It was pretty damn sobering to ride in a taxi and worry about someone you cared about who was in the hospital. Dean had panicked and didn't even bother to ask what had happened. Guilt trickled its way into his brain. They hadn't talked since their fight. He could lose Cas and the last thing he told him was to leave, to get out. Maybe Cas never loved him but Dean sure as hell loved Cas and even if he was pissed, that didn't change.
Once Dean finally got to the hospital after what felt like the longest car ride in history, he threw some money at the cab driver, grossly overtipping but it didn't matter, and rushed inside. He quickly got instructions to Cas's room and headed there right away, ignoring the nurses who complained he wasn't family and visiting hours were just about over.
At the doorway to Cas's room, Dean paused. The door was shut and he had his hand on the doorknob, hesitating to go in. What if Cas didn't want him here? Dean took a deep breath and opened the door. He had to know that Cas would be okay.
Dean took one step into the small room before something slammed into him from his left. That something turned out to be someone, a someone that was now on top of Dean. The two struggled and grappled on the floor. The man, shorter than Dean by several inches, landed a good punch to Dean's cheek. Dean finally formed a coherent thought and pushed his assailant off. They stood facing each other, breathing heavy. Dean briefly considered pulling his gun but decided against it.
"Here to finish the job?" the attacker asked. Dean had no idea what the guy meant or why he thought he would want to hurt Cas, but took a quick sideways glance at the occupied bed in the room. Castiel was in it and he didn't look good. His face had scrapes, cuts and bruises and his right arm was heavily bandaged. And that was only what Dean could see above the blanket covering him.
"I could ask you the same thing. You're one of Michael's guys," Dean retorted with a glare. It finally hit him why he knew him. Michael's gang could know Cas was snitching and hurt him and this guy could be here to finish him.
"And you're one of Crowley's," the other guy pointed out, also with a glare. Neither man moved.
Dean wasn't sure how much this guy knew. If he thought Dean was pissed, like everyone else in their gang, that Cas sold them out, it would make sense he would be here to finish him off. Revenge was kind of a big aspect in this life. But so were pride and rivalry.
"I get it, he's in the rival gang and you're here to hurt him…"
"What? No, seriously? This guy?" the man laughed for a reason unknown to Dean. "In a gang?"
Dean, again, was confused. "If you're not here to kill him then why are you here?"
"He's my brother."
"What?" Dean asked. Cas had said his brother's name only a couple of times but Dean had been distracted, like when they were making out in the Impala. Dean quickly brushed that last memory away.
"Yeah, I'm his brother. Who the hell are you?"
"I'm his…" Dean stumbled on the word boyfriend. It didn't seem accurate anymore. "I'm Dean."
"Oh, no way," the guy laughed again. "You're Dean? Heard a bit about you."
Dean didn't know what to say. Cas's brother's face fell as he seemed to realize something.
"Oh, shit. You're…you're his Dean? But you're with Crowley's gang!" he repeated.
"I know."
The big brother stepped into Dean's space and grabbed his shirt, shaking him.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?" he yelled. The sound must have woke Cas up because he coughed, making the two step back and stop fighting. Dean understood the protective older brother role, but Dean didn't have anything to do with why Cas was hurt.
"Cas, hey," his brother went to the side of his bed, suddenly calm. Dean stood awkwardly at the end of the bed, not sure what to do or say. He was glad Cas was reasonably okay but that didn't change what had happened between them.
"Dean," Cas gasped, turning from his brother to look at him. Dean now walked to the other side of the bed as his brother got some water for Cas.
"What the hell happened to you?" Dean asked, hands in his pockets. He honestly didn't know what else to say..
"Jake and Edgar," Cas said, throat dry. He sat up enough to drink the water given to him.
"Told you it was your people's fault," the brother muttered.
"Listen, douchebag…"
"Gabriel," he snapped.
"Whatever."
"Do you guys know each other?" Cas asked, his eyes going back and forth between the argument hovering over his bed.
"He's in Michael's gang. He helped beat me up that day we had our date to Navy Pier."
"I… what? No way," Cas asked, looking at Gabriel with disbelief.
"And why do you know Dean?" Gabriel changed the topic, gesturing at Dean and practically spitting Dean's name like it was a foul word.
"He… uh, he's…" Cas said, also struggling with what to call what their relationship had dissolved into. He was also kind of hung up on the fact that his brother was in a gang. It would explain why Lucifer said Cas should be in the other gang.
"He's in Crowley's gang," Gabriel argued.
"I know, that's kind of how we met."
"You joined a gang?" Gabriel asked, now the one to look shocked. "Did he get you to join?"
"Well…"
"Technically, he was just snitching on us all if that makes you feel better," Dean muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. Reopening that wound hurt and he wished they hadn't.
"Dean, please, you have to…" Cas begged.
"I don't have to do shit," Dean snapped.
"Okay, I'm going to give you some space here," Gabriel said, taking a couple steps towards the door. "I trust you're not going to hurt my baby brother?"
Gabriel took Dean's glare as his answer and backed out the door.
"Dean…" Cas started again.
"Cas, look, I just had to make sure you were okay. Now that it's settled you are banged up but reasonably unhurt, I'm going to go. I need to avoid getting arrested, remember?"
The hurt the past across Cas's face made Dean have to look away. He turned to walk out the door and almost ran into Cas's two new visitors.
It was Henriksen and Mills.
There was a brief moment of hesitation where everyone froze. If they had been arresting everyone in both gangs, there was nothing stopping them from arresting Dean. It was a sickening thought but Cas must have ratted on him, too. Dean had a slight deer-in-headlights moment before regaining his confidence.
"Evening, officers," Dean joked. "Here to actually do some good?"
"Winchester, I should arrest you right now," Henriksen said, stepping towards Dean.
"Do it," Dean said, straightening his arms in a "come at me" pose. "Show me your warrant. Or tell me the crime I'm committing right now that gives you probable cause to arrest me."
Henriksen tightened his lips in a line and glared at Dean.
"Didn't think so," Dean said as he sidestepped the two to leave. "Just catch the assholes that did this to Cas."
"Oh, we will," Henriksen said to Dean's retreating back, "then we're coming for you!"
"Bring it on!" Dean yelled as he walked down the hallway. He kept up the bravado but knew he was royally fucked.
