Fall And Rebuild Chapter 14, a supernatural fanfic

Seeing that he hadn't woken his partner up, Dean opened the door and slipped out of the room. He saw everyone else was awake, and he walked towards them. "What's going on?" He asked, seeing they were distressed.

"Neither of the vehicles will start. One's got no gas, the other's engine is dead and gone. Besides, we're snowed in. There's no way we'll get out with vehicles." Luke reported.

Dean met his gaze for a few moments. "So we need a plan to get to my house." Dean assumed.

They nodded.

"Well, I'll work something out. It'll be today that I do." He spoke, turning and walking away to the room. He opened the door and kneeled in front of the bed, Castiel lay upon. "Hey." Dean set a hand on his shoulder. "Wake up."

The former officer stirred awake and opened his eyes to meet Dean kneeling in front of him. He rubbed his eyes and saw Dean's expression. "What's wrong? You seem worried. Did something happen overnight?" Cas sat up and stretched out his back muscles before sliding off the bed and onto his feet, standing in front of Dean.

"The vehicles are unable to start, and we're snowed in any way. They're relying on me to come up with a plan. I have a map of this place and the towns beyond it, all the way to our house. I say we walk there. It's our only chance." Dean spoke, looking at Castiel. He did have a map, and there were enough supplies to last a few weeks of walking to the town. They could make it if they all tried.

The plan that was in place was a little risky considering the weather, but if everyone gave it their all, things could relatively smoothly. Hopefully. "Alright, I'll shower when we get back home. Let me pack up our stuff for us. You should probably come with any details with the rest of the group. If things get dire, I can always start a fire for extra warmth or to melt ice patches."

He nodded his approval. "Pack everything we've got. It's going to take us at least two weeks to get there. Everyone will have to hold weight. I'll let them know what's in place." Dean felt a pinprick of pain, and started to lift his sleeve, but stopped. He pretended he was straightening it. "Right." He spoke, coughing awkwardly and mentally cursing himself. Castiel was sure to question him now, if not later.

"Dean. What's wrong with your arm? I've never actually seen you straighten your sleeves. The only time was when we dressed up formally for our dinner date and I saw you do it. Did you do something to it when I was out in the woods? Something that you should probably let me be aware of?" Even though it was extremely possible for Cas to use his power of suggestion on Dean, he would never do that to him. On other people, yes, but Dean didn't deserve to have his mind being fuzzy. Plus, that could break trust between them.

For a few seconds, Dean contemplated showing him what he'd done to himself. But after recent events, he wouldn't forgive himself if he lied to Castiel again. Sighing, he pulled up both of his sleeves, revealing cuts up his arms. They were an inch and a half, some reaching two, in length. It was easy to see they'd been done by a knife. Dry blood caked over a few of the cuts. Dean wore a solemn expression upon his face.

Cas' gaze softened as he pursed his lips, seeing the damage Dean had done to himself. He turned around and went over to the sink with a washcloth, soak it in warm water. Coming back over, he held his left arm straight and began washing the dry blood gently, making sure to get everything clean. Then he did the same to Dean's right arm. Not moving from his spot, he tossed the rag into the hamper and then gave the man a warm hug. "If you get the urge to do something like that again, I'd rather you let me know so we can figure something out that doesn't involve you hurting yourself. Does that sound okay?"

Dean was genuinely surprised by Castiel's reaction but accepted it nonetheless. He returned the hug he was given. "Those weren't very recent. They were done a few days after you fled the place. But I wouldn't get the urge to do it again unless something terrible happened." He reassured, pulling away gently after a few moments. "On a happier note, I'll help you pack the backpacks, and let's get the hell out of here. I bet I've got a basketball game waiting for me back home."

He offered a small smile. "And I've got front row tickets still," Cas stated before walking over and grabbing his sniper to put it in the case that fit snugly into his bag along with the ammo. Heading over to the laundry room down the hall a bit, he grabbed his clean clothes and changed in the bathroom real quick before packing his old ones in the bag as well. A little bit of Dean's laundry was in there, so he grabbed it and placed it on the bed for him.

The next hour was spent preparing for the trip ahead. Everyone packed their own backpack to wear and had at least a knife on them for defense. Everyone had changed into clean clothes, and now they all stood at the door, waiting. They all wore a heavy winter coat, hat, and gloves. Dean was the one who would lead this 'expedition' since he carried the map. He looked everyone over and led them outside. The men began to walk down the driveway, silence ensuing them. The only sounds were their weight in the snow.

