Dean was standing in line with John while Sam sat on a bench waiting for them. Angie was in the back of the line with her son who was at the moment glaring at the back of Dean Winchesters head.
Angie grabbed his face and turned it toward her, "What happened to your nose?"
Cas pointed to Dean, "He ran into me then he made fun of my hair."
She noticed John before she even looked at Dean. Angie ran over and grabbed John from the back, "Hey handsome, I didn't think you were coming until later."
John turned and his eyes lit up, "Ang!" He grabbed her in a bear hug and the couple gave each other a brief kiss on the lips. Sam made a gagging sound from the sidelines and Dean turned red when all the kids around him snickered.
She waved to her son and Cas reluctantly walked over. He shook Johns hand when it was offered. "So you are Jimmy or do you prefer Jim?"
"Castiel."
John raised his eyebrows, "Castiel, well that's different."
Dean gave him a playful punch on the shoulder, "So you're my new roomie, how is the nose doing?"
There was a nasty bruise starting over the bridge and it throbbed something terrible but he wouldn't let Dean know it hurt, "Fine."
After all three were registered for classes they followed Angie to her home in the country. Sam bounced around in back excited by all the scenery, "Dean look, a place to go fishing!"
That made Dean actually turn his head, "Huh, well we can check it out."
Both vehicles turned down a long gravel drive and up to an old farm house that was well kept. It had a small balcony on the second floor and a white wraparound porch. A big orange cat sat on the front steps and as soon as they shut off the engine he ran to greet them like a dog.
Sam got out first and crouched down holding a little piece of beef jerky, "Come on boy, I got a treat for you." The tabby sidled up to Sam and rubbed against his leg then took the treat.
Cas watched Sam interact with his cat and instantly liked him. "How did you know he was a male?"
Sam was giving the cat a good ear scratching now, "Because of his size and the fact that most orange tabbies are boys. What's his name?"
"Ollie."
Sam smiled at the cat with the big, golden eyes, "He looks like an Ollie."
Dean watched them interacting so easily and he wondered how Sam managed to make the blue eyed kid smile. He chalked it up to them both being sort of nerdy and that made Dean feel better.
…..
They sat around the dinner table having a pot roast dinner. Sam was happily eating every scrap on his plate. "This is great Miss Novak."
She smiled warmly at the boy, "Thank you Sam. You boys can call me Angie." Dean glanced up at her then back to his plate; he pushed the carrots and string beans aside and stabbed a chunk of potato.
John drained his beer and got another as if he owned the place. He dished up some more food on his plate and winked at Angie, "You are a fine cook."
She put her hand to her face and felt the heat rise in her cheeks, "Thanks John."
Dean watched the exchange between them then kicked Cas under the table and whispered, "Gross right?"
He frowned at the intruder and then turned his attention to a pile of vegetables.
…
John perused the huge library in her office, "Damn, you have a nice collection here. Just the shelf full of antique grimoires is enough to impress any Hunter." He spied a large section on angelic lore, "Studying up on it or just collecting? I mean there is no such thing as an angel."
She cocked her head and frowned, a habit her son had picked up from her, "We hunt demons but you think there is no such thing as angels? The universe needs balance so how can there be evil without good. Honestly the things I've seen in my life has made me believe anything is possible."
John pulled out a volume with a bookmark in it and flipped to the page, "What makes you think all angels would be good? You are talking about warriors Angie." She snatched the book away and put it back on the shelf, "I never said they were all good, you know what I mean."
John sat on the sagging couch by the window and looked out at the sunset, "Angie I have to ask you something…that boy of yours, who is his daddy? You would have been pregnant around the same time as Mary."
Angie picked up a picture of Castiel off her desk, "Jimmy is my blessing, he changed my life. His father abandoned him but that's ok, Jimmy has me and I'll protect him."
John looked the blonde over, "You've changed, you aren't as hard as you used to be. Do you even hunt anymore?"
"I'm more of a consultant now John, I don't do much hunting. I have my P.I. business to put food on the table. I didn't want to miss out on Jimmy's special moments."
John recalled the boy correcting him about his name, "So is his name Castiel or Jimmy?"
She set the photograph back on her desk, "Both, but he prefers Cas."
…..
Sam and Dean checked out their new bedroom and Sam was ecstatic, "Dean look, we have our own beds!" He tossed his duffle on the twin bed by the window, "I called it."
