"Knock knock!" Dean called out as he pushed open the front door to his apartment. The lights were out, but the familiar glow of the TV lit up the room.

"Gabe?"

Gabe yelped and began frantically searching around himself on the couch for the remote.

"Are you watching The Notebook again?" Cas asked as he looked towards the TV.

"No! shut up butt head." Gabe said as he finally found the remote and shut off the TV, leaving all three of them in total darkness.

"Uhh, ok. Well, sorry to interrupt your … whatever this is." Dean said into the dark room.

Cas walked over to the light switch and turned on the dining room and kitchen lights. When they looked over to where Gabe was sitting Dean started laughing uncontrollably.

"Dude, what are you doing?" Dean sputtered out once he had fully taken in the site of Gabe wrapped up in the comforter from the spare bedroom. He had it wrapped around him like a cocoon, with the top flopping over his head. He had various candy and his pint of chocolate ice cream in front of him on the coffee table, and of course, a box of tissues.

"I was, just ..." Gabe started before he looked over to the two men annoyed.

"He was having a date night for one I think." Cas said, trying to help Gabe out.

"Yeah, date night for one. Is that food?" Gabe asked as he finally registered all the Tupperware Dean was holding.

"Yeah, Cas made pasta." Dean said as he put the containers down on the dining room table. "We have an emergency situation we need your help with."

"My help you say? And you brought pasta. I find your offering acceptable." Gabe said as he stood up and unwrapped himself from his blanket.

"If you could maybe put on some pants?" Dean said as Gabe came to stand next to him and investigate which pasta Cas had made that night.

"Oh, picky picky. Yeah fine." Gabe rolled his eyes and headed into the spare bedroom to retrieve his pants.

"The notebook?" Dean asked Cas with a smile.

"He loves it. This is probably the hundredth time he's seen it if I had to guess. The big baby still cries every time." Cas told him with a shake of his head.

"And how would you know that?" Dean asked.

"I've watched it with him probably thirty of those times." Cas admitted. When he looked over at Dean giving him a raised eyebrow, he added, "What? It's a nice movie."

"Whatever you say Cas." Dean laughed and headed into the kitchen to grab plates and cutlery.

"Ok, I'm dressed. Now what's this emergency?" Gabe asked as he rejoined the other two at the table. He took a plate from Dean and started loading it up.

When neither of them answered right away, Gabe let out a long low whistle.

"Must be pretty bad. C'mon guys spill it."

Dean finished putting his plate together and pulled out a chair. He sat down heavily and Gabe took the hint to sit down as well. Cas made his plate and moved all the leftovers to the kitchen counter so he could join them at the table.

Once all three were seated together Dean let out a sigh and looked at Gabe.

"You're leaving soon right?"

"Ouch, are you that sick of me already?" Gabe said, putting a hand over his heart.

"No … well." Dean paused. "No I'm not." Dean said and ran a hand over his face. "Just answer the question."

"Yeah, I plan on leaving early Saturday morning. I do have to get back to work and being awesome in general some time."

"So Friday is your last night here." Cas said.

"That would be correct. Why? You guys throwing me a party?" Gabe asked and perked up.

Dean barked out a laugh. "I guess you could say that. If you like really awkward, uncomfortable, potentially deadly parties."

"That's not the vibe I normally go for whence celebrating, but I'll try anything once." Gabe said as he shoveled some pasta into his mouth.

"Deans aunt Karen would like us to go for dinner on Friday." Cas said.

"That's nice of her." Gabe said through a mouth full of pasta. "Mom and Dad are probably gonna want to do dinner that night though don't you think?"

"I do think that yes. So, she, uh." Cas stammered.

"She wants us to bring them along." Dean finished for him.

Gabe's hand stopped halfway between his plate and his mouth. His pasta slowly flopped off his fork and back onto his plate as he looked between Dean and Cas, his face set somewhere between horror and awe.

"Your mom did say she wanted to meet them." Dean said when Gabe's silence became uncomfortable.

"You couldn't wait until the wedding?" Gabe choked out.

