Archive of Our Own

Benny kept his eyes peeled as he squatted down on the riverbank. He didn't see any immediate danger but he'd learned long ago that was usually a lie in Purgatory. He carefully washed his hands free of the werewolf blood, his kill lying back a ways. He'd simply been minding his business when the creature leapt out at him, forcing his hand.

"Dumb mutt," he muttered as he scrubbed his hands on his jacket, standing and striding back to the trees.

He'd been trapped here for about fifty years now if his math was correct, being sent here long ago by his maker, simply for falling in love with a human. The vampire flexed his jaw and felt his fangs slowly retract, his agitation apparently causing them to appear. He hefted the Purgatory Blade onto his shoulder and strolled into the woods, the fog soon consuming him as he whistled.

Benny paused and sniffed the air, a strange scent there and that feeling he'd been having for about a year now much stronger. The scent was different than the monsters he encountered every waking minute, it was familiar on a deeper level. His eyes widened in surprise and a grin spread across his face.

"A human? Here in this shithole?" he chuckled, twirling the blade in his hand and he changed course. "Must be my lucky day."

The human was easy enough to track down, his feeling of humanity naturally drawing the vampire to him and his scent growing stronger. Benny crouched behind some bushes and peered out, spotting a fellow vampire running like his life depended on it. He raised an eyebrow as the vampire quickly sped away, another figure charging into view. Benny's eyes widened again.

The human!

He was about the same height as Benny, mid to late twenties and slim. He was covered in blood and dirt and grime, the blood not his own. The human looked around, scanning the trees and surroundings.

"Is this asshole hunting monsters?" Benny asked himself quietly. To test his theory, he quickly tossed a rock in the direction the vampire had fled in, the human's head snapping in that direction, a primal look in his eyes.

Benny watched in fascination as the human boldly charged forward, letting out a chuckle as he quietly followed, curious as to how this would play out. Peering around a tree, he saw the human pinning the vampire against a tree.

"Where's the angel?" he asked, voice dripping with danger. Benny tried not to focus on the sound of that voice and what it did to him deep down.

So there was an angel here in Purgatory too. He'd felt a strange presence a year ago, then it had seemed to split in two. At the time he'd chalked it up to some new monster being banished to this place. Now it made more sense. He'd heard rumors from other vamps and the occasional werewolf of a human that had appeared here, but he'd never believed them, unable to trust anyone in Purgatory. Now as he watched this human at work, a plan began to form in his mind. He also felt a strange connection to this human. He'd longed for someone to talk to who wasn't his own kind or some monster trying to kill him. He'd never hated humans and had started to see something in them long before he'd married one.

Benny watched as the human stabbed the vampire and then stepped back, before swinging what looked like a crude short sword and instantly decapitating the vamp. Benny almost whistled, impressed by the technique the human used to dispatch his enemies. Now he absolutely had to befriend this man!

A rustle in the bushes cause him to quickly glance to his right, seeing a familiar vampire appear. It annoyed him how distracted he'd been that one of his own kind could sneak up on him.

"Travis?" he whispered. Travis looked over and nodded to the human, fangs popping out and drool dripping down his face. Benny shook his head but Travis ignored him and charged, Benny almost yelling out for the human to look out.

He watched as Travis tackled the human, the two rolling in a mess of limbs and fangs. He sighed and stood to leave, sad that the human and his plan would soon cease, but a nagging feeling ebbed at the back of his mind. He looked back and saw the human struggling for his weapon but still fighting back. Benny felt sorry for him, wished he'd succeed and kill Travis. Something pulled at him internally, screaming at him to save the human.

"Aww fuck it!" he groaned and charged forward at a blinding speed, crashing into Travis before he could sink his teeth into the man and ripping him off, the two tumbling to the side.

Benny pinned Travis and with a wild look in his eyes, swung out and then down with his blade, beheading him in one swing. Benny took a moment to enjoy the feeling of a fresh kill before glancing at the human, the man now standing and holding his weapon at the ready.

"What? No thanks for saving your hide?" he asked with a smile as he stood and looked at the man, much closer now.

Despite the grime and dirt, the man was quite handsome, and had an amazing pair of green eyes that instantly captured Benny. He mentally shook himself as the human spoke, the two beginning to circle one another.

"Sure. I won't shove this up your ass," he said and gestured with his blade. Benny scoffed, amused but also trying to hide the blush creeping into his cheeks.

"I got something you need, friend," Benny said, smile still on his face. The human looked like he could burst into laughter.

"Oh yeah? And what's that?"

This was it. Benny had to play his cards right if he was ever going to get this human out of here.

"A way out," he said.

"Bullshit! There isn't a way out of here!" the human snapped.

"There is, if you're human," Benny smiled again, looking away as he and the human slowly stalked each other in a circle. "God has made it so. Least, that's what the rumors say."

