AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, I had to change the rating. I realised how much darker my writing was getting. But, it gives me the chance to add more of a background to the characters.

So, sunday was over, but going to school the next day didn't really matter. All Dean could think was, 'Cas will be there.'

Monday. Castiel was getting ready for another day in hell. The day had only just started and already he wanted the day to end. Dull, dreary and not much to think about apart from school, and Dean.

Benny pulled up in front of the Winchester household, his tyres reeking of burning rubber. He knew he shouldn't have been driving that first, but he couldn't wait to see the look on Dean's face as they got to biology. He knew, he just knew there was no chance in hell they were skipping Missouri's class. Ever.

The Castiel kid had really had an effect on Dean, making him just stop doing everything at Lisa's party. Benny could see that, and Benny wanted nothing more than to sort it out.

Benny had even called Dean over the weekend offering to dump Lisa for him, but Dean knew that it was a bad idea. How would that make him look? What would she do? Would she kill Cas? Dean assumed so, I mean, Castiel was the issue. Lisa knew Castiel had got him into the detention (Or rather the other way around) and she also knew that he hadn't been the same since then, it wasn't that hard to figure out. Unless you wanted to blame Missouri, but who are we kidding. Lisa wasn't stupid, maybe a little gullible from time to time, but she was sharp.

Blasting the horn of the car, Benny grew impatient with the Winchester. What was taking him so long? He sat back, and threw on some tunes, kicking his feet onto the dashboard, figuring he may be there for a while.

Dean could hear Benny, he just didn't want to go. He threw his head back against his bed frame, sitting there wondering where he went wrong. Sometime, and sometime soon at that, he was going to have to explain to Lisa he didn't want to be with her anymore. He had to explain to Cas his feelings, but he was too worried about the consequences.

He knew Benny was cool, but what if the rest of the school were to find out that he was... well, you know. He was scared, truth be told. Nothing about this seemed right in his head, his whole world was fucked up and there was only two options, tell everyone the truth and be discarded like a worthless piece of rubbish, or keep it to himself and explode under the immense pressure. What would he do?

Explaining to Lisa that he couldn't go out with her anymore. That was the thing he could do first. It was an everyday thing, couples break up all the time. It wasn't as if it was weird either, anyone around them could tell at an instant Dean was uncomfortable about their relationship, any loser with half a brain. So he decided to go the easier route, to get what he wanted, no matter what he cost.

He grabbed some cash and headed out the door to clamber into his best friends huge tin can of a car.

"Come on Cas, we're gonna be late!" Anna yelled from outside his bedroom window.

"I do not want to go Anna, I shall just get Chuck to call in, say I am under the weather."

"Not this again. Look, you're gonna have to face him Cas, you sit together and I don't think Missouri's gonna let you change the seating arrangements just so you can avoid a minor embarrassment."

Castiel had eventually told Anna what had happened over the weekend. How Dean had 'slipped' and 'accidentally' kissed him. It wasn't exactly like Castiel should have to be embarrassed, except he liked it.

He didn't want to let Dean know that though, at the risk of the Winchester losing out on everything he'd built around him in the past few years like Lisa and Benny. No. He couldn't do that, he'd have to lie. Say he didn't feel anything. Just so the other male could have a happier life.

But he couldn't face him today.

"Cas, come on. Please, for me."

"No Anna. Just make up an excuse."

"Plllleeeeeeaaaaassseeeee..."

"No. Anna quit being so childish, there is no point in even trying to get me out of this room."

She climbed in through the window, still asking please. She held the note for as long as she could before finally running out of breath and collapsing on to Castiel's bed.

"Yes and I'm the childish one." She said, picking up a cushion and throwing it at the back of Cas's head. "You can't face your petty crush because you're afraid his feelings might get hurt."

"It is much more than that, Anna. You are perfectly comfortable knowing that I am gay, many others however do not feel the same. What if they were to find out about it? Dean wouldn't only be destroyed, but he would be attacked. Verbally and most likely physically. I don't want to see that happen to him."

"He kissed you Castiel. It was HIS choice. He's a big boy now, he can very well handle the crowd."

Castiel sighed.

"I was attacked when I came out, do you remember that?"

"Well yes, but Castiel you're not as strong as Dean."

"I'm offended Anna."

"Come on, Cas. What I meant was he's got more muscle than you, you're built like a swimmer."

"I am a swimmer."

"Exactly."

"You're not understanding me anyway, I may not be a strong as Dean. But he's not as strong as the dudes who attacked me, do you remember that?"

