I want to live. I want to love. I think I am ready.

wherever you stray I follow

C A S

Cas is met with empty darkness as he opens his eyes. But he's not alone.

"Cas...?" Dean whispers his name carefully, his eyes shining bright as Cas half turns to look at him. A glowing glass ball hangs in a chain around his neck. But it is Dean's eyes that Cas takes to study. His stare is met with a sad but bright and loving smile. Dean takes his hand in his, holding on tight to support Cas.

"Dean. Is it really you?" Resting his back against Dean's body, Cas half sits on the ground.

"It's me, Cas. It's me."

He says his name right.

His freckles have the right shade and pattern.

His eyes are right.

A movement in front of him steals his attention away from Dean, and as Cas turns he can see the Shadow standing in front of them. But... it's slowly dissolving.

"You better keep your promise, Winchester." And then the Shadow is gone.

And then the darkness is lit up.

And then the empty is filled.

As the Shadow throws them out of the void, Dean and Cas are thrown away from each other as they crash to the floor of the bunker. They land almost on the exact spot where Cas stood as he was taken by the empty. The room is shaking as if an earthquake had hit the bunker, but it quickly dies down as the black hole in the wall closes up, leaving nothing.

Their hands still intertwined.

Dean growls from beside him, drawing Cas's attention to him. Half in shock, they just lay there on the floor, staring at the other's eyes. Neither fully believing they made it out. Together.

They speak a single word at the same time, breaking the deafening silence.

"Cas?"

"Dean?"

At the sound of the other man's voice, they both collapse in relief. Exhaustion hitting both of them hard. But neither of them can stop smiling.

Dean is the first to move. Crawling. Towards Cas.

His body hitting Cas like a sinking ship as he embraces him.

Cas can feel tears on his face. But he's not sure if they are his own, or Deans. Or both. He's not sure how much time passes, as they both lose themselves in the embrace. Dean's hand finds its way to Cas's hair, pulling them even closer to each other as Dean runs his hand through the dark and soft hair.

"Don't ever leave me again, you dumb son of a bitch." The words would have sounded rough coming from anyone else. But Cas can hear the softness of his voice. If Cas didn't know better, he'd say it almost sounded like it was filled with love.

Cas buries his head in the space between Dean's neck and shoulder, drawing in a trembling breath. For just a moment he wants to know what it feels like to hold Dean like this. Being held by Dean like this. He wants to forget the world and just get lost in this moment.

Unfortunately, no one really gets what they wish for deep in their hearts. Their silence is broken by quick footsteps in the hallway coming towards them. Cas starts to pull away from the embrace, but Dean only holds him tighter.

"Don't. Don't let go just yet." So Cas falls back against Dean's shoulder, breathing a little easier now.

Sam comes running into the room, and a moment later, a fluffy and cheerful dog comes running in. It crosses the room towards them but stops short at the sight of Cas. Curious eyes studying him and Dean.