A/N: FINAL VERSION IS HERE NOW! I hope you like it! ^.^ And please let me know what you think of the story so far!

Chapter 21 – Not even blackmailed

The school day was just beginning when Gabriel walked up to Dean and pulled him into an empty classroom. Sam had just told him how Dean had reacted upon their friendship. Needless to say, he had not taken the news well.

"What do you want?" Dean demanded angrily.

"Why the hell do you think you can control who your brother is friends with?! I was there when you weren't!" Gabriel hissed at Dean, pinning him against a wall. His growl relaxed into a smirk, "I guess that makes me more important in his life than you."

What made Dean angry wasn't that Sam was friends with him. No, it was that Sam hadn't told him that he had a new friend when he started spending time with Gabriel; that Gabriel was making Sam happy when he should be the one doing so; what made him angry was that Gabriel probably didn't start being friends with Sam for the candy reason…

"You have no right to say that." Dean told him, pushing Gabriel off him, making Gabriel stumble slightly, trying to find his balance once again. The movement was easier now; he was much stronger than before. Now he wasn't that kid who let himself be pushed around, he was learning how to fight back. Even if he was only running for now, it meant that not only had he developed a better stamina, but his mind was also stronger, more determined, sharper than before. He knew that he deserved to punch the other guy, that he shouldn't allow himself to be walked over.

"Is that what you think? Then how about you get to know me before you go tell your brother I'm not good enough to be his friend!" Gabriel asked, with a genuine intent for Dean to get to know him better-he wanted to continue to be a part of Sam's life!

Dean huffed, extremely annoyed with Gabriel.

"Yeah. That's exactly it. You're not good enough for him!" Dean snapped, why did Gabriel care anyway?!

Gabriel was just as annoyed as Dean was himself. He understood why Dean would think so lowly of him-after all, he had never been particularly nice to him, but that didn't mean the wasn't willing -and already trying- to change!

"Well, how about you try to get to know me before you say that?" He really wanted Dean to approve of their friendship; and he wanted to prove to Dean that he was good for Sam. Even if he had to repeat his speech a thousand times, he would try and prove Dean wrong. "Really, let me show you how I really am! Please let me prove to you that I'm worth Sam's friendship!"

The fact that Gabriel was begging Dean was an unspoken truth and though Dean could hear it, he didn't care enough to admit it.

He snorted and his eyes hardened as he looked at Gabriel.

"I know all I need to know about ya; you do what your brother tells you to do, and you will most likely hurt Sammy." As if Gabriel could ever be good enough for his brother. Dean knew every possible outcome of that friendship and he knew all of them would get his little brother hurt. Dean walked to the older teen almost predatorily and grabbed his shirt, pulling him closer, the other boy's face only a few inches away from his own. "And I won't let that happen. Not now, not ever!"

Gabriel didn't try to free himself, instead letting the younger teen do what he wanted.

"That might have been true in the past…" Gabriel started. His heart was racing, since he wasn't expecting Dean to fight back, and most certainly, he wasn't expecting Dean to be so protective of his brother. He took a deep breath before continuing his speech. "But not anymore. Your brother is a good kid. I like him… I really do! I would never hurt him… Ev-Even if Castiel asked me to." Gabriel said as his eyes showed not only his desperation but also his determination. "Not even blackmailed I would try to hurt him! Not even if Cassie was the one blackmailing me!" Gabriel's eyes were shinning with determination, and it looked like he was speaking the truth.

"Oh really?" Dean asked, looking at Gabriel, and his hand started to let the older boy go. "Then you must know… Sammy hurts when I'm hurt. I don't know what Cas wants, but if I end up being hurt, Sam will never forgive you for not trying to stop it." Dean knows that if Gabriel's words are really what he feels, then he will try to stop Castiel. Though Cas promised not to try and find out, Dean knew that he would find a way to know what he wanted to know.

Gabriel recoiled, a little annoyed. "What the hell do you think I've been doing in the past two weeks you moron?! Cassie wants to know who hurt your arm, and since you refused to tell him, he asked me to find it out through Sam… Not once! Not even once I asked him about it!" Gabriel was yelling the last bit, he knew that Dean was a protective older brother, hell! He was a protective older brother too! But that didn't mean everyone was a threat and that they couldn't mean well to the ones you care about! "I've been trying to prevent Cassie from doing anything drastic like last time… Poor Balthy hasn't recovered from that yet…"

Why did Castiel care so much about who hurt him?! It didn't make sense in Dean's mind. Why did Cas want to know so bad? Sure, when you want to know something and someone refuses it to you, it burns your curiosity … Still, couldn't he respect his wishes?

