Hey there again guys! This is the Christmas dinner chapter! A special thank you again to my two biggest supporters, Imaginative-Wandering and Scarlett Banderson! You two have been amazing, and so has everyone else. With that, on to the story.

Still don't own Supernatural.

-Beforehand-

Practically running, Cas vaulted over his bed and almost flew face first into his closet. Shirts and pants covered his floor, and he had a large selection of ties covering every other open surface.

"Hey little bro- woah what the heck is this?" Cas looked up to see his older sister Anna standing in his doorway. She was over for the holiday festivities.

"Go away Anna…" he muttered. "Please." He added as an afterthought.

"Is this about this Dean I keep hearing about?" Anna smirked at him. When he said nothing, she smiled. "It is! Isn't it?"

"Anna, unless you're going to help-" then Cas' eyes widened and he whirled around to face her. "You CAN help! Quick what do you think he'll like better? White or blue?" He held up two shirts.

Anna chuckled and rolled her eyes. "White. Your tie is already blue." She looked over his coat. "Really? You're going for the tax accountant look?"

"I like the coat. Dean got it for me." Cas pouted a little. Indeed, when Dean had noticed his old coat wearing a little thin, he had went out and purchased him a new one.

"You little sap." Anna chuckled. "Fine. Have fun."

Cas looked at himself in the mirror one more time before he left, snagging the carefully wrapped box as he did, satin ribbon surrounding it.

"Gabe get a move on, it's time to go!" He called out to his older brother, rolling his eyes a little. Probably still fixing his hair.

"All right, all right Cassie, don't get your panties in a twist!" Came the slightly snappy response. It seemed they were both slightly on edge.

-Drive-

They drove in silence for a while, Cas' fingers white on the steering wheel.

Finally. Gabriel spoke. "Come on Cassie, you're acting like a schoolgirl with a crush. What's going on?" He rolled his eyes. "This Dean kid probably knows you better than I do at this point."

You have no idea what's "going on"… Cas thought. He clutched the satin covered box a little harder, making sure to keep one hand on the wheel. "I'm just nervous. It's the first time I'll meet his parents."

"Oh, Mary's tons of fun." Gabe grinned. "It's John you have to look out for. Hopefully, he doesn't glare at me as much since you'll be there." He chuckled. "Divert the attention a little bit. You know, share the overprotective fatherly staring contests."

"Gee thanks…" Cas grumbled. "I'm glad to know that my loving older brother will have my back."

Gabe just shook his head and popped a small chocolate into his mouth, chuckling nervously. Cas turned his eyes back to the road, his fingers loosening on the wheel slightly.

-Dinner-

Cas slowly pulled his car in next to the black Impala in the Winchester's driveway. He smiled softly at the memory it brought back.

Cas was sitting nearby Dean, watching him lovingly wipe down his car and explain its care and mechanics to Cas. Cas had no Idea what Dean was saying most of the time, but he loved being around this man who was so different from him and still seemed to get him so well.

"You see, this is my baby, and you're my angel." Dean grinned brightly, the corners of his eyes crinkling adorably as he wiped the sudsy rag across the hood of his car.

"Who comes first, the car or me?" Cas replied in a joking tone.

"You. Always you." Dean looked up, dead serious, and Cas felt a flutter in his stomach. This was a more rare show of affection from Dean this early on in their relationship, before they really got to know each other well. He felt himself blush a bit more, looking down at the ground.

"Dean…" Suddenly, a sharp blast of water hit him squarely in the chest. Gasping at the sudden chill, he spit some out and looked up at Dean, who was grinning, holding the hose.

"Oh you're paying for that one!" Cas grabbed a nearby soapy rag from the grass and threw it at Dean, laughing.

Soon enough they forgot all about washing the car, which was what Dean had really wanted to do that day anyways, but that was ok.

"Hey lil bro." Gabe snapped him out of his memory. "You doing ok? The door's right over there if you can't find it."

"I've been here before Gabriel, but thanks for the help." Cas rolled his eyes.

The moment he knocked on the door, Dean threw it open and flew into Cas' arms. "Happy thanksgiving, Angel." He whispered.

Cas smiled. "Happy Thanksgiving, Sweetie."

They stood there a moment before Gabriel cleared his throat, distracting them from each other. "Are we just going to stand out here on the doorstep or what? I'm cold… and where's my sweetie?" He frowned. "Samsquatch?"

