, sure enough, a pale wisp of smoke coalesced before them. Jo floated legless and pale, the marks of the hellhound scratches on her torso. Her hair was a matted tangled mess the color of ash, nothing like the shimmering blond Dean remembered. She smiled and then spun around to become solid long enough to grab hold of the desiccated corpse-like specter that was after them. The two vanished, but not before Dean saw Jo open her mouth in a silent scream.
Castiel vanished without warning, leaving Dean and Bobby again. Another apparition dove at him and Dean jumped out of the way, unable to get his shotgun up in time. He tucked, rolled, and came up shooting. The apparition exploded under the blast of rock salt. Moments after, Castiel reappeared. Dean scrambled back to his feet, and all three moved until they were all back to back facing the ghosts.
"Can't you just poof them away?" Dean asked Castiel.
"No," Castiel said. The air around them went still again, and Castiel faced the gossamer apparition of Jo. "If I did, then she would go with them." Castiel reached out and touched two fingers to Jo's cheek. There was a bright flash of light so blinding that Dean had to cover his eyes. When he lowered his hand, Jo wavered before Castiel, her eyes wide as she fell forward. Dean rushed forward and reached out to help, but Castiel shouldered him away. He lifted Jo into his arms and held her close to himself.
"What the hell," Dean said. He stared down at Jo. She looked solid.
"Now I can 'poof' them away," Castiel said. He handed Jo over to Dean and once Dean had her unconscious body safe in his arms, Castiel spun around and raised one hand at the advancing ghosts. Castiel muttered some words under his breath, and the ghosts' forlorn cries filled the air. They had no time to become solid forms before their transparent bodies disintegrated.
Dean lowered Jo to the ground, setting her down gently. He could not believe that she was solid now, but with Castiel, anything was possible. He looked to Bobby, who had crouched down beside them. Bobby reached out and touched a palm to her forehead.
"This is impossible," Bobby muttered.
"No," Castiel said. He took a deep breath and gave Dean that warning look which meant he was about to zap them somewhere else.
*
Dean paced back and forth across Bobby's living room. He wanted to be out there looking for his brother, but there was something in here that needed his attention first. Jo lay on the cot, unconscious since they'd returned. In the meantime, Bobby had done all the usual incantations and tests on her to be sure she wasn't some sort of demon or trick that would blow up in their faces.
"Would you stop doing that?" Bobby said. They were all on edge so Dean couldn't blame Bobby for snapping at him. "You're wearing a hole in my floor."
Dean walked to the side of the cot and sat down in the chair, staring down at Jo. He reached out to touch her cheek then withdrew his hand, feeling as though he didn't have a right to touch her. He'd gotten her killed and now through some insane fate, she was back. His mind kept boggling, going back to the glimpse he'd caught of the expression on her face when she became real again, and how simple it had been for Castiel to just touch her and bring her back to life.
He pushed those thoughts aside and turned his attention back to Jo. She was starting to waken, her brown eyes fluttering open, and Dean felt his heart speed up. He leaned forward to stare down at her, wishing his mouth weren't so dry. The moment their eyes met, Dean swallowed his words, unsure of what to say. 'Welcome back' somehow seemed too insensitive.
"Hey," Dean said with a faint smile.
She looked around the room with wild and terror-filled eyes. Dean could see her body tense and then relax.
"Dean," Jo said. Her voice cracked.
Dean reached for the glass of water and placed the straw to her lips. She took a sip and then pushed it away. Still avoiding her gaze, Dean set the glass down and then sat there, baffled as to what to say or do. He looked up to Bobby, who shrugged his shoulders and made no suggestion. Dean cleared his throat and returned his gaze to Jo.
"I was dead," Jo said with a feeble smile. She clutched at her head and flinched.
"Cas brought you back," said Dean quietly.
She tried to sit up, but winced and fell back. By her body language, Dean could see that she was exhausted and in some pain.
"Do you want me to get you anything?" Dean rushed to say as Bobby leaned in closer, peering right over Dean's shoulder. Standing, Dean moved away, allowing Bobby to slip into the spot he'd just vacated. Dean felt panicked and closed in, needing to get away. He paced across the room, glancing over a few times to watch as Bobby did what he could for Jo. He had his head bent close to Jo's, and there were whispered words that Dean couldn't make out from where he was standing.
Dean hoped they were better words than what he'd offered.
Stopping his nervous circling around the room, Dean leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. Every time Dean looked at Jo, he felt the same lump form in his throat, but he forced himself to watch Bobby smooth a comforting hand over her forehead. Her eyes fluttered shut but, just before they closed, they fell one last time on Dean and he wished he could understand what they were saying.