Silence. As Anna recalled that awful day, the room seemed to fall darker.

What happened was Castiel had left the school earlier to avoid more mocking tones, the sneers of 'faggot' and 'queer' as he walked past glaring eyes. But he had not figured that others may have had the same idea to try and catch him.

A boy named Azazel and his friend Crowley had caught him just outside the gates, screaming for help was no use as he had been gagged and blindfolded.

When he was released from his bonds, he found his phone had been taken and his keys by the two boys, not only that but now he was left in a locked warehouse, waiting for what came next.

"Faggot. It's scum like you that makes this earth unclean." Azazel said, slapping Castiel around the face, leaving a red hand print implanted on his face.

Castiel had tried to protest, but they had him cornered, if he'd run, there would only be worse coming to him, he had to just stand there and take it if he was going to survive it.

He could still remember the burning sensation in his stomach when the elder boys boot dug into him. The ache in his right eye, that left him near blind when he had punched his face as if it was a one-sided boxing match. The gap was still there where the missing tooth had been knocked out and almost swallowed by a blow to the face, but it wasn't as if Castiel could do anything.

Amongst the endless supply of kicks and punches, Castiel could only whimper and cry at the shocks of pain that ran through his system. Not only was he sure that they had broken one of his legs, but also his nose was now agonizingly aching away as if it too was also snapped. He closed his eyes, as tear drops began to fall out, hoping to drown out some of the pain by imagining he was somewhere else. Not much good, the pain was still there, all it did was blacken the room.

The two boys beat him senseless until they heard the sound of dogs barking away. Chucking his phone and keys back at his dying body, they fled. The last thing Castiel could remember was his hand reaching out to the blackberry and typing 911.

He had been found by the owner to the barking dog, any longer and he could've been dead. He was in the hospital for weeks after that, only being visited occasionally from his family, but mostly by Anna and Samandriel to make sure he was okay.

Eventually he had gained the sight in his right eye back, and could move again, but some scars were left. Burnt into his skin as a reminder of who he was and what society thought of him. The two boys were eventually found and locked up in a juvenile detention centre for the next few months and later put under house arrest. But that made no difference, only time had healed the wound on his heart that they had cut, because from then on, people looked at him different. As if they pitied him for liking guys, but was it such a sin? So what, he preferred the male specimen to the female. It didn't make him any less human. And that's all he could see for years after, the sneers of those who disliked him or 'his kind'. He was surprised that that wasn't the first thing Dean had actually bought up in their detention, surely he would've known. I mean, yes, they barely knew each other, but the rumours surrounding each of them must have reached the other. So yes, as he was now more comfortable with people years later, he still couldn't get that day out of his mind. But now, a more prominent thought had gained control, this could happen to Dean. And he didn't want that.

"I suppose. But people have changed Castiel. Those two lunatics will remain locked up, and the others who sneered at you? They now have the nerve to call you their friend. At least let the boy have the chance to talk to you again."

"I don't
want to see anyone hurt Anna, that is why I must stay away for the next few days. Act normal, as if nothing happened."

"Nothing did happen Castiel, it was just a kiss."

The Novak boy shot her a disapproving look, as if he was some what offended by what she had just said. She shook her head and sighed.

Walking over to his bed, she wrapped her arms around Castiel's neck and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Come on Cas, I want you there. I don't think I can handle another one of Mr. Fitzgerald's European history classes without you."

Castiel smirked against his best friend's shoulder, he knew there was no way she was going to leave him sitting at home with Nick and Gabe. Besides, maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to go. He could act like nothing was wrong and go about life as usual, there was nothing wrong with that, he could even talk to Dean about keeping their distance from now on, as Anna was right, for cridesake it was only a kiss, a heat-of-the-moment kiss, a fun-playful-platonic kiss, if he kept on about it like it was the god-damned apocalypse then he might go insane. "Fine." He uttered, pushing her off and gathering his things as they climbed out of his window and to her car.

Dean begun to regret stepping out of his bedroom as he sat there being interrogated by Benny.

"Do you fancy him?"

"No."

"Really?"

"Really?"

"Then why are you so hung up on the detention?"

"Because I can still feel his lips."

"So you do have a crush on him!?"

"I have Lisa."

"That wasn't an answer, do you like him or don't you?"

Benny prodded at the Winchester, hoping to receive at least one confession from him. Even a little growl of approval would do. Just the recognition that He felt something for Cas, but Dean was too stubborn.