As they stepped outside, Cas breathed in a big breath of chilly air. It felt relaxing to him. The crunching of everyone's footsteps seemed to echo around the area as the environment was completely silent for now. It was almost peaceful, but he knew the trek would be challenging for everyone to a certain extent. Each individual had their own limits, after all.

The men walked for what seemed like an eternity but was only hours. Seven hours later, everyone needed an actual break, contrary to the smaller ones they'd had throughout. "Dean," Luke called out. "We need a break. I'm struggling to even walk."

Dean slowed, causing everyone to slow. He took pity on them all and sighed. Seeing a clearing in the forest to the right of the road they'd been traveling, he turned and motioned for them to follow. The men sat down, and Dean sat too, looking up at the sky.

He looked up to Luke, standing in front of him. "Hey." Dean greeted him. Luke offered a smile and handed him a water bottle, which Dean gratefully took. The taller man then patted him on the shoulder with care and walked away. Dean stared after him with a small smile. Everyone seemed at peace.

As everyone sat down, Cas sighed contentedly and reached into his bag for a water and Gatorade to keep up his electrolytes. This trek definitely wasn't the hardest thing he's done, but it was worse in the cold. At least everyone was appropriately dressed and kept moving long enough to keep their blood pumping to stay warm. He had put his pistol and the knife in a side pocket in his coat for more easy access if the time would call for it, but there should be no need to. Putting the drinks back in his bag, he looked around the group. "Is anyone feeling too cold yet? I can go forge some kindling over there by the trees and get some warmth going for everyone. I'll put that offer on the table for the rest of our journey."

Most of the trekkers looked up at Castiel's question. "We're okay." was most of their replies, indicating that there was no need for warmth. At least not yet. Dean drank some water and ate an energy bar, but nothing more was consumed by him than that. Standing, he walked away a few feet away from the group. Taking a lighter and a cigarette out of his pocket, he struggled to light up, as the breeze was blowing softly.

The former officer sat for a few moments before he smelled the scent of lighter fuel. It was coming from Dean's direction. Not wanting to draw too much attention, he got up casually and walked over, putting an arm around his shoulders so the others couldn't tell what they were saying. "I've never seen you smoke before. Not especially good for athletes like yourself, you know." He lightly joked. Cas slipped his glove off before making a flame ignite on his finger for Dean on his cigarette. "Is this recent as well, or am I not observant enough?"

He touched the end of the cigarette to the fire until it was lit and brought it back. Raising an eyebrow, Dean placed the cigarette filter between his lips and took a drag off it, making it away from his mouth so he could speak. "Recent. Besides, it's gonna be a while before I get back home. I'm already a bit weak enough anyway, so this wouldn't make much difference." Another drag. "I don't do it often. If I do, it's just to alleviate stress or just to do it."

"Fair enough, considering the situation we are in right now. But just know if it does become more than a stress reliever, I will only encourage you to stop or at least lower the amount you're taking into your body. Only because I care about you, sometimes I have to be annoying." He smiled before placing a peck on his cheek before walking away and back to sit against the tree where he was before to give Dean a little privacy.

Nodding, Dean was silent after that. He finished his cigarette and walked back over to the group, taking out the map and looking it over. "How much longer till we get there?" Luke's irritated voice reached his ears.

"We're going to get there when we get there," Dean replied firmly.

A growl sounded from behind him. Dean turned and looked at the taller man.

Everyone was watching, not intervening.

"What is with you? You've been nothing but disrespectful towards me since we began this trek." Dean stated, studying Luke.

The other man narrowed his eyes. "You know." He spoke.

Dean's eyes widened, and his jaw went slack. "Wh-that's what this is about? Your jealousy of my relationship with Castiel? Are you fucking kidding me?" Dean asked.

Their gazes met levelly. "What do you see in him?" Luke spat.

Suddenly, time was in slow motion. Dean raised a fist and swung it towards his face, connecting with his jaw.

Luke fell with a pained scream.

Balanced, Dean glared down at him for a few seconds. "You do that shit again, I'll cast you right out of this." A smile swept across Dean's face. "Remember this, all of you. Don't fuck with me. You'll regret it." He stated. He turned and walked away to the edge of the clearing, where he leaned against a tree.