It was easier for him to sense Castiel before he heard the flutter of wings, and he turned his head to find Castiel standing at his elbow. "Hey, Cas," Dean said, too tired to chastise the angel for getting into his personal space. Castiel nodded at Dean then looked over at Bobby and Jo. The motion brought Castiel closer to Dean until their arms pressed together, and Dean slowly released a shaky breath.
"So what's up," Dean said. "You figure this out or are we still in the dark?" Dean waved a hand at Jo to indicate what he meant.
"It's complicated," Castiel said, turning his attention to Dean.
"It's always complicated," Dean said with resentment.
Bobby interrupted, glancing at his watch. "I'm bushed and it's getting late. I'm off for some shut eye." He turned to leave the room then pointed back at Dean. "You could use some beauty sleep too. You look like death warmed over."
Dean watched Bobby trudge out of the room and waited for his footsteps to fade. He cleared his throat and slid away from Castiel, turning to face him. He jerked his head and they moved out of the room together to leave Jo to sleep in peace, and then Dean closed the sliding doors to allow for privacy.
"Okay, spill," Dean said. He didn't wait long for Castiel to answer. "I know it's complicated, but I need to know what we're up against here. Is it related to the thing that has Lisa?" Dean leaned in closer, and forced Castiel to keep eye contact. He knew there was so much more going on than Castiel was letting on, but for some reason the angel was reluctant to spill it.
Dean searched Castiel's eyes. It was there again, the tension between them and that same feeling in the pit of his gut that he always got when he was this close to Castiel. It wasn't the time or the place, but Dean didn't care about that now. He reached up and cupped Castiel's stubble-covered cheek. His mouth felt dry all of a sudden and, when Dean licked his lips, Castiel's gaze followed the motion.
Dean could see the tension in Castiel fade. He leaned forward with eyes open, and placed his lips on Castiel's mouth. The last time he'd done this, Castiel had thrown him across the room. This time, much to Dean's relief, the reaction was much different - Castiel reciprocated. Feeling more confident, Dean gripped Castiel by the back of the neck, pulled him in closer, and deepened the kiss. Castiel's mouth felt moist, cool, and so tempting. Dean felt exhilaration course through him at the thought that if Castiel wanted to, he could end this at any time, but he wasn't.
Their mouths parted slowly and the hint of tongue sent shivers through Dean. He ended the kiss with reluctance and pressed their foreheads together before he shuddered and took a deep breath.
"Whatever has possessed Lisa is not a demon," Castiel said. Their lips brushed as Castiel spoke and Dean could feel Castiel's cool breath puff against his cheek.
Dean pulled away, the name of his fiancée like a slap in the face. Castiel reached up and turned Dean's head until their gazes met. Dean felt a surge of frustration, and he slapped Castiel away, then pushed him up against the wall, pinning him to it.
"Then what the fuck has her?"
Castiel relaxed beneath his touch, and Dean slid a hand down his chest, frisking him and coming up with the angel sword in his hand. He held it up. "So it is just a sword and you're not just happy to see me." Dean slammed up against Castiel, full bodies pressed close, the hand with the sword on the wall just beside Castiel's left ear.
"I am always happy to see you, Dean," Castiel said with a tilt of his head.
Dean tossed the sword aside. It clattered to the floor, rolling to stop just a few feet away. When Dean turned his attention back to Castiel, the angel had his chin in the air.
"We need to get this over with," Dean said.
"Yes," Castiel said with a deep sigh of exasperation. He gripped Dean by his shoulders, and held him at arm's length. There was a flash and they both fell back and landed on a bed, Castiel atop Dean. He had no time to react, before their mouths mashed together. Dean pushed his tongue past Castiel's parted lips and groaned when the kiss sent shivers to his groin. He hadn't felt that way in months, and no amount of denial would change that.
Castiel pinned Dean to the bed, his kiss hungry and alive, burning through Dean like a fire. No matter how much they kissed or touched, it would never be enough. Dean felt the tug on his shirtsleeve and heard the rip of fabric. He broke the kiss and watched Castiel tear away the right sleeve of his shirt. Castiel discarded the fabric and stopped, staring down at the exposed skin. The burn mark Castiel had left there looked redder than before, and Dean stared up into Castiel's intense eyes, though his attention was no longer on Dean's face. Castiel flexed his hand above the mark and then met Dean's gaze.
Their bodies flush, Dean watched as Castiel hesitated just short of placing his hand down on the handprint. His body felt so alive, and each movement sent pleasure coursing through him. Dean slid his hand past the trench coat and suit jacket and tugged at the white dress shirt, yanking the rumpled shirt from Castiel's pants. Out of the corner of his eye, Dean watched as Castiel lowered his hand and placed it on the mark. He wasn't sure what to expect, but the moment Castiel's hand touched bare skin, the electric feel of the touch pulsed through Dean. His cock became fully erect, and Dean pulled Castiel to him by his tie, mashing their lips together and smothering his mouth with a hard kiss.
