John had dark hair streaked with grey, and the green eyes he'd passed to both Sam and Dean. Mary had blonde hair and blue eyes. Her hair was also greying, lying in soft waves over her shoulders. The couple looked nothing alike, but now they both wore identical skeptical expressions as they listened. Bobby was telling them of the largely-unseen battle he and Dean had witnessed between Castiel and an unknown number of demons. Again and again, their eyes went to Cass during the story, taking in the way he was dressed, his odd way of speaking, and his gentle smile as Bobby, who'd done some work as an EMT at one point in his checkered history, tended to his wounds.

Castiel's torn, bloody shirt was crumpled in a pile on his lap. Normally, Dean would have admired the view, but now, too wound up to sit still, he paced restlessly around the living room. Over and over, his parents questioned everything that had happened, suggesting politely that Cass might just be a clever con man that Dean and Bobby were gullible enough to fall for. They even went so far as to suggest that perhaps Cass's wounds were somehow self-inflicted, making Dean clench his fists and breathe hard through his nose to try to contain his growing anger.

"You know what, John?" Bobby said finally. "I could not care less if you believe us. It doesn't matter to me if you believe Castiel here's an angel or some sort of shyster. The only thing I care about, and the only real reason we were coming out here in the first place, is that it is past time to put this fight between you and your sons to rest."

"Put it to rest?" John asked incredulously. His eyes burned with anger as he looked at his son. "My sons, my own flesh and blood, threw over their entire family. Sam left to chase his dreams because he thought he was too good to stay with us…"

"He went to the city to find a better life, dad," Dean argued, struggling to stay calm.

John pointed an accusing finger at Dean. "But you? You gave up the future your mother and I scrimped and saved to provide, all for a hussy that we all knew was already cheating on you. And now, my oldest friend thinks I should just laugh it off?"

"Wait, what?" Dean exclaimed, finally pausing in his pacing. "What do you mean you all knew she was cheating on me?"

"Oh, Dean, we tried to tell you," his mother sighed. "We told you that Lisa would use and abuse you and leave you alone with a broken heart. And that's precisely what she did, isn't it? I don't see any wedding ring on your finger, Dean. She threw you over as soon as she didn't need you anymore, didn't she?"

"Yes, you did tell me that," Dean recalled. "And I'll admit I was too proud and in love and stupid to listen. But you never told me that you knew she was cheating on me."

"Would you have listened, Dean?" his mother asked quietly. "You thought you knew everything, and you wouldn't listen to a word we said. If we'd told you she was cheating, would you have even believed it?"

Everything in Dean wanted to protest, to argue. But then he looked at Castiel. Despite the pain he must have felt and probably continued to feel, Cass had never protested while Bobby cleaned the deep, curving gashes in his arm and closed them with skin tapes from a first aid kit. Now Bobby was taping a dry dressing over the wound. Cass smiled gratefully at him. Those amazing, expressive blue eyes turned to Dean, and his smile softened. Castiel had risked everything to give Dean this one chance to make things right. Dean couldn't let it go to waste.

Dean took a deep breath, turned and stood before his parents, his hands behind his back as he looked them in the eyes. "I'm sorry," he said. "I screwed up. I was stupid, and I never should have turned my back on you. Mom, you're right. I didn't want to listen, and nothing you could say could have changed my mind. And Dad? I was so angry about the way you turned your back on Sam and what you said to me that my pride wouldn't let me contact you. I couldn't, not even when Lisa used me up and left me behind, just like the two of you warned me she'd do. But I forgive you for that. We were all angry. We were all upset. And not one bit of it mattered tonight when I got that phone call, when Sam and I believed you'd both been shot and wouldn't make it through the night. Because when we thought we were going to lose you, I realized just how stupid I'd been. The only reason Sammy's not here now is because there weren't any available flights. But he's coming tomorrow, if you'll have him. We're family, and life is short, too short to let it go by without realizing what matters the most and doing whatever I can do to make it right. So, I'm sorry. I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me, but even if you can't, I wanted you to know." He shrugged, the silence from his parents making him fidget anxiously. "That's all."

