Two big blue eyes peeped over the pile of gifts the students had left on their teacher's desk. The offerings ranged from handfuls of left over Christmas candy, re-gifted sausage and cheese assortments swiped from unwitting parents, a hacky sack, anonymous risqué notes from students professing their love aka lust for the teacher that Castiel would be sure to destroy, one lone pineapple, a crucifix, a pair of pompoms and one jumbo, handmade card signed by is students with "Sorry You Got Kidnapped" with a frowny face and "Glad You Aren't Dead!" with a happy face and colorful hearts surrounding it.
He'd already decided to toss everything but the handmade card, the pompoms, because a guy never knew when he might need them, and the crucifix. The pompoms and crucifix would go to Dean, the card he'd hang in his home office.
Castiel looked out at the sea of shiny, young faces, there were expressions of boredom, happiness, worry and excitement. Hands were already in the air. The students had a litany of questions for their teacher.
The teacher stood staunchly, prepared for the onslaught, "Thank you all for the thoughtful gifts."
Jeremy could wait, he blurted out, "Mr. Novak, I really, really, really missed you…I mean, we all really missed you." The Omega turned ten shades of red when the teacher fixed his gaze on the teen.
"Thank you Jeremy."
"So what did the crazy guy do to you?"
Cas reassured everyone, "The important thing is that I'm home, safe and sound with my wife and daughter. I am perfectly fine."
Brent and his buddy Calvin stopped their back and forth whispering. Brent waved his hand wildly to get the teacher's attention, "Mr. N, I've been watching this series about serial killers and a lot of them did some creepy sex things to their victims. Sooo did anything…"
Cas cut him off, "Don't test my patience, Brent."
Brent finished his question anyway, "…like butt stuff happen?"
Castiel barked, "Brent!"
"Sorry Mr. C."
"To answer your question, there was no," Cas did air quotes, "butt stuff."
Daphne asked, "Mr. Novak, are you really ok? I mean, you were gone for so long and we were all pretty worried. The whole thing sounded just awful on the news."
"Am I really ok?"
Castiel would never admit the month of captivity still haunted him or the paranoia he felt every time he had to walk alone through a parking lot or a stranger happened to stare just a little too long. Cas had also become a bit more clingy to Dean and Grace as well. He didn't want to turn into someone that viewed the world as a threat.
"Mr. Novak?"
The teacher, lost in bad memories, blinked a few times before answering.
"Yes?"
"I asked if you were really ok…are you?"
He nodded, "Yes, I'm fine, Daphne." Just to drive the point home he smiled, it was a strained smile but a smile nonetheless.
The teacher grabbed a piece of chalk and turned toward the blackboard, "Today we will work on vocabulary and fluency…"
A voice from behind him asked, "Is it true you might get fired?"
Tears sprung up from nowhere. Cas scrubbed his shirt sleeve across his face, glad the students couldn't see his expression.
"I'll be teaching here for a long time to come."
"What is wrong with me?"
…..
Dean was caught up in middle of yet another nightmare. In it, he was surrounded by every sort of supernatural creature he'd ever encountered and the Hunter didn't have a single weapon. Surrounding the creatures was every human that had hurt him and they cheered the creatures on while shouting insults and throwing rocks at the kid.
With two waves of horror encroaching and no help in sight, Dean screamed for Sammy and Castiel as he fought for his life but both supernatural and human monsters overtook him. He felt himself slowly eaten alive, both body and soul, as the howls, growls and cruel laughter filled his ears until those too were torn off and eaten.
Castiel woke to find Dean groaning, thrashing, soaked in sweat and fists flailing the air. Cas tried to hold Dean down so the teen couldn't hurt himself and in the process, the well meaning husband took an errant punch to the eye, sending him to the floor.
The sound snapped Dean out of his nightmare and he was instantly wide awake and about to reach for a weapon in the nightstand until he realized the sound came from Castiel.
"Babe, what are you doing down there?" Dean turned on the lamp and found his man's beautiful face swelling up around one eye to the bridge of his nose. He sprung into action and in minutes had Castiel back on the bed with an ice pack on his face.
Dean apologized over and over again until Cas shut him up with a kiss. They struggled over who needed the most comforting, Dean with his nightmares and guilt over the accidental punch or Castiel with the black eye. Dean won.
The Omega spent the rest of the night holding his Alpha in his arms. Dean couldn't sleep after that, he knew what was coming for Castiel in just a matter of hours, the dreaded meeting with Superintendent Wade Pendergrass to see if there were grounds for dismissal.
On Cas' part, falling asleep, even with a throbbing face, came easy in Dean's strong embrace.
….
Castiel had gotten up a little earlier that morning so he could watch the sunrise with his favorite girl. He needed her bubbly energy and love in order to face this day. After his morning shower, Cas examined the damage to his eye, it hadn't swollen shut but it was puffy and bruised around the socket.
