1986
Castiel has seen Dean mad plenty of times since there was hardly a time when his best friend wasn't angry over something, but never like this. He stood in the torn apart room, idle amongst the now shattered toys and ripped sheets, and watched Dean punch his knuckles raw against the wall. It wasn't that he didn't care if his friend's hands were bleeding but not even angels are capable of handling a mangled soul. Three more thuds came before Dean finally collapsed onto the floor, choking on his sobs and curling up in a ball.
"But why... " he whimpered out. "Cas, he took Sammy… He took Sammy and not me."
The child gripped onto the carpet and coughed; his body trembled with such force that it caused Castiel to cross the room and lay a hand on his shoulder. John Winchester had been a small part of the boys' lives, taking them for weekends and occasional holidays, giving them small presents when he could. It was part of the routine and Castiel had filed this information as unimportant and never questioned why the family didn't just live together. That was until John started to only take Sam away.
Dean had ignored it, telling both Castiel and himself that Sam was younger so he deserved a lot more than what was given to him. He saw the brighter side of the situation by saying that he could spend more time with his best friend and his mother. The smile on his face was so wide and honest that it erased Castiel's gnawing disbelief and replaced it with faith. If Dean said that his father was just spoiling Sam because he deserved it, then that was the truth.
"It is not your fault, we did not foresee this happening. If I had, I would've persuaded him to take you as well." Castiel assured him, attempting to be comforting.
"I know, Cas, I know… I thought I was being really good this year too. My school work wasn't always great but I tried! I turned in everything, even the stuff that was super hard! You know I did, you know I tried."
With the last plea, Dean reached up and grabbed Castiel's collar, shaking him restlessly. The angel let the senseless babbling and ruthless mistreatment continue on for several minutes, only listening to each demand and question. Possibly it was because Castiel felt the pain his friend felt. Being separated from his own Father at such a young age, having only his brother for countless years, and never hearing from the one he loved so much.
"You are not a bad son. You have only been faithful and he does not comprehend how important your life is."
Castiel, awkwardly, wrapped his arms around Dean's shoulders and pulled him close, mimicking a scene from a movie Gabriel was watching two days prior. His fingers ran through the younger's brown hair, clumsily at first, and let the tears stain the pajama shirt that wasn't his. Their sleepovers didn't always consist of depressing topics but Castiel had decided to study the art of comfort after an incident where he simply stared at a crying Sam after he fell off the swing set.
Although he had spent most of his life living amongst humans and animals, Castiel had never felt emotions as strongly as he did in the messy room that belonged to his friend. Animosity bubbled up from his toes to his throat; it burned the back of his eyes as he began craft new shades of red. His mind was clouded with John Winchester's lifeless eyes, blood gurgling from that pitiful mouth as he choked on his own vomit. The visions sent thrills up and down his spine.
Dean chose to stay on the floor and sleep among the wreckage, leaving Castiel to stew in the newfound revelations. He quickly changed into the nearest clothes, a dinosaur T-Shirt and khaki shorts, took another look at his sleeping friend then snapped his fingers. Gabriel had shown him every monster nest that they could find in Kansas in order to list all of the towns that need extra protection. Lawrence happened to have vampires living on its outskirts.
It took all of Castiel's strength not to fly back to Dean's little room or the apartment he shared with Gabriel. He looked up at the abandoned barn, rather irritated that he didn't grab a stronger looking vessel before waltzing into an active nest of possibly starving monsters. The earlier buzz of rage kept him focused as he pushed through the doors.
"It seems we've got a little lamb amongst us." growled a voice.
The doors slammed and laughter began to float all around in the darkness, leaving the angel apprehensive. Castiel stumbled forward to where he heard the voice coming from, keeping his pulse at a relatively normal pace so to not excite the inhabitants. A click and a small flame appeared a few feet away, making him stop and watch as a vampire light his cigarette.
"By your size, I'd say you were a small snack to feed one of my children, but by scent I can tell you are not of the world." he took a drag "What brings you here, angel?"
"I have come to ask of your service." Castiel said, lifting his chin with valiance.
Laughter came again but with actual humor in the tone. He thought he even heard one of the vampires snort.
"Come to ask for our service!" the leader motioned for some lights to be lit, "You're off your rocker, angel! Do you know what you're asking?"
"I assure you that I have never had a rocker, and yes I know what I ask. Do not remind me of the sin I am committing and just listen, because this deal will benefit you as well."
The low light gave Castiel an idea of what the monster he was bargaining with looked like. He was a young man on the outside although his eyes held countless years behind them. This was possibly the oldest vampire Castiel had ever met, and he was still older than it. The vampire motioned with a wave of his hand for the angel to continue.
"There is a human I wish for you to kill. If the job is done correctly then I will section off an entire area for your kind to feast upon whenever you wish to. The conditions is that each killing, including the specific human, is done to make it look as if they were animal attacks after you are done drinking them dry.
No laughter came this time. The leader stood, put his cigarette out on his neck, and walked toward Castiel, the light catching blood lust in his eyes. He sized up Castiel's vessel, taking in the small stature that held unstoppable power, before letting a dangerous smirk grace his features. For a moment, the angel believed he made a mistake.
"What's the poor bastard's name?"
"John Winchester."
"An address would also be nice. We're not fucking mind readers."
Castiel narrowed his eyes as the vampires cackled before throwing a phone book at the leader's feet. He watched him flip through it, rolling his eyes at every dramatic page turn, then looked out a nearby window to make sure he didn't waste too much time. Returning to Dean with a clear conscious was the only thing keeping him from ripping apart any of these monsters.
