Four: How Can I Move On When I'm Still In Love With You?

Business was booming after the TV appearance. There had been some backlash from the less open-minded communities (people had actually come from other states to protest Dean's 'lifestyle' – although as Jess pointed out, being so faithful to someone that you've not even thought of a relationship even two years after they've left is hardly a lifestyle worth protesting), but most of the attention had been positive.

Heartbreak Nights got more talent than ever, although fortunately nobody dared break the tradition of singing about their lost loves.

Dean was especially proud – not to mention very, very amused – the day his girls stood up and sang a very pointed rendition of Taylor Swift's "We are never, ever, ever getting back together" to the guy who'd been borderline stalking Nat for the last three weeks. (Who was promptly escorted off the premises by Sam and Adam to drive the message home). Nat had even done the lead singing part!

As soon as that thought crossed Dean's mind, he paused. When, exactly, did they become 'my girls'? He'd been somewhat aware for a while now that his staff was very close, and he'd pulled them there, but when the shift was from "the kids" to "my kids" (y'know, his kids in the sense of like... siblings or something. Not his children, that would be weird. And Tali was right, he's only about ten years older). And Gabriel was just Gabriel.

He sat at the counter with Sam and Jess, as usual. Mentally, though, he was... drifting.

This whole Heartbreak Night thing had started with Dean singing to Cas. Hell, this whole restaurant owning thing was because of Cas. But Dean was starting to lose hope that Cas would ever come back to Lawrence. If he was going to, he would have done so already.

"Dean?" Adam asked, sitting down next to him. "Are you okay?"

"Wh- yeah," Dean answered quickly. A mite too quickly, probably. Adam raised his eyebrows. "Actually... no."

Sam sat down on Dean's other side. "What's eating you, man?"

"What if Cas isn't coming back?" asked Dean.

Sam threw his arm around him. "Well then you've got us."

"Yeah, Dean," agreed Adam. "Whether Cas comes back or not, you're stuck with us. The girls and Gabe are family now, too, and family's permanent."

"What is this about, Dean?" Cas shouted. "Is this some... some... some permanence thing? Because we've been together for five years, and if you're still thinking that this is temporary then I probably should have walked out that door years ago!"

"Right, yeah," Dean mumbled. "Permanent."

"No, Cas, it's not –"

"It's not what, Dean? Give me one good explanation – any one thing and I'll take it."

"I was scared, okay?"

"And you think I'm not?" Cas stood up, then. "I asked you to marry me, Dean! And I know you better than anyone besides Sam, I know you're scared. That's no excuse!"

"I didn't mean to –"

"Oh, that's rich. So it was an accident, then?"

"Cas, I –"

"You cheatedon me, Dean!"

Dean winced. Maybe Cas shouldn't come back. He watched without really seeing as Gabriel cooked and the girls wandered the restaurant.

"I don't care that you were drunk or scared or whatever other stupid excuse you're gonna come up with. How am I supposed to trust you after this, Dean?"

"... you aren't."

Maybe that was the point all along. Maybe he'd been... been trying to drive Cas away.

Only would he still be this broken up about Cas leaving if he had?

Dean shook his head, trying to rid his mind of thoughts of Cas.

"Hey, Dean!" Krissy called. "It's your turn!"

Dean stood up and crossed the room, scooping up his guitar from where it was resting against the wall.

"Hey everybody," he greeted. "I'm Dean, and I'm hopelessly in love with a guy who I don't deserve who left me two years ago." He pointed to the photo of Cas. He let his arm fall by his side and just sat there for a moment before he started playing. "Goin' back to the corner where I first saw you..."

He sat with Castiel at Heaven's counter, talking for hours and more or less ignoring Gabriel.

"It's getting late," Castiel said, checking his watch. He stood up to leave.

"Can I have your phone number?" Dean blurted. Castiel smiled and held out his hand for Dean's phone. He pulled it out and, as quickly as possible, opened up a new contact before handing it over to Castiel. "Thanks."

"...got some words on cardboard, got your picture in my hand..." Dean continued, trusting his staff to keep things running as he lost himself in the song.

"This is ridiculous," Gabriel said.

Dean shrugged. "Y'never know. It might work."

They stepped back, admiring Dean's handiwork. A framed photo of Castiel Shurley now hung on the wall next to Heaven's door, along with a [desperate] plea for patrons to keep an eye out for him.

Dean smiled to himself. "...An' Maybe I'll get famous as the man who can't be moved – maybe you won't mean to, but you'll see me on the news. And you'll come runnin' to the corner, 'cause you know it's just for you..."

Heaven's door opened. It was a familiar sound, Dean barely registered it.

"...'Cause if one day you wake up and find that you're missing me

And you're heart starts to wonder where on this earth I could be..."

Somebody dropped an armful of plates. Dean didn't stop, certain that one of the other kids or Gabriel could handle it.

"M'thinkin' maybe you'll come back to the place where we'd meet,

And you'll see me waitin' for you on the corner of the street

So I'm not movin' –"

"DEAN!" Nat called, voice shaking.

He looked up.

There, in front of his stunned staff, was the one person that Dean had never dared expect for a Heartbreak Night.

He almost dropped his guitar.

"Cas?"