Chapter 27:

A few weeks passed, and Sam seemed to begin acting like his usual self. However, after awhile, it was Candy who started to act weird. She would lock herself in the bathroom in the mornings, taking hour long showers. When Sam or Dean knocked to get her attention, she would just say she'd be out in a minute. She seemed sad when she laid in bed with them at night. No matter how many jokes Dean told or how many compliments Sam gave her, she couldn't be consoled. There was something on her mind, and both of the brothers thought that it had to be about them. What Sam had said before must have gotten to her.

Sam had gone out to the bar again, but Dean stayed home with Candy. He shut off the lights, but when he went to turn off the T.V., Candy let out a groan of protest. Rolling his eyes, he handed her the remote and climbed into bed beside her. He started off with his back to her, but after a moment, he rolled over to throw his arm over Candy. However, she was no longer laying on her back like she had been. Candy had rolled onto her side, legs curled up and arms against her chest.

"Candy, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You always say that, but something is obviously wrong," Dean frowned. "Will you please just talk to me? Or Sam? I don't care who it is, it could be Cas or Meg for all I care... but talk to someone. We can all clearly see that something is wrong."

"It's personal stuff."

"We're in a relationship, Candy. Your personal stuff is my personal stuff." He sat up in frustration. "You've been like this for days now. When will you tell us what's bothering you? Is it Sam? Are you still afraid he's going to leave?" Candy balled up even more. "Sam isn't going anywhere, Candy. He's better now, don't you think? He seems normal."

"He's at a bar. That's not normal Sam. That's normal Dean."

"I don't go to bars that often anymore."

"Anymore."

"My point is," Dean sighed, "Sam loves you, and he isn't going to leave you. Okay? Neither of us could live without you. I promise. Everything will be okay."

"I don't think it will."

"Why?"

"Goodnight, Dean."

"Candy..."

"Goodnight," she cut him off before he could say anymore. Dean knew that he wasn't going to get anywhere with Candy, not while she was in such a negative mood. Instead of pressing her further, Dean just wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her body against his. After a few minutes, Candy rolled towards him and laid her head on his chest, cuddling his torso like it was going to be gone in the morning. Dean hugged her against his side in an effort to tell her that it was going to be alright.

It wasn't alright. The next morning, Dean woke to Sam shaking him frantically while holding a folded up piece of paper in his hand. Jolting up from bed, Dean grabbed Sam's shoulders to calm him down as much as he could. Once Sam caught his breath, he handed the paper to Dean. It read that Candy had gone away for a couple of days. She asked them in her letter to wait there for her to return. Candy went on to explain that there was someone she needed to see, something she needed to take care of.

"What does that mean?" Dean scoffed. "Why wouldn't she tell us where she was going? Candy never keeps secrets from us. It's not her style." He dropped the letter onto the nightstand with a huff. Sam sat on the edge of his bed.

"Is this my fault?"

"I don't know, Sam, I really don't. I wish I could tell you, but I can't." Dean sat on the edge of the opposite bed, then put his face in his hands. "I don't want to lose her to whatever is going on inside her head. I don't want to lose her at all... Sam, I've never loved anyone like I love her. I know you love her, too, but you've at least been in love before. I haven't. Not really. Not like her."

"I know, Dean. She said she's coming back."

"But will she stay?"

"Where else will she go? She has no family to go back to, no house or job. We're all she has, Dean. It's sad, but it's true." Sam took a deep breath. "We'll make it better for her when she comes back. I'll do better for her..."

"Yeah. No more guilt tripping her," Dean grimaced. Sam shot him a glare, but said nothing. He knew that Dean was right, and that he had certainly made Candy start to question everything she knew. It might have been entirely his fault that she left. Sam didn't know that for sure because she didn't say anything to either Sam or Dean, but he had a hunch. It wasn't until after he said all of those things to her that she started to withdraw. He could have very well chased her away, but if that was true, how would he convince her to stay when she returned?

Meg was sitting at the table by the door when Castiel came back into the motel room. She sat up straight, eyes and ears alert and ready for the news that Castiel had gone to retrieve. He confirmed what she had overheard while he was talking to Sam and Dean outside.

"Candy left for a couple of days, it seems," he exhaled slowly. "They don't know why or what's wrong with her." He slid out of his trench-coat and laid it on the table. "They said she had been acting strange for several days. I should have gone to see them sooner. Maybe she would have talked to me about it. Or maybe she would have talked to you."

