Hey guys, sorry this is late. Lots of things adding up (my older brother is moving out of the state in like 2 days, I've been sick since Saturday, and the holidays are basically here) to me not getting this edited and published on time. Anyway, as always, thank you so much for the reviews (Kathy and sonya . kitzmiller), favs, and follows. Love you guys. I should be back on schedule now!

Castiel and Dean were grabbing their bags out of the car when Castiel heard the front door open. He held his breath until he heard his mother's voice.

"Castiel? Sweetheart, is that you?" Dean gave Castiel's arm a gentle squeeze and a nod, indicating that he was okay with Castiel leaving him at the trunk. Castiel stepped away from the car to see his parents, Chuck and Becky Novak. Chuck's hair was starting to show more gray than brown and Becky's light brown hair was showing signs of aging as well. He smiled at them as Becky opened her arms. "Ooooh. Honey, it's so good to see you!" Becky practically squealed in his ear.

"Hi, Mom." Becky released her son and then Chuck brought him for a hug next.

"Great to see you, son." Chuck nearly whispered in his son's ear. Once the two of them broke apart, Chuck began to look around. "So, where's the plus one of yours?" Castiel felt himself break out into a cold sweat.

"They…um…about that…it…"

"Babe," Dean appeared from behind the car. "Are you going to help me with the bags?" Castiel turned, his eyes growing as wide as saucers. Dean pulled out his charming smile again. "Oh, hello, you must be Mr. and Mrs. Novak." Dean placed the bags down and reached his hand out to Chuck first, who didn't seem to be fazed by his son bringing a man home. However, Becky, whose eyes looked very much like her son's (in size anyway, Castiel had the blue eyes of his father instead of the odd blue/green combination of his mother) appeared as though she'd seen a ghost. Chuck took a step forward to shake Dean's hand.

"Wow, good hand shake. Please, it's Chuck and Becky. Apparently our son forgot his manners." Castiel shook his head.

"Sorry. Mom, Dad, this is my," Castiel tried not to stumble over the word. He had practiced it in his head a million times on the ride up, but saying it now still proved difficult. "Boyfriend, Dean. Dean, these are my parents, Chuck and Becky." Becky's mouth had closed, but her eyes had not shrunk in size as Castiel's had. She reached her hand out and blinked.

"Hi, I um…wow. You're very…different than we pictured. I figured…I mean…Castiel, may I speak with you a minute?"

"Dean, why don't I help with those bags?" Chuck gave a warm smile, and then his eyes moved to the car. "This yours?" Dean nodded. "What is she? A sixty…?"

"Seven. And I would love a hand, thank you, Chuck." Dean and Chuck walked back to the car as Castiel was practically dragged inside by his mother.

"So, this um…is quite the surprise." Becky folded her arms across her chest, waiting for an answer.

"Yes, I…um…I've been...it's a long story, but I'm happy. Dean makes me happy."

"So, he is your boyfriend?" Castiel nodded. Hearing that word again made him even more anxious. Like if the word was said enough times then the illusion the two of them were trying to create would be shattered. "I…I feel like this is something that should have been told to us before you got here. You know, this isn't something that you just spring on your parents. What will everybody think?" The last sentence seemed to be meant just for Becky.

"That I'm happier now?" Castiel began to offer, but Becky already turned her back to Castiel to go back to the kitchen.

"We'll see Michael at Pastor Jim's barn. Gabriel should be here shortly. I'm just finishing up something small, you two must be hungry." Becky called over her shoulder as the front door opened and Dean and Chuck came into the house. Dean gave a small whistle.

Castiel was trying to pretend it didn't bother him that his mother just flat out told him that this was a bad idea to bring Dean here. What did she know?

"This is a great house, sir." Dean's eyes scanned the high ceilings in the two story, six bedroom, four bathroom home. "What is it you do, again?"

"I'm a writer and Becky is my publicist. She…"

"Doesn't get paid enough to deal with his crap!" Becky called from the kitchen. Chuck gave a small laugh.

"She's right about that. I'm sure you two want to settle in before we leave." Chuck nodded up the stairs before leading Dean and Castiel up them. Castiel knew where he would be staying, but wondered if Dean would be in Raphael's room since he wouldn't be coming home. "Here we are." Chuck put Castiel's bag down. "Dean, if Castiel starts to snore you're more than welcome to use one of the other rooms in the house." Castiel heard the words, and they hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Wait, do you mean that Dean and I are…in the same room?" Chuck knit his eyebrows together.

"Well, your mother and I talked it over and decided that you two probably sleep in a bed together in Chicago, so why would this be different?"

"We don't live together." Castiel couldn't stop himself from saying quickly. Chuck continued to stare at his son curiously. "I…I suppose you're right, though." Castiel shot a nervous look to Dean. Dean just gave him a gentle smile before looking over to Chuck.

"Thank you, Chuck. Castiel and I appreciate all of this."

"Of course, of course." Chuck waved his hand at Dean in a 'think nothing of it' gesture and then turned his attention towards his son. "Gabriel should be here shortly. You two get settled and come downstairs when you're ready."

"Okay, thank you, Dad." Chuck gave Castiel and Dean a smile before leaving the room. Castiel quickly shut the door before staring at the bed for a moment before Dean cleared his throat.

"I can uh…sleep on the floor. You kinda look like you might spontaneously combust at even the thought of this." Dean nodded to the bed.

"I just…I'm sorry. They usually made my brothers and their girlfriends from college stay in different rooms. I just thought it would be the same."

"You need to calm down, man."

"You keep saying that, but is it really your place to tell me that?" Dean rolled his eyes, and then looked at Castiel.

"Close your eyes." Castiel squinted and tilted his head.

"Excuse me?"

