Gasp, another chapter! Already! For me, it's in the same day because I haven't slept yet! XD Hahaha! Anywho O.o I'm not sure where the ending came from...but yeah, haha. Anywho. I'm loopy again...so...yeah. Sorry if it's bad? Or if there are mistakes? I have family coming tomorrow/today since it's like two thirty in the morning and so yeah...I wanted to go ahead and write it because I can't write when they are here. hehe. Um. Sorry if the whole parents fighting thing isn't realistic...I mean my parents fought when I was like eight and stuff but I didn't mind...because it just didn't really affect me because it just really got me more attention because...well it didn't affect me. I got to have more time with both of them, you know? So, sorry if it's not realistic. I don't have experience with it :( But I try! Anywho. I tried. Sorry if I failed with Jimmy. Sigh.

Anywho.

Onward!

Chapter Nineteen

"You tell me what I really did when I was drunk."

Castiel's words echoed around Dean's head like a thick haze, a buzzing in his ear like a bee that simply wouldn't leave him alone. Dean stared at the black-haired guy sitting on his bed, sure that it wasn't Cas, his Cas, because that was a matter that was in the past. Right? They had put it behind them. It was done, it was past. It took a moment for the word to form in his mouth, but it finally did. "What?" he uttered quietly, his gaze narrowed and locked on Cas, his heart stuttering in his chest as he struggling to think of what to do, his mind already reeling back to that night in the alley, when he'd watched Castiel kissing Aeron.

The anger and hurt he'd felt from then reared up within him and he struggled to press it back down because it hadn't been Cas's fault - he'd been drunk, as he kept telling himself. It had been Dean's fault for not going to pick him up like Castiel had wanted. Dean hadn't gone to get him out of the house, away from the fighting. It had been the fighting's fault. Not Cas's. Castiel had just been searching for an outlet, that was all. And Aeron had been there - and Dean hadn't, and-

"I just want to know," Castiel said, breaking Dean, thankfully, away from that horrible whirlwind of thoughts. Blue eyes locked onto Dean's and held his gaze, and just like that, the anger dissipated somehow like magic. Dean released a slow breath. "I…" Castiel released a slow breath and stood from the bed, moving toward Dean. He knelt in front of him so they were the same height and Dean once again hated the fact that he was in this stupid chair. "I think…I deserve to know. I may have been drunk but it was me. I did it. Whatever I did, it was wrong of me. I know it. I hurt you. It was wrong and I'm sorry and I think I deserve to know what I did."

Dean shifted nervously in his chair and winced when his movements made a twinge form in his ankle. Castiel frowned worriedly and lightly touched a hand to his leg. The heat of his hand calmed Dean and made him sigh heavily. "Cas…do we have to do this? Can't we just…I thought this was in the past? Can't we just forget about it?" He really didn't want to talk about this. It would only make things awkward and make Castiel feel bad, and Dean didn't want that happening. Castiel didn't deserve to feel bad.

"Dean…please. Tell me. You didn't tell me about the protective custody, right? Well. Now you have to tell me what I did."

Dean winced. "I…" Well. Cas had him there, he had to admit. He bit down on his lower lip. "Are…you sure, Cas? There's nothing else you want to know?"

"Tell me." Castiel narrowed his eyes in a hard look of determination. Dean knew that look well. Yes he did.

He sighed heavily and lowered his head in defeat, averting his gaze from Castiel's eyes. "Alright…fine," he huffed. "You win."

"Okay. Tell me, Dean. What did I do while I was drunk?"

"You…well, you wandered off and went down this dark alley, which, by the way, is totally girly and cliché."

"Noted. And? What else?"

"Aeron found you."

There was a brief pause and Castiel's grip on Dean's leg tightened. It was his good leg, though, so it didn't hurt or anything. It just felt sort of reassuring and calming, letting Dean know he was there. It felt nice. "Does…this have anything do with why you were asking if I liked Aeron?"

"Well…sorta. You…Well. When I found you, you…kissed Aeron."

"I…what?" Cas asked like he didn't understand.

"You kissed him."

"I…Dean, I'm so sorry," Castiel said guiltily, horrified as he pulled his hand away and released Dean's leg. "You know I don't like him, right? You do know that? I don't. It didn't mean anything, I swear. I was just drunk and…and…I didn't know what I was doing. I don't even remember it, and-"

"Calm down," Dean said quickly, looking at Castiel, who glanced at him with wide blue eyes full of guilt and hurt. "I don't blame you or anything, okay? I know you were drunk. You didn't know what you were doing…it's okay."

