Dean watched the sun slowly rise from the passenger side of the window. It felt good to be in the Impala again and better yet John had promised he could drive. Right at that moment everything was ok, Dean was pleased his dad seemed happy or at least not angry which was as close to happy as John Winchester got these days.

John tapped his fingers to "Don't Fear the Reaper" blasting through the speakers. Father and son sang together, John had started and Dean joined in. The tension and hurt feelings left the teen and it was just two guys cruising along in a classic muscle car singing cool songs on their way toward danger. It was about the most manly Dean had felt since he moved to Angel Falls and he hated to admit it but he loved this even if the man driving could sometimes be the devil.

The tape ended and John motioned to the bag between them, "Go on, eat your bear paw."

Dean fished around in the bag and found it mixed with the jellies, his dads favorite. The teen felt like a Hunter again, bad coffee and doughnuts to fuel them as they went off to be heroes again.

He decided to ask John if he could call Sam from the motel when they got there, he missed his brother and his heart ached to see Cas again but he locked the feeling away. Love was a weakness and Dean showered what he had to give on his little brother. Letting anyone else in was dangerous and could only lead to pain.

As the Impala put distance between Dean and Cas the young Hunter saw that clear as day.

…..

Cas sat at the kitchen table staring at his plate of pancakes, "These have blueberries. I like both but not together."

Sam was busy shoveling in the syrup soaked stack and was already on his second glass of milk. Cas was amazed at how the eleven year old was growing, he wondered if Sam would be a giant someday.

Angie raised her eyebrow which meant he was whining and she didn't want to hear it. He smiled at her, "I'll pick them out."

She got up and put on her shooting vest then tucked a .38 inside. Sam stopped eating long enjoy to admire the unusual blade she slid into a custom sheath on her belt.

That is an awesome knife, where did you get it?"

Angie winked at him, "It's for a special purpose; maybe someday I'll tell you all about it."

"Cool!"

Cas had lost his appetite, he didn't like his mother going out to work because it always seemed so dangerous, "Where are you going?"

The tall blonde twisted her hair in a bun and secured it with a pin, "I have to take care of something. Don't worry; I'm just driving out to Angel Falls. There was a sighting of something big flying around and it wasn't an eagle according to the kids that saw it. Personally I think it's a turkey vulture plus it was dusk when they spotted whatever it was. Maybe some pot or booze was the culprit."

Cas lowered his voice even more than it normally was, "Angela Novak, the self proclaimed protector of Angel Falls."

She gave them both a kiss on the forehead, "Someone has to do it. If I'm staying past dark I'll try to call, no promises. Actually smartass, I'm the self proclaimed protector of you guys but you can thank me later."

Cas rolled his eyes and snickered, "Thanks mom."

She laughed and pinched his cheek, "Again with the smart mouth." Angie grabbed her thermos and headed out.

Sam was wide eyed, "If I teased my dad like that he'd bust my arm!"

Cas's blue eyes darted around then settled on Sam, "You don't really mean that."

"Well…maybe not bust my arm but I'd get a smack." The little boy rested his head on the table and muttered, "I hope Dean is ok."

…..

Sam sat next to Cas on the bus keeping watch over him. Cas noticed Sam looking around with a serious look on his face, "What are you doing?"

"Watching out for you, Dean told me to take care of you while he was gone. I'm a tough kid so don't worry."

The fifteen year old gave the boy an amused smile, "I feel safer already." Little did Cas know how very capable Sam Winchester was as a protector.

….

Cas was busy at the pottery wheel when Ms. Applegate came over. She watched him work with care and great skill, "What are you making Cas?"

He watched the wheel spin as he added a bit more water, "A vessel."

"A vessel?"

Cas' blue eyes were burning with intensity as his fingers worked over the surface, "A vessel to hold important things, I am making it for my friend as a gift. Will I be able to glaze and fire this week?"

Ms. Applegate took a step back, "Yes of course as soon as you're ready." She looked down at her empty coffee mug, "Speaking of vessels I have to go refill mine."

After the teacher left Brent stepped up behind him with two of his friends, "What are you making bitch, a bowl to hold all the condoms you use on Winchesters ass or do you raw dog it with him?"

Cas didn't bother to look at them, "None of your business, don't you have something better to do like spreading your special brand of assholery?"

There was a shove after that, ending with Cas on the floor and plenty of laughter from the three other teens. Ms. Applegate came back just in time to defuse the situation and send Brent to the principal's office.

Cas stared at the back of Brent's head as he left but it didn't explode. That was very disappointing. The teen was sure someday he could develop some sort of mental power to thwart all his antagonists .

…

Dean poked around the basement of Benson Reformatory. Closed and boarded up in 1964 the place was said to be haunted by Millie Taffert, a cook that had been pushed out a third story window. She now haunted the grounds punishing foolish people that entered her sanctuary.

