I sighed. I put the tiny wooden box back on the store shelf for the umpteenth time. I shifted my weight from foot to foot, gave the cozy aisle a small glance around, then picked up the same box. The box fit comfortably in both my hands, the wood was warm with many multicolored swirls, and fashioned out of Wisteria, if the small descriptive placard to the side was to be trusted. On the top was an engraving of the celtic tree of life. The lid closed with some difficulty, but shut all the same. I tapped the bottom of the box on the side of my hand trying to make my brain to make up it's mind already. I was about to replace the box again when a store employee popped out from behind the aisle.

"Hi, need help with anything?" Polite and friendly, but probably wondering why it was taking me twenty minutes to look at the same box.

"Ah, no thank you… I'm just trying to make decisions." I smiled apologetically.

"Oh, well, is it a gift for you or for someone else?"

"It's a birthday gift for my… for someone special."

"Wisteria is a good choice for that. It means love." The employee nodded toward the box. "Do you have something to go in or with it, or is it just the box itself?"

A flash of panic hit me. Of course a box need something to go in it! Then I remembered my other present for him.

"I do have something else for him..." I took a new look at the box. "And it would fit in here. Very well, I'll take it!"

That night, dinner was set in The Bunker's kitchen. It wasn't too special just mac n' cheese, Chicken Cordon Bleu, and steamed veggies. In reality, it was the only full meal I knew how to make and I looked up the recipe for chicken on my phone. The front door slammed. I wiped my hands on my apron quickly and frantically looked around for something I missed. I called out to the boys before they could go to their rooms and pass out.

"What? We just got back!" Dean grumbled, but came anyways.

His eyebrows raised as he saw the spread, then smirked. Sam came up right behind him. His eyes grew wide and a smile cut across his features.

"Hey, what's all this?" He asked as they both moved into the room.

Dean reached to nab some of the macaroni so I instinctively slapped his hand. He jerked it back happily. I gave him a chastising look, then returned my attention to Sam.

"Happy Birthday Sam!" I smiled tentatively. "I made dinner for everyone."

"Don't let me get in the way." Dean said. "I'll let you two kids eat alone."

"C'mon Dean. Birthdays are for families. You better stay and eat because I made enough for everyone. Now sit down and call Cas… please."

"Why can't you call Cas?"

"I didn't know I could. Doesn't he just respond to you?" I paused. "Do you want some, Sam?"

"Sure, yeah. I mean, of course!" He slid into a chair watching as I dished out the food on his plate.

"Here I am."

I nearly dropped the chicken as Cas appeared.

"Jesus Christ!"

"No, but thank you." He replied to my exclamation. "Why did you call?"

"It's Sam birthday." I gestured with a wooden spoon.

"Ah, yes. Happy Birthday." He leaned forward clearly pleased with himself for observing proper birthday procedure. "It's good that you were born."

I smiled. That was a good thing for Sam to hear and exactly how I felt. Dean made a face as I put the vegetables on his plate. I gave him a warning look through narrowed eyes and he bit his tongue with a pout. I finished filling up that plates and took a seat.

"I'm confused though. I thought cake was a traditional food for birthdays."

The blood drained from my face. "Oh crap! I am so sorry Sam! I forgot the cake! Stupid-"

"It's okay." Sam reached across the table and touched my arm. His fingers were warm. "This." He gestured at the table. "This is perfect."

Dean covered his mouth with his hand trying not to laugh at my reddening face. I slid a piece of broccoli on his dish and stopped.

"Still, if I've learned anything. It's cake is an integral part of marking one's age."

I look toward the boys to see if they understood what Cas meant. Sam shrugged. Dean tenderly poked the broccoli with pointed disdain. I looked back toward Cas where he now stood with a cake in one hand and a pie in the other. I moved some dishes and Cas put down the deserts. I moved out the seat and Cas took it. The food was decent, but the boys seem to think it was made by a professional chef the way the commented on it. I was privately elated by their reactions. Cas said it was a very interesting arrangement of molecules. I took it as a compliment. When I finished, I procured my gift from under my chair. I held it out over the uncut cake. My hands were cold and shook with nerves. He looked surprised as he took it. He tore away the wrapping paper. Cas inhaled.

"Wisteria? That's quite nice. That particular tree was grown in northern Georgia." Cas smiled.

"Wisteria, huh?" Dean gave me an impish grin.

"Eat your broccoli, Dean." He pouted and took a bite of the green stem. I gestured to Sam awkwardly. "You should open it."

The lid squeaked open, much to my embarrassment. He took out a hematite crystal wand strung from a string of black leather. It caught the iridescent light and shined impressively. I rushed to explain anxiety bubbling in my stomach.

"It's hematite. It's a crystal for safe travelling and staying grounded to earth. It's charmed with the other one in there." I was beginning to ramble. "If something happens to one of the people who wears it the other one will crack or break depending on how bad it is. I figured you might want to give it to Dean. That way you know when he's safe… if you want… you don't have to..."

I trailed off feeling stupid all at once. Other than Cas, all eyes were on me in an unblinking fashion. I shifted uncomfortably. Finally, I averted my eyes and chewed my lip. My cheeks burned. Feigning composure to hide mortification I stood up and reached over the table, palm open and up.

"If you don't like it. I can get you something else."

Sam twisted away from my open hand. "Are you kidding me?"

He slipped the necklace over his head taking a moment to gaze at the metallic slate surface before handing the other to Dean. Dean scrunched his eyebrows together as he withdrew the necklace. He studied it, gave Sam a passing glance, then slipped it over his head. He looked at it again with a hard expression. Dean cleared his throat. I watched him worried with his reaction until Cas leaned cover towards me.

"You've made him uncomfortable." He smiled. "He's happy, though. That's the face he has when he doesn't want people to know, but his heart actually shows-"

"Shut up, Cas!" Dean snapped. He reluctantly admitted. "They're nice, okay. Not too girly or whatever."

"I don't understand how a specific rock formation would be indicative of gender."

Sam leaned across the table cutting out Cas and Dean's chatter. He smiled and whispered, "Thanks, I love it."

He reached lightly touching a strand of hair at my temple then pulled away to watch the argument between the others. I busied myself with clearing the table to make room for cake and pie. Sam met my eyes throughout the night only to let my heart skip a beat before it returned to thumping loudly in my ears. Maybe one day I would tell him what the Wisteria meant.