The others began to try and care for Luke.

As Castiel witnessed the interaction between Luke and Dean, he clenched his jaw at Luke, basically insulting him when he was standing right there. He wasn't going to intervene, it wasn't his place. He would act as if nothing happened. Cas was genuinely surprised at the jealousy Luke showed, though. It was practically seeping out of the man. And here he thought about trying to be open enough to get to know him better. That wasn't going to happen now. He watched the band members care for Luke and continued to follow Dean once everyone looked fine.

Dean examined his knuckles to make sure there was no damage done to himself. A few strands of his sandy hair blew in front of his face, but he brushed them away. He could still feel the anger seeping under his skin. He didn't notice Castiel walking up towards him, for the blood rushing in his ears was all he could hear for the moment. Dean muttered sentences under his breath, saying how Luke deserved what he got. He went quiet after about three sentences, though, and associated himself with the environment around him.

Cas noticed Dean was taking time to calm down from the adrenaline rush, so he let him be at a safe distance. Instead, he looked up at the sky and saw tiny snowflakes falling onto his dark eyelashes. If they weren't walking back home, he would've enjoyed staying out here and enjoying the silent winter. But things needed to be done, there was no time for sightseeing. He sighed quietly, allowing his breath to flow in front of his face.

After a few moments, Dean noticed Castiel standing a ways away, and walked over to him. He slipped his arm around the man's shoulders and led him gently to the tree. "Sorry about that back there. He just...well, he insulted you, and I kind of got defensive." Dean looked down at his shoes, suddenly embarrassed. "I just...yeah. You get the point, I guess." He finished, sighing heavily.

The blue-eyed man smiled softly and wrapped an arm around Dean's torso. "No, I absolutely get it. It wasn't my fight to get involved with, but I felt my defensive walls flare up as well. He was insulting you also, you know? Doubting your judgment, really. I would have stepped in between you two if he had swung. Not that you cant handle yourself. " He admitted to his partner.

"I didn't care if he was insulting me. I just cared that he was insulting you." Dean confessed, looking up to meet Castiel's gaze. He wrapped his arms around his waist, feeling the warmth of his body heat even through the clothing Cas was wearing. Dean cupped his face, something he hadn't done in a week and a little over a half. It had been too long. "And I just now realize how much I missed you." He spoke softly, with the slightest smile.

A grin appeared on Castiel's face as Dean held it in his hands. This was a feeling he had missed. A beautiful, comforting feeling. "I've missed you terribly. It felt like there was a hole in my chest, but I am just happy that you're here with me now." He allowed some blush to form on his cheeks that showed on his fair complexion out in the snow.

"It's nice to see a smile on your face again. Sadly, I don't have a good photographic memory." Dean lightly jokes. A few heartbeats of silence passed. He looked at the snowflakes slowly falling, collecting on Castiel's head and shoulders, and even on his eyelashes. Dean touched his forehead to the other male's, looking into his stunning ice-blue eyes.

Cas smiles when Dean rests his forehead on his own. "I don't think I've mentioned before how much I enjoy looking into your green eyes. Reminds me of of sunlight creeping through the trees of a forest." He loosely wraps his arms around Dean's shoulders enjoying this peaceful moment between the two of them.

A smile took its place on Dean's face. "Well, your eyes remind me of an ocean. Or the night sky when it's turning to daylight. Or even my team colors on our basketball uniforms and court." Dean explained. Being as he was, of course, he was going to say something about basketball. He'd missed their moments like this when they were closer.

A small laugh escaped from Cas' lips. "I knew you were going to mention basketball one way or another. You still have to show me how to throw a few shots sometimes. I don't think I'd be horrible." He had thrown hoops in the last just to pass some time, but it's been a while since he's played basketball of any level.

"I suppose I'll do that when we get back home, and we all get our strength. You wouldn't be as good as I am probably, but you'd be decent if I can help it." Dean replied, joking lightly. He brushed his thumb against Castiel's cheekbones gently. For some reason, the soft, warm skin underneath his hands calmed him more than he asked for. "I love you, Cas."

