Archive of Our Own ^beta

Sam had been instilled with the notion that he would never have a normal life, no matter how hard he tried. When he had thought he had pulled it off, he got pulled back into said life for a good sixteen years. He had even reached the point where he believed he’d remain a hunter all his life, and even accepted it.

Everything changed a little over a year ago, though. Just as he and Dean had accepted their Pyrrhic victory against Chuck and returned to life on the road, they got back those they’d lost, and more, just in time to save the world one last time. With the natural order of things restored once more, Dean and Sam figured they could step back from hunting. There would always be monsters in the shadows and people in danger, but there was peace between Heaven and Hell, and even the Pagan Pantheon and Grand Coven weren’t the wildcards they once had been. It was as good as it got under the circumstances, and it was the brothers’ best chance to move on to the next chapter of their lives, one which they would share with the people they loved.

Sam set the plate with the toast on the table, then poured the coffee he had already prepared into a large cup. Not a moment too soon, as he picked up the sound of Eileen’s footfalls coming his way.

The woman herself came in, dressed and with her makeup on.

‘Morning,’ he signed. ‘You look great.’

She signed back with a smile.

‘I hope so. I should make a good impression on my first day.’

‘You have. That’s why you got the job.’

‘Flatterer.’ Yet the look in her eyes signified she appreciated the thought.

He held up the toast, and she picked up on the implication. She had a bite, then accepted the coffee with a nod of thanks before standing on tiptoe to kiss Sam on the lips.

“Go easy on the kids,” she said. “Love you.”

“Love you, too. Good luck out there.”

They kissed again, and then she was out the door, toast in one hand, her coffee in the other and a backpack slung over her shoulder. Sam watched her go with a soft smile, happy for her. She was heavily pregnant at present, and there had been those who wouldn’t take her on because she’d have to take maternal leave when the time came. The hospital director who had hired her, however, gave Eileen a chance, since ASL interpreters were in demand; and she was ready to tackle an actual job and not just work undercover on a hunting case.

Speaking of which, Sam had his own job to see to. Granted, it was Saturday, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have a pile of schoolwork to go through and hand back to his students by Monday. So, he grabbed his mug of coffee, settled in the living room and started working, figuring he’d make good enough progress by the time for lunch.

He was still in the middle of correcting when his phone sounded an incoming video call, the name of the caller flashing on screen.

Dean.

Sam smiled and pressed the ‘accept’ button. He could use the break, anyway.

“And here I was, thinking you were too busy honeymooning to call,” he said. Still, he had to admit Florida suited his brother. Gone was the rugged, pale-looking hunter in a flannel shirt and jeans who lived in a Bunker in the Midwest part of the country, and in his place was a tanned, smiling guy in a light Hawaiian shirt, white cap and matching shorts, currently relaxing on a beach chair.

“Never too busy for my baby brother,” Dean said. “How’re you doing, Sammy? Rugrats didn’t get to you yet, did they?”

“It’s Sam,” the younger Winchester said, albeit with no bite. “And no, I don’t intend to turn any of my students into toads. Even if some of them keep misspelling the word ‘definite’,” he added in a teasing tone, catching sight of the error on the paper in front of him. “So, what’s up? Cas not with you?”

“Oh, he’s here. Cas? Wanna say ‘Hi?’”

The camera turned to the very angel himself, and if not for Cas’ lips tugging into his usual reserved smile, Sam would have barely recognized him without his trench coat and suit. Then again, the younger Winchester hadn’t seen all that many angels in a bright blue Hawaiian shirt and matching shorts in his life, either.

“Hello, Sam. I trust you’re well?”

“Yeah, man, thanks. What’s your impression of your first ever vacation so far?”

“The sun is warm, and the sea is quite pleasant, even if my swimming skills are lacking. There’s certainly more life and energy at night, as there’s no shortage of people clubbing out.”

Sam smiled. “So long as you guys are having a good time.”

“We are. Dean keeps us both quite entertained.”

The younger Winchester couldn’t help but smirk at that. “I’m sure.”

“Okay, Sunshine, no need to give my brother all the nasty details,” Dean said in a half-tease, and he turned the camera back to himself. “How are things on your end, Sam? Eileen doing okay?”

“Yeah, the last trimester can be tough, but the doctor says she’s been doing great. She’s even gone on her first day at work today.”

“Awesome,” Dean said. It was clear he was happy for both of them. “Did you have the chance to get the rest of my stuff from the Bunker?”

“No, man, sorry. It’s been a pretty busy week.”

“Nah, it’s fine. Think you’ll have some time the next one? I’ll be back by then, and I’ve got to pick up Miracle and Charlie, anyway.”

“Sure. Just let me know when,” Sam said.

“I’ll talk to Iz first. Take care in the meantime, okay, Sam?”

“Sure. And you two just relax and keep enjoying yourselves, deal?”

“Will do. See you soon.”

“See you, Dean.”

Sam hung up, his lips still tugging in a small smile. He knew his brother, and he could tell that this was one of those times Dean got ‘antsy’ for lack of a better word. It made sense, Sam supposed. Although Dean gave the impression he took their retirement from hunting in stride, it was still just about the first time Dean was actually free to stop and smell the proverbial roses after getting weighed down by nothing but responsibilities all his life. Luckily, Cas was with him, and Sam trusted the seraph would look after his brother.

He shook his head as he realized he was forgetting himself and that there was still a lot of correcting to do. He picked up the red pen and set to work once more, starting by first crossing out the misspelled ‘definite’.

When Dean and Cas got back from their vacation, it was time for the brothers to do as they’d planned, figuring Sunday morning worked best for both of them. Once they checked with Iz too, everything was a go, so they grabbed the Impala (yes, Baby was retired, too, but Dean reasoned that a small taste of the days the two of them were on the road with her didn’t hurt), and they headed to the Lebanon outskirts, driving the familiar route towards the Bunker. It was a bit of a shame that neither Cas nor Eileen could be with them, but there was always next time.

