Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize, this story is for fun, not profit.
Notes: Nothing to really say for this chapter. Just that I hope you like it.
Warnings: slight language, mention of minor character death
"This is?"
"Brandon, South Dakota. Come on, there's a diner."
Christian Campbell and Abaddon Peal walked towards the little diner and found a seat. There was only one other person eating, a single man.
"What are we doing here, Ab? Alistair always at least gives us a location. All we get this time is a description and a name," Christian said.
"Look, Alistair is paying us double to find this kid. For that amount, I will personally look in every city there is to find some black-haired, blue-eyed kid," Abaddon said.
"What's so important about this kid anyways?"
"Don't know. Only know the kid is so important, Alistair wants the pleasure of doing it himself."
"Excuse me." It was the man.
"Yeah?" Christian asked.
"Couldn't help but overhear you're looking for a black-haired, blue-eyed kid? Well, one just came to my town yesterday."
Abaddon and Christian looked at each other. "What's in it for you and who are you?" she asked.
"I want a small cut of that paycheck. As for who I am," the man grinned. "My name is Richard Roman."
"This the place?"
"Dude said so. Now, keep an eye out."
"Coulda sworn we were looking for a male, not some chick."
"Could be disguised."
"True," Christian conceeded. They looked at the sign that read Sioux Falls and nodded to each other.
"Split up and call me if you see him. Or her. Him? The kid," Abaddon said. Christian nodded again and left, getting out of the car and walking away. She left the car too, knowing a person getting fresh air is less noticable than a car driving around for hours.
She walked down the streets, looking at the nice houses. She passed a auto-shop and saw a older man wearing a ball cap yelling at a teen who seemed to have dropped something important. Another man came up and placed a hand on the first man's shoulder, saying something.
She saw two teens sitting at the park, a toaster between them. She decided to try something and approched them.
"Where did you even get this? It looks like if you plugged it in, it'd explode," one said. He had wilder hair than the other and no glasses. She guessed them twins.
"Mr. Tate said it would work for us. We're not toasting the ghosts so it doesn't matter," the one wearing glasses said. "It only cost five bucks."
"Not even worth that," the first one muttered.
"Excuse me," Abaddon said, making her voice friendly. The boys looked up. "I'm looking for my friend. She moved here and I came to visit, but my phone died and I can't find her house."
"Who you looking for?" the first one asked.
She paused, not knowing the name the kid picked. She guessed the kid would want something similar to his actual name, Castiel, for comfort. The nickname would be the same. "Uh, Cassie," she decided in, hoping she was right.
"Ah, that new girl. She's with the Miltons. They're just a block ahead, in this big green house," the second one said. "Now, if you don't mind, we're busy."
"Not at all. Thanks," she said, walking off and shaking her head at their stupiditiy. If she had a new person move into town, she wouldn't give their address out so readily.
She reached the house in question. It was about six, so they should be eating around now. She glanced at a large window and noticed she was correct. There were two adults and five teens seated around a large dinner table.
Time to take the kid alive. She didn't care about the rest of them.
Castiel knew something was wrong. He had thought he saw a flash of red outside the window, but when he looked, it was nothing. Then, he heard a tiny click. Like a lock being disenaged.
"Get down!" he yelled, not even bothering to hide his voice.
"Ah, now I hope you weren't expecting me," a woman said, walking into the dining room. "Takes the surprise out of it."
"Who are you? Get out!" Chuck said, standing. She grinned and pulled out a phone and a gun, causing everyone to freeze.
"Christian, green house. Three blocks from where we parked. Door's open," she said into the phone after calling someone. "Now, where were we? Oh, right. Kid, come with me, no one gets hurt. Don't, I kill everyone and drag you out. Pick."
Castiel flashed back to Azazel and his family. He couldn't do that to this one. "I'll go!" he cried, standing up.
Everyone started arguing instantly, causing the woman to scowl. She raised the gun and fired a shot, hitting a vase on the table close to where Sam and Charlie sat. Everyone shut up.
"Kid's old enough. He can pick his own choice. Now, come on, kid. Alistair has been waiting to see you. You know, I thought it would be harder to find you. I'd still be looking if it wasn't for a helpful Richard Roman and two teens more focused on themselves than anything." The woman smiled. "Now, let's go."
"Whose Alistair?" Castiel asked.
"Azazel's brother. Now come on, kid. Time's awasting." The woman beckoned to him. Castiel saw Chuck type something on his phone under the table.
"Why are you doing this?" Chuck asked, slipping his phone into his pocket unseen.
"I don't think I have to answer you," she sneered. "I need the kid alive. I don't care about the rest of you." She raised the gun again and readied it. "Wanna pick who dies first?" she asked, slowly trailing the gun so it pointed at everyone at the table. The younger teens looked ready to cry, but Dean had a determined look on his face.
"You're not going to shoot any of them," a new voice said. It was a man wearing a tacky Hawiian shirt. He had his own gun aimed at the woman's head. "Christian's dead. Give yourself up," he said.
"Chris Harkness? I'm surprised. I thought you were Alistair's bitch," she sneered. The man's jaw clenched. "Not gonna shoot them, huh?" she asked, pointing it right at Dean. She pulled the trigger and then chaos raged.