"I love you too, Dean. More than I can find words to express it." His blue eyes trailed down to Dean's lips and then back up at his eyes before he leaned forward a bit to place a gentle kiss on the former prisoners lips. He pulled away a little and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry I couldn't help it."

Before Dean could react and kiss back, his partner had pulled away and apologized. The corners of Dean's lips twitched slightly at this. "Don't apologize. You can do that whenever you want." He spoke, sliding a finger under Castiel's chin. Taking a quick breath of air, Dean leaned in and kissed him passionately.

The former officer was happy that Dean had kissed him back. He only really apologized because, after their little misunderstanding, he wasn't sure if it was the right time to kiss Dean again. But the man didn't seem to mind, and that made Cas feel a lot better about putting pressure on himself. He smiled into the kiss and relaxed his head in Dean's hands as he returned their kiss with equal passion, closing his eyes.

A kind of reassurance washed over him in a wave, making him relax. Dean closed his eyes and they kissed for a few more moments. When the need for fresh oxygen became great, he pulled away gently, opening his eyes. Dean breathed in, out.

Suddenly, he detected a flash of silver to his right, heading towards Castiel. Without thinking, he stepped out, placing himself between Castiel and the blade. He felt a stabbing pain in his side and collapsed.

Luke stood a couple of feet in front of him.

Forgetting the pain, rage overtook Dean. He tore the knife from himself and ran towards Luke, tackling him and bringing the knife down on him, being stopped by Luke's hand enclosing on his wrist. Dean fought against it, and raised his fists then, discarding the knife. He littered blow after blow upon his face, until someone pulled him back. "No! Let me get him!" Dean roared.

Castiel had realized that the knife was supposed to be for him, but Dean took the blow. His eyes quickly glanced at Dean's wound, it was okay for now, he could always cauterize it if needed. But he really wanted to get a few things off his chest. Striding over towards Luke, he took him by the collar of his coat and held him up, Lukes feet slightly dangling off the ground. Cas' voice lowered to a more severe and cold tone. "Listen. If you really thought you could stab me, you clearly don't have the guts to try it when I'm in front of you. You are a coward, and you ended up hitting Dean because of it. Jealousy is a bitch. I won't forgive you for what you just did. Ever." He sneered as his gaze intensified. "Normally, I'd throw a punch and knock you out, but you aren't even worth that effort to me. I was going to try and be kind to you, but you don't need my kindness. If you do anything to hurt Dean or me again, I will hunt you down and make you regret it." He stated before dropping him to the ground and walking back over to Dean.

Sam and Tom held Dean by his shoulders, even as he fought against them. After a moment, he was let go, only to stand up and walk towards Luke.

"Here, we go again," Sam muttered.

Dean dragged the taller man up by his collar and pressed him against a tree. "If you try something again, I swear to god I will shoot you in the leg. I won't hesitate, bitch. You walk in here thinking you can stir up shit, you are wrong. Don't you dare try to hurt Castiel again, or I will kill you in two seconds flat. I don't fucking care. You might think you're high and mighty, Luke, but you're not. Life is a bitch. Deal with it, asshole." Dean snarled, his voice tight.

He let Luke down, where he cowered on the ground. "Fine. Why don't we just fight it out, Winchester? If you think you're so awesome, you can cast me out if I lose. If I win, well, you know exactly what I want." Luke spoke with a smile.

Dean smiled back. "Your challenge is accepted. Stand the fuck up then."

Everyone stood at the edge of the clearing.

Dean and Luke stood opposite each other. Dean's gaze flicked to Castiel. It read, 'I need to do this.'

Castiels instinct was to step in and stop the two from doing something stupid, but once he saw Dean's gaze, he stopped and nodded, before stepping back with the rest of the group to watch the fight unfold. He had faith that Dean would win this one. He believed in him and would tend to any severe injuries that may happen. Cas kept his hands folded together to prevent himself from moving.

He believed that he could do this. He knew what to do. Running forward, Dean saw Luke tense and knew that his plan for this specific move would work. Pushing off the ground and using his momentum, Dean sailed over Luke, doing a backflip so he could land facing behind Luke. Landing on his feet, Luke was confused as to where he'd gone. Dean moved up behind him and purposely stepped on a twig.

