Warning: I have no idea where this story is really going to go so rating and genres may change.


Chapter One

The sleek black car sped down the deserted highway, headlights burning two bright circles of light onto the dark landscape. The windows were rolled down, blasting classic rock through its speakers, echoing into the night.

A single voice sang along to the blaring music, slightly off-key, but not faltering once.

"Livin' easy, livin' free!"

The road had been vacant for miles, so Dean took the opportunity to accelerate his beautiful car, wheels spinning furiously and engine roaring, all troubles and cares drifting through the window along with the heavy guitar solos of Angus Young.

"Season ticket on a one-way ride!"

Dean couldn't help but smile widely as he belted his way through the lyrics. The reality of his current situation was just beginning to become clear in his mind, so he was relaxing and enjoying the ride, feeling as free as he had ever been before.

He was finally leaving home.

Home. The once happy, heartwarming hearth that was now a sad, empty reminder of his difficult childhood.

And that little white house was currently missing its third member, the fourth a drunk, broken husk of a man, now all alone in the world.

Dean quickly shoved those thoughts all the way to the back of his mind as guilt threatened to trickle into his mind and overcome his good mood. Instead, he ignored his emotions and pushed on through the song, reveling in the beauty that was AC/DC, thoughts soon drifting to his destination.

"I'm on a highway to Hell!"

Dean smirked at the irony. If this new place was even half as fantastic as the little house Sam had described excitedly in such intricate detail, he would be on his way to heaven. His brother had aptly mentioned that although it was built very closely to the house adjacent to it, it was in perfect walking distance to both his campus and to the auto garage that had recently put up a "Help Wanted" sign. Dean could easily pick up a job doing what he loves best as well as visit his brother as many times as he wished.

It was almost too good to be true.

Dean arrived by noon the next morning, having to have stayed at a cheap motel late into the night, feeling drowsy in total disregard to the harsh, loud guitars of Metallica. He found that Sam was already there with an unfamiliar man, attempting to get a couch through the front door, and failing miserably.

He rolled to a gradual stop by the curb and parked the car; shutting the door behind him, he quickly rushed up to the porch and lifted up a corner of the couch, angling it until it was finally shoved into the foyer. Setting it down in the living room, Sam turned to give Dean a bright smile, then stumbled over to give his brother a hug.

"I've missed you, man," Sam said warmly, grinning widely and stepping back.

"Same goes to you," Dean replied, patting him affectionately in the arm. He glanced at the other man standing as if he couldn't care less about anything in the world, hands in pocket and slouching slightly, raising his eyebrows in anticipation at Sam. The tall man noticed and quickly looked away, tensing almost imperceptibly before introducing him. "Dean, this is Gabriel, my... good friend from, er, school. He offered to help move you in."

"It's also 'cause my little bro just so happens to live next door," Gabriel piped in, not before glaring slightly at Sam. "He's at work now, but you two muttonheads will inevitably meet sooner or later." He shrugged, reaching into his pocket and revealed a lollipop, swiftly removing the wrapper, popping it into his mouth, and pulling it back out with a loud smack. "He's a little geek tax accountant, not very hard to miss." He winked at Dean, then turned his head to look at Sam provocatively as his shoved the sticky candy back into his smirking mouth.

Dean, noticing every little exchange, narrowed his eyes for a split second, the two men oblivious to his growing suspicion. Realization dawned on his face; smirking, Dean, knowing his little brother would thank him later for relieving them both of an awkward conversation, joked, "Sammy, ain't this guy a little too old for ya?" He was fully aware that Gabriel looked old enough to be out of college, probably even a year or two older than himself. Not that he really minded; if Sam was happy, he was happy.

Sam's face became flushed with color, heat rising to his cheeks and neck prickling with embarrassment. "Ha, ha, very funny, Dean. Gabe and I are just friends," he emphasized, nervously licking his lips.

He stumbled as Gabriel threw an arm around him, his size humorously small in comparison to the tall wiry man beside him. Looking directly into Dean's eyes, eyes shining mischievously, he stuck the lollipop into Sam's mouth, who stood there shocked, and said, much to Sam's horror, "Oh, we're friends, alright. Very good friends." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at Sam.

As Sam started to choke on the lollipop still sticking precariously out of his mouth, Dean laughed.

He decided he liked Gabriel.