Chapter 3: Room and Board:

After daybreak the two returned to town and got a room in the "Norman Motor Lodge". After unloading their suitcases Sam sat on a bed as Dean headed to the bathroom. The elder brother kicked off his shoes as he turned toward the door in the rear of the room. "I'm gonna use the shower. Let me know if anything happens while I'm in there." He gestured toward the mint tiled bathroom off their room.

"Sure." Sam nodded as his brother shut and locked the door. With the current case over they'd likely spend a few days here while they tried to scrounge up their next lead. Finding cases always was a bit of an ordeal-combing through newspapers and listening in to police radios took time-though often Bobby would end up with something that he'd heard and they'd follow up on it. For now though Sam figured he could use a bit of relaxation-the previous night had meant he'd lost even more sleep than usual. And besides, what's the harm in watching a little television? We almost never get rooms with them.

Sam got up from the pastel pink comforter and turned the knob on the set. After fiddling with the ears for a minute he got a signal. It was a rerun of some western. A few clicks later he'd found some mindless game show where they were interviewing a man to find out his job. It seemed decent enough, so he sat back down as the third man asked whether his job was done outdoors.

While Sam enjoyed a brief black-and-white break Dean was enjoying something else entirely. What a grown man does in the privacy of a motel bathroom while washing himself is his own business, but as Dean stifled a breathy exhale he couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "Cas, God, I need you right now."

As Sam chuckled to himself as the man revealed that he actually inserted popsicle sticks into frozen treats for his job he suddenly felt another presence in the room. He turned to see Castiel standing by the door. The angel always appeared with little warning, so after the first few frights it had become almost expected for him to appear at seemingly random intervals.

"Hey Cas. Nice to see you again." Sam raised his glass to toast the angel.

"It is good to see you again as well." The angel replied in his same semi-monotonous voice.

Sam had learned that the angel was genuine in what he said normally, but often it sounded like he was poorly reading a script-probably because he claimed angels didn't have emotions. Before Sam could continue Dean emerged from the bathroom in his underwear holding his hygiene kit in his left hand.

"Hey Sam, have you seen my brown pants?" Dean scrunched his face as he backed into the room. He paused as he turned and saw the angel standing in the middle of the room. "Sam I asked you to tell me if anything happened. I'm pretty sure an angel appearing is something."

"He just got here. I literally just said hello." Sam huffed as Dean rolled his eyes.

"Well it would've been nice to know before I showed up in my briefs for everyone to see." He grabbed the first pair of pants off the top of his suitcase and quickly threw them on before he added an undershirt and finally a white button-down and red tie. "Well, now that I'm decent, how're ya Cas? We haven't seen you in almost two weeks."

"All things considered I am okay. Unfortunately there has been a much higher level of demonic activity than normal in the past ten days which has necessitated additional actions on behalf of my brethren."

"Any idea why?" Sam asked as he clicked off the television.

"No. That is what concerns me. As far as we are aware nothing has changed but somehow Hell seems much more active."

"Hmm…" Dean chewed his lip, "Hey Sammy, you think you can give Bobby a ring and see if he's noticed anything weird? Maybe with all his connections he'll know somebody who knows something."

"It couldn't hurt anything." Sam shrugged. "Even if the long distance charge is going to cost an arm and a leg."

"Ah, but that's why we have fake checks." Dean tossed a booklet to Sam.

"Mr. Nick Carraway? Don't you think someone will know that he's from a book?"

"Nobody reads anymore. Not since television took over." Dean slung a jacket over his shirt. "Now while you take care of that I'm getting something to eat. Cas, you wanna come with? I'll let you get a few burgers."

The brown-haired angel in a man's body was pensive a moment before he responded, "I suppose it would be a pleasant diversion. And given my vessel's penchant for the fried beef patties I think it would be fine."

"What do you want?" He asked Sam as the younger Winchester had sat by the phone.

"Anything but liver. That stuff is disgusting." He crinkled his nose as Dean shook his head.

"Yeah, because White Castle definitely serves liver." Dean scoffed.

"Not again, one of these days you'll have to find an actual place that makes food."

"Fine. I'll go to that diner I saw on the way into town."

"Thank you."

As Sam called the operator to connect him to Bobby, Dean and Cas got in the Impala and started their brief drive to the diner. After two blocks Dean pulled the car into a still under construction neighborhood and parked in the driveway of a studded-out Cape Cod.

"Sorry about calling you today. I wasn't trying to, but it just sort of… happened." Dean exhaled as he slid slightly down into the seat, "Don't get me wrong, I like seeing you, but…" He waved his hand, "You know how it is."

Cas nodded. This wasn't the first time that Dean had discussed their relationship. "I am aware that you are currently still trying to determine the best way to talk to your brother about everything."

"It isn't exactly easy to tell your little brother who looks up to you that you're…" Dean sighed, "…you know, into men. And that's before the fact that it's illegal. And 'morally reprehensible'." Dean gestured with his hands mockingly as he said the last phrase.

Cas was quiet as Dean placed his head on the steering wheel.

"If I told him he'd think there's something wrong with me. Everyone would. I mean, fuck, I'm a thirty-five year old navy vet who busted his ass in the goddamn Second World War, but that doesn't matter because if anyone found out that I like men I'm put in some mental hospital upstate!" Dean nearly snarled, "How much fucking longer until they realize that I'm still a person even if I don't want to end up with some Peggy-Sue or Lisa-Anne? I've been like this since I was born, even if I didn't know in '23!" Dean leaned back in the car and angrily lit a cigarette.

"Humans have gotten remarkably more tolerant of others in the last few decades. Women and people of color can vote, even if they lack the same social status. I am certain it will be soon." Cas placed a hand on Dean's shoulder, "And if not, then we can wait. 1958 is our present, but who is to say what may happen in the future?"

Dean cracked a smile, "Thanks Cas. Come on, let's get that food. I can only stall Sammy for so long."

**SPN**

Dean pulled back into the parking lot of the motel and grabbed the heavy paper bag with their lunches inside. He'd gotten Cas two burgers, himself a meatloaf platter, and Sam a few chicken croquettes-because apparently the guy liked it for some reason. As he unlocked the door he felt a strong hand on his shoulder grab him and pull him to pin him to the wall. A man in a black suit held him against the wall as Cas tried to enter the room but was somehow barred from entry.

"What the fuck?! Where's my brother?!" Dean shouted as he tried to break free from the man's grasp.

"I told you he'd get mad." He heard Sam's voice from the bathroom. A moment later the younger Winchester was escorted out by another suit.

"Now that you're both here-along with your angel friend-"The suit beside Sam gestured at Cas who was trying to break through the barrier, "-I can give my proposal."

"We don't do deals with demons, asshole." Dean struggled to break the grasp on the burly man holding him against the wall.

"Son, I'm much more powerful than any demon. I'm Special Agent George Board with the U.S. government. You two have a choice to make."