Luke turned, and Dean used his arms and his remaining strength to kick his legs out from under his body, making it easier for Dean to put Luke on his back. Pinning him, he forgot to use his weight enough, and Luke pushed him off. Luke ran forward and threw a punch at Dean's face, hitting his nose. Dean heard and felt his own nose break, but he wasn't worried about that. He dodged the rest of the punches Luke threw, one by one.

Seeing the little brawl ensue, Cas couldn't help but have an amused expression as Dean had the upper hand. He was thoroughly impressed by his footwork. But that expression faded when Luke had landed a punch right into Dean's nose. Even from where he was standing, he could hear cartilage break. He would have to readjust his nose later, so it healed properly. His eyes narrowed, watching every movement as Dean dodged Luke's punches.

Another hit landed on Dean, but on his shoulder. His nose had begun to bleed. Suddenly, a foot fell right over his knife wound, and Dean stumbled, losing his footing. Anger ensued him. He tackled Luke to the ground and pinned him there. Luke didn't get up. Dean stood. A gun pressed against Luke's temple. Dean's Springfield 1911 trembled in his hand. Why couldn't he just pull the trigger? He wasn't heartless, that's why. His finger hovered over the trigger.

Luke closed his eyes, awaiting his death.

Blue eyes widened as Dean put his pistol up to Luke's temple once he managed to pin him down. Castiel thought back to when they were at the prison together. He remembered telling Dean that he wasn't heartless and devoid of emotion like all the others in here when Dean was beating himself up for his father's murder. Even though he had committed a crime, Cas though he still didn't deserve to be behind bars because he had regret and guilt and shame.

Everyone seemed to be holding their breath as Dean decided whether he'd shoot or not. After a couple more moments, Dean let his hand fall to his side. The knife cuts on his arms began to bleed. Luke looked up at Dean; tears had created clean lines on his cheeks. "Go," Dean whispered. Luke stood but didn't move. "Go!" Dean yelled, trying not to cry. He shoved Luke away towards a trail. The taller man turned and ran, and Dean stared after him. He looked down at his gun, and up at the rest of the group.

Castiel decided to approach Dean slowly just in case he was still on edge from the whole fight. He gently took Dean's pistol and turned the safety back on, placing it back into the man's coat pocket where it originally was. This reminded him when Dean shot his uncle dead, and Cas had to be slow and gentle with his movements at the time.

He looked at the ground, lifting a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. He was looking down so no one could see him quietly crying to himself. Everyone resumed what they'd been doing before the fight, quietly talking. A hollow guilt settled inside the pit of his stomach, and Dean closed his eyes. He hadn't the heart to kill Luke, but he had it in him to send him away on his own.

Looking over at the rest of the group since they had begun resuming small talk, Cas looked back again at Dean, seeing how badly he was trying to hide his emotions from the group. He never wanted Dean to feel like he had to disappear from everyone. A gentle hand placed on his shoulder and spoke quietly. "I know that was a terrible choice you had to make, but if I may be honest, I believe he showed his true colors just now. I would have never expected that out of Luke. You may feel guilty, but it was probably the best decision for the group."

Looking up, Dean led Castiel to behind a large boulder and kneeled down, pulling his partner down with him. "I don't know really what I'm feeling. Anger, sadness, guilt, relief...fuck it, I don't know. I just..." he trailed off, leaning forward and letting himself practically fall into Castiel's lap. He turned his head and rested it in the crook of his neck. His shoulders shook with each quiet sob he let out. One arm was held close to his own chest, and Dean's other hand's fingers enclosed around Castiel's shirt on his chest.

Strong arms reached around Dean to hold him close as Cas adjusted their position by moving his arms around him. He stayed silent as he allowed Dean to cry into his neck. The man's mind was probably a swirl of emotions considering the event that took place. He gently rested his head on top of Dean's as he released his feelings.

Emotions were the controls of the controller, as some said. Many at once was very complicated to sort out. One could only imagine Dean's complicated situation. He doubted himself, and his actions along with that. He continued to cry, some sobs more violent than others. After a little while, they closed down to pathetic whimpers with a few tears. Dean refused to move; Castiel's presence and warmth was reassuring to him. More so than he really asked for.

Once Dean's sobs had quieted down a bit, Castiel tightened his grip on him a little before giving him a soft kiss on the top of his head. "We can stay here as long as you need to since I can keep us warm. I also need to readjust your nose before we get back on the hike...Is there anything you need to say out loud or just be quiet and sit here together?"

