Summary: AU. Dean and Castiel are teenage lovers but both come face to face with a fair few problems because of their sexuality. PLEASE REVIEW!
Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters.
Pairing: Dean/Castiel.
Keep Me Strong
Chapter Ten: I Promise You
Castiel opened the back door, his beautiful blue eyes twinkling with tears as Gabriel asked what had happened. Lucifer, Anna and Sam all sprinted out of the house and jumped back in horror when they saw Dean's blackened eye and the blood running from his nose.
"We were jumped in the park, but Dean sent me off to the car so I'd be safe…I heard screaming and shouting…I couldn't just leave him!" Castiel breathed, worried about the way Dean trembled against him.
"Okay, you did good, Cassie." Gabriel said as calmly as possible, "You did fantastically in fact. Come on we need to get him inside."
Supporting Dean against him, Castiel opened the opposite door and got out, pulling Dean with him. Gabriel moved around the side and took Dean from Castiel, Lucifer appearing and lifting the older Winchester into some damn strong arms and placing him over his shoulder and carrying him inside. Castiel locked the car and collapsed against it, sliding down before he was sat on the sidewalk sobbing his eyes out. Gabriel pulled him to his feet and hugged him tight.
"Come on, Superman, someone's asking for you." He said, trying to make Castiel chuckle at least.
His attempt worked and they headed inside to see Dean stretched out on the sofa without his shirt on, revealing ugly looking bruises all up his face and finger marks around his neck.
"Oh God…" Castiel whispered, moving forward and kneeling by his side, "Hey, Dean…"
"Cas…?" Dean asked as he reached out and caressed Castiel's cheek, "You got me out okay…"
"I did," Castiel replied shyly, "I couldn't leave you to get beaten, Dean. I'd never do that."
Dean smiled weakly at his boyfriend, and Castiel leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to Dean's lips.
"Thank you." Dean whispered, "Love you, Baby."
"I love you, Winchester." Castiel whispered back, looking up when Lucifer appeared with a bowl of warm water and a washcloth, "Let me?"
His older brother put the bowl down and nodded, hugging his brother before he and Gabriel went to see how Sam was coping with Anna.
"You really saved me, Cas…" Dean breathed, wincing when Castiel put the cloth on some of the bruising on his chest.
"Of course I did, Dean." Castiel replied, "It's okay, you're safe now."
"You really kicked some ass too."
Castiel had to laugh slightly at that, as did Dean.
"Really?" Castiel asked, a smile gracing his beautiful face.
"Yeah. Alastair went down like a ton of bricks…and as for Azazel…I'm sure I heard him crying when you pulled me into the car."
"Well, he's always been a bit of a bitch hasn't he?" Castiel remarked, earning a laugh from his lover.
Castiel continued to clean Dean's wounds and stayed with him, by the sofa all night.
As if things hadn't been bad enough when Dean was beaten, they only got worse when Castiel was rushed to hospital. Dean had saved the day this time.
The older Winchester was picking Sam up for Jessica's when he got a text. Sam had just climbed into the car when he registered the look on Dean's face. Castiel was home alone today and had promised not to go anywhere in case any of Gabriel's new catalogue buys came along. Dean looked down at his cell phone and fear filled his system like a shock of lightning.
"Help"
The keys went in the ignition and the car sped home. Two minutes later, Dean pulled up outside his home and turned to Sam.
"Sam Winchester you stay in this car." He said sternly before climbing out and locking it.
He ran into the house and found Castiel being held by the collar of his shirt, blood and tears soaking his beautiful face as well as blood elsewhere. Michael towered over him like a giant serpent ready to for it's prey. The oldest Novak had a split lip and a cut above his eyebrow, suggesting Castiel had at least tried to fight back, which made Dean proud. Castiel normally just took crap from Michael because he was too scared to do anything else, but not this time. Dean ran forward and pulled Michael off of Castiel, kicking the older man in the stomach and sending him across the living room.
On hearing the banging outside, Sam called Lucifer.
"Sam? You okay?"
"Lucifer, something's happening at home! Cas texted Dean asking for help and Dean's gone in to the house…I can hear banging and shouting, Luce!"
"We're on our way, just stay where you are, Sammy."
