The Reality of Dreams

I own nothing. Except the duck I am about to mail to Vancouver because I am that desperate for something of mine to possibly touch those boys...If you have no clue what I am talking about go to Clif's twitter. Duck Nation 4 Life yo.

Dreams of Dean came back thick and fast as Castiel slept – taking a brief moment to rest in the chaos that was his life currently. And this time he did not have Dean's hurtful and cold touch that wreaked of distrust and sadness to hold them back as the dreams pulled at his mind, taunting and teasing him with the bond between he and Dean. Breathing heavy, his eyes continually snapped open, breaking whatever trance that his dreams held him in; only for Castiel to drift back into another dream even more persuasive than the last.

The last time Castiel woke, it was with the remnants of a word hanging on his lips. And he couldn't for the life of him remember what it was that he'd said. He could guess though. Castiel pulled his palms up to cover his eyes, pressing them down lightly as he tried to calm his breathing and the feelings in his that the dreams always ignited.

"I'm getting a little tired of letting dream me have all the fun, you know."

Castiel froze. Removing his hands from his eyes, he looked to the left and saw the outline of the Dean perched lightly on the edge of his bed. As he pushed himself into a sitting position, Dean flicked his wrist on the wall he was near and an electric fireplace illuminated the room Castiel was currently occupying…and the smirk on Dean's face.

He stared at him, his reply caught in his throat. His breathing was still too heavy for his liking, particularly since Dean knew that he'd been dreaming about him. How he had figured that out, though, was a mystery to his; not to mention how Dean found him.

"How did you-?" Castiel stared to ask.

Dean's smirk grew wider as he answered, "I've been looking for you actually and I remembered you saying once that you had come across an old Victorian in Lexington that "spoke to you" " he imitated Castiel's voice, which Castiel found to be slightly too deep. "So I figured I'd try it…I had been wandering around this piece of shit house and then I heard something…you've been calling my name in your sleep for the past half hour you know."

"C-Calling your name?" Castiel asked, his mouth almost hanging open.

"Actually, I believe moaning might be a more appropriate word for it."

"No, Dean."

But the Dean took no notice of his objection as he simply took hold of his hand. He stared at him, confused, as he made no attempt to move but to lightly hold his palm, his thumb running slowly over his fingers.

"What are you doing?" Castiel asked, unsure of where all the dark intention in his eyes had fled to.

"Marry me, Cas."

Castiel stared at him, utterly dumbfounded by the words that had just come out of Dean's mouth. Silence echoed between them for what seemed like an endless minute before Castiel could reply.

"M-marry you?"

Dean tilted his head to the side in acquiescence and Castiel literally had to concentrate on stopping his jaw from dropping open once again.

"You…you surely cannot be serious, Dean." he said as he snatched his hand from his grasp. What on earth was Dean saying? Last he remembered Dean had declared him an enemy and promised to fight him if their path's crossed – now all of a sudden he wanted to join in human matrimony? It was absurd – a human and angel…well Castiel thought…not an angel anymore. Oddly enough that thought made him a bit sad, as if he had realized that he lost the part of him that had won Dean over – had thrust this marvelous and amazing man into his formerly dull and monotonous life.

Dean's brow furrowed for a second as he replied, "I am deadly serious, Cas."

It didn't take any sort of consideration for Castiel to come up with an answer, "N-no."

"Cas-"

"No, no, no, no, No," he repeated, sensing that Dean was clearly not going to get the message. This wasn't an option! This wasn't up for discussion! This was madness and for a frightening moment Castiel thought he had been cast into damnation and this was to be his eternal punishment – hearing Dean innocently ask him to marry him and being forced to reject his sweet human every time.

"Ah, but you see, the point is that you must. You have to agree to this."

"No. No- I don't. I won't," Castiel added, his voice infused with an emphatic insistence.

"Castiel," Dean tried.

"With all that you've accused me of doing to you. With all that you've said? Forced me to do? You're going to force me into this too? No Dean. I will not let you do this."

"Castiel, you know that I love you. I will take care of you, but the only way that I can do that is if you agree to this," Dean said as he tried to soften his expression.

"You love me? You certainly didn't act like it when you tricked and lured me into a ring of damned holy fire!" Castiel shot up at this statement, angry now with…with everything.

"Cas I…we…there was no other option Cas. You used that same God damn reasoning with me when I confronted you about making shady back alley deals with fucking Crowley!"

Castiel blinked. He knew Dean was right…that he had used that excuse. But this was different…so much more. How could he put behind him everything they had shared? He was about to voice this very concern when Dean spoke up.

