AN: Spoiler for 5.04

What happened between the scene with Dean & Castiel at the highway and the reunion with Sam? That's my version :)

Written for spn_30snapshots

"Because I got you, boy, and I..." Zachariah's angry voice was still ringing in his ears when suddenly Dean was no longer in his room but somewhere next to a nameless highway in the middle of the night. Alone. Confused he turned around. This was not Zachariah's making, Dean was sure of it. But... He spotted a familiar figure in a rumpled trench coat a few meters behind himself. Castiel. His Castiel. Not the dopey, spacey, orgy-Castiel. There was not exactly a smile on the Angel's face. But he looked... content... pleased. And Dean sighed with relieve.

"That's pretty nice timing, Cas."

"We had an appointment."

That look the Angel gave him... The tiniest smile on his face. So much care and... love in his eyes. As if he knew what a shitty night Dean had had. There were so many different emotions in the hunter's chest, pulling him in thousand directions at the same moment. He did not know what to say and just bit his lips. Dean made one slow step towards the Angel. Then another. Invading Castiel's personal space. But the Angel did not seem to care. The hunter even put his left hand on Castiel's shoulder before he suddenly knew what he wanted to say: "Don't ever change."

Castiel did not answer with words but with his eyes firmly set on Dean's speaking of trust, of devotion and friendship. A small smile blossoming on his face.

It was as if they were standing in a small bubble of peace. Inside not exactly the ideal world, but no Lucifer, no Angel-dicks, no shitty-future. Just two friends happy to be together, grateful they'd made it through another day. Of course it did not last long.

Dean suddenly remembered what he wanted to do. He began to search his pockets, as Castiel asked curiously: "How did Zachariah find you?"
"Long story" He finally found his phone and started scrolling trough the menu. Once again he raised his head and looked at the Angel. "Let's just stay away from Jehovah's Witnesses from now on. Ok?"
Castiel did not ask about the meaning of Dean's words. Instead he watched him select a contact and asked in a low voice: "What're you doing?"
"Something I should have done in the first place." He really hoped his brother would answer the call and not make him talk to the mailbox.

~*~

After the short conversation with Sam Dean felt better. Heck, he felt good! He was alive. He was back. His brother was no meat-suit for the freaking Devil. He himself had not become a total dick yet and Cas was still Cas. They needed to celebrate properly. With booze. Lot's of booze. And he sure as hell wouldn't take a 'no' from Castiel. So he just put that hand back on the Angel's shoulder and looked him in the eye with a smirk on his face. "You know. In the future I succeeded in getting you to appreciate the feminine charms. I think we should stick to something else to make sure it doesn't happen that way."

Castiel shot him a confused glance but Dean did not explain what he had been through the last three days... the last four hours... whatever. The hunter just said: "Can you mojo us to some kind of bar? I think I need a cold beer right now."

The Angel nodded with a frown on his face and before the headlights of the next semi could reach them both vanished into thin air.

~*~

The bar was a bit more seedy than the ones Dean normally visited. But apparently it was the only one still open at that time of the day... night... well, actually morning. Dean was still a bit jetlagged. He led them to a secluded booth and gestured Castiel to sit down opposite of him. The waitress came and the hunter ordered two beers and a bottle of Tequila with two shot glasses. Then he turned to the Angel again. "Loosen up a bit. You are sitting tight as if you expect someone to remove your stool from under your ass any moment."

Dean could tell the Angel gave his best to relax and like in the brothel he downed his beer in under a minute. The hunter himself thought what the hell and followed the Angel's lead with a grin.

"So, now we try this, Cas." He pushed a full shot glass to his companion.

The Angel raised a brow, took the glass and emptied it in one swift motion. A heartbeat later his eyes became huge, filled with tears and he started to cough.

Laughing Dean said: "You shouldn't toss Tequila down if you are not used to, buddy."

