"Nice place," Dean Smith says to Jo, his little sister, patting her head. He surveys the room. The walls are plain and white, and the oak floor is littered with boxes and randomly placed furniture. The drawn curtains allows ample amounts of light to pass through the windows. "Probably need some more things, though. It looks rather bare."
"Actually, that's what I called you over for. We have some heavy boxes that we can't lift on our own," Jo grins.
"We?" he asks.
"Jo! There is stuff in my way again and this box is heavy," someone yells. The voice is unmistakably female and Dean stares at his sister, who winks at him exaggeratedly before hurrying out the room.
"Coming!" Jo replies. Dean follows her out of curiosity. Jo moves things out of the way to make room for a young woman to pass through and Dean helps her.
"Thank you," she says, her cheeks flushed and her breathing uneven. Her black hair is pulled into a ponytail, which is plastered to her neck from sweat. Her blue eyes narrow as she looks up at him. "Who are you?"
"Cassie, this is Dean, my brother. Dean, this is Cassie Winchester, my roommate and best friend," Jo introduces the two. "You two can have eye sex later, but right now we're going to put that box into my room."
Dean knocks on the door to Jo's apartment. A muffled sound comes from the other side of the door, and Dean takes it as a sign that he's allowed to come in. When he opens the door, using the spare key Jo left in his possession, he is surprised to find Cassie on her hands and knees, scanning the floor for something.
"What are you looking for?" He takes a step forward and hears a crunch. He winces and she sighs.
"One of my contacts. It fell out and I don't have a backup pair," she says, standing up as best as she can while balancing herself on a lamp. "I have a pair of glasses just in case, but I accidentally left them at my brother's house the last time I was over."
"Does he live nearby? I could drive you," he offers.
"Don't you have something you need to do with Jo?"
"No, I was dropping by to check on her, that's all."
"Really? Thank you. That would help me so much. I'll go grab my coat," Cassie says, taking a few steps before tripping over a wire. Dean rushes up to her and grabs her arm before she can hit the floor. She rights herself and pushes Dean away, brushing herself off. "Thanks," she says.
"It was nothing." Dean says, looking at his feet, suddenly shy. She takes a few more steps and nearly bumps into a desk. "Uh, Cassie?"
She frowns. "I'm sorry, but I'm really nearsighted, would you help me to the closet?"
"Sure."
Whenever Dean sees Cassie, she would be dressed in a t-shirt sporting the logo of some TV show and jeans, and so he envisions her brother in the same way, more or less. The last thing he expects from her brother is for him to be living in a large mansion, complete with a Lamborghini and an ornate garden fountain in the front yard.
"What's with the house?" Dean asks. Cassie shrugs, punching in the passcode to open the gate to the property.
"I come from a pretty rich family, I guess," she admits. "My mom is a financial manager and my dad inherited a ton of money from his parents..." She trails off and the two fall into a comfortable silence as Dean parks his Impala in the driveway. The two walk up the the from door and Cassie rings the doorbell.
The door is quickly opened by a man wearing a green denim jacket opens the door. He looks nothing like Cassie and there is no way that Dean would know that was Cassie's brother if she hadn't told him. For some reason, Dean is immediately annoyed by the man.
"Cassie! Been a few months since I've seen you. Since your move, right?" he exclaims, hugging her and ignoring Dean's presence. "Would you like to come in? I'm sure someone would love to get you tea."
Cassie walks inside and Dean follows her with a gaping mouth. The foyer is lavishly decorated, with large french windows, a high ceiling, and a crystal chandelier. The white walls only add to the overall brightness of the house and it's almost enough to make Dean wish he had sunglasses. "Gabriel, would you please give me my glasses?" Cassie asks, getting straight to the point and acting completely unperturbed by the sheer luxuriousness of her brother's home. "I know you have them."
"No can do. See, I gave them to one of our cousins who worships you. Or was it a friend? Someone we know, anyway. Was it Hester? No, wait, I think it might be Rachel, or maybe it's Balthazar. We know so many blondes who'd kill for you; I can't keep track of 'em all." Gabriel shrugs, putting a sucker in his mouth.
"Is Balthazar here?" Cassie asks, her voice hopeful in a way that makes Dean feel a small stab of jealousy, which he quickly tries to mask. Judging by Gabriel's unimpressed glance in his direction, it fails.
"Nope. He's gone to the gathering to celebrate Lucifer and Michael's birthday. Which you should be getting ready for too," Gabriel points out with a grin.
"I was about to until my contacts were destroyed," says Cassie. "How do you expect me to see?"
