Chapter 12

Bobby and Jody stayed around for another week. The weather remained warm enough to allow us to complete the repairs to the exterior of the house. We also managed to finish patching and priming the interior walls, leaving them ready for paint and wallpaper.

Before they left, Bobby told us, "I'm leaving the van with you until you've finished the major work around here. I've got other vehicles I can use back home, and you're gonna need it to haul tools and supplies. Speaking of which, all the tools I brought are yours now. Most of 'em are extras I acquired over the years, and a few others I got specifically for you. Think of this as one of your wedding/housewarming gifts."

He brushed off our thanks and continued, "You boys call me if you need anything before Christmas. In the meantime, concentrate on the house and don't worry 'bout hunting. Me and Garth will monitor the news articles and only call you in if we can't find someone else in the area. You can start thinking 'bout picking up cases after you've moved and had a chance to settle in."

The following Monday, Dean started his new job at the auto restoration shop. His boss had agreed to let him work part-time until Christmas Eve so that we'd have more time for the renovations. The shop would be closed between Christmas and New Year's Day, after which Dean would begin working full-time.

After Dean left our motel room early that morning, I drove to the public library in Venata. Dr. Visyak had sent me scans of some tablets to translate, and I decided to use the library's wi-fi rather than struggle with the motel's spotty connection. My Phoenician was a little rusty, so the translation easily kept me engrossed until noon. I then packed up my laptop and notes and met up with my brother at the house.

"How was your first day of gainful employment?" I asked as I unwrapped the turkey hoagie he'd handed me.

He swallowed the mouthful of Italian hoagie and grinned happily. "Awesome, man! I'm working on this sweet sixty-six Stingray. The customer is outta town for a while, so he don't care that I'm only working on it part-time right now. And you should see some of the beauties the other guys are working on! There's a sixty-nine Shelby, a Deuce hotrod, a fifty-three Skylark, a Studebaker Phaeton, and a seventy-one HemiCuda."

"Sounds like you're in heaven, Dee," I said, smiling at his enthusiasm.

"Just 'bout! All I need is a kickass burger joint next door and you showing up for a nooner, and I'll be set!" He waggled his eyebrows at me. "By the way, I told the guys 'bout your GTO, and they wanna see it."

"I guess you can take her into work one day instead of the Impala."

He gave me an exasperated look. "Or you can come by the shop. They wanna meet you too, dumbass!"

"And they don't mind that we're . . . together?"

"What, the gay thing? Nah. most of 'em are pretty cool. Two of the guys have been going out for nearly five years. This one guy, Russ, does mutter something rude once in a while, but Mark and Raul just use it as an excuse to make out in front of him." Dean smirked around his sandwich.

I snorted in laughter. "Maybe you can sic them on Don if he ever comes around here!"

"Nah, I'm gonna keep him as a personal project. So what did the good professor send you?"

"Scans of clay tablets from Tyre from the early ninth century BC. She's helping out a colleague whose normal translator is out sick. I didn't get as much done as I'd like, since the library here in town isn't exactly stocked with resources on the Phoenician language." I carefully rewrapped the remainder of my sandwich for later.

He wadded up his wrapper and tossed it into the open garbage bag in the kitchen. "Why didn't you go to the university library, dude?"

"It's been less than a week since I got the acceptance letter and sent in my response, so I doubt I'm in their system yet. I can make do with what I've for a few more days," I said as I stood and fished a respirator and pair of ear plugs out of the bag from the hardware store.

We'd spent the past three days since dropping Bobby and Jody off at the airport with painting the interior walls and ceilings. Now we were moving on to refinishing the woodwork and floors, which in turn had to be done before the professionals could hang the new wallpaper or we could work on the kitchen. I was going to start in the master bedroom with the floor sander we'd rented, while Dean would begin stripping any damaged woodwork on the other side of the house.

I watched him gather up his supplies for a moment before stepping up behind him and sliding an arm around his waist. Hey, how about we call it early today for a change? We should celebrate your first day at the new job!

He sighed. I dunno if that's a good idea, dude. We got a lotta work to do if we want to be moved in before Christmas.

I get that, man. But we've been busting our asses and pulling late hours almost every day for the past two weeks now. And most nights we've been too tired to do much of anything by the time we fall into bed. One evening off won't hurt us, I wheedled.

My husband turned in my arms and looked up at me, his eyes soft. Feeling a bit neglected, little brother? Okay, fine. We'll stop around five, get cleaned up back at the motel, and find someplace nice to eat. We didn't do much to celebrate you getting into the graduate program, so we can do that too.

Great! I gave him a kiss and then headed off to the bedroom.

