Chapter 2

Dean was leaned against the nurses' station, filing away this mornings' newly filled out charts from his three patients, Ruby, Crowley, and Castiel. As he slid the folders into the filing cabinet he felt a hand on his left shoulder.

"Hello Dean"

Dean turned to the deep voice behind him, already knowing who it was.

"Hey! Cas! Can I call you Cas? It's good to see you out and about!" Dean beamed unreasonably happy to see the man again.

"Yes, you may call me Cas. I wanted to know if you were going to any of the activities today and if I could join you."

Dean didn't know the protocol on the staff joining in on the activities, but he was pretty sure it was a rare occurrence. But still, when he had been assigned to Castiel, Bobby, the director of the hospital, had told him that Cas didn't do anything and could use a new face.

"Uh sure, the painting class sounds fun to me!" Dean self-consciously looked down at his watch, Cas watching him intently, "It starts in half an hour so why don't we go get a bite to eat first!"

Cas nodded and let himself be led to the small communal dining room and then to a table in the corner, a cheery mural of the ocean on the wall to his right and a mural of a multi-cultural neighborhood on his left. He sighed and sat down with his back to the corner and sat contently as Dean sat down across from him.

"So Cas, what do you like to eat? I'm a big fan of bacon cheeseburgers and pie."

Cas thought about it, "I would like to try what you are having."

Dean smiled down at his hands, "I'll go order them!" He stood from the black plastic chair and walked across the room to the kitchen where he asked the chef, Ellen, for two bacon cheeseburgers and two pieces of pie. He had barely worked here a month but Ellen had already become a sort of mentor to him.

"Coming right up sweetie! Stay here so we can chat while I cook."

Dean walked back to the counter and leaned up against it.

"I can't believe you got the angel out of his room that fast! He usually only comes out of his room for art documentaries and beekeeping workshops!" Ellen said, her back turned to Dean, the burgers sizzling on the grill.

"Well I guess he likes me," Dean shrugged, looking back at the man in the corner, worrying the sleeve of his trench coat and staring distantly at a bright purple octopus with a smiley face, "though I don't know why."

Ellen shook her head, "He is a strange one even for here, and it's good that he finally has someone he seems to trust." She turned from the stove to give Dean a motherly look, the kind that Dean craved. "You be careful, I can tell that you like him too. Keep it professional and don't get too close. I don't want you getting hurt okay honey?"

Dean grinned and looked down at the grainy gray countertop, "Alright, I'll be careful Ellen, don't you worry about me." He looked up to catch Ellens' eye, smiling softly at her look of concern and protectiveness.

He loved that look. It was the kind of look a mother gave her son before sending him to the next door neighbors' house to borrow eggs for the double chocolate chip cookies she was making. Dean missed that look, the one he barely remembered since he had only been 4 ¾ when his mom died in a house fire.

He gave Ellen a reassuring nod before going back to inspecting the speckled marble counter.

Ellen finished making the burgers and heated two pieces of apple pie, placing all of it on a bright red plastic tray and sliding it across the tabletop. "You go take care of your angel sweetie. It was nice catching up!"

Dean grinned widely at Ellen, "Yeah, it was."

Dean took the tray and walked it back to the table where Cas was sitting, giving Ellen a little goodbye wave. As Dean approached Cas looked away from the gaudy sea creatures to gaze at Dean. Cas seemed to gaze a lot; it seemed like he was always staring intently at something.

"I got the burgers Mr. Novak!" Dean chirped cheerily. He sat down across from the man and handed him his food. Castiel inspected the content of the plate that Dean set in front of him, a burger and a piece of apple pie, before picking up the burger and taking a big bite.

After chewing and contemplating Cas looked into Deans eyes and stated "These make me very happy."

Dean broke out into a genuine smile, a smiled he rarely used at the hospital.

When Dean checked Castiels chart after the meal he realized that that was the first full meal that the man had eaten in two months.