Chapter 9: Being ignored


Dean had been getting the cold shoulder from Cas lately. It was driving him crazy. What had been the point of that meeting all those weeks ago? Why was Cas acting this way?

Off in his own head he barely noticed anyone else at the grocery store. It was Cas and a little girl. A little girl calling Cas Daddy.

Dean came to a sudden heart stopping halt.

What the….

Castiel was a Father? How did this happen? When did this happen? How old was the kid? How old was Cas?

Cas had been playing him for a fool this whole time!

He had a few simple rules.

1. No One Messes with His Family, Especially No One Messes with Sammy and Adam

2. No One Puts Baby in a Corner, No One Messes With Baby

3. Driver Picks the Music, Shotgun Shuts His Cakehole

And Dean Winchester had his pride.

4. And NO ONE, Absolutely NO ONE, Made a FOOL out of Dean Winchester!

Castiel was toast!

Jimmy Novak could feel a very powerful force coming his way. It was full of gloom and doom. Jimmy had only one thought, to get his daughter Clair to safety and away from the oncoming danger of an unknown enemy.

Jimmy like Castiel wore a trench-coat and much like his brother he had another form he could take. A bird that was well known for its two edge omen, and a messenger of the gods, He wished Clair had developed some abilities but none had yet to manifest, not even a pair of wings.

Like Jimmy, Clair could not take wing. She had no wings and no other form she could take. She was relying on her father to get her to safety and to continue to be sheltered an unaware of the danger they were both in. Once he had her tucked away into a place of safety Jimmy would take his other form and fly away, leading the danger away from his child.

"CASTIEL" cried the angry man down the aisle from them.

Jimmy looked everywhere to see if his brother was here in the store with them but Jimmy did not see him anywhere at all. Perhaps this man was not a danger to him after all?

"Don't you dare look at me so confused," Growled the model of male beauty heading his way.

"I beg your pardon?" Jimmy asked confused.

Dean came to a halt all over again and blinked. That wasn't Castiel's voice. Though this guy did look identical to Cas there were a couple of small, tiny, hardly there at all, small differences. Dean reached out to this Castiel look alike and patted him down. No Wings. Hair still sexy but with some small shade of grey mixed in with the chocolate locks. Castiel's hair didn't have a single strand of grey in it.

"You're not Castiel?" asked Dean amazed.

The man frowned at Dean's hands-y-ness. Jimmy shrugged out of Dean's hold and shook his head.

"No." he replied. "I am not. I am Jimmy, James Novak, not my brother Castiel. What do you want with him? As you can see my brother is not here. We do not see each other anymore. He has been very distant lately. No doubt my mother's doing. You know Castiel?"

Dean nodded feeling discouraged. "Sorry. I saw you and I just… I got confused and upset. Sorry about that."

"You are a friend of Castiel's?" asked Jimmy fascinated. Castiel was so shy and awkward, not to mention, Naomi rarely let Castiel out of her sight. He was happy for Castiel to have found a friend.

"Yeah, or we were until a few weeks ago. He changed into this tiny little blue penguin and then this lolly-pop sucker sucking bastard came out of nowhere and took him from me and then next I see Cas. He tells me he's learned his lesson and he ain't my call boy or some such thing. He broke up with me, man. I thought we were friends. I thought I meant something to him, ya know."

"You do mean something to him," Insisted Jimmy, putting a comforting hand on Dean's shoulder, "From what you've told me so far and from how Castiel has been lately I believe my brother is your friend."

"How do you know?" asked the heart broken man.

"Listen Dean, Our mother is a very powerful mind manipulator. She obviously did something to Castiel. It will take him time. But if you're his friend and I believe you are. That means something very important and very special to Castiel. He will remember you given enough time."

"How?"

"Castiel can be very stubborn. He'll come back to himself soon. Just keep faith in him. He will not disappoint you for long." Assured Jimmy patting Dean's shoulder one last time.

"Now Dean, my daughter and I must get back to our shopping and you I think may need to get back to your own. If you wish you may call me at this number." Here Jimmy extended his hand within his fingers was a card with his name and phone number on it.

Dean took the card gratefully and handed over his own version as well. "If you ever need me or just want to talk, here's my number as well."

"A Hunter I see." Jimmy smiled, blue eyes dancing with humor. "My brother it would appear has good taste. See you later Dean. Maybe someday you and Castiel can come to a family dinner or something in the near future?"

"I'd like that." Replied Dean, Castiel was going to come back to him. Castiel's brother said so. His twin brother. If a twin can't tell you something important about the nature of their twin then who else could you trust to explain the ways of that particular twin?

He was at long last hopeful and it shined out of him, in his eyes and in his charming smile.

"See ya later."


