Cas sat down on the hotel bed. Jimmy handed him their book. "I need to have a talk with you, Jimmy."

Jimmy scooted up in the bed, looking very small and worried. "Everything is fine," Cas soothed, pulling Jimmy onto his lap.

"I don't want to leave. I don't want to go to Chicago," he started sniffling.

"Hey," Cas said sternly, Jimmy looking up. "I promised. This has nothing to do with Chicago."

Jimmy relaxed, pouting slightly.

"This has to do with me. And you. And being here."

Jimmy sat up straighter, Castiel brushing Jimmy's hair back and chucking him softly under the chin. Cas grinned, kissing his forehead. "You know I love you, right?"

"Yep," Jimmy grinned. He had only heard Cas say it a million times.

"Well, what if I love somebody else too?" Cas asked, watching.

"Like uncle Gabe."

"I love uncle Gabe too, but this is different."

"Ooohh," Jimmy nodded, his blue eyes piercing into Cas'. "Like a girlfriend? Blek!" He stuck his tongue out.

Cas laughed. "Yeah, like that."

Jimmy nodded, his face more serious now. "Who is it?" He asked timidly.

Cas took a deep breath. "Well, it's Dean."

Jimmy's head jerked up catching his eyes.

"Daddy..." Jimmy whispered, "Dean?"

"Yes," Cas nodded, waiting.

Jimmy sat silently.

"Is that why we came here? So you can stay with Dean?"

"Jimmy. Wherever you go, I go. Wherever I go, you go. Package deal, right?"

Jimmy nodded slowly.

"You are my son. You come first. Always."

Their blue eyes searched each other for understanding.

"I like Dean."

Cas grinned. "Me too. Like a whole, whole bunch."

Jimmy nodded. "Are we gonna stay here?"

"I think," Cas said, twisting his mouth and tweaking Jimmy's nose, "we could give it a try. If you think it's okay."

Jimmy nodded and laid his head on Cas' chest. "I think Dean likes me too. He gave me his chaps. He says I can keep them."

Cas grinned, kissing his soft hair and hugging him tight. "Dean told me he likes you very much. So much that he wants you to stay as much as me."

Jimmy giggled. "Can we sleep in different hotel beds every night?"

"No, goober," Cas laughed, tickling him.

Cas tucked him into bed. "Jimmy, if you change your mind, you have to promise to tell me. You go, I go."

Jimmy nodded, grinning. "Did you kiss him when you went to lunch?"

"Hey!" Cas laughed, "I don't kiss and tell!"

"Haha! You just said you kissed him!"

"Aw," Cas rolled his eyes, "you are way too smart for your own good."

"Daddy. Kissing is gross," Jimmy scolded.

"Well then I'll stop," Cas laughed, blushing.

"You're fibbing," he giggled, shaking his head.

"Maybe," Cas laughed. "Now, I am dying to know what happens in the next chapter of our book."

Jimmy nodded, scooting down into bed to hear more about Cowboys.

The next morning, Gabe strolled into the lobby where Cas and Jimmy sat with alphabet letter cards. He knew them all and they were starting to lay three together to make words.

"Look, uncle Gabe! I made C-A-T."

"Mind blowing, munchkin," Gabe grinned, Cas rolling his eyes at his brother's humor.

"So...how'd it go?" Gabe asked quietly.

"Good. I think we're staying. And today I'm going to talk to Dean about what he mentioned yesterday about managing the hotel. I could do that."

Gabe nodded. "Need any help?" He grinned, rather sadly.

Cas was surprised to see the look on his face. Gabe never needed anyone. But their past months together had been good. For as good as it could be when dealing with tearing a family and a company apart. "Gabe, you can stay here. There is so much need for help here. For once, let our family help another family do good. These people bring joy to people's lives. And..I want you to stay."

"Oh, Cassie. Always the dreamer," Gabe grinned. "I suppose I could stick around for a bit."

Cas grinned.

UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

Dean and Adam rounded the cattle into the far field that evening. As they made the long trek back to the stable, Dean figured now was as good a time as any to broach the subject of Cas.

"Hey," Dean called, waving Adam over. Side by side their horses walked along the long stretch of flat land.

"I wanted to run somethin past ya," Dean said.

"About Cas?" Adam asked, smirk fixed on his young face.

"Yeah, about Cas."

"Is he moving in?"

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Something like that."

Adam laughed. "Ya know, I been hearin about the guy for years. It's not really a surprise."

