Notes: Okay, so again in this chapter I have a few hinty hints as to what the hell is going on with our boys. There is more than meets the eye!
leahelisabeth: I know, the poor babies D'X But don't assume too much!
ship. me: Hang in there babies! All will be revealed soon!
merlincrazy: So glad that you're liking it! Always happy to be of service :D (btw, my heart is still in recovery over Merlin *gross sobbing*)
Disclaimer: I have a pack of gum...it is my most treasured thing I own at the moment besides my laptop. I own nothing else here nor there.
CHAPTER 7
Sam and Gabriel cautiously made their way up the stairs to the catwalk after hearing the end of the fight. Neither of them really wanted to ask about this, but there was that obnoxious little voice in the backs of their heads that urged them to at least inquire if their brother's were all right. So they left the relative safe haven of the dining area, leaving behind the diagrams with Bobby and Chuck and slowly made their way over to where the yelling had finally stopped.
They reached the top of the stairs, they bumped into Anna who was on her own way to her shuttle. Grateful for any delay in finding their brothers after that blow out, they swarmed in on her.
"Hello Anna! We should be on Bellerophon by 14 hundred hours, I figure the job should be done by 10 hundred or so tomorrow," Gabriel informed her merrily.
Obligingly she nodded over at the pilot, "Yes, I'm aware. I made a few appointments and should be done around then so that we can hurry on our way. And the minute we hit atmo, I'll be on my way. It'll be nice to get away for a bit, get my mind off of Dean's lunacy. I just wish that it'll do the same for Castiel," she smirked.
She looked like she was about to walk off, but Sam and Gabriel, like a single unit positioned themselves to casually block her way by leaning on the sides of the rails and giving the Companion their full attention, "What happens if you have an appointment coming and you aren't finished at the one you're at," Sam asked curiously, still trying to stall for time.
Slyly Anna glanced at them from under lush eyelashes, "Overbooking is a cardinal sin. Clients must feel the experience is timeless. Only thing worse that I could possibly do is a badly faked orgasm."
Gabriel let out a loud guffaw at this and slapped a hand to his chest in mock pain.
"Yes, the worst cardinal sin of all," Gabriel intoned solemnly, "See that's where me and Companionship part ways. I never could work the notion of pretending a man's getting it done when he wasn't…," he noticed Sam's offended look, "Oh, you know I'm not talking about you. You're a very generous lover, Sammy," the pilot soothed the other man's ego, but Sam still gave the pilot the stink eye.
"So you've never pretended to fall?" Anna asked Sam coyly.
The younger Winchester winced, the conversation finally becoming a bit more of Dean's tastes than his, "Not really, uh... it's kinda hard to fake when you're a guy…" his face lit up red, making both Gabriel and Anna smirk behind their hands. "subtly" Gabriel reached behind his partner and gave his ass a full and very affectionate squeeze, making the younger Winchester squeak and jump a bit.
Anna laughed sweetly at their antics and patted them both on the arm, "Well, hats off to both of you then. I'll see you in a few days and…make sure Dean stays safe. I feel partly responsible for him taking this on. I…pressured him to take more risks, and now this."
All the joking and fondling aside, Sam guiltily glanced at her, "You're not the only one who is responsible. I bugged him about the doll caper earlier," Sam confessed and the other two winced. They knew that would be a sore spot for the Captain.
"Just the same, look out for each other. I'd like there to be someone around to pick me up when I'm all done," she smiled and waved her parting before stepping into her shuttle.
They split ways after that, Sam heading after Dean, and Gabriel heading into the other shuttle to try and do some damage control. They would have charge money for their services if only their clients weren't flat out broke.
Somewhat cautiously, Gabriel slinked into the shuttle, spotting Balthazar who was too busy fussing of Cassy to look up as his elder brother came in the room. He was sure that Castiel knew that the pilot had entered, but his little brother was refusing to look at either brother, instead turning his face to the window to where they couldn't get a read on his face.
Now about everyone on the boat had heard Castiel's shout about uh, his and Dean's more intimate matters, and of course Gabriel could understand his baby brother's frustration. It wasn't easy to get Winchester to drop an idea once it's in their head. And if Dean was so dead set on upholding his chivalry towards Cassy, well, it would take a freaking miracle to get his little brother laid.
He just prayed that Cas wasn't thinking about how Dean kissed Bela and almost slept with her, and now he was refusing to do the same with him. It would be killer on the poor kids newly blossomed sex drive. Also it would be pretty sucky if he lost the most recent bet on the relationship pool. He only had two weeks left before his estimate was passed.