"Prove it," the human said, a hesitant but calculating look on his face. Benny felt relief flooding through him. At least he'd gained the man's attention.

"Nah, friend. Either you're in, or you're out," Benny said, allowing himself to be a bit cocky.

"So I'm supposed to believe you're gonna guide me outta here out of the kindness of your undead heart?" the man asked. Benny felt a slight stab of pain at that but didn't let it show.

"More or less," he grinned again.

"What's in it for you?"

The man was smart, Benny had to admit. He picked up on the situation quickly and was very keen. Excellent!

"I'm hitching a ride," he said. The human paused and stared at the vampire.

"What?"

"It's a human, portal, jackass. Only humans can go through." Benny knew he was pushing his luck with the insult but he was getting impatient. "I show you the door, and then you hump my soul to the other side."

"So you're looking for a...a soul train?"

"Sure. If that's what you're into," Benny huffed a laugh. He saw that the man was thinking, calculating in his head the various scenarios that could play out, weighing the pros and cons of an alliance with a vampire.

"How do I know this isn't a trick? How do I know I won't end up like your friend there?" he asked and gestured to Travis' corpse. Benny glanced at the body and felt no remorse. In fact he felt proud and satisfied that he'd saved this human.

"He was my friend," he shrugged. "Now you are. First rule of purgatory, kid, you can't trust nobody."

"Didn't you just ask me to trust you?" the man looked confused.

"Y'see? You're getting it now," Benny grinned cheekily.

The human smiled as well, a smile of understanding. Then he lowered his blade and pointed it at Benny.

"First we find the angel."

Benny groaned inwardly. Of course this human would try to drag an angel along with them, as if this wasn't going to be hard enough with his humanity acting like a beacon, now they were going to haul the celestial lighthouse around too? He couldn't risk it.

"Hmm, three's a crowd, chief," he tried to subtly drop the hint. The human sighed and took a few steps forward, Benny feeling his own heart skip a beat and his face go a little pink as the man drew near, mind going to many places it probably shouldn't.

"Well, buddy, either you're in, or you're out," he said.

Benny looked at the human for a moment, seeing the determination and fire in his eyes. He couldn't help smiling at how cunning this human was, using his own words against him. Benny couldn't let this chance to escape elude him, couldn't risk letting it all go to shit. This was his chance to get out, he just had to believe it.

"I reckon we have ourselves an understanding. I'm Benjamin Lafitte," he reached out a hand in greeting. "But you can call me Benny."

The human stared at him and scoffed before pushing passed him and muttering under his breath how he never thought he'd see the day when he'd team up with a monster. Benny stayed there for a moment, arm still extended before he sighed and turned to follow.

The first few days were a bit awkward. Dean, as Benny came to know the human, was suspicious around him and always seemed to keep one eye on him and one hand on his blade. Benny took no offense, he knew it'd take more than this to make the human trust him. Eventually Dean was comfortable enough with him to take small naps here and there and eventually sleep until his watch at night. Or at least what would be night. Here in Purgatory it was usually light out. The real turning point happened five days after the two had formed their alliance.

Benny was taking point, using his senses to figure out if there were any monsters around or not, Dean not far behind. Benny paused for a moment, a scent catching his nose. He sniffed and focused, trying to filter out what could be causing the scent. Suddenly he whirled around and started to shout towards Dean, but it was too late.

The vampire stalking them had pounced on the man and the two were now struggling on the ground. Benny rushed forward but was tackled himself and slammed to the ground. He twisted and sank his fangs into the throat of the vampire and ripped with all his might, tearing the throat out of the vampire and killing it. He rushed forward  to help Dean.

The vampire had pinned Dean to a tree and was leaning back to sink his fangs in the human when Benny grabbed him by the scruff and ripped him away. Benny threw the vampire to the ground with a force that broke several of the monster's bones with a loud crunching snapping sound. Dean watched as Benny pinned the vampire down and laid into him, punching the vamp's face over and over, snarling something he couldn't make out in the moment. He stepped closer and finally heard what Benny was saying.

"Don't you dare touch him! You hurt him and I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"

Benny had lost control. Something in him snapped and all he could think about was protecting Dean. Not because he was the vampire's ticket out of here, but because he cared about Dean. He hated the idea of the human being torn apart, eaten, or turned like his wife had been. He'd do anything to keep that from happening again. He felt hands on him and looked up, expecting another vampire, but it was Dean, a look of concern on his face. Benny instantly calmed down, fangs retreating and a matching look of concern crossing his own face.

"You alright?" he asked and stood. Dean didn't flinch or move away but just stared at him with a calculating look in his eyes.

"Yeah. What the hell was that just now?" he asked. Benny looked down and away, ashamed for reasons he couldn't explain.

"Had to get him off you," he said weakly.

