"I still don't understand why I have to ride with you."
"Because my baby is awesome, and your car is the Douche-Mobile."
"That's hardly fair, Dean. There has never been any sort of douching or douche related activities associated with my car," replied Castiel drily. "Can I at least ride up front after school?"
"No!" answered Sam and Dean together. Castiel grumbled in his seat in the back of the Impala as it pulled into its regular spot in the Samuel Colt High School parking lot.
"Mr. Winchester, what happened to you face?" asked one of the students in Dean's first period class. Oh, right. That's why people had been staring at him funny all morning.
"You should see the other guy," Dean said.
"I wonder what they would see?" asked a deep voice behind him. He turned around from writing on the blackboard and found a smug Cas standing in his doorway.
"May I help you, Mr. Novak?"
"Yes. I need to borrow your tv. Ours appears to be broken."
"Knock yourself out." Cas pulled the 20 year old tv and tv cart from the corner, and Dean watched him. He was wearing borrowed clothes from Dean, except for his jeans which were the same ones from last night. He wore one of his plaid button ups, but instead of it being loose and open like Dean normally wore it, it was all tucked in and buttoned up. "You look like a fancy lumberjack, Cas."
Dean's class laughed. Cas smirked for a moment, as if weighing his retort carefully.
"Funny, I was just about to say you look as if you lost a fight to a fancy lumberjack." The class looked from Cas's small cut on the bridge of his nose to Dean's black eye, and cut lip, and after a moment of confused silence, erupted in hoots and laughter. Dean's face resembled a bruised tomato.
"All right, all right, everyone get out their essays. Get into your groups." Dean walked over to the doorway as Cas pushed the cart into his own classroom. "Are you showing them the 60s movie version?"
"I'm showing them the one directed by Baz Luhrman featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes," answered Cas. Dean nodded his approval. Both of them locked eyes as they stood in their respective doorways.
"Good choice. Can't go wrong with Leo. I think they'll like that one. When are you starting your next book?"
"Probably on Monday. You?"
"Maybe Friday, just to start them off on reading the first chapter."
"Well, I have something special planned for them on Friday."
"What is it, Mr. Novak?" asked one of Cas's kids from his classroom. Dean shook his head. He had almost forgotten both classes could hear their conversation.
"You'll find out on Friday! We'll talk later, Dean. Maybe your class would like to join."
"We'd love to!" answered one of Dean's students. Dean's and Cas's classes both laughed.
"Okay, we'll see!" Dean said to his class, who were delighted with his answer. "See you at lunch," he said to Cas before turning back to his class.
"So, Dean," started Ash as he and Cas took seats at their lunch table. "Rumor around school is our mild mannered teacher over here gave you that black eye."
"Where'd you hear that from?" asked Dean. "Was it Jessie from my second period?"
"Nah. Everyone was talking about it at the teacher's lounge." Dean rolled his eyes. Teachers were the biggest gossips he'd ever met.
"Want some concealer to hide it?" asked Jo with biting sarcasm.
"Shut up, Jo." Dean threw a potato wedge at her which she caught between her teeth. Cas laughed.
"Hey, Cas. Nice to have you back," said Jo, touching his arm briefly.
"Thank you. I feel I need to explain about Dean's appearance. Dean and I were 'rough housing' yesterday and I'm afraid I may have gotten too 'rough' on him," said Cas. Jo giggled at his air quotes. Her hand had found its way to his arm again.
"Where's Sam?" Cas asked, as he bit into his cafeteria meatball sub. Dean noted that he hadn't shrugged off Jo's attentions.
"He's just making some personal calls," answered Dean who was giving an extra effort in concentrating on his own sub.
"Oh," said Cas, understanding.
"Phone sex with Jess?" said Jo laughing.
"Pretty much," agreed Dean. Cas gave him the smallest of smiles that Dean took for gratefulness.
"Where's Lisa?" said Dean through a mouthful of meatball.
"Field trip, remember?" said Jo. "Thank goodness. I can't stand her. Too bad Charlie had to go, too."
"You do not have a meaningful friendship with Lisa?" asked Cas.
"Nope. I can't stand her."
"Oh. I suppose it's because your personalities are too similar?" Dean almost choked on his lunch. Ash raised an eyebrow and Jo looked furious. She dropped her hand from Cas's arm.
"What are you talking about?" huffed the petite blonde Math teacher.
"You're both independent, strong women. You're both are comfortable with your self image, and sexual identities. You're both confident, and easy going. You're both in the same profession."
"You guys do date the same kind of guys," added Ash.
"So?"
"So those same kind of guys are into both you."
Jo's mood for the rest of their lunch period was contemplative and quiet. Even when Sam finally joined them, she remained closed off. The bell rang to signal the end of the lunch period, and normally Dean and Cas would walk back to their classroom together, but today Cas told Dean to go on without him. Dean shrugged, but a scowl appeared on his face.
"Jo, may I walk with you?"
"I'm going the opposite direction."
"Yes."
". . . Fine, Cas." They walked out of the cafeteria.
