Christmas Nights

"Dean, have you seen cas?"

Dean bite into his ham sandwich. "Outside I think..." He chewed the marvelous dinner. "Sammy... You gotta have some of this.." He tore a piece of and held it up to his brother. "C'mon take it."

Sam frowned. "He's been out there a long time.." Dean shook his offering eagerly. "I think you should check on him..."

Dean opened his mouth to speak.

"Don't talk with your mouth full."

He swallowed. "Why me?"

"Cause.. You guys are.." He waved his hands trying to find the words. "Just go do it dean."

Dean places his sandwich down and wiped his hands on his on jeans. He walked out of their chambers and exited their hideout. The air was cold against his skin and he rubbed his hands together to keep warm.

"Cas?" Dean looked over at Baby to find Castiel sitting on the trunk looking up at the sky. He walked around the front and stood beside cas. "What are we looking at?"

Castiel sighed. "Hello dean."

"What's up man, why you out here alone?" Dean threw his thumb back towards the door. "We are about to open the eggnog, Christmas tradition." Castiel didn't answer, he just stared back up at the starry night.

"Alright cas.." Dean threw his leg up on Baby and pushed himself to settle beside cas. "What's wrong."

"I'm fine."

"No you're not." There was a few moments of silence to which dean spent wiped a few specks of dust off baby's trunk. "It's Christmas Cas... Come inside.."

"Christmas, is meant to be spent with your family.."

"Yeah..." Dean stared at Castiel. "Talk to me man..."

Castiel looked at dean. His eyes were glossy, his nose was a soft pink. "Dean..."

"Yeah cas?"

Castiel inhaled trying to relax. "I miss my brothers, my sisters... My father." He whispered. Dean watched as Cas turned away in embarrassment.

"That's it?"

"That's it?" His face flushed. "Is that not a good enough reason?"

"What?" Dean shook his head. "No i didn't mean it like that... I just.. Uhh.. Look.." Dean leaned back on his hands. "Can I tell you a story?"

"About?"

"Me & Sammy.." Castiel turned his neck to face dean. "So one time... My dad had promised to be home for Christmas. Said that we'd spent it together as a family..." Dean half heartily laughed. "So, he drops is off at Uncle Bobby's house.. Says he will be home later that night.." He paused.

"And?"

"And he never came home... Now, I knew he was probably off fighting something nasty. So.. I say, fine, dad's not coming.. But Sammy." He looked up at the stars. "Sammy insisted on staying up to wait for him to come home." Dean looks at cas. "So uncle bobby made us hot coco, sat us down on the couch and read to us. I can't remember the book.. But he read to us until Sammy fell asleep."

Castiel listened with great interest. He nodded and tilted his head in comprehension.

"He tucks us in, and as he does... I say, 'uncle bobby, dad isn't coming home tonight, or tomorrow... Or the next night.. Is he?" Dean looked Castiel in the eyes. "You know what he said?"

Castiel shook his head.

"He says, 'Dean... Your dad loves you and Sammy more than you think, and just because he isn't here with you now, doesn't mean he don't love you.'" Dean smiled. "And that's when I realized... You don't have to be blood related to call someone your family, and Christmas should be spent with the ones you consider family..."

"Why are you telling me this?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "Because, cas... Just because you're not up there with your family, doesn't mean they don't love you, and it doesn't mean you don't have family down here."

"You and Sam?"

"Yeah, I mean, we aren't angels, but, I think we do pretty good for a substitute."

Castiel nodded. "Thank you dean."

"Merry Christmas Cas."

"Merry Christmas Dean."