A/N: I'm still working on the Sammy's Love Life fic, but I wanted to get this up before Friday happens and I bawl my eyes out at what they're doing to my bb. Thanks to Jini for the idea (and for getting me addicted to Supernatural in the first place)!
There was a flash of blinding light, as usual, and when the black spots finally faded from their vision, they saw Castiel.
"Good, it's you," Dean said, the relief in his voice almost palpable.
"Who else would it be?" Castiel asked gruffly.
"Well, that one time it was your secretary or whatever…"
"My lieutenant, Rachel; and she is dead," Castiel replied swiftly.
"Well, hey," Sam interjected hastily, hoping to diffuse the tension before the situation got out of control, "thanks for coming, anyway."
"I must admit," Castiel said carefully, "I was not expecting to be summoned again. Not after…" He cleared his throat, and if he hadn't been an angel, one would have thought he was near tears. To cover up his apparent vulnerability, Castiel demanded, "So why have you summoned me here?"
"Sit down, Cas," Dean suggested; only there was a certain danger in his tone, the kind that comes from experiencing the ultimate betrayal of unquestioning trust; and as the angel was well aware that he was the source of that poorly disguised, raw angst, he had little choice but to obey.
"You idjits going to start the proceedings anytime soon?" hollered Bobby from the kitchen.
"Yeah, right about now," Sam replied, while Dean opted for a more direct route and shouted, "Get in here, Bobby!"
Sam winced, but he waited for Bobby to poke his head around the corner before he explained. "Cas," he explained, "Dean… and, you know, Bobby and I—" he tried to ignore Dean's poison glare, which said all too clearly Don't you dare try to pin this one on me Sam – "okay, well, all of us, we're worried about you."
"Because I've gone to the dark side," Castiel clarified.
This time it was Dean's turn to cringe. "Hey, I didn't think he was paying attention!" he said defensively. "I mean, come on, Star Wars? That's more your kind of thing, Geek Boy…"
Sam exhaled noisily. "Whatever, Dean. Whatever. Yes, Cas, that's exactly what I'm talking about. You… you're working with the king of fricking hell, for heaven's sake—" The irony (and awkwardness) of that statement did not evade him, and he coughed to try to cover it up. "Anyway, we barely even recognize you anymore, Castiel. So we've gathered here to tell you, you know, we care."
"What Samantha's trying to say," Dean growled, "is that this is an intervention."
Sam nodded; Bobby rolled his eyes, like he couldn't believe he'd gotten dragged into this.
"What kind of intervention?" Castiel inquired suspiciously.
And then the Winchesters, plus Bobby, gave Cas the most awkward bear – or angel, ha ha – hug in the history of hugs.
Castiel appeared significantly uncomfortable. "What is this?" he warily asked.
"An intervention, ya idjit," Bobby muttered. "Not exactly traditional, but hey, whatever it takes."
"We love you, Cas," Sam supplied. "Like family."
" You gotta understand, man," Dean said urgently, sounding a little brokenhearted and vulnerable for someone who pretended to be a total macho man. "We miss you. And not just, like, your angel smitey powers. You, Cas. We miss you."
In the next instant, Cas was gone. The boys blinked away what looked suspiciously like very unmanly tears.
Maybe it hadn't changed anything, but it was worth a try.