"Close. Your. Eyes." Castiel gave Dean one more look before doing as he was told. Castiel felt Dean get closer and then he felt Dean's breath in his ear. "Relax. Your family is going to believe this. Hannah is going to believe this. She is going to see how happy you are, and she is going to regret ever leaving you. I'm just here to help you enhance your own great features." Castiel inhaled deeply and was suddenly overcome by the smell of Dean. There was a musky, natural smell with a slight spicy cologne, and another smell that Castiel couldn't quite place. It oddly made him feel better. Castiel opened his eyes and was met by Dean's, close enough that if either of them just leaned forward, their lips would touch (and no, Castiel's mouth wasn't suddenly dry). "Feel any better?"

"Much," The word came out as a whisper. Castiel cleared his throat and took a step back. "Is that part of the package?" Castiel really hoped that Dean didn't take offense and realized that he was just kidding.

"Nah, that'll cost you extra." Dean smiled. Castiel gave one tentatively back. "Come on, we should get downstairs before your mom yells up at us." Dean quickly found a button up flannel shirt in one of his bags.

"You said this was informal tonight, right?" Dean started buttoning up the shirt in the mirror.

"Right." Castiel replied, realizing that he was watching Dean with intent. He looked over at Castiel and Castiel quickly looked out the window. The two walked out of the room and at the top of the stairs, Dean grabbed Castiel's hand. Castiel's eyes grew and Dean gave his hand a squeeze. "Look, I'm going to be doing stuff like this all weekend. You need to stop freaking out about it." Castiel nodded. He knew that. Of course they needed to sell the fact that they were dating.

They walked down the stairs and could hear Becky and Chuck in the kitchen.

"…a man! I just…I don't know how I…"

"Becky, he's happy. Who cares?"

"He's not Hannah."

"And that's a good thing. Now come on, they're probably back down here." Castiel pulled Dean's arm back so they appeared to be still walking down the stairs. He also gave Dean a sympathetic smile.

"I told you." Dean shrugged, appearing not to be bothered by it.

"I'll just have to prove to her that I'm better for you." Dean gave a crooked smile, only pulling the left corner up. Castiel cleared his throat and looked away as they reached the bottom of the stairs and Chuck and Becky came out of the kitchen. Becky had a tray of finger sandwiches and Chuck was holding a small plate of cookies.

"Come in, sit down. We're just waiting for Gabriel." They both set down their plates as Dean and Castiel sat on the loveseat. Before Becky and Chuck sat down, the doorbell rang.

"That's probably Gabriel." Chuck smiled and walked to the door. Castiel breathed a sigh of relief, although he wasn't sure why.

"Daddy! I'm home!" Yes, definitely Gabriel. There was a grunt form Chuck and then Chuck laughed.

"Hello, Gabriel. Come in, Castiel and his date are here."

"Cassie!" Gabriel shouted as he ran through the house. Castiel stood up, bracing himself for his brother's impact. Suddenly, a shorter man, with golden hair and eyes was running towards him. Gabriel ran into Castiel's arms and jumped up, wrapping his arms and legs around Castiel's middle. Castiel groaned at the sudden weight of his older brother. Gabriel laughed. "Still can carry me. Good for you. Now put me down so I can meet your new girl!" Dean had stood up as Gabriel untangled himself from Castiel.

"Well, I'm certainly Castiel's, and I am new, but I'm not a girl." Dean and that smile (was it trademarked or something? If not, it should be. Castiel mentally shook that thought away) were offered to Gabriel. Gabriel had a reaction between his mother's and his father's. His eyes popped open as though he had never heard of anything so ludicrous in his life.

"Oh. OOOOOH!" He exclaimed as he shook Dean's hand.

"Dean, this is my older brother Gabriel. Gabriel, this is my boyfriend," there was that word again "Dean."

"I um…well, hi. I figured that I would've heard about this. How long have you two been together? The last time Cassie and I talked he wasn't seeing anybody and that was just a couple weeks ago." Gabriel shot daggers at his little brother. Castiel blushed. If there was going to be anybody that saw through this ruse it was going to be Gabriel. He could usually read Castiel like a book.

"We weren't ready for the family to know yet." Dean replied, pulling Gabriel's eyes back to him. "You know, it's difficult trying to come to terms with something like this." Gabriel narrowed his eyes at Dean, but seemed to buy it. He sat down on the giant L-shaped couch next to his mother. She smiled warmly at Gabriel.

"Welcome home, honey." She gave Gabriel a hug. "How's California?" She asked when they broke apart.

"Hot and bothered, but it's where the work is."

"Work?" Dean asked, Castiel thought only to be polite.

"Gabriel is an actor. He went to USC and got his degree for it. My mother originally went to the same school for the same reason, but changed her major to English where she met my dad first day of their sophomore year."

"So what kind of acting do you do?" Dean asked, looking at Gabriel quizzically.

"Well, mostly plays. I love dramas, but comedies can be fun too." Dean nodded, his eyes still narrowed before opening them back to normal.

"You know, my younger brother would be disappointed with me staying in a house with a bunch of So. Cal. grads. He just graduated from Stanford. He's in their law program now." Castiel looked at Dean, trying to hide the surprising fact that he had a brother. They had spent so much time talking about Castiel and his family that they hadn't touched on Dean's.

"As long as you didn't go to Stanford, we'll be fine." Chuck winked. The room laughed. The five were eating some of the sandwiches and cookies when Becky glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Oh! We should probably get going. Castiel, Dean, would you just want to follow us? We'll take Gabriel and…"

"I want to ride with Cassie and his man-love!" Becky rolled her eyes. Castiel felt Dean's hand on his kneed again, assuming that he had been bouncing it. Was it a nervous tick that he had never noticed before?

"Fine, let's get going though. Drinks will start soon and you know how Joy gets." They all stood and walked out the door.