Silence. His parents stared at him with wide eyes, their shocked expressions identical. As one, they turned and looked at each other. Then his mother burst into tears.

Immediately, his father's expression darkened in anger. He sprang to his feet, drew back a hand to strike, and Dean tensed. He made no move to defend himself, waiting for the blow.

It never landed. Castiel had moved faster than Dean realized he could and had his father by the wrist, keeping the blow from landing. His father's eyes were full of fury as he took in the sight of the frowning, shirtless man standing between him and his son. His free hand curled into a fist. But before he could swing at Cass, his mother was suddenly there, grabbing onto his father's arm. "John!" she yelled. "Dean is right. We need to end this."

"He walked out on us, Mary!" his father spat, furious eyes turning again to Dean. "How many nights did you cry yourself to sleep, wondering where he was, if he was even dead or alive? Years he's been gone, and not so much as a post card? You remember the stress, Mary, the strain on you, and what it finally did to you? You didn't even know your mother had a heart attack about four months after you left, did you, Dean?"

When Dean only stared at his mother in shock, his father scoffed. "Forgive you? I almost lost my wife because of you! She was rushed into the hospital and straight into surgery. The doctors weren't sure she would pull through. She could have died! No speech you can make is going to possibly make up for what you did to your mother."

"And how, exactly, was Dean to know his mother had a heart attack?" Bobby called. He'd also risen and was scowling at his friend. "I didn't tell him because it wasn't my place. Did you? Communication works both ways, John, and you didn't send so much as a post card either. Yet you think he should have known that he nearly lost his mother? Is the boy psychic now, John?"

"Why not?" John spat back. He pointed accusingly at Castiel. "He's got an angel, right? Why not psychic powers, since we're already sitting here in my living room, pretending to believe in complete nonsense? Take your hands off of me." This last he directed at Cass. "And get out! I already told Dean he's no longer welcomed in my house and neither is his brother. Add yourself to that list. I…"

"Missed opportunities really hurt, don't they?" Cass said quietly, releasing his arm. "If you close your eyes only for a moment, the moment's gone. Is this how you want to live? You have free will. Do you want to live with this pain, this huge hole in your heart for the rest of your life?"

"I'll tell you what I want," the man snarled. "I want to take my belt to that boy, throw him out again, and then get a restraining order. That way, if he ever shows up again, I can have him arrested."

"No, Dad," Dean called. "You're never beating me again. But if you want me to go and never come back? I get it. I'll honor that, and I'll call Sam. You'll never see either one of us again, if that's what you want."

Cass calmly looked John in the eye. "If you do this again, if you turn around and send him away? One day it will be too late. You'll know what you threw away."

"John?" Mary called. "You know he's right."

"You have free will," Cass insisted. "You have a choice. Don't make the wrong one."

Cass stepped back and moved to stand next to Dean, putting an arm protectively around Dean's shoulders. Dean had been standing stiffly with his hands clenched since the revelation of his mother's heart attack. His head throbbed so painfully that he could barely see through the spots flashing before his eyes. He clung to Cass's arm, grateful for the support as he waited for his father's decision.

"Don't be a fool, John," Bobby called, his voice gentle for once. "Dean's an idjit and he did a shameful, hurtful thing to his family. But you asked too much of him. When Sammy left, you pinned all your hopes on Dean. I know you believed he'd thrown away all that you'd worked to provide for him, and I know how badly that hurt you. But he didn't do it to hurt you and Mary. He did it because he was a stupid kid madly in love with a beautiful, heartless, manipulative woman. Stupid kids make stupid decisions, especially in a situation like that. God knows we made enough of them when we were his age! So take your belt to him again if it makes you feel better. We'll have Mary keep Castiel here, and I'll hold Dean down…"

"Hey!" Dean protested.