"I look like shit."
Luckily, Grace was all rainbows and sunshine for her scared young father. The baby was an early riser just like Castiel. They had a morning ritual of first her diaper change followed with a bottle of mommy milk while they watched the big, bright ball rise magically from nowhere. Daddy was her everything; in his arms Grace had her own personal heaven. This morning though, Daddy felt tense and it transferred over to Grace. Also, his face looked weird and a little scary.
She tilted her head back, looked up at him quizzically and said, "Da."
With Graces attempt at the word "Dad", the most important word in the world besides "Mom", Castiel felt the warrior rise up within him. Dean and Grace believed in him and that was all that mattered. He'd face this head on and fight for his job by any means necessary. Losing his job was akin to stealing basic human necessities from his wife and daughter and Castiel wouldn't let that happen.
…
Dean wiggled little soft shoes onto his daughter's tiny feet and then straightened her tights, "There, you look adorable just like mommy, cause I'm adorable." His laugh gave Grace a case of the giggles.
Dean scowled at the garment on the hanger before slipped it over his head and then looked in the mirror. He hated the way he looked but if this could help Castiel then it was worth it.
Dean had done a little research and found some of Wade's social media accounts. From the looks of it, the man seemed like an Alpha douche bag if there ever was one. Surprisingly, the guy was married to a female. Usually insecure, Neanderthal type Alphas went for an Omega because of their supposed subservience and lower social standing. When Dean did some more digging, he found out Wade's wife was an heiress and a real catch which explained a lot.
The Omega hated the guy already.
Dean hated to go anywhere without protection so he slipped an antique silver dagger into his inner jacket pocket. A Hunter never knew when a skinwalker, werewolf or wraith might be prowling the halls of the local high school.
…..
Wade Pendergrass stayed in his Bronco until his fingers felt frozen. He wasn't looking forward to seeing his adopted sister Millie, her shrill voice was enough to make his ears ache, but then again, Wade had very sensitive hearing. Sometimes he felt like snapping her head off and watch as the bitch bled out.
He hated his job but it was a means to an end and a way to move through this human existence with few problems.
The principle had leveled some serious charges against a probationary teacher.
Castiel Novak was only one year away from tenure and as a result, dismissal was much easier than the long, arduous process of firing a tenured teacher in their particular state. Wade had done his research on the teacher in question and it seemed for once, his sister had valid concerns.
"Time to go through the motions."
….
Benny had a free period so he took the opportunity to have a cup of coffee with his friend. Castiel seemed a bundle of nerves, knee jiggling, fingers tapping on the cafeteria table and a deep frown marring his handsome face. Benny did his best to keep Cas' mind off the upcoming meeting.
"You wouldn't believe how much balcony fucking we did, I saw more pussy than a hundred year old veterinarian."
Castiels expression didn't change.
"Nothing?" Benny did an imaginary rim shot, still no reaction.
"So, how did you get that mouse under your eye?"
Blue eyes locked on blue eyes, "It was an accident."
"How's my goddaughter Gracie?"
The younger man's frown melted away, replaced by a sweet, crooked little smile, "I believe Gracie tried to call me "dad" this morning, it came out as "da" but I know what she meant."
That's great, Cas! I'm happy for you. Is she crawling yet?"
"She will be very soon."
They talked about both wives and children, two of the men's favorite subjects and for a little while at least, Castiel was happy.
…
Isabelle toddled over to her daddy and wrapped her chubby arms around his leg. He set aside the suppressor and lifted her onto his lap. Adam crawled through the open door, determined to catch up with Isabelle.
Sal yelled, "Terry, get in here."
Terry was in the kitchen, meeting with a designer about the layout couple's business venture, "Bello's Bistro" opening that spring. When he heard Sal's thunderous voice calling for him he excused himself and went to the study.
The irritated Omega entered, puts hands on his hips and barked, "What?"
"I told you, I don't want Izzy or Adam around when I'm cleaning weapons. Where the hell is Mason and Marty?"
"At the restaurant supply store," Terry gestured toward the work table covered in items not fit for children to be around, "What's all this shit? You said you were done with that life."
"I'm easing out of it. Besides, I still got women and Omegas to think about. The skin trade ain't gonna stop itself."
"So you're going out today?"
"Yeah, I've got a paying gig , nothing violent unless things don't go my way. Novak hired me to put the fear of god in guy."
….
Castiel glared daggers at Wade Pendergrass, luckily for Cas, the man was facing away from him.
Cas growled to Benny, "He's got some nerve coming in to our cafeteria and eating a doughnut."
Benny added, "And drinking coffee, what is the world coming too?!"
"You aren't funny, Benny."
Benny cracked his knuckles, "I could go tan his hide for you."
Castiel stuck out his chin, a determined look on his face, "No thank you, Benny, I'll handle this on my own."
Just then, the doors to the cafeteria swung open.
TBC