"You have your guide, don't you? I'll have someone get your clothes that are still lying around here, while someone else deals with your seeing eye dog," Gabriel says with a dismissive wave of his hand. Dean wants to protest, but decides against shouting at someone who could probably buy him if necessary.
Gabriel ascends the grand staircase, humming "Heat of the Moment" under his breath. Cassie turns to Dean, arms crossed.
"I'm sorry for him. He's not one you want to be around too much, otherwise he'll get on your nerves to the point you do something you'll regret." She sighs.
"Experience?" he asks.
Experience," she repeats with a solemn nod.
"Are you done?" Dean knocks on Cassie's door.
"Not quite. You can come in though," she answers. He steps into the room and sees her in an unzipped evening gown, her hair pushed over to one shoulder, baring her neck and back. She turns her head towards the door. "Hi. Would you mind zipping this up for me? I'm having trouble with it."
"Of course." He awkwardly steps forward and zips up her dress, making sure hair isn't caught up in the zipper. Once he finishes, Cassie stands up and turns around. His breath is taken away. Her deep blue dress matches her eyes in a way he thought couldn't be possible and as she smiles at him, he feels his heart flutter pitifully in his chest.
"What do you think?" she asks nervously, smoothing down her dress. "Decent enough for you?"
For a wild, insane moment, Dean is tempted to say that she looks perfect. Instead, he grunts in assent. "It's good. You, uh, look good."
Cassie smiles even wider and Dean wonders if there is anything better than seeing someone smile with such unashamed happiness and knowing that you're the one who put it there. Shaking the thoughts away, he offers his arm which she gratefully accepts.
The celebration is a lot like a gathering for rich people Dean's seen on reality television. Not that he makes a habit of watching such shows, but nonetheless, it's strange for him to see all of the elegantly dressed people milling around and knowing that these are all people Cassie knows personally. Sitting side-by-side, and obviously not by choice, are two men. One sitting in proper posture, suit tidy and clean with black hair combed. The other may as well be the embodiment of dishevelment. His blond hair is sticking out in all sorts of directions and he lounges in his chair, without a jacket or a tie and the top buttons of his shirt undone.
Cassie gets a firm grip on Dean's arm and leads him to where the two men sit. "The neat one is Michael," she says. "The other one is Lucifer. His real name is Lucian but everyone thinks Lucifer is a lot more fitting. They never get along and I mean never. Just try not to make a fool of yourself, okay?"
"Do I ever?" asks Dean. Cassie shrugs.
"Most of the time," she jokes. Dean rolls his eyes and smiles slightly. They come to a stop once they reach the twins.
"Hey, Saint Cassie. Glad you could make it." Lucifer leans forward conspiratorially. "Who's the man on your arm? Your new poor, drug-abusing, arson-committing fiancé? Michael would have fit. Please tell me I'm right."
"I'm right here, Lucifer." Michael rolls his eyes and crosses his arms, glaring at his brother. He shifts his attention to Cassie and eyes Dean up and down, like a judgmental and mildly prissy father. "But please don't tell me he's right."
"He's not. He's here because Balthazar has my glasses and my contacts are broken." Cassie giggles. "Dean, this is Michael and Lucifer, the oldest of my brothers. Michael, Lucifer, this is Dean Smith. Please be nice to him; he's my roommate's brother."
"Nice to meet you." Dean shakes hands with Michael, then Lucifer, who does so half-heartedly.
"And happy birthday to the both of you," Cassie adds, bending down to hug them. "Now I have to hunt down Balthazar. Dean, if you see a drunk or nearly drunk man with a borderline inappropriate outfit and sandy hair, let me know."
Dean spots him immediately, and carefully navigates through the groups of people chatting, making sure Cassie stays with him. After Cassie chats with him with a practically murderous glint in her eyes, Balthazar hands over her glasses, which she promptly pulls on. She then converses with him for several more minutes, until Dean reminds her that dinner is about to start. The two find a pair of empty seats and, after a creative toast to both brothers by Gabriel himself, mill around absentmindedly. Dean ends up being introduced to both Hester and Rachel.
Dean couldn't be happier once they leave, exhausted from the numerous eccentricities Cassie's family has. He drops her off at her apartment where Jo teases them both mercilessly for days on end.
A few months later, Jo reclines on her coach, watching soap operas , and eating ice cream when Cassie comes home. Cassie hesitates when she notices Jo's show choice, since Jo has always despised soap operas, and sits next to her, not asking what happened.
"Want to go on a cruise?" Cassie asks her best friend. "There's one in a month and my brother said he's willing to treat me and anyone else I want to tag along for the ride. It lasts two weeks.