"We aren't engaged Gabe." Cas said.

"Well, not yet. Give it a few years. Mom just started not being a total ass to Dean like, yesterday. This sounds risky if you ask me. Which, I will remind you, you are."

The three men sat and ate in silence for a few minutes, all lost in their own thoughts.

"This is really good." Dean said as he looked at Cas.

"It's ok. Thank you." Cas said as he pushed his fork around his plate.

"Chickens a bit salty." Gabe said.

Cas rolled his eyes before agreeing with his brother. "I thought it was going to be a lot worse."

"So, any bright ideas coming to you?" Dean asked Gabe.

"Have you guys considered packing up and coming with me to California? I know a guy who could make you disappear, new names, the whole nine yards. All I need is few of your teeth."

Cas gave Dean a look that said "I told you so."

"Cas suggested Australia." Dean said.

"I think my licence will work in Australia." Gabe said as he pulled out his phone. "I can book our tickets now."

Cas nodded as he watched his brother poking at his phone.

"Guys, no, c'mon. We aren't running away." Dean said. He stopped for a moment and thought about him and Cas on the beach in Australia, soaking up the sun by the water. Cas would be all tanned and covered in oil … then maybe at sunset …

Dean shook his head and remembered where he was.

"No, we can't do that. We need a real plan."

"What did you tell Karen?" Gabe asked.

"We said we would ask them about it and get back to her." Cas told him.

"Whhhy would you do that?" Gabe groaned. "Now you either have to lie to that dear, sweet, angel of a woman, or actually ask them."

"Alright, this is good. You're understanding our problem." Dean said as he pushed his empty plate further in front of him.

"You have no choice." Gabe said solemnly as he finished off his own plate.

"Gaaaabe." Cas groaned.

"Don't Gaaaaaabe me. You're a terrible liar, so lying is off the table." Gabe said to his dismayed little brother.

"But you, my dear, sweet, wonderful brother, are an excellent liar." Cas tried.

"Flattery wont get you anywhere today kiddo."

"You know you would have to be there too right?" Dean said.

"Caaaaaaaaas" Gabe said, mimicking his brothers earlier whine.

"Don't Caaaaaaas me." Cas responded with humor in his voice. "This is all your fault."

"How? What? My fault? It's not."

"Yes it is. If you weren't leaving on Saturday this whole mess would have been avoided. So, your fault." Cas said and pushed his own plate away with a little more sass than was strictly necessary.

"Well what do you suggest I do about that?" Gabe asked Cas grumpily.

Dean perked up.

"Well, since you guys love the idea of moving so much, how about you never leave and just live here now? Its easier than all of us packing up and leaving?" Dean looked around the table like he just had the most brilliant idea yet.

"Ugh no." The brothers said in unison.

Gabe looked at Cas when he heard him answer no as quickly as he had, and grabbed a stray noodle off his plate and promptly whipped it at Cas's face. The noodle stuck to Cas's cheek, which sent both Dean and Gabe into a fit of laughter.

"I hate you." Cas grumbled as he removed the noodle and threw it down on his own empty plate. He wiped at the sauce left behind on his face.

"Best I can do for you guys is run defense." Gabe told them once his laughter had died down.

Cas nodded. They had played this game more than a few times in their lives. One or the other always seemed to need help reigning in their mother.

"This may be a bad time, but Karen was asking me about mom earlier today. She doesn't sound especially fond of her. I guess someone went crying to auntie about our mean mother." Gabe said as he looked at Dean.

"I didn't cry." Dean said stubbornly.

Gabe and Cas sat and stared at him.

"What?! She was really mean." Dean said quietly as he stood up and started gathering their plates.

"My point is, our mom probably isn't going to be the only one we need to watch." Gabe said. He finally had his game face on. That was good, they were getting somewhere. "When are you going to call? Maybe mom will nix the whole thing."

"It's getting late now." Cas said as he looked at his watch. It was only six he was shocked to discover. Gabe had drawn the curtains in the apartment so he thought it was a lot later than it really was.