"I'm just going to be quiet." Dean murmured, staying where he was in his position. He did just that, taking refuge in Castiel. A small snowstorm was blowing in, and Dean unfolded his wings and formed a tent-like structure with them. He adjusted his position so that he rested one side of his head against Castiel's shoulder. His forest green gaze looked up to his partner's.

Seeing that Dean had used his wings to make a makeshift tent, Cas smiled at the sight. He admired Dean's feathers blocking out the snow before he looked back down at him. He held up his free hand that wasn't wrapped around Dean as tightly and lit a little flame on his pointer finger, small enough to not be dangerous, but big enough to keep them toasty from the frigid weather.

He lifted a hand and gently touched Castiel's cheek, looking up at him. Expression unreadable, Dean's gaze flicked about, landing on the lines of blood staining his sleeve. He looked at the for a few seconds and realized the cuts were no longer bleeding. His eyes went back to Castiel. "Would you be able to cauterize my knife wound with your power now?" He asked as a faint throbbing that gradually grew sharper began in the place he'd been stabbed.

Cas was leaning against Dean's hand on his cheek and spoke. "Of course. It won't be painless, but feel free to grip my arm or anything like you did before." He gave a reassuring smile to tell Dean that it was okay since the man had felt bad before about leaving a bruise on him. Lifting Dean's shirt a little, he adjusted the flame on his pointer finger before slowly beginning to cauterize Dean's wound. Thankfully, it didn't need a whole lot of work done, but Cas managed to get rid of the bleeding and allow new flesh to be able to form over so it could heal properly.

All Dean did was close his eyes and clench his teeth against the pain. When it was over, he was glad for it to be so. A few hours later, the small snowstorm had passed, and Dean decided it was time to move on, but soon. "We should get going soon. We have six hours before dark. Maybe we can cover some good ground. But we can stay here together for a couple more minutes if you want to." He suggested quietly.

"I'd love to for a few more minutes before we head out. Can you let me adjust your nose back? You know I don't care that your nose is crooked, but you'll be better off breathing wise and fewer blood clots. It's going to hurt more than me fixing up your knife wound." He spoke to Dean. Looking at his nose, it seemed relatively simple. A little to the right and upwards should do the trick.

Nodding, Dean adjusted his position, so he was sitting up a little more. He had forgotten about all the cuts and bruises he had on him, mostly because the pain had practically vanished. "Yeah, go ahead. I wouldn't want to not be able to breathe out of my nose. And you know I don't really care about pain." Dean reasoned, looking at Castiel and then to the side.

"We are one and the same when it comes to pain." He chuckles softly before placing his hands on Dean's face firmly to get leverage. Castiel paused for five seconds before shifting Dean's cartilage around with his thumbs to the right and then upwards. The process involved a lot of crackling and crunching that was loud enough for both of them to hear. "There. How's that feel? Air movement wise?"

The pain he felt was brief, and he was calm as ever while the process was done. His nose felt a bit better after it was over, and he breathed in and out for a little while to test the airflow. "It's good enough. I can breathe, and that's all I care at the moment. Thank you." Dean replied. His green gaze flicked to his partner. Habitable, he cupped his cheeks and brushed his thumbs along the cheekbones softly.

He was happy that Dean's nose was better than it was. Castiel always seemed to relax when Dean cupped his face with his hands. He reaches up and gently rubbed Dean's jawline with the back of knuckles. He chuckled softly. "You know, every time you hold my face like this, I feel like I could purr like Luna does. It's a very comforting gesture."

A smile protested, showing itself on Dean's face. The feeling of uneven pressure on his jawline somehow soothed him. "I did not know that," Dean replied, raising an eyebrow slightly. To him, Castiel's words were compelling. "I suppose that I should do it more often, then." He added. Leaning forward, Dean kissed the corner of his mouth lightly and pulled back with a small smile.

Cas smiled softly and mirrored the small kissing gesture Dean had just done. "I'll be glad to be back home. I definitely need a shower. I haven't showered in almost two weeks, and I think it's starting to show." He chuckled while continuing to rub Dean's jawline.

"I think we're all going to be happy when we've eaten a proper meal, have warmth, take a shower, and drink a lot of water when we get home," Dean replied, brushing his fingers through Castiel's hair. It was greasy and unkempt, but he couldn't say anything because he knew he was the same. They were all dirty and greasy.

