Leaving
Dean Winchester is very much a momma's boy. He tells his mother everything; from how he's feeling to what his favorite things are. She knows him more than anyone on the planet, because Dean loves his mother far too much to explain with words. And she loves him. Mary Winchester loves both of her sons equally, though Dean will protest that his mother loves him more because he came first.
Dean finds himself and his mother at the park one very sunny afternoon. Today has lovely weather; bright and sunny with no clouds but not too hot. Dean runs around the park three blocks down from his house while Mary holds his baby brother close. His dad is away at work, as always, and won't be home for a few weeks, so he's not here with them.
Dean isn't expecting another couple to arrive at the park with their own child, so he runs over to his mother. The couple walks over to Mary, Dean, and Sam, all smiles and Dean gets really jealous that his mom smiles back. They introduce themselves as Lucy and Michael, and their-who is hiding behind his mother at this point- sons name is Castiel. Mary smiles and introduces their small family. Castiel honestly does not look like he wants to be here; like he'd rather be anywhere but here.
Dean thinks he'd like that too, until Castiel looks up at his with a scared look in his big blue eyes. Dean has the urge to make him smile; crack a joke or tickle him or play tag, it doesn't matter. Dean just wants to see him smile. So he sticks out his hand and says it's nice to meet him. Lucy and Mary coo over how well-mannered he's being, but Michael just looks wary, like he doesn't want Dean near his son. Then Castiel steps out from behind his mother's leg and shakily takes his hand. Dean smiles brightly and asks Castiel if he wants to make sandcastles. Castiel looks up at his mother, as if asking for permission. Giving an encouraging push, Lucy told him to go have fun; that was the point of a park.
And they do have fun. They have armloads of fun. They have fun until it's getting to around six p.m. and they need to go home before it gets dark. Dean begs his mother to let them stay because he's never had this much fun with someone outside his family. Mary just tells Dean that Castiel has to go home too, so it's not up to her. Dean then asks his mom if they can come back tomorrow or the next day, he just wants to play with Cas again. Lucy gushes as Dean uses the nickname for Castiel and Cas blushes like a cherry tomato. Lucy and Mary agree to come back tomorrow but only if the boys agree to behave and do their chores.
Dean is agreeing before their parents can even finish the requirements, Castiel agreeing after hearing them out. Dean is eager to get home, do his chores, and is a relative ball of energy buzzing around the house being as helpful as possible, which was only about half of the time. The other half he was setting his mother back about an hour. Dean wondered what he'd do with Castiel tomorrow. He spends half an hour in bed thinking about before he drifted off.
True to their word, Lucy and Castiel showed up the next day. Mary, Sam and Dean had been there for nearly half an hour before the Novak's had showed, but Dean's sour mood instantly cleared the minute he saw Castiel running across the park to meet him. Dean and Cas hug before running off-'Not too far boys!' Their mothers warn- to play and do their own thing. Dean wants to do this forever.
So they do. Every day-except for Sunday, because the Novak's attended Church and spend the day with family-from noon until sundown. They talk about their favorite hobbies; Dean likes to play make believe with Dragons and Magic while Castiel likes to read, also about Dragons and Magic. Dean likes the color blue while Cas likes Green best. Dean wants to follow in his uncle's footsteps and be a Mechanic while Castiel wants to be a writer.
Then they go to school-different schools- and they have to show up later and leave earlier. Castiel is a magnificent student, while Dean has trouble with a few of his subjects. Castiel is an ace at Math and English, Dean is far better with Physical Education and History. Dean helps Cas memorize dates and names for history while Cas walks Dean through whatever problem he can whenever Dean actually admits he needs help.
Eventually Sam gets older and Dean is more than happy to let his brother join in their park escapades. The three of them get along wonderfully; Sam and Cas are nerds, Cas and Dean are geeks, and Sam and Dean will always be there for each other.
In all of the time he's known Cas, Dean has never asked where he lives or visits. Vice versa,; Cas has never asked where his house is or has been to it. Dean thinks about it often, but brushes it off, thinking it doesn't matter.
Then it happens. It's Dean's first day of Junior High, and he's excited to find out whom his class mates are and what kind of experience he is going to have. He never makes it through his first class. Two police men pull him out of class, both wearing somber expressions. They won't tell him anything, not even when they pick up Sammy as well, who is twice as confused as Dean is. They are taken to the police station, held there in a stiff, cold room. It's three hours before their Uncle (who wasn't really their uncle, but a super close friend of their Dad's) Bobby arrives to get them. The first words out of Dean's mouth are 'Where's Mom and Dad?' Their dad was actually home this week- For Dean entering Junior High-so they were all supposed to have a big affair at their house. He was going to ask Cas if he wanted to come over for it.
Bobby just looked at the boys really sad. There was a fire at the house while their Dad had gone to the store for something he'd forgotten to buy. Their mom didn't get out of the house in time and she was gone. Sam is sad, but he doesn't understand the full weight of the words. Mom is…gone. Dean will never see his mother again. He breaks down and cries, clutching onto Bobby like his life depends on it. Police Officers ask Bobby a few questions before letting them go. By the time they get out of the station it was a little after three. Dean asks Bobby to go to the Park just three blocks down from their burned down house. There's nothing left of their home.
He needs to talk to Cas. He needs Cas right now. He needs Cas to tell him everything will be alright. Sam and Bobby wait in the car talking, sad and silent, probably playing old music that Dean normally loves, but right now he wants to hurt anything that even closely looks like its happy. Castiel is usually here right after his school lets out, but Dean knows thinks come up often with their schedules, but they would always show up even if only for five minutes. Neither boy has a phone so they can't text each other. Dean was determined to stay though.
It isn't until the sun is setting that he realizes that Cas hasn't shown up yet. He had spent the entire afternoon alone with his despair and horrible thoughts. Bobby hesitantly walks up to Dean, and tells him they have to go soon. Dean nods, but they don't actually leave until well after dark. Dean lays down in the back seat of Bobby's truck, wondering if something horrible has happened to Cas as well as his mom? Dean's chest constricts tightly like a cobra has his heart in a death grip. He can't lose his mother and best friend on the same day. When he gets home he calls Cas' home phone but no one answers. All twenty six times.