Chapter Text
“Now that you have thwarted the apocalypse, do you plan to find Lisa and apple pie, as you promised your brother?” Castiel almost did not want to hear the answer. He had tried to prepare himself for leaving Dean’s side since he had heard the promise. He had even removed his mark from Dean’s shoulder after his grace had been returned to him, but he still longed to stay with Dean.
Dean narrowed his eyes and looked over at Castiel. "You were awake for that, huh?" He shook his head slightly and sighed, “I mean, yeah, I guess. A promise is a promise, after all.” His eyes remained fixed on the highway ahead of them. "Especially when you promise someone," he gulped, "as kinda their last wish." They were both silent for a moment. Dean sighed again and finally looked over at Castiel. “What are you gonna do now?”
So this was goodbye, then. Castiel thought back on all that had happened between them as they discussed his return to Heaven. How could he ask Dean to go against his promise, to continue hunting, to pray to Castiel whenever he needed assistance...or physical satisfaction? Dean had a chance at something normal. How could he presume to stand in the way?
“What about me, huh? Where’s my grand prize? All I got is my brother in a hole!”
Why was he so angry? Sam had willingly sacrificed himself to save millions of people from the collateral damage of Michael and Lucifer’s aborted battle. He had gotten Earth in a very similar state to before the apocalypse had begun, just as he had set out to after Sam’s betrayal. “You got what you asked for, Dean. No paradise. No hell. Just more of the same. I mean it, Dean. What would you rather have: peace or freedom?” The stark bitterness of his own words startled him. He wanted to be Dean’s grand prize. He wanted to slide across the seat and give Dean something for which to be thankful. He should free Dean of his presence before he said or did anything else to endanger Dean’s already shaky resolve to fulfill his promise to Sam. He left Dean and headed back to Heaven for the first time in what seemed like an eternity without saying another word.
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