The former officer leaned forward onto Dean's forehead as Dean played with his messy hair. "Where will the band members stay? I don't think there's quite enough space for everyone at our place. Unless there are a couple more air mattresses, I'm unaware of."

"I'll give them some money, and they can hit a hotel," Dean replied. He checked his watch. "We need to get moving if we are to cover more ground before dark. I don't want to be here any more than probably anyone else does at this point." He spoke, folding his wings and making them disappear. A few more miles, and it would be dark.

Castiel nodded and offered Dean a hand up for support. "Agreed. No need to be out here longer than we have to. We only have a limited amount of supplies." He stated as they started walking back towards the band members to meet up with them.

Once they had met up with everyone else, Dean discussed the game plan, and the group continued on. That was how the rest of that week went-walking and resting. One week later, there were only a couple more miles to go. Currently, they walked on the side of a road, Dean leading as always. He'd gotten his exercise in from walking for many days. A low, drawn-out roar sounded in the forest to their right. Everyone halted. For Dean, that roar was dreadfully familiar.

The former officer froze on the spot, hearing that roar. That noise was chilling and would make even the most fearless man stop in their tracks. His blue eyes lowered to his feet and then slowly looking to the right, trying to peak through the trees to get a glimpse of whatever it was. Cas had a good gut feeling but wasn't trying to jump to conclusions just yet.

Silence ensued the roar, and then Dean saw him. Walking among the trees, Jotunn stopped a few feet to the right of the group. He scanned them over with his white gaze, and Dean's blood ran cold. His hand went to his 1911. Suddenly, four gunshots rang out, and Jotunn retreated back into the forest, leaving behind a trail of red blood. Dean looked to their savior. His eyes widened in surprise.

"I think you made a mistake casting me out. I could've left you to die right then." It was from Luke.

Castiels' jaw clenched when he saw Luke come out from the shadows of the trees. He thought they wouldn't have to deal with them anymore because Dean had won their little bet. He must have had a motive for coming back. Plus, he could've been following them at a safe distance, how else would he have known their location. Cas looked at the man and asked in a stern voice. "What are you doing here?"

Luke met Castiel's gaze with an equally measured and calm one. "I came back." He spoke as if that provided answers to their problems. "Mind you, I just saved your lives." He added.

The corners of Dean's mouth twitched. He took a few steps forward. "You expect to come back in here even though you knew you could get hurt? You don't fear your potential death by coming back to us?" Dean asked.

Luke smiled.

Dean nodded, stepping forward until the two of them were probably a few inches apart. He put his lips near Luke's ear and whispered, "I like your courage, Lukers. I'll give you a second chance. You try anything I won't hesitate to shoot you in the leg." Dean spoke.

As Cas watched their exchange, he decided he needed to keep his eyes on Luke like a hawk. He didn't trust this man at all now after what he did to both Dean and himself. A thought crossed his mind that the man would try and manipulate Dean into doing something that he didn't want to, but he immediately brushed it off, realizing Dean was stronger than that. He averted his gaze and decided to twirl the knife in his hands to get energy out of his system and refocus his mind.

A chuckle was earned from the taller man opposite Dean. "Yessir," Luke replied.

Nodding once more, Dean took a few steps away from him and turned to the others.

They raised their eyebrows expectantly.

"He's coming with us," Dean announced.

There was silence. Sam started laughing. "I'm sorry, what?" He asked, getting serious.

"You heard me. Now don't question it. Let's go." Dean commanded, and they got going once more. Since Luke only had one energy bar left, Dean tossed him one, and he caught it and gave thanks. Dean and the group continued on.

Shaking off his internal thoughts of wishing this man would dare try something again, Castiel decided he would ask Dean about his motive for making the decision that he did once they got home. There had to be some reasoning since it was Dean of all people. He also wondered how his first basketball game would go when they got back. Hopefully, good since that could be a substantial lift for the spirits considering everything that has happened on their trip. His mind also wondered if Jotunn would show up at their house again. Why had he changed his behavior?

