SPN
Dean walked up to the staircase while balancing a duffle bag and a full, pink tutu. "Get your pink butt down here or you're going to be late to practice!" He heard muffled movement and then "coming!"
He smiled as he turned to the front door that was behind him, hearing her run around her bedroom probably looking for her dance shoes, which were stuffed in the duffle bag with everything else.
"Dad, I can't find my shoes!" Panic now obvious in her voice.
"That's because you put them in your bag last night after practice. I have everything except you so get down here!" The chuckle that vibrated from him echoed in the empty hallway.
Now he full-on laughed as he watched his little girl fly to the top of the staircase and sliding on the damned rug that Cas had to have there. More careful this time, she half walked, half bounced down the stairs to where Dean was waiting.
"You ready, Charlie?"
"Is Daddy gonna be there?" He knew that she waited for him every time but they both knew the answer.
"He has to work late again tonight. You know he wants to be there but with the business, he sometimes has to work late, especially this time of year."
"I know, but it's not fair. But at least he lets you off work to take me instead of my mean babysitter."
"Oh please, Charlie. Don't be so dramatic. Ruby is good babysitter. You just don't like her because she doesn't let you eat a bunch of sugar after school."
Charlie stuck her tongue out at Dean as she finished tying up her tennis shoes to go out the door. She ran to the car, yelling about shot gun as Dean reached around, balancing everything in his hands, to shut the door and making sure it was locked.
She was waiting by the front passenger door, and Dean shook his head. Huffing out a breath that made her bangs move, she walked around the back of the Impala to the passenger seat behind Dean. Putting the bag and tutu in the front passenger, he went around and helped buckle her in now that she was big enough to not need a child's seat. But sometimes the old car's seat belts didn't like to click for her.
Dean got into the driver's seat, roaring the engine to life. He heard a giggle from the back seat, and looked in the mirror to see Charlie looking back at Dean with a glow in her eyes that seemed to intensify when the Impala's engine purred and revved.
Putting it in reverse, they pulled out of the drive and headed to practice.
Dean shut the car off, ending the Beatles song short.
"Dad, can we listen to the rest of the song? Pleeeeaaaase?!"
The dash clock said six minutes to 5:00 p.m. They had some time so Dean turned the car back on to hear the last minute of "Here Comes The Sun". They both started to hum the piano and guitar fill and then sang together,
"Little darlin', I feel that ice is slowly melting.
Little darlin', it seems like years since it's been clear.
Here come the sun, here comes the sun and I say it's all right.
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun.
It's all right, it's all right.."
The last few chords rang from the old speakers as Dean slowly turned the car off. It was times like these that he didn't want to end.
"Okay, you ready for practice?" Anyone who has ever talked to her knew that.
"Let's go, Dad!"
He opened the back door and going to reach for the seat belt when she shimmied off the seat and in front of Dean. "I got it all by myself!"
"That you did, honey. Awesome job." He smiled at her as he grabbed her hand and crossed the street to the studio, now only having three minutes left and she still didn't have her dance shoes on.
They entered the building and she took off to the room, forgetting Dean in the lobby. He chuckled while slowly making his way to the studio room. This was the part he hated about being a "dance dad". All the mom's stared in awe at him, and as much as Dean was flattered, being asked out by the select few divorced and single moms was getting pretty annoying. He wore his ring that Cas had given him but no one knew that he was gay. A small town wasn't the most welcoming and he knew the mom's wouldn't be too happy about it. The way Dean looked and acted, one would never guess he liked men and Dean didn't either until he met Cas a bar; the rest being history.
He found himself in the doorway of the studio with all the girls and boys starting to stretch and ready themselves for a long practice. They were only a week away from their spring recital so it was crunch time.
Spotting a seat in the corner, by himself, he hurried over as the teacher walked through the door and called the kids attention.
A woman in her early thirties walked in wearing a pink leotard with a black and, heaven forbid, black leg warmers over her pink tights. He liked Lisa but some of her outfits made Dean question her fashion choices. Dean shook his head as she began to speak, "alright guys and dolls, we all know that next week is the recital. We ask the parents have you hear by 6:15 p.m. so we can get costumes and placing ready. We won't run through it before the show because we want you to be rested and ready."
