Hello my dears. I would like to thankIsabellaFaye11, linusfan13 and tardis-impala-221b-merlin for the lovely reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.
So I wasn't supposed to be writing this, but I felt in the mood for this story, so here you are.
Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.
Dean arrived at Cas' house to find Gabriel's car gone. As such he climbed out and made his way to the front door to ring the bell. And Castiel, opening the door and seeing him, smiled at such an unexpected pleasure, or at least he did until he saw Dean's face in the light and saw the conflict and emotions raging across its surface.
"What's wrong Dean?" He asked with worry in his voice, wondering if something had happened to someone Dean cared for.
"I don't want to talk about it." Dean mumbled in return, yet he didn't make a move towards Cas. If he wanted to make him talk then he would. He would let him decide. He would put everything into Cas hands tonight. He was done with thinking. It was overrated in his mind.
And Castiel taking note of his voice and coupling it with his look, remembered the conversation he had with Gabriel. Of course his brother had not been working alone in that. No doubt Sam had been pressuring Dean to take him with him. But he knew the score, he knew what it was they were doing here, even if their brothers did not.
"Sam spoke to you didn't he?" He asked just to clarify that his intuition was correct.
"Yeah." Dean sighed. Waiting for Cas to ask him to take him back to LA with him. Cos he knew if he asked that, he had no idea what he would say in reply. Because his heart would scream yes, and yet his head screamed no. it all too friggin' much. Why did he have to deal with this shit? Why?
And Castiel taking a look at his face read it with ease. Dean did not want to take him with him, and Castiel could understand that. He had so much to lose after all. It just confirmed to him that his decision was right. He would not ask for anything more from the man he loved. But he would give him what he could while they were together.
"We don't have to talk Dean, don't worry."
With that Castiel pulled Dean into his arms and into his embrace as his lips found Dean's. They kissed passionately as they managed to close the door behind them. Tonight was a time for them, a time to forget what was to come, and forget what they had discussed with their respective brothers. This was their only chance to be together and they both now knew they could not hide from that fact. As such there love making that evening had an extra edge to it. A slight desperation as they both knew the time was coming too quickly when they would have to part forever. A time they wished they could put off indefinitely, no matter how much it marched relentlessly towards them.
The bubble was well and truly gone and all that was left was the desperation to make every second count.
When Chuck walked out of the door of the bar he took a deep breath of the crisp night air. Damn it. What the hell had he just suggested? No not just suggested, agreed to for god's sake. He had just said that when Dean came clean about him and Castiel he would go back. What was going through his mind to make such a statement? Because the idea that Dean wouldn't admit his feelings for Castiel didn't even enter his head. I mean that guy was so strong, he could cope with anything, and he knew Castiel was the same. They were without doubt perfect for each other. But he wasn't like that, and yet, he had still given Dean the ultimatum. He was freaking crazy, if only he could claim he was drunk when he said the words. But he knew he wasn't. He was stone cold sober for god damns sake. Argh.
But before he could rant mentally even more at his own stupidity his phone rang pulling him from his thoughts. A fact he was extremely grateful for.
"Hello?" He said in a slightly hopeful voice, anything to take his mind from his deal.
"Hey Chuckles." Came the cheerful voice down the line which just hearing it made him breathe a sigh of relief. If he had to go back, Gabriel would be with him. He'd make sure he didn't do anything stupid.
"Gabriel. What's up?" He asked pulling himself away from his relief to talk to his best friend.
"Weeellll I have a favour to ask." Gabriel said in his cajoling voice making Chuck roll his eyes. He knew his friend well, whatever it was Gabriel wanted it wouldn't be good.
"Do I really want to hear this?" He asked dryly even though he knew he could never say no to the guy who had saved his life, even if there were times when he really should, for his own sanity if nothing else.
"That depends if you want to see my little brother happy or not." Gabriel responded in a wheedling tone. He needed Chuck's help with this one. He had the connections in Dean's world that he did not. He knew it so much better than him, even if he had left it.
"Oh god Gabriel. What are you going to do to Dean and Castiel?" Chuck groaned as many assorted idea floated through is head, not one of them good for anyone involved, and all of them included him.
"Me? Nothing." Gabriel replied innocent. So innocently Chuck went on alert.
"Neither am I. I don't care what you did for me, I am not meddling any more than I already have." He stated plainly. He was not getting involved it was a simple as that.
"You already have? And what have you done Chuck?" Gabriel asked curiously. He had just wanted to use his friend connections, but it seemed that Chuck had already thrown his hat into the ring with this one. Oh goody, you could never have too many allies in his mind.
"I've just seen Dean in the bar. We talked that's all." Chuck replied trying to backtrack. He did no want to tell Gabriel of their deal, cos in doing so it would make it even more real than it already was. Especially as it seemed Gabriel was driving everyone in the direction of him having to make good on his word.