Bobby ignored him. "But when you're done? Once you've beaten him black and blue, then it's time to swallow your pride and forgive him."

"Please, John?" his mother begged. "Please, don't send our son away again?"

John flinched as if slapped. "Mary, he gave you a heart attack!"

But Mary shook her head. "No, John, we gave me a heart attack. We did it when we threw our children out. I worried and prayed, but I never once picked up the phone. Dean is right. We all did and said too much out of stubborn, stupid pride. And what has it gotten us? We've never seen our grandchildren, I got bypass surgery, and you're so full of anger that it's eating you alive. Let it go, John. Dean's our son. And he's come home. Our Dean is finally home, and Sammy's coming home, too!"

For the first time, John really looked at Dean. Dean dared to meet his gaze, looking into eyes identical to his own. John's jaw twitched. "I was never so proud and happy as I was the day you were born and they put you into my arms, Dean," he said. "The only thing that matched it was your brother's birth. All your life, the two of you made me angry, you made me terrified, you made me sad, and yes, you made me proud. You had so many problems in school, always in a fight, coming home drenched to the skin and in trouble. I tried so hard to straighten you out. I didn't want you to turn out like me…"

"Say that again, John," Bobby called. "You were always a rebel and a fool, too stupid to do well in school so you turned into a punk and ran off to join the Marines. I wasn't much better, I'll admit it. When I was with your unit, God knows we got into our share of trouble. But Sam and Dean? Sam got his mother's brains, and look at what he did! He's got a wife and a family of his own. No matter how much it hurt your pride when Sam got sick of you trying to run his life and ran off to the city, that boy has done well for himself. Dean was the same way, until he met that woman."

"Lisa!" John spat the name like a curse. "I saw him make the worst mistake of his life, and there was nothing, nothing I could do. Dean?" His voice suddenly grew soft. "It killed me, seeing you throw away everything for that bitch, knowing what she'd do to my sweet, loving son. I wanted so much to just take you in my arms and hold you and keep telling you how much I loved you until you finally listened to me and stayed." John raised his hands towards Dean slightly, then let them drop to his side. His shoulders slumped in defeat. "But I'm not that kind of man," he confessed. "The only emotion I really ever knew how to show you was my anger. My love came at the end of a belt." He sighed. "I'm sorry, Dean. I always loved you and Sam, and I always will. I just never knew how to tell you."

"You just did," Dean managed. His voice was so think with emotion that he could barely speak or breathe. "Thank you. You have no idea how long I've waited to hear that."

"Your father's just too old and stubborn, Dean," John admitted. "You went to New York, and it seems you've done alright for yourself after all. Are you happy, boy?"

"It was hard for a long time," Dean confessed. "But it's better now." He looked timidly at his father. "Dad, can I…?"

As a rule, John Winchester was not a demonstrative man. Even now, he hesitated, knowing what his son needed but finding it difficult to allow himself to give it. But finally, his arms opened wide.

Dean all but ran to his father, embracing him tightly. His father's arms went around him, fingers clenching in his hair as his other arm held him close. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, Dean. I always did, and I always will."

"Now, was that so hard?" Mary scolded, dabbing at her eyes. "Let the boy go, John, it's my turn!"

Instead of letting go, Dean and John simply extended their arms to her. And then all three were embracing.

Bobby moved up and patted Castiel on the back with one hand, using the other to blow his nose into a handkerchief. "Well, I would have said that was impossible before I met you tonight," he declared. "You brought the Winchester family back together. You really are one hell of a guardian angel!"

Cass's smile turned into a troubled frown. "I'm not."

"Castiel, I don't give a shit what you say," Bobby declared. "What I just saw tonight was nothing short of a miracle, and I don't believe for one minute it would have happened without you and what you said here. No matter what happens after this, you did real good for your boy tonight, buddy."

Cass's face once more broke into a sunny smile. "Thank you."

"No. Thank you, Castiel."