"Sam's out grabbing something my dad forgot when shopping. We need it for the dessert." Dean explained. "If it makes you feel better, he fought me for a very long time about being the one to leave the house."

Then Dean gestured past himself, into the house, and Cas stepped in, graciously accepting his invitation.

"I-i'll just wait out here for Sam." Gabe said. "Out here… alone… in the cold… a fortress of solitude…"

Dean closed the door firmly, cutting off his dramatics.

"It looks so much better not covered in flour!" Cas joked, referring to Dean's entryway.

Dean simply chuckled in response, ruffling Cas' already messy hair. Then, a thought seemed to occur to him. "Hey, um, Cas?"

Cas turned to face him. "Yeah?" He sensed a lot of worry written clear as day on Dean's face. "What's wrong? Talk to me." He sat down on the bottom step of the staircase.

Dean sighed and sat next to him. "Look. My mom is great, I'm sure you'll love her. I talk about her all the time."

"You do." Cas smirked slightly, recalling the cold December night that Dean had first brought up his mom on.

The two of them were sitting outside, gazing up at the stars above them, silently cuddling.

The night was black and this made the stars shine that much brighter. It was chilly, but Dean had brought out a huge furry blanket and they were huddled as close as possible together underneath it.

Finally, Dean broke the silence. "You would love Mary. She used to do this with me when I was little. It was her favorite."

Cas looked over at him and smiled. "Your mother, I take it?"

"Yeah. We don't see my parents often since they still live in Kansas, but she is just the best. I think she'd be thrilled to have you as a son in law." Dean tried to sound offhand. "You know, in the future."

Cas' eyes widened even further in the dark night. This was the first time Dean had brought up marriage, in a way, and his mother. "I think that I would love to meet her." He smiled at Dean. "She sounds like a great mother."

"She was." Dean smiled and began to explain Mary in greater detail. "She made the most wonderful sandwiches and cut the crusts off and everything… She would always sing the lullaby Hey Jude to me as a child… Her marriage wasn't perfect, but she was always strong…" he rambled on and Cas smiled, slowly intertwining hands with his lovable dork.

"But I never talk about my dad." Dean continued, unaware that Cas had completely zoned out, immersed in happy memories.

"Yes." Cas resisted the urge to shake his head to clear it of nonexistent dust bunnies. He looked at Dean, who hesitated. "Dean. You can tell me anything." He said calmly, taking Dean's hands in his.

Dean slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again. "I don't have the best relationship with my Dad.

Cas considered this for a moment. "That's ok, neither do I. I'm sure we can be civil at dinner."

Dean sighed. "I mean, he wanted me to join the family business. I upset him when…"

"When you said you wanted to be a mechanic." Cas finished for him. "He wanted you to go into LAW?"

Just then, the door opened, and a frosty Gabriel and Sam walked in, laughing, Sam's arm around Gabe's shoulder.

"Hey Sammy." Dean grinned, a smile seemingly falling into place over his face, but Cas knew it was fake. And so when Dean stood up, Cas did as well, keeping their hands intertwined.

They walked into the main dining room, and the scent of Christmas dinner hit them suddenly, ham and turkey and potatoes and all sorts of things.

"Wow." Cas breathed out slowly. Then he blinked. "Are those melted marshmallows on the sweet potatoes?"

"Yeah, Cassie." Gabe grinned. "Trust me you'll love it. I even got Samsquatch over here to try it." He grinned and shoved Sam lightly.

"Whatever you say." Cas shook his head and smiled.

Just then, a slightly older woman with long blonde hair waltzed into the room, carrying a steaming pile of biscuits and humming Christmas carols. He's making a list, checking it twice.

After placing it on the table, she looked up at Cas and a huge grin spread across her face. "You must be Cassie, Dean's angel!" She exclaimed happily, clasping her manicured nails together. "It's so great to meet you at last!"

Cas blushed. "I wouldn't say I'm his angel-"

"Oh honey. Anyone who can bring my son back from the brink is as worthy of that title as an actual angel. He simply has not shut up about you since he first met you. So of course, I said, we need to have this boy over so I can meet him at last." She smiled.

"Hiya Mrs Winchester." Gabriel gave her a big smile.

"Oh Gabe… you know you can call me Mary." She smiled. "The same goes for you, Cas. Make yourself at home."

Sam started going around, gesturing for people's coats. Cas shrugged his off with a mouthed Thank you.

Cas nodded briefly, and Dean spoke up. "Mom? Where's John?"

Mary looked up, and a brief flicker of a frown flitted briefly over her face. "John is working a little late tonight sweetie."

"Of course he is." Dean scowled, and Cas' hand tightened around his as he felt him heat up slightly with anger. "On freaking Christmas!"

"Honey…" Mary frowned a little more. "You know he tries."

"Evidently not hard enough." Dean rolled his eyes.

"This looks wonderful, Mary." Cas smiled at her, trying to change the topic. "Did you make this all yourself?"

"Oh, no." She laughed. "I can only take credit for dinner. Most of the dessert's credit goes to Gabriel here, he's such a sweetie. He came over yesterday and handmade all sorts of things." She shook her head in mock disbelief. "And then of course he left with Sam to go out to some…?"

"I took him to a lovely restaurant." Gabe smiled.

"Bar." Sam called out, he was putting all the coats away on a stand in the front hall.

"I-it was a restaurant that doubles as a bar…" Gabe tried to keep his smile.

"There was a bartender. It was a bar."

"We ordered food!" Gabe protested, as Sam walked back into the room.

"That food was cheese and nachos." Sam chuckled and rolled his eyes as he pressed a quick kiss to Gabe's temple.

"I stand by what I said." Gabe protested, trying not to laugh.

"Whatever, weirdo." Sam then addressed the group. "I vote we start without Dad."

"Please, sit. I made name tags." Gabe smirked, it was a smirk that Cas recognized, and he grew immediately nervous. Gabriel what did you do…

Upon glancing at the table, he saw several white cards placed delicately amongst the many fruits, vegetables, and meats.

He picked one up. "Samsquatch." Next to the elegantly written calligraphy was a tiny doodle of a moose.

Gabe practically smacked the small card out of his hand. "That's Sam's, you idiot!"

Cas' eyes widened. "Yeah… I can read." He carefully lead a still unhappy Dean around to the other side of the table, where he could already see the other "set" of name tags. Mary and John were at their respective ends.

"Really Gabe?" He groaned as he read his. Baby Cassie, seriously? I'm not three anymore. The angel wings don't help either. He heard Dean let out a small chuckle as he turned his tag the slightest bit to show him.

"I'm sure yours isn't much better!" He muttered under his breath as he glanced at Dean's. He practically choked on his own laughter when he saw what it read- he was indeed correct, Dean's was not much better.

"Ken Doll?" Dean cried out. "Really?"

"I don't know, It kinda suits you, Dean." Sam grinned. "What little picture did you get?"

"I got the impala." Dean grumbled. "At least Sweet Tooth over here didn't mess that part up. I love my baby."

Cas chuckled. The sound, however, was interrupted by the slamming of a door, and the stomping of snow off of boots. Then, Dean's father entered the room. He was tall, dark haired, and intimidating. His glare was indeed, as Gabe had previously stated, terrifying.

"Hello, Mr Winchester, I'm Castiel, but most people call me Cas." Cas stick out his hand.

He stiffened as John looked him up and down, rolled his eyes, and said "You shouldn't have waited for me to begin eating."

"John, it's Christmas…" Mary smiled at him. "Sit down and we'll start."

John grumbled something under his breath, sitting down on the end of the table closest to Cas. Mary sat at the other end, closer to Dean, and they all sat there for a moment.

Cas looked at Dean's father's place tag out of the corner of his eye. John, just John. Smart Gabriel. This is not a man you want to mess with.

"Please, dig in." Mary smiled at them all, and that's all the prodding along that Gabriel needed, he began healing many different kinds of foods onto his plate, most involving sugar in some form.

"Take some salad." Sam hissed at him, poking him gently in the ribs.

Dean and Cas simultaneity reached for the turkey, steaming on the table.

"Oh." Cas whispered, very self conscious since Dean's parents were there. "Please, you first."

"No, I insist." Dean grinned at him, gesturing once more at the turkey.

"It's your house."

"Exactly- you're the guest here."

"Your mother made the turkey."

"Your brother helped her."

"If you two don't stop bickering now so help me!" John growled. "I'll take the turkey first." He grabbed it, starting to pull it away. Dean's eyes narrowed, and Cas could feel him start to open his mouth, to say something stupid.

"Don't." He whispered to Dean, putting his arm on Dean's knee. "It won't end well. I promise."

