When Dean got back to the apartment, he went straight up to Castiel's place with the freshly made bird food. He took Cas's keys out of his pocket, and with the food bin securely under one arm, unlocked the door to head inside.

"Cockaroo?" Dean called out.

Meg responded with a very upset sounding screech.

"Whoa. I know. I've got it here, calm down." Dean shook his head as he placed the bin down on the table. He went into the kitchen and took down one of Megs little bowls from the cupboard.

His phone started vibrating in his pocket, but he ignored it for the moment as Meg screeched again.

"I said its coming."

He filled the little bowl and took it into the living room, placing it on the coffee table.

Dean unlatched the cage door and put his hand inside. He probably should have been worried, considering how pissed off Meg was, but he wasn't. He trusted that she wouldn't hurt him.

Meg climbed onto Dean's hand quickly. He set her down on the coffee table, and wondered again if he was even allowed to let her do that. Well, Cas wasn't here. It could be their secret.

Meg dug in right away.

Dean's phone had long since stopped its buzzing. He reached into his pocket and took it out. He dropped himself heavily on the couch while he looked at it. He had a missed call from Castiel Novak.

"Huh." Dean muttered as he looked at the screen. He had just seen Cas at the hospital. Dean hoped that didn't mean anything bad had happened. He hit redial and waited while the phone rang.

"Sorry, were you driving?" Castiel asked when the call connected.

"No. Meg was throwing a fit." Dean looked over to her. She raised her head and squawked at him.

Castiel heard his bird in the background and smiled.

"Yeah, yeah, shut it." Dean told her, and she went back to eating.

"Anyway, she's eating now. I'll work on getting her forgiveness later." Dean continued.

"She'll get over it." Cas laughed.

"So what's up?" Dean asked. Cas sounded like he was in a good mood, so nothing bad could have happened since he left.

Castiel was off on his own in a far corner of the waiting room, out of anyone else's ear shot.

"Something is going on with my mom." He told Dean.

Dean wasn't sure how to take that. Cas sounded confused, but not upset.

"Is she ok?" Dean asked, with a small hint of worry in his voice.

Cas appreciated Deans concern. He took a deep breath and tried to figure out how exactly to explain her behaviour.

"Yes she's fine. She's," Cas paused again, trying to find the words. "Being nice."

Dean couldn't help himself, he started laughing. Was Cas really calling him to tell him his mother was being nice? He guessed it was probably a rare enough occurrence to warrant a phone call.

"Am I missing something?" Dean asked.

"She's being nice about you." Cas elaborated.

"Oh." Dean couldn't have heard that correctly. "Yeah, that's. Um. What?"

"She told me to call and ask if you wanted to be here with us."

Dean was speechless. After a moment he found his voice again.

"Is she having a stroke?" Dean asked seriously.

Cas laughed. "I think one of the doctors here would have noticed if she was."

"Is it a trick?"

Cas could hear the worry creeping back into Dean's voice.

"I thought that too, but no, I don't think it is."

Dean was silent on his end of the line.

"Dean?"

"Yeah. Sorry. I just." He was quiet again.

"You don't have to come. I understand if you're uncomfortable around her, she was awful to you."

"No, I want to." Dean said. He did want to be there with him. It was Gail he was still unsure of. He could always just avoid her if she started in on him, but he wanted to make the effort with Castiel's family.

Dean heard another voice in the background.

"Castiel? I'm sorry, I didn't see you were making a call."

Cas held up his hand to Gadreel, silently telling him it was both ok, and to go away. Gadreel nodded and left to find Gail.

"Was that Gadreel?" Dean asked, a shot of jealousy running through him. He knew it was unwarranted, but it didn't stop him from feeling it.

"Yes, my mom called him. He got here not long after you left."

Ok, what was Gail trying to pull? Dean felt more confused than ever. He ran his hand through his hair, as though he could straighten out his thoughts through the top of his head.

Meg had polished off the last of the food in her dish and jumped from the coffee table onto the couch. She walked herself up onto Dean's lap and looked at him expectantly. Dean reached down and picked her up. She walked up his arm and onto his shoulder.

"How is he?" Dean asked, trying to sound cool about it.

"He's good. He's worried about Dad, but we all are." Cas told him. He heard a slight edge to Dean's voice, even though he could tell Dean was trying to cover it.

Dean let out a small huff.

"Dean? Are you jealous?" Cas asked, a smile spreading across his face at the realization.