"Oh, for god-damned-sake, brother. From what you've told me about the situation, you kissed him, not the other way around. And we already know he's gay, so what's your issue with admitting that you think the guy is hot?"

"You bloody well know my issue."

"Lisa? I'm guaranteeing that will not be a problem."

"How about Lisa and half of the entire fucking student body, you remember what happened to Castiel?"

"Years ago Dean, that was years ago, and you didn't even know the kid back then, all you heard was faint whispers, I bet you can't even remember what happened."

"I remember he was left in the hospital for three weeks afterwards."

"Yes but it's different now."

"Oh is it?" Dean cried, hitting the dashboard with his fist. "What about our friend Ash. That was last year Benny, last bloody year. He couldn't take the constant abuse and, well you bloody well know. The fucker had so much hatred directed at him, so much spite, he couldn't take it. I don't want to put up with the constant abuse for some bloody angel in a trenchcoat."

"You do realize you just called him an angel, right?"

Of course Benny could remember Ash, he was one of their best friends, but he didn't want to re-live the past. With a Cheshire-cat grin plastered on his face he glanced over to Dean who was now sulking, about to protest. But Dean understood why Benny had changed the subject, Ash was still a touchy one to bring up during their conversations like this, so instead of yelling, he smiled. The smile turned into giggles and he spluttered between them: "He does look like one."

"And you say you don't like him Winchester."

"Shut up."

Castiel and Anna pulled up in the parking lot, arriving just in the nick of time.

The duo scraped their belongings together and hurried to form room before any other bells could ring out on them. They both shoved their way through the endless sea of mindless students trying to get to their own rooms until they reached Dr. Zachariah's classroom where they squeezed through the door and proceeded to take up their places just before a bell had even sounded.

Dean and Benny arrived late, as usual. Pulling into their form class, Dean scanned the room to see if Castiel was there, which was silly. They hadn't been in the same form ever, so why he had looked was beyond anyone. He winked at Miss. Ellen Harvelle before sliding into his seat next to Lisa and kicked his feet onto the desk.

"Mr. Winchester, Mr. Lafitte. Could you please grace us with the story of why you are late." She said giving the boys a cold hard stare.

"Sure ma'am, traffic was hell." Benny explained as he swung his arm round the back of his chair like he owned the place.

"Well boys, guess who has detention for the looks of it third afternoon in a row?"

"Technically miss, the last two days have been a weekend." Dean's subtle voice glided across the room, he was smirking now. He was going to miss that sense of power.

"You know what I mean, boy. And the way you're going, it doesn't look like it'll matter. You'll be suspended within a few months."

"Good, I need a holiday."

Castiel was bored in homeroom. Not only was the teacher a douche who didn't let them do anything, but he was sat on the other side of the room from Anna and Samandriel, making it impossible for him to do anything remotely interesting. All he could do was sit, wait, say "Here." and look straight forward. He wondered if this was how people went crazy, just staring blankly and a clear board for ten minutes everyday.

It wasn't much help that Dr. Zachariah always made him do the most ridiculous of things, including go into the form room next door and ask for certain students, JUST so they could entertain him. Yeh, Dr. Zach was a bit of a nut job. The school only kept him because he was one of the most qualified teachers out there, and he could teach and keep his class disciplined. That was one of the hardest things to do. Castiel wondered if that was why they hired Missouri, they both teach biology, maybe she was there as a test run to see if she could be better at the job and they could finally release the wacko once and for all. That seemed probable. The school board seemed to despise him as much as the students, but he always had his way. Castiel thought how many times people must of thought about stabbing him, just to get rid of him. He didn't like to admit, but even Castiel had had daydreams about stabbing his form teacher in the face.

Luckily, today Dr. Zach was in one of his better moods and had allowed them to sit in silence until the bell rung, how generous.

Castiel glanced over at Anna, they shared the 'bored as hell' look before swiftly attaching their eyes back to the whiteboard, ten minutes in that room seemed like an eternity in hell.

After Dean and Miss. Harvelle had argued over the topic of detention and suspension some more, the bell rang and Dean gleefully stood up and walked out, with Lisa clinging to his side. This was the most comfortable he had ever felt with Lisa hanging on like a parasite waiting to draw blood, but of course that wasn't going to last forever. As he walked out of the classroom after winning against his teacher, he looked down at the petty brunette girl, sighed and pushed her away a little.

"Dean baby, what's wrong?" She asked, caressing his face as if he were a frightened pup.

"Nothing, just that I have to go that way." He said pulling away from her.

She gave him a sad look, did some twist on her heels, and looking back at him said: "I'll miss you, see you in biology."

