Chasing Ghosts

Sam laughed. "Do you really want Dean to smother me?"

"Well, no. But he wouldn't really try to kill you, and that would just lead to a hilarious pillow fight - What the hell?"

Sam looked behind him. Cas sat in the backseat, Dean's head in his lap. Slowly, he raised his hands, a wry smile twisting his lips. "I come in peace?"

Gabe recovered first and grinned. "You gonna ask us to take you to our leader next?"

Cas blinked and tilted his head to the side in mild confusion.

Sam shook himself mentally and returned his gaze to the road, though his eyes kept flicking to Cas, not quite believing that he was there. "When did you get here?" he asked, glancing at Gabe.

Cas considered. "A few seconds ago." he looked down at Dean. "He has not been sleeping well."

"No. How did you guess?" Gabe asked curiously.

"He has dark circles under his eyes, and he did not move when I touched him. He is usually a very light sleeper."

Sam sighed. "Why are you here?"

Cas glanced down at Dean. "You're going on a hunt in New Orleans. I have some information for you."

"Peace offering?" Gabe asked.

"Basically."

Sam pulled the Impala over and turned around in the seat. "Talk."

Cas almost flinched. Sam didn't miss the slight movement. Finally, the angel took a deep breath. "Crowley is behind this. He's using the attacks to draw you into the open. He knows Gabriel is here as well - that's why the demons had angel-killing blades."

Sam glanced at Gabe, who's usual easy smile had vanished. "Why are you telling us this now?"

"So you don't die when you arrive in New Orleans. You won't make it into the city. Crowley's got guards waiting on the outskirts."

Sam nodded slowly. "So what are you hoping to accomplish?"

"I'm hoping that with Gabe's help, we can get you two into the city."

"I thought you wanted us to grovel at your feet." Sam said flatly.

"Not any more. Dean was right." Cas said softly.

Sam sighed and pulled the Impala back onto the highway. "So what are we gonna need to get through this alive?"

"Just let Gabriel and I do the work."

"Cas - "

"I've already had this fight with them." Gabe said flatly. "They refuse to stay behind."

"I can - " Cas cut himself off. "Please, Sam. I know you don't trust me, but you will only get in our way."

Gabe gave him a hard look. "You're assuming I'm going to go along with this."

"Do you want Sam to die?"

" . . . Good point." Gabe sighed. "So what's the plan, little bro?"

Sam sighed as Cas and Gabe worked on their plan.

Cas glaned at Sam. "Sam. You need some sleep." he said quietly.

Sam gave him a small smile. "I'm all right Cas. I just need an energy boost is all."

Gabe grinned. "Anything in particular you want?"

"Got a mug of coffee?" Sam asked hopefully.

Gabe grinned and snapped his fingers, three mugs appearing in front of him. He handed one to Sam, one to Cas, and kept one for himself. "Cheers, boys and and angel." he said brightly.

Sam glanced over at Cas, who sniffed his coffee suspiciously, and burst out laughing. "Cas? Have you ever had coffee?"

"No. What is it?"

"The best drink in the world."

Sam took a sip of his drink, but further harassment of Cas was prevented when Dean woke, possibly due to the scent of coffee. Dean opened his eyes, then shot straight up and immediately wrapped Cas in a bear hug.

"Cas!"

This time Cas did flinch. "Hello, Dean."

In the passenger seat, Gabe grinned knowingly.

Dean let go long enough to make sure that it was Cas, then wrapped him in another hug. "You're back!"

"Yes. And I can't breathe."

"Oh. Sorry." Dean let go of the angel and reached for Sam's mug.

"Dean, don't make me bite you." Sam warned. "Because I will."

Cas glanced between the two brothers. Sam caught the glance. "We're not going to hurt you, Cas. You can relax."

"It is a bit difficult. I know you are angry with me."

"No. We're relieved you got yourself straightened out." Sam said. "You had us worried."

Dean turned his attention solely to Cas, far more excited than Sam had seen him in months. "Is that true? You're staying this time?"

Castiel nodded slowly. "Yes. I'm staying."

"Awesome!"

Gabe grinned. "You gonna drink that coffee, Cas, or are ya gonna give it to Dean?"

Cas immediately handed the coffee over to Dean. "I doubt I need caffine right now."

Sam grinned and winked at Gabe. "So, it looks like our brothers are straightening back out after all, huh?"

"Yeah." Gabe sat back with a content sigh. "So, tell me, Sammy, are you going to be incredibly hardheaded and follow Cas and myself when we reach New Orleans?"

"Yeah. You should have known the answer to that." Sam gave Gabe a dry look, and didn't comment on the nickname.

"Well, it never hurt to hope that you'd listen to reason for once."

"Listen to what?" Dean asked.

Sam snickered. "Gabe was asking if we were going to be good little boys and stay in the car while mommy and daddy go out and fight for us."

Gabe frowned at Sam. "Mommy and Daddy?"

"Yes. You're mommy, and Cas is daddy." Sam said with a grin.

"At least he understands who wears the pants in this relationship." Cas deadpanned.

There was a full minute of silence before Dean and Sam burst out laughing while Gabe began protesting. Dean almost looked like he was gonna hug Cas again.

This was their angel.