So far two deaths had been tied to the haunting, teenagers that were full of liquid courage and not enough brains. Dean was trying to find something that still bound her to this place. They had done a salt and burn but John ended up shoved down a ravine with only bumps and bruises to show for the effort.

John barked from the head of the basement stairs, "Dean, did you find anything yet?"

Dean's hands shook as he moved old trash barrels to get to a row of lockers, "Maybe, hang on." Once cleared he read the faded tags on each one until he hit "M. Taffert" one jerk of a crowbar on the door revealed a moldy wool swing coat with a faded silk flower pinned to the lapel.

Dean took it out and scanned the locker for anything else but it was empty. He made it halfway up the stairs when the ghost appeared before him. Millie was white eyed with hair undulating around her head as if she was under water. Dean had seen worse, he was scared but he didn't show it.

She shoved Dean back down the stairs; he tumbled to the bottom gashing his leg on the way down and striking his head on the cement floor. The last thing he recalled was the sound of her wailing as a shotgun went off then John calling his name.

….

John stuck smelling salts under his nose and Dean tried shoving them away. "Well if you're awake enough to do that then I think you'll live." John doused his thigh with rubbing alcohol and took the curved needle with surgical thread and began to stitch the cut on his son's leg.

Dean sucked in a breath and exhaled through his teeth making a hissing sound. He squeezed his eyes shut and waited for it to be over. John placed a bandage over his handiwork and began cleaning up the bloody paper towels.

"Dad, what happened?"

"Bitch shoved you down the stairs; I burned the coat and dragged your ass back here. You caught your leg on a nail on the way down and ripped it open pretty good." He shined a light in Deans eyes, "I hope you didn't get a concussion."

…..

During supper the phone rang and it was Dean. Sam hopped around trying to grab it from Angie. She handed it over and Sam blurted out, "Dean I miss you!"

"Miss you too Sam, are you being good?"

"No, I'm being a jerk so you better come home right now and keep an eye on me."

Dean laughed softly on the other end, "I'll be back this weekend. I got tossed down some stairs so I look like Frankenstein with stitches in my leg and bruises all over. Damn ghost got her licks in but dad stitched me up."

"You mean Frankenstein's monster. I'm glad you're ok."

"Whatever you little egghead."

Sam noticed Cas staring at phone with his sad blue eyes so Sam cut the conversation short.

"Love you Dean."

"Love you too Sammy."

Sam handed Cas the phone and the teens hands shook from excitement as he held it to his ear, "Hello Dean, did you hurt yourself?"

"Yeah, no biggie, an icepack and some stitches took care of it."

"Oh, well be careful. When will you come home?"

Home, Dean liked the sound of that. He had a place he actually belonged, "This weekend. Hey Cas, I uh…its gonna be good to get back."

"I miss you too Dean."

John barked in the background, "Hang up, they charge my card for this."

Dean wanted to point out it was a scammed card but he didn't dare, "I got to go. See you guys soon."

…..

Cas was singing and all smiles the rest of the night. Angie noticed his good mood and knew it was because of Dean Winchester. Her son had his very first crush and Angie was pretty sure Dean had his. There was the worry of broken hearts but for all she knew it could last forever. Considering her sons origins maybe it was meant to be.

Sam grabbed a cookie and stuffed it in his mouth like a chipmunk; Cas took one and did the same thing then smiled at him. Sam stuck out his tongue and then swallowed. Angie tried to be parental and told Sam no one wanted to see his ABC food but she laughed and ruined her tough image.

Cas closed his book and pushed it away, "Mom, can we cook something special for Dean on Sunday? I bet all he ate was junk, how about chicken?"

Sam chimed in, "And pie."

"Alright, I'll buy everything and you guys do the cooking. It will be good to have him home again."

…

Cas went to the hamper by Dean's bed, fished out a pair of his dirty boxers and laid down. Cas pressed them to his face but there was no shame this time, he opened his jeans, pulled out his hard cock and stroked it furiously.

The door was locked and if Sam tried to get it he would tell him to stand there and wait. Cas pressed the crotch hard against his nose suffocating himself in the stench of sweat, cum, piss and anything else that happened to be there. He sucked the material gagging himself with the taste then used the boxers to finish ejaculating.

He rubbing his semen across the sheets and dropped the filthy underwear on the mattress then covered it with the comforter marking his claim. "There, enjoy your welcome home gift…you better never leave me again or I'll fuck you good and make you stay with me."

Cas couldn't believe the dark things he thought about sometimes. He wondered if actually given the opportunity would he be this kinky, be gentle and soft or run away like a little boy. "I would never hurt you Dean."

