it took me longer to edit for the site and post than to write because aforementioned sickness

I have a short attention span when sick

Six months later, the second novel was released.

Personally, I thought that was ridiculous, because I hadn't really started on the fourth one, and the third one was still several drafts away from done, and I'd started working eleven months ago. I would not be able to keep up the six month schedule.

The people informed me that after the second novel, I would have a devoted fanbase who would be willing to wait longer for releases.

So I went to book signings again. I had another one in Kansas. For some reason, this made me antsy.

I paid attention to the faces. I realized I was taking note of freckles and green eyes. I was looking for Dean.

Calm down, Castiel.

Gabriel showed up with coffee. "How's it going?" he asked, handing me a Starbucks mug.

"You're an angel," I said instead, taking a sip.

"I know, honey. How's it going?"

"It's going well. Do you remember those officers?"

"Oh, you mean nine months ago when you almost got arrested? That was gold! What's up?"

I fidgeted a little as I said, "Dean bought my first book. He might come back."

"Oooh." Gabriel leaned on the table and looked up into my eyes. It was a violation of personal space, but I was used to it.

"What, Gabriel?"

"Someone's got a crush."

"No," I replied quickly.

"Yeah. Yeah you do."

"No," I insisted.

"Ohhhkaayyy. Let's see if I can find your friend in this crowd. What's he look like?"

"He was the shorter one. Kind of golden brown hair. Green eyes. Freckles."

"Green eyes and freckles, hmm?"

"What?" I snapped.

"See, I've read your books, Cassie," my obnoxious friend pontificated, waving a finger at my face. "When you describe a platonic someone, you use height, build, and hair and skin color. When you describe a romantic someone, you use eye color, unique marks, and face shape."

"No," I protested again.

"Methinks the lady doth protest too much."

"Anna! Hey, Anna," I called, speaking to the lady who was in charge of the event. "Can you come here a sec?"

Anna and I are good friends at this point, having spent multiple signings together.

"This man is bothering me," I stage whispered. "A little help?"

She also knows Gabriel, who often shows up at the events.

Gabriel glared at me while Anna fake glared at Gabriel. "Are you bothering the author, Gabriel Shirley?"

"No, ma'am."

Anna looked at me. "Is he bothering you, Cas?"

"He thinks I have a crush on the police officer."

"He does."

"I don't."

"Is that the Dean Winchester you talked to for half an extra minute last time?" Anna asked.

My eyes widened. "Anna!"

"That was six months ago," Gabriel said, impressed. "And you remembered?"

"I remembered that was the only person he talked about afterwards," said Anna, smiling. "I've been keeping an eye out."

Gabriel grinned. "I'll join you. Enjoy your coffee, Cas!"

I glared at him.

Dean showed up a little while later. I smiled brightly at him, avoiding looking at Anna or Gabriel. "Nice to see you again," I said.

"You too," said Dean. "You're a fantastic writer."

"You bought the sequel?"

"I did. Would you do me the honor of signing it?"

All his fancy language was complete charming bullshit, but it worked on me. I signed with extra flourish.

"Write it for Dean?" I asked.

"Actually, could you write your number?" he asked in return.

I'd actually gotten that one before, from complete strangers. Always female and younger, up until this point. But this was one that actually tempted me.

I was very, very excited. I thought I might spontaneously combust. Because here I was about to debate (again) whether I should write my number, and Dean just made the decision easy.

I kept my cool, though.

I tilted the book so he couldn't see, and wrote.

Dean fidgeted as he watched me write. I closed the cover of the book and handed it to him, so he didn't know if I'd done as he asked.

The crowd swept him away the next instant, and I returned to signing.

After the event, Gabriel came bounding up. "Soooooo. I saw your pretty officer."

I nodded casually.

"Did you write your number on the book?" Gabriel asked.

I only grinned.

"You did! Oh my god! You gave him your number on the book!"

"Maybe!" I yelled, getting in my car and shutting him out.

"ASSHOLE!" his muffled voice sounded through the closed door.

~o~

I later asked Dean about finding my number written in the book.

He said he'd bumped into someone and she'd dropped her bag, and it caused just enough disturbance that he'd forgotten to check until later. He and Sam- Officer Wesson, his best friend- went out for lunch somewhere, and he'd mentioned the book.

"So did he leave his number?" Sam had asked.

Dean just said he checked. I asked Sam, too. Sam said Dean's eyes had gone comically wide, and he practically dove into the bag to retrieve the book. Reverently, he opened the cover to reveal my number.

"He did!" said Sam. "Call him, dude!"

"When?"

"Tonight. Or you're going to freak out until you do. I know you."

And that same night, I got a call from an unknown number.

"Hey, is this Castiel?"

"Dean!"

"Hey! I, uh… d'you wanna go out sometime?" Dean asked in a rush.

"Sure!" I said…

~o~

Writing often involves odd search histories. Mine just happened to get me investigated. And the end result? I have a pretty fantastic boyfriend.

Dean thinks I'm dating him for his law and policing knowledge. I told him that wasn't entirely true. That's a lie. I'm completely exploiting him for his knowledge.

~o~

Dean, reading over Castiel's shoulder, exclaimed, "Hey!"

Castiel grinned at him and deleted the last paragraph. "What do you think?"

"I think it's a cute story," Dean said. "But I wasn't nervous when I talked to you at the book signings."

"Yeah, you were," Sam said. "You totally were. Castiel, are you going to write, or are you going to help me move Dean's stuff into YOUR house?"

"It's now Dean's house too, and my belongings are already here. I don't need to do anything," Castiel pointed out.

Sam rolled his eyes. "What are you writing, anyway? Finally finishing novel 5?"

"He's writing about us," Dean said.

Castiel clicked save and close. "It's not done yet."

"That story, or the fifth novel?"

"Both. You'll see."

~o~

The fifth novel finally came out a couple years later. Dean and I had been dating since he first asked me out. Dean is now the first person to read and edit each book, and he practically knew the book by heart from reading it so many times, but that didn't stop him from showing up at the same book signing in Kansas he attended for every novel.

I watched him come in the door. Usually, Gabriel and Anna said hello. I could tell he was confused that neither of them showed up.

They weren't there because they are both children who can't keep a secret.

All of the fans knew who Dean was. Some of them let him pass them, but no one ever insisted that they move for him, so it was still a little while before he reached the front of the line. I walked to the front of the table to greet him.

"Will you sign my book?" he asked, grinning.

I signed. Then, I wrote.

I turned the book around to face him, and dropped on one knee.

"Will you marry me?" I'd written.

Dean gasped, and grinned. I'd rendered him speechless. I'm not sure I would have heard an answer, anyway, because everyone around was too busy applauding. My cheeks burned red, but I was happy.

Dean offered a hand to me, and pulled me into a hug. "Yes," he barely whispered.

Someone must have been listening, and someone must have relayed Dean's answer to the crowd, because suddenly the applause became deafening, punctuated with whistles.

Anna asked me if she could input something to this little story.

"You were kissing," she said. "First it was cute, then it was annoying, because you wouldn't stop and I had an event to run. I felt really guilty about telling you to stop because you had to sign books…"

"So you sent Gabriel," I sighed.

Anna grinned. "Guilt-free!"

Gabriel broke us up with a loud "Heyyyyy, lovebirds, keep it PG in here!"

I glared at him.

"Ow. The glare burns. Seriously, you have some book signing to do. Go."

After the event- well- I'm going to follow Gabriel's advice and keep it PG.

Who else feels the constant struggle of making up linebreaks ~o~

Advice from an author: Writing takes you places.