Next chapter has been posted! Thank you to everyone who has read my story so far. This chapter is a bit longer than usual because I added an extra part at then end that was supposed to be in the next chapter, so you're welcome. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story and please review! Thanks everyone! ~RingHunterWizard~

"You see, that car back there was an actual car. Not this junk that we're driving in."

"You're biased, Dean. You think every old car is a beaut and every new one's a piece of trash."

"Damn straight I do, Gabriel."

"Can you guys shut up for just one second?" Cas asked.

"Fine." Dean and Gabriel muttered simultaneously, glaring at each other.

"This isn't over, Winchester."

"Oh, I know." Dean said. Cas rolled his eyes.

"You two are like children, honestly." He shook his head.

"I'm hungry." Gabriel announced less than a moment later.

"We just ate 3 hours ago!" Cas exclaimed.

"Exactly." Dean piped up. "It was 3 hours ago. Is there anywhere good around here?" Dean directed his question to Gabriel.

"Oh yeah, there's this amazing diner…"

Sam met Charlie at 4:00, just like she had asked. He held the drive in his hands, sitting in Charlie's car.

"So, where are we going?" He asked. Charlie grinned at him.

"There's this person I met online. Really good hacker. He's a friend of mine, I guess, but I've never met him in person. I texted him to tell him I was coming over and he agreed to check the drive out." She explained.

"Um, are you sure that he can be trusted? I'd rather keep this private." Sam said. Charlie nodded in understanding.

"Totally. I'm, like, 87% sure that he's not a murder." Sam looked at her, concerned. "Is 94% better? It's an A." She offered. Sam shook his head.

"Alright, if you trust him, I'm okay with it. I just hope this person won't mess this up."

"Oh, don't worry, I'm sure he won't. He's so much better than me at hacking. I don't understand why he won't work for some company and make a billion dollars, but he likes to hack government files and spill their secrets on the dark web. He says it's much more satisfying. Understandable, of course. Everyone likes to have a hero complex. But anyway, he's like really awesome, and I hope I don't act stupid around him and I'm babbling aren't I?" Charlie realized from Sam's amused gaze. "I'll shut up. Like right now. If I can get my mouth to stop talking."

Charlie pulled up into what seemed like the driveway of a dilapidated house. "Are you sure this is the right address?" Sam asked Charlie. She checked her phone.

"Yeah. Not quite the digs I was expecting, but I suppose his job doesn't really provide a good income." They stepped out of the car together and Charlie tentatively rang the doorbell. Once they heard footsteps approaching, Charlie became a mess.

"Oh my god he's coming." She took deep breaths to calm herself, and then the door swung open.

Sam blinked, registering the face at the door in the dim light. And when he did…

"Sam?" Ash asked. "Is that you?"

"So basically you two know each other because you were childhood friends." Charlie stated, lounging on Ash's sofa.

"We didn't basically know each other. We did know each other." Ash said.

"Yeah, and then you dropped off the face of the Earth." Sam laughed. They both held beers in their hands, reliving some of their past memories.

"I can't believe you know him. I mean, I've been talking to him online for years and he was my idol, really." Charlie shook her head in disbelief.

"Yeah, we used to sit right by each other on our homemade computer, saving the world from one corrupt person at a time." Ash told Charlie. "Then he ran off and became daddy's corporate lawyer while I hid out in this house."

"I didn't want to do it. But my dad convinced me it was for the better. I thought by becoming a lawyer, I could save innocent people, just like we did, but it didn't quite turn out like that."

"I know. He was always controlling you. Is he still like that?" Ash asked.

Sam snorted. "Oh yeah. Did I tell you what was happening with Dean?" Sam asked. Both Ash and Charlie shook their heads. "Well, basically, Dean met this guy ten years ago, and well, I don't know the exact extent of their relationship, but they were close. Then my dad found them, and Dean basically told the guy that they were done and he left."

"Sounds like John's work." Ash quipped.

"Yeah. So the guy shows up here last week again and Dean goes prancing off with him on a vacation, hopefully apologizing for the bullshit he said. But my dad over here arranged Dean's marriage to be in 3 weeks, but then told Dean it's in 4 months."

Ash whistled. "Well damn."

"And who's the lucky girl that gets to be stranded with Dean for the rest of her life?" Charlie asked.

"Bela Talbot." Sam replied.

"Well, I have to admit, she isn't half bad-looking. I would love to get a piece of her, if you know what I mean." Charlie wiggled her eyebrows.

"Right. Well, speaking of Bela, she's the whole reason I came here." Sam pulled out the drive and showed it to Ash. "This is all the information I have on Bela. I just want to know what Dad's getting Dean into. It's encrypted though, and Charlie said that you would be able to break it."