She was brought down by Chris and the adults hurried over to help. Then came a choked sob.
"Cas!" Dean cried. Castiel had jumped at Dean when the gun went off. He was bleeding from his side rather heavily. Police officers, along with Kevin, ran in and helped Chris take the woman outside. Kevin, Anna, and Chuck rushed to Castiel's side.
His vision was blurring badly. "I couldn't let you die," he said in halting words to Dean.
"Shush, babe. Don't talk. Please," Dean pleaded, cradling him as the officers radioed the hospital.
"Cassie, baby, it's going to be okay," Anna insisted, kneeling down beside them and running a hand over Castiel's head.
"I'm cold, mom," Castiel said, unaware of what he was saying now.
"Cassie! Stay awake!"
"Come on, Cassie! Fight it!"
"Don't do this to me. Not when I just got you."
But then Castiel knew no more.
When Castiel finally came to, he heard voices around him.
"He's been out for two weeks. That's not a good start in a new school.'"
"He'll be fine, Anna. Stop worring."
"He died, Chuck. They said his heart stopped for four minutes before they got it back going. Don't tell me not to worry."
"But he's alive. Take care in that fact."
"True."
There was a pause. Castiel felt so much pain. He struggled to open his eyes, but his body refused to listen.
"Where's Dean? I haven't seen him leave Castiel's side except for school." That was Chuck. Castiel remembered that much.
"Bathroom," Anna answered.
There was another pause. This time, his eyes slowly opened. He was in a hospital room, hooked up to many machines. Chuck and Anna were sitting by him, both looking haggard and tired. As he began to move, they looked up together.
"Cassie," they both said at the same time, breathless with relief.
"Dean?" he breathed.
"He'll be right back," Anna told him, running a hand through his hair. Castiel noticed the wig was gone. He looked down and saw the suit was gone too. His chest was covered by white bandages instead.
"Everyone safe?" he asked.
Chuck nodded. Kevin walked into the room then, having heard Castiel's voice.
"Castiel. It's good to see you again," he said.
"You too," Castiel answered.
"Just so you know, through a helpful Chris Harkness, we were able to locate Alistair and Lilith. You are truly safe now. Richard Roman has been arrested for aiding them and for three counts of sexual harrassment towards students."
"But it only happened once," Castiel managed, not thinking clearly.
"Wait, he made advancements towards you too?" Kevin asked.
"Just said my jeans were tight and he liked seeing them like that," Castiel answered.
"Four counts then. You don't have to worry anymore," Kevin assured him. They talked for a few more minutes, then Kevin left.
"You don't have to hide anymore, Cassie," Anna said happily.
"But now what? Where will I go?" Castiel asked.
"We've talked that over with Linda, who's here also. Since you would be placed in the foster care system anyways, we asked if we could be your foster parents. We could even adopt you if you're okay with that," Chuck said.
Castiel smiled slightly. "I'd like that."
"Cas." Dean's voice was soft and excited.
Chuck smiled and stood with Anna. "We're going to go talk to Linda and Kevin," he told Castiel, who nodded. "You won't have long. The nurses are going to want to check on you."
The two adults left, leaving the teens alone. Dean hurried over and sat next to Castiel's bed.
"First, let me say thank god you're awake," Dean said. "We were worried you wouldn't wake."
"Second?" Castiel asked, trying to sit up. The pain was so great, he gave up and slumped back down.
"Why did you do that? Why did you jump in the way?"
Castiel looked over so he was staring in Dean's eyes. "Because I already lost my family. I lost my best friend, my home, everything I knew for seventeen years. I couldn't lose you too. I couldn't put your parents or Sam through what I felt."
"And how do you think we would feel? Huh? If you had died. You've only been here, awake, for one day, but you've impacted so many people around you already," Dean told him.
"Tell Sue I'm sorry I couldn't be there," Castiel said.
"That doesn't matter. She understands." Dean stood and grabbed Castiel's hand. "Just get better and come home. Gabriel's about to kill Ed. You don't want Ed to die because you didn't come back and tutor Gabe, right?"
Castiel laughed, then grimaced.
"You'll be feeling the pain for awhile. Shouldn't last long than a week now," a nurse said, walking into the room. She came up to the bed and began checking his vitals. "Do you want your boyfriend in the room with you when we change your bandages?"
Castiel's eyes widened as he and Dean looked at each other.
"He's not-"
"I'm not-"
They spoke at the same time. The nurse looked amused.
"Sure. I'm sorry. I just figured since you're here every day all day, you were his boyfriend," she said. Dean flushed.
"I just remembered my mom needs help with Sammy. Feel better, Cas," Dean said, practially fleeing from the room.
"He's not my boyfriend," Castiel insisted as the nurse helped him sit up so they could change his bandages.
"Honey, you two seem to want to lie to yourselves all day long. I've been married for twenty years now and that boy looks at you like my husband still look at me. If he's not, then you two are missing out," she said kindly.
Castiel fell silent, thinking about what she had said. Where did he and Dean stand anyways? Where did he want them to stand? Where did Dean want them to stand?
He had so many questions and no answers.