Dean parked the Impala outside the entrance, then both brothers walked up to the door. It was true they still had their keys to the place, but it would be rude to just go in, so Sam rang the doorbell first. Just as they expected, the door opened a couple of moments later, and Iz smiled at them.

“Hey, you two, good to see you,” she said, hugging them both.

“Same here,” Dean said as both brothers hugged her back. Iz had been a good friend and ally to both of them the past year; plus, she was Cas’ sibling (the best word to describe the bond angels shared-or meant to share, at least), making her family.

“We’re not interrupting anything, are we?” Sam asked. The grigori was wearing coveralls rather than her usual overcoat and suit.

“No, Gabriel is upstairs at the moment and things have been quiet in the field; so I’m doing some maintenance,” she replied. She beckoned them inside and closed the door once more before heading down the stairs at a brisk pace.

“Somebody’s enjoying their new set of legs,” Dean said with a smile.

“After 4,000 years of limping? You bet.”

She let out a whistle, but it hadn’t been necessary, for Miracle had picked up the scent. There was a flash of fur, and the friendly pooch jumped into Dean’s arms.

“Hey there, buddy! Did Iz take good care of you? Aw, I missed you too, yes I did,” Dean said in his ‘dad’ voice, even as Miracle licked his face all over and wagged his tail non-stop.

Sam couldn’t help but grin at the sight, only to feel claws digging in his jeans the next moment. He bit back the small exclamation of pain that threatened to flow out of his lips, as he knew who was behind the particular ‘attack’.

“Hey, Maizie…” he said, looking down. The calico kitty was indeed by his legs, amber eyes full of determination as she had one goal in mind. The man indulged her and helped her onto his shoulder, and she settled down, seeming quite pleased with herself.

“Guess she missed her alpinist days,” Iz said. She reached down and picked up Charlie, the third member of the pet kingdom, making sure she was comfortable in her arms. “I’ve got plenty of hot coffee in the pot. We can share if you guys have some time to catch up.”

Sam and Dean did, so they all headed to the kitchen to grab a mug and get their fill before settling in the living room to share their news in a relaxed atmosphere. It had only been a couple of weeks since they had last talked–back at Dean and Cas’ wedding, in fact; yet with all the changes they had to tackle, it felt as if they hadn’t talked in months.

The mugs got emptied, and Dean checked the time.

“Dang, we should get to it.”

“Sure thing,” Iz said. “I left your rooms untouched, so you should be able to find everything. I’ll gather Miracle and Charlie’s things for you.”

“Much obliged. Come along, Sammy,” the older Winchester said, patting his brother on the back.

“Dude. Seriously. Three letters. S-A-M.”

Dean just grinned and headed to his old room, with Sam following in tow. He turned on the lights as he opened the door, and he couldn’t help but smile a bit as nostalgia hit him. Just as Iz had promised, she left everything untouched.

“Okay, what are we picking up first?” Sam asked.

“Grab that box in the corner. I’ll get the other one,” Dean said, pointing at a large box with the letters ‘Clothes + Stuff’, and he reached for the second one on the bed, labeled ‘DVDs + Stuff’.

“What about the rest?”

“We’ll come back for it. There’s plenty of room in Baby now.”

Sam frowned, quite surprised. “There is?”

Dean shrugged. “I took the arsenal out of her trunk.”

“You did?”

“Well, yeah. I kept the Colt, my shotgun, some rock-salt shells, and the devil trap. You know, the bare essentials.”

Sam made a ‘huh’ face. “I’m still impressed. This is practically you calling cold turkey.”

“You didn’t even keep a single pistol!”

“Witch. If something happens, I can just ‘magick’ it away.”

Dean thought about it.

“Okay, that’s fair.”

They put the boxes in the trunk and then headed back to the room, this time grabbing the boxes labeled ‘Tape cassettes 1’ and ‘Tape cassettes 2 + photos’. Iz was waiting for them in the living room this time, holding Charlie’s carrier, while Miracle was on his leash and sitting on his hind legs.

“Think you’ve got everything?”

“Yeah, I think that’s about it,” Dean replied. “We’ll put these in the trunk and then I’ll get Miracle and Charlie.”

No sooner had the words left Dean’s lips when the cardboard box burst open, and the cassettes he was holding spilled out with a clatter along with the photos, which flew everywhere.

“Son of a bitch…” Dean said with a huff.

Sam winced in sympathy and placed his box down. “Let me help with those.”

“Yeah, count me in, too,” Iz said.

She materialized another box, and they all knelt down to pick up everything. At least most of the cassettes had remained intact in their cases, so it was only a matter of placing them inside the box.

Miracle and the Kitties watched everything with curiosity in their eyes, trying to figure out what game they were all playing. Maizie even batted a photo that was still on the floor, wondering if it was something she was supposed to hunt.

The grigori patted her on the head.

“I don’t think so, little one,” she said, picking up the photo. Her eyes flashed, and the rest of the photos appeared in her hands.

“That’s handy,” Dean said.

“Almost. Without knowing how many photos there are, I can only retrieve those I see.”

“Wait, I see a couple under the armchair,” Sam said. His own eyes flashed purple as he whispered the spell under his breath, and they were in his hands the next moment.

The older Winchester rolled his eyes. “Okay, now you guys are just showing off.”

“Just a little,” Iz said in good-natured tease.

She handed him the photos, which he accepted with a nod of thanks. He looked down at the first of the bunch before he could help himself, and his lips tugged into a smile.

“What?” Sam asked.

