(Chapter Two, The Trip)

Dean always says he was a bad influence on Cas, that he had been the reason he'd fallen. In a way Dean's right. Cas fell to fallow Dean. At first Cas hadn't even realized he was choosing. It had started with the first fight, well physical, they'd gotten into together.

Dean had always gotten in fights, for a number of reasons. When he and Matthew got in a brawl because Dean slept with Lisa, Matthew's girlfriend. That happened more times than Cas could count. Dean got in a lot of bar fights too. Why should it matter that he was only thirteen and shouldn't have even been there? He had a fake ID and was great at hustling pool. That was till it was time for the unlucky losers to pay up. But Dean could hold his own, not only did he not bring Cas into his shady deals, but he's never pull him into a fight.

Cas had been in his share of fights too. The fact that his dad had run out on Cas' family years ago was an easy target at school. But people learned quickly that if you brought that sour subject up you were going to find the floor fast. Cas had a steadfast patience till you brought up his father. But his family's name was not Deans to defend, so Cas never bothered Dean with these matters. They were usually settled before Dean had even heard about them.

This time was different though. Alistair Masters (yeah the brother) was just going at Dean one day after school. This was before Dean banged his sister though. Cas didn't know what the fight had been about. Alistair really seemed like he wanted to break Dean. Not just physically, no mentally too. He was telling Dean how little like the 'Great John Winchester' he was. How he'd never amount to anything. At least John had done something with his life, made a few waves.

Cas had never understood that. Alistair talked so highly of John even though he was the man going after his father. Everyone knew how badly John wanted to take the - empire down. John never was one for subtleties. Alistair just kept talking about him like he was faultless and Dean was nothing. Like hell Cas would just sit by and let that happen.

To top everything off, he had two guys holding Dean so he could really 'hit' all his insults home. John was a good man, but Dean, Dean was better. Cas took in the whole seen quickly. He had been just walking by with his twin Jimmy at the time. Had almost missed it, but he didn't. No he saw the fight and he got pissed, ran straight to Dean's assistance dragging Jimmy unwillingly into the fight with him.

They had won once the fight was more even of course. Jimmy and Castiel had martial arts training and Dean had plenty of practice street fighting, so maybe even wasn't the best way to put it. Once Dean was free for his two man hold he took Alistair down. He beat him till Cas had to pull him off. Alistair was really bloody and his friends had to help him away.

Dean pushed Cas away when he tried to check out him ribs and face, but Cas was always persistent. Dean would be bruised and soar but at least he was walking away from the fight. The real damage was the things Alistair had said to Dean. Digging under his skin where Cas couldn't reach and that made Cas want to hunt him back down. Smite him for the pain he caused his best friend. Instead he walked with Dean in silence all the way home.

Jimmy had been pissed about the whole thing. Sure he cared about Dean and yeah he loved his brother but he wasn't a fighter. He made sure Cas knew that. Made sure he knew he was done, tired of the fight Cas kept bringing him back into. He didn't care that it was for the greater good, that Dean was family or even what people said about their dad anymore. He just wanted to rest. Cas could give him that.

That first step had been so easy. Cas hadn't even realized at the time that this was the first step. Though now it seemed so clear. Now he could see perfectly what at the time he couldn't realize. Cas was plummeting.