The doorknob jiggled and then there was a soft knock, "Cas open up I want to go to bed."

Cas snapped out of his sex addled state and quickly zipped up. "Crap…what if Sam smells it, I'm so gross!" He fished the dirty boxers out and stuffed them at the bottom of the hamper then hurried to the door, unlocked it and brushed past Sam without a word.

Sam walked inside and wrinkled up his nose, "Gross." He opened the little brass dragon Angie had given him and lit some Nag Champa to mask the smell of teenage boy.

….

Dean sat at a corner table in the dark watching his dad play pool with a couple of hunting buddies he hooked up with. Dean was used to places like this so anything that went on wasn't much of a shock to his senses. He was surprised John actually bought him his own pitcher of beer and nachos to make up for the last shitty hunt and his fall down the stairs.

The fifteen year old was buzzed and feeling truly relaxed for the first time on the trip. Dean watched as John put his arm around a nice looking young guy hanging out with the older Hunters and pressed something into his hand then nodded toward Dean.

The guy sidled over to the table and made himself at home, he pressed his thigh against Dean's and ran his hand between the drunk teens legs squeezing his bulge, "You are a big boy," he pressed his lips to Dean's ear, "daddy said to give you a nice time. My name is Billy."

Dean swallowed hard and downed the beer he was nursing, "W…what?"

Billy grabbed his hand and dragged Dean over to the pool game, "Tell him John."

John was busy lining up his shot, "Go have fun Dean."

….

The teen was put in a pickup truck and driven back to the motel. He was confused, drunk and he still hurt badly, like a lamb to slaughter he was dragged inside the room and pushed back on the bed.

Billy pulled off Dean's boots and had his jeans off so fast Dean didn't have time to protest. "Have you ever done anything before Dean or are you all dewy fresh?"

Dean closed his eyes and croaked, "I got it sucked once."

"Let me guess, by this Cas kid that John was talking about?"

"No, I'm not gay; it was a girl from school."

Billy dragged him to the edge of the bed and knelt between his legs spreading them wide, "Keep your eyes closed then if you're not gay, you can pretend I'm a pretty girl instead of a pretty boy."

Dean sighed as the warm mouth engulfed his cock. He didn't think of a pretty girl he thought of Cas between his legs. Being drunk gave the boy freedom to have brutally honest fantasies. Dean wanted his friend to put his mouth all over him and just maybe he would let him inside.

So it was Cas tonguing his balls and strumming the thick vein expertly, stabbing the slit and gathering the moisture for a slow ride down with his soft lips. Dean's second blowjob lasted maybe a minute longer than the first one. Dean was soon bucking his hips and grabbing for Billy's hair to keep him locked down but the young man pinned his wrists and made him wait.

Once Billy was sure the kid's balls were drained he rolled Dean over, "I just have to take a look." He spread the firm cheeks open and smiled, "Oh my god, you are so hot. I'll fuck you for free, pop that cherry."

Dean panicked, he swung his leg and Billy got a kick to the stomach sending him stumbling back and hit the wall. Dean yelled, "Get the fuck away from me!"

Billy left afraid someone had heard Dean yelling. Dean stumbled to the door, slammed and locked it then went to sit in a hot bath to wash his shame away. Afterward he emptied his gut of the excess beer and then rolled up in a musty blanket to fall asleep and forget.

…..

Friday came and the day dragged by for Cas. Gym was last period and he made it through the week with a minimum of insults tossed his way.

They had a new gym teacher Mr. Barrett and all the girls had taken notice. Jeff Barrett looked to be in his early thirties with a swimmers build, dark eyes, and chiseled features.

Cas thought his best feature was his smile. Mr. Barrett had blushed lips that contrasted with his fair skin and when he smiled it was dazzling. The boy took notice of the white, even teeth and even the coach's soft laughter and easy personality. Cas figured gym class wouldn't suck all that bad if he had Dean and Mr. Barrett to look at.

The teen wondered if the coach would shower with them, he doubted it was allowed but he was curious to see what was beneath the black sweat pants. Cas felt guilty thinking about another males body since he was already in a relationship with Dean. Of course Dean didn't know that yet but Cas figured he would catch on sooner or later.

After gym and a quick shower Cas hurried to the locker room door and slammed right into Mr. Barrett. The coach lifted him under the arms and back on his feet. Barrett held his shoulders, "Be careful Novak, you might break something."

Cas blinked a few times as he looked up at the tall man, "Sorry, gotta go." He scurried out the door but not before Jeff Barrett got a good look at Cas' sweet little ass on the way out, from the expanse of lily white crack showing Jeff knew the boy was going commando and the gym teacher liked that just fine.

…..