She walked over to the boom box in the corner of the room, pressed some buttons and finally music filled the room. It was a waltz that Dean still didn't know and kept forgetting to ask Cas what it was. Cas seemed to recognize every song out there.
About ten minutes into class he could hear whispering and felt like he was being stared at. He looked up from his phone to find two divorced moms looking at him while whispering. One caught him staring and winked. He felt his neck turn red and nodded while turning back to his phone.
He brought up a new message and quickly typed up the number he's known by heart for years.
To: Cas
Babe, I'm being stared at. Again. One of them winked.
Dean shoved his phone back in his pocket, hoping Cas would text back before class was over.
Not a minute went by when he felt his pocket vibrate.
From: Cas
Just ignore them. I know it is not simple but do not egg them on. Also, I am home. Burgers for dinner.
Dean rolled his eyes while his stomach growled at the thought of burgers.
To: Cas
Can I tell them so they'll leave me the hell alone? And good, I'm starving.
This time, Dean didn't put away his phone knowing that Cas would be able to respond at free will.
A minute went past while Dean watched his little girl spin on one foot completing it then turning to him for a thumbs up as his phone vibrated.
From: Cas
Go for it, I do not want to share what is mine.
This time, Dean chuckled while smiling at his phone. When he looked up after quickly replying to Cas, he noticed that several pairs of eyes were on him all with questioning looks.
He turned back to watching Charlie while he felt his neck redden with the knowledge of being watched. Twenty more minutes and then home to Cas.
Dean watched Charlie jump, spin and twirl with a smile only she seems to bring. After, she walked up to him and grabbed his hand, almost dragging him to the door.
"Whoa, Charlie! What's your hurry?"
She turned with a look of attitude that seemed to have been taught by an Aunt Jo. Putting a hand on her hip, she said "I wanna go see Daddy! Duh!" But the damage was done. Moms' turned from all over the room with Lisa standing in front.
"What did she say, Dean?"
Now Dean's neck really turned red with it crawling up his face and onto his cheeks. "She said- that, uh… That she wanted to go home and see her Dad." He rubbed a hand across his neck waiting for the worst.
A woman named Pamela piped up from the crowd while working her way forward. "Oh, Dean. I didn't know you were gay. Why didn't you say so? I would have stopped winking at you a long time ago, honey!"
He was shocked. They didn't judge or mind. They were sorry for flirting with him.
"….What?"
"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable! Will we get to meet your partner at the recital?"
The shock that still vibrated through him shook his voice, "well, I am hoping so if he doesn't have to work late."
Charlie started tapping her foot growing impatient with Dean talking to the other mothers. "Dad, come on!" she grabbed his hand and started to pull but instead managed to slip and fall onto her butt.
Dean laughed as Charlie got up and stomped out of the ballet room. He looked at the other mothers, "guess that's my cue to leave. See you next practice then!" He followed up behind Charlie and grabbed her hand; looking down to find a small redheaded girl smiling.
As soon as Dean pulled up into the drive, Charlie had her door open and ran to the front door to fling it open while Dean was still getting out of the car.
He walked up to the doorway and leaned against the frame. He watched as Cas had Charlie in his arms spinning her around while laughing. It was like something out of a movie.
Dean broke them out of their bubble with him dropping her duffle bag on the ground. Loudly.
Cas' smile seemed to widen when he laid eyes on Dean now leaning against the counter. He smiled back at the dark haired man with their daughter.
He walked his way over to Dean, balancing Charlie on one hip while reaching up to cup Dean's face in his hand as their lips met. What seemed like hours were only minutes when they finally broke apart.
They heard Charlie make a "blech!" sound and something muttered about cooties. Cas put her down and watched as she went into the other room with the sound of the television being turned on.
Dean walked over to the counter where the hamburgers were and he could feel his mouth begin to water. The smell of the charcoal filled the kitchen with something… familiar and- salty.
"What else is that smell, Cas? What did you make besides burgers?" Cas chuckled as he walked to the fridge and grabbed a plate with a towel over the top.
"Cas…"
"I knew you would like some with your burgers and plus with everything you've been doing with Charlie, I decided to give a little extra." He took the paper towel off to find a plate of bacon.