"Yeah? You did a hell of a lot more than that. His face looks like ground beef," Dean replied. Benny glanced down and saw that he'd reduced the vampire's head to a pile of pulp and brain matter. He only felt contempt for the thing.

"It was you or him, Dean," he said and turned to face Dean.

The human looked at him for a moment, searching for something. Benny smiled sadly and nodded. Suddenly his expression changed as he noticed movement behind Dean, quickly grabbing him and swinging him around, swapping places, grunting in pain as a blade emerged from his chest.

Benny watched as Dean's face contorted into a mixture of horror, concern and anger. He felt the burning pain in his chest and looked down to see the blade sticking through.

"I'll see you on the other side brother," Benny gasped out. He felt his body growing weak as he fell to his knees, Dean rushing passed him.

He felt sad that Dean wasn't there, that he'd vanished from his sight. He wasn't sure why he felt this way about a human, especially one he barely knew. As he collapsed to the ground, all he could think of was that he hoped Dean could make it out of here alive, that he would somehow remember Benny topside and maybe visit his grave. A small smile crossed his face as his vision started to darken.

He felt hands on him, grabbing his jacket. He was too weak to fight back or even flash his fangs. He just hoped that he was enough of a distraction for Dean to get a head start as his vision went dark.

~ ~ ~

Benny's eyes snapped open and he gasped, looking around. He looked like he was still in Purgatory, the scenery still the same. That was weird. He shouldn't have woken up, he shouldn't be here. He sat up and realized the pain in his chest was mostly gone. He pulled his shirt down and saw the wound healing quicker than it normally would.

"Bout time your dumb ass woke up."

Benny looked up and saw Dean, sitting nearby breaking a twig in his hands as he stared straight ahead. Benny wasn't sure how the man was feeling, a blank expression on his face.

"H-how am I still alive?" he asked. It was then that he noticed a bandage wrapped around Dean's arm. "Dean?"

"Look, I couldn't let you die. Not after what you did for me, okay?" Dean muttered and looked over at the vampire.

"Dean, what have you done?" Benny asked, feeling not so great all of a sudden.

"I gave you some of my blood. I've heard that vamps can heal faster if they consume blood so I gave you some of mine," Dean replied.

Benny felt sick and rolled over, groaning. Dean was at his side in an instant.

"What's wrong? Are you okay? Benny talk to me!"

"You dumbass. You should've just let me die," Benny weakly shrugged off Dean's hands.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Dean demanded. Benny remained silent. "Hey, I saved you because I wanted to. Because we're friends."

Benny looked up at that. Friends? Dean thought of him as a friend now? Did that mean he trusted Benny?

"W-we are? Friends?" he asked.

"Yeah we're friends. Don't go getting all mushy on me now. I figured if you were gonna kill me you'd have done it any number of times by now. And you certainly wouldn't have sacrificed yourself to save me back there."

Benny slowly nodded, warmth filling his heart. He hadn't had a true friend in a long time. Someone he cared enough for that he'd be willing to risk his hide for them.

"Why did you do it?"

Benny snapped back to the present and looked at Dean with a curious expression.

"What?"

"Why'd you take that knife for me?" Dean asked.

"Other than you being my ticket out of here you mean? I don't know, didn't want to have to watch another human die if I could do something about it," Benny said.

"What do you mean?" 

"I was married once, before I was sent here. Left my nest and way of life to be with her. She was beautiful, Dean. And I loved her. Well my nest eventually found us and in order to put me in my place and teach me a lesson, they killed her in front of me then beheaded me," Benny paused to take a shaky breath. "I made you a promise and I intend to keep it."

Dean studied him for a moment before nodding and walking back to his spot, resuming his fiddling with the twig. Silence hung between them for several moments before Dean spoke up.

"Why do you care about me, Benny?" Benny looked up confused.

"Come again?"

"Why do you care about humans so much? I've never seen a vampire that acts the way you do."

"Probably cause humans got something worth protecting," Benny said. "Their lives."

"What would you know about the value of life? You're a vampire," Dean asked. It wasn't a hateful question but seemed genuinely from a place of curiosity.

"Yup. And I think we both know which of our kinds kills more humans," he pointed out, Dean pondering that for a moment.

"You're worried what I'll do once I get topside, right? That I'll start eatin all your little piggies up there," Benny continued. Dean fidgeted uncomfortably.

"Listen, Dean. By the time I got iced I was strictly on a blood transfusion diet. Donated blood only. Not donated to me I'll give you that, but I paid good black market scratch for that blood and made sure no humans were harmed in getting it."

Dean looked over at him, seeming to weigh his words. Benny sighed and sat up, looking directly into Dean's eyes as he chose his next words.

"Look, all I'm saying is I started seeing something in humanity, okay? Something that shouldn't be taken away. I drink blood, I don't drink people."