“You remember this one?” Dean said, holding up the photo for his brother. It was the two of them as teenagers, and Dean was holding a baseball bat; while Sam was holding the ball, a baseball glove in his hand. Bobby was next to them with a soft smile on his lips.

“Yeah,” the younger Winchester said, smiling at the memory. “We were supposed to go shooting practice. He took us to baseball instead.”

“Damn good day,” Dean said.

Iz regarded them both with a slight tilt of her head. “Are you talking about your father?”

“Uh, no. Here.” The former hunter showed her the picture. “This is Bobby Singer.”

“You met him at my wedding. Jack brought him back as a ghost,” Sam said.

She half-smiled. “Yes, I remember him. It was quite a surprise you guys knew him. We had a good laugh about how small the world is.”

The brothers stared at her, and it was Dean who voiced the question in both their minds.

“Um… what are you talking about?”

She mouthed a small ‘oh’ in realization.

“My mistake. I thought he might have told you the story at the wedding,” she said. “He and I had crossed paths before.”

“When was that?” Sam asked, still staring at her.

“Almost thirty years ago, back in 1995. I was in Ohio investigating demon activity, and he was in the neighborhood doing the same thing. I helped him out when he had a run-in with the authorities and, after that, we worked together to bring the threat down.”

“But he didn’t know what you really were,” Dean said.

It wasn’t a question. He remembered Bobby had been just as surprised as Dean and Sam when he discovered angels were, in fact, very real.

She nodded.

“To him, I was Jake Caplan, private investigator slash hunter. If he ever suspected anything different, he didn’t show it. Besides, I didn’t really stick around. The moment the case got closed, I carried on westward.” She smiled a bit. “I can share the story at another time if you’re interested.”

“Holding you to that,” Dean said with a smirk and then had a look at another photo. “This one’s newer.”

Sam had a look. “Jack’s first birthday.”

“Did you make that cake?” Iz asked.

Dean flushed a bit. “Yeah, it was one of my first tries.”

“Still very sweet.” She pointed at the next photo. “And when was this?”

“That was on my birthday, as you can tell from my birthday hat,” Sam said. He pointed at the third photo. “And this was on Dean’s birthday.”

She nodded her understanding, studying each photo the brothers showed her with a thoughtful look in her eyes.

“Most of them are fairly recent. Five years tops.”

Dean shrugged. “We were on the road 24/7 before we found the Bunker.”

“And we didn’t exactly have that many memories we’d want to keep from our childhood, so…” Sam seconded.

“I understand,” she said. A small smile formed on her lips. “At least you have the chance to create a lot of fond memories now.”

“Yeah, we do,” Dean said, appreciating the thought. “Okay, enough reminiscing. Sam, we really should get these in the car.”

“Right, got it,” Sam replied.

The brothers snapped into action and carried the boxes over to the Impala, then Dean made sure Miracle and Charlie were comfortable in the back seat before turning to the grigori.

“Thanks for looking after them, Iz.”

“Of course,” she said with a smile. “Don’t be strangers now.”

“That goes both ways,” Dean replied with a friendly wink, and then he joined Sam in the car.

Sam watched his brother from the corner of his eye, part of him wondering if he should voice something he had noticed as they were driving down the road. In the end, however, he figured he should go for it.

“Dean? You doing okay there?”

Dean stole a glance in his direction.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because you barely said a word since we left the Bunker. So, what’s up?”

The older Winchester made a small shrugging motion. “It’s no big deal.”

“Tell me anyway,” Sam said. “We’re meant to keep things more open between us.”

Dean pursed his lips for a moment, then nodded his acquiescence.

“While we were looking at the photos, I noticed there aren’t any photos of Cas’ birthday. Kinda set me thinking, I guess.”

Sam frowned. “Do angels even have birthdays?”

“Does it matter? We’re married. If I have a birthday, he should have one, too.”

Sam wasn’t sure it worked that way, but he understood Dean didn’t want Cas left out from any aspect of life here on Earth. Ever since the seraph ‘fell’ and joined the brothers, he had seen too much of the ugly side of life–the pain, the loss and the betrayal; so Dean now wanted to show his husband the joyous side of it, too, especially since they wouldn’t spend the rest of their lives fighting and killing.

“Okay. Then you’ve got to pick a date,” he said.

“… Just like that?”

“Why not? Sure, there are a lot of meaningful dates out there. When he first descended on Earth, when he first got resurrected, or when you guys took your thing to the next level. But why not choose a random date for his birthday and make it meaningful?”

Dean winced. “Man, you sound like a damn fortune cookie.”

Sam smirked. “Am I wrong?”

“… No.”

“Okay. Then pick one, and we can take it from there.”

“We?”

“Yeah, man. And I’m sure Eileen will want to help. Iz, too. If we’re doing this, we should plan it carefully to make it a surprise.”

Dean stole another glance in his direction for a brief second before the corners of his mouth tugged to a half smile.

“Thanks, man.”

“No problem. Think about it, and when you reach a decision, just call me, okay?”

Dean nodded, then pulled over in front of Sam’s house. They didn’t need to say much else, as they had reached their agreement already; so, Dean just went back to his own place to put his things in the space he had already saved up for them. It wouldn’t be long before Cas came back from work, and he needed to prepare dinner.

Dean had just finished up when he heard the front door opening. He headed out to welcome Cas with a smile on his lips that only widened as he realized Miracle and Charlie had been even faster than him. The friendly pooch was sitting on his hind legs, while Charlie was doing figure eights around the seraph’s legs with many a meow, their request for pets quite clear. Cas was happy to oblige, sitting on his heels and stroking their fur in gentle motions.

“I missed you too,” he murmured.

Dean slung the towel over his shoulder and leaned against the doorframe, watching the scene for several moments. Cas could have been swamped in work all day (being a sales assistant was no picnic in the park), yet he always came home with a soft smile and a gentle word at the end of the day.

