Summary: Cas returns from university to find Gabriel has gone missing.

Warnings: Runaway Gabriel, otherwise none.

Cas shifted his bag higher up onto his shoulder awkwardly. His key was stuck in the lock again. He wiggled it impatiently, feeling the bag beginning to slip again. The lock finally clicked and with a shove of his shoulder it opened although the key didn't seem to want to leave the lock. The sound of Michael and Luc yelling at each other greeted him as the door swung open, and Cas sighed. Dropping his bag heavily onto the tiled hall floor he yanked the jammed key out of the door and shut the door leaning back against it with another weary sigh. He didn't call out to announce his arrival: Michael and Luc were too wrapped up in each other to care, Gabriel was probably out and Samandriel would either be in his room with his headphones on or out in the tree house as he usually was whenever Luc or Michael started arguing. Instead he just picked his bag back up and trudged through the living room and up the stairs.

He dumped his bag on the floor and stared out the window at the garden. It was overgrown which shouldn't have surprised him. A glance at the tree house told him Samandriel was indeed outside. Feeling like he should inform someone of his arrival back home after his first year of college he went back downstairs. Michael and Luc were still arguing but it was so common place these days he let the sound of their raised voices wash straight over him as he crossed the living room and went out through the french doors.

After having to look after himself for an entire academic year coming home made him feel about ten again, especially as the layers of armour he'd built up to deal with Michael and Luc's near constant fights had worn away during his time away. He suddenly felt small and lost and vulnerable, a little kid questioning why his family always had to fight. climbing the ladder to get into the tree house wasn't helping either. The ladder simultaneously seemed both longer and shorter than he remembered, shorter because that tree house used to be the top of his world and longer because the ladder never used to be this hard to climb. With considerable effort he made it to the top and managed to squeeze through the child-sized door. He sat next to Samandriel who was all hunched up with his knees to his chest, his arms hugging his legs and his head resting on his knees.

"I'm back." Cas said, a little redundantly, but then he had never pretended to be the sibling who knew what to say. He hoped Samandriel would take the hint and tell him what was wrong without Cas having to navigate the social etiquette that would illicit the same response. But Samandriel didn't seem to want to cooperate today.

"What are they fighting about now?" Cas asked softly, hoping his tone would counteract the bluntness of the question.

"Gabriel." Samandriel mumbled into his knees. His voice was rough like he had been crying very recently, or was still crying.

"Gabriel?" Cas repeated confused. Gabriel was a pain most of the time, but he wasn't Lucifer levels of annoying and unlike Lucifer he usually knew where the line was. Besides Gabriel didn't like Michael and Luc fighting so it was unlikely he'd do anything to make the situation worse.

"He left." Samandriel said, raising his head. The information hit Cas like a physical blow. Samandriel took a shaky breath and continued "Two days ago. We don't know where he went and they both blame each other but they are still fighting." Samandriel's explanation dissolved towards the end as the tears started streaking down his cheeks again.

"Sammy." Cas began, but his voice caught in his throat. He closed his eyes, took a breath and started again, "Sammy. Gabriel's twenty two, he'll be alright on his own. I- "

"He didn't take any of his stuff!" Samandriel almost yelled, cutting Cas off, which was lucky because Cas had no idea what he had been trying to say.

"He just left." Samandriel continued more quietly, "Luc and Mike were fighting again and he just left the house and we thought he'd come back later but he didn't and now he's gone and what if he doesn't come back it will just be me and them and I can't live with them fighting all the time Cas I just can't." His voice which had been rising hysterically cracked and he shuddered as the tears began to flow even faster. Cas didn't know what to say so he just hugged Samandriel tightly.

They stayed like that, Cas with his arms wrapped around Samandriel, a feeling of overwhelming panic threatening to engulf Cas entirely. Neither knew what to say and words were useless anyway so they passed the time in silence. Eventually it got too dark to see properly, even with the flickering torch Samandriel had brought out with him, and lights started coming on in the house so Cas quietly suggested it might be time to go back inside. He heard Samandriel sniff and felt him shift and move past Cas towards the door. Cas followed awkwardly, limbs stiff and cramped from sitting locked in the same position for so long. The ladder was even harder to navigate on the way down, especially with legs that weren't functioning properly. He stumbled off the bottom rung and followed Samandriel across the dark lawn and into the orangey light of the living room. Neither Michael nor Luc were there anymore, they had probably retreated to their rooms as they usually did after a fight. Samandriel curled up in an armchair staring with blank eyes at the pictures on the mantelpiece, pictures of a happier time before their father had left and before Michael and Luc spent all their time arguing.

Resisting the infantile urge to slam the photographs face down, Cas pulled himself together with some effort. He wished the others were home, but they wouldn't return home from university until tomorrow. Anna would know all the right words to say to reassure Samandriel. Even Balthazar who was far too like Gabriel for his own good would be able to sombre himself enough to offer some comfort. But neither were here and Luc wouldn't help and Michael would be oblivious as he always was during and immediately after a fight with Luc and so Cas was all there was. It occurred to him that it was after nine and they'd been in the treehouse for hours.

"You should eat." He said, "I should eat," he added when he realised he hadn't eaten anything since the early afternoon.

"Come on Sammy," Cas murmured moving from the French doors where he had been hovering into the centre of the room, "Sammy, you need to eat something." He said gently. The use of the nickname (reserved for teasing or comfort) seemed to get through to Samandriel and he refocused his sea-green eyes on Cas. He sighed, stood slowly and allowed Cas to lead the way into the kitchen.

Cas was surprised to find Michael sitting at the kitchen table, head in his hands. Michael looked up as they entered eyes suspiciously red. Cas felt a stab of fear, he didn't think he'd ever seen Michael cry. Michael jumped up, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. Samandriel walked listlessly over to the table to sit down in the chair Michael had just vacated but Cas was rooted to the spot, staring at his older brother.

"You haven't eaten have you? I'm so sorry Sam I forgot." Michael said and he began rummaging in the fridge with a slightly manic energy that concerned Cas further. Managing to rouse himself out of his shock by reminding himself that he shouldn't be worrying Samandriel further, he walked over to the table and sat down at the head. He was dimly aware of people talking but it wasn't until Michael appeared in his field of vision that he realised Michael had been talking to him.

"-eat?"

"No." Cas replied. "I had a big lunch just before I got here." It was a lie and they both knew it but Michael didn't argue the point, just shrugged and went back to cooking for Samandriel. Cas was glad Michael was cooking, living on his own for most of the past year had forced him to develop some skill in cooking but he didn't really want to force his culinary creations on anyone else. The smell of food made him nauseous and so he made his excuses and left the room. Michael caught his eye on the way out and there was worry in the curious glance he sent Cas which only made Cas feel worse. So Cas ignored it and left the room, stumbling through the living room, eyes prickling and hot and he knew he was near tears.

He sat down on his bed carefully but he couldn't hold it in any longer and he finally began to cry.

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