Dean nodded slowly and offered a small smile. It was then that Benny found himself thinking that he wanted to see that smile for the rest of his life. To keep this human happy. He found himself realizing that he was attracted to Dean more and more and that he hadn't realized how being with another person made him feel alive again, not so alone anymore. He shook his head and rolled over, forcing himself to shake the thoughts away.

He felt better after a long rest, his wound all healed and the pain gone. Despite the awkward talk the night before, Dean was more than willing to help him up and fetch him water. Benny was touched. He wondered if Dean had similar feelings towards him but doubted it. The human seemed to keep close as they walked, closer than he had before, and whenever they had to fight he kept his back to Benny's back, the two learning to move in tandem, like they'd been a team for years. Benny thought it was nice, finally finding someone who thought like him, who understood things like he did.

"This place...it feels so different." Dean said one night while they rested.

"Different how?" Benny asked.

"I don't know, it's not like how it is topside. It's more...pure," Dean tried to explain. Benny looked around and nodded after a minute.

"I guess so, brother."

"It's like, there's no moral conflict. No rules, no consequences. Just..." his voice trailed off.

"Pure," Benny supplied helpfully, Dean nodding and looking at him. Benny wasn't sure what he saw there but it was something new. Dean seemed almost wild, hungry, in a predatory state of mind.

"Dean? You good, brother?" he asked.

Dean moved over, closer to the vampire and slowly, hesitantly, reached out and placed a hand on Benny's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. Benny looked at the hand and then back to the human.

"You sure you wanna do this, chief?" he asked. Dean nodded and moved closer, gently pushing Benny onto his back and leaning over him.

"Only if you are," he said. The vampire nodded slowly.

Benny stared up at him, fully willing to be vulnerable in this moment. He felt what Dean had said, about Purgatory being pure. He'd felt it since the day he was sent here. The human was right. Who could stop them from giving into their deepest desires? There was no consequences, no moral high ground or code to live by. Simply pure survival.

"First time?" he asked.

"Please, don't insult me," Dean scoffed.

"You are full of surpri-" Benny's statement was cut short as Dean leaned in and silenced him with a kiss. Benny was surprised at first then smiled and leaned into the kiss, returning it and reaching up to hold Dean's face in his hands.

They stayed that way for a moment, just kissing. When they parted Dean was panting and Benny blushed deeply. They smiled at each other like goofy kids.

"Well you certainly know how to shut me up," Benny grinned.

"Finally found what works." Dean chuckled before he leaned in again and kissed the vampire a little deeper this time.

Benny hummed into the kiss and found his hands wandering down to Dean's shoulders then up to his back where they rubbed circles. Dean had one hand holding his face, the other was pushing itself up under Benny's shirt, the vampire jerking slightly with the skin on skin contact.

The two spent that evening together, exploring this new thing between them and letting the purity of Purgatory consume them. Dean wasn't sure what spurred this all on, but Benny was extremely attractive and his voice did things to the man.

In the morning the two set out again, silence hanging between them for several hours. Benny wasn't sure if he'd done something wrong or if this wasn't what he'd originally thought it was. Maybe he'd gotten it all wrong, maybe Dean wasn't interested in that, at least not with him. Dean was silent, thinking hard about the night before and what he'd done.

It wasn't like this was a new thing, like he'd told Benny this wasn't his first rodeo. However there was something different about this time, this man. Benny was different in many ways than his past encounters, and there was something about this place that felt strange. He didn't feel the normal feelings he felt after having a night in the sack, sometimes he'd feel guilt, sometimes he wouldn't feel anything but simply take his leave. This time felt...like there was something deeper that happened.

"Listen, Dean, we don't have to talk about what happened. In fact if you never want to bring it up that's alright with me I'll respect that. But stop ignoring me or acting like I'm a bomb about to go off," Benny finally said, stopping and turning to the human.

"What are you talking about?" Dean asked.

"I know you ain't dumb, Dean. If there was something wrong that I did you can just tell me and stop letting me hang here in silence."

"Benny I honestly have no idea what the fuck you're talking about. You didn't do anything wrong," Dean was confused. Benny looked at him, now also confused.

"Then why the silent treatment?"

"I'm just thinking. That's all. Stop making this weird," Dean rolled his eyes and pushed passed the vampire.

"I'm making this weird? You're the one who hasn't said a word since we left camp," Benny pointed out.

"What do you want me to say, Benny? That last night was the best night ever? Or that I regret the things we did? Cause I don't! I don't regret a thing and that's what's got me thinking so damn hard!" Dean shouted as he whirled on Benny.

"What do you mean?" Benny asked.

"Everything I normally feel after having sex with someone, I'm not feeling. I don't feel the usual emotions but what I feel is something else," Dean explained.

"Something different?" Benny asked. Dean nodded and walked to a nearby tree, leaning against it.