Cas lifted his gaze and smiled at him before standing up once more.

“Hello, Dean.”

“Hey there, Sunshine.” Their lips met in a brief, undemanding kiss, and Dean’s fingers played with a button on Cas’ shirt. “I hope you’ve worked up an appetite.”

“Of course,” the seraph said, only to think about it the next moment. “Though I’m not sure if we’re talking in the literal or the metaphorical sense.”

The former hunter chuckled.

“Let’s start with ‘Literal’. Wouldn’t want the food to get cold.”

Cas smiled at that. “Then lead the way.”

Their hands connected, and they both headed to the kitchen.

“So… how was your day?” Dean asked as they started eating.

“Stressful, and with a lot of inventory checking,” Cas replied. “What about you? Did you and Sam go to the Bunker?”

“Yeah. Iz says ‘Hi’, by the way.”

“Good. I should also pay her a visit, time permitting.”

“I’m sure she’ll like that.” Dean paused. “Unless she comes over first.”

Cas smiled, fondness reflecting in his eyes. “Perhaps. I’d like that.”

Dean smiled back, and their talk drifted to other lighthearted matters, the atmosphere remaining pleasant and relaxed throughout the rest of the evening as they did the washing up afterwards and then settled on the couch to watch a film. It was only after they had gone to bed and Cas fell asleep that Dean grabbed a notebook and set to work, jotting down one idea after another.

A week later…

It was a quiet evening at Dean and Cas’ home. Miracle was resting on his cushion, while Charlie was curled on the couch, enjoying Cas’ gentle pets on her head. The TV was on, and some reporter or other was commenting about some situation or other, but, in all honesty? Cas was hardly watching any of it, too lost in thoughts concerning a certain Dean Winchester and the strange behavior he had been displaying this past week.

What he couldn’t understand was the why, though, and he needed further insight into the matter. One option would be Sam, but Eileen’s due date (or, as Dean liked to call it, ‘B-day’) was fast approaching and Cas didn’t want to distract them with his own issue.

Fortunately, Cas had another option. He opened the communication channels and reached Iz, knocking on the mental door.

The door opened, inviting him in, and he stepped inside. To his surprise, he didn’t find himself in the Bunker, but on top of a roof. He could see the starlit sky above, and Iz was sitting on her heels, her short curly hair and dark overcoat swaying gently in the breeze.

“Hey, Cas. Welcome to Lafayette.” She didn’t look at him, however, as she was busy watching something down the street. Or rather, someone. A tall, biker type of man who was walking stiffly and barely acknowledging the people passing by him.

“My apologies. I didn’t realize you were working,” he said.

“No worries, we can talk.”

The man turned around the corner, and she teleported to the other roof, balancing effortlessly on the ledge as she tailed him.

Cas walked beside her, studying the man and recognizing him for what he was.

“Werewolf. Grace-enhanced.”

“Yes,” she said. “With luck, he might lead me to the rest of his pack.”

He couldn’t help but feel curious now.

“Want to tell me what’s going on?”

“Sure. Garth called me yesterday, sounding worried. A pack of werewolves that has been traversing the country for the past couple of months is under scrutiny because of its suspicious behavior.”

“Suspicious how?”

“Garth says werewolves are extremely territorial and have strict rules of hierarchy that they all need to abide by in order to avoid conflict. Passing-by packs are supposed to make their presence known to the dominant pack of each state they cross to state their business, and as a sign of goodwill between the pack leaders.”

“I see,” Cas said. “I assume the pack you’re tracking down has done none of those things?”

“Exactly. That is bad enough, but there’s worse.”

He frowned. “Tell me.”

The werewolf blended in with the crowd, but his grace-enhanced aura was like a beacon to both angels, and they still watched him like birds of prey.

“Garth noticed an alarming pattern: wherever these werewolves go, hunters also go missing,” she said.

Cas stared at her.

“Murdered?”

“Most likely. That’s where I come in. I have to confirm the rogue pack is behind those killings and, if true, to dispose of it.”

“I understand. The werewolf community doesn’t want the hunters to retaliate by leading a blind extermination.”

“Yeah. Hunting down threats is one thing, but culling? It can turn ugly really fast.”

Iz stopped the next moment, and Cas looked down again, noticing the werewolf entering a building that had seen better days for sure. The door was barely holding on the hinges, and the windows had been boarded up.

“I sense more of them inside,” she said. “Guess this is the place.”

“I advise caution. They’re immune to silver.”

“Yes, I know.”

She took her sword out of her overcoat and then teleported inside. It was quite dark, the meager light from the street outside doing little to illuminate the place. Fortunately, the grigori didn’t need it as she sneaked her way further in, fully alert. Cas simply tagged along, the mental connection still creating the illusion that he was right beside her.

“Now that I’ve shared my story, it’s time you shared yours. Dean not with you?” she asked at that moment.

“Um… not at the moment, he’s working the night shift this week.”

“Which gave you the chance to contact me. So, what’s up?”

“It can wait. I shouldn’t bother you with my concerns at a time like this.”

She frowned.

“What concerns?”

Cas didn’t get the chance to reply as the sound of a door opening had Iz glue herself against the wall, using the shadows as her cover.

She took a deep breath and then dared a peek, watching as a man stepped out of the room and whistled to himself while walking down the corridor away from her.

Cas pursed his lips. Iz could handle herself, of course; but he couldn’t let her face the pack on her own, not in good conscience.

“Do you require support?” he asked.

She raised an eyebrow, the corners of her mouth tugging into a smile.

“Aren’t you meant to be retired?”

“There’s strength in camaraderie,” he pointed out. More importantly, he wanted to help his sister. It was as simple as that.

She must have picked up on that, for her smile broadened a bit.

“Then come on over.”