"Why does he want to know so badly?" Dean asked, completely letting go of Gabriel's shirt. He was so confused, he didn't know what to think anymore. Why did it matter who hurt him?

"Because you won't tell him! Moreover, it makes it impossible for him to stop trying to know. If I were you I would just end it all and tell him! That would make him stop… However telling him will make me go away from Sam… He would tell me to go away, that it's not necessary anymore that I hang out with him… And he would, most likely, tell Sam why I became friends with him… And I- I can't have that. If anything I'll tell Sam the reasons I had, and because Cassie will leave out some details that are important, it really needs to be me… So, on second thought, don't tell him."

Dean frowned. The guy was right. Telling him would make Gabriel back off from Sam. However, telling Castiel, meant that he would know who hurt him, and Castiel wasn't exactly dumb… He could see that Dean had been hurt multiple times-more than any other person should have in their fifteen years. Having Gabriel on his side could be exactly what he needed. Someone to distract Castiel from finding out… Dean couldn't have anyone knowing what was wrong, because if they did, not only him but the other person would be in some serious trouble. That was exactly what he was trying to avoid. In addition, if preventing Castiel from finding out meant he allowed Gabriel to be friends with his brother, then he would. He just hoped Gabriel was true to his word and that his intentions were pure.

"Now that I have your support on not telling Cas… What could he possibly ask Balthazar to do?" Dean was curious. What was the God Awful deed Castiel had forced upon his brother to leave him mentally scarred?

Gabriel burst out laughing.

"Oh…" Gabe said, trying to catch his breath. "Cassie asked Balthazar to break into someone's home in the middle of the night and…" Gabriel stopped talking and gave a few chuckles before continuing. "And he had to stay there until the person told him what Cassie wanted to know. As soon as the guy heard Balthy walking in he called the cops, but he told them to wait for a while before going in, and Balthazar got tied up to a chair…" A few more chuckles. "…Then the police showed up and took him. He had to spend the night next to a guy who kept trying to fuck him."

Dean didn't hear the whole thing, his eyes stared at the ground and the words kept repeating in his mind. He stopped listening when the words 'break into someone's home' were said. Dean's eyes widened and his face turned a few shades paler.

"He can't do that… Not this time." Turning his head back to Gabriel, Dean saw the confusion in his face. "Whatever happens, don't let Balthazar do that."

As Gabriel frowned deepened, Dean looked even paler than before.

"Why can't he do that?"

Dean gulped. He couldn't say it. Gabriel was on his side, but he couldn't put anyone in danger.

"My dad once called the cops because he heard someone break inside… It was only me, but he called the cops, and he had me spend the night in jail because I forgot my keys inside. He promised that the next person who would break in wouldn't have the cops waiting for him… He would have his gun ready to shoot. He was in the army for a while, so he's a bit paranoid… Don't let Balthazar do it…" As much of a jackass Balthazar could be, Dean feared for his security. "Please… Please don't let him…"

Gabriel gave a short nod, albeit still a little confused. Even if Dean's dad was a bit paranoid, why would he shoot? He didn't understand, but he trusted Dean. The boy looked so scared that it made him fear for his own safety.

"Alright… I don't actually believe that is the real reason, but you sound pretty desperate… I will try to keep them both from going there."

A wave of relief washed through Dean, but he still feared for their security. Not for one second did he trust his father. He knew better than to believe that John wouldn't do anything to the person breaking in.

"Thank you." Dean said. He didn't feel all too well; his legs were a bit shaky and he felt a cold sweat in his face, burning as it fell to his eyes. Dean looked at Gabriel one last time, gave him a short nod, and left the empty room, with Gabriel remaining alone with his thoughts.

This doesn't make sense… Why can't we go to their home?! First it was Sam, who wouldn't let me come over; now Dean doesn't want Balthy to go there… Something is not right…

It was then that a sudden realization hit him, and he felt extremely stupid for not thinking of it before.

Oh… Ohhh… It must be someone from their family that did that to him! Domestic violence perhaps? But…who would have such a cruel a heart to think of abusing their own child?