"Something...pure. Like I don't have to regret anything or own up to anyone. Just do what I want when I want and how I want. Like I said yesterday, no moral conflict or struggle between what's right and wrong." He turned and looked at Benny, that wild look from the night before in his eyes again. "And I like it!"

Benny chuckled and shrugged, turning to keep heading in the direction they'd been going in.

"Whatever you say, chief," he said before he felt hands grabbing him.

His first instinct was to fight but his senses told him it was only Dean so he let the human continue as he pulled Benny close then slammed his back against the tree, lips inches apart.

"You really know how to treat a guy," Benny chuckled before Dean was kissing him. This kiss felt less experimental, less hesitant. This was more passion and feeling.

Benny felt Dean push between his legs and he let the human slip closer, feeling Dean rut against him. He had to admit he was loving this, being with Dean, but a small part of him hoped it was actually because Dean liked him, had feelings for him, and not because of whatever Purgatory was doing to the man.

Benny finally pulled away for a moment, both men catching their breath. They smiled at each other, cheeks pink.

"Can I ask you something, Dean?" Benny asked. Dean nodded as he leaned in and kissed Benny's neck, something that surprisingly sent jolts of electric pleasure through the vampire. "What's thing thing happening between us?"

Dean paused and pulled back, looking Benny in the eyes as he pulled him closer, arms wrapped around the older man's middle. Dean thought for a moment before answering.

"I'm not exactly sure yet. I've never really been in a stable relationship that lasted very long before. Being a Hunter isn't really great for getting close or forming attachments," he admitted. Benny felt a little crushed and was about to nod and pull away when Dean continued.

"But I'm willing to give it a try if you are. We could slow down too I guess, this seems sorta rushed,"

"That's an understatement considering all the things you did to me last night," Benny scoffed and winked at Dean who smacked his chest. "I'm willing, brother."

"I just don't want to mess this up. There's something special about you, Benny. Something different from anyone else I've been with. I know that sounds super cheesy, and maybe it's this place fucking with me, but when I look at you, all I want to do is be with you."

The two looked at each other for what felt like an eternity before Benny finally nodded and leaned in, giving Dean a soft kiss on the lips before untangling himself from the human's arms.

"Sounds good to me, brother. Now how 'bout we get our asses on the road to find this angel boyfriend of yours," he said and smiled to himself when he heard Dean sputtering behind him.

"He's not my boyfriend!"

"Hurry up, Dean! Otherwise another sexy vampire will steal you away from me," Benny laughed as they pushed on.

~ ~ ~

It had been almost a week since they'd joined up, by Dean's calculations at least and still they were no closer to finding the angel than before; each lead sending them to a dead end. It wasn't til after one particular night where Dean interrogated a werewolf that they finally found a decent clue. As they left the corpse of the mutt behind, Benny couldn't help but think that Dean was much more dangerous than the average monster hunter. He decided to ask about it when the stopped to make camp.

"So...want to tell me how you got so good at torturing people?" he asked casually. He took note of how Dean's heart rate quickened and the sent of fear filled his blood at the vampire's question.

"I'd rather not talk about it," he said at last.

"That bad huh?" Benny whistled. "Must've been some real shit if it could make Dean Winchester act like that."

"Let's just say I've done some things...bad things and leave it at that," Dean muttered.

Benny didn't push the subject any further despite his curiosity. It wasn't his business and he trusted that Dean would tell him in time if he felt comfortable doing so. He was a little rocked by the haunted look on Dean's face as he apparently relived some of these bad things he'd done.

They lay in silence for awhile, one on each side of the small fire Dean had built. Benny finally heard a soft sound, like whispering. He concentrated his heightened hearing on it and recognized it as Dean's voice, the man mumbling something. It took the vampire a moment before he realized Dean was praying.

"Cas, hang in there I'm coming to find you. We're coming to find you. Cas I met someone, a really great guy, well...a vampire. He's not like the others, Cas, he's sweet and funny and incredibly hot. I think you'd like him once you get to know him. He's special to me. I need your advice, Cas; I need to know how to move forward with this. And what to do when we get topside."

Benny tuned out the rest feeling a little guilty for eavesdropping but felt a blush creep onto his cheeks. Dean liked him and wanted to move forward, was even praying to his angel friend about it. He smiled as he drifted off to sleep.

They finally found the river the werewolf had told them about and sure enough, the angel was there on the bank, washing his face. They were still too far to talk so the two made their way down. As they got closer, Dean started to slow down a little, Benny noticing and turning to look at the human.

"Before we get to Cas, I gotta clear something up," Dean said. Benny felt his heart prepare itself to break but nodded. "When we get topside things might be a bit different."

"Different how?"

"I've got a kid brother up there," Dean started.

"Sam, yeah. What about him?" Benny asked.

"He might not like you. He might even try to kill you. Things are different there than here. We were trained since childhood to hunt and kill people like you, no questions asked," Dean explained. Benny nodded. He'd heard of Hunters when he'd been alive, though his nest had avoided them and been smart with how they fed so they'd never had any run ins.