"But…Dean, I-"

"It's okay."

Cas bit down hard on his lower lip. "I'm so sorry."

"It's in the past, Cas."

"But how can you just forgive me like-"

"You were drunk."

"But-"

"What, do you want me to hate you or something?"

"No!"

"Then?" Dean asked.

Castiel swallowed and shook his head, confused. "I just…I'm sorry. I don't know what to say. I'm glad you told me but I…I'm sorry, Dean. It didn't mean anything. I don't like him, you know that, right?"

"Yeah." At least, he was pretty sure he did. It was definitely nice to hear Cas say it. "I know."

"I'm so sorry."

"Stop apologizing," Dean said with a scowl. "You were drunk, it was a while ago - let's put it behind us, okay?"

Castiel nodded slowly. "I love you."

"Love you too, Cassie. Even if you are a girl sometimes."

Castiel smiled and leaned forward a bit, smashing his lips to Dean's, and Dean happily responded, wrapping his arms around Castiel's neck, pulling him into his lap, causing Cas to give a somewhat startled yelp.

Well…okay, maybe there were some good things about this stupid chair.

Castiel woke early the next morning - like around three in the morning - to the sound of glass breaking downstairs and the sound of raised voices. It had been a while since he'd heard that. He snapped awake and sat upright in bed. Soldier growled at the foot of his bed, lifting his bed from his balled, sleeping position, his ears, standing upright on his head. Castiel rubbed a hand along the top of his head as he walked past his bed and dog and out of his room. Jimmy met him in the hallway and together, the two of them went downstairs to see what the commotion was about.

Their father, Mark, was having a heated discussion with their mother, Bethany, in the living room. A glass vase had fallen to the ground and shattered from its position atop the TV stand. What the two were arguing about, neither of the twins were really sure, for their voices had lowered somewhat and they were mostly having wild hand gestures at each other now and making weird and angry faces. Castiel was pleased to see his father, he had to admit, and by the look on Jimmy's face as he darted quickly into the living room, he was happy to see him as well.

"Dad!" Jimmy exclaimed as he ran at his father gleefully. "You're back!"

Mark turned and smiled at the sight of his two sons as he threw his arms up and wrapped them around Jimmy tightly. "Jimbo!" he said happily. "Nice to see you!"

"Missed you," Jimmy said, which was an understatement.

Bethany sighed and combed her bangs back and away from her face as she turned away from the two of them, her eyes narrowed at the ground. Castiel moved toward his father. Mark opened his arms for him as well and soon it was a group hug for father and sons as he was enveloped in it as well.

"Missed you boys," Mark said.

"Are you coming back to stay?" Jimmy asked as the embrace was broken and they all pulled away.

"No, uh, not yet," Mark said while sending a look Bethany's way. Bethany sent him a nasty glare in return.

"Oh," Jimmy said, looking crestfallen. Castiel put a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder, knowing how disappointed his brother was feeling right now. He could see it in the dark look in his twin's eyes, in the expression on his face, in the way his shoulders were held, the way he was standing. Jimmy wanted his father to come home. Jimmy was closer to their father while Castiel was closer to their mother. He wanted Mark home. "When?"

"I don't know yet…but we'll, uh, figure it out soon," Mark said, avoiding the issue, Castiel noticed. He frowned at his father and then glanced at his mother. He knew that whatever the problem was between his parents, it was his father's fault. He'd gotten that much from the arguments he'd heard between the two of them.

He could guess what had happened.

His father had cheated on his mother and his mom had caught him. Mark had broken it off with whoever, but it had been too little too late and things had gotten out of control. They had sought counseling and hidden it from Castiel and Jimmy for years, really - Castiel was surprised they hadn't seen it sooner - but it had all come busting out when their job frustrations had gotten too much and then their arguments had turned to what had happened years ago. The past always seemed to come back to haunt them.

And that just made him think about this thing with Dean. What he'd done when he was drunk. Was it really in the past, or was it just there waiting to pounce, to bite him in the ass, as Dean would say? Was it really in the past, over and done with, or was it waiting to strike and hurt them both, tear them apart? He wasn't sure what he would do without Dean, didn't even want to think about it - couldn't think about it.