At least Chuck was gonna lose this one. He bet way too early this time around.
But this whole 27 year long dry spell for Castiel was only half the reason that Gabriel suspected that his little brother was moping around and maybe roughing up the Captain a bit. Truthfully the pilot was glad that it looked like Castiel had taken a swing at the Captain. This whole situation, even if it could get them out of this rut, reeked of stupid and at least someone tried to knock some sense into Dean.
It was one of those kinds of scenarios where there was no win, both choices of tossing Bela out the airlock, or trusting her with the job were gonna hurt the crew in some way. They all had to face it, they were desperate. And desperate times called for dumb, idiotic, risky, and cock-blocking measures.
They all just hoped, especially Cas, that Dean wouldn't regret this.
He came up behind the chair that Cas had draped himself in and started rubbing at his shoulders, "Fahng-sheen, champ. I've got his back. If Dean starts thinking with his jan-doh duh ee-kwai-ro, I'll step in and cut off his balls," he soothed. (Don't Worry)(Dangly Piece of Flesh)
Balthazar smirked, "That's right, Cassy. If Dean does anything to hurt you then we can do many terrible and sneaky things to him for you!"
He didn't turn around to reply, "Thank you for your support, but I don't think castration will solve anything. I'll just sit here quietly for now. Just…watch his back for him since I can't be there."
And he shrugged off Gabriel's hand. The two older Novak's exchanged worried glances, but Gabriel couldn't stay any longer. It was almost time to get things started and Balthazar had to fly this thing out of here. So the pilot switched on the auto pilot to the coordinates that Dean had given him earlier and bid his goodbye's to both of his brothers before stepping out of the shuttle.
As the hatch shut behind him, he hoped that Sam had some better luck with Dean.
"See you when we're wealthy, you two," he whispered through the door, and then he started back to the dining room. They had capers to plan, things to steal, and money to earn so that they could buy some more meds for Cas. Maybe while they were picking up those blue pills Gabriel could snag some viagra or something to slip into Dean's coffee. He mused over this side plan on his walk back.
With perhaps a bit more force than necessary, Dean started tapping on the screen of the computer, flipping through each of the diagrams and maps, looking for any discrepancy, and hot zones, anything to reveal some less than honest intentions…He had left the kitchen for a bit to 'get some air' and was pacing the hallways with his tablet instead of sitting around the table watching his crew give him weird looks. He knew how loud he and Cas had gotten, and he was sure that more than a few people had overheard him. He just hoped to put off the marriage counseling until later...like never later. Not for the first time that night he really hated what they were doing.
He turned his attention back to the tablet with a sigh. So far nothing had shown up, and for that he was both grateful and worried. There had to be something here.
"Starting to get second thoughts?"
Sam's voice normally would have soothed him, but instead Dean tensed up waiting for the next person to start in on him.
"Just being cautious. Can't have you guys accusing me of being an irresponsible parent, now can i?" Dean shot back with venom.
Sam sighed and moved next to Dean. Guiltily he knew that this was a good deal his fault that Dean was suffering so badly right now. Just earlier he had accused Dean of being too cautious and avoiding jobs, and now, even with his crew on board for the job, they were all thinking that the Captain might have lost his mind.
But for whatever reason, Sam wasn't entirely sure that this was all that was bugging his brother. It was just this odd feeling that he was missing something.
"I'm not doubting you, Dean. I'm just worried about, that's all. I heard you and Cas fighting and…"
"And what? You want to drop in your two cents?"
"No, I just want you to know that I've still got your back in this. We all do."
And Dean's eyes softened as his little brother finally coaxed a grateful half-smile out of him.
"Thanks, I really appreciate that," and he was about to say more, but he caught sight of Bela stepping into sight down the hallway, "Hey! Get your flat ass over here and give me a and with these charts. No wandering about, remember? Or I'll throw you back in your crate."
Bela had been startled by Dean calling to her, and she immediately thought that maybe he had caught her eavesdropping on the crew, but he didn't look like he was about to tear her heart out through her throat, so she assumed that he didn't suspect a thing. Throwing on a sultry expression, she sauntered her way over the where the brothers were, making sure to brush against Sam's chest as she walked by.
She could feel both of their eyes follow her every move and was about to say something, but at that exact moment the preacher's voice came over the comm. box.
"Cap'n?"
Dean kept his eye on Bela as he hit the nearby button, "What is it, Bobby?"
"Think we got something. Chuck here seems to think he has a plan that will work."
Okay, we start in on some real plot next chapter I believe. Woohoo!