"You thinking we should split up?" he asked, trying not to let his voice quiver.

"Maybe. It might be best at least for a little while if we go our separate ways to readjust to topside life. I mean, this place sure has me fucked up and it'll take me personally some time to get back to what was normal there. I'll keep in contact with you and if you ever need anything I'll be there, and I expect you to call me if you ever need help," Dean said his voice getting a little strained.

Benny nodded. Before when he'd made the initial deal with Dean to take him topside he hadn't thought of what that actually meant. Now that he was thinking about it he realized the hunger would return, maybe even stronger than before, and every day would be a battle to keep control of himself and not drink every human he could. He'd done it before but that was over fifty years ago. How would things be after he returned from Purgatory without having the hunger for that long? Would Dean be safe?

That thought instantly hurt him. He could never hurt Dean! He loved the human, as a brother and as something more. He'd die for Dean. Vampires mated for life and after he was taken from his wife, after she'd been killed, he'd felt something inside him sever. Like a piece of him was gone. Being with Dean he felt that connection again and refused to let that be lost a second time.

"Sounds like a plan chief. You'll have to show me how to stay in touch with you but one thing at a time. Let's go get your angel and get the hell outta here," he said with a small smile, turning quickly so Dean wouldn't see his lower lip tremble.

The two made it down to the riverbed, Dean calling out for Cas. The human brightened up and embraced the angel, Benny keeping a respectful distance but remaining close enough to protect Dean as he looked around.

"Cas, there's someone I'd like you to meet. This is Benny."

Benny looked back to the two at the sound of his name, looking at the angel, Cas, and sizing him up, unimpressed. Cas also didn't seem very happy to be in the presence of a vampire, and Benny could almost detect a hint of aggression towards him and jealousy.

Interesting.

"Hola," he said simply.

Dean and Cas talked for a minute, Benny not really paying too much attention and getting an uneasy feeling. He felt a small amount of distrust towards the Angel, the one who'd abandoned Dean, who'd left the human to fight for his survival all alone in this place. Finally he spoke up.

"Why'd you bail on Dean?"

Dean shot him a look. "Dude."

"The way I hear it, the minute you two hit monster land, Hotwings here took off. I figure he owes you some backstory," Benny pointed out. He felt anger towards the Angel, anger for abandoning Dean and leaving him alone. How could he do that? How could he leave such a wonderful man to Purgatory to be torn apart?

"Look we were surrounded, okay? Some freak jumped Cas and obviously he kicked it's ass," Dean turned to Cas. "Right?"

"No."

There was silence for a moment before Dean spoke.

"What?"

Benny looked at Cas, trying not to feel the sense of betrayal coming from Dean.

"I ran away." Cas said.

"You...ran away?" Dean repeated, the pain in his voice almost like a slap to Benny's face.

"I had to."

"That's your excuse for leaving me with those gorilla wolves?" Dean demanded.

"Dean..."

"You bailed out and what? Went camping?!" Dean's voice was rising almost to a shout now.

Benny felt heat rising in him as he stared at the Angel, a look of hurt coming onto his own face. Dean was hurt, this asshole of an Angel hurt his Dean. It took a lot of effort on his part not to lunge at Cas right then and there.

"I prayed to you, Cas. EVERY night!" Dean snapped.

"I know," Cas said with a sad expression.

"You know, and you didn't..." Dean took a breath to calm himself and Benny saw him blink away a couple of tears. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I am an Angel, in a land of abominations. There have been things hunting me from the moment we arrived," Cas' voice was more firm this time and a bit louder than the near-whisper he'd been speaking in.

"Join the club!" Dean shouted.

"These are not just monsters, Dean they're Leviathan! I have a price on my head and I've been trying to stay one step ahead of them to..." Cas shouted before taking a moment to calm himself. "To keep them away from you. That's why I ran."

There was a long moment of silence as this information sank in, Dean processing what the Angel told him and Benny trying to decide if it was sweet or the Angel was still an asshole for bailing on Dean. He glanced at the human and saw no anger there. He decided that if Dean was okay with Cas than he should be as well, at least until he proved himself untrustworthy.

"Just leave me. Please," Cas said and looked out at the lake.

"Sounds like a plan, let's roll," Benny said and took a step away.

"Hold on, hold on!" Dean said and gave Benny a look that made the Vampire pause in his tracks. Dean turned back to Cas.

"Cas, we're getting out of here. We're going home!" 

"Dean I can't," Cas said softly.

"You can! Benny, tell him!" Dean turned to Benny with a pleading look on his face. Benny sighed and against his better judgement nodded.

"Purgatory has an escape hatch. But I got no idea if it's Angel friendly," he explained, offering a genuine look of sympathy to Cas.