Dean didn't argue, he looked around the sparse room and even though it was a palace compared to where they normally slept he still didn't have the enthusiasm that Sam did. In two weeks it would be yet another school filled with strangers and even thought he gave good swagger it became tiring.
He turned and there was Cas standing right next to him, "Jesus! Don't sneak up on me like that."
Cas extended his hand, "I forgive you for smashing my nose even though I look as if I have a potato glued to my face."
Dean grabbed Cas' hand and yanked him onto the mattress, "He examined the puffy, bruised nose, "You'll live."
"You also made fun of my hair."
Dean got up to unpack his clothes in the dresser provided, "I won't apologize for that. You should be happy I didn't make fun of those gay looking jeans you were wearing."
Sam gasped, "Dean you are such a jerk!"
Cas got up and went back to the attic refusing to give Dean anymore of his attention.
….
Angela knocked on the attic door and then entered, "Jimmy, are you alright?"
He decided not to correct her again, "Yes I'm fine. Mom I don't care for Dean Winchester. He seems like a bully and I have more than enough of those. I don't need one living in our house. Can we throw him out and keep Sam?"
She looked around the huge, finished attic room she made for him when he turned ten and wanted his own space "closer to Heaven" as he put it. Everywhere there were stars in the form of maps, mobiles, models and they were scattered among the air ship models he enjoyed putting together.
She lay on the bed next to him and played with his unruly dark waves, "Dean hasn't had a real home since he was four. He has to be tough because he needs to survive and that makes him come off as cocky and mouthy sometimes. The kids at school don't understand you my angel. Do you ever think maybe they don't understand Dean either?"
Cas stared at the night sky through the large skylight above his bed, "I hate it when you're right…ok I'll try but he better stop calling my pants gay."
They held hands, mother and son comfortable in each other's company. "Mom maybe my dad was a pilot or an astronaut."
"Baby we've been through this, I don't know."
"Mom why didn't he want me, fathers are supposed to love their kids."
Angie looked up at the stars wondering when the truth would come out and how it would affect him, "I know your father loves you."
"How?"
"Who couldn't love you, you're adorable."
"I don't want to be adorable; you make me sound like a stuffed animal."
She kissed his forehead and got up, "Too bad, you're stuck with adorable. So will you give Dean a real chance and try to understand him?"
He gave a defeated sounding sigh, "I don't have a choice I guess."
…..
Sam and Dean settled into their new digs early that evening and Sam was enjoying the view of the maple trees and pond from his window.
"Dean I think I'll like it here."
"Dad is just dumping us again Sammy."
Sam rolled over and turned on the lamp, "Would that be so bad? I love dad but I get tired of his drinking and how he treats you Dean."
There was just the sound of crickets and Sam could tell Dean was either going to shut down or deflect the conversation. "Sammy what do you think of that Cas kid?"
"I like him, he seems real nice."
Dean let out a snort, "He's sort of a crybaby and I think he's …you know."
Sam crawled to the end of the bed and stared at his brother in the dim light, "What, an alien, serial killer or undercover agent?"
"Light in the loafers."
"What do shoes have to do with anything?"
"Gay."
Sam pursed his lips as he mulled that possibility over, "I would still like him. Why does that bother you?"
"No, it's just that I'm good looking so I don't want to wake up and find Cas smokin' my pole."
Sam rolled on his back and let out a cackle, "Geez Dean so what? You wack it all the time, maybe it would be a nice change of pace."
"Shut up bitch!"
Sam couldn't stop himself, "I feel sorry for the next person that sleeps on that motel bed you were in last, they might get pregnant!"
Dean got up and then Sam knew he was in trouble but he kept on going, "You have great gaydar Dean…why is that?"
Dean sat on top of him and they started wrestling until Sam managed to wrap his long legs around him and they both rolled to the floor with a loud thump.
John opened the door and growled, "What the hell is going on here?"
Dean shoved Sam off him and jumped to his feet, "Nothing, just wrestling."
He was relieved when his dad actually smiled, "So who won?"
Sam punched Dean in the shoulder playfully, "I did."
John nodded, "Goodnight boys, try not to kill each other."
After he left they both flopped on their beds laughing together, "Maybe it won't be so bad here Sam."
"Good then you're giving Cas a chance?"
"I suppose, I mean I can't hold being a nerd against him right? I like you and you're the prince of nerds."
A pillow launched from across the room and smacked Dean in the head.
…..
Sam and Deans bedroom was right below his, he could hear them laughing but not make out the words. Cas finished his diary entry and then shut off the lamp.
TBC