"What? Like a sunny, pool on the boat, cruise?" Jo replies, her attention caught by the idea. Cassie smiles and nods. "Hell yeah I wanna go on a cruise! Could my parents and Dean come too? They all need a break from reality."
"Of course. I'll go make plans." Cassie gets up and walks a little ways before turning back to see Jo picking up the remote and changing the channel.
"Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?" a scummy man asks as Cassie waits for a couple of drink at the cruise's bar.
"I don't understand. I've never been to Heaven, so I cannot have fallen from it. Though I imagine it would hurt to fall from such a high place," she responds blandly. Dean, overhearing this, comes over as the drinks arrives.
"You have what you ordered? Great. Jo's waiting to get her hands on some alchohol, so let's go." Dean's hand hovers near her back and glares at the man as he walks her back to their table.
"Did I do something wrong, Dean?" Cassie asks, blue eyes staring into Dean's green ones.
"No, but in the future if someone asks you that question, tell them you're not interested," he replies stiffly. Cassie stares at him for a little longer before smiling.
"Deaaaan, have I ever- hic- have I ever told you how much I love your freckles?" Cassie asks, drunk as Dean helps her back to her room.
"No," he responds, trying to make sure she stays upright.
"Well I should have. They're great freckles! Wonderful freckles! Ballads shall be made about those freckles!" she cheers.
"I'm sure." He rolls his eyes.
"And your eyes- your eyes are so pretty," she whines, almost tripping over herself.
"Right." He catches her. "Look, here's your room, go get some rest."
"Carry me?" she asks. Sighing, he picks her up and puts her on her bed.
"There, now go to sleep," he tells her.
"Stay with me? Please?" She tugs on his sleeve. Dean contemplated refusing, but decides against it, if only to make sure she doesn't wanter off. He sits on her bed next to her. Cassie's face, still flushed from alcohol, turns towards him. "I love you," she mumbles.
Dean tries his best to avoid seeing Cassie the morning after but Cassie manages to corner him in the hallway.
"Dean, I don't think I've told you what I'm like when I'm drunk." She grips his arm tightly, preventing him from leaving. "I act like a spoiled child, or at least I'm told so, but I also end up revealing my true feelings when I'm drunk. So if I said anything that makes you uncomfortable, I understand if you never want to see me apart from necessary times when I'm with Jo."
"No. That's not- you- you said you love me," Dean stammers.
"I do." She nods, as if this should be obvious.
"In a romantic way?" he asks.
She freezes. "Um, I-I guess so?" she says, more question than statement. "I know it doesn't make sense because we're not dating or anything, and-"
"Do you want to?"
"Want to?" Cassie repeats.
"To date. Do you want to date me?" he asks.
"I, uh, yes." She nods stiffly.
The two stand there, not knowing what to say or do.
"Well, uh, I guess I ought to come clean, yeah? I, um, I love you too," Dean admits. "Yeah. So. Uh..."
Cassie laughs and wraps her arms around his neck. She leans forward and presses a quick kiss to his cheek. "You are such a dork," she mumbles.
On their three year anniversary, Dean takes Cassie to a romantic candlelit dinner. The restaurant was dimly lit and fancy, with the cheapest item on the menu still being over thirty dollars. A violinist plays Schumann, setting the mood perfectly. Dean and Cassie make conversation throughout the entire dinner, poking fun at each other and falling into a comfortable silence once the food comes out.
As Cassie finishes dessert, she looks up to see Dean's seat empty. Instead, he kneels at her side on one knee, a velvet ring box grasped in both hands.
"Cassie Winchester, I have been in love with you for over three years now, and I can say wholeheartedly that they were the best three years of my life. There is no one in this entire world I could even imagine loving as much as I love you, and I know that you're the only person I'd ever be willing to spend the rest of my life with. So, Cassie Winchester, will you marry me?" he asks, opening the box. Inside is a princess cut sapphire ring with a white gold band. The candlelight illuminates the jewel and makes it flash brilliantly. Cassie stares at him. Dean begins to panic. "Uh, I know diamond rings are customary but you don't like diamonds and I though these matched your eyes better even though your eyes are way prettier if you ask-"
He's cut off by a passionate kiss. She pulls away with a large smile. "Of course I'll marry you. Though you didn't need to get me a ring, I'd have said yes anyway."
"Really? You'll marry me?" he asks in disbelief. "I mean, I'm not-" She kisses him again. "Okay. It's a yes. You said yes."
"I said yes," she agrees, finding amusement in his nervous rambling.
