Castiel hated the ambiance hospitals, ever since he was small and he scraped up his back when he fell off his bike he's despised the sterile smell and cold air. As he ran after the doctors that took over for the EMT's after they arrived at the hospital. They slapped an oxygen mask on Dean and ran off with him. "You can't come in here," one of them cautioned as they disappeared behind a door, leaving Castiel alone and scared in one of the worst places to be.
He knew John and Sam would be around shortly, so he made himself scarce. He found himself wandering into the gift shop, but with little money on him, there was nothing there he could afford.
"Something I can help you with?" A soft female voice suddenly spoke as he fiddled with a small bracelet with black wings engraved onto a piece of silver woven into the soft leather. He looked up to see a taller woman with warm brown eyes and short pixy style brown hair. He assumed she worked here by her outfit; comfortable, yet appropriate.
"I uh-no I assume not," Castiel mumbled looking sadly at the bracelet before returning it to its proper container. "I'm just looking, I don't have much on me, and my boy-" Castiel stopped wondering if he should be telling her any of this. Or if Dean even wanted to be associated with Castiel in a romantic way.
She waited patiently as if waiting for him to continue. "Your whome?" She asked politely, with a sweet genuine smile.
"My boyfriends in here, and I think he's in surgery, but I'm not sure. I've not heard anything, so I'm passing time and- sorry I'm rambling," he said as a blush spread across his already red face. He knew he looked like hell warmed over, he'd been crying constantly for hours, but he had no shame. He was in distress, and he still had no news.
Cas looked up at her and she acted as though she was thinking. "What about that particular bracelet caught your eye?" She asked him seeming honest, and genuinely curious.
Cas looked down and blushed, he hadn't thought about it, but now that he did he was embarrassed. "I love wings," he said slowly. "as obsession really. After my parents died it became my way of coping, especially when my sister Anna kept saying they turned into angel and are now watching over us. I know they're looking over him too, because-" A single tear fell down his cheek, "Because I love him." He finally choked out. The flood gates opened and he cried without remorse.
"Oh sweetie, come on," She said, and she wrapped her arms around him and led him behind the counter and through a small door. The room beyond the door was a cluttered mess, but cosy all the same. "Give me one moment." The lady said before she spun around. "What's your name, son?" She asked.
"Castiel. Castiel Novak," he mumbled in reply.
"I'm Jody, Jody Mills. Cop is my day job, and gift store sales woman on the side," Jody joked trying to lighten the mood in the small confines of the back room. "What's your boyfriend's name?" She added when she got no response.
"Dean Winchester. He has his family up there, his dad hates me and his brother doesn't know, and I'm just-" He was interrupted by hiccups.
"Hold on, stay there," Jody said with a smile before walking back out of the door into the gift shop. She walked back in 5 minutes later with a smile and a water bottle. "These should stop those hiccups," she said handing him the water. She watched as he drank half the bottle, and replaced the cap, before continuing. "They say he's out of surgery and doing well. That he's actually been asking for you for about an hour now." She shrieked in shock when he tried to jump up and run but tripped on his own feet.
He needed to find Dean, and needed to,make sure he was okay. He made it to the door before spinning around and thanking Jody Mills. "Thank you for everything Jody." He said as he hugged her.
Jody grabbed his hand and held it between her two and said the one thing he needed. "247, in ICU. Floor two." She said before shoving him out the door and on his way. He was halfway to Dean's room before he realized there was something in his hands. When he looked down he seen the bracelet in which he had previously been looking at, and a small piece of paper that he read as he rode the elevator. Your angels were looking out for you by keeping Dean alive, now don't waste anymore time, tell him how you feel. -Jody. Castiel didn't know what to say, he'd never been treated so nicely.
When Cas found the room in which he'd been searching for his feet wouldn't carry him any farther. He stood immobile just a few yards from where Dean was laying, waiting for him. Castiel took a couple deep, calming breaths before making his way into the room he would soon know by heart. Dean was in fact lying there, in the middle of the room on a small hospital bed. He hadn't yet realized Castiel was there as he played with the frilling edges of the blanket that currently covered him.
"Dean," Cas breathed as he felt fresh tears spring to his eyes. He watched as Dean face lit up and his head swung around to face him. Dean looked like a small child on Christmas that got everything they had on their list. "Oh, Dean!" Castiel said a little louder and his feet hurriedly carried him across the room to Dean's bedside, where he threw himself across Dean.
"Careful there, it's sore," Dean joked as he lifted up his hospital gown to show the deep, stitched up cut spreading the length of his stomach. He must have caught the look of surprise as it flashed across Castiel's face because he laughed lightly before explaining. "They say it was internal bleeding, but they got it." When he didn't get a response other than Castiel's eyes tearing up once more he added, "I hope you dig scars, cuz this is gonna be one they say. Although they said it wouldn't be very bad, it would still be there." He watched in panic as big tears started rolling there way down Cas's already tear stained face.
Castiel suddenly remembered the bracelet still clutched in his fingers. He held his closed fist over Dean until Dean held his open palm open under Castiel's. Cas dropped the bracelet and watched as it fell into the grasp of the man he'd grown to love. Realization grew on Dean's features till that was all that was there. He slipped the bracelet on and smiled. "I want to know the story behind this," he grinned as his finger tips grazed over the engraved wings.
"One day, Dean," Cas replied, his voice breaking as he spoke. He curled into Dean as much as possible, willing sleep to take over. Right before he went under he remembered the note from Jody. "I love you, Dean Winchester," He mumbled as he let sleep take hold and drag him under.
Dean didn't know what to think when he heard those five words tumble out of Cas's mouth. He wasn't sure if it was the concussion, the medication, his imagination, dreaming, and he was seeing and hearing it all, or this was real and Cas just announced his love the the elder Winchester. Dean knew Cas was asleep but he still wondered. He looked down at the teenager in his arms and his breath hitched.
Dean had never thought about love. He never believed he'd find someone that would love him in return. Dean thought of the way his mom used to describe love, being happy in one another's presence, and you'd do anything for one another. Dean smiled at the thought of being with Castiel for the rest of his life, and with that he knew he was in love with Castiel Novak.
Cas didn't sleep long and when he did awake he tried to remain as still as possible, but of course Dean noticed the change. "I love you too, handsome," Dean mumbled into Castiel dark hair. Castiel tried not to move, wondering if Dean really knew he was awake, but shook as the tears wracked his body. He'd been holding it all in from the beginning. Cas had been worried sick that he was going to lose his boyfriend, and he couldn't hold back anymore. He felt the strong, warm arms of his beloved envelope him. "Shh, handsome, it's okay. I'm okay," Dean whispered and endless string of sweet nothings to the hysterical Castiel.
Castiel sniffled and unburied his head from where is lay in dean's side. "I'm sorry, Dean," Cas said in a whisper. He wrapped his arms around his boyfriend in hopes to have Dean forgive him.
"It's okay, handsome, honestly.I'm okay, you're okay, we're all okay, we'll always be okay."