He swallowed thickly and tightened his grip on his brother's shoulder - not for Jimmy's sake, but for his own.

"You should leave," Bethany said after a moment of silence had passed in the room among the family members. A tense silence, Castiel noticed - not a comfortable one. It seemed that things could go sour even between family members who loved each other.

"I…yeah," Mark mumbled before looking at both of his sons. Then he turned and took his leave without even once looking back.

"Dad-" Jimmy took a few steps after him but then stopped and stood there, staring at the door as it closed behind their father. His hands, held limp at his sides, clenched and un-clenched into fists.

"I'm so sorry, honey," Bethany said as she came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him against her.

"Why did you make him go?" Jimmy asked in a quiet whisper. "I wanted him to stay. Why did you make him leave?" His voice was growing louder with each word. "Why do you always make him go! You always push him away! I hate you!" Then he tore free of her hold and pushed past Castiel and ran upstairs, out of sight. His door slammed shut a moment later, leaving them in bitter silence.

Bethany's shoulders shook for a moment before she turned to Castiel, her eyes shining with tears. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Castiel allowed himself to be pulled into a hug, but he didn't know what to say except, "I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, sweetie."

After that morning's events, Castiel desperately needed to see Dean and get some relief. However, he didn't feel right leaving his mom all alone in the house with the way Jimmy was behaving toward her. His twin had left around eight o'clock this morning as soon as he'd gotten up, had left without a word to either of them. Castiel hoped Dean would be able to somehow come over even with his ankle. So he called the safe house using the number he'd been giving the day before.

The phone rang several times and for a moment, he was sure no one was going to answer and he'd have to try again later. Then, finally, Sam answered.

"Hello?" Sam asked with that teen sort of politeness - or, as Dean described it, the kind was polite but only just, the kind that just seemed to be tolerating the caller even though they didn't even know who it was yet.

"Hey," Castiel said, "it's me."

"Hey," Sam said cheerfully in a change of voice. "I'll get Dean, hang on."

A moment later, Dean's voice said, "Hey, Cas."

"Hey," Castiel said warmly, surprised at how much more calm he felt now that he was talking to Dean despite this morning's events. "How are you?"

"Pretty good," Dean replied. "You? You don't sound so good. Did something happen?"

It was sometimes a little creepy how well Dean knew him. "Well…sort of," he admitted.

"What? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just…Dad came back this morning."

"Cas, that's great!"

"…He left again," Castiel told him.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Dean said sympathetically. "How's Jimmy taking it?"

"Not well," Castiel said with a heavy sigh. "He snapped at Mom and now he's not talking to us."

"I'm sorry," Dean said.

"Yeah…is there any way you can come over here? I want to…be with you for a while but I can't leave Mom after this morning and how Jimmy's acting. I mean, I don't want to, anyway, but I guess I can…"

"Well…I guess I could ask," Dean said. "I can be very convincing when I want to be. Plus I have my pills so I don't see why I can't."

"Alright - cool."

"But…you'll, uh…have to help me up your stupid steps into your house if I can, dude."

"Oh. I didn't think about that. Yeah, okay, if you can," Castiel said.

"Okay, hold on - lemme ask." There was the sound of the phone being put down, probably on a table. Castiel waited patiently, biting down on his lower lip, silently hoping that Dean would be able to come because he really didn't want to leave his Mom right now. Even if he was going to be in his room with Dean or in the living room with Dean or something, at least he would still be in the house with his Mom and she wouldn't be all alone. Presence of mind or something, right? A moment later, Dean returned to the phone. "Okay…Dad said I can but Sammy said no. So I can go but Sammy's going to be calling every half hour. Okay?"

"Alright," Castiel said with a chuckle. "Sounds good. Is the, um…"

"Yeah, the cop people are taking me over there. I'll be there in about twenty minutes. They'll honk."

"Okay. I'll be waiting."

"Alright - see you then."

"Alright - love you."

"You too, Cassie."

"Dean, would you like some pancakes?" Bethany asked, poking her head in from the kitchen. Dean and Castiel were sitting in the living room on the couch, watching TV. The glass from earlier that morning had been cleaned up. It had been gone by the time Castiel had gotten up this morning.

"Oh, God, yes. Cas, I think I'm in love with your mom," Dean said happily, smiling brightly.