Cas didn’t need to be told twice. He closed communications, and he was next to her the next moment, fully dressed, trench coat and all, and his blade in hand.

She nodded at him, welcoming him aboard, then had another quick look down the corridor.

“Looks clear. Let’s go.”

Cas followed her obediently.

“Where are we going?”

“To check that room. He didn’t lock it on his way out.” She still paused for a moment to check the door wasn’t wired; but then, once she was sure it was safe enough, she turned the handle and they headed inside.

Both angels frowned as they gave the room a once-over. It was quite bare except for a row of shelves nailed to the wall, with a wide range of wallets placed on them.

“An odd collection,” Cas said.

Iz put on a pair of rubber gloves and picked up one wallet to examine the ID inside it.

“Cassidy Spence. Damn…”

“You know that name?”

She nodded.

“Garth gave me a list of the missing hunters, and she was on it.”

“What about the rest of them?” Cas asked.

She examined each of the wallets, reading the IDs.

“Checks out. This is a trophy room, and this is the most recent prize.” She held up the last wallet, stained quite red, so her brother could have a look.

Cas narrowed his eyes, having a closer look at the stains and his nostrils picking up the scent of blood.

“Still fresh,” he said. “That means the pack is behind all those deaths,” he said.

She hummed in agreement. “I’m not sure why, though.”

Cas pursed his lips in thought.

“Do you know how grace-enhanced creatures came to be?”

She nodded. “Michael was behind it, wasn’t he?”

“An alternate Michael, but yes. Um… long story,” he said, noticing the confused look in her eyes. “Short version, he used some of his grace to make more powerful monsters in exchange for their fealty, meaning to build an army and conquer the world.”

“I see. Good thing he failed then,” she said. “So what’s all this? You think they’re still acting in his name?”

“It’s as good an explanation as any.”

“Mm, true. If anything, it’s one more reason they must be dealt with.”

She got out of the pocket a small plastic bag and put the wallet inside it, then held up her phone.

Cas tilted his head, uncertain.

“What are you doing?”

“I don’t doubt Garth will take our word for it when we tell him about all this, but the rest of the community might need convincing.”

The bright flash as she took her photos filled the room several times and, once satisfied, Iz nodded at Cas. It was time to move on.

No sooner had they stepped towards the exit than the tingling feeling of a supernatural presence coursed through them, warning them both of the danger. They froze in place, sensing the boards on the floor creaking under the weight of footsteps.

Cas and Iz exchanged a glance. The werewolf was too close, bound to pick up their scent, which meant…

The howl filled the air, snapping the angels into action. Cas opened the door with a wave of his hand, and Iz lunged, stabbing the werewolf right through the heart and silencing it.

“They know we’re here now,” she said.

“Then we’re taking the fight to them,” Cas said. His eyes flashed bright blue as he tapped into his grace. “Upstairs.”

They moved upwards, Cas taking point and Iz following close behind. The first werewolf that made the mistake of getting in the way got tossed aside like a rag-doll before Cas smote it dead with a touch of his hand. A second werewolf jumped at Iz, thinking she was an easier target, but she turned out to be quicker as she grabbed it by the throat and smashed its head on the floor before thrusting her sword deep into its chest.

More howling reached their ears, followed by a rapid sequence of footfalls–a sign that the rest of the pack was regrouping and intending to rush them.

Nodding at each other in silent agreement, Cas and Iz stood side by side, bracing themselves for the attack. Not a moment too soon as three more werewolves attacked from all sides, fully transformed and with bared teeth.

Cas manifested his power to the fullest, his blinding light ending the monsters in a heartbeat. A fourth one, the biggest one yet, padded forward and howled to put fear in the angels’ hearts, but Iz’s own power crackled through her body and she dashed forward, the force of her charge knocking the creature over and stunning it long enough for her to land the finishing blow.

More werewolves appeared practically out of nowhere, aiming to overwhelm the angels, but they were no match for either the seraph’s power or the grigori’s speed. In a matter of minutes, everything grew quiet once more, and Cas and Iz were the only ones left standing in the middle of twenty bodies in total.

Cas was the first to relax and placed a hand on Iz’s shoulder.

“Are you hurt?”

She took a deep breath.

“No.” She turned to him. “What about you? Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m quite fine.” He focused and tried to sense any more werewolves in the area, but there was nothing. “I think that was all of them.”

“Looks like it,” she said. “I’d better call Garth and tell him what happened. He’ll want to know.”

“Agreed.”

She dug out her phone and dialed the number.

“And after that, we could go to the Bunker and have our talk,” she added. “I seem to remember you mentioning something about concerns.”

His lips tugged into a weak smile. “We could do that if you like.”

“Of course I do.”

“Iz? That you?” the familiar voice sounded from the other end of the line.

“Hey, Garth, you’re on speaker. Cas is with me. Have you got a few minutes to give you the update?”

Garth listened to what both angels had to say with utmost attention, agreeing it was a good thing they had stepped in when they did. With the real culprits dealt with, the relatives of the victims would have their closure, and the werewolf community would maintain its peaceful co-existence within the human society. Although not human, they were not mindless beasts either, and they would have preferred not to see everything they had worked for crumble because of one radical group’s actions.

In short, the mission had been a success, and it was time to head back to Lebanon. Iz teleported them both to the Bunker, and Maizie hurried up to them with her tail held high and a happy trill.

“Hey, you.” Iz helped the cat onto her shoulder, stroking the little ears in affection, then she turned to Cas. “Let me feed her and I’ll join you.”

“Take your time,” Cas said.

He watched her go to the kitchen, then settled on the couch and made himself comfortable. His eyes wandered around the living room, memories playing in the back of his mind. Yes, the years he’d spent in the Bunker were nothing more than a blip in time for a billion-year-old creature like him, and yet they held so much more meaning than all those millennia serving in Heaven and being a soldier. He had shared these rooms with Sam and Dean, ready to join them in their hunts; it was within these walls that he had first realized that he was in love; and these walls had housed his and Dean’s relationship in its first steps. It was… incredible.

