Disclaimer: Not my boys, just my story
A Stranger in a beige trench coat
It had been three days since Castiel and Gabriel had risen John Winchester from Hell. In that time span, the boys had begun to explain what happened in the two years he was away. The angels, the apocalypse, Lucifer, everything. They were all staying at Bobby's; he was thrilled to see that the family was back together again. John thought he knew just about what had happened when he was gone, but he was missing the biggest piece.
Dean, Sam, Bobby, and John were sitting around the dinner table; talking about the boys adventures. "Um dad," Dean paused looking at their father who had recently finished talking to Bobby, "i'm...kinda with somebody." Castiel had been with Dean for about on year and a half now. They had wanted to tell John right away but were worried how he would react. Dean knew his father would not approve his choice of lover; and were reluctant to share this bit of information. "Wow, Dean that's great! When do I get to meet the special someone?" Dean blushed slightly and mumbled something about soon. Dean knew Cas was waiting until Dean told him to come; he didn't want to tell his dad too soon. "What about you Sammy? You with anybody?" Sam blushed feverishly. Gabriel had been with Sam for almost a year. Sam loved the trickster, and couldn't think of life without him. But that wouldn't stop his dad from disapproving. "Yeah." He replied, looking anywhere but his father.
Dinner was over and John and Bobby were cleaning up. Bobby was telling John about all the new upgrades and 'toys' he'd gotten. "You know that panic room I got down in the basement? Got it sound-proofed after I had a demon down there making noise when a cop showed up. Good thing I knew her." John laughed and continued to wipe the plate he was currently cleaning. "I'm going to head up, see you in the morning John." John smiled at his old friend and went out back by the shed to get more beer. When he returned a stranger in a beige trench coat, and suit was standing by the sink finishing up the dishes.
John leaned down and wrapped his right hand around the knife he kept in the leg of his jeans, old habits die hard. Flipping it in his hand so the blade was down, John hesitantly approached the man. "Who are you?" John's voice was low, deep, and threatening. The man turned slowly, he looked at John with an expressionless face. "I am Castiel. A previous angel of the lord." John froze. This man used to be an angel. He thought back to Sam and Dean's stories of angels Zachariah, Balthazar, Raphael. His expression immediately darkened. He knew the knife wouldn't kill him, even though he was fallen, so he turned the hilt up again. John took a step closer. "You're not going to hurt my family." Castiel gave a confused expression. Then all at once he understood. "John Winchester, I would never hu-" The hilt of John's blade collided with Castiel's right temple. The Angel looked up; the hunter grabbed him by the back of his neck and shoved his forehead against the stone countertop. The angel let out a whimper before falling to the tile. John stood over him.
When Castiel woke up it took him only a moment to realize where he was and how he had gotten there. It came to Castiel in flashes; John, the knife, the hit. Castiel sighed and looked around. With a start he realized he was in Bobby's panic room. "Dean!" Castiel called out. When he didn't hear anything he struggled against the bindings. He was chained to a chair in the middle of the room, he was shirtless. His trench coat and suit were not in the room. When he moved he was surprised at the pain it caused him. He looked again at the chains. They were leaving burn marks in his skin. He cried out when his body moved and chains followed across his chest. "Burns, doesn't it?" A voice from behind him asked. Castiel raked his memory to place the voice. John Winchester came into his view. "Dipped and burned in holy oil. I know a thing or two." Castiel signed heavily.
"You do not understand what you are doing-"
"Oh I understand perfectly." John began pacing again. He was fingering a knife while sneaking side looks at his prisoner. "You used to be one of those vermin creatures who think you can do whatever the hell you want to my sons. Well, you know what? Not this time." He plunged the burnt, crispy knife into Castiel's leg. Castiel, sweat breaking out on his brow, looked up. "Now you're my bitch." The hunters eyes were burning darker than the blood running down Castiel's thigh.
Dean woke up with a jolt. He sat up and looked around him. Dean reached out for the cell phone laying on the night stand. He picked it up and scrolled through the contacts until he found the number. Castiel had appeared before Dean after dinner to see how it went with his dad. Dean told him he hadn't told their dad about their relationship; after a deep kiss on the lips Castiel vanished, promising to return when Dean needed him. Now something didn't feel right. After ringing seven times the call went to voicemail, Dean waited for the automated voice to end before speaking. "Hey, Cas it's Dean. Call me when you get this alright?" Dean hung up but continued to stare a the phone. He shivered; not being able to shake the feeling that something was wrong with Cas. He moved to go make coffee, he wasn't sleeping anymore tonight.
Bobby came into the kitchen that the morning to find Dean had gone through an entire pot of coffee. "Well don't you look pretty this morning." Bobby noted the bags under Dean's eyes. "You don't look like sunshine yourself." A towel collided with the back of Dean's head. "Don't sass me boy." Dean answered by slumping back into the old, wooden chair. "What's up with you?" Dean pressed his thumb and forefinger into his eyes, hand rubbing his head. "I can't shake the feeling that somethings wrong," Bobby shot him a questioning look, "with Cas."
Bobby got milk and eggs out to make pancakes and glanced over his shoulder at Dean. "You worry too much, Castiel is fine. He'll be here in a few days along with Gabriel. Stop worrying idjit and stop drinking my coffee like it's damn whiskey." Dean embarrassingly brought the near-empty mug down from his lips and gave Bobby his best 'it was Sam' look. Dean felt it again, the twinge that something wasn't right with his angel. Sam came down the stairs then and Dean stopped him to ask if he'd heard from Gabriel. A deep sadness crossed Sam's face, it had been over a week since he'd heard from his angel. There was a small problem in Heaven and Gabriel got called up there to work it out, Sam hated being away from Gabe for so long. It physically weakened him. Paler than usual, Sam replied that he hadn't.