A few hours later, we packed up and left the house. We made a quick stop at the motel to shower and change and then went to a small Thai restaurant nearby. Over plates of satay, green curry, and pad thai, we discussed everything from the latest Jayhawks game to his new co-workers to what furniture to buy first. Afterwards, we found a bar a couple blocks from the motel which had decent low-priced beer and a couple pool tables. We had a few drinks and won a little money—though not enough to cause any hard feelings—before retiring to our room.

I was already feeling more than a little aroused by the time we got inside. There was something about watching Dean during a successful hustle that always stirred me up. It was more than how amazing his ass looked when he bent to take a shot or the phallic associations of how he handled his cue. It was also the confidence in how he moved around the table and played the con, the assurance with which he took each shot and sent the balls exactly where he wanted them to go. The moment the door closed behind us, I pushed him against it and claimed his lush mouth.

"Whoa there, Trigger!" he gasped when I let him up for air, before grinning up at me. "Guess you liked how I was handling my stick earlier, huh?"

"Do you have any idea how tough it was, all those years before we got together, to hide how turned on I'd get watching you play?" I asked, then kissed him again and busied my hands with divesting him of his outer layers.

"Hey, not like you ain't distracting to look at either, baby boy! Fortunately, neither of us hafta hide how we feel anymore."

My brother slipped out from between me and the door, took my hand, and led me to the bed, where he pushed me down and climbed onto my lap after kicking his boots off. He immediately fisted his hands in my hair and slotted his mouth against mine. We kissed deeply for several minutes, pausing only to hurriedly tug off more of each other's clothes.

Once we were both down to bare skin, I lay back, pulling him down with me, my hands roaming across the firm muscles of his back. He shifted his head to nip at my earlobe, then kissed his way down to the base of my neck. While he sucked a love mark there, I groaned and slid my hands between us to pinch and tug at his nipples. He moaned in turn and curled his fingers around my cock, thumbing my slit and rubbing up and down my length.

That feel good, Sammy? he crooned as I gasped and thrust into his hand. Gonna take care of you tonight, sweetheart. Make up for the past coupla weeks, okay?

As he continued to stroke my member, Dean shifted downward to suckle at my nipples. They hardened as he alternated between each of the tender nubs, while my cock leaked enough pre-cum to make his fingers slick and sloppy. I felt my balls begin to tighten up and quickly pushed his hand away.

"Sl—slow down, Dee! I don—don't want to cum too soon," I panted.

"Now, what's the fun in that?" He smirked up at me before sliding down even further and wrapping those sinful lips around my shaft.

He lapped at the head momentarily and then swallowed me down to the base. I dug my fingers into his dark gold hair and thrust up into his mouth as he sucked and hummed Black Dog. It wasn't long before I was shouting and ejaculating down his throat. He swallowed, licked his lips clean, and sat up.

"Don't worry, baby—not done with you yet!" He then straddled my hips and sank down, enveloping my still stiff cock in his wet heat. His eyelids fluttered shut as his inner walls flexed around me. "Damn, you always feel so fucking good!"

At first my lover just rocked his hips against mine and caressed my chest with his fingertips. He began rising up until only my glans was still inside him and then pushing back down slowly. I sat up and put my arms around his waist, lowering my head to capture his lips. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and kissed back ardently. His motion sped up as I surged up into his tight channel, and he mewled into my mouth as my strokes brushed against his prostate.

We moved together faster and faster, until the room resounded with our sighs and moans and our flesh striking together. I could feel our pleasure entwining and increasing with each thrust of my member into him, with each squeeze of his passage around me. He arched back, leaning his hands on my thighs, and cried out while continuing to ride me furiously. I dropped a hand between us and grasped his dusky cock. It took only a few quick jerks before he was screaming into his orgasm, his back curving until his head nearly touched my shins and his seed splashing across my abdomen. As he clenched tightly around my shaft, I groaned and came hard inside him.

Dean slumped against me, and I in turn collapsed back against the pillows. His contented purr rumbled against my chest, and his inner membranes quivered around my cock. I slipped a hand between his legs and felt my cum dripping out of his entrance.

He blinked up at me, his green eyes heavy and languid. Feeling better now, Sammy?

Getting there, though let's not let this go for so long again! I pressed a kiss into his temple. It's not just the sex, though that's always spectacular. I've also missed just hanging out with you, enjoying ourselves and talking about something other than what work needs to be done.

He gave me a contrite kiss on my shoulder. Sorry 'bout that, kiddo. Guess I got too wrapped up in trying to get everything done right away. I just wanna get us outta this motel room. I mean, it's pretty nice compared to some of the shitholes we've stayed at, but it ain't home, ya know?