"No." Dean answered too quickly.

"You are." Cas said, and then started to laugh.

Dean had nothing to worry about, they both knew that. Cas felt a little guilty that he found Deans jealousy funny.

"Maybe a little bit." Dean sighed.

"Well, why don't you come down here then?" Cas was teasing him now.

"I will." Dean laughed. He liked the playful tone in Castiel's voice. "You're sure this isn't a trick?"

"I already told you I don't think it is Dean."

"Ok. I'm gonna hang out with Cockaroo here for a little bit first." Meg bumped her head against Deans. "I'll head down there soon. Is there anything you need me to bring?"

"No, just you." Cas smiled and closed his eyes.

"I can do that."

Cas hung up the phone and smiled down at it. He put it away in his pocket and took a deep breath. He was excited. And nervous. He wasn't sure which feeling was the stronger one. There was a chance, even if it was slim, that his mother was actually going to start accepting his relationship. Maybe she would finally stop trying to force him and Gadreel together. He didn't want to get his hopes up too high, she was still his mother, and she had a potential for horribleness that he had rarely seen matched. If this went well though, and he really hoped it would, that would be great.

Dean put his phone down on the couch beside him and turned his head towards the shoulder Meg was sitting on.

"Well Meg. This could be the last time you ever see me." Dean said seriously to her.

Meg cocked her head to the side.

Dean laughed and held his hand up to his shoulder for her to climb on to. She went to it without a problem, and he moved her so they were facing one another.

"Gail could be luring me into a trap." Dean explained. "If she is, I can only guess it's because she wants to kill me and eat my soul."

Meg ruffled her feathers.

"Yeah, I feel the same way." Dean sighed.

Dean laid down and put Meg on his chest. He folded his arms behind his head and looked at her.

"Or, she could just be being friendly." Dean said.

Meg squawked and tilted her head.

"That doesn't sound like her does it. I don't know. What do you think?" Dean asked, and waited for a reply.

He thought about it for a second, and realized how foolish he would look if anyone could see him. He was asking a bird for advice for Christ's sake.

Meg turned around on his chest and hopped down to the couch. She went from the couch to the floor, and walked herself over to the sliding glass door. When she got there, she turned and just stood patiently looking at Dean.

"Ok. One sec." Dean said, sitting himself back up. He got the message Meg was sending him loud and clear.

Dean reached out and slid the door open. Meg hopped over the ledge and walked herself outside onto the deck.

Dean stepped out to join her. It was hot outside, but there was a steady breeze that helped tremendously.

Meg opened her wings, and Dean nearly had a heart attack. He thought she was going to fly away, and this time he would have really lost the bird. He remembered that her wings were clipped though and relaxed.

"Don't scare me Cockaroo. I don't think Cas could forgive me if I really lost you." Dean looked down at her with a stern look.

Ok, now he was scolding the bird. Dean shook his head and laughed again.

Dean sighed and walked himself over to the railing of the patio. He leaned forwards on his elbows and let the breeze wash over him.

He was nervous about going to the hospital, and it made him feel stupid and weak. He hated the part of him that needed other people's approval, even from someone as cruel as Gail could be. Dean wanted her approval for Castiel, as well as himself. Dean wanted to be everything he needed, the same way he felt Cas was for him.

It made Dean happy when he saw Cas with his family. He knew they accepted Cas, and were already growing to love him as part of their family. Dean wanted to be able to give that same feeling back to him. Why did Gail have to be so difficult?

Dean felt a small bump against his calf. He looked down to see Meg standing close to him and looking up.

Dean smiled and bent down to pick her up.

He held her out in front of him to look her over before placing her up on his shoulder.

Dean had been nervous when he first met his little buddy here. He didn't understand her, and thought she was a strange, wild thing. Over time, they bonded, and now look at them. Dean hoped maybe the same thing could happen between himself and Gail.

It wasn't going to happen unless he gave it another try.

Dean's mind unexpectedly turned on him, and he remembered that Gadreel was already at the hospital. Dean liked Gadreel alright. Sure, they had a rough start, but he turned out to be a pretty decent guy, once you got passed the fact that he was hopelessly in love with his boyfriend anyways.

Dean felt that small surge of jealousy rush through him again. Something about not being present while Gadreel could be giving his man googly eyes bothered him. He suddenly felt a strong need to hurry things along and get himself down there.

