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Dean got letters back three days later. Sam's read,
Dean-
I miss you a lot. It's really quiet around here without you, since Dad's gone a lot now. He's started to actively work at his shop for once, since another soldier came by and told him needs to start working double-time. Also, I think that Jess misses Baby. She seems kind of sad.
I've been spending a lot of time with Cas lately, but it's not the same without you here. And without Gabriel, we don't really have anyone to play cards with. Anna and Samandriel don't yet know how to play, and Balthazar wins every. single. time. Uriel doesn't like cards much, neither does Hannah.
Anyways, we're all okay at home. You'd better not die, or I'm going to find a way to bring you back so I can kill you again. I love you too, jerk.
-Sam
Cas had also sent letters, one to his brothers and one to Dean. The latter read,
Dear Dean-
I miss you a lot too. It is far too quiet around here without you. I hope that man isn't giving you any trouble. Somehow, the fact that he's still a dick isn't all that surprising. I'm glad that you and my brothers are together. You can look out for each other, I hope.
I think I'll be seeing you sooner than you think, if everything goes the way I hope it will. Do not worry about the rest of us back home, we'll be okay. Stay safe until I see you again, alright?
-Cas
He didn't much like the sound of Cas's last few sentences. Of course he wanted to see his best friend again, but the way Cas worded everything made it sound just a bit ominous. But since childhood, one of things that they'd always had in common was their matching reckless spirits. There would be no point in trying to stop Cas now, Dean could only be there for him in the aftermath -good or bad- of his decision.
Lucifer clapped him on the shoulder, shaking him out of thoughts of letters and home and worry. "Come on, Dean. We've got places to be."
Dean spent the next hour with his boots planted in the mud, drilling over and over, steady lines of fire hitting the trees that stood opposite an empty field. He tried not to wonder about what it would be like when he actually had to do this for real.
That afternoon, Dean got put on guard duty with the man who'd greeted him the night he came to the camp. His name was Benny Lafitte, and he and Dean got on like a forest fire. Dean told him all about Sam and Cas, and Benny told him about the girl he was in love with, Andrea.
Nothing happened, which was probably good, because Dean and Benny paid very little (read: no) attention to what was happening, or rather potentially happening, around them. A battalion on horseback could have ridden by and the two would've been laughing so loud they wouldn't have heard a thing.
When his shift ended, Dean wandered back towards his tent in search of the Novaks. Benny was going back to his own tent to sleep, but Dean was feeling restless. It was too late to leave the camp on a ride, but maybe he could convince Lucifer or Gabe to go on a walk around the perimeter- they'd be more inclined to bend rules a little anyways.
Outside the tent, the four brothers were sitting around a small fire, passing a bottle of some sort of spirit around. Dean sat next to Michael, who, shockingly, took a deep swig from the bottle and passed it to Dean.
"Oh, let me be free, let me soar on Heaven's wings." Michael hummed. Lucifer looked up, and added another line.
"Let me touch the sky and dance on the breeze."
"What song is that?" Dean asked. He'd sung his fair share of drinking songs, but that was a new one.
"It's an old family lullaby." Gabriel explained. "Our mom sang it to us when we were kids."
Honestly, Dean couldn't really picture Naomi Novak singing any sort of lullabye, but he hadn't grown up with her (well, he spent most of his childhood around her and her family, but…).
"That's nice. My dad sang one that he called, 'Shut Up Dean and Get Your Brother to Stop Crying'" Dean joked.
They sat in silence for a while, listening to the other sounds of the camp around them. The bottle was passed around a few more times, until they reached the bottom and there was no more alcohol, and the fire was burning out.
Also, they were kind of drunk. Michael and Lucifer were holding a whispered conversation with one another, complete with some very dramatic hand gestures. Gabriel was snoring into Raphael's shoulder, while the older boy started intently at the dying fire, periodically snapping back to reality and then zoning out again.
Dean was starting to think about going to bed when two new figures came up to their campfire. One of them looked a bit familiar, and he squinted up at the newcomer. The other person cleared their throat.
"He requested to be put in your tent-so here's your brother. Goodnight, gentlemen."
"Heyyy." Dean slurred. "Brother. Welcome. You wanna go to bed? Cause I'm tired and I think I'm drunk, so I'm gonna go to bed."
"Alright Dean." The newcomer who he still couldn't quite make out replied.
After the newcomer roused Gabriel, Mike, Lucifer and Raphael, the six headed inside the tent. The twins immediately collapsed onto their bed, fast asleep. At least Gabriel and Raphael took off their boots and coats first.
"We don't really have another bed, so you can share with me if you want 'till we get you one." Dean explained.
He wiggled underneath his blankets, and waited for the newcomer to join him. "G'night." he whispered, before his eyes slid closed.
"Goodnight Dean." the other whispered back.
…
The next morning, a bird was singing outside of the tent when Dean woke up. He stretched, and then rubbed his head with a groan. Hangovers sucked.
Rolling over to the other side of his bed, he let out a grunt of surprise when instead of more blanket, he bumped into another person sleeping next to him. They stirred, and rolled over to face Dean.
If he hadn't been sleepy and hungover Dean would have jumped out of his bed in shock. The person next to him was the last one he hadn't expected to see in this place. And, honestly, the last person he'd ever want to be in this place.
"Cas?"
Heh cliffhanger. Sorry this chapter was bad, I'm having a rough few weeks.