"Cas…I can't be without you. I need you to let me take care of you. You are more than a brother to me and damnit Cas I will not lose you – We have a bond Cas and I want to make you bonded to me in the only way I know how. Let me save you Cas like you saved me."

"I can't marry you, Dean…I just can't for many reasons and I cannot have you thinking you need to save me" he piped up eventually. Maybe it was pride maybe it was guilt, but he just couldn't bear to see Dean giving up everything to dote upon him and tend to him as if he was some sickling kitten.

"As much as I dislike having to persuade you into agreeing to this Castiel, you don't really have a choice. You're too vulnerable at the moment and I am not losing one more night of sleep worrying about you imploding on a power trip."

"Please don't do this, Dean. I can't let you think that you can or need to save me."

Dean moved toward him, his hands settling lightly on either side of his waist, ruffling the thin material there. Castiel's eyes closed as he tried to ignore the fact that he wished that the material of his shirt was not separating his skin from his. His back arched against Dean slightly as he pulled his hips to his.

"Say yes."

"No," he replied, the sound came out as no more than sigh.

"Yes," he said, trailing his hands up the arch of his back in a way that was agonizingly slow.

"Dean..." Castiel started, hating the way that he couldn't resist as he pressed his body to his chest.

"One little word, Castiel," Dean whispered, bending his head slightly so that he could feel his breath on his neck.

Castiel couldn't hold back the shiver that ran through him at that. His hands found their way to rest on his arms, neither pulling him closer nor pushing him away.

"No," he answered, clinging onto the last string of resistance that he had left.

Dean's lips brushed over his skin, teasing his with the thought of what his body was telling him that he wanted it.

"That's not the one I meant," he whispered back to him.

"I can't."

"The only thing stopping you is your stubbornness, that and these fucking pants" Dean said, one hand slipping tantalizingly slowly down to his backside, cupping his crotch from behind and causing a visible spasm.

Castiel gasped and his eyes flashed open, only to find Dean's green piercing eyes staring intensely back at his.

"Please," he whispered.

"Marry me, Cas," Dean said, something that savored strangely of hope lingering in his voice.

"Why?" he asked.

"I love you," he replied simply.

"You don't."

"Must we have this conversation again?" the Dean asked with a sigh.

But he didn't move back or try to justify himself to him as he so often found himself doing. Dean just lowered his lips to his and pressed one chaste kiss against their soft surface. As he pulled back, he felt him unconsciously follow him as if he didn't want to be parted from his touch.

"Say yes."

"Dean, I-"

But before Castiel could reply to that, Dean captured his lips in another intoxicating kiss. And he felt himself responding to him once more; Dean felt him giving himself over to the side that wanted him. When he pulled away for a second time, the reluctance in his shocking blue eyes was even more obvious, but Dean purposefully held himself back from him.

"Say yes, Cas, and I will give you everything I have to offer. Never leave a man behind – that's our motto. And you aren't a man Cas, but you are mine and I will not leave you behind."

All that Castiel could feel were his hands on his and his body pressed against his so tightly that he could feel his growing arousal through both their clothes. That alone should have made him snap out his daze, but as it was, Castiel was so blinded by the effects Dean was having on him that it only made him want to lose himself even more in his embrace.

"Dean..."

"Say yes and I'll do whatever you want that it's in my power to do," he whispered. "Just let me help you and I'll be everything you've wanted me to be. No more lies and no more regrets – I never thought I'd find a place to call home, but my home is with you."

Cas knew in the very back of his very full mind that what he was saying made sense. He didn't value his existence as of late – everything he had done had only killed or alienated those he used to call family. Dean was the only peace he had in his life and the memory of Dean's face that night he discovered his alliance, his true motives…Well the pain he felt he would not even wish upon Lucifer himself.

It seemed that Dean had had enough of waiting though as he quickly snapped him out of his thoughts with a sharp squeeze of the hand on his bottom. It sent a wave of tingling pleasure up Castiel's body, making him shiver against him.

"Your answer, Cas? Will you let me bond onto you? Will you let me save you? Will you let me love you?" Dean sounded frantic, lustful, desperate…

Dean stared into Castiel's bright blue eyes and saw his pain as he fought with himself to come up with his reply. That was, until his eyelids closed softly, shielding them from his penetrating gaze.

"I regret many thing's Dean Winchester. I regret killing my brothers…I regret lying to you," He looked pointedly at Dean then, "I regret sharing my first human kiss with Meg," He saw Dean's expression soften and darken all at once at the memory, "... But yes," Castiel whispered,

"I love you Dean Winchester. I love you with every fiber of my being and I will bond to you," Castiel gripped Dean's hand and took the initiative to hover over him this time – gaining back a bit of his old self as he tilted his head to the side.

"Because you, Dean, are my reason for Hope."