Once off the bus Cas dashed ahead of Sam so he could be there if the phone rang in case it was Dean. He checked their messages but there was nothing. Disappointed now, Cas sat glumly at the table and ate an apple before starting his homework.

Sam dropped his backpack on the floor and sat across from him, "I'm bored, let's go do something."

Cas looked over at the phone, "No, its going to be dark soon."

Sam looked outside at the waning light, "When are we going to Angel Falls? I want to see it before winter."

"After mom makes sure the place is safe."

"Good because I like fossils and I heard it's loaded with them."

…

Dean packed up his meager belongings Saturday morning for the trip back home. After what happened last night he was quiet not wanting to engage his father in conversation because Dean decided to lock it all away with whole trunk full of other bad memories.

They stopped for gas, coffee and some doughnuts for the road. John said they would make it back to Angel Falls late that night and he was going to sleep off his hangover while Dean drove the first half.

Once on the road John asked Dean why he didn't thank him for the gift.

"What gift?"

John gave a dirty laugh, "That hot little ticket Billy. He gives great blow jobs and I thought it would be a stress reliever after that shitty week. I got one and it was mind altering."

Dean griped the steering wheel tight and stared straight ahead, "He wanted to do more than that so I kicked him in the gut."

John slid down a little in the seat and closed his eyes ready to nod off, "Should have let him pop that cherry, better than letting that little geek do it."

Dean shouted, "I'm not gay…I'm not! Shut up about Cas, you don't like him I get it but he's my friend. I don't want sex with anyone so just leave me the fuck alone!"

John sat up and pointed to a sign for a wayside coming up, "Pull over there."

Tears spilled from Deans eyes, "Dad I'm sorry."

John unbuckled his belt, "Pull over you ungrateful fucking crybaby. I'll give you something to cry about."

…

They got back right before midnight. After giving Dean a sound beating he made the boy drive the entire way back while he slept.

Dean parked the Impala back in storage, got out dragging his duffle behind him. He figured his dad would leave with the Impala now and worse, maybe take them away.

John stopped Dean before he went inside, he handed him the keys, "I'm taking the truck again. Don't you say a word about anything that happened that isn't hunting related you got that? No drinking, hookers or discipline."

Dean took the keys gratefully, "Yes Sir."

John hugged him, "I want to remind you of something, Winchesters don't fall in love, you put people in danger, get them killed and end up alone anyway. In the spring I'm coming to get you boys and set you up at Bobby Singers place then we can come and go as we please."

Dean didn't want to start a fight but he had to ask, "Why can't Sam and I just stay here? Cas is just my friend."

John grabbed the back of his neck and squeezed until it hurt, "Great, you won't miss him then will you?"

Dean had a sudden urge to beat his father until the man was dead; he pushed the dark thought aside and answered, "No Sir."

"Good boy."

John left and never looked back.

…..

After Cas watched the truck lights head out he climbed back in the window and went to his dresser where the vessel he made for Dean was wrapped in the comics section of the newspaper. "Should I give it to him now…no I bet he's tired out."

He was dying to see his friend, Cas wanted to run down and hug him until Dean gave in and hugged him right back but he didn't. Instead he put on his flannel sleep pants and climbed in bed. Cas couldn't sleep, he laid there staring up at the skylight wondering if Dean was ok.

…...

Dean dropped his bag by the door and limped upstairs to the second floor. The hall seemed so long and he was so very tired that the effort almost wasn't worth it. John had broken him down that week physically and emotionally. He took everything that made Dean happy and used it against him and still Dean got a beating. He was about to sit down right there in the hallway when he heard singing.

It was faint, coming from the attic room. It spurred Dean on, he climbed the flight of stairs, opened the door and stepped inside, he wavered on his feet, "Cas help me."

Cas was there in a flash catching Dean as he started to slump, "I'll get mom."

"No, you take care of me…please?"

Cas helped him onto his bed and slipped off Deans boots and socks, "Can I take off your pants and shirt?"

"Yeah."

He undid the worn leather belt and carefully opened the fly of the jeans that had seen better days. He hoped Dean was wearing boxers and was relieved to see that he was. The last thing he wanted was to embarrass him. Once they were off Cas could see the suture along Deans thigh and the blooming of fresh bruises. "Dean I really need to get my mom."

Dean clamped a surprisingly strong hand on Cas' arm and held it, "No, tomorrow. I want you to hold me so I feel better…I can't let Sam see me."

Cas wasn't sure what he wanted so he slid in behind Dean and pressed against him tight like two spoons. He wrapped an arm around Dean's chest and felt his friend melt into the embrace.

Dean felt lips brush the back of his neck and an erection press hard against the crack of his ass. Cas whispered, "Sorry I can't help it, it just happens."

Dean didn't answer, his eyes closed and he fell into a dreamless sleep.

TBC