Disclaimer, still don't own Supernatural.
All the archangel could from there was just sit in silence. He didn't know what he had done had hurt Sam so badly; then again, he was an archangel and Sam just a human. The Winchester was right, he couldn't just act like nothing ever happened.
"Stop sulking, Cas wants to go to the playground." Dean says, trying to keep a hold over a very squirmy Cas. Gabriel pushed his thoughts to the side. Now they had a kid to take care of.
"Alrightly, then let's go!" He says grinning. He took Cas out of Dean's arms, the hunter looking slightly relived and a bit worried about it. Cas had no problem with it, squealing with laughter as they exited the shop.
Dean was a tad bit suspicious when Gabriel went from sulking to grinning like a mad man in less than two seconds; however, he did take Cas and the child was hard to hold onto. It was strange how Cas seemed to listen more to Gabriel than to anyone else.
Dean figured it had something to do with the time they spent together in Heaven. Either way not holding a squirming Cas was fine with him. He watched Gabriel strap the child in, surprisingly quick, and the get in the car himself.
It was strange how they went from saving to world to babysitting a fledgling and an Archangel. He sighs to himself and gets into his impala.
"Park De! Go to da park!" Cas cheers from the back, earning a chuckle from Dean. Apparently, you could count on the fledgling to make the mood brighten.
"All right Cas, we're going to the park now." Dean says as he started the car, soon on the road. Everything was quiet, except for Cas babbling excitedly in the back. Sam was quiet, just staring solemnly out the window, Gabriel staring solemnly at the younger Winchester.
All this staring was seriously starting to make Dean uncomfortable, so he decided to break it. "Hey Cas, why don't you play with Gabriel?" He asks, as he glances back at the excited fledgling. Cas's face lit up with a wider smile as he quickly turned to Gabriel.
The archangel sent Dean a half-hearted glare before looking at his brother with a slight smile. "What should we play then Cassie?" He asks. The child tilts his head, giving it a thought for a moment, before answering. "Make Sm appy gain Abe!" Was his answer.
Sam couldn't help but to smile at that, Cas was so innocent now. "I think you're half-way there kiddo." Gabriel says, a small chuckle soon following what he said. "Yay! Sm no be sad!" Cas says, giggling slightly. How could the young Winchester stay solemn at Cas being that cute.
He sighs exaggeratedly and smiles, giving a quick glance at the child, "Fine, I'll be happy now." He says. Sam noticed how excited Cas seemed to get at succeeding in getting him to cheer up, even if it was just a little bit.
It always amazed him at how happy and innocent children were, no matter the circumstances they always seemed to smile and try to cheer you up. A thrilled squeal pulled the Winchester from his thoughts.
They had arrived at the park and Cas was practically bouncing in his seat, eager to play and to hopefully meet new friends. Dean parked, and proceeded to get the child out of the car seat, double checking the coat concealing Cas's wings.
"Lay De anna lay!" Cas wines, squirming in the Winchester's grasp. "Okay, okay, calm down and stay in sight." Dean says with a sigh as he set the squirming child down, watching him run to the playground equipment.
"Come on you love birds, get out here and help me watch Cas." Dean says, before walking to the playground. Sam sighs heavily and got out of the car, not even daring to glance at the archangel behind him.
Dean sat on a bench, watching Cas excitedly climb onto the playground. He figured Sam would sit somewhere near him, and Gabriel a bench or two away. He wasn't exactly sure what happened, but he guessed that Gabriel had been moving too fast and Sam shut it down harshly.
"So, what's happening Sam?" Dean asks his brother once the younger Winchester sat down. Sam just shrugged in response, "Nothing, don't worry about it." He says, watching as Cas slid down a slide. "Come on, tell me. You walked off on Cas so I want to know." Dean says crossing his arms as he stared at his brother.
It was a full silent minute before Sam sighed exasperatedly and answered, "Gabriel's just trying to move to fast, so I told him to back off." Dean nods in understanding, "That's why he's sulking on the other bench?" He asks, Sam nods in response.
The two Winchesters sat in silence, watching the fledgling play around, not really interacting with the kids around him, but he appeared to be having a lot of fun, so Dean didn't look into it much. He was however, surprised when Cas toddled along with an older looking kid; he saw nothing wrong with it and kept watching, just in case.
"Hey Dean… Do you think, that-I don't know that I should talk it out with Gabriel?" Sam asks, pulling his older brother from his watching. "If you want sure. Can we talk about this when Cas could get kidnapped if we take our eyes off him?" Dean replies shortly. "Gabriel is watching him." Sam supplies with a slight frown.
