Purgatory

Back in the Bunker

When Dean and Cas arrived back at the bunker they stuck to fixing up the ingredients for the bomb. Quietly and diligently working in their plot against Chuck himself. When they were done bestowing Castiel with the Mark of Cain and creating the bomb they packed up into the Impala and had a quiet, uneventful car ride to the casino. Neither felt like talking until the deed was done, and in a subconscious effort not to jinx their plan, neither talked until they found Sam and released him from the shackles Chuck held him in. The whole charade went down with Chuck using Eileen as his own personal marionette doll, Sam giving up hope after they'd come so far to vanquish the being that'd been causing so much grief since that day in the Lawrence that started it all, and Dean swooping in to inspire hope in his little brother once again as he stood up to the man that held all of their lives in the palm of his hand.
They arrived back at the bunker with no one wanting to do anything but rest, and as Dean accidentally walked in on Sam and Eileen sharing a kiss, he suddenly felt a pang of emotion in his chest like he was missing a piece there. Not wanting to disturb their moment he rushed back to the kitchen where Castiel sat at the table mulling over things with a drink in hand.
"Here, I poured this for you, I figured you'd need it after the day we've all had."
"Thanks." They shared a silence while Dean planned out his next move. "About what I said back in Purgatory."
"Dean you don't have to explain anything—."
"No but I want to. Listen Cas, I was gonna say this back there but I didn't want to do this through prayer, I knew if I was ever going to say it, I'd need to say it face to face." He gulped down the last of his hesitation with the whiskey Cas had provided him and set the glass down gently. "What I was about to say in Purgatory, I didn't say because I thought the time was wrong but I should know more than anyone that risking your life as a hunter every damn day? There is no way to get the timing right, no way to...to do things right." Dean quit looking at the table and looked into the angelic blue eyes before him instead. "I love you Castiel. And not just as a brother or a best friend, I love you more than almost anything and I'd give my life for you, just as you've done for me."