"She couldn't do it herself?" Ash asked.

"Nope. It would take me some time, and now that I know what it's for, I'm not sure I can finish it in three weeks." Charlie told him. "And Sam, I appreciate your dedication to Dean. Going and stalking down a whole file on his fiancee that no file in the history of encryption has been encrypted with. Definitely normal."

"What she said." Ash smirked.

"Okay, guys, can you just trust me on this? I mean, Charlie, I trusted you about Ash and look how that turned out. I just need some time to work things out for myself, and then I swear I'll explain everything." Sam said.

"Can't you at least tell us who this drive is from?" Charlie asked.

"It's from…" He paused, trying to think of what to say. "A friend. It's from a friend." He nodded.

"Whatever you say, man." Ash mumbled, already trying to crack the drive. "I'll bring this over when I'm done."

Sam nodded. "Thank you." He and Charlie took their leave, walking out to the car.

"Did you tell Dean?" Charlie asked. "About the drive."

"No." Sam shook his head.

"You should. If it's about him, he'll want to know, won't he?"

"Yeah, you're right. I'll text him, I guess. Ask him to call me when he can."

"Good. Because whatever you're doing right now, I have a bad feeling about this. Be careful, okay?"

"Yeah." Sam replied. He supposed that it did make sense that he should tell Dean. After all, all of this was about him. But then there was Ruby, telling him from the very first day, Don't tell Dean.

Sam got out of the car while Charlie found a suitable place to park. They were back a Winchester Motors again, Charlie needing to finish up some work and Sam going to find his father. They needed to talk about Dean's marriage. But before he could enter the building, security guards came running towards him.

"Mr. Winchester." They stood in front of him, worried looks on their faces. Sam recognized them as his father's personal guards.

"Is there a problem?" He asked. They both glanced at each other before one spoke.

"Sir, there is no need to panic, but your father has not been seen for several hours. It may be that he is taking a break, so we will not know until later, but we wanted you to be on alert. Protocol calls for him to be missing for more than 24 hours before we put out an official alert." Sam's heart started to be faster, but he forced himself to keep calm.

"Okay. Thank you gentlemen. You may leave." They turned around and walked away, leaving a panicked Sam alone in the parking lot. His mind immediately started to think of the most extreme possibilities. What if Crowley had kidnapped his father?

"Hey, Sam, everything alright? You look like you're about to throw up." Charlie came up to him. Sam nodded, placing a somewhat normal expression on his face.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I just need to go talk to someone." He said, walking back towards his car.

"Alright." Charlie said uncertainly, but he didn't hear her. He needed to see Ruby.

Dean sighed as he sunk into the bed. On the floor below him, Cas was settling down. It was night now, and they were getting ready to sleep. Due to the lack of rooms, he and Cas were sharing.

Cas was already snoring, and Dean chuckled. Tomorrow was a big day for him, he knew. His parents were finally coming. Hell, Dean was nervous for that, so he could only imagine how Cas felt. As much as Cas tried to deny it, Dean knew that he wanted badly to reconcile with his family. It would mean the world to him if he was accepted again. Of course, that might mean that Cas would be staying here, but Dean couldn't think about that now. He couldn't be selfish. He had gotten what he wanted with Cas. They were friends again, and that was all that mattered, right? Dean shouldn't have wanted more, but he did.

Dean's phone buzzed with a message, momentarily interrupting his train of thought. Dean took it out and looked at it. It was a message from Sam, saying to call as soon as possible. Sighing, Dean got up and crept out of the room, careful not to wake up Cas.

"Dean." Sam responded on the first ring. "Shouldn't you be asleep? I thought you'd be calling me later."

"Yeah. I couldn't get any sleep. What's up?" He asked.

"Um, well, don't panic, okay? But… Dad went to work and no one's seen him for a couple hours."

"Okay." Dean responded.

"What do you mean, okay? He's gone, Dean!"

"And you just said not to panic."

"But-"

"Look, Sammy, I'm sure he's fine. Remember that time, when you were 17, and he disappeared for a day? He was okay then, and he'll probably be okay now."

"You really think?"

"I know. I mean, what else could have happened to him?" Dean asked. Sam sighed.

"Dean." He said quietly. "There are some things about Dad that you need to know."

"Like what? And why are you whispering all of a sudden?" There was no response. "Sam? Sammy? Hello?" He heard some scuffling noises and muted voices, and then Sam spoke again.

"Okay, Dean, how long have you known that Dad was going to choose your marriage?"

"Sam, what-"

"Just, answer, Dean. Please."

Dean didn't know whether and not to tell him the truth. Would Sam even believe him?

"And don't say a week because you know that's not true."