"Ok Meg, time to go in." Dean said to the bird on his shoulder.

Meg made a small sound that Dean took as agreement.

They went inside and Dean closed the door behind him. As he placed Meg back in the cage he felt badly about it. He made a mental note to come back and spend more time with her soon. He was a big part of the reason she had been spending so much time alone lately after all.

Dean picked up his phone from the couch and placed it back in his pocket. He quickly grabbed the dish from the coffee table and put it in the kitchen sink. Now there wasn't any evidence left that he let Meg eat there. He put the bin of bird food in the fridge, he would portion that out and freeze the rest later on he told himself.

With everything sorted out, he left Cas's place and headed down to his car.

His heart skipped a beat as he walked towards the impala. He could do this. Dean and Gail were going to get along, even if it killed him.

"You're certain this is a good idea Castiel?" Gadreel asked. The face he was wearing was not encouraging.

"No, of course not." Cas sighed. His eyes shifted towards the elevators for what felt like the hundredth time since he had finished talking to Dean.

"She was very unkind the last time they met." Gadreel pressed on. "What do you suppose has caused her change of heart?"

"I don't know." Cas reached up and rubbed at his temple. "Exhaustion maybe?"

Castiel's heart caught in his throat when he saw the elevator doors opening up. When it was Gabriel who stepped out, Cas groaned.

"It's just you." Cas said, rolling his eyes at his brother.

"Yep, little old 'just me' here. Who were you expecting?" Gabriel asked.

"Dean. He's on his way here now." Cas informed his brother.

"What?!" Gabe looked like he couldn't believe the words that were coming out of Castiel's mouth. "Cassy, you should rethink your taste in men, this one has clearly lost his damn mind."

Gadreel cleared his throat. "Hello Gabriel."

"Hey man." Gabriel said, barely acknowledging Gadreel. He was still too shocked that Cas was letting Dean walk willingly into the fire.

"Where's mom?" Gabe asked. His mind had instantly shifted into battle mode. His current mission was to minimize the threat and provide any necessary damage control.

"She's …" Cas turned to look around the waiting room. He could have sworn he had just seen her a few minutes ago.

Cas jumped as he felt a hand creep around his waist. For a second he thought it was Gadreel, and was pissed right off. He turned himself quickly and relaxed when he was face to face with Dean.

"Hello." Dean smiled down at him.

"Dean." Cas sighed. "You scared the hell out of me."

"Sorry." Dean's smile widened. Cas had turned around perfectly, so now Deans hand was wrapped around him and on resting on his back instead.

"Hey Deano." Gabriel said. His voice was happy, but there was a trace of worry underneath it. "You gotta be careful with this one, don't want him laying an egg."

Cas put his head down and rested his forehead against Deans chest.

"Gabe." Cas moaned.

"Yeah, you hate me, I know." Gabriel rolled his eyes.

Dean looked over to Gadreel, who seemed to be trying to look anywhere except where Dean and Cas were standing together. Dean couldn't help but feel a small sense of victory. Dean used the hand that was wrapped around Castiel's waist to turn him around so he was facing the other two again. Dean had made his point, no sense in rubbing it in.

Dean leaned forward and kissed the back of Cas's head.

Ok, maybe he could rub it in a little.

"Hey Gadreel. How's it goin'?" Dean asked. He stepped himself a little further away from Cas now, and Gadreel finally looked at him.

"I am doing well Dean. It is nice to see you again." Gadreel said. He still appeared to be little bit uncomfortable.

Good, Dean thought to himself. Sure, he was being a bit of an ass hole, but he wanted to make sure Gadreel remembered that Cas was very much off limits to him.

"What are you doing here?" Gabriel asked. He wanted to understand just what on earth Dean could possibly be thinking showing up here, when the potential for him and Gail to interact was so high.

"Hopefully not falling into some twisted trap." Dean said. "Cas said your mom told him to invite me, so here I am."

"She what? Is she sick?" Gabe looked like he may be having a small stroke himself.

"I don't know, maybe you can talk to her and find out what's gotten into her?" Cas tried to will Gabe to say yes with his eyes.

Gabe knew that look all too well and gave in.

"Yeah. I'll do that." Gabe turned to look for his mother around the room again. This time he spotted her walking towards the group of them.

There was the sound of everyone sucking in sharp breaths. Dean could feel his heart rate speed up. Here it was, the moment of truth.