Meet the family
In the short drive to Stanford University, Cas learned that Deans mothers name was Mary. She worked as a kindergarten teacher at the local elementary school. His father was John Winchester and he died in the line of duty with the police force. It did explain why Dean chose to be a detective and his earlier outburst when fathers were brought up.
He told Mary all about his father who worked as a judge for the state of Illinois. He reluctantly answered the questions about his mother and didn't miss the pity looks when he told them that she abandoned him as a newborn.
He was grateful the conversation didn't turn awkward after his confession and even more so when they finally pulled up to the large stadium Deans brother was graduating from. He parked the car a bit far away since he wasn't even going to attempt to find closer parking.
They all got out of the car and walked towards the line of excited family waiting to get in. Mary walked ahead of them and caught up with a few other parents that she knew leaving Dean and Cas alone for the first time all afternoon.
Cas shoved his hands in his pockets and attempted to do his best to avoid any eye contact. Instead, he focused on not stepping on any cracks in the parking lot. It was childish but dammit, he has a right to be!
Dean cleared his throat awkwardly. "Cas, you didn't have to stay if you didn't want to. I know you want to get to Los Angeles to be with Balthazar," he said in a hurt tone.
Cas flinched slightly at his words. Dean hasn't said what he thinks of him and Balthazar but he really didn't need to. He had a pretty good idea on how he felt. "I want to stay. Besides, I have three days to figure something out," he said with a shrug.
"Wait. Isn't the wedding in three days?," Dean asked as his voice rose an octave.
Cas stopped walking and turned to Dean. "Yeah. So what?," he asked defensively while crossing his arms.
Deans eyes were wide. "Cas, you can't stop someone from getting married on their wedding day! How would you feel if someone did that to you?," Dean was practically yelling as if he couldn't believe Cas' plan.
"Yes I can, Dean! What's the whole point of 'speak now or forever hold your peace' if no ones ever expected to speak now? I need to speak!," Cas yelled back causing a few passerby's to turn their heads curiously at their conversation.
Dean placed his hand on Cas' shoulder and leaned in. "Listen to me. There is a time and place for everything. Please promise me you won't go in there guns blazing on two peoples wedding day," Dean spoke desperately trying to reason with him.
Cas wanted to refuse. He wanted to scream at Dean for trying to interfere on his plans. But he couldn't. Not when Dean was looking at him the way he was. So desperate for none of this to happen. Cas slumped his shoulders and ducked his head down. "Okay, Dean. I promise," he said softly.
Dean continued staring at him but his face remained unreadable. He nodded once and pursed his lips before removing his arm and sighing. "Okay. Good," he finally said as they began to walk through the crowd again.
XXX
The bleachers they had them sitting in were extremely uncomfortable. Not to mention they were cold and offered no real support. They sat a little higher up so they could see Deans brother on the large stadium camera and video monitor that displayed the graduates as soon as they received their diplomas.
Mary sat on the edge, followed by Dean then Cas. He could really tell how much Dean adored and loved his mother. Something he never got to experience himself but it was still nice to see Dean have it.
The graduation begun with the valedictorian giving an unusually long speech about the future. Typical. They always said the same thing. How the possibilities are endless, they all will still remain friends and they were about to go out and conquer the world. It was bullshit but Cas still clapped when expected to.
The very long list of names started to be called and Sam was a 'W', so he would be one of the last ones. Cas wrapped his arms around himself and shivered slightly. They were up in the bleachers so high and the sun was starting to set, causing the temperature to drop.
Mary reached over and touched his arm lightly. "Oh, hunny. Are you cold?," she asked before reaching into a large bag next to her that he didn't notice until now.
She pulled out a small throw blanket that was folded up and unfolded it quickly. "It's okay, Mrs. Winchester," Cas said genuinely while shaking his head.
"Call me Mary," she said with a smile. Mary stood up and wrapped the blanket around his shoulders anyways and gave him a light squeeze. Cas' mouth fell open slightly as he touched the soft blanket around his shoulders and turned to look at her.
She was now facing the graduation ceremony and not paying any mind to Castiel. He looked back at the crowd and smiled to himself softly. He leaned in closer to Dean and if Dean noticed, he didn't say anything about it.
XXX
They waited for what felt like hours before Sam's name was finally called. All three of them jumped up and yelled into cupped hands while cheering even though they were strictly told to wait for the end. "That's my brother!," Dean yelled after the crowd went quiet.
Sam's enlarged face was shown smiling widely on the stadiums monitor and giving a thumbs up. Dean smiled back even though he knew Sam couldn't see him. All the positive feelings around Cas made him feel a lot better than how he was feeling earlier. He smiled proudly at Dean when Dean turned to him and wrapped his arm around his shoulder giving him a tight hug. "He did it," he whispered into Cas' ear while he ran a hand down Deans back.