Chapter 10: Battle for the City


It seemed Castiel's warnings had some merit though it had been hard to decipher what Castiel had been trying to warn them about.

Alistair and Azazel and their merry children from the Hell League came into the city terrorizing the good citizens and superheroes alike.

The Hunters met them head on. Citizens were heading to shelters under the city or else heading out from and away from the city and its sudden urban war. It was a clash of titans. Gods coming to clash, good versus evil, survivor takes all. Civilians were like little ants crushed under giant feet. Building crumbled police and firefighters shepherded civilians and tried to stay out of the way of Hunters and Hells Minions.

Mom and Dad and the Grandparents had almost been defeated but then Michael, Raphael, Naomi, Cane, and their Brothers and Sisters and Children in the League of Evil came to the forefront battling Hell for ownership of the city, and the honor of the defeat of the Winchesters, Campbells and the League of Hunters.

Naomi pummeled her rivals crowing with victory from the skies. The Dark Angels came from the sky zeroing in on Hells Minions. Alistair and Azazel were as much her enemies as the League of Hunters were. She hated her rivals and enemies equally. Well, she hated Dean a lot more than the rest of them because he was trying to take her son from her and turn him into a good guy which she would die before allowing.

Castiel was her son. Castiel had a future. He was strong and gifted. Castiel could eventually take over the world if he would just follow in the path she had created for him.

When the tide of the battle seemed to be turning towards Naomi's victory Castiel bungled into the skirmish putting a wrench in Naomi's triumph.

Dean had almost been burned alive. Mary Winchester had barely escaped her own fate but for the strength of her father and husband against Azazel. Dean had been toast, Alistair had been torturing him inside a circle of hellish fire when Castiel came swooping down, big canning jar, a mason jar or what have you, of honey in his arms, with a weird little organic honey logo on it "Naked Bees" or some such thing.

Probably Castiel had been making a delivery for his "super-secret" online side business (note the sarcasm, Castiel couldn't lie worth a crap, and he sure couldn't keep a secret to save anyone's life let alone his own, poor bastard) when his family called him into the fray, all hands on deck sort of thing for this frackus.

The jar of honey bashed into Alistair's head. Castiel's power shone brightly as he awakened fully to his wrath. No one was going to hurt Dean Winchester. Dean Winchester was his friend. No matter what Castiel's Mother said. Castiel was not going to let Dean die.

Castiel was all grace and power as he flew at Alistair blade ablaze with holy wrath and blue fire. Castiel had swooped in like a giant eagle or hawk, some massive glowing bird of prey Angel blade and speed blurring nearly invisible with the wrath of the gods on his side. Castiel seemed to be glowing with holy fury, that kind of wrath was something only the gods should have been able to wage on the sinful not some sweet little angel dude.

Cas really could be very BAMF when he was in a mood. Cas did have a temper but it was so rarely engaged but watch out when it was. It was really something to see.

Those wings of Castiel are all puffed out in a hugely aggressive display of massive fierce beauty. Glistening blue black feathers like that of a sleek raven or a rumpled crow. He ripped Dean out from Alistair's clutches, winging Dean to safety. Then Castiel returned to the hellish circle and kicked Alistair's ass from one side of the city to the next.

Don't piss off the Nerd Angel, man, he will so smite your ass! Had become a bit of a mantra for Dean as well as a source for very wild and kinky dreams. Cas was really something.

Cas was awesome.

The honey was really awesome to, Castiel had left a few jars behind by accident at the end of the frackus and Dean and Mary had enjoyed the superior quality all organic all natural honey. They continued to do business with Cas via online and post box so that their home didn't become compromised.

But Castiel had saved Dean, even marked Dean's shoulder as if in answer to that wonderful dream Dean had experienced only a couple weeks ago.

Now they were profoundly bound to one another. Castiel told him in such a reverent whisper of deep gravel. Dean couldn't help but shiver. Castiel returned Dean's love.

He could feel Castiel's goodness, no matter what Grampa Campbell said about Cas, the goodness in Cas was like a huge beacon of light inside that lithe too tiny for his power body and those massive rock-n-roll wings. Wings that could make Dean ache in ways he could never have imagined before meeting the awkward angel.

Dean wished Castiel would just give up trying to do evil. The guy was so innocent and child-like, though much older than Dean and Sam, Castiel somehow came across as younger and totally naïve in a very disconcerting way. Naomi really had done a disservice to her youngest child by keeping him locked away from the outside world up until a year or two ago, when he first made his debut.

Dean would never forget that day. It was also a day that changed Castiel. Castiel would no longer do his mother's bidding when it came to Dean.

The Families will have to accept their love eventually.


