Ahh, chapter twenty-two. Hey guys! I know, I know, it's been ages! Like 9 months, to be exact, and I am so terribly sorry! Life has gotten in the way, I'm afraid. And freaking Writer's Block! GAH! But, as much as I'm sure you want to hear my awesome excuses, I am too tired to give them right now. I basically wrote this whole chapter in twenty minutes (yeah...all this time and I didn't have a single word written of the next chapter -_- I suck, I know) and during that time, my meds started kicking in, so now I'm feeling quite loopy and in a minute, none of what I'm writing will make any sense. So. Bear with me!

Sorry for the long delay! I will try to be wrapping this story up soonest ;) Haven't decided on happy or sad ending, or if there should be a third book or just another one-shot or something :/ But, you know, let me know, I guess! You guys demand and I listen ;) lol.

Onward!

Chapter Twenty-Two

Drama Club just wasn't the same without Dean. Castiel didn't even want to go, but after missing the past few meetings, Dean had finally convinced him to return to the club and 'spread the word of his awesomeness', whatever that meant. Castiel as sure it just meant Dean had a big head which was growing larger, but whatever.

Anna seemed genuinely happy to see him, a wide smile overtaking her face as her eyes gleamed brightly. "Cas!" she crowed as she lunged at him. Taken by surprise, Castiel stepped back but was still engulfed in a larger-than-life hug which squeezed the breath from his lungs.

"Erm…hi, Anna," he greeted calmly as she released him.

"About time you showed back up," she said, grinning. "How's Dean?"

"Dean is…fine." Well, it wasn't a lie, was it? Dean was fine, so to speak. His injuries were getting better every day and Dean had even told him Sam would let him try and walk now, even if it was just from the couch to a chair or something like that. It was something at least - it was a start.

However, it wasn't fine that Dean might still have to leave. Dean didn't bring it up much and only really talked about it when Castiel was the one who mentioned it. Castiel wasn't sure what that meant. Did Dean really not know, or was he avoiding the issue? Had the police told him of their fate yet?

Fate.

Castiel sighed and closed his eyes, wishing he could block out this whole thing, but everything thus far had actually happened and he couldn't go back and erase it, no matter how much he wanted to.

"Fine, huh?" Anna asked, like she knew the truth, except Castiel was pretty sure she didn't. As far as he knew, he was the only one who knew of Dean's…predicament.

The predicament which meant he and Dean might soon have to say goodbye, and damn if that didn't strike at his heart in such a way it almost left him breathless.

"As can be expected," he amended, hoping she'd drop it.

She did, thankfully, with a little nod and a small smile. "Well, everyone's going to be thrilled to see you! C'mon!" She snagged his wrist and led him toward the stage.

Castiel had to smile, felt it force its way onto his face. Her enthusiasm was almost contagious.

Hunter appeared near the curtains on the stage, grinning down at them. "Cas!" he said as he beckoned them toward him. Anna and Castiel climbed the stage and moved toward the curtains. It was then Castiel noticed no one else was in sight.

"Where is everyone?" he asked.

Hunter shrugged. "Back here," he said, gesturing behind the curtain, in the little back area. "Not everyone's here, but we're basically just chillin'. Aeron even sprung for pizza!"

"It's here?" Anna asked.

Hunter nodded. "Yeah! C'mon - before they steal all the food!" He grabbed Anna's wrist and hauled his girlfriend backstage. After rolling his eyes, Castiel followed after the two of them.

He was greeted by familiar faces and was a little shocked to realize how much he'd actually missed all of them. They'd really become his friends…almost like a second family to him, and having deprived himself from them for so long…

Well, it was nice to be back, even if Dean wasn't here right now.

But thinking about Dean made him sigh. He really wished Dean would return soon - nothing was the same without him.

And he couldn't let himself believe things would turn out badly. He couldn't let himself even think about the possibility Dean might have to leave…that the two might have to part…be separated…

A chill inched up his spine but was thankfully fought off when someone dropped a plastic plate of pizza in his lap. He was currently sitting in a beat up wooden chair, pulled up from under the stage. Around him were similar, worn out chairs and everyone was sitting around, having a great time.

He wished Dean was here.