"Rough day at work, Dad?" Sam quickly changed the topic.

"Rougher than most." John scowled, and began shoveling turkey into his mouth, effectively ending that conversation, and killing the mood completely.

That rather set the tone for the rest of the dinner. As they were finishing up the last of their second and third plates of food, Cas tried one more time to speak with John. "Thank you for allowing us to share Christmas dinner with you and your family."

John simply scoffed in response. "It wasn't me who invited you, boy."

"Ok." Gabe stood up and clapped his hands together. "Time for me to get dessert. Cassie? Care to help your older brother out?"

Cas just nodded unhappily and stood up to join him, Dean's hand slipping slowly from his grip, but not without one last squeeze.

-After Dinner and Dessert-

"Mr Winchester!" Cas called out as Dean's father started stomping up the stairs to his room. Slowly, John turned.

"Yes?"

"I know you don't know me very well, but I was simply wondering if I could as you a question. It's about Dean."

John sighed. "I understand."

"You do?" Cas was delighted, he clutched the tiny box in his pocket tighter.

"Even though you're technically bound for life by those tattoos, you want out. I understand. He's a real drag."

"Excuse me?" Cas blinked in shock. What. Then anger took over. "No, that's not what I meant!"

"Oh." John Winchester cocked his head, as if surprised. "Then what, boy? I'm tired."

"I know you don't know me really well, but it's tradition in my family, when you want to spend the rest of your life with a person, to ask their father for their blessing." He said quietly. "I do love your son, and I was hoping, just for tradition's sake, that you would be able to give us your blessing."

"But why?" John Winchester's comment shocked Cas.

"Excuse me?"

"Why would you want my son, of all people?" John's lips pulled back into a sort of grimace. "He doesn't know anything about anything at all, he wanted to be a mechanic." John spat out the word as if it was a curse. "He can't provide for a family, he's completely useless, and he has yet to prove his worth in any way, shape, or form as a son or even a decent father figure." He rolled his eyes. "You don't even know him yet. Trust me, he'll show his true colors eventually. You don't want him."

His voice had raised significantly, and Cas had a sneaking suspicion that Dean was listening outside.

Cas felt his face heat up, and he felt himself involuntarily glaring at the man he had just met. You should leave, before you do anything stupid.

Instead, he clinched his fists, stood his ground. And spat out as quickly as possible, as much as he could. "Dean Winchester is the most wonderful person I know, which is saying something, since I found out now that he has to deal with you as his father! Dean Winchester is the most loving, caring person I have ever met! He may act all tough on the outside, but I know him and you should be proud of the kind young man your son has grown into! And now I now know why he is so ashamed to have you as a father!" Cas scowled one last time, grabbed his coat, and made to storm out the door before turning back one last time. "And they call me the angel of the two of us, but I'm really the one you should be worried about."

He slammed the door, and turned around, almost tripping over Dean as he did so. Dean was hunched over, his head in his hands. Suddenly, the consequences of his actions seemed to set in, and he realized what he'd done.

Slowly, he sat down next to Dean. He could already hear deep yelling from inside, and it became apparent just how thin those walls were.

"Dean… I'm sorry." He spoke slowly at first, but then the words seemed to spill out more and more. "I know you wanted me to get along with your family, and I know I disregarded that just now. I just…" he chose his next words carefully. "I had something of great importance I needed to discuss with your father, and…" he sighed. "There's no real justifying how I acted."

It occurred to him that Dean was crying, his shoulders shaking, tears running down his cheeks. He knew this without looking at him, even as he stared straight ahead into the deep blue night. Without thinking about it, he reached out and started absentmindedly tracing the tattoo along Dean's bicep. It didn't take Dean long to lean into his shoulder as the deep voice inside was countered with a more shrill one.

Cas sat there with him, staring up at the stars and snow. He knew Dean wasn't mad at him, that he had been there long enough to hear the important parts of the conversation, and that Dean just needed time, and someone to be with. And so he would wait. He didn't need to give Dean the little satin wrapped box just then. He would wait as long as he needed, as long as this man was in his life. Little did he know, Dean was thinking the exact same thing as him.

This is not the end! I plan on continuing this as long as possible, but wanted to post now, so what did you guys think? I always love your reviews so much and I wanted to thank you all again for sticking with the story. :D I think the next chapter will be happier. Let me know what you think!