He knew it was insane. Just a few moments earlier, they had been standing in the living room, and then suddenly here they were up in Bobby's guest room, swapping spit like there was no tomorrow.
Not caring, hungry for more, Dean thrust against Castiel, pushing his aching cock against Castiel's hip, stunned when his cock pulsed. Dean licked and kissed Castiel's eager wet mouth.
"We should..." Castiel said between kisses.
"Be naked," Dean said. He tore at Castiel's clothes, yanking the coat and jacket off and tossing them aside. Each time, Castiel's hand broke contact with the burn on Dean's shoulder, Dean felt bereft, but then Castiel rushed to touch him again. The feeling was like fire and ice all at once, and Dean reached up to press Castiel's hand down harder, wishing it would scorch right through him.
Once Castiel was shirtless, Dean paused long enough to examine his body. There was not a mark on him. Dean swirled his fingers over the area on Castiel's chest where he'd once upon a time carved the banishment sigil, but not even a raised scar remained. Every inch of his body was pale and flawless, and Dean pushed Castiel up to lick at his unmarred chest. Castiel closed his eyes and tossed his head back, his body shivering beneath Dean's touch.
Dean tore at the rest of Castiel's clothes, anxious to get to more bare skin. He rolled them until he was on top and somehow managed to remove his flannel shirt and slip out of his t-shirt. Both shirtless now, Dean caressed every inch of Castiel's naked body. He pressed their hard cocks together, and scrambled to get both his and Castiel's pants undone. Both the zippers down and his own cock freed from confinement, Dean stuffed his hand down Castiel's pants and grabbed a hand full of his hard cock, squeezing it tight. The motion elicited a moan of pleasure from Castiel.
"Fuck," Dean mumbled against Castiel's wet mouth. He couldn't get enough. The hunger in him built, growing to the point that Dean was sure he would explode inside.
"Yes." Castiel's deep voice rumbled through Dean.
Dean stared down at Castiel's disheveled form. "We should slow down," said Dean. He wanted to enjoy every second of this stolen moment.
"Yes, we should," said Castiel. He pulled Dean down, silencing him with a rough kiss. The kiss turned soft, and Dean bit down on Castiel's bottom lip.
"This is bad timing," Dean mumbled while thrusting his tongue into Castiel's inviting mouth.
"Yes, it is." Castiel pushed Dean up, breaking the kiss. Startled, Dean stared down with wide eyes at Castiel. The next moment he found himself on the floor beneath Castiel, out of breath. Castiel straddled Dean across his hips and pinned him to the floor by his shoulders. The sight of Castiel panting all out of breath made Dean's dick jump.
Dean struggled beneath Castiel's weight, but Castiel's angelic strength was overpowering, which only turned Dean on more. He reached up and caressed Castiel's bare chest. His skin was cool and dry to the touch, and Dean couldn't resist pinching a nipple between his fingers.
Sitting up, Dean latched on to the peaked nipple, suckling on the flesh with relish. He rolled them and pushed Castiel to the floor to lay him out on his back, and then resumed his attack on the nipple, biting then laving it with his tongue. He gripped Castiel by the hips, brushing his thumbs over the protruding bone. Everything they did made him harder, and Dean pressed his erection against Castiel's thigh, humping him like an animal in heat. He could feel his orgasm building, and whatever Castiel said next was lost to Dean as he concentrated on gaining his release. Castiel muttered in some language Dean couldn't understand. Maybe it was Latin or maybe Enochian. He wrapped his mouth around Castiel's nipple and latched on, a desperate moan escaping him.
His cock ached and his balls tensed, Dean thrust one more time against Castiel's leg. When he looked up, he locked gazes with Castiel and the look in his eyes sent Dean over the edge. He grunted his release. His cock pulsed and with each pulse, Dean felt his body shudder with pleasure and mouthed a curse beneath his breath.
Dean relaxed, sprawling across Castiel. He closed his eyes and buried his face against Castiel's side, one hand still caressing Castiel's hip.
"Perhaps we should..."
"Fuck," Dean mumbled. The lethargy he'd felt just a few moments before vanished and Dean felt a jolt of reality set in. He sat up and turned away from Castiel, scrambling to tuck himself away and zip up his pants. Dean struggled to his feet and stood with his back to Castiel. The sound or wings filled the room and Dean turned to find that Castiel was gone.
Dean lowered himself to the bed, his heart pounding in his chest a feeling of guilt flooding through him. Dean should have been on his honeymoon right this second and instead he was here with Castiel, giving in to his base need to claim and take whatever Castiel had to offer. He couldn't help but feel that he had just betrayed Lisa and destroyed any chance of their future together. Despite that, deep down there was a part of Dean that couldn't regret a damned moment of what they had done together.
PART 4