A couple of hours later, Dean was ready to collapse and just die. He was sure the others felt the same way. But then Luke tapped his shoulder. "Hey, look." He spoke quietly. Dean looked up and had to breathe a sigh of relief as he slowed down and stopped. A dirt road led somewhere partially in the woods. And the way they traveled on was paved, not gravelly. It led to the town. Which meant the dirt road was his driveway. They continued on, and thirty minutes later, the men stood before Dean and Castiel's house. That was until Dean took a step forward and collapsed, but Luke caught him.

The former officer's legs were burning, but he saw Luke caught Dean, and his own protective instincts kicked in. He walked up and wrapped one of Dean's arms around his own shoulders. "Thanks. I got it from here." He stated in a monotone before opening the door for everyone and carried Dean inside, positioning him on the couch after taking his gear off of him. Cas took his bag off and plopped himself next to his partner as the rest of them filed inside.

Luke stared after Castiel, but nodded and followed with the rest of them.

Dean checked his phone and drank some water from a water bottle. "Shit." He spoke as he saw the next basketball game was in an hour and thirty. He jumped off the couch and opened a drawer at the coffee table, taking out a stack of tickets. He handed one to each person. "I'll drive us there, but I'm going to take a quick shower. Then you all are going to, and we are going to go to the stadium." Dean spoke, running off to his bedroom and the bathroom. The others approved of this plan.

Seeing the tickets being handed out, that could only mean one thing. Dean's basketball game was close to starting. Cas knew he didn't look the greatest. Hell, no one did, and there wasn't enough time for everyone to freshen up. He went upstairs and used a small mirror to try and comb his hair. Putting on a fresh change of clothes to look like they didn't just come out of the woods. That was as good as it was going to get right now.

After his quick shower, Dean threw on his uniform and had everyone clean up as best as they could. Then, he got everyone into his car, miraculously, and drove off, heading towards the stadium. Even with four weeks of total weakness, Dean's muscles were defined and reliable as ever. He was ready for the game. This time, there were to be no losing matters. He'd make well sure of that.

As they pulled up to the stadium, Castiel was still impressed at how everyone fit in Dean's car. Squished together, but everyone still fit. The darker haired man gave Dean a quick peck on the cheek before showing everyone where their seats were going to be at once the game started. Dean must've had a stash of tickets already that were most likely planned in advance in case his family and friends showed up on a game day.

Dean went to the locker rooms like always while everyone else went to their seats. About fifteen minutes later, the first quarter was nearly starting. Dean and his team walked out, and Dean was gesturing to the crowd and himself. A cheer rose up, and Dean stopped it after a few moments. The other team came to the court after a couple minutes. The first quarter began, and everything fell into place.

This was the fourth game Cas had attended to with his partner. His last game didn't go so well because of the minor argument they had after Dean had dislocated his wing joint. His head was out of the game then, but now, he looked more vibrant on the court. Anything could happen in the game, but Castiel was happy that Dean was enjoying himself right now.

Weaving around the defenders that tried to block his every move, Dean was almost part of the court. He was pushed near the out-of-bounds line, and he executed a shot before he stumbled and fell. The ball went in, and the whistle was blown so Dean could get up. A hand entered his field of vision, and he looked up to see a member of the other team offering help for him. Dean smiled and took his hand, and the man pulled him up. The crowd oohed and awed, as this kind of sportsmanship was rarely shown between opposing teams.

"And that was a good exchange of kindness between number forty-three, rookie Dean Winchester and opposing team's number fifty, Aaron Sutton. Amazing, a rarely seen moment." The announcer spoke.

That was a rare moment, indeed. Cas clapped a little when that happened. At least, no one shoved each other down or caused fouls on purpose to be idiots. It seemed like an excellent, clean game. Even when watching basketball on tv, he had never seen that happen before. Dean deserved some respect and kindness on the court, after all.

"And the opposing team takes a timeout." The announcer spoke again. "Thank you, Mister Sutton." Dean thanked him respectfully. "It's no problem. And please, call me Aaron." Aaron replied, giving Dean a kind smile before walking off to his team's bench. The rest of the game from there went by in a whiz. Dean's team won, one hundred and three to ninety-eight. After it was over, Dean retreated to the locker rooms.

That was a rare moment, indeed. Cas clapped a little when that happened. At least, no one shoved each other down or caused fouls on purpose to be idiots. Even when watching basketball on tv, he had never seen that happen before. Dean deserved some respect and kindness on the court, after all.