"It's not your fault, Clarence. Sometimes girls just need a break from our boys," Meg grinned up at him, that typical twinkle of mischief in her eyes. Castiel tried to keep from being distracted from the main problem, but Meg had a way of making light out of any situation. "Couldn't you just find her if you needed to? Let her take care of what she needs to, and if she doesn't return in a couple of days like she said, then go find her. Simple as that."

"I suppose."

"Then no worries, right?" Meg shrugged her leather-jacketed shoulders. "Calm down, Castiel. Your girlfriend will be fine."

"She's not my girlfriend," Cas narrowed his gaze. "Why would you say that? I've spent all my time with you."

"What does that mean?"

"If anyone can be referenced to as my hypothetical 'girlfriend,' it wouldn't be Candy. It'd be you." Castiel saw Meg blush, and his tone and expression both lightened. "I'm sure Candy thinks that way, anyways." Meg stood and stretched her arms above her head.

"Don't worry. I won't be here forever." She started to walk towards the restroom, but Castiel caught her by the wrist. When she turned back around, Castiel closed the gap between them. Without thinking, he pressed his lips to hers, holding them there firmly, unsure of what to do next. While it felt natural, Cas didn't have much experience with the opposite sex. However, he couldn't deny the electricity that surged through his body when her body pressed into his and her lips started to move against his. After a minute, she stepped back and licked her bottom lip.

"I'm sorry. Was I too forceful?"

"Not forceful enough," Meg chuckled before pulling him back to her again, smashing her mouth against his, burying her fingers in the back of his hair. Castiel responded by wrapping his arms around her waist. Slowly, his hand slid upwards until it slipped under her jacket, then under her shirt. Meg's body tingled from the sensation of his fingertips brushing over he soft skin of her lower back. Her head tilted back instinctively, and she was surprised when Castiel dipped his head down to kiss her neck tenderly. A new rush of feelings washed over her. "Castiel," she breathed, and he had to admit to himself that it made him feel excited to hear her say his name like that. It wasn't often that she used his name in a non-sarcastic way.

"Should I stop?"

"Probably," she sighed. "This wouldn't work, this thing between us. We're very different, Castiel. You're made of light and purity, and I'm made of fire and anguish. I came from hell, and you came from heaven. We literally couldn't be more opposite."

"That's not true. We both defied our expected roles. You are a good demon, and I am a bad angel," he told her.

"You're not bad, Castiel."

"I can be," Castiel kissed her again. "If you'll let me."

"Mm, are you trying to seduce me, Clarence?"

"I thought that was obvious," he blinked down at her in confusion. "Am I not doing it right?"

"You're doing fine," she laughed, standing on her toes to touch her lips to his gently. "If I didn't care about you, Castiel, I would jump right into bed with you and let you use that tie of yours for something other than making you look professional. But wouldn't you regret it tomorrow? I don't want to dirty you, Cas." Castiel grabbed her shoulders,

"How many times do I have to tell you that you're not dirty? You're not evil, and you're not darkness. I can see light in your eyes, Meg, and it's beautiful. I wouldn't be here right now if I didn't think that all of that pain that you think is monstrous was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Tears started pooling in the bottom of her eyelids. "It's okay to leave your past in your past," Cas continued. "I don't care who you were or what you did before now. All I care about is who you are right this second, and I really like the woman I see in front of me. In fact, I might love her."

"Cas," Meg started to sob, burying her face in her hands. "Thank you," she cried. "Thank you so much." Castiel walked her to the bed and laid down with her. Instead of trying to make any sort of mood, he just held her small frame against his much larger one. She pressed her forehead against his chest, trying her best to stifle her tears. "God, I'm such a baby. I haven't cried like this since I was human."

"You're still human. Just a little more twisted than before," Castiel smiled down at her. "I'll hold you like this until you believe me. Whatever I have to do, I will do it. You need to know how beautiful you really are."

"Not as beautiful as you," she murmured against his shirt. Castiel said nothing more, just continued to cradle her against his chest. Eventually, they broke apart and turned on the T.V. to watch some cheesy romantic comedy that Meg consistently made fun of throughout the entire movie. Castiel didn't mind. He liked how content she looked as she nit-picked every detail, down to the cheesy lines. However, the fact that she could recite some of the lines made Castiel think that she liked the movie more than she let on. It didn't matter, though. He was just glad to see her happy.