Castiel was bullied again today. He's not sure how much longer he can deal with all of this. He gets home and his father and brother are fighting again. "Damn it Michael, you can't tell me how to run my household!"

"I sure as hell can! I can take care of my siblings much better than some old drunk can!" Castiel does his best to tune out the rest. He's already had a bad day and his brother and father fighting only makes it worse. He wishes Balthazar had been at school today. Balthazar is the only thing that makes any of this bearable for Castiel. As Cas retreats to his room he wonders how long it will take for Balthazar to be suspended for skipping class so much.

As soon as he gets into his room and shuts the door, Cas pulls open his sock drawer, rooting around for the familiar matchbox hidden there. He heads into his bathroom as he pulls out the glinting piece of metal that seems to be his only friend. Castiel lowers the razor to the tanned, broken skin on his left arm and he can hear the bullies' voices in his head. "Stupid Angel! Go back to your tree, idiot!"

"You're worthless, you and your black feathers!"

"Just kill yourself already you piece of crap!" Cas wishes he was brave enough to actually do it. But he's not. He just makes himself suffer. Cas stows his razor away again and runs his arm under the water in the sink, watching it turn red, then pink, then finally clear. He sighs. Why him? Castiel lays in his bed, stomach growling and dreading the next day.

Dean forces out another laugh. He's with his friends. He's supposed to be happy. His friends can't know he isn't who they think he is. They can never know. "Right Dean?" Jess says.

"Huh?"

"I was just saying that they really should separate Angels and Humans, they're always fighting at school. Don't you agree?"

"Oh, uh, yeah sure." He says noncommittally. He doesn't feel that way. He thinks it's good that Angels and Humans are mixing. Angel slavery is wrong. But they can't know Dean thinks that. He has to be like everyone else.

As Dean walks home, he thinks about the angel his friends had been talking about. He can't remember his name... maybe Carmen? No... Neither can he think of what the angel looks like. What he can think of is what his friends were saying about him. That he's stupid, he's an emo cutter, he has black wings so he must be bad luck, he should kill himself, he's so ugly, the list goes on and on. His friends had never been so rude to an angel before. He wonders what makes this one different.

Dean shuts the door to his room and turns his music up. Maybe tomorrow he'll keep an eye out for this angel.

Castiel pulls on a long sleeve shirt, wincing as it brushes his fresh scars. Hiscell phone rings as he walks out of his house. "Hello?"

"Cassy! Love, would you skip with me today?" Balthazar's voice flows through the phone and Castiel calms down a little. Wait, skip with him? Castiel would love to skip school. Not having to go to his classes, no bullies, being with Balthazar... but no, he can't. His father will find out and he doesn't want his father angry with him, that never ends well.

"Balthazar... you know I can't. Please come to school with me? It's better when you're around..." Castiel crosses his fingers. He hears Balthazar sigh.

"Well when you put it that way... you know I can't say 'No' to you, Cassy."

"Thank you Balthazar! Thank you, thank you! I'll see you at school, love you!" Cas hangs up. Today is going to be better.

Cas walks into school with a skip in his step...and stops dead when he sees the bullies waiting for him at his locker. He turns abruptly into a side hallway before they can see him. He whips his phone out and punches in Balthazar's number. "Hello?" Says the slightly accented voice Castiel loves so much.

" Where are you? Please tell me you're almost here, they're waiting for me, Balthy. I need you. Please hurry..."

"Cassy I'm right next to you." Cas looks to his right and sees his boyfriend grinning at him. "Now lets go and talk to the nice people." Castiel follows Balthazar, shocked and amazed by him.

"Here comes the ugly black-feathered freak and his creepy boyfriend." Says one of them. Cas winces at the harsh words. Then Balthazar speaks.

"I'm sorry, but who are you speaking to?" He asks them.

"Not you, weirdo." A female Cas thinks is named Jessica says and then laughs.

"Well, I think you all should move, as you are blocking our lockers. Thank you."

"We have every right to be here." Says Sam Winchester. Cas knows him. His brother is kinda cute... No, he's a Human. Cas needs to stop thinking like that. And then Balthazar steps forward and shoves Sam backward. Castiel lunges forward and shouts,

"Balthy, no!" At the same time Dean Winchester, Sam's older brother, catches his brother's arm.

"Sammy don't." He says in a voice like liquid silk. Stop, he's a HUMAN for God's sake! Cas thinks to himself.

"Please just move." Cas practically whimpers.

"Let's get out of here, guys." Dean says, walking away. Castiel sags against Balthazar in relief that they didn't bother him too much today...yet.

"It's ok Cassy, I won't let them hurt you." Balthazar says, rubbing Castiel's back affectionately.

"Thanks Balthazar...we better get to class." Cas says. Balthazar groans and Cas has to nearly drag him to their first class.

And for some odd reason...Castiel can't get Dean out of his head...