Anna and Lucifer pulled up two minutes later and Lucifer sprinted towards the house, Anna staying to talk with Sam through the window the youngest Winchester had opened. Bursting through the door Lucifer found Dean stood in between Michael and Castiel, a kitchen knife held up ready to use.
"Don't think I won't, Michael…you lay one fucking finger on him if you dare!" Dean yelled, so authoritative it made Lucifer shudder.
"You're both sick abominations." Michael growled, "Look at what you've done to him! You've turned him…the other way."
"You stupid son-of-a-bitch!" Dean growled back, "We love each other! What the fuck gives anyone, let alone a bastard like you the right to tell us who we can and can't love?"
Michael stood shell-shocked.
"Yeah, you fucking heard me." Dean hissed, "You've got no right interfering and preaching, and you certainly ain't got a right to come here and beat Castiel to a bloody pulp!"
Lucifer was damn proud of Dean, so determined to defend Castiel, even if it meant having to use that knife in his hand. The second oldest Novak looked at his youngest brother who coughing up blood onto the floor.
"So if I were you, Michael," Dean snarled, "I'd get the fuck away from us all or so help me I'll hunt you down and I'll kick your lily-white ass from here into the next Millennium. You got that?"
A silent and quite frankly pale Michael nodded and backed away from Dean, turning to see Lucifer.
"Get out." Lucifer added on the end, his eyes not leaving his older brother until he'd gone down the street, "Dean, can I have the car keys so I can let Sam out?"
"Sure." Dean replied, throwing the keys to Lucifer before kneeling down beside Castiel, cradling him to his chest.
Castiel trembled and jumped at Dean's touch, but the older Winchester assured him of who it was and that he was okay.
"Dean…my chest hurts…I can't breathe properly." Castiel gasped, trying to control his breathing.
"Shhh, don't talk, Cas…keep breathing as normal as possible, okay?" Dean whispered, kissing Castiel's forehead.
"I love you." Castiel breathed, clutching onto Dean with all his strength as blood ran down his chin.
"Love you too." Dean said softly, wiping the blood away with his shirt.
Lucifer reappeared at the door with Anna and Sam in tow.
"Gabriel's on his way, so is an ambulance." He said moving over to the couple, kneeling down and pulling Dean close to his chest, wrapping his right arm around Castiel's trembling form,
"I'm so proud of you, Dean…so proud."
Dean smiled but couldn't stop tears escaping his eyes as he held Castiel close to him. Then Gabriel and the ambulance showed up.
The nurse appeared from Castiel's room and everyone stood.
"Alright, Gabriel?" She asked, Gabriel stepping forward, "Castiel has broken ribs and needs to rest for up to four weeks. We've got him some painkillers ready, but we want to keep him in tonight for observation."
Gabriel nodded.
"Thank you so much…" He whispered, earning a smile from the young nurse.
"Okay, where's Dean?" The nurse asked, the oldest Winchester stepping forward with a tear streaked face, "He's asking for you, Honey. You can go in and see him now."
Dean looked to the others as if asking for permission.
"If he's asking for you, Dean, go on," Gabriel said, "We'll go in and see him in a minute, it's okay."
Dean nodded and the nurse let him into the room before talking the family about how he sustained the injuries.
Castiel's blackened eyes opened and he saw Dean, a smile spreading across his split lips as he looked on his lover. Grabbing a chair, Dean sat beside Castiel and took his hand.
"Dean, you're here…" Castiel breathed, "I thought you'd gone…"
"I wouldn't go anywhere until I knew you were safe, Cas…I'm not leaving your side okay?"
Castiel smiled weakly and a lone tear escaped his eyes. This kid had cried way too much recently. It was damn unfair; all of it was damn unfair. They shouldn't be treated this way because they love each other.
"Love you." Castiel said, just managing to choke back a sob.
Dean moved forward and kissed the tear away, only to find Castiel's broken lips on his own in a tender kiss.
"Love you too." Dean whispered, keeping hold of Castiel's hand.
If it killed him, Dean was gonna make life so much better for Castiel…if it killed him.
"Things are gonna get better, Cas." Dean said softly, "I promise you."
-TBC-