"10 years. The day that Cas left. That's when he told me." Sam didn't respond for a while, but Dean knew he was there, could hear his breathing on the other side.

"Okay. Okay. I have to go now Dean, but be careful okay? And tell Cas the truth. The whole truth. He needs to know." The line went dead. Dean sighed, pocketing his phone. Sam had been a whole mess of things lately, spouting cryptic messages and then leaving, and Dean suspected he knew more than he was letting on. Dean crept back into his room and saw Cas still sleeping on the floor. Gently, he lifted up Cas's body and placed him on the bed, careful not to wake him.

From the moonlight streaming in through the window, Cas's pale skin was illuminated. And if it seemed like a scene out of a goddamn romance, Dean didn't care, because Cas looked beautiful.

"Hey Cas." He whispered. He shook his head and chuckled. This was stupid, yet here he was anyway, following Sam's advice. "I thought talking to you would make it better, but it's not." Dean took a deep breath. He wanted to tell Cas about everything, about the marriage, and about how he felt, and about Sam, because he knew that even when he was sleeping, Cas would listen to him. But at least this way, he wouldn't have to face any of what he said. Dean continued to talk.

"Somehow, I know I'm going to let you down in the future." He paused. "I'm going to have to leave, Cas. Leave you. I don't want to. It would be okay if we were just friends, but we're not. I'm not, at least. I don't know how you feel about me, but Cas, I think… I think I still love you. I never told you why I left you that day, did I? Never gave you a reason, and yet you still accepted me and I can't help but wonder why. Do you want to know why I left you? It wasn't because I didn't love you, and I wish to god that I could take all those things back. I told you that because that day, my dad told me that I couldn't stay with you. That I would have to marry someone of his choice. And guess what? My wedding's in three weeks. Three weeks. And I don't want to tell you because I feel like I would be betraying you." He took a break from talking, watching Cas sleep.

"And Cas, I don't want to leave you again." Dean said. Cas started to stir in his sleep, and then he panicked. He rushed back to his bed on the floor and pretended to sleep, breathing heavily.

When Cas woke, it was pouring. The rain fell down in heavy sheets, relentless and loud. This was Cas's favorite kind of weather. The whole world was cleansed by the onslaught of rain. It felt purifying.

Cas headed down the stairs. The house was quiet, which probably meant that Gabriel was still sleeping. He did, however, spot Dean sitting by the window, drinking coffee.

"Hey Dean." He greeted. Dean didn't look at him, instead taking another sip of his coffee. "Dean." Cas repeated, and this time Dean looked at him, a morose expression on his face.

"Hey Cas." When Dean talked, his voice was murky and unclear.

"What's wrong with your voice?" Cas asked.

Dean looked back at the window. "I thought talking to you would make it better, but it's not."

"Would make what better?" He looked at Dean curiously, but Dean went on talking as if he wasn't there.

"Somehow, I know I'm going to let you down in the future." Dean paused, looking back at him. "I'm going to have to leave, Cas. Leave you. I don't want to. It would be okay if we were just friends, but we're not. I'm not, at least. I don't know how you feel about me, but Cas, I think… I think I still love you." He looked at Dean, processing what he had just said. It was still in that same murky voice, so it took a while for Cas to understand him.

" I never told you why I left you that day, did I? Never gave you a reason, and yet you still accepted me and I can't help but wonder why." Cas knew why. And he had almost told Dean too. Dean continued talking, but Cas couldn't hear any of it. He sounded farther and farther away, until it was just another sound passing through his ears.

Dean got up and walked away. He tried calling to him, but his voice wouldn't work. He was stuck in place, immobilized. The world was collapsing on him, drowning into an ocean of black. He couldn't speak or see or breathe or move, no matter how hard he tried and it was suffocating-

Cas shot awake. He was on stable ground now, no longer felt like he was falling. He also realized he was in the bed. No matter how hard he insisted that he sleep on the ground, he always wound up in the bed in the mornings.

It was still dark outside. Cas looked over to the side and saw Dean's sleeping body on the floor. Relief flooded over him and he didn't know why. It was just Dean. But after the dream, he supposed it was comforting to see him.

"Dean." He whispered. It was quiet, but Dean rolled around, facing him.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"Did I wake you? I didn't mean-"

"No, no it's fine. I couldn't sleep anyway. What 'bout you?"

'I had an interesting dream." He said. "A nightmare actually."

"A nightmare?" Dean asked. "What was it about?"

Cas hesitated, the contents of the dream swarming him. I think I still love you. Why had he thought that? Cas knew that dreams often reflected your day, or any pressing thoughts and matters that were in your head. If that was the case-

"Cas?" Dean repeated.