Dean noticed the hollowness of Sam's cheeks and the slight trembling of his hands. Dean was about to comment on it when John came sauntering into the kitchen. "Rough night?" Bobby asked, handing him what little coffee was left. "You could say that." John replied, taking the seat across from Dean. He and Sam had talked last night over when they were going to tell their father about their angels. Dean was going to tell their dad first because he and Castiel had been together longer. Dean wanted to take the boot of it before Sam told their dad anyway. "Look dad," Dean started leaning in towards John, "about what I said yesterday about my partner, there's more to it. He's an angel." Bobby and Sam were statues, staring at their father who didn't even seem to be breathing. "Did you say, he's an angel?" Dean looked him dead in the eye, not saying a word. "He Dean? He? And an angel? After everything you said about them!" John had stood up and all but yelled in Dean's face. "He's different dad! He's not like the rest of them."
"Their all the same Dean! You need to stop this now before it gets you killed!" John roared.
"No! I love Castiel and i'm not breaking it off because you're judgmental!" John froze. That name. He'd heard that name before.
"I'm leaving." John stalked out of the kitchen but Sam and Bobby were fixed on Dean who still stood up over the table. He sighed and sank back into the chair. Sam took John's previous seat and gazed worriedly at his brother. "Are you okay?" Dean nodded against his hand, rubbing his face before he looked up. "Yeah it's just Cas, since he fell i've been more protective of him and now it just feels like somethings wrong." Sam produced a small smile and placed a cold hand on Dean's arm. "I'm sure he's okay."
John barged into the room and stared hatred down like broken shards of ice at lowly vermin infecting his glare. Castiel barely looked up, just left his head dangling in solidarity. John advanced, slapping Castiel with as much force as he could muster. Castiel's head rolled back with annoyance and anger. "How dare you mess with my son! Posses him with your angel shit!" A look of surprise crossed the angels face at the mention of Dean but quickly erased it when John's eyes fixed on him. "It is not a spell, I lov-" Castiel broke off and his voice was immediately replaced by a scream and whimper of cry as he repressed it. "Don't you ever say that." The knife twisted in Castiel's shoulder but he refused to acknowledge the pain. "You are nothing like your son." John slapped him again and focused him in the eye. "He is in every way like me you son of a bitch." Castiel just shook his head, this way not what he expected of his lover's father; and Castiel felt a twinge of pain for Dean. Castiel sucked in a breath as the knife carved into his arm. He looked up to the father of his hunters eyes and remained emotionless.
Bobby was cooking dinner when John came up behind him. "What are you making?" Bobby barely spared him a glance. "Chili." It dawned on Bobby that he hadn't seen John at all that day, he thought he was working on a car but Bobby couldn't remember. "Where have you been today anyway?" John leaned against the counter and looked at Bobby. "I've got a monster in your panic room." Bobby nearly dropped the wooden spoon in the crock pot before turning to John.
"I'm sorry I didn't quite hear that. It sounded like you said you have a freaking monster in my basement!" John looked him over.
"What's the problem?"
"The problem is that you've been back for four days and you're already torturing demons in my basement." John smiled at him. "You can't keep me from hunting." A smile tugged Bobby's lips, John was just as stubborn as he had always been. "Fine," Bobby said, "but I want that thing out before Sam and Dean find out and have an aneurism." John reached out and clapped his old friend on the back.
After dinner John retreated to his room leaving Sam and Dean in the living room. "Want a beer?" Dean was already moving towards the refrigerator. "Sure." Sam moved to stand but black spots clouded his vision and he slumped against the couch. "Whoa hey!" Dean steadied Sam and hesitantly released him. "Are you okay?" Sam nodded and moved towards the kitchen. Dean followed with concern written on his face. "We're out of beer up here, i'll go downstairs and get more."
"It's okay, i'll go." Dean made sure Sam was sitting before he descended the stairwell. He saw the cooler, grabbed two drinks, then headed back upstairs. Before he reached the steps, something peaking out from behind the stairs caught his eye. Walking over to it and slowly crouching down, Dean lifted it from its hiding place. He froze. It was Castiel's trench coat. Blinking, Dean looked up at Bobby's locked panic room. Dean felt a pull to go inside. Setting the beers on a dusty shelf, Dean moved to unlock the door. What he saw turned his blood to ice.
Castiel was chained to a chair. Beaton, bloody, and weak. Dean immediately ran to his angel and worked undoing the chains. Castiel tiredly look up, eyes brightening the slightest at seeing Dean's face. "Dea-" Castiel tried to talk but his voice broke from his sore throat and chapped lips. Dean shushed him and placed a gentle hand on his cheek. He leaned into Dean's touch and weakly slumped back against the chair. Upon removing the chains Dean saw the burn marks left on Castiel's skin. Dean brought the chains to his face and inhaled the sent of charred metal and oil. He angrily threw down the chains and moved the ones around his chest and feet. When the chains were gone Dean brought one arm around Castiel's shoulders and the other under his knees. "Don't move, i've got you." Dean gently eased Castiel up and out of that room. Once upstairs Castiel breathed a sign of relief before slipping into unconsciousness.