"You talked… about what?" Gabriel asked in his voice with just oozed the fact that if Chuck didn't reply he was gonna be in serious hot water. Damn it.
"The life, how he doesn't think anyone will accept Castiel." he grumbled in reply. Why was it Gabriel could keep his secrets, but he never manged to keep his? Oh yeah cos Gabriel always refused to let up until he found them. Damn the man, why was he friends with him again?
"And your thoughts?" Gabriel asked suddenly serious. He did not want to go through with his plan if it would cause Castiel upset. He had never really considered the fact that the world would weigh in on his brother's relationship.
Chuck debated for a few seconds, he could lie and tell Gabriel that Castiel would be in danger and he knew his friend would let it drop. But could he really do that just to protect himself? No he couldn't. He couldn't sacrifice Dean and Castiel's happiness juts for his own insecurities. As such he replied honestly.
"That with the right support and strategy it'll be fine."
"Glad to hear you're on my side then." Gabriel said bouncing back to planning mode now he had inside information that Cassie would not be hurt.
"What do you want from me Gabe?" Chuck asked with a sigh.
"Just a name." Gabriel replied with glee. Finally he was getting somewhere.
"What name?" Chuck asked cautiously. It had better not be a member of the press. Cos if so he would say no, no matter what he owed Gabriel. He would not sell out another, ever.
"The name of someone who can help Dean see that Cassie would be accepted into his world without issue." Gabriel replied simply unaware of the thoughts going through his friends head.
At that Chuck sighed in relief. That he could do with ease.
"Benny Lafitte is your best bet then." He said simply hoping that would be the end of his involvement, though he doubted it would be.
"Great, who's that?" Gabriel asked taking note of the name but realising he had absolutely no knowledge of who this Benny was.
"His bodyguard and the best friend he'll have in LA. He has family a few towns over and while Dean is here he's visiting them. I'm sure you can find their contact details somewhere online. I don't have his number, not anymore." Chuck replied without thought though as soon as the last words left his mouth he winced.
"Why did you?" Gabriel asked picking up on them straight away, of course.
"He used to be my bodyguard, before I went downhill." Chuck murmured in reply. He did not want to think of that time. Of having Benny telling him he needed to slow down, to stop taking the drugs, before telling him he couldn't sit there and watch him kill himself any more as he handed in his resignation.
"Right. You okay?" Gabriel asked concerned by Chuck's voice. No doubt this conversation was bringing up things his friend would prefer not to remember, and he did not want to be the cause of Chuck's pain. He was like a brother to him.
"Oh yeah, I dandy." Chuck replied with a humourless tone. He just loved reliving his past, and oh yeah, he had just agreed to do it for real, not just in his friggin' mind. Fan-freaking-tasic.
"Chuck!" Gabriel stated. He needed to know he was okay. Simple as that.
"I may have just challenged Dean." Chuck replied with a groan as he realised he needed to tell Gabriel why he was being so pissy about all this.
"In what way?" Gabriela sked with a frown. How the hell could Chuck challenge Dean?
"Told him that when he comes clean to the world about Castiel, I'll make my relaunch at his coming out party." Chuck replied with a sigh. He still couldn't believe he had been such an idiot.
"Really? Oh that is epic." Gabriel responded with such glee and joy in his voice Chuck rolled his eyes.
"Stop it." He growled, though he knew it would have little effect on his friend.
"What? You've just given me even more incentive to get the lovebirds together for all eternity." Gabriel responded with happiness that not only would he be helping his brother but his best friend.
"Like you needed more. You're a romantic idiot." Chuck grumbled though he now knew that seriously nothing would stand in Gabriel's way, he was better off just accepting it and moving on.
"Ah Chuckles, you say the nicest things, and you know it's why ya love me." Gabriel responded cheerfully down the phone. Already planning two steps ahead.
"Yeah, not so much right now." Chuck replied dryly. He couldn't stay pissed at Gabriel even if he wanted it. It was impossible to be cross with that much cheer directed at you in his mind.
"It'll all be fine. Promise."
With that the line went dead and Chuck sighed into the night. Because he knew, with Gabriel being the driving force then nothing and no one would stand in the way of Dean and Castiel being together forever. Which mean the was gonna have to get his head round the idea of returning to who he was, get up the strength to make sure he didn't make the same mistakes he had the last time. Customize himself to what his future now was certainly going to be. And there, in the dark outside the roadhouse Chuck felt a spark of anticipation of the life he had left behind. A spark he hadn't felt since the day he woke up in that hospital with Gabriel at his side and he realised what he had done. It wasn't the spark for drugs as he feared it would be when thinking of that world. No it was the spark of excitement, of joy, at being about to go back to doing that which he loved.
And it was with that spark inside him that he made his way back to his home and pulled out his old work, his unfinished songs, and his guitar, and it was that spark that drove him to play into the night, practising and relearning that with he had claimed to have forgotten, and writing that which one day he might have to perform.