He watched Castiel slowly regain his composure and it took the Angel nearly a minute before he was able to speak again. His face still red, his eyes leaking tears and his voice quavering and hoarse but with the tiniest hint of sarcasm in it: "I appreciate your advice but it would have been prudent giving it before I nearly choked on an agave-based spirit."

"Hey Cas, did ya just crack a joke?"

The Angel answered with a few additional coughs and Dean decided it was time for a second try. Again he poured them two shots, looked Castiel right in the eye and instructed sincerely: "Now you try a sip. Just one sip and wait 'til it burned down your throat. Then you can take another sip. 'kay?"

The Angel nodded and tried to follow the hunter's orders minutely. Still he had another coughing fit that sent Dean laughing so hard Castiel was not the only one with tears in his eyes anymore.

"I do not und'rstand how burnin' one's gorge 's considered fun."

Dean had to grin as he noticed how Castiel had began to slurr his speach. "You'll get the hang of it eventually." He himself was still way too sober...

~*~

It took the better part of their first bottle for Castiel not to erupt into coughing as soon as he swallowed the liquor. Somehow he seemed determined to follow Dean's lead and get shitfaced - or perhaps the Angel simply didn't know better? The hunter was not sure. They emptied the Tequila and Dean ordered... something. Franky he had forgotten what it was as soon as the waitress left their table to fetch the bottle. Dean squinted his eyes to read the label. Ouzo.. right... that greek beverage with the hilarious name that made one sound drunk even when pronounced while still sober. Apparently Castiel liked Ouzo way better then Tequila. Something about the anise in it.

"You should try ... licorice..." the hunter suggested as the Angel emptied another shot glass of the spirit. "Or... Absinthe." Dean nodded solemly. "Yeah, we'll try that next."

"Schoudn't we meet your brother inna few 'ours?"

"'m shure you can mojo 's there, Caaas."

"Uh... 'm drunk Dean." As if to reinforce his words the Angel burped loudly.

While the hunter had a giggling fit he totally would deny later Castiel buried his mouth behind both hands looking shell-shocked.

When they both had calmed down again Dean proposed while filling their glasses anew: "Schould mojo ya self sober again 'n' then port us."

Castiel downed his drink, pushed his glass back to Dean and shook his head somewhat erraticallv. "Too drunk."

"How... Do ya like it?"

The Angel squinted at Dean, tilted his head a bit to the right and nearly lost his balance. He gripped the table and slurred: "This body... 's not behaavin'. 's not doing what I command. 's weiird. My thoughts 're there..." He pointed somewhere to their left." "... 'n there..." Fortunately Dean's reflexes were still not too bad so he avoided being stabbed in the eye with a forefinger. "My vishion 's off. Like... foggy. But without fog. 'n my tongue 's lazy. Doin' the wrong shtuff. Convershin' distinctly 's difficile. Needs tooo much thinkin'. My shtomach 's hot. And chortlin'. 'n the shpirit 's lapping whenever I move. 'm not used to have foreign shubs...stances 'nside of this vessel. 's a nausheous feelin'."

Dean raised a hand to stop the rambling Angel. "And? Ya like it?"

Castiel nodded carefully still gripping the table.

The hunter was just about to pour them another drink when the Angel belched again. A wet and somewhat burbling sound that made Dean think perhaps they both had had enough.

"'n this eructation 's..."

"Enough, Cas. We're leavin'. Don't wanna carry you home."

~*~

Dean had no idea how they ended up in front of his motel room. They were both leaning heavily on each other, stumbling, swaying but still staying upright. Castiel had left the better part of his drinks in some alley and was a bit more coherent now - perhaps after all they would make it to their rendez-vous with Sam in the morning. But first they would have breakfast - Cas too. Because seeing the clear puke had reminded Dean the Angel probably hadn't eaten anything since Jimmy's short surfacing months ago. And he was determined to chance that.

Another thought struck the hunter. Castiel had held his liquor surprisingly well considering his empty stomach.

Dean finally managed to open the door and while shoving his swaying companion inside he mumbled: "Figured I'd get the souse-angel."