CHAPTER I

"Come on Cas, cheer up, it'll be fun!" Anna was sitting in the front seat of the SUV that Gabriel was driving with a permanent smile, trying to encourage his brother who seemed so bored and annoyed. "We'll be together again!"

Cas looked at her answering with a grunt, he was not happy, meeting with the family wasn't something he had planned to do for Christmas, his relationship with his older brother wasn't the best, and he shouldn't have opened his apartment door when Anna appeared there.

They were on their way to Vancouver, and Vancouver meant cold ... Snow ... But also hot chocolate... The fireplace... Old memories...

Castiel's family was composed of several members; all of them were orphans once, until their parents adopted them to give them an opportunity. Castiel and Anna were the last ones to be adopted. They met in the orphanage, she was one year older than him, and she was like a sister, all of them we're a family, with their problems, but a family after all.

The familiar house was pretty big, they we're four brothers and the kid Nick adopted, Adam. Adam was a guy with problems and Nick decided to give him a hand adopting him, and becoming his big brother, Nick was the oldest of the brothers, tall, blonde... You could tell by the differences between them that they were not brothers.

Castiel for example was tall, thin and with black and messy hair, blue eyes, he needed glasses and his nerd-like look was the thing that characterized him the most.

Gabriel stopped the when they arrived, and Cas helped Anna with her stuff, Nick came out to the house, with a big smile on his face, waving happily and hugging Anna and Gabriel, when he saw Cas he smiled gently and hugged his brother, Cas hugged him back.

"You had a good trip, guys?" Nick asked Gabriel.

"Yep, despite Cas's bad mood" Gabriel said with an amused smile on his face.

Cas looked over Gabriel and frowned, tempted of punching him, and decided to go upstairs, to his old bedroom, willing to rest a little and unpack his stuff.

His room was like when he left. Nothing was out of place. His posters, his books, even his collections compact discs, he had a huge collection of music, and movies, he was such a nerd... He was still such a nerd.

A small smile passed trough his lips as he was watching the photography's hanging on his wall.

Although it was kind of depressing to him being there, he couldn't deny he was happy too... He was happy to be with his family, the sadness and the anger was maybe for remembering their parents... They died a few years ago... And it was still hurtful.

. . . .

After diner, he decided to go upstairs, he needed time on its own and a bit of rest too.

He also wanted to take a look at his old belongings; his books, his science trophy's... Even take a deeper look at all the photos on his wall. The photos were from his family and him, remembering the moment they were made, and smiling, until he found himself sitting in the bed, staring at them.

His eyes were wondering trough the photos until his gaze stopped in one photo in particular. The photo was taken one summer, he was in a camp, the last year of High School, they went there like if it was a... Some kind of goodbye, since all of them were going to different colleges, or staying, or maybe just leaving the town.

This summer, rather distant in time, he meet the guy who was one of the best friend, if not the best friend e ever had. Cas was not the kind of guy with a lot of friends, he was shy and socially awkward so it was difficult for him to find friends. Dean was different, he insisted and insisted, until Cas and him became great friends.

But after that summer they took different paths, Cas went to Columbia, leaving Vancouver, and although the first months they talked a lot, slowly they stopped talking, and he didn't know anything about Dean since then.

And it seemed like a life ago.

He sighed softly, looking at the only photo they had together, they looked so happy; Cas was so happy this summer, with Dean, in just a few weeks they became best friends, more than that... They had a bond... Cas felt it...

He could felt it back then, something special, but never had the nuts to talk about it with him, maybe because it was just a summer friendship... Or maybe because he didn't wanted to scare Dean or lose him... Or maybe just because he was a plain coward.

Dropping the photo in his desk he sighed again.

"He was a girls' boy" He said looking at the picture in the desk "I was just... My stupid imagination and confusion..." Or something like that.

To be honest he wasn't even sure of what he was saying. Just trying to convince himself.

It was twelve o'clock when he went to bed.

Cas was asleep when the wind started blowing with force, and the shutters started beating hard against the wall, reluctantly he woke up and went to close them, and then the window, cursing, he hated being waking up at midnight, cursing again, and blaming on the wind he turned to come back to bed... And jumped as he saw a shadow standing in front of his bed.

"Damn!" He exclaimed "Who are you, fuck... What are you doing standing there? Can't you knock?"

"Easy, easy deary" said the man who dressed in black and was watching him with his hand on his pocket and a small smirk on his face. "I'm here because you called" Said the man quietly.

"What?" Asked Cas, confused "What are you saying? Who are you?" His eyes scanned the man and frowned "If this is another joke from Gabriel, tell him he can go fuck himself... And you too!"

The man in black laughed, amused with the situation, and Cas, bothered, went to push him out of the room, but his hands just went trough the man body and Cas felt into the desk, hitting his hips against it, a few books hit the ground, and Cas grunted, by the pain and by frustration.

As he turned to look around, the man was looking at him with a smirk, bigger this time, in his mouth.

"What the hell ...?" Said disgruntled "Oh my god!... Am I having a stroke or what?" He asked touching his head.

"If you hit yourself against the desk again, maybe you will" Laughed the man and then shook his head "No... You're not having a stroke..." Said the man rolling his eyes.

"Then what or who or... You, who are you?" Asked Cas impatiently, still believing he was dreaming or something.

"The name's Crowley"

"Crowley?" Repeated Cas "And what is a Crowley, if you're not a mockery of my mind?"

Crowley laughed, making a glass of good scotch appear on his hand, taking a sip and smiling softly. "I am ... the answer to your prayers" smiled seeing Cas.

"Prayers?"

"I wish I was otherwise, I wish I had talked to Dean about how I felt" Said Crowley, imitating Cas's voice, but in a much more loud and funny voice, mocking at him "I heard you, and I'm here"

The brunette looked at Crowley with silly face, mouth open, eyes fixed on him ... He was completely blown away ... But he dared to ask "What are you some kind of ... Fairy... Godfather?" He asked, mockingly.

Crowley took another sip from his glass "Fairy?" Repeated "Nope" Said Crowley shaking his head "Let's say it's my punishment to help losers like you to get their love and lose their virginity"

"I'm not a virgin!" exclaimed Cas, blushed, his ears were red like a tomato.

"Oh yes, of course not!"

Cas grunted "And why this is your punishment?" He asked "And why should I trust you? You're being punished! You can't be trusted then!"

Crowley growled desperately "Look it's not your problem why I am being punished, this is my penitence, dealing with losers and nerds like you, so shut up and lets get your sweetheart".

"I don't even know where Dean is!" Said Cas "And... He may not even remember me"

"Okay then we will make him remember you know... You're cute, despite... Yourself" Said Crowley, finishing his cup of scotch and leaving the glass on the desk "So... Just shut up and let me do my magic"

Cas arched his eyebrows "Magic?" He asked "Fairy godfather..." He mumbled jokingly and laughed.

"Virgin queen"

Cas shut his mouth, biting his lower lip, and Crowley smirked " Okay then I'll come back tomorrow you better be ready, I want this done before new year's eve" Said the man and Cas's eyes widened.

"What? No!" Cas walked towards him, but Crowley just faded away "I said no! I don't want to see him! I don't even know where he is!" A growl escaped from his mouth and finally he cursed.

"Fuck..."

But Crowley was not there any more.

to be continued...