"We'll figure all that out," Dean said and proceeded to work on breaking down Cas' resolve and stubbornness.

Benny tuned the two out, wondering if there'd been something between the two of them topside. Dean obviously cared about the Angel, a great deal, but Benny couldn't tell if it was in a romantic sense or more of a brotherly bond. Dean spoke again and his words caught Benny's attention.

"Let me bottom line it for you. I'm not leaving here without you. You understand me?"

The way the human remained set in his determination, the amount of loyalty, it was touching to Benny. He'd never seen that sort of devotion before and it made him fall a little bit more in love with the man.

Cas eventually agreed and the trio set out.

Benny slowly got more used to being around the Angel minus the fact that he was essentially a beacon for every monster in the area. He knew they'd be in for some rough fights ahead, especially if those Leviathan Cas had mentioned showed up.

He still didn't trust the Angel or like him, but Dean did and he trusted Dean so he'd go with it. Several days passed, the trio fighting through wave after wave of monsters. At one point Benny and Dean watched as Cas calmly walked up to a charging vampire and placed a hand on his forehead, his eyes and hand beginning to glow and then the area around him lighting up. Benny had to look away, the holy celestial power hurting his eyes.

"Well I gotta admit, Dean, he's got his strong points but holy hell if he ain't a magnet."

"I thought you said before that it was my humanity that was drawing too much attention?" 

"Yeah that too."

Dean gave him the most flabbergasted and offended look it made the vampire chuckle and give a teasing wink, Dean smacking him on the shoulder before smiling himself.

They'd worked out a system for fighting that worked beautifully. The two remained back to back, Benny slowly whistling a tune out loud until he saw or sensed a monster. He'd then turn to face the direction of the monster and whistle louder and more quickly the closer they were. Whenever Dean had break away from Benny's back to fight he'd return, placing his hand on Benny's shoulder without turning to tell the vampire he was okay.

After the fifth day they paused for a brief rest. Cas suddenly started looking around and acting strange.

"Cas, what's wrong?" Dean asked. "Monsters?"

"Worse. Leviathan!" Cas said. Benny immediately stepped closer to protect Dean, Cas noticing but not saying anything.

"Just blip out," Dean said.

"I can't, you're too close!" Cas was getting more and more uneasy. Benny looked around wondering if this was their final stand. "Run!"

At the sound of Cas' voice the trio took off, running as fast as they could and dodging trees while staying together. They made it to a clearing, Dean taking the lead and breaking off to the left, but before the others could catch up a black pillar of smoke crashed into the ground cutting them off. The three watched as a black and purpleish ooze started materializing into the shape of a human until there stood the creature.

A Leviathan.

"Okay that's just nasty," Benny cringed.

The Leviathan stood and looked over at Dean with a wicked smile.

"Oh great," Dean muttered. The Leviathan stalked towards him.

Benny was about to charge forward to help Dean when he heard another collision behind him and turned to see another Leviathan materializing and going after Cas. He looked back at Dean and saw he was handling himself well but he was being drawn to him, to protect him. He was torn and it was hurting him having to make the choice of helping the man he loved or rushing to the aid of the Angel. He didn't know what to do. He watched Dean take the Leviathan down to the ground, then glanced over to see Cas getting slammed into the ground by his Leviathan, the monster glaring down at him with pure evil in her eyes.

He heard Dean struggling with his Leviathan and squeezed his eyes shut. He had to make a decision, he had to choose.

The Leviathan pinning Cas down reared her head back expanding her jaw with its many sharp fangs, a rumbling growl coming from its mouth, ready to sink the killing blow into the Angel. Suddenly the Leviathan jerked and froze as her head flew to the side, the body crumpling to the ground. Cas looked up and saw Benny had swung his Purgatory blade and in one strike beheaded the creature. Cas looked up at Benny with a thankful look as the vampire stared down at him. Dean watched from a distance as Benny reached out a hand and helped Cas stand, despite the pain he felt touching an Angel.

They all seemed to get a bit closer after that encounter. Benny was less hostile towards Cas and the Angel didn't glare at the vampire anymore. They still squabbled but Benny mostly did it to antagonize Dean. He found it delightful when the human would groan at their arguments, Cas taking everything quite literally and Benny being a sarcastic asshole who liked to tease. Dean found himself wondering how he'd become a parent to two obnoxious kids.

Benny spent the evenings telling Dean where his grave was so he could dig up his bones for the resurrection ritual and telling all sorts of stories about his many long years here in Purgatory.

After a week of wandering in the direction Benny thought was the right way he said the words they all wanted to hear.

"We're getting close."

"Really? Cause I don't see crap. What the hell is this escape hatch even supposed to look like?" Dean grumbled.

"He doesn't know," Cas stated, unhelpful as usual.

"You just dragged me through the fire please tell me you know where it is," Dean said.

"It's here, they promised!" Benny said firmly.

"They? Oh that's comforting," Dean shot back.

"Well, even if it doesn't exist..." Cas started before Benny interrupted him.

"Broken record, Cas."

Benny pushed ahead becoming more and more frustrated. Frustrated that the escape hatch wasn't around like he'd been told, frustrated with himself for breaking the one rule of Purgatory and trusting someone else, and frustrated with Cas for being so...Cas. He heard the Angel and Dean talking behind him and tuned them out for a moment before something Dean said made his ears perk up.

"Nobody gets left behind!"

There it was again. That annoying stubbornness that the human possessed. Benny couldn't understand it but it was one of the things he loved about Dean.

They walked in silence for another few minutes before Cas gently spoke up again.

"Maybe you were lied to, maybe there is no seam," he said gently.

"I lie, I don't get lied to," Benny replied. "Aren't you guys all about faith and shit?"

"Not particularly," Cas said.

That's weird coming from an Angel Benny thought.

The three looked around, their hope slowly fading before a movement caught Benny's eye and he looked. A leaf was falling backwards. It slowly rose from the ground and  floated into the air, hovering between the trio who just stared at it perplexed, before it shot off into the distance. As the three watched the leaf they saw it.

The escape hatch up on the hill!

"Oh ye of little faith," Benny laughed in relief.

He and Dean shared a look, a small smile passing between the two of them before Benny nodded. Dean pulled up the sleeve of his shirt and pulled out his knife.

"Alright, you ready? Just like we talked about," he said as he cut a line across his forearm.

"I'm putting a lot of trust in you," Benny said.

"You've earned it," Dean smiled before taking Benny's offered arm and making a similar cut, the two grasping each other in almost a Viking-like greeting.

"I'll see you on the other side, brother," Benny said leaning in and giving a lopsided smile and wink.

Dean smiled back before he started uttering the incantation. Benny swallowed nervously and glanced at Cas, offering him a nod then returned his eyes to Dean.

Fuck. What if this doesn't work? Or what if Dean gets killed before he can resurrect me? What if I can't be there to keep him safe?

As the thoughts raced through Benny's mind he found himself staring at Dean thinking this might be the last time they'd see each other. He tried to memorize every detail of Dean's face, his eyes, his lips as they spoke, his hair, his dedication to his friends.

As Dean finished the last phrase of the incantation, Benny felt like he was being pulled into the man, but he remained still. A strange feeling shot through him and he felt his head snap skyward and his mouth open in a silent scream as his body was slowly torn apart, as he was reconstructed into a red-black mist that was being sucked into Dean's arm where the wound was. The last thing Benny saw was Dean's face before everything went black.

It was a strange feeling, being a soul stuffed into a body with another soul already in it. He was aware of the passing of time, but he couldn't see or hear anything.

After what felt like an eternity, where he'd almost given up hope that Dean would actually follow through and honor their deal, he saw a small slit of light appear in the darkness and a muffled voice that sounded like Dean's reciting a ritual spell. Benny felt the feeling of a smile from himself and a sense of relief as he was drawn towards the light, slowly at first but picking up speed until he was rushing towards it, the voice of Dean becoming louder and more clear. There was a bright flash and then silence.

Benny opened his eyes slowly and nearly gasped. He was standing in grass in a field of sorts, Dean a few feet in front of him grunting in pain and holding his arm, blood soaking the shirt there. Benny smiled before he felt a familiar feeling, one he hadn't felt in a long while.

He felt the hunger creeping in.

Dean looked back and saw him standing there, looking Benny up and down.

"That was fast."

"No thanks to you. The hell took you so long?" Benny smiled.

Dean stood to his feet and turned. "You're welcome."

The two smiled and Benny rolled his neck, the sound of things popping into place piercing the night air.

"Everything working?" Dean asked as he approached.

"Good enough," Benny said before opening his mouth to let his fangs flash out for a moment, confirming that everything was indeed as it should be. "So, what now?" 

"Like we talked about, I guess," Dean said, sadness creeping into his voice.

"Then...this is goodbye," Benny nodded suddenly feeling very alone and very sad.

The two looked at each other sadly for a few minutes, neither one wanting to leave. Benny stared into Dean's eyes and seeing his own pain reflected there.

"Keep your nose clean now, Benny, you hear me?" Dean said.

Benny nodded before he stepped forward, walking towards Dean with a hand outstretched. Dean took the hand and shook it, watching as a smile spread across Benny's face. A relieved and excited smile.

"We made it brother. I can't believe it!" Benny said. Dean couldn't help smiling as well, wondering how he could leave that adorable smile.

Simultaneously the two released their hands and embraced in a large, warm hug, rocking back and forth and squeezing each other as close as possible. They let out relieved laughs as their situation fully dawned on them.

"You and me both!" Dean smiled and rubbed Benny's back as the two rocked in each others arms in the silence of night out by Benny's grave.