Iz came back into the living room, holding two bottles of beer and handing him one.

“Thanks,” the seraph said, accepting it graciously.

“No problem,” she said with a gentle smile. She sat down next to him and, once they clinked their bottles in cheers, they both took a long swig.

“So?” she finally asked.

Cas considered matters, trying to think where he should start.

“Have you talked to Dean at all this past week?”

She frowned. “Only on the phone.”

He nodded his understanding. “Did you pick up anything strange in your interaction with him?”

She raised an eyebrow. “What’s this about, Cas?”

Nothing for it, then. He’d just have to come right out and say it.

“He… seems to be secretive lately.”

“Secretive how?”

“For one thing, he ends telephone conversations abruptly whenever I am within hearing range. He also claims to go grocery shopping when he doesn’t return with any shopping bags in his hands, and he seems to be very vague about his whereabouts. Besides… I can tell that he’s keeping something from me.”

She nodded, taking in the information. “Did you talk to him?”

“He says there’s nothing wrong.”

“And you don’t believe him?”

“I do. He’s not lying,” Cas said. “And that’s what puzzles me. Dean always kept things from me and Sam so we wouldn’t worry about him. But since that’s not the case now, I don’t see why he won’t tell me what he’s up to.”

“He wants it to be a surprise.”

Cas narrowed his eyes, picking up on the implication.

“You know. That’s why you guys talked on the phone.”

A ghost of a smile appeared on her lips. “Yes. Not that I’m going to tell you what we talked about. I promised him I wouldn’t breathe a word of it to you.”

“… Then why are you telling me?”

“Because you’re my brother, and I hate seeing you getting worked up about this,” she said. “Especially when I know you will like the surprise.”

Cas frowned again. “I still don’t see the point of keeping it a secret. If it will make me happy, why not just tell me so we can share the joy?”

She smiled. “Because sometimes humans want to see their loved ones positively light up when they offer them something unexpected. It fills them with a sense of gratification to know that they were the source of that joy,” she said. “Try to think back to your interactions with Dean, when he did something that surprised you. How did that make you feel?”

Cas pursed his lips in thought. He could think of a couple of instances, like when Dean reciprocated the seraph’s feelings, or when he proposed. And before that, there was the time he gave Cas the Led Zeppelin cassette, or the first time he invited Cas to one of his movie nights.

Castiel smiled as the warm and fuzzy feeling of those memories touched his core.

“Yes, I think I understand now,” he said.

“Feeling better?”

He nodded.

“Good.” She nudged him playfully. “Now put it out of your mind, go with the flow and let it happen, okay?”

He chuckled softly. “I will.” He set his (now empty) beer bottle and got back onto his feet. “I should return home. Thank you for giving me the chance to talk about it.”

“No problem. Take care, Cas.”

He ruffled her hair in brotherly affection, and then he was gone in the blink of an eye, returning to the coziness of his home.

--------------

Iz wasn’t sure when exactly she had dozed off. One moment she was reading her book, curled up on the couch; the next she was stirring awake as tender fingers stroked her cheek. Though she didn’t open her eyes just yet, the corners of her lips formed a mischievous smile.

“Now who could that be?”

“Smartass,” Gabriel replied, his tease audible.

She opened one eye, looking up at him. “Hi, Smartass. I’m Israel.”

The archangel snorted and leaned down, kissing her; while she tugged him close so they’d savor each other’s closeness. He took a deep breath and relaxed against her, nuzzling her and linking their hands together.

“I take it you had a long day?” she asked gently.

“Yeah…” he said. “Not that you didn’t have your share of challenges, I hear. Something about werewolves?”

She frowned.

“How did you…? No, wait, I know the answer to that.” Naomi wasn’t in the Intelligence Division for nothing. “I’m guessing she also told you I wasn’t alone?”

“Yup. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you had each other’s backs. I’m just not sure why Cas was with you.”

“He wanted to talk to me. Apparently, Dean isn’t as subtle as he thinks he is, and Cas wanted to understand what was going on.”

He propped himself on his elbow. “You didn’t tell him anything, did you?”

She flushed, and Gabriel picked right up on that. He sighed.

“You did.”

“Just enough so he wouldn’t make himself crazy with this!” she said.

He rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

“Fine. But I hate to break it to you, it’s still punishable.”

“Oh, no.”

“’Fraid so. By tickling.”

“Ah, no!”

Too late. Gabriel’s fingers poked and teased everywhere they could find, and her peals of laughter filled the air as she tried to get away.

Two weeks later...

It was Saturday evening and one of the rare times both Cas and Dean had their time off, so they made the most out of it. Usually, that meant having breakfast together and then spending their time in the garden. It was the middle of spring, so the flowers were in full bloom and touched-up their home with vibrant colors; and Cas loved talking about each flower he had planted, proud that his meticulous care had helped them grow to the fullest. Sure, Dean didn’t care about such things as primroses, hyacinths and snowdrops, but he’d still listen on, eyes on his husband and a fond smile on his lips. After that, it would be lunchtime, and Dean would take the particular responsibility upon himself while Cas looked after his bees; and then it was heading out to the park so Miracle could stretch his legs.

Usually being the keyword here. Although the day went by much as Cas had expected and they were about to take Miracle out for his walk, Dean’s phone rang.

The seraph tilted his head, looking at Dean curiously as his husband screened the number.

“It’s Sam,” Dean said, even as he pressed the ‘accept’ button. “Hey, what’s up?”