Gabe turned his head to the clock on the wall and also registered the time. He looked back at his brother and gave him a look.

"Well, she's old, its probably like eleven for her and dad." Cas attempted.

"You know that's crap." Gabe said. "Call her now, bite the bullet broski."

Cas pulled his phone out of his pocket and looked at it for a long time. He flipped it over in his hand, switched the hand he was holding it in, and turned the screen on and off a few times.

"I meant today." Gabe said as he watched Cas.

Cas sighed and opened his contacts. He pushed the icon that said "Mom" and the phone started to ring.

Gabe and Dean sat deadly still watching Cas listen to the phone ring. When Cas suddenly shut his eyes tightly they knew Gale had picked up on her end.

"Hi Mom. No, nothing's wrong. What? No really everything is fine. I do not only call when … mom everything is fine. How are you?"

Cas looked between Dean and Gabe and rolled his eyes.

"That's good. He's been up? That's wonderful."

Cas paused and listened to his mother for a little while.

"I was calling to ask, if, you know Friday? Yeah, the day of the week." Cas pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Yes, I know you know the days of the week, just listen to me. Gabe is leaving on Saturday and Deans aunt Karen was hoping we could all join them for dinner over at their place. Yes, you guys too."

Cas held his breath as he listened.

"Lovely. Yeah, that's what we were thinking." Cas looked between the other two with dread in his eyes.

"Ok, yes, I will let her know and get back to you with the details. Love you too. Bye."

Cas hung up the phone.

"Our lives are over." Cas said as he looked straight into Deans eyes.

"Nah babe, it wont be that bad. She said it sounded lovely." Dean said halfheartedly.

"Lovely." Gabe scoffed.

Cas turned towards his brother, the dread still clear on his face.

"Gabe, they live at a salvage yard."

"Hey!" Dean said, sounding insulted.

"No, its not…" Cas said to Dean before turning back to Gabe. "There's so much dirt there."

"At least she usually wears sensible shoes?" Gabe said, trying to ease Cas's worry.

"I think we made it worse. Now its definitely happening." Dean said as he cradled his head in his hands. "Gabe, you suck at this."

"Sorry Deano, you gave me bad cards to play with."

Dean nodded his agreement. "I'll talk to Karen when I get in to work tomorrow."

Gabe could see how worried Dean and Cas were about the whole thing and tried to lift their spirits. "It really wont be that bad probably. Between the three of us we've got this. Right?!"

Silence.

"I said RIGHT GUYS?!" Gabe tried more enthusiastically.

"Right." Dean said and looked to Cas.

"Right." Cas said and forced a smile at Dean and Gabe.

"You guys wanna hang around and finish my movie with me?" Gabe asked.

"I don't think so. Watching an almost grown man cry wouldn't add anything to my evening." Dean said.

Cas snorted a laugh and Gabe balked at the insult.

"Your loss." Gabe muttered as he stood up and removed his pants.

"Gabe? What the hell?" Dean groaned.

"I'm going back to my cozy blanket wrap and movie." Gabe said, lifting his nose in the air stubbornly. He whirled around on his heels and made his way back to his blanket. Dean covered his eyes when the site of Gabe's exaggerated walk in his ridiculous heart covered boxers was too much to bare.

"I think we are being kicked out of my house." Dean said in awe.

"I'm not kicking you out. I'm making it too uncomfortable to stay. There's a difference."

Cas was in the kitchen finishing packing up the leftovers from dinner and put them in Deans fridge. Dean was secretly pleased that Cas was leaving him and Gabe the leftovers. His pasta really was amazing, salty chicken and all.

"Should we go upstairs and watch our own movie?" Dean asked.

"Anything but Pulp Fiction please." Cas said tiredly as he walked straight into Dean and rested his forehead on his shoulder.

"Ok. Night Gabe." Dean called out as he wrapped his arm around Cas's waist and lead him to the door. "Thanks for your help, I guess."

"Anytime!" Gabe called back through a mouth full of candy. "Night."