I get that, and I get obsessing over a project too—I know I get that way about research sometimes. But it won't be the end of the world if the house isn't ready when we originally planned. And if we really want, we could move in once the floors are done and then finish the rest of the work, I pointed out.

That ain't a bad idea. It would save us the cost of the motel room for a coupla weeks, and save us the time traveling to and from the city every day. This again is why you're the smart one! He stretched up to give me a kiss before settling against my shoulder again.

Hey, you're plenty smart too! And don't get comfortable—we're not finished yet!

With that, I rolled us over until my brother was on his back and I was kneeling between his thighs. He immediately wrapped his legs around my waist and sighed happily as I started to plunge in and out of his slick channel. I shifted until my member rubbed against his sweet spot with each pass and listened to him keen at the stimulation. He hitched his legs up higher and arched his back so that I could sink further into his warm depths.

"Ahh, yeah, Sammy! Fucking love your cock! Ahh . . . c'mon, gimme more!" he begged.

I growled, pushed his legs up until his calves were resting on my shoulders, and quickened my pace. He soon cried out and shivered through another climax, but I didn't stop. I pounded inexorably into his velvety passage, enjoying being surrounded not only by the physical sensations of his taut, moist warmth but also the emotional sensations of his desire, bliss, and love. Dean was everything, and being with him, in him, giving him as much affection and pleasure as I could, was a tangible expression of how much he meant to me.

As our passion rose and began to crest, I leaned down and caught his mouth in a fervent kiss. He moaned and enfolded me in a tight embrace before shaking in ecstasy, his hot channel clamping firmly on my member. I thrust into him once more before cumming hard enough that my vision spun.

By the time I regained coherence, I was lying on my back against the pillows again, with my husband gently swabbing us both clean with a damp washcloth. He tossed it towards the bathroom and curled around me, purring even louder than before.

That was fucking awesome! he declared with a slow kiss. Love you so much, baby brother.

Not as much as I love you, big brother!

The next few days passed in a similar fashion. Dean went to work at the auto shop in the morning, while I went to the library to complete more translations for the professor. We met at the house for lunch and then continued sanding the floors and stripping and sanding the woodwork. Now though, we made sure to stop before it got too late at night and returned to the motel while we still had the energy to make love.

I did stop one of those days at the shop to show off the GTO and meet my brother's co-workers, who turned out to be an eclectic but welcoming bunch. Collin, the boss, was almost as big of a geek as Dean and acted as a father figure to his employees. Karen, the matronly office manager, offered me cookies as soon as I arrived. Mark, the tall, burly head mechanic, and Raul, the slim, pretty custom painter, made an adorable couple. Another mechanic, a skinny, feisty girl named Myra, was Collin's youngest daughter. The only sour note was Russ, the last mechanic, who glared when Dean put his arm around my waist during the introductions but didn't say anything.

By the fourth day of Dean's first week on the job, we'd finished the sanding and were cleaning up all the dust in preparation to put down the first coat of varnish on the woodwork and floors. While waiting for each layer to dry and cure, we planned to work on the master bathroom. Once it was safe to walk on the floors, we'd bring in the wallpaper hangers and focus on the kitchen. We could also move in at that point if we wanted.

I was carrying some trash out to the dumpster that afternoon when I heard a familiar rustle of feathers. I turned and saw Castiel standing on the sidewalk outside our front gate. I hadn't seen him since our wedding reception, and he still looked good—his suit and trenchcoat were clean and undamaged, his hair only slightly rumpled, and his blue eyes serene.

I grinned widely and pulled him into a hug. "Hey, Cas! It's great to see you!"

He carefully hugged back, a bit awkward as always, before stepping back. "Hello, Sam. It is good to see you too. I initially went to Sioux Falls, and Bobby told me to come here. I was unaware that you wanted to purchase a house."

"Well, we haven't seen you since the night of the wedding, and we didn't actually talk about getting a place of our own until near the end of our honeymoon," I explained. "Why don't you come on in? Dean's inside, putting down the first coat of varnish on the built-ins."

"I did not want to disturb your defenses. I can see the Enochian wards and some of the other safeguards you have put in, and I presume you have angel- and demon-proofed this property at least as well as the salvage yard."

"Yeah, we placed some blessings on the iron fence after we repaired it, and the other protections are tied into the house itself. There's salt and holy water mixed into all the paint and varnish we've used, as well as a line of salt under the threshold of each entrance and behind the storm panes on every window, and we've been carving various sigils and runes in strategic places around the house. But if you study the wardings, you can see we put your name in as an exception."

Cas peered at the writing on the fence and house, which were only visible to inner sight. "Ah, yes. I do see that you've altered them to allow me to pass through. And . . . to allow Crowley as well." There was a trace of distaste in his voice.