Sam’s voice sounded from the other end of the line, though Cas couldn’t discern the words. It was true he could heighten his senses if he wished, but that meant eavesdropping and an invasion of privacy; thus, he simply waited for the phone call to finish and Dean told him what was going on.

“Alright, I’ll be right there,” Dean said and hung up before turning to the seraph. “Cas, can you take Miracle to the park on your own?”

That was surprising. “I believe so. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I just forgot I promised Sam to help him with some things that need carrying over, and I got to go over there.”

“I see.” Cas considered matters for a moment. “If it’s something heavy, I’ll be happy to offer my help.” Superhuman strength went with being an angel, after all.

“No, man, it’s fine, we can handle it,” Dean said at once. “Besides, there’s no need for Miracle to miss his walk, right?”

“I… suppose not.” Cas looked down at the friendly pooch, smiling a bit. “What do you say, Miracle? Think you will be fine with my company?”

Miracle wagged his tail.

“See? Perfectly fine,” Dean said. He gripped Cas by the hem of his trench coat and placed a tender kiss on his lips. “We’ll meet back here, okay? You guys try to have fun,” he added in a softer, affectionate tone.

Cas couldn’t help but smile at that.

“Alright.” He took Miracle’s leash and, once they reached the park and found a nice enough spot, the seraph settled on a bench and let the happy-go-lucky dog run free to his heart’s content. Cas watched on with a smile and even played fetch with him, making sure Miracle had plenty of exercise before finally returning home.

After spending over an hour in the park, Cas was certain Dean would be home by now. Or so he’d thought. As he and Miracle approached the house, he could see there were no lights on, which meant Dean was still out and, perhaps, sharing a beer with his brother. He hoped that was the case, at least. He reasoned that if something bad had happened, Dean would have called him.

What he couldn’t apply reason to was the feeling there was something off with the house itself. It was as if somebody had covered it with an invisible veil.

“Miracle… Stay.”

Miracle complied, sitting on his hind legs, and Cas walked up the stairs to the entrance of the house. He heightened his senses, trying to pick any sort of threat, but there was nothing. That could also mean he was being blocked, though.

He took a deep breath and opened the door, bracing himself for trouble… only for the veil to lift and the living room to light up. A heavily decorated, balloon-filled living room, to be exact, and quite the crowd of familiar faces were standing in the middle of it, all of them smiling.

“Surprise!” everyone said almost simultaneously.

Cas stared, unsure what to make of things and barely realizing Miracle passed by him to join the rest of the group. Or that Charlie welcomed him with a light headbutt before retiring for the night. As much as she liked the attention, a lady sometimes needed her privacy.

“What’s all this?” he asked as Dean walked up to him.

Dean kissed him lightly on the lips and helped him out of his trench coat.

“This is us saying ‘Happy birthday’.”

“But I don’t have a…” Cas stopped himself as it finally clicked. “This is the surprise you’ve been working on.”

Sam mock-cleared his throat, and Cas picked right up on that.

“You were all in on it?” he asked.

“Pretty much,” Eileen said, smiling back.

“Not that it was easy trying to fool you, but it paid off,” Gabriel added.

“Thank you. All of you.” It was hard to put into words what he felt, but it was amazing seeing everyone going through all that for him.

“Why are we all still standing, Cassie boy?” Crowley said. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Nobody needed to be told twice. The festive music permeated the atmosphere, and Cas blended in. He shared his news with Crowley, smiling when he noticed the looks the King of Hell and Naomi exchanged; he congratulated Rowena and Twardowski for giving another shot to their relationship; hugged Jack tightly, happy that he could make it; and introduced Kristen and Claire to each other so that his daughter and his niece finally made acquaintances. And throughout it all, everyone enjoyed themselves, sharing good food and drink and dancing away.

Finally, it was time for the birthday cake. Dean brought it out and placed on the table, placing a single candle on top.

Cas tilted his head, giving the cake the once-over. It looked like it was mocha with white icing in the shape of wings that served as decoration. He looked up at Dean.

“When did you have the time to make this?” The seraph was sure he would have noticed the mess in the kitchen if Dean had actually baked it at their home.

“I made it at Sam’s place,” the former hunter said. “And I had a great sous-chef.”

Jack, the sous-chef in question, grinned.

“Well, come on. Make a wish!” Claire said.

Cas blinked, uncertain. “I… don’t even know what to wish for.”

“Try no’ tae overthink it, dear. Sometimes, th’ simplest wishes are th’ most meaningful,” Rowena said.

The seraph nodded his understanding. “Then I wish…”

“Sorry to interrupt, but this is the part where I say, as a warlock who knows what he’s talking about, that you do not say your wish out loud,” Twardowski said.

“Alright…”

Castiel closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of his family and friends surrounding him; and then made his wish, keeping it secret and close to his heart. He blew out the candle.

The sound of clapping filled the air as he opened his eyes and smiled, while Dean grabbed the knife and started cutting the cake into pieces. Everyone hummed and gave their compliments as they had the first taste, and Cas had to agree. He didn’t have Gabriel’s sweet tooth, but the coffee and chocolate flavors blended pleasantly, and he savored every mouthful he ate.

After that, it was time for the presents. Sam and Eileen went first and gave him a book on beekeeping, one that Cas had meant to buy for himself, in fact; so that was one more pleasant surprise for the day. In the same vein, Iz gave him a new journal to replace his old one, which was slowly running out of pages, while Gabriel handed him a stylus that would never run out of ink. Kristen offered a bound book, which turned out to be a copy of Scott’s first draft of his book.

“He hopes you’ll like it. And any feedback will be welcome, of course,” she said.

“Thank you, Kristen. That’s really great,” Cas said. He was looking forward to reading it, actually.

Crowley’s gift turned out to be something completely different. He held up the small bag, and Castiel took out a DVD titled ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’.

