Chapter 1

It had been a few weeks since Sam went to Gabriel's Coffee Shop. It's just Sam had been busy. Dean wouldn't get off his case, nagging about everything he did. If Sam forgot to lock the front door, Dean yelled, if he didn't bring back pie from the store, Dean threw a bitch-fit, if he was out one minute past midnight curfew, oh how Dean got furious, but Sam understood his older brother's worries. There were a lot of responsibilities forced on Dean at a young age because their father, John, was never around and when he was, he was drunk and angry. Luckily Bobby took them in and Dean didn't have to worry as much, so he gave Sam more lee-way which he appreciated. But even so, Sam really missed Gabriel's Café. He missed the sweet aroma of hazelnut coffee and books, the cozy atmosphere that consumed his soul with security, the one off balance chair in the far back corner, even the employees; Gabriel, who owned the place, Castiel, Gabriel's brother who is the cashier and also kept the small library tidy, and Balthazar, Gabriel's cousin, who served customers and made the orders. There are others who stop by ever-so-often, like Jo and Meg.

Dean had not gone inside the Café with Sam, no matter how many times Sam insisted on buying him pie. His brother is stubborn after all and was prepped with a new snarky remark about how the pie is probably microwaved. Dean also went through phases, portraying the role of an overprotective stay-at-home mom. That was another contributing factor as to why he never went inside the Café.

xXxXx

Gabriel could never explain it, but he always felt an absence when Sam wasn't at the Café. He enjoyed watching Sam's expression when he reads next to the window with bookshelves facing his backside. Gabe can always tell what Sam is thinking. If his eyebrows were scrunched towards the center of his forehead and his body hunched over, Sam was either intrigued or confused. If he laid back in his seat with his legs elongated, Sam was bored by the book and he would even more frequently takes sips out of his coffee mug. However Sam was sitting and whatever facial expression he made, it always brought a smile to Gabe's face. But the one thing Sam did that ALWAYS makes Gabriel feel all tingly and warm inside, is when Sam uses his left arm to hold his bobbing head up when tired and his eyelids can't decide whether to be open or closed. It's the cutest thing Gabriel has ever experienced and he hates himself because of it. Somehow Gabe convinces himself not to fall for the quirky kid; maybe because he fears Sam doesn't feel the same way. Either way, Gabriel routinely goes to tell Sam to go home before he actually passes out. Gabe approaches the sleepy Sasquatch with the same quiet enthusiasm. He pulls up the chair adjacent to Sam and says, hey kiddo, just loud enough to make him jump up and out of his daze, causing Sam to make a startled expression that makes Gabriel giggle. They have some small talk and then Sam calls Dean, who arrives to take Sam home a few minutes later.

Gabriel suspects Balthazar knows of his little crush, only because he has brought it up a few times and jokes about it almost daily. Castiel is oblivious to anything and everything, so Gabe tends to not care what he thinks.

But the void in Gabriel's chest grows every minute without Sam.

xXxXx

After what seemed like age, Dean finally let Sam out of the house. "Where to Sammy?" Dean asked nonchalantly.

Sam looked at Dean shocked and confused, but after a couple of seconds understood.

"Gabriel's Cafe." Sam replied.

"Ugh, there again. Don't you get tired of going there."

"No, I don't actually. I appreciate your concern Dean, but I would really like to go now."

"Ok, calm down Mr. Attitude."

Sam rolled his eyes then practically ran to the impala with Dean almost unable to keep up.

Part of Sam swore that Dean had been driving under the speed limit on purpose, just to piss him off.

"Dean, really?" Sam exclaimed.

"What?" Dean replied.

"You know what… Hurry up!"

Dean smirked, rolled his eyes then stepped on the gas.

They finally arrived at the Cafe and Sam almost forgot to thank Dean for the ride there. Reminding himself to stay calm, Sam grabbed his book bag and walked in. After passing the threshold, Sam paused, taking everything in. He took a deep breath, inhaling the pleasant smell of coffee and books then proceeded to sit in his usual spot next to the window.

xXxXx

Gabe walked out the kitchen in a rush to serve a customer a baguette he ordered but stopped suddenly. He was in complete aah of the sight that so quickly brought a smile to his face, Sam Winchester, who had already made himself right at home, reading in his favorite corner of the Cafe. Gabriel's heart began to race and he nearly forgot he was supposed to be serving a customer.

"Hey Cas! I'm going on my break now! Could you assist this lovely customer?" Gabe insisted.

"Sure," Cas said. He was there in no time

Gabriel quickly gathered Sam's usual, medium hazelnut mocha with one shot of espresso, and made his way to Sam.

"Hey there, kiddo! Brought you your usual. Don't worry, on the house," he said. Sam lifted his eyes from the pages of his book to see Gabriel handing him a warm cup of coffee grinning ever so slightly, a smile was plastered onto his face.

"Oh, cool! Thanks Gabriel. " Sam said, reaching for the cup; Sam's fingers barely touched Gabe's, making his knees wobble. Gabe proceeded to sit across from Sam and continued to make conversation.

"So… I've been wondering if you were ever going to show up again. I missed my favorite regular consumer, " Gabe said.

"Oh, ya. Sorry, I've missed coming here myself. My older brother, Dean, goes through phases where he gets super overprotective and I can't go anywhere." Sam explained.

"Gotcha… so does Dean do that often? I don't mean to pry." Gabriel wanted to make sure he wouldn't offend the younger Winchester.

"... Anyways… what cha reading kiddo?" he asked. Sam responded,"Don't laugh. But it's Harry Potter book 1." Gabriel grinned, "Now why would an 18-year-old be reading Harry Potter?" Sam giggled just a tad before replying.

"Haha… well, I never really had the chance to read them when I was 10. Better late than never."

"Ahh, Harry Potter. Just wait until Snape-"

Sam cut him off. "No, no, no! No spoilers!"

"Oh, alright Sam."

Gabriel rolled his eyes, smirked, and began to open his mouth to add onto his past comment, but out of the blue Sam started laugh. Not a hardcore belly laugh, but a chuckle that progressed into a fading giggle at it rolled to a hault. It was the cutest thing Gabe had ever heard, but what made it worse, was that Sam leaned back while running his fingers through his long brown hair. At that moment, Gabe's crush began to evolve into something more that a crush.

"What's so funny?" Gabe asked confused.

"Haha… its just that… hmm… I don't know. You're a cool guy Gabriel," Sam said.

"I'm glad you think so Sammy. And you can call me Gabe. Gabriel is much too formal for my 'cool guy' personality."

But Gabriel grew worried, when while he was talking Sam leaned forward a looked down at the at the coffee table, twirling his fingers. It seemed as if Sam was reminded of a past memory because of something he had said.

"Did I say something to offend you?" Gabe's heart began to race. Sam replied, still looking down, but grinned slightly for no more than a second. "No. Its just that I've never been called Sammy from anyone else besides my brother, and my Uncle Bobby."

"If you don't want me to call you that, I won't. I didn't mean to-"

Sam interrupted again. "I like it. It surprised me at first… that's all." Sam looked up at Gabe and he could see Sam blushing ever so slightly.