"I apologize if I offended you. It was not my intent."
"It's okay. I mean, what you said makes sense. And it's not like I didn't like Lisa when I first met her."
"Well, what changed your mind?"
"Dean."
"Dean?"
"Yeah. He and I were kind of talking for a little while. I had a monster crush on him when I first met him. But then he and Lisa hooked up." Castiel absorbed the words. This information mixing with his questionable meatball sub was making his stomach turn in a very unpleasant way. "I couldn't hold it against him. He was going through a really tough time then."
"I see. It seems as if Dean has dated the entire town of Sioux Falls."
"Just about. You should see him on Open House nights. You'd think he was at a buffet. There are way too many single moms in this town. We never, you know, but Dean was special to me."
"I don't think there's any shame in that." Jo turned to face Castiel. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and smiled. Castiel blushed and stared at his shoes.
"You're an angel. Now get to class. You're late!"
"I'm Sheriff Jody Mills." The older brunette in uniform handed Castiel a mug of lukewarm coffee. He politely took it and drank. He set it down on the table in front of him, mentally promising his taste buds he would not be taking another sip. "The boys tell me you have a problem."
". . . Yes." The sheriff sat down on the other side of the desk. Castiel eyed the picture behind her in a silver frame. It was Dean, Sam, a grumpy looking man in a hat, and the sheriff in front of what looked like a cabin.
"That was taken last year. I've known the boys a long time."
"How long?" asked Castiel. This was easier than speaking about, well, the other thing.
"Five years or so. But I guess it feels like a lifetime ago." Castiel nodded. He almost took another sip of the murky coffee just to fill the pause. The sheriff waited patiently, not pressing Castiel.
"How long have you been sheriff?"
"Eight years next month." Castiel nodded. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking at the closed door that would lead him to his exit. She waited another moment before she spoke again. "Mr. Novak, I can only help if you tell me what's going on. The boys are under the impression that you're in danger. But I can't, and I won't, force my help on you."
". . . I understand. I'm sorry. I think this is a mistake."
"What are you afraid of?"
"I—I am simply overreacting. I don't wish to waste the resources or time of the Sioux Falls Sheriff's Department."
"Do you pay your taxes, Mr. Novak?"
"Yes."
"Then it's your resource and time, and I'll judge if it's a waste or not," Sheriff Mills said. She continued to watch Castiel. He tried to maintain a calm demeanor, but his eyes gave him away. There was such undiluted fear in them that the sheriff was reminded of the first time she met Dean Winchester that lifetime ago. "I would like to help you. And sorry to break it to you, but I may not force my help on you, but you can be damn sure those Winchesters out there will. Trust me, you'd rather have me in on the loop then have those stooges do what they think is right without knowing all the facts." She gave him a small smile of encouragement. Castiel nodded. He started slowly.
"There is a man. I have known him many years. He was my professor back when I was in college for my Bachelor's Degree. He was a friend of my father's for many years before he passed away, and he took it upon himself to mentor me as a favor to my father's memory. I looked up to him. He was almost like a second father to me." Castiel swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat with every word. It was as if someone else was saying the words. "But, he became obsessed with me. He became erratic, and delusional. And finally, one day, he became violent. I tried to sever our ties. I moved several times, I even transferred to a couple of different colleges. But he always found me. I changed my name legally when I graduated with my Master's degree, but somehow he found me again. I've moved around for years, and I hadn't heard from him in more than three years, but last Friday I received a call. I believe it was him."
"And you tried to run again."
"Yes. It seemed the natural thing to do."
"Sweetheart," started the Sheriff. Castiel looked up and found her naturally no nonsense face molded into a maternal, caring one. "There is nothing natural about that situation. You deserve peace and security just like any citizen in my county. And my job is to ensure you have that."
Castiel nodded as Sheriff Mills took down his statement. She asked a few specific questions, and for the most part Castiel answered with as much of the truth as he could. She could tell he was keeping certain details from her, but she didn't push. A man who hadn't known peace or trust for the last dozen or so years . . . this was to be expected. She'd get all the facts sooner or later. She shook his and told him she would be in contact with him.
"I am staying with Dean and Sam for the time being."
"I'll call the house then. Since you no longer have your cell phone."
"Yes, I would appreciate that. Thank you, Sheriff."
"Call me Jody. I'll be seeing you around, Castiel. That's a strange name. Where did you come up with that?"
"It's biblical; just a lower ranking angel." Castiel shrugged.
"Like I always tell my junior deputies, importance has nothing to do with rank." She smiled at him as he left her office. He turned to face her one more time.
"Thank you, Jody." She nodded and he made his way towards Dean and Sam who were playing cards with some of the deputies across the small station.
"Boys! You better not be betting joyrides in my squad cars again!" shouted Jody playfully from her office. The deputies had guilt painted clearly on their faces as Dean swept the pot in the middle of the desk towards him.
A/N: Last chapter's joke was the Dean Winchester vs. Eric Brady reference! Both are roles played by Jensen Ackles!