"It is not of import." He said quickly. "I really shouldn't be keeping you awake."

"S'not like I can fall asleep anyway." Dean said, but the yawn escaping him betrayed his words.

"Dean, you need your rest. And perhaps you would have better sleep on the bed."

"No, Cas. I'm fine right here. You should try to sleep too. Big day ahead."

"Yeah." Cas mumbled, anxiety rising up in his stomach once more. "Big day."

Gabriel's yells interrupted the quiet. "OH, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! SHUT THE FUCK UP AND GO TO SLEEP!" He and Dean both winced at the loud noise, their exasperation exchanged with a prolonged glance.

"Guess that means goodnight." Cas smiled at Dean.

"Yeah. Goodnight Cas."

When Cas woke up again, it was pouring. It gave a brief start to him before he realized that the snores he heard from Dean sleeping on the ground were very real, and not a dream. From downstairs he heard noises. Cas deduced that Gabriel was up. But then, he heard multiple voices, which could only mean one thing. They were here.

Cas got up and out of the bed, checking them time. It was 1:00 PM. That couldn't be. He checked the other clocks on the upstairs floor just to make sure Gabriel wasn't screwing with him, but they all showed the same time.

So either Gabriel had taken the effort to change all the clocks or he had just woken up really, really late. Cas sighed. As much as he would have liked to stay upstairs until Dean woke up, he knew there were some things he needed to straighten out with his family before Dean came. Tentatively, Cas went down the stairs.

They were all sitting at the table. His mother, with her red hair that no one had inherited. Gabriel, entertaining everyone with some story about his 'heroics'. Michael, sitting by his father's wheelchair as always, dutifully staring at Gabriel with a well practiced facade of fake-listening. And then his father. Cas couldn't see his face, but he imagined it, the cold hardness of it, the unforgiving demeanor. It prepared him for nothing when his father actually turned around.

It didn't look that bad as a whole. But as someone who knew that face, who had grown up looking at it and admiring it and using it as an idol and a standard to grow up to, Cas could point out all the minute differences that made it not-his-father. The extra wrinkles, the added bags under his eyes, they all contributed to the image.

"Castiel. My son." His father said, and everyone turned to him. Michael's eyes, blank and impassive. His mother Anna's, filled with tears. Gabriel looked back and forth tentatively between the two groups.

Any idea of what Cas wanted to say dissipated in the actual presence of his family. He finally managed to squeak out one word. "Hi."

Cas didn't know how he had gotten from the top of the stairs to the bottom, but there he was in his mother's embrace, and she was actually crying.

"Oh, my baby boy. Look at how grown up you are." His mother was a little older too, a few more creases in the skin than when he last saw her, standing in the shadow of his father's thundering presence while he sent Cas away.

Another set of footsteps was heard and they all swiveled to see who it was. Cas already knew of course. It was Dean standing at the top of the steps with his mussed hair and sparkling green eyes, wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants that hung low on his waist. He seemed to realize he was intruding on a family matter, as his mouth was slightly agape.

"Mother, father, this is Dean Winchester, my friend and business partner. As I was explaining, there was some trouble at the hotel and I invited him to stay here." Gabriel announced.

"Well, I hope you gave him an appropriate room." His father said.

"Oh, yes. Cas and I shared and we gave the guest bedroom." The lie rolled off of Gabriel tongue easily, though Cas and Gabriel both knew that they wouldn't survive sharing a room for more than 10 minutes.

"I hope our accommodations were good to you." Cas's father said to Dean, but there was a strange tone to his voice. Gabriel seemed to have noticed this too and looked at Dean for his reply.

Dean didn't seem to register that he was being asked a question, albeit indirectly. His face adopted an expression that Cas knew well, one that meant he was trying to figure something out.

"You're Cas's father." He finally said slowly.

"Yes." His father responded. Dean's eyebrows furrowed together.

"But I saw you somewhere else. That gala at the… thing." Everyone looked at Dean.

"That is impossible. Father was at the hospital. You must be mistaking him for someone else." Michael said, immediately jumping to his father's defense. But Dean didn't seem to notice.

"Yeah, yeah. It was at that music gala where I met Cas." Something lit up in Dean's eyes. "Oh! You're Chuck Shurley!" He said. He looked up to meet Cas's eyes and then finally seemed to realize that there was something wrong. "What is it?"

Cas walked over to stand in front of his father. "You were at my performance?" He said quietly, though it was more of a statement than a question.

Chuck looked between his family members, who where glancing back and forth between Chuck and this green-eyed stranger who had brought chaos upon their family so quickly. He finally dropped the act.

"I can explain." Chuck stammered out. All eyes were trained on him.

Cliffhanger.