Dean watches Cassie walk down the aisle with a sort of reverence that one might associate with religious worship. A snow white dress twists around her torso and slowly spins out for a wide skirt that trails behind her. She holds onto a bouquet of hyacinths with one hand and with her left hand she holds onto a somberly dressed Gabriel, who is taking place of their missing father. She lets go of Gabriel at the altar and stands in front of Dean, smiling vibrantly. He can hear a few people sobbing, most of them from Cassie's family, making him wonder if they're just emotional or if they didn't like want her to get married to him.
After listening to the priest talk for what it seems like an almost endless speech, he stops and asks for Cassie to say her personal vows.
"When I first met you, I thought you were just some random guy that was helping me carry a box. Then I looked up and you had the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen. In fact, I said that to you the night I confessed that I loved you. Though I also remember insisting that 'ballads will be made for your freckles', but I'm getting off track," she says, and a few chuckles are heard in the church. "My point is, I am in love with you, Dean Smith. I have since I looked into your eyes. Eyes, after all, are windows into the soul and I like to think that the reason why we are so attracted to each other is because our eyes, and our souls, were always meant to be united. Though I tried to set my feelings aside since you're my best friend's brother for a long time, I couldn't deny that I loved you. And I wish to be able to tell you that for the rest of our lives."
She notices an unmistakable wetness in Dean's eyes and blinks back a few of her own. 'Your turn,' she mouths at him and he takes a deep breath.
"Wow, I think my vows are going to pale in comparison, but here goes. I first fell in love with your voice. It drew me to you when I first heard it, even if I didn't notice at the time. I then fell in love with your eyes. They were as beautiful and as enticing as the ocean and they pulled me in like an undertow. I then fell in love with your mind, which is so far above my own. I learned that the hard way. And then, your heart. Your heart holds so much love for your family, friends, and everyone in between. Including me. I never thought I would meet someone with as much love as you. Except for Jo and my mom, but only because if I don't include them, they'll get upset." He pauses. "And honestly, I am the luckiest person in the entire universe to have such an incredible, strong woman who accepts and loves me so fully. I can't think of anything better than this. Than you."
"You may now kiss the bride." The priest tells Dean. Cassie grins, dipping her husband, and then kissing him.
"So if Dean's the bride, why isn't he wearing a dress?" Gabriel jokes.
"We promised an equal marriage, so we're both brides; I just like dresses better and he prefers suits," she explains.
"I hope you know that you just opened your husband to a lifetime of teasing," Lucifer stage whispers.
"And it's starting now," Gabriel says, eying his brother-in-law like a piece of meat before heading in his brother-in-law's direction.
"Please keep him sane!" she yells at him.
"No promises!" he shouts back, slowing down when he sees Samandriel in front of Dean.
"Do you remember what I told you when we first met?" Samandriel asks.
"You mean the fact that you'd kill me if I did anything to hurt Cassie?"
"Yes. It would be best that I add to it that if that happens, I am going to have you watch your life be destroyed before your eyes, with nothing you can do about it, and then I'll have your flesh be peeled while you're still alive and slowly die," Samandriel says casually.
"Understood. Though I have no plan to ever hurt her, I deserve it if I do." Dean replies, completely serious.
"Good," says Samandriel. "Because it won't be me that does the killing. Trust me, it'll be her." Samandriel nods and walks away.
"Cassie! I'm home!" Dean calls. "You'll never believe it! I got a promotion!"
"Dean, I have to talk to you." Cassie sits at their dining table, hands holder on her lap and looking solemn.
"Did I do something?" He sits down across from her.
"Yes. I'm one month pregnant." Her face slowly breaks out a grin. Dean stares at her, mouth hanging wide open, and promptly faints. Cassie stand up and bends down over her Liam Payne. "Dean? Dean are you okay?"
A young woman with black hair tied into a bun and formal wear pokes her head through Dean's door. "Mr. Smith? A Sam Wesson is here to see you."
"Send him in, Cassie," Dean says, nodding his head.
"Yes, sir." She closes the door behind her and smiles politely at Sam. "Mr. Wesson, Mr. Smith will see you now." Sam returns the smile warily and enters the room, Cassie at his heels.
"Cassie, please shut the door," Dean tells her.
"Yes, sir." She shuts the door behind her, but doesn't leave.
"Cassie?" Dean watches her.
"Yes?"
"What're you still doing in here?"
"Waiting for you two to start talking. I would like to hear what's going on with tech support, as well," she says seriously. Dean tilts his head in a silent affirmation and returns his attention to the man in front of him.
"Who the hell are you?" he asks Sam.
"I'm not sure I know," Sam answers, gripping his brown messenger bag tightly.
"What the hell does that mean?"
"Sam Wesson. I started here three weeks ago."