Chapter 11: Business as Usual


Family Dinner was as usual an awkward affair with brotherly rivalry each vying for their mother's approval.

Castiel was still hiding his ineptness from his family or rather from Naomi who was still living in denial land about her youngest son. The rest of the family knew Castiel was a faker. They didn't like that he was the favored son and there wasn't a single evil bone in his entire Dark Angel Body.

Naomi knew that Castiel was still feeling the sting of failure. The Hunters had once again come on top and foiled her plans for dominion once more. Azazel's joint Hell Minions and Alistair's Perdition crews had forced Naomi's hand before she was truly ready to put her plans into action. She would never forgive them.

Meg had double crossed Hell and Perdition her true allegiance to Lucifer and the Dark Angels, well her love for Castiel sealed her allegiance to Naomi's family.

Naomi just wished Castiel would return such feelings and devotion to the little demon girl. But Dean had cast his spell on her son. It was a fight she was well aware that she was losing.

Love was a difficult and wily thing.

"Castiel darling, I can't help but notice the new buttons that have begun to accompany your new jars of honey. Are they something very special?"

Castiel really hated disappointing his mother. He loved her.

"Um, yes Mother." Castiel replied nodding his head vigorously taking a giant bite out of his burger.

Cain sighed. He knew where this was going. "Castiel's Honey business is cornering the market and making a fortune. The buttons come free with each jar as a thank you and further marketing insurance for furthering his consumer base."

Castiel nodded and then added. "They're mind control devices."

They were in a way. Like propaganda it was being used as an advertisement to make sure people purchased and consumed a businesses' products. Though in Castiel's case, his buttons really were thank you gifts. Not necessarily a device for propaganda or advertisement. But what Naomi didn't know wouldn't get Castiel punished besides lying was evil. As Naomi would say, "little steps. Little steps to pave the way to great evilness."

"What do they do?" asked Naomi intrigued.

"They guarantee consumer loyalty. They will buy my honey only."

"Excellent," praised Naomi. "I couldn't be more proud."

She smiled eyes bright with pride and dished Castiel up another burger while the other siblings at the table groaned, grumbled and scowled at the favorite son.

"You all could learn a thing or two from Castiel's perseverance and success. Now if Castiel would just take that extra little step."

Castiel bowed his head hiding from his mother's eyes. He knew what she wanted from him but he feared he could never be what she wanted of him and he didn't have the bravery to tell her. Not like Jimmy had. Jimmy had been brave. Jimmy had left the family to seek his own way and his own happiness rather than living his life for Naomi's goals.

Castiel didn't know how to be independent. Naomi had made sure of that. However Castiel was going to try for Dean, for his and Dean's happiness.


Chapter 12: Finale


They were headed for two stores in particular today. One a secret hole in the wall hidden store for adults only and the other store was for a certain relative's birthday.

Dean couldn't help smiling as he walked hand in hand with his boyfriend around the mall. Castiel was dressed in his usual wrinkled suit and trench-coat, hair as messy as his suit, wide blue eyes gazing around the mall at all the shiny little booths and stores with all of their interesting retail items. Castiel was like a magpie or a ruffled crow searching for treasures as every glinting bauble caught his eyes and ignited his interest and curiosity.

Dean was content, even happy, watching Castiel touch things then discard them as being not quite right. They were on a hunt for a special gift for Cain. Though, Cain didn't exactly celebrate his birthday that didn't keep Castiel from gifting his favorite grandfather a special little something every year at this time.

Dean watched Castiel over joyed that at last they were together. Castiel had finally overcome Naomi's power over him enough that he was able to remember Dean and remember their as Castiel called it "profound bond". Dean couldn't be happier. They had not spent a single moment apart since the incident several weeks ago.

Things seemed to finally be going their way.

They had both moved out of their families' homes and into their own small two bedroom cottage surrounded by nature the way Castiel needed it. It was a large park and was visited by many people usually in the summer time but for the rest of the year it was a peaceful place and a place where Dean and Castiel could enjoy just being with one another.

Neither family had been very happy about their children moving out and shacking up together though Naomi as predicted was in some sort of denial land about the whole thing. Castiel even pretended to go along with the charade with fake updates and reports on his mission of infiltration.

The Campbells were suspicious as usual and wouldn't trust Castiel while the Winchesters were of two minds on the subjects. As for the rest of the Hunters they could care less. Dean was happy. Castiel was happy. It seemed like there would be one less enemy around to make their lives difficult. It was all good. That's what really counted in the good guys' manual.

Happiness.

True Love.

The End


Author Note: I know this final chapter was short. I ran out of time. But I do have a couple of scenes being written that I will post as kind of a companion piece at a later time.

Thank you for reading and I hope you had fun.

Sincerely,

Jazzy