Chapter Text
I care about the whole world, because of you. You changed me Dean. Castiel’s eyes are brimming with tears. Grief and love and longing, his heart reaching emotional capacity from just a glance into the human’s eyes.
Why does this sound like a goodbye? Dean's throat burns as the words leave his lips. His brain is scrambling to make sense of what is happening.
His words are met with the gentliest of smiles; Because it is. The world is spinning out of control, Dean is going to be sick. The sounds of everything around them are muted by those words. The angel looks at Dean as if the world isn’t collapsing around them. As if, despite the threat behind them and the destruction outside the bunker's walls, the only thing of importance is Dean.
I love you.
There is a ringing in Dean’s ears. Dean longs to reach out to Cas, to hold him close but he feels frozen in place.
Don’t do this, don’t leave me.
Don’t do this and leave me with nowhere for my love to go.
The words sit trapped in his throat.
Don’t do this, Cas.
A rift opens behind him. Thick black ooze spreading across the wall, the empty taking in the moment before it gets to rob them both. Billie stands at the now opened door. The hunter flinches but the angel doesn’t lose focus, determined Dean’s soul will be the last thing he sees.
There is no time left. This is all they will ever have again, this goodbye is unbreakable. Cas smiles still. He is looking at Dean as though this moment is all he has ever wanted. Dean is helpless under his gaze. There are a thousand things to say, if only he had a moment to even say one. Tears break from Dean’s eyes as he says the holiest word he knows.
Cas.
The angel places a gentle hand on Dean’s arm. The first place his hand found now is also the last. What an honour to save Dean Winchester a final time. Words form on Dean’s tongue, desperate to tell his angel any part of his mind. Their time is gone.
Goodbye Dean.
Dean blinks and Cas is swallowed by the thick black goo.
Dean blinks and he wakes up gasping for air - in the bunker three months later.