After the ceremony was over, they rushed down to the field to meet Sam for pictures and congratulations. It took only five minutes to find him since Dean warned him before that his 'sasquatch' of a brother sticks out like a sore thumb in crowds.
Dean ran up to him and threw his arm tightly around Sam's neck while whispering something to him. Sam looked alarmed for a moment as he gestured to Deans arm still in a sling. Dean waved him off and laughed before pulling him back into a hug. Mary pulled Dean off of him then threw her own arms around her youngest son. Cas felt like he was watching some happy movie and then he felt like the outsider to all of this.
Of course, this was all Dean needed him for. To get him to this place. He turned around and started to walk away until a hand grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. He looked up into Deans familiar green eyes and felt all the air escape his lungs.
"Where do you think you're going?," he asked with a small smirk. "Moms going to be pissed if she sees you leaving."
Cas smiled but said nothing as Dean led him back to his family. A very tall man that he knew as Sam stood before him as a smile played on his own lips while looking between him and Dean. "So, you saved my brothers ass, huh?," he asked with a smirk.
"Shut up, bitch," Dean yelled while slapping his brothers arm lightly. His voice was filled with adornment for him, despite his words.
"Language!," Mary yelled back while slapping both of her sons on the arm. She smiled at them nonetheless.
"I wouldn't say that I saved him but yeah," he said with a shrug.
Sam smiled again and pulled him into a hug. Jeez. This family sure did like to hug. "I know my brother when he's in love and he is by the looks of it. Just please don't hurt him," he whispered into his ear quickly before letting go.
Cas nodded and stared blankly at the ground for a few moments before another hand was pulling him back out of his thoughts. A camera was shoved into his hands as the Winchester family lined up in front of him. Sam stood in the middle as one arm was slung over Mary's shoulder and the other one over Deans.
All three smiled brightly as Cas snapped a few pictures. He handed the camera back to Mary but she shook her head quickly. "Cas, get in here!," she said with excitement.
Cas shook his head back at her. "Oh, no. I can't. I really wouldn't want to intrude."
Mary scoffed. "You would not be! Your family. Isn't he, boys?," she asked her sons for backup.
"Well, I did just meet him ten minutes ago but why not? Our family needed a little expanding anyways," Sam said with a laugh.
Mary laughed with him and raised an eyebrow at Dean for him to add something to convince Cas. Dean blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. "If my mom says your family, then your family," he said with a hint of embarrassment.
Cas smiled widely as his heart felt like it was filling up. It was a feeling he couldn't quite explain. Only that he never experienced it before. He timidly stepped in between Dean and Sam while Mary asked somebody to take the picture of the four of them.
Dean wrapped his arm around Cas' shoulder and smiled easily at the camera. Cas couldn't help but to smile back and genuinely this time. He's never felt so happy in his entire life. Everything with Dean and the Winchesters felt right. Like he actually had a family. Family. The thought made him feel warm inside and out.
XXX
Cas sat up in the cozy bed in Mary's guest bedroom. She made sure that he was completely comfortable before she went to bed. Sam went to Jess, his girlfriends, house promising that they would be over in the morning.
Dean offered to sleep on the couch in the living room so Cas could have the guest bedroom. After graduation, they spent a few hours having dinner and discussing childhoods along with their father, John Winchester, and how proud he would be right now of both of his boys.
Cas sighed and switched on the bedside lamp. This seemed as good of a time as any to write in his journal. He flipped to the last section he could remember writing in but was left only with a new entry. One he didn't remember ever writing.
And it wasn't his handwriting over. He squinted at the foreign text and felt as his throat tightened up while he read and reread the words over and over again.
'The best love is unexpected. You don't pick someone and hope that it will all work out. You meet them by fate and its an instant connection and the chemistry you share is way above your head. All you have to do is talk to them and you'll notice the way their lips curve when they smile or the exact color of their eyes. And all at once, you know you are either lucky or screwed. – Mary Winchester
So, tell me. Which one am I?'
Cas shut his journal quickly and threw it back onto his duffel bag. He squeezed his eyes shut trying to run it through his head of when Dean could ever write that.
The bed and breakfast. Their bags became mixed up. But that was only the first day he knew Dean. How could he already be so sure of himself? As much as he didn't want to, he thought of the exact color of Deans eyes and the way his lips spread up beautifully when he smiled.
He sighed and threw the blankets off of him. There was no fighting this anymore. Was there? He walked into the living room where Dean slept. He bit his lip and carefully shook Deans good shoulder.
His eyes fluttered open as he took in what was going on. "Cas?," he asked in his sleepy haze.
Cas smiled. "Yeah, its me, Dean," he whispered while Dean sat up.
Dean wiped his eyes slowly. "What's going on?," he asked.
"I don't know which one you are but I owe it to myself and to you to find out. Can you sleep with me tonight?"
Deans lips fought as a smile as he nodded. "Yeah. I think I can do that."