Chapter 19.

Sam and Eileen got back pretty late and they noticed the space in the garage where the Impala wasn't. They went to the library and found Jules and Charlie sitting at the table while Cas paced the room.

"What's going on?" said Sam.

"Dean's not back." said Cas.

"I've told him it's okay." said Charlie, "Dean and Anael stumbled onto a vampire hunt."

"You should have called me." said Cas.

"It was over before he called me." said Charlie, "Vamp dead, killed by Anael, actually, which I think is cool ... "

"She used her powers?" said Sam.

"Dean didn't say so, so I'm assuming she took it out the old-fashioned way." said Charlie.

"Dean told Charlie they were stopping for an hour to get cleaned up." said Cas, "They should be here by now."

"So they stopped for a meal or something." said Charlie.

"Or the vampire's nest came to find them and kill them." said Cas.

"Good luck to any vampire wanting to kill an angel." said Jules.

"An angel who won't use her powers to defend herself or Dean." said Cas.

"I could stab you, unresisted in the heart right now and it would have no effect and wouldn't have done when you were just an angel." said Jules.

"And even if she wouldn't use her powers, Anael is not about to stand there and watch Dean die." said Charlie, "She could pray without using any powers. If they needed your help, they both would have asked."

"If they stopped for a meal, why didn't Dean call and say so?" said Cas.

"If Dean has food in front of him, nothing else can really compete for his attention." said Sam, "Have you tried calling him?"

"No."

"Well, maybe you should."

"You think he's in danger?" said Cas.

"No, I think he's eating a burger."

"Don't call." said Eileen, "Maybe they're just talking."

"About what?" said Cas.

"Life, hunting, whatever. It's the first time in ages that Dean's taken a night off. Let him enjoy it."

"He should have called." said Cas.

"How's the mind link?" said Sam.

Cas concentrated for a moment, then said, "It's closed."

"Completely?" said Sam. He tried making contact himself, though it never worked so easily between him and Dean. There was nothing. Dean had closed the link. Maybe he was just having a good time talking to Anael and didn't want to be interrupted or maybe Eileen had been right and the sparks between them had ignited something bigger.

But Anael was still an angel and the last thing Dean wanted was a relationship with an angel. "Don't jump to any conclusions." he said, "Sometimes, Dean just needs some alone time."

"He's not alone." said Cas.

"In a way, Dean is always alone. They're travelling in separate cars, I think."

Cas closed his eyes. "Anael is not travelling anywhere. Obviously, Dean is a little harder to trace."

"There could be a problem with her new car." said Sam. That seemed entirely possible, far more likely than a successful revenge attack by a nest of vamps. A sea of vamps could not beat Dean Winchester and an angel. Dean on his own had dealt with several nests single-handed.

"A problem Dean can't fix?" said Cas.

"Some problems take time to fix." said Jules.

"Not this much time." said Cas.

"Maybe the sight of Dean in the shower gave her ideas." said Charlie.

Eileen nodded. "About time." she said.

"I've seen Dean shower." said Cas, "It's not that inspiring."

"Different relationship." said Charlie.

"They are in a relationship?" said Cas, looking accusingly at Sam.

"Not as far as I am aware," said Sam, "But it wouldn't be a problem if they were, would it?"

Cas smiled. "Dean hates angels. That's never going to happen."

"We can call him." said Sam, hoping that wouldn't be necessary.

"No." said Cas, "He'll say I worry too much."

Jules stood and took his arm. "I think you do, sometimes, but I understand why. Let's go to our room and just wait for them to come home or call."

"No, it's my turn to make the hot chocolate." he said.

"Okay, then I'll help you."

"Of course, we don't know if they'll be home for hot chocolate." he said.

"They don't have a curfew." she said taking him out of the room.

"Maybe it's worth considering one." Sam heard him say.

"Charlie," he said, "You think we have reason to worry?"

"No. Dean sounded fine on the phone."

"Sounding fine is a talent of his."

"And hearing through it is a talent of mine. I think he was having a good night. I think he's had a good day. Cars, an appreciative audience, a vamp hunt. To be honest, I feel like maybe he's enjoying the freedom. He feels responsible for everyone here and now he gets to have a day off. Cas is just being anxious and maybe a little jealous. The spare angel is getting too much of Dean's time."

Sam turned to Eileen. "What do you think?"

"Angels don't handle change well. Cas needs time to process what's been happening around here since he came back from you know where."

"He must know Dean would never choose anyone else over him." said Sam.

"Even God turned his back on Cas." said Eileen, "Angels have more abandonment issues than Dean does."

"Or me." said Sam.

She clearly hadn't intended to discuss his abandonment issues. "Yours are different. I know how to handle yours."

He struggled to look her in the eye, then he saw Charlie's smirk and wondered how much Eileen discussed of their private moments. "You do." he said at last."

"Yep, a nice cold beer, a Star Wars marathon and rocky road ice cream."

Cas came back in. "We're short on marshmallows. There may not be enough for everyone."

Sam understood exactly why he was saying that and he decided to back him up. "Well, if they wanted marshmallows, they should have been home on time." he said.

Cas nodded with the air of someone witnessing the decision of a wise and fair judge. Having obtained the ruling, he went back to the kitchen.

"Lydia could have stayed, if she wanted." said Sam, "She feels like family now."

"Lydia needed to go home. She's learning protection magic tomorrow."

"But you two had a good time?"

"The screen in the Dean Cave is so good!" she said.

"It is. It's the best I've ever seen." he said.

Charlie smiled at Eileen. "How was your evening?"

"Our evening was lovely." said Eileen, "So much to celebrate."

"We're calling the little one the Huntling, by the way." said Sam.

"Oh, cute!" said Charlie, "Look, if you two wanna skip the hot chocolate, we'd all understand."

"No, we should stay." said Sam, "Cas needs some family time right now."