"Yeah, that went great the last time." The older Winchester says rolling his eyes. He relaxes slightly when he saw Cas toddling back to him, a smile on his face and a new toy in his hand. "Hey buddy, what do you have there?" He asks, smiling himself.
"It's a oy De! Da der id ave it to me!" Cas says holding the stuffed rabbit close. "Is that your favorite toy now?" Dean says smiling as he picked the child up, setting him on his lap in one swift motion. Cas giggles and buries his face into the toy's soft fur.
"What are you going to name it Cas?" Sam chimes in, a smile on his face as well. The child looked deep in thought for a few seconds, "arold." He says smiling brightly. "Harold?" Dean repeats, Sam stifling a snicker. "Why not, Harold the Rabbit." Gabriel cuts in, sliding onto the bench. Cas giggles and shows his rabbit to the archangel, a fond smile on Gabriel's face. "It's a great name for a great toy Cassie." He says, ruffling Cas's hair.
"Come on, I just got it straightened." Dean grumbles to himself, attempting to somewhat tame Cas's hair. "Oh! Oh! De, da kid also old me dat dere's an musement ark today!" The child says, not seeming to bothered by his wild hair.
"An amusement park? Really you want to go to that instead of the playground?" Dean asks with a slight groan. Expensive tickets, crappy rides, and rigged games; why would they even go there? "Lease De, lease tan we go?" Cas practically begged.
Gabriel snickered slightly at his brother's display of puppy eyes, Sam was silently counting down the seconds until Dean caved in and said: "Fine! But I am not buying you a ton of crap." Cas squealed happily and hugs the Winchester happily.
Sam chuckled slightly as his brother picked Cas up, muttering things as he walked to the car. Gabriel and himself and soon followed him into the impala. Cas was playing with Harold while Dean struggled to buckle the child in.
Sam smirked slightly and sat in front of the impala, Gabriel settling in the back while Dean finally clicked the buckle then got behind the wheel.
"So, amusement park, then back to the motel for a bath." Dean says, Cas nods eagerly in response. "Oing to a un lace Arlod." He coos at his rabbit, moving Harold as he played around with the toy. "I'm sure Harold is just as excited as you are." Sam says with a slight smile.
Gabriel smiled slightly as he watched Cas play around with his toy, seeming completely thrilled with all that was happening.
It turned out Cas's absent minded babbling got a tad bit annoying after five minutes, so Dean was extremely relived to see the top of a tent and a parking lot. "Hey Cassie, we're here." Gabriel says with a slight smile.
Sam smiled slightly as Cas squealed happily, bouncing in his seat as they parked. "If you want out, stay still." Dean says, not even trying to unbuckle the hyperactive child. Thankfully it took about a minute for Cas to calm down enough to be unbuckled.
Once on the ground Dean held Cas's hand, Sam, and Gabriel flanking both sides as they walked to the ticket booth. Dean was so not ready for this, but if it made Cas happy then so be it. He paid the grueling $20 for adults and the not so bad $5 for Cas.
"De! Hafta go potty!" Dean resisted a groan, and started looking for a bathroom. "There's one, by the creepy clown." Sam offers, hanging back as he said that. This was as far as he went, he wasn't getting any closer to his childhood fear.
Gabriel snickered slightly, "I'll stay with Samsquash." He says patting the Winchester's back. He smirked at some nice words Dean muttered at him as he took Cas to the bathroom. It was a one restroom, of course it was, when was luck ever on their side?
He sighs and looks down at Cas who was currently doing the 'I have to go now' dance. He rubbed his face and let go of the child's hand. "All right Cas, you're going to go in there and do your business, then come out. Got it?" He says gently.
Even if Cas looked at him strangely and nodded like a normal kid, Dean didn't feel any better about letting the child go off on his own. Yes, it was just the bathroom but it just took seconds for something to go wrong, which is why when Cas didn't come out in 3 minutes he began to worry.
Dean's worry only grew when Cas didn't answer when he knocked, hoping the child was just taking too long. He sighs slightly and slowly opens the door. "Hey Cas-" Dean stopped dead in his sentence when he saw nothing. Cas was gone, Harold laying on the ground by the sink, and the ceiling window open. The child was just gone.
Author notes: Hey any ideas are welcome, and yes, I made another version to this since someone had asked me too. I would love to add fresh ideas to this, such as: What took Cas, what are his/her intentions and where are they?