Bethany chuckled and disappeared into the kitchen again. Castiel rolled his eyes. "You say that every time she cooks for you, man. It's lost all meaning."

"But I mean it every time so it should actually mean more."

"That makes no sense."

"It totally makes sense. It makes so much sense that I have cents."

"What?"

"I make so much sense that I have so much cents that I have made a change."

Castiel blinked at Dean. For someone who went around trying to make people think he was a moron, he really wasn't. He could really confuse people when he wanted to. And more in the 'twisting your words' kind of way, too. "Alright…has Sam been spiking your food again?"

"Dude. One time."

"Uh huh…"

"And it was revenge because I put Nair in his shampoo…"

Castiel snickered. "I think you deserved it, personally…At least he didn't mess with the Impala, right?"

"Hey, don't joke about that." Dean gave him a hard look. "He knows better than to mess with my baby."

Bethany poked her head back into the room. "Would you boys like some pie, too?"

Dean stared at her. "Marry me!"

"I'll take that as a yes," she said with a laugh and went back into the kitchen.

Castiel sighed and shook his head. "You're hopeless."

"Yeah but you love me anyway."

"I'm beginning to wonder."

"That's because I'm wonderful."

"Think you're hot stuff, huh?"

"I'm pretty sure of it, yeah."

"Ah."

"Ah? What are you, a dentist?"

Castiel could only shake his head and chuckle. At least Dean was in a good mood. He smiled and pulled his boyfriend close, sure that his mom was done asking questions for the time. He was pretty sure she knew, but…well…

When they got their apartment together, that was when he would officially tell his parents that he and Dean were together. Whether they knew already or not, that was when he would officially tell them.

Dean smirked and leaned into him. "Ah, my own pillow. Comfy la Cas. I could get used to this."

Castiel shook his head.

"Wonderful bedside manner there, Cassie," came an annoying familiar voice, and they both looked to Gabriel standing there, his arms crossed over his chest.

Dean and Castiel jumped apart just as Gabriel's mother stepped through the doorway carrying a suitcase.

"Thanks for leaving me with the luggage, Gabriel," she said with a heavy, tired sigh. Her hair, the same brown color as Gabriel's, was long and hung down over her shoulders in wavy trusses. Her icy blue eyes locked onto Castiel and Dean. "Oh, hello Castiel. Who is your friend?"

"This is Dean," Castiel said, standing up to greet his aunt. "Um…hey, Aunt Lacey. What…um…are you doing here?"

Aunt Lacey, Gabriel, Uncle William and Michael had just left not that long ago, so what were they doing back now?

"Your mother called me in tears about your father this morning…and I just had to come back. I caught the quickest flight I could," Lacey said tiredly, putting down her suitcase. "Gabriel came with me. He's ahead on his schoolwork anyway and his grades are up and he said he was worried about you and Jimmy, so I agreed that he could come. Michael is flying in later. William wanted to come for support but he got caught up in work so he can't make it."

"Oh," Castiel said, stumped. He hadn't even known his mom had made any calls or that she'd been upset enough to actually call in reinforcements. He shared a look with Dean.

Gabriel moved toward Dean and thumped him on the shoulder. "The hell happened to you?"

"Language," Lacey said, giving her son a look.

"Uh…long story," Dean said in reply to Gabriel's question.

"The food is d-" Bethany started to say as she emerged from the kitchen, but she stopped as she saw the rest of the people in the living room. Yes, Gabriel had indeed just barged into the house. "Oh, I didn't know you guys would be coming so soon!"

"Well, you sounded so upset on the phone that I wanted to come as soon as I could, and Gabriel wanted to come as well," Lacey said. "Michael will be flying in later. Will wanted to come but he got caught up in work."

"Oh. Thank you so much," Bethany said, and the two sisters hugged.

"No need to thank me," Lacey said. "How is Jimmy doing?"

"He won't talk to me," Bethany said, tears sparking in her eyes again.

Castiel looked away and felt Dean's hand lightly brush against his own. That did help calm him a little.

It was just all too much right now, really...

First all this stuff with the fighting in his family, then getting drunk, then Dean and the protective custody, now this?

He just wished all of these bad situations would go away.

Well, there's the chapter :D What did ya think? Sorry if there are mistakes...I'm still sorta loopy, haha and I'm tired...it's 2:30am sooo yeah haha. Bedtime XD Thanks so much for reading and please continue to review!

~Muffy the Dough Slayer~