A smile grew on Dean's face as the smell of bacon filled the kitchen. He looked back at Cas to give him a kiss but he was gone. He turned a little more to find Cas back at the fridge grabbing a pan. A pie pan.
"Oh, God. Cas, you are too awesome." This time, Dean grabbed the pan out of his hands, spun him around to be against the counter and kissed him. He moved his hand to reach Cas' face, cupping his face. Slowly, their mouths began to move together as Dean deepened the kiss.
"Gross, kissing!" Charlie ran out of the kitchen as Dean and Cas chuckled.
"So, dinner then?" Dean walked to the table and sat in the chair patting his knee for Cas to come sit.
Cas walked over and sat on his knee, then whispered into his ear, "and maybe desert after Charlie goes to bed." Dean chuckled and wrapped his arms around Cas' waist this time making sure that Charlie wasn't going to walk into the room. He kissed him slow but passionately, putting all the words he couldn't say into it.
They broke apart, both breathing deeply. Cas stood up and walked over to the fridge pulling out everything for burgers. Dean got up and walked to the garage to grab a couple beers and heard Cas call for Charlie, that dinner was ready. He smiled to himself as he turned around and walked back into the kitchen pulling the door closed behind him.
Two days till the performance and Cas had gotten off work late that night. He opened the door to hear music flowing from the living room. It was not classical but something more fun and upbeat. Completely out of Dean's taste of music. It must have been Charlie's choice.
He heard giggling and then a thud on the floor. Castiel tiptoed to the living room trying not to scare whoever was playing in there.
Looking around the corner, he found Dean on the floor with Charlie propped up on his feet and her hands in his. They were both laughing and making plane noises.
Soon he let her land and then she picked his hand off the floor and started to pull on him to get up. He grunted complaining how old he was getting when Charlie looked over in the doorway and found Castiel smiling at the two of them.
"Daddy!" Charlie jumped over Dean still trying to get up and ran into Castiel's arms. They hugged as Dean stood and made his way over to Castiel.
"Hey babe, how was work?" He kissed softly him on the forehead as he wiggled his way through the small space left between them and the doorframe.
"It was okay, just busy with the weather getting nice out and that brings out more customers."
Dean nodded as he walked to the garage and grab a beer. He shut the door behind him and made his way back to the kitchen table. Rubbing at his knee, he motioned for Cas and Charlie to come in there.
"Okay, Castiel. The times have been set and Charlie needs to be there at 6:15 p.m. They're going to do hair and all that stuff before the recital so everyone matches. The doors open at 6:30 p.m." Dean stopped himself short and looked at Charlie, "honey, why don't you get changed and washed up for bed okay?"
Charlie wiggled her way out of Cas' arms and ran up the stairs yelling "You got it, dude!"
He chuckled as he turned his attention back to Cas who was now leaning against the counter deciding what to do with his arms now that Charlie wasn't filling them.
"Cas, are you going to be there?"
He put his head down and looked at the ground. No answer came from him.
"Cas."
"Yes, Dean. I will be there at my best ability."
Dean began to shake his head, "no, Cas. You need to be there for her. She asks every day after practice if you are going to be there or not. When she comes home from school, she asks if you are the one taking her to practice. When you aren't home after practice, she mopes around and watches T.V. Tonight was one of the first nights I got her to do something besides sit on the couch and wait for you."
He took a sip of his beer and refused to look at Cas' face because if he did, he wouldn't be mad anymore.
"We have got to find another job that isn't so demanding for you. You have a daughter and a husband at home, waiting for you. I'm 100% behind you with whatever decision you want to make but Cas, I can't stand to watch her face fall every time we come home and you aren't here." He sat his beer on the table, walked over to Cas and kissed him. His face was wet from the few tears that fell in Dean's little talk but he knew that he hit too close to home.
Cas' father had been absent most of his childhood. Saying those things to him was hard but Charlie was the most important right now.
He broke from him, kissed his forehead and walked down the hall; marching his way up the stairs two at a time.
Cas could hear Charlie's door open and giggling with the bed squeaking as she jumped into it for the night. Dean's footsteps echoed through the kitchen.
It was the night of the recital.
Cas wasn't there and the doors were about to open.
