Present…

Dean took a drink from his beer and Castiel drained his. Sam made a face at him but kept typing on his keyboard. Sam knew something was wrong with both of them but he couldn't tell what. Castiel looked on the verge of tears all day but he played it off as being drunk and Dean was doing what Dean did when something pissed him off but he didn't want to show it. This didn't happen very often.

Dean was thinking through what had happened the night before. He wasn't even sure exactly what had happened. He just wanted to help his friend but it was more than that. He had been on the verge of this for weeks. So had Cas. What was it?

Castiel was so confused. He knew what had happened but he didn't know why, but he knew it was wrong. He suddenly stood up and practically ran from the room. Dean stood up and Sam made to follow.

"No, Sam. I'll take care of it." Dean limped out the bar and found Castiel. Castiel pulled his knees up to his chest and hugged them, hiding his face. Dean knelt painfully in front of him. His shin was wrapped and he wasn't supposed to be walking.

"Go away, Dean."

"Dude. I know what happened yesterday is freaking you out but it wasn't bad. You just got excited and didn't really… Mean it." Dean's throat went dry when Castiel looked up at him angrily.

"But that's the problem, Dean! " He snarled.

"What is?" Dean asked, snarling back.

"I did mean it! But you will never mean it! It will never be the same!" Castiel wiped his eyes. There they were. The tears he had been keeping back. He cursed himself in his head.

"I think you may be confused. You're new to this whole human thing. When somebody saves your life you feel grateful and indebted and sometimes your appreciation can be mistaken for other feelings." Dean scratched the back of his head.

"You don't hold it against me?" Castiel asked. He knew in his heart that he had not made a mistake but if he said that to Dean now he would lose him forever. Dean wanted to be just friends, they would be. He would make himself content with that.

"Nah, man. Everybody has those moments. It's just a human thing. Its love. We just are friends. I love you like a brother and you love me like that. That's it. It's just as strong as, say, my love for Jo." That struck Castiel in the heart, "It's not that at all is it?" Castiel could tell that Dean was uncomfortable.

Cas shook his head and Dean looked him in the eyes and put his hands on both sides of Cas' face and kissed him gently. Castiel was shocked. He remembered the day before all in that moment.

The day before…

"Dean!" Sam shouted in the distance.

"What, Sam!" Dean shouted, a little closer. They had been in a house, hunting a ghost, when the roof had collapsed. Everything was dark and Castiel couldn't see a thing.

"Castiel is buried. I saw him go down but I couldn't get to him. Help me dig him out. "

"Alright." He could hear Movement then heard scratching above him. Castiel had opened his wings in attempt to block the fall in debris. Now he was lying on his back, his wings, arms and legs as well as his chest were all pinned. There was something propped above his head so that the flooring didn't fall on his head, The only thing not pinned. He tried to move his shoulders but that caused everything to shift and made it harder to breath. Dirt fell on his face from above and he shook it out of his eyes to see a hand pull a plank of wood away above him. Another board fell where the light had been but was moved. They had seen him.

"Dean!" He shouted but this reduced him to coughing.

"We're commin, Cas." At that moment Castiel realized that He could die. He may never see Dean again. They pulled all the debris off his head area, including the thing that had held everything above his head. Suddenly something shifted and cut off his breath completely.

"Dean, get that one." Sam was holding something up, and struggling but even as Cas was growing dizzy he could see the flames a little way away. That had caused the floor to fall. The house was on fire. Black crowded his vision.

"I can't lift it." Castiel felt pressure on his left leg but the pressure on his chest lessened.

"Ok. Lift it higher, Dean." It lessoned more and the pain came with it.

"Ok, Sam. Take the weight and I will grab him and pull him out." Castiel heard the weight shift then heavy footfalls. He thought, no don't pull me! It'll break my wings. But he couldn't say anything. He felt Dean grab him under the armpits, "On the count of three, Sammy, pull it up higher then drop it. Try to wait until he is out. One, Two, Three." Dean pulled just as all the weight lifted off of him. He felt his wings shredding and his leg gashed open. Castiel was pulled into Dean's lap, slumping against his chest he saw as Sam dropped a large wooden support beam onto Dean's leg he had kicked out to pull Cas free. They all heard a sickening 'Crack' when it landed on his ankle.

"Dean!" Sam hadn't been able to hold it long enough and now he would blame himself for Dean's injury.

"Get it off!" Dean yelled. The movement of Dean's chest hurt Castiel all over. His wings ached but he could feel the warm blood soaking his shirt. Sam lifted the beam off of Dean and Dean pulled himself and Castiel back. Castiel let out a scream of pain, tears running down his face.

"Are you alright D- Cas!"Sam knelt down and put pressure painfully on Castiel's chest. Dean's arms wrapped around him and held two more open wounds that Sam wasn't covering, "I think we have to take him to the hospital this time."

"You can't." Castiel gasped, "My wings a-are in-injured." He stuttered then gasped in pain. The fire drew closer and what hadn't fallen from above them was trying to. Sam nodded and looked back at the fire.

"Ok, I am going to get the car. Stay here and I will carry you both out one at a time."

"What are we supposed to do?" Dean asked, "I do not want to be carried. I'll walk. You get Cas."

"Yeah, with your broken foot you're going to just walk out. I'll be right back." Sam released the pressure and Castiel placed his hands on his own chest in place of Sam's. Castiel could feel the sobs deep in Dean's chest that he was trying to hide. They heard a cracking noise above them and Dean inhaled, Pulling his legs up so that his knees were at Castiel's sides. They both doubled over as something heavy hit Dean in the back. Dean grunted as he was doubled over on top of Castiel.

Castiel fought to breath and pushed Dean back up , "Ok, we can't wait any longer. Sorry Cas. This will hurt." He clumsily stood up. He inhaled in pain but said nothing as he picked Castiel up bride style. He started trudging through the wreckage. Castiel couldn't even sit up any more. He lay in Dean's arms, arms spread and wings scraping the ground. They made it outside just as Sam pulled up. He parked in front of them and Dean collapsed. He slammed Castiel into the hood and slid onto the ground. As rolled a little then fell on top of Dean. Dean sat them up and leaned them both onto the bumper. Sam went running passed. He had to go in the back yard and burn the ghost's bones.

Castiel turned his head to dean and Dean looked at him, breathing hard. Castiel suddenly put his hands on each side of Dean's face and looked into his eyes, "Thank you." He stared for a moment then pressed his lips to Dean's. Dean stiffened then seemed to relax. Castiel slowly pulled away and stared at the burning house.

"W-What the hell was that?" Dean almost shouted but Sammy was coming around the house.

"Just… Thank you." New tears ran down Castiel's face as Sam helped each of them, one at a time, get in the Impala.

Present…

Dean pulled away, shifting his weight so that he wasn't on his bad foot. He exhaled and looked into Castiel's eyes. Castiel winced as a little pain shot through his back.

"Does it feel the same now?" Dean whispered, still close to Castiel's face. Castiel shook his head no. Dean sighed then punched Cas in the face, "Liar! I'm tired of all the lies!"

"But you told me to lie!" Castiel protested. Dean turned and punched him again but Castiel was ready and punched him back, "You did!"

"Man up! Don't back down once you step up! "He stood Castiel up and looked him in the eyes, "Does it still fell like you want this?" Cas stared into Dean's eyes.

"Yes." Dean pulled him into a tight hug then put him out to arms length.

"No one is to hear about this. I still have some pride." But Castiel knew that he was not alone in his feelings anymore.