“You might have wondered about your ‘Clarence’ nickname, so consider this an educational video,” the King of Hell said with a half-smile.

“Thank you,” Cas said. Yes, he had been called that far too many times, so perhaps it was time to find out what the meaning behind the name was.

Then, it was Claire’s turn. The young woman handed him several bags.

“They’re from all of us: me, the girls, Jody and Donna.”

Cas tilted his head, then looked inside.

“Wow…” He dug out a pair of jeans and a couple of shirts that matched nicely with the rest of the outfit.

Claire grinned. “Yeah, we figured your retirement required suitable clothing.”

Cas nodded. He supposed that was true.

“Thank you. And tell the others I said so.”

“Will do.”

“Is it my turn now?” Jack asked at that moment.

“Oh, of course.” In all honesty, Cas had thought that the nephilim’s gift was helping Dean bake the cake.

Jack smiled and gave him a puzzle box with Enochian symbols engraved on it.

“It’s really fun once you get the hang of it!” he said.

“So it is,” Cas said, memories of a time long ago flooding his mind. When he was a fledgling back in Heaven, he and the others were all handed puzzle boxes which they were supposed to solve within the day. As Michael and Raphael figured, the mind needed exercise as much as the body. He used to stoop over the intricate mechanisms for hours, applying all his problem-solving skills in order to tackle the challenge this small thing posed. It would be nice trying his hand at one of those again.

“An’ this is from me and Jan,” Rowena said. She held up a bottle of wine, and Cas looked at the year. Quite a good one.

“I suggest ye crack it open when ye and Dean hev a little celebration o’ yer own,” the woman added, tapping his nose playfully.

Cas noticed Dean flushing, and to be perfectly honest, he felt quite self-conscious too.

“Thank you both. I appreciate the thought.”

It was then that Cas’ phone pinged, signifying an incoming message.

“Right on time,” Dean said.

Cas blinked at the particular statement, then activated his phone so the video would play. Garth appeared on screen, waving his hand.

“Hey, Cas! I hope I won’t make the mistake of sending this earlier and spoil the surprise for you. Sorry I couldn’t make it, but I still wanted to say ‘Happy Birthday’ and I hope there are many more of those coming your way. Which… there probably will be since you’re an angel and immortal, but I digress. Hopefully, I’ll get to be over there next year. Have a great one!”

There was the usual awkward pause when the sender fumbled to press the button to stop recording, and that was the end of the message; and Cas smiled, agreeing with Garth’s statement. He didn’t have any birthdays before–there was no need for such things up in Heaven. Now, though, he was glad for the chance to enjoy them.

It wasn’t long after that the party ended and everyone left, giving their well-wishes one more time before heading out. Cas bid them goodbye and thanked them once more, then looked back at the table, where there were more than just a few plates and glasses that needed washing up.

Dean hugged him from behind, holding him close.

“Leave them,” he whispered close to his ear.

Cas took a deep breath, recognizing the inviting lilt in his husband’s voice for what it was. As he wanted them to have the chance to sleep in without the particular task weighing over their heads, he tapped into his grace and warped the reality around them so that the living room was nice and tidy once more.

Dean smirked, approving, then he took Cas by the hand and led him upstairs to their bedroom, closing the door behind them. Their lips met in undeniable desire, tongues dipping into parted mouths, while they rid each other of their clothes as they made their way to the bed. Their shirts were the first to go, but Dean placed a hand on Cas’ chest the next moment, stopping him.

“It’s time for my present.”

Castiel tilted his head. “Wasn’t the party your present?”

“Hey, you can’t blame a guy for wanting to make their husband feel just a little more special on their day.” Dean reached over the nightstand and got out of the drawer a small bag that he handed over to Cas.

Curious, Cas took the bag to have a look inside. He raised an eyebrow and dug out the contents: two pieces of rope made of a soft, silky-like cloth.

“What are these for…?”

His voice trailed off when he looked at Dean and saw the mischievous spark reflected in the hunter’s eyes. Things clicked, and the room felt a lot hotter all of a sudden.

“Are you… sure?” he asked, his voice sounding even huskier than usual.

Dean nodded with a soft smile, holding up both hands. Cas nodded his understanding and set to work, fingers brushing against skin as he wrapped the cloth around the man’s wrists, binding them gently, but firmly.

Dean just let him, looking at him with implicit trust, even when Cas nudged him onto the mattress while lips traced the bare chest ever downward. Cas’ ears picked up Dean’s hitched breath as he reached the abdomen, still planting one kiss after the other; then his hands unbuckled the former hunter’s trousers and pulled them off in the smoothest of motions.

Cas blinked when he realized Dean wasn’t wearing briefs this time around, but a satiny frilly undergarment which did little to contain him. He looked back up at Dean, who flushed a bit.

“You were wearing this the whole time?”

“Yeah…”

“… The whole time we were celebrating?”

Dean swallowed hard, looking quite vulnerable now. “Yeah?”

Cas smirked, hooking a finger around the hem. “Forgive my forthrightness, but that’s hot.”

Dean swallowed even harder, Cas’ tone doing things to him for sure. Yet Cas was far from done as he lowered himself again to plant a delicate kiss on a hip bone before tugging the undergarment off.

Dean’s breathing quickened, his legs parting almost out of instinct as his body wanted one thing only.

“Cas…”

Cas pressed a finger on the man’s lips before kissing them fully, his tongue dipping and savoring the familiar taste that always left him hungering for more.

He intended to take his sweet time, though. It was his birthday, after all.

The afterglow found them both trying to catch their breath and the sheets in a tangled mess all around them. His hands now free, Dean cupped Cas’ face and kissed him, green eyes shining.

“Happy birthday, Sunshine.”

Cas smiled back, his heart beating in tandem with his husband’s in a happy rhythm.

“Thank you, Dean. Looking forward to many more.”