I shrugged. "Hey, he's our friend too, and he hasn't done anything to not deserve our trust. We figured this was more secure than the amulet Bobby gave you to let you past his protections, since something like that could fall into the wrong hands."

I walked up the driveway, and the angel followed me into the house. We found Dean in the study, brushing varnish on the sanded portions of the bookcases. When he saw Cas, he immediately put the brush down and threw his arms around the seraph.

"Hey, buddy! How ya doing? You're looking pretty good!" the other hunter exclaimed enthusiastically.

Castiel returned his hug with a little more ease and did not step back as quickly. "Hello, Dean. I am well. I came here after Bobby informed me of this place. You did not tell me you had found a new home." He looked a bit hurt.

"We weren't trying to keep you outta the loop or anything, dude," Dean assured him. "We figured you were enjoying being with your family again, and we didn't wanna disturb you. And there really ain't much to see yet. We were gonna invite you over after we got the house fixed up."

Cas nodded. "I understand. You seem to have accomplished quite a lot in a short amount of time, given when Bobby said you bought this property."

"Well, Sam and I have been spending most of our time the past three weeks or so working on the renovations. Bobby helped out for the first coupla weeks, and Jody was here for a week too. We've been using our powers when we can, to move stuff around and shit like that," Dean said.

"And the house itself is assisting us in a way. There originally was a poltergeist here, and we were able to drain most of its energy and bind it to the house itself. That energy managed to repair some of the damage on its own and has been easing the way for the work we've been doing," I added. "Anyways, how are things up in Heaven?"

"They are good so far. Our father gave explicit instructions after you trapped Lucifer in the Cage again, so Michael has been working hard to bring the angels back in line after the chaos of the failed Apocalypse. Many of my brothers and sisters are holding me in higher regard for my part in helping stop the Adversary and for how Father brought me back." The seraph's expression was embarrassed.

"I have been trying to use this new esteem to convince them that we need to do more than simply watch, that we should be more involved in humanity. Not to meddle in your lives for our own purposes, like what Zachariah did, but to help people."

"Saving people, hunting things, the family business?" my husband asked with a smile.

"Something like that, though perhaps not so direct." Cas' face turned grave. "I need to inform you that there is a faction, led by Raphael, which wishes to try to restart the Apocalypse and remake the Earth into the paradise they want. They want to take advantage of the fact that you, Michael's and Lucifer's true vessels, are technically still available. Michael is keeping them in check, but even so they bear watching."

"How do those assholes expect to kick off the End of Days again without the Seals? Lilith is already dead, and we're certainly not letting Dean get sent to Hell for any reason!" I wrapped a protective arm around my brother's shoulders.

"I do not know, Sam. I suspect they want to find another way to release the Morningstar. Fortunately, all of the Horsemen's rings except Death's were destroyed, per your instructions, and I am unaware of any other means to open the Cage," Castiel replied. "Our concern is the amount of trouble they might cause while searching for another method. Fortunately, they have nowhere near the clout or power to challenge Michael and the rest of us."

"You sure Michael's not gonna change his mind? He seemed pretty fucking gung-ho 'bout fighting Satan before," Dean said skeptically.

"Our father decreed that the fight was over after you imprisoned Lucifer, and that no one was to start it again. Whatever Michael's personal preferences might be, he will not go against Father's orders," the angel responded.

"That's good to hear," I said. "What about Gabriel? Has he come back?"

Cas shook his head. "There's been no sign of him since your reception. His support would be invaluable in showing Raphael's faction that they have no chance. And I think he would be receptive to my efforts to turn the angels back into guardians instead of mere observers. But none of us have been able to find him, even in his Trickster or Loki personas."

"That sucks! You'd think he'd finally stop being chickenshit now that the fighting's over. Well, it's his loss." Dean shrugged. "Since you're here, lemme show you around the house. Then me and Sam gotta get this first coat of varnish down on everything before we can stop for the day."

"Thank you, Dean. If you do not mind, I would like to help you. It has been a long time since I have worked with my hands," Cas stated.

"Sure thing, man. We can use all the help we can get! Sam, can you take over here while I give Cas the grand tour?" I nodded, and my brother handed me the brush and led our friend away.

After the house tour, Castiel helped us apply varnish to the woodwork and floors. Knowing his liking for burgers, we then took him to a local bar and grill for dinner, drinks, and another attempt at teaching him to play pool. Back at our motel, we gave him the gift we'd gotten for him on our honeymoon, a large, polished queen conch shell. Before leaving, he promised to return the next day.

Once we were alone, I sat at the dinette table to take off my shoes. I straightