Dean drew in a deep breath, turning slowly in a circle as he looked around him. He did it again, frowning. "Hey....Cas? How--"

And Cas laughed -- honest to goodness laughed -- and gently turned him around. "Look," he whispered in Dean's ear, pointing.

Dean felt his jaw slam open as he watched the Earth rise majestically above the horizon.

He heard the soft voice in his ear. "All that beauty...."

".....yeah......."

"You're breathing because I am protecting you."

"....okay......"

"Dean?"

".......yeah......"

"Are you ready to get back to Sam?"

"........mind if I......can I just....."

A soft laugh huffed in his ear and the protecting arms around his waist tightened for just a second. "Take all the time you need, Dean. We have all the time in the world."

"......thanks......."

And Dean fell silent, watching the Earth slowly rise in the black sky and feeling the wonder of knowing that his bootprints would never leave the surface of the moon.

Cas had been right.

A change of perspective was all it took.