Dean almost choked on his own saliva, he had forgotten all about Castiel for a moment. Mainly because arguing with any teacher was one of the most entertaining things on earth, mostly because no matter how hard they tried, the truth if the matter was, they couldn't swear, they couldn't call him anything and if they gave him a detention then they'd be stuck with him for another hour. Benny just laughed as he hit the boy on his back as he noticed the sudden realization in Dean's eyes.

"Come brother, you can't give up now. You've put so much effort into forgetting Friday."

"I didn't mean to, but I didn't exactly want to be reminded either."

"Winchester you know you have to face him eventually."

"I did, on the bus."

"Not good enough... It needs to be smooth sailing from now on, starting with you ditching the prom queen and getting yourself an 'angel' in a trench coat."

"Really?" Dean moaned quietly, punching Benny in the arm, but making sure no one noticed. "I didn't mean to say that."

"Oh but Winchester, you did."

"You're never going to let that one go are you?"

"No chance in hell."

"I'm dead aren't I?"

"If you're dead, either I'm and everyone around me is talking to a ghost, or we're all dead and in hell."

"That seems probable."

They both laughed, Benny had always had the knack for cheering people up, even when he was best friends with Samandriel, his best quality was the way he could make them smile. Sam, Dean's brother, wasn't too fond of him though. He didn't like the thought of his brother hanging around people who got him into trouble, but every time he brought it up Dean would smile and say: "Sammy, I do that by myself." So reassuring. But it was true, anytime that they got in trouble it would generally be Dean's fault. Which made Benny laugh even more when he found out what Sam thought of him.

Slapping Dean's back, yet again, Benny dragged the boy to their English class. At least there they could talk and disturb the peace without getting yelled at too much, the teacher didn't really are, a Miss. Pamela Barnes, she didn't care for what the two did, as long as they both did their work, which surprisingly they did do. They loved that class, it was a stress reliever and wasn't exactly going to make them amount to anything, so they didn't give a damn.

Anna was right about the European history class teacher, his methods of doing things were a little, unorthodox, but he got them done. It seemed like every teacher the duo had was almost insane. Samandriel again had taken a different class, and had said farewell to them as he slipped into his own personal hell, thus leaving the trio, a duo.

Mr. Fitzgerald had insisted that everyone called him Garth, and that they all instead of sitting at desks to write should be standing, moving about, or sitting on the floor. Anywhere but the desks that had been purposefully put there for writing on. Castiel yet again sat on his desk, (not at, on) next to Anna and waited for the period to end.

"Now class, you are carrying on from last week, take out your text books and get on."

Garth leaned back into his chair, reading his newspaper that Castiel was pretty sure he wasn't supposed to have out in a lesson he was supposed to be teaching. Rather than doing his job, Mr. Fitzgerald flipped to the comics and sniggered at their stupid and petty jokes. "Oh Marmaduke, you crazy." He muttered under his breath, Castiel hoped he was doing something, anything other than sitting at his desk reading comics, but no. Even Cas knew that his teachers were dingo ate my baby crazy.

"Cas."

"Yeh."

"What you doin'?"

Typical. Castiel rolled his eyes at his best friend, she just wanted any excuse to talk to him.

"Reading the textbook, like we have been asked to do."

"Oh cool." She said sarcastically, giving him a glare that seemed to make her eyes brighten and almost burn through his skull. "Come on Castiel, I'm as bored as you are. Not to mention we all finished this last lesson."

"I know that, I am reading ahead."

"Cas, come on."

"Fine! What?"

"I want to talk about Dean."

"What about him?"

"Well, what are you going to say to him? Biology is next period."

"Why must I have to think of what to say, if I do talk to him, which I doubt I will, then it'll be arguing about the way the school chain of power works. Apparently he is in charge of us 'nerds'."

"He didn't say that, did he?"

"Oh Anna, we've had this conversation before over the weekend."

"And...?"

"And I will not discuss it again."

"Come on, Cas."

"What? I disapprove of the conversation."

"Cas."

"No."

"Cas."

"No."

"You're such a spoil sport, you know that?"

"I believe you told this a few days ago."

Castiel grinned as he looked up from the textbook, looking at the again glaring Anna. She didn't like being told no, a like to his sister Naomi, Anna believed things should be done her way, the difference was Castiel generally agreed with Anna but Naomi's ideas mostly clashed with his views.

"When this period ends, I'm going to kick your ass."

"No you won't, your too soft."

"I hate you Castiel Novak."

"No you don't."