Beef jerky. That's how it starts. He reached out to grab a bag and instead grabbed someone's hand. He pulled back and turned to his left coming face-to-face with pair of striking blue eyes.

"Sorry." He says a bit baffled.

"For what?" The other asks.

"For grabbing your hand."

"I don't understand why you feel the need to seek for forgiveness for that but if it helps then I forgive you." The man stared a second longer then took his jerky and left.

They meet again at check out. His blue eyes show annoyance as he fiddles with the change in his hands.

"It appears I am short three pennies." He says sounding a bit upset.

"Alright, which item do you want removed?" Asked the cashier. He sighed and pointed the pack of M&M's before he was roughly shoved aside. He faced the man and eyed him confusingly.

"Put his stuff on my order. Separate bags." The freckled man said.

"You don't have to do this. I told you that you have been forgiven."

"I'm just trying to be nice. Don't read too much into it. And you," he turned to the cashier. "you

couldn't let three cents go? Really?"

The cashier shrugged his shoulders and handed them each their bags. One took out the keys from his pocket while the other was handed a large backpack from over the counter. They left through separate exits. The blue eyed man calling out a soft "thank you."

They met for the third time in the parking lot.

"Holy shit man! Are you alright?" the blue eyed man was on the ground, his backpack spilled. "I didn't see you there!"

"You hit me." he stated quite flatly "With your car."

"Yeah I know. How bad are you hurt? Get in. I'll take you to the hospital."

"There's no need." He stands "I'm fine it was just a tap."

"Bullshit! I knocked you flat on your ass!"

"It was the shock that caused me to lose my balance. Physically I am fine."

"Well at least let me drive you home. Where are you headed?"

"California." He said brushing off his trenchcoat.

"Hey me too. You can come with me if you want. It's better than the buses."

"I wasn't planning on taking the bus."

"Oh. Is your car parked in the back?"

"No. I don't own a vehicle."

"Then how are you planning on getting to California?"

"Walking." It was clear by his face that he was being completely serious.

"Get in the car. You're riding with me. Don't even try to argue. You realize this is New York right? A walk like that could kill you!"

"I began my journey and Maine. I have survived this much."

"How long would that take?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"As of now I have 65 days to reach my destination and I'm two days ahead of schedule."

A moment passed as they observed each other. One staring in confusion and the other radiating confidence.

"Get in the damn car. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should." He sat down and slammed the car door ending the conversation. The other man quickly followed suit, throwing his bag in the backseat.

"Name's Dean." he said as he started the car.

"Castiel."

"Castiel. I've never heard a name like that before. Is it religious?"

"Yes." Dean waited for an elaboration but when none came he decided to speak up.

"I'm named after my grandmother. When I found out I was pissed. Why do I have to be named after a girl when my brother Sam-"

"He was named after your grandfather." Castiel interrupted.

"Yeah. How did you know that?"

"Is your last name Winchester?"

"Are you in mind reader? Seriously, how are you doing that."

"I have slept in your bed."

Dean looked frighteningly at Castiel."All right. Now you're freaking me out."

"I believe I moved into your previous home." Castiel said as if that would explain everything.

"You're going to have to be a bit more specific about that. I moved around a lot as a kid."

"An apartment building on Washington Street."

"Back in Buffalo, yeah! Right by where I picked you up. I just got something out of my dad's old storage unit. When did you move in?"

"1990."

"That's the same year I moved out. Did that old lady with the army of cats still live in the Attic?"

"No." Castiel answered. "When my father bought the building he asked all of the tenants to leave so that my siblings and I could live together."

"There were five apartments! No way would one family need all that. How many siblings do you have?"

"11 brothers and 4 sisters."

"So your parents had 16 kids?" Dean couldn't quite believe it.

"My mother had 3. My father had 16."

"Half-siblings. I have a half-brother too. That's actually the reason I had to move. I had to be closer to him."

"That wasn't in your diary."

"What diary? I never had a diary." Dean Spat out.

"Yes you did. It was under a broken floorboard beneath our bed."

"Journal! It was a journal. Girls have diaries, I had a journal."

"I fail to see the difference. Both carry a personal record. Now I feel as though I should apologize for reading something so private."

"Don't worry about it. I was 11. it's not like I had deep dark secrets at that age."

"Do you have any now?" Dean looked over Castiel for a moment. Did he actually expect the him to share the darker parts of his soul? He searched Castiel's eyes for any sign of emotion that would give away his intentions but all that met him was blank face.

When Dean turned his attention fully to the road again he noticed blinking lights up ahead. As they drew closer Dean slowed down just enough for them to get a good look. In the middle of road flashers and tow-trucks were two heavily battered cars. Judging from the debris still scattered along the road Dean guessed that at least one other vehicle was involved. Once passed, Dean lifted his hand to adjust the rearview mirror. He wanted to get one last look. He was about to pull his hand away when Castiel suddenly grabbed it and pulled it towards his face. Dean was shocked to say the least but didn't pull his hand away. He wanted to know what Castiel was doing.

"This ring." Castiel said eyeing the silver band. "Where did you get it?"

"I found it. Why?"

"Found it where?" he persisted.

"Michigan. I went with a friend to play a game and found it on the ground. Why?" Dean asked again.

"Because this is my ring. I ordered it and lost it a LARP in Farmington Hills Michigan."

"You went to Moondoor?" Dean was surprised.

"I was a knight." Castiel stated.

Dean shrugged "I was a handmaiden." At that Castiel furrowed his eyebrows. He tried to remember if he had seen Dean there but no images came to mind.

"Well," Dean said finally pulling free of Castiel's grip "I guess I'll give it back."

"Don't. It's yours now and besides, I ordered it in your name."

"My name?"

"We continued to get some of your mail after you left. When I wanted something and I didn't want my siblings to know, I had it ordered it in your name."

"You didn't want your family to know about a ring?" Dean chuckled.

"I lived with 15 siblings. If they didn't know I had something than they couldn't borrow it."

Dean let out a strong laugh. "I understand that. I mean I only have two brothers but I'm the oldest and they always wanted my stuff. Man, what are the odds that I was the one to pick this up?" he joked.

"The whole thing seems incredibly unlikely." Castiel grew suddenly serious. "I moved into your home, slept in your bed, read your diary-"

"Journal!"

"-and we've attended the same LARP where we should have met but instead you came to possess my lost ring that was ordered in your name."

"And it took me hitting you with my car for us to meet." Dean smiled over at Castiel.

Castiel fell silent for a moment as if processing this information. "Dean," he said finally "why are you going to California?"

"Visiting my brother. Why are you going?"

"To visit one of my brothers." Castiel answered.

"Shit." Dean said. He furrowed his brow for a moment before breaking out into wide smile. "I guess the universe really wanted us to meet." He winked at Castiel before turning back to face the road.

"Then why did it take so long?" Castiel asked

Neither had an answer.