"All right. You cornered me in the elevator talking about ghosts. And now..." Dean drifts off.
"Now what?" says Sam. Dean pauses.
"Now nothing. I, uh, so you started working here three weeks ago, huh?" Sam nods. "Yeah, me too." He then gestures to his bottled drink. "It's the Master Cleanse. You tried it? Phenomenal. Detoxes you like nobody's business."
"With all due respect, no one likes that stuff but you," says Cassie. Sam smirks slightly, but Dean ignores her and takes a long gulp of the disgusting liquid.
"When you were in that bathroom with Ian, did you see something?" Sam asks.
"I don't know. I don't know what I saw."
"Wait. Are you saying that- did you see a ghost?"
"I was freaking out. The guy penciled his damn neck."
"You did, didn't you? Okay, listen. What if these suicides aren't suicides? I mean, what if they're something not natural?" suggests Sam excitedly.
"So, what, ghosts are real? And they're responsible for all the dead bodies around here? Is that what you're telling me?"
"I know it sounds crazy. But yes. That's what I'm telling you."
"Uh-huh. Based on what?" Dean says dubiously.
Sam looks around for an answer. "Instinct," he says firmly. Dean looks down, shaking his head, then looks back up.
"I've got the same instinct."
"Seriously? You know those dreams I was telling you about? I was dreaming about ghosts."
"Yeah."
"And then it turns out that there's a real ghost."
"So you're telling me that your dreams are special visions and you're some kind of psychic?" Dean says disbelievingly. Cassie smiles and chuckles, but it goes unnoticed.
"No. I mean, that would be nuts. I'm just saying something weird is definitely going on around here, right? So I've been digging around a little." Sam pulls several folded sheets of paper from his bag. "I think I found a connection between the two guys."
Sam passes over the papers and Dean examines them carefully.
"You broke into their email accounts?"
Sam coughs awkwardly. "I used some skills that I happen to have to satisfy my curiosity."
"Nice."
"Yeah. Okay. So it turns out Ian and Paul both got this same email telling them to report to HR, room fourteen forty-four."
"HR's on seven."
"Exactly," says Sam, inordinately pleased.
"Should we go check this out?" Dean asks.
"Like right now?"
"No. No, it's getting late. You're right."
"I am dying to check this out right now," admits Sam with a small grin.
"Right?"
"Great. Let's go." Cassie beams and opens the door.
"Uhuh. Cassie, you're staying here. If this the work of some ghost it would be dangerous for you to come along with us," Dean reprimands.
"It's more dangerous if I stay here alone," Cassie points out, putting extra emphasis on the last word so Dean would get the clue.
"Fine. You can come with." Dean rolls his eyes. Cassie all but cheers.
"Sam Wesson." Sam offers his hand to Cassie as they stand uncomfortably in the elevator.
"Cassie Smith." Cassie shakes it. Noticing his questioning look she adds, "Dean's wife."
"Cassie, you're not supposed to talk about that at work."
"So, how did you know that we weren't talking about tech support?" Sam asks, gripping the elevator's railing.
"Isn't hard to follow Dean's thought process. Sees the body of one guy, second one dies in front of him, then he calls you over. That doesn't seem like tech support to me."
"So I guess all of those memories we had... The first time we met, our confession, the proposal, our wedding," Cassie lists, her hand in Dean's. They look out at the city from the balcony.
"Were fake, yeah." He nods, avoiding her gaze. It isn't necessary, as she is pointedly looking at the view.
"That means we're not in love, doesn't it?" Her voice shakes and she grips his hand harder, knowing that they would have to let go soon.
"I suppose it does." His own throat tight as he squeezes the words out. They let go and turn to each other. She falls into his arms and wails. He holds her tightly, but his heart contracts and he wishes, if nothing else, that he could hold her like that forever. She calms down, though, and pushes him away.
"This didn't happen on the show. Cas never appeared in this episode." She slowly pulls away and her face hardens. "You need to save Adam Milligan and his mother from ghouls. He's your half-brother, and the two ghouls want revenge for your father killing theirs The ghouls are in Windom, Minnesota."
"Cassie, wait." He grasps her hand. She turns to him, immeasurable amounts of sadness in her eyes. Dean stares at her almost hungrily, trying to take in as much of her as she can, as though this is his last time seeing her. She sighs.
"Dean, I've been out for two weeks, Cas needs to be in complete control so my soul may rest and recharge," she tells him softly, turning away quickly as to avoid seeing his broken face.
"I understand. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry," Dean chokes out.
"So am I." She pulls her hand out and disappears, leaving him alone in the room.