Dean and Cas sat in the truck for hours, talking about everything. Cas told Dean about Gabriel, and how he was the only real family he had left. He told that he smoked and drank, to which Dean wrinkled his nose, making Cas laugh. He even told him about Michael and Ralph, how they'd abandoned their little brothers to lie better lives.
"Well that doesn't seem fair. They knew about your Dad, right?" Dean inquired, a line forming between his eyebrows when he frowned deeply. Cas shook his head, looking out the windshield.
"They didn't care, Dean. Like father, like sons, I guess. But me and Gabe are trying to be different. It's hard.." he trailed off, reaching to grab Dean's hand again. Dean relaxed, smiling as he squeezed Cas' hand, rubbing his thumb over his boyfriend's knuckles. They sat like that for a while until Dean spotted the time on his watch and let out a noise of shock.
"It's 5 pm! I gotta get back Cas, or Ellen will worry about me for ages." Cas started the car and turned around, speeding down the dirt road before the speed limit mattered. On the ride home, Dean was antsy, wishing he could call Jo to let her know where he was. He hated when people worried about him. He knew the feeling too well and he hated it.
They pulled into the driveway, Cas turning the truck off to walk Dean to the door. He didn't kiss him, not out in the open, but he squeezed Dean's hand and smiled at him, trying to say a million things in one glance. He pulled open the door as Castiel trotted back down the sidewalk, and he heard a roar of laughter coming from the dining room.
Jo popped her head out to catch him hanging up his jacket. She had a scowl on her face, which didn't match the giggles coming from the room she was in. Dean walked to meet her and muttered "What's up?"
She stepped out and he had to stifle a laugh. She was wearing a yolk-yellow dress with white lace all over. And white shoes. And no makeup. What the hell? He smiled jokingly and looked up to see her chewing her tongue. "We have a guest," she said, her voice full of venom. Dean laughed and ambled into the dining room to find Ellen sitting across from Sam and a nameless boy, smiling widely.
"Oh Dean, I wish you'd wear something nicer, we have company!" Ellen chuckled, and Dean wrinkled his brow, confused. Since when did Ellen Harvelle give a damn what people thought of her? must be this kid.
"Who's this?" asked Dean, pulling up the chair at the end of the table and sitting down. He clasped his hands on the table, not blinking as he looked the boy up and down.
"Uh, Dean," Sam said, his cheeks turning red, "this is Gabe. My..boyfriend." Dean blinked a couple times, remembering Cas talking about his little brother, Gabriel.
"Gabriel...who?" he asked, trying to stay polite. He didn't want to scare the kid off.
"Novak. Yeah, I'm Cassie's brother. I've heard a lot about you, Dean." Dean blinked again, and it was his turn to blush. All eyes were on him now. Everyone was curious, except Gabriel. He seemed to be reveling in Dean's awkwardness.
"Cassie? Oh, that Castiel guy? I didn't know that was your brother," said Sam, smiling over at Gabriel in a way Dean had never seen him smile before. He grinned a little himself, looking down at his empty plate.
Yeah, Cas. He's coming to get me tomorrow, if you don't mind, Ellen." She chuckled and nodded, grabbing the spoon in the dish nearest her to dip more carrots onto her plate. Dean followed suit, scooping mashed potatoes out of the glass bowl. He smiled a little wider, imagining a whole day with Castiel, to do whatever they liked.
The rest of dinner went smoothly, Gabriel cracking jokes and everyone laughing at them. Sam beaming with pride as he realized his family like the boyfriend. Ellen catching Sam around the collar as he tried to sneak upstairs with Gabe. It was nice to see everyone happy. Unusual and a bit weird, but nice overall. Dean slept peacefully that night, dreaming of a world where John didn't exist and he and Cas could go out in public without getting hurt. He was smiling when he awoke to the smell of eggs and sausage. As he dropped into his chair at the table, Ellen asked, "How do you take your eggs, Dean?"
"Scrambled, if you don't mind," he yawned, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He looked over to Jo, who he hadn't seen in just her PJ's in years, and smiled groggily, to which she chuckled and shook her head.
"You've been a plain ol' Mr. Sunshine lately, Dean. What's up?" she asked, leaning on the table as she wiggled her eyebrows. She knew exactly why he was so happy-go-lucky, and he wasn't discussing it in front of Ellen. He shook his head very subtly and said thank you when Ellen placed his plate in front of him, stacked high with bacon and biscuits.
After breakfast he half-ran to the bathroom, grabbing his suitcase along the way. Cas was going to be here any minute and he was still in his underwear. Which he was sure Cas would like, but the rest of Lawrence might not. He pulled on a short-sleeved button up and a sweater, and his favorite khakis, freshly ironed. He even did his hair, slicking it back and combing it nicely. He had to wash his hands three times to get the pomade off though.
He went into the family room to sit and wait and found Jo reading. He sat beside her, beaming. She looked up briefly, laughed, and went back to her book.
He sat there, checking his watch every five seconds, for two hours. By that time, he was fighting back tears as Jo came up with one explanation after another.
"Maybe he had to work. Or maybe he ran out of gas, Dean. He didn't ditch you. He wouldn't."
Dean wiped the wetness from his eyes before it could fall and turned away from her. They sat there, her rubbing his shoulder consolingly and him trying not to cry, until a knock came at the door. Dean looked up hopefully, and Jo went to answer it, as he seemed to be frozen to the sofa.
He stared, wide-eyed, in the direction of the door, until he heard the voice coming from it. Wasn't Cas. He choked on the ball of anger that rose in his throat and smashed his eyes shut, holding back a sob.
"Dean!" Jo screamed, and his eyes shot open. He jumped up and ran to the door, to find Gabriel slumped against the doorframe, face bloodied and chest heaving.
"Castiel...Crowley..." he panted, coughing between words. "The warehouse.." Dean's face went stony, and he sprinted outside.
"Jo, get some ice and call the hospital if you can get through!" he screamed, hopping on his bike and rushing away, urgently pedaling to get to that damned warehouse.
He found his boyfriend unconscious, splayed out on the ground in a small pool of blood. His face was swollen and parts of his hair were dried in the blood on his face.
"Oh my god..oh my god..." Dean muttered, throwing his bike aside and kneeling beside Cas, trying to turn him over. He couldn't find anything to say, to rouse him. He was completely in shock. He just stared at his puffy cheeks, his purple temple, his blackened and crooked nose. Then he was screaming, for help, for his mom, for Jo, for anything.
Cas stirred feebly, barely able to open his eyes, and said through swollen lips, "Dean?"
Dean looked down, still sobbing, and whispered another "Oh my god..."
Footsteps came thundering in from the alley behind him, and Dean jumped to his feet, ready to fight. Jo and Ash came around the bend and stopped, looking into the dusky light provided by the one light in the small street. Ash ran forward, picking up Cas, trying to get him to stand, and finally just slumping his bruised body over his shoulder, trying to drag him as best he could.
"The car's around there, Dean, go open the door," he said, straining under Cas' weight. Dean nodded feverishly, running like he'd never run before, pulling open the back door and climbing in. Ash heaved Cas inside, and Dean pulled his head into his lap, softly stroking his hair. Thank god Jo knew a guy with a car. Thank god Gabriel had gotten away. Thank god...
He was frantic as they sped toward the hospital as fast as they could, but grateful, oh so grateful, that Cas was alive.
As the nurses loaded him onto a wooded gurney and mopped at his wounds, he saw Cas open his eyes and rushed forward, making sure he was okay. "Love you...love you.." he mumbled, a little blood dripping from the corner of his mouth as he slipped once again into unconsciousness and they hauled him away.