"I never talk about him!" Dean hollered into the darkening night.

"You did too. Only after three shots of Ash's apple pie moonshine."

Dean shook his head. "Fine. Well, whatever. Are you okay with it?"

Adam smirked, looking away then back at Dean. "Does it really matter?"

"Yeah, Adam. It matters. You're my brother. It's our house. And he has a little kid."

Adam nodded, his face looking more serious now. "You know I thought Dad was wrong. I know he has always given you shit for liking guys. But I don't care. You do you, man. If he makes you happy, then I'm happy."

Dean nodded.

"And I won't be living there too much longer. I got plans."

"Oh yeah, gonna build that house you keep talking about?"

"Yes, I am. The land is perked and ours, so it will be perfect."

"But I'm not pushin you out. That house is our family home."

Adam nodded, looking ahead. "And it will be a good home. It'll be great."

"People might talk," Dean said.

"Fuck people."

"Hey, watch yer mouth."

"To hell with people," Adam grinned.

Dean laughed, "Yeah, fuck 'em."

UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

The next day was Sam's last day in town before he had to go back to school. Ellen planned a big dinner at her house, which Cas insisted on helping with. The house was full. Cas and Ellen were busy in the kitchen, Bobby claiming he was helping. Sam and Gabe were sitting in the dining room talking endlessly, keeping an eye on Jimmy, who was out in the yard, playing with the dogs. Dean sat down in the living room to watch the game with Adam and Jo.

"So, Mom says you are having Cas move in with you," Jo said, fixing him with a look.

"Yeah," Dean said, glancing at her. If anyone was going to harass him, it was Jo. Not because she was homophobic, but because she was 18 and his cousin. It's just what she always did.

"Mom says I can't give you any shit about it." She grinned, eyeing him.

"Oh, really," Dean said.

"Yeah. I just feel bad for all my friends."

"Your friends?" Dean asked, looking at her.

"Yeah, all my friends that come around and say 'is Dean your cousin? He's sooo hot!' Now I gotta break all their little hearts and tell 'em you play for the other team." She sighed and pouted.

"Your friends are children," Dean smirked.

"Uh, we're graduating!" She groused, swatting him with a couch pillow.

"You're children," Dean said, stone serious, hitting her back.

"Well I guess you're an old man then," she spat, throwing the pillow back and rocking the lamp next to Dean.

"Joanna Beth!" Ellen hollered.

Dean laughed and Jo glared at him. "Jerk," she said, half laughing.

"Bitch," Dean mouthed back.

"Mom! Dean called me a bitch!" She smirked at Dean.

"Well then quit actin like one," Bobby yelled.

"Uh! Dad!" She glared out at him. "I swear, this family!"

Dean and Bobby laughed, Bobby swatting a pillow down that sailed out of the living room and straight for his head.

"Joanna Beth! Dean Michael! I swear, you two," Ellen hollered, hand on her hip. "You too Robert," she said, pointing a finger at Bobby.

They all laughed, Cas throwing a much amused look over his shoulder at Dean.

Dean got up, coming into the kitchen. "Aw, we're just messin, Aunt Ellen," Dean laughed, kissing her cheek.

She grinned, going back to her biscuits. Dean stepped up behind Cas, who was stirring a big pot of beans. "Smells good," he said, putting an arm around Cas and inspecting the pot.

"They do. Ellen's teaching me your favorites," he grinned.

Dean grinned, watching a blush grow on Cas' face. He leaned over, kissing him on the mouth.

He got out of the tight kitchen and sat down with Sam and Gabe, who were already sitting at the dining room table, still open to the kitchen. "And just what are you two all camped up about?"

Sam grinned eagerly. "Gabe has some great ideas about managing the hotel. He says he and Cas can streamline some of the systems Mom and Grandma had in place."

"Good," Dean said, taking a drink of his beer. "Change can be good."

Gabe grinned.

"So, you gonna stick around awhile then, Gabe?" Dean asked.

"Well, Cas and I will help get you guys rolling. When Sam gets home in a month, we can plan more then. But we won't make changes without consulting you and Sam."

Dean nodded, seeing how on board Sam was. "Sounds good to me. I'm relieved. Honestly, we were all feeling pretty unprepared for the season to start in a few weeks."

"It's gonna be a piece of cake," Gabe grinned, patting Sam's shoulder. "Speaking of cake, Cassie, how's my cake lookin?"

Cas opened the oven. "Not yet."

Gabe nodded.