Sam kept sniggering, which earned him a punch in the arm. Gabe scowled. "It wasn't that funny!"

"Are you kidding me, Gabe? It was hysterical." Sam said, trying and failing to stop laughing.

Gabe glowered at him a moment before cracking a grin. "All right, yeah, it was a little funny.,"

"A little?"

"That's all you're going to get out of me, Sammy."

Sam shrugged and grinned. "Fair enough."

Dean was still choking on laughter. Cas took the coffee cup from him. Dean reached for it again.

"Stop laughing. Then you can have the cup back."

"Trying! Too funny!"

"At least now you have air to talk. It's progress."

That started Gabe sniggering.

Sam had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from bursting into laughter and driving the car off the road.

Gabe grinned. "You wanna switch places with Dean?"

"Nah. I'll let them have their little reunion." Sam said, chuckling.

"As long as you're sure."

"I"m sure I need a refill." Sam said, shoving his mug under Gabe's nose. "Please?"

Gabe blinked and leaned back so he could see the mug. "Damn, boy. What'd you do, inhale it?"

"I was thirsty." Sam said. "Please? More?"

"If only I could get you to say that in - "

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Gabe."

"Good luck." Dean chuckled, finally getting himself under control. "You get to deal with the perverted angel."

"You get to deal with Cas." Gabe shot back.

"What did I do to get pulled into this?" Cas demanded.

"Showed up." Sam and Dean said simultaneously.

Cas hung his head. "Goody."

Sam flashed him a grin. "Hey, give it a few minutes, and you'll wonder why you missed this."

"It won't take that long." Cas said dryly. "I'm already wondering."

Sam burst out laughing as Gabe sniggered as Dean grinned. "It's okay. You can admit you missed us. We won't tease you much."


"How very reassuring." Cas said, a grin crossing his face. "I'll be sure to remember for next time I need a bit of insanity."

Dean grinned. "Hey, at least you haven't lost your sense of sarcasm."

"Thanks to you, that has been burned into my mind. It's not going anywhere." Cas said flatly.

Gabe grinned. "Cas knows sarcasm now?"

Sam gave Gabe a look. "Have you not heard him for the past five minutes?"

Gabe grinned. "Well, yeah, but I thought that was just like the Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Someone took Cas and replaced him with a sarcastic clone."

Dean and Sam turned to stare at Gabe as one. "What?" Dean asked.

"Yeah! What if that's not really Cas, but a sarcastic clone?" Gabe asked brightly.

"Gabe? Where the heck did you come up with that?" Sam asked, laughing.

"You ever seen that movie?"

"No." Sam said dryly.

Cas decided to ignore the conversation and gently tugged Dean until he was laying down in his lap again. "Hey - "

"You need to sleep."

"No I don't."

Sam glanced behind him. Dean was going to hate him for this one, but hey - what were little brothers for? "I think Dean's afraid that you're gonna vanish if he closes is eyes." he said flatly.

"I hate you, Sammy."

"Yeah, say that with more enthusiasm."

"I hate you, Sammy." Dean said again.

"Still not buying it. Go back to sleep. If Cas vanishes, I'll slam on the brakes and make lots of noise." Sam said, with a grin.

"Don't even think about it." Dean growled as he finally shifted and rested his head on Cas's leg.

Gabe grinned. "You two are so cute."

"Eat me, Gabe."

"How about I eat your brother and - "

Sam smacked Gabe on the back of the head. "Don't go there. Next time it'll be my fist in your nose, broken hand be damned."

Cas watched the two of them with a small smirk, one hand tangling lightly in Dean's hair. Gabe grinned at him.

"Don't you smirk nonchalantly at me."

"Stop flirting in front of me and I'll stop smirking nonchalantly at you." Cas shot back.

Dean grinned. "I love having a front-row seat at angel sarcasm."

Sam nodded, not mentioning that he was recording the conversation for later.

Gabe glanced over at Sam. "You okay, Sammy?"

"Yeah. I"m listening and trying not to kill us by not watching the road." Sam said with a grin.

Dean laughed as he closed his eyes and yawned. He grabbed some of Cas's trench coat and gripped it before allowing himself to drift off.

Castiel watched Dean intently for a minute. "I hurt him badly." he murmured.

Sam nodded. "Yep."

Cas sighed. He didn't say anything more.

Gabe picked up right where he left off. "So, how about we let them have their own room and we get our own?" he asked brightly.

"Gabe, I swear - "

"Ooh, I like that."

"Gabe!"

Gabe smirked. "I like the way you say my name, Sammy. But yeah, I think those two need their own room."

"Sadly, I agree with you." Sam said, swinging into the nearest hotel parking lot. "Come on, Gabe. Let's got get our rooms." he glanced back at Dean and Cas. "We'll be right back."

Cas gave Sam a dry grin. "I don't believe I'm going anywhere. Not without Dean, at any rate."

Sam sniggered as he got out of the Impala to get their rooms.

Cas watched them for a moment before returning his attention to Dean. The hunter still hadn't let go of his coat, and Cas realized his fingers were still in Dean's hair. Still, he didn't move. He had the nagging suspicion any movement on his part would wake Dean up and possibly send him into a fury.

So far Dean hadn't unleashed half of what he was feeling onto Cas. The angel would really like to wait until they had more space than the Impala to do that.