A Long Hunt

The Gates of Hell

The soft morning heat washed over Dean's sleeping face as light streamed through the drapes that were loosely pulled across the crappy motel windows.

The soft buzzing sounds of the occasional car wafted in through the cheap, lousy windows.

The morning felt impossibly calm, peaceful and free.

Around his shoulders, Dean could feel Castiel’s firm, warm arm draped across his shoulders, pulling him into a tight side hug.  The angel’s body was welcoming and felt like home to Dean. It was like Cas was his own personal angelic sun. There was nowhere that Dean would rather be in this moment right now.

Dean had missed the moments like these. He felt like he had been without his angel for over a hundred years, but he still remembered none of the missing time. Being dead seemed to have made time flow differently. There was an unusual, aching, empty feeling deep within the hunter’s that just seemed out of place. However, the horrible gut feeling that Dean felt had faded away and simply turned into a small tugging in the back of his mind.  Instead of trying to address the issue, Dean simply did what he knew best and he pushed the rest of his “weak” feelings off to the side.

As he stirred under the angel’s arms, Cas leaned his head down and kissed the top of the hunter’s head.

“Morning Dean.” The angel whispered softly against his hair.

Dean shifted his weight so he could turn and look into Castiel’s brilliant blue eyes. “Hey angel.” Dean whispered back softly as he moved in to plant a kiss onto the angels soft pale lips.

The hunter was slightly surprised when Cas momentarily pulled away from the kiss.

Dean’s eyebrows furrowed as he looked deep into the angel’s eyes. For a split second he swore that he saw hesitation and fear reflected in those eyes before Cas blinked and the look was gone.

“You okay Cas?” Dean asked slowly.

Cas smiled softly down at Dean and said “How can I not be okay? I have you back.”

Dean chuckled softly and said “I missed you too.”

They were quiet for a moment as they sat and watched Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck bickering on the screen in front of them. 

As the quiet atmosphere stretched on, Dean became slightly uncomfortable with the angels silence. Cas had become tense and was causing a sense of dread to boil in Dean’s chest.

After a few minutes Cas finally spoke up again “Dean…..”

“Yeah Cas?” Dean replied as he looked back up into his partners face.

“What did you dream about last night?” Cas asked with an almost playful like smile.

Dean let out a low grumbling laugh. “Fuck Cas, I have no damn clue! I was out like a light!”

Cas chuckled too, but seemed to avoid Dean’s gaze.

The hunter was about to ask Castiel why he wanted to know, but suddenly the door handle jiggled. The sound ricocheted throughout the room as the door flew open and caused an earth shattering bang as it slammed into the wall.

Dean reacted faster that even Cas could even register what had happened. The hunter lunged, butt naked onto the bed and forced his hand under the pillow to retrieve the gun that he knew was concealed there. Then he turned and aimed at the people who had just entered the room.

 “Dean, you need to hear th- AH Son of a Bitch!” Sam called before shielding his eyes and turning away.

Heather, who was just behind Sam, gave a small, high pitched squeak before slapping her hands across her eyes.