"You like to bake?" Dean asked, standing up.

"He's an awesome baker!" Sam said, "He made us these apple turnovers yesterday-"

"Where was I?" Dean laughed, "I never saw any apple turnovers!"

"I don't know," Sam grinned, staring at him. "You kinda disappeared for awhile there at lunch time. Where were ya?"

Dean blushed, glaring at Sam, who knew damn well he was 'having a beer' with Cas.

"Yeah," Gabe added, brow furrowed in question, "Where did you go?"

Dean leaned down on the table, looking the pair in their eyes. "You really want to know where I was and what I was doing?"

"No," they both answered adamantly.

"That's what I thought," Dean snickered.

"Dean," Cas warned.

"What? Just chatting with our brothers!" He defended.

"Go play with Jimmy," Bobby scoffed, shooing Dean out the door.

"I was just answering their question!" He defended, letting himself be steered out the door.

Dean's laugh died out as he took in Jimmy's small frame, perched on the top rail of the fence, looking out at the field beyond Ellen and Bobby's house. He walked over, leaning his arms over the top rail.

"What's up, Jimmy?" Dean asked.

"Nothin," he said, looking at Dean.

"You doin okay?"

"Yep."

Dean stood awhile, the quiet evening chirping around them.

"Dean?" Jimmy asked.

"Yeah?"

"You really like my daddy, right?"

Dean bit his lip. "I sure do."

Jimmy nodded.

"You okay with that?" Dean asked.

"My uncle Luc was nice to Dad too, but when Dad wasn't around he said really bad stuff about him."

Dean clenched his jaw at the look of worry for his dad.

"Jimmy," Dean said gently, "I'm nothing like your uncle Luc or Raphael. If I say I like someone, I like them. If I don't like them, you'll know." He grinned, gripping Jimmy's slender shoulder.

"Uncle Luc said Dad was an abomolation. That he had evil thoughts-"

"Jimmy," Dean said, stopping Jimmy's frenzied memories. "Your dad is a good man. And I love him very much."

Jimmy's blue eyes shined. "Oh."

"Everything you heard from them in Chicago, I want you to put in a bubble. All those nasty words and names. Put 'em in a bubble."

Jimmy nodded slowly.

"Go ahead, put 'em all in a big nasty bubble," Dean said.

Jimmy squeezed his eyes shut. "Okay," he said, opening his eyes.

"Now, blow it away. Go ahead, I'll help," Dean nodded.

Jimmy looked out into the field dotted with scrub bushes. He took a deep breath and blew really hard. Dean got beside him, blowing into the wind just as hard.

Jimmy stopped, grinning at Dean.

"Whew," Dean said, "that was a big bubble for such a little guy."

Jimmy nodded.

"Now, we don't have to think about all those nasty memories," Dean said, lifting Jimmy off the rail and carrying him toward the house. "And if any float back, because sometimes those memories can be sneaky and sneak back in here," Dean said, tapping Jimmy's head, "you just put 'em in another bubble and blow 'em away."

"Okay," Jimmy grinned, hugging him tight.

"Aw," Dean sighed, hugging him back.

"Thanks, Dean."

"Any time, kiddo. Anytime. Now, your head seems kinda empty with all that space," Jimmy giggled, "so let's go fill it up with new memories, alright?"

"Alright!" Jimmy giggled.

"I'm gonna start by going in here and giving your dad a big bear hug."

"Yeah! Let's squish him!"

"Now, we're talkin!" Dean cheered, pulling the back door open.

They came in quietly, sneaking up behind Cas at the stove. "Ready?" Dean whispered, "1, 2, 3!" They launched a hug onto Cas, making him laugh and turn into both of them. They growled and hugged, half lifting Cas off his feet, making Cas lose his stirring spoon. Dean laughed, kissing Cas, then kissing Jimmy on the head. Jimmy hugged both men tightly, kissing them both on the cheek. Cas, not to be left out, kissed Dean on the mouth and then snatched Jimmy up, lifting him high.

"Are you attacking me while I'm cooking?" Cas teased.

"I'm a bear!" Jimmy laughed.

"A bear? I love bear meat! Mmmm!" Cas growled back biting at Jimmy's still-coat covered belly.

"Ahhh!" Jimmy laughed harder than Cas had ever heard him.

"Get this bear mess out of my kitchen!" Ellen laughed, swatting at all three of them with a towel.

All nine squeezed around the dinner table to enjoy a big meal together.