"Thanks," he said to Ruby, who had handed him the pizza. Ruby just shrugged and returned to her seat. Castiel didn't know her that well, but she seemed okay enough. Kind of loud at times, and the two had never really spoken, but she wasn't bad.

No one here was really bad, and for the first time, Castiel sat back and took a moment to truly appreciate this.

Appreciate his life here.

Appreciate his new friends…family.

Appreciate the Drama Club.

And most of all, appreciate Dean.

Things could have turned out so differently, but he'd been beyond lucky that first day, literally running into Dean when he'd entered room 124 for the first time. He'd been lucky to have Dean take even the smallest bit of interest in him, to have class with him, to be welcomed with open arms…

It could have been different. He could have been the outsider looking in, like usual, like all the times before. Dean could have picked Jimmy over him.

But things had worked out, and though Castiel wasn't sure why Dean had picked him, he wasn't complaining.

Honestly, he wouldn't have it any other way.

He just hoped things would continue to stay this way - that his good luck would hold out and he'd be able to keep Dean here with him.

But thinking about that gave him a headache.

So he took a bite of his pizza and looked around at his friends' faces.

"So, Cas, how have you been?" Hunter asked, chewing loudly on a slice of pizza topped with three different kinds of meat - pepperoni, sausage, and bacon - and some kind of fruit…probably pineapple.

"I've been okay," Castiel responded truthfully. "Yourself?"

Let no one doubt his manners.

Even if courtesy was on life support.

"School's been slow," Hunter said with a shrug. "Lunch is…boring."

Castiel couldn't agree more. Though he saw Hunter at lunch, as well as some of the other members of the Drama Club, he hadn't been talking to them as much anymore. Not since Dean was basically hidden from everyone…except him.

He had to keep telling himself that.

He knew where Dean was.

And this wasn't permanent.

"Anna's made some new, short skits," Hunter said as he bit into his pizza again. Sauce curled around his lips. "If you're interested."

Castiel cocked his head to the side as he thought. He hadn't participated in any skits in a while, and definitely not without Dean. Of course, as Jimmy was fond of saying - these were his friends too, and he couldn't rely on Dean for everything. It might be nice to distract himself from those horrible thoughts of upcoming possible separation.

So he gave a slow nod. "I might."

Hunter lit up and smiled. "Great! Do you know when Dean's coming back? I've got a perfect skit for him!" He snickered to himself, and while normally Castiel would find it humorous - Hunter's little plots with Dean - now he just felt his small smile fade from his face.

"I don't know," he answered quietly. He didn't know when Dean was coming back…or even if.

Stop that, his mind chided. Why are you being so negative? Everything will be okay.

It had to be okay. Right?

He and Dean had come a long way since their Junior year, when they met. Things couldn't just…end, could they?

"How's Dean doing?" Aeron asked, stomping on an empty box of pizza. He picked it up and folded it before stuffing it in an ever-growing garbage bag.

"He's, um…he's okay," Castiel said, because he wasn't sure what else to say…what else he could say. Dean hadn't specifically come out and told him not to tell anyone, but he hadn't told him he could, either.

No, it was best left for Dean to talk about it.

When he could.

"Are you coming to next week's meeting?" Anna asked hopefully, eying him.

Castiel paused and then gave a slow nod. "I suppose so," he replied, and she broke out in a wide grin.

Dean lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling in complete and utter boredom. While he could walk - limp - around a little bit, Warden Sammy was still on vigilant duty and wouldn't let him go very far. And besides, what was the point of walking - limping - if one could only move around in a stupid little cabin? Or whatever this thing was.

There was nothing to do here.

Cas had been collecting his homework, and in his boredom, he'd completed most of it this past weekend, to his utter shock and amazement. Time flew when one was so bored they actually wanted to do homework. Dean never thought he'd see that day come.

He checked the little flashing, digital clock on the small dresser near the bed. It was nearly eight, his usual check-in time, so to speak. He rolled over, grabbed the phone, and dialed in that very familiar number. It rang a few times before a welcome voice answered.

"Dean."

"Cas," Dean said with a smile, "I'm touched you know it's me."

"It's our usual time," Castiel said.

Dean smirked. Lately Dean had been calling Castiel around eight at night, every day, without fail. It was the only way they could talk, really. The police had been edgy the past few days, and had changed the number to this place so no one had it. Dean himself didn't even know the number, so he couldn't give it to Cas. When he called Cas, the number came up as 'blocked' so that didn't help any.

Honestly, it was causing Dean to worry a little. Of course, if things were bad - as in, moving bad - the police would have said something by now, right? Surely he would have been told if-

No. He didn't want to think about this right now. Preferably not ever, but definitely not now.

"So, Cas," he breathed, "what's up?"

"Not much," Cas told him. "I went to Drama Club today."

"You did? Awesome! What have they been up to?" To Dean's knowledge, this was the first time Castiel had gone to Drama Club without him, since he'd gotten out of the hospital this past time.

"They had a party today."

Dean snorted. "What the hell for? Did someone finally get Hunter some damn sporks?"

Castiel hummed in amusement, causing Dean to smile. It wasn't a sound he heard often, but when he did, he cherished it. "I don't believe so. I didn't ask why they had pizza, but they did, and a lot of it."

"Did you indulge?"

"Of course."

"That's my Cas," Dean said fondly.

"They asked when you were coming back," Castiel said quietly, hesitantly, and Dean swallowed and closed his eyes for a moment.

"I, uh…don't know."

"I know. Have they…?"

"They haven't said anything to me, no," Dean told him, as he always did when Cas brought this stuff up. He wished he had a better answer to give, but it was all he had right now. "But…" He chewed on his lower lip. "I'm sure things will be fine, Cas."

"How do you know? It's been weeks, Dean," Cas said, and damn it, it hurt to hear the, well…the hurt in Cas's voice.

"I…I know," Dean murmured, hanging his head. "I don't know, Cas. I don't know what you want me to say."

"I want you to say you're not leaving," Castiel said, but then went quiet like he hadn't actually meant to let those words slip. They hung in the air for a moment while Dean snapped his eyes shut, taking a few deep breaths before he managed to speak again.

"I want to be able to tell you that," he admitted quietly, because it was true. More than anything, he wanted to be able to tell Cas with absolute certainty that he wouldn't be leaving…that he'd stay here and they could get a crappy apartment and be happy, damn it. But…he just couldn't. Not yet. Not until he knew for sure.

"I know you do," Cas sighed, and the weariness hidden in the breath was enough to make Dean's chest ache.

Sometimes he wondered if he was doing Castiel more harm than good. It couldn't be good for Cas to worry like this, to…think about this so much. It was a real possibility that Dean would have to leave and the two would be split apart. Cas would have to get over it and move on, like Dean would…well, like Dean would want him to.

Chances were, if he had to leave, he probably wouldn't be coming back…at least not for a while. Until the killer was caught, but whoever that was…no one knew. So no one knew how long it would take to find them, and put them on trial, and lock them away…and then have Dean come back for Cas.

He couldn't expect Cas to wait for him, if he had to leave. He'd expect Cas to move on, be free from any and all ties.

It was what his mind said was logical even as his heart refuted the point with a stab of hurt which ate at him.

Damn it.

"Dean?" Cas asked quietly. "You, uh…you still there?"

Dean swallowed and nodded even though he knew Castiel couldn't see him. "Yeah," he whispered, "I'm here."

Just not sure for how much longer…

"Do the police have any leads?" Cas asked somewhat hopefully.

Damn it. Dean didn't want to burst his bubble. He wanted to breathe life into that bubble and watch it float away.

"I don't know," he murmured. "Like I said, they haven't…said anything to me. Maybe Dad, but…Cas, I don't know."

I don't know anything. I'm sorry.

"Oh."

Oh.

Silence.

Dean scrubbed a hand over his face. He couldn't do this right now, damn it.

"Look, Cas, I…I'm gonna go, let you…get some sleep and do your homework or whatever, okay?"

"But, Dean-"

"I, uh…I'll call you tomorrow, okay?" he offered.

"Dean, wait-"

"Bye, Cas."

Releasing a quiet sigh, Dean disconnected the call.

And there's the end of the chapter ;) I actually have 3 pages of the next chapter written, so rejoice! It will be upon us soon! Huzzah! :D This thing is totally unedited and I'm tired so Imma go to bed now, 'kay then. Night everyone! And thanks for reading and please review! Sorry again for the delay!

~Averick~