When Dean woke up early the next morning he expected to still be laying on his floor, curled up with snot smeared on his face, but the familiar warmth of his bed told him otherwise. He sat up and looked around, seeing that his room was spotless and even the wall he had assaulted the other night had been washed clean. The only remnants of the previous night were the scabs now forming along his knuckles. Castiel laid next to him, rigid with his eyes open and staring up at the ceiling.
"Cas?!" the boy screamed and fell out of his bed.
"Hello, Dean." came the reply.
"Geez man, you gotta stop waking up like that! You look so dead!"
"My apologies."
Dean rolled his eyes and pushed himself off the floor, looking around in confusion. He opened his mouth to ask his friend, who was now sitting up, but closed it when he saw the smile on his face. In the year that Dean had known the other boy he had never seen him fully smile. Only small ones that ghosted along his lips or ones that obviously didn't reach his eyes. But this smile, the smile that was aimed at Dean right now, was genuine.
"Dean, we should dress and see if your mother needs any help with breakfast."
"Uh.. Okay, Cas."
Mary was already bustling around the kitchen when the two washed up boys came down the stairs, desperately trying to busy her scrambled mind. She opened and closed random cabinets, grabbing out items that seemed to have no purpose, returning cups or platter to the wrong places. The senselessness didn't stop until Sam's sippy cup was gripped tightly in her hands. A few sobs escaped as she bent over the sink, holding the cup over her head in mock prayer.
Castiel was the first to see her and quickly turned Dean to face the living room, ushering him towards the TV. He turned it on with a quiet snap of his fingers, sat his perplexed friend down in front of Mighty Mouse, then walked back to the kitchen. Mary had pulled herself up from the sink but still clutched onto what remained of her youngest son.
"Ms. Campbell?" he spoke up after she settled down a bit more.
The young woman whirled around, nearly dropping the cup, and quickly tried to wipe away the tears strewn across her cheeks. She coughed and smiled weakly down at Castiel, bending her knees to look him in the eyes.
"Good morning, Cas. Did you and Dean want something to eat while you two watch cartoons?"
"I wanted to know if you needed assistance."
Crinkles formed around her eyes as an honest smile formed.
"No, sweetie, I'm okay. I'll make you two some french toast so go on and sit with Dean. Gabriel called to say he'd be picking you up in a couple of hours."
Castiel frowned at the thought of Gabriel but nodded and went back into the living room. He knew that at some point his older brother would find out about the deal he made with the monsters. Gabriel would most likely try to rip out his grace, but the thought of Sam reuniting with Dean made the decision worth the risk. Castiel watched his friend laugh wildly and held his knees to his chest, feeling the strain of the rapid flying now that he could relax.
Breakfast came and went with Castiel eating small pieces to look human before making the rest disappear when the others weren't looking. It was easy to fake eating and other normal functions in front of the people he cared for. The friendship would be threatened if he dared let it slip that he was not of the world Dean lived in.
Gabriel came, as promised, hours later with a plastered grin on his face. He knew. Castiel didn't know how it came to be so soon, but he knew that his brother knew what happened. The small talk between Mary and his brother was close to torture; his small hand sweating in the tight grasp of Gabriel's. They didn't speak until they were far from the house and inside the cramped apartment that was currently trashed.
"You just really like making messes for yourself, don't you?" Gabriel growled and flopped down onto a couch.
"Hypocrisy is not a good look for you, brother." Castiel muttered and kicked a beer can.
"Don't use that fucking tone with me right now! I still can't believe you would do this…"
Castiel stayed in the middle of the apartment, waiting quietly for the actual punishment to be set. He met Gabriel's glare without fear, knowing deep in his heart that he was right. That his decisions were just.
"I just can't believe you'd leave me some god damn vegan meal while you pranced off with your stupid human friends!"
That sentence was not what Castiel expected to hear.
"I mean, is it so hard to ask for a couple of burgers and chili fries? What the hell was I supposed to do with a frozen green bean casserole?! You're lucky we don't need food cause I would've starved! You're such an ass, Cassie."
"I… I apologize, brother." the younger sputtered out in disbelief. "If you let me, I will make you a proper meal today."
"You bet your ass you're sorry!" Gabriel pouted and poofed up a lollipop. "I had to make a pizza appear and you know I hate doing that stuff. It doesn't taste the same as home cooking."
"I do not understand the difference in taste."
"That's because you only focus on humanity as a whole and don't pay attention to the small things. Like food or booze or girls."
Castiel walked through the mess to get to the kitchen that was remarkably left untouched by Gabriel's chaos. Relief had been washing over him since his brother complained but he made sure to look distressed and even fumbled with a few pans. He knew that his brother wasn't an idiot when it came to actual intelligence but he would be lying if he said that Gabriel was a mature angel.
The landline rang furiously that night as the two brothers watched mindless tv and ate a quiet dinner of triple cheese lasagna. Gabriel was the one to answer, his carefree grin immediately dissolving into a horrified gape. He threw his shoe at Castiel and motioned for him to change the channel to the news while rapidly talking to the other person. The dial moved slow under his hands because Castiel knew what the news would show.
"Mary, calm down! We'll be over there in a- wait, what?" Gabriel shouted and moved into the kitchen, his hand pressed against his free ear.
Castiel turned his attention to the tv.
"Local man John Winchester was found dead in his backyard, ripped to shreds by what appears to be a coyote attack. His three year old son was found, thankfully, unharmed in a swing set, faced away from the horrid scene. Although it was obvious that the coyote was hungry, officials cannot say why the child was left alone. More on this story tonight at eight."