Dean had dropped off Charlie to get ready while he ran a quick errand to the gas station. He came back to the parking lot vacant of Cas' car.
"Come on, Cas… Don't do this. Not tonight."
He looked down at the camera making sure the batteries were charged. He kept checking his watch and phone for the time. Maybe one of them was off but no luck.
Now the doors were open and Dean made his way inside the small theater to find a spot in the middle. He set his jacket down, propped up the camera, and waited for a text, a call, something.
Ten minutes later and the lights were flashing for the five minute warning. Cas had still not gotten ahold of him. He checked his phone once more, deciding that he'll text him to see.
Cas, text me back. It's about to start.
Dean shut his screen off and waited for it to vibrate. He would talk to some of the mothers and wave at some of the people he knew from the shop. But Cas' face didn't appear in the crowd that now made the small auditorium stuffy.
He watched as his heart sank to see Lisa go up the stairs and onto the stage. She grabbed the microphone and tested it. "Test? Can everyone hear me?" A slight murmur echoed from the seats and she continued, "good. I'm glad you all could come here tonight to watch the little ones. They have all practiced so hard and have become quite amazing. Over four months we have been practicing and they never quit. So when they come out on stage I would like you to welcome them with a huge applause and cheer them on!" She left the stage as the room went black. Dean closed his eyes holding back that one tear that was threatening to fall.
He felt someone sit next to him and didn't care to look. Anyone could take that seat because the one he wanted to wasn't coming.
"Did I miss anything?" A gravely, deep voice whispered into his ear. Dean ducked his head and smiled. Cas made it.
"Just beginning." Dean looked at him and kissed his cheek as the lights on the stage went up and there stood Charlie in the center front.
"Whoop, there's my girl!" Dean clapped and cheered with all the other parents as the kids looked down at them with smiles that appeared to be brighter than the stage lights.
They calmed down as the music began to fill the room with music from the speakers hung high above their heads. Dean could hear the parents muttering and nodding in approval. Dean wasn't that kind of parent.
"Go, Charlie! Twirl like princess! That's my girl!" Charlie started to giggle on stage and smile as they continued with their routine.
Castiel watched Dean with such admiration. He could not believe he had nabbed someone who supported their daughter with whatever she did. How he played with her, the tea parties, the practices and late nights with homework and dinner. Castiel had managed to marry one of the most deserving people on the planet. Dean had the biggest heart and was not afraid to show.
The recital continued like this for the next half hour with a "go, Charlie!" and a "Look at that turn!" and clapping and cheering of all other sorts. When the curtains closed, Castiel leaned over to Dean and whispered in his ear, "hope you aren't that loud tonight. We do not want to wake Charlie."
Dean chuckled and turned to meet Cas' lips when Pamela, one of the dance mom's, walked up.
"Dean!, was hoping to see you here. And this is…"
"Cas.. er- Castiel. This is my husband." Castiel extended his hand to meet Pamela's. "Well, glad we finally got to meet you. Charlie did wonderful by the way! Make sure she knows, but I'm sure she does with all that cheering. See ya next week, Dean. Castiel." She nodded at Cas and winked at Dean before leaving with her husband close behind.
Dean turned to Cas and smiled, "I didn't think you were going to make it."
"Well, I thought about what you had said and…" now he stopped short and bit his bottom lip, not looking Dean in the eyes.
"And what? Cas?"
"I talked to my boss and gave him an alternative. I said you could either give me a eight hour shift with over time when I choose or find someone new."
"And..?"
"I start working my new shift on Monday." Now it was Cas' turn to smile big as he watched it sink into Dean's head that now Cas would be home by five every night.
"Babe, that's wonderful. Charlie is going to love this!"
As they entwined hands, Charlie came running down the aisle to jump into Cas' arms.
"Daddy, you made it!"
"I did, honey. You father and I are so proud of you. And we have some good news too. But I'll tell you that over some ice cream. Would you like that?"
Charlie bounced up and down while grabbing Dean's hand. He looked up at a Cas feeling the sides of his eyes crinkle in the smile that Cas only seems to bring out. "Can there be pie too?"
"Yes, Dean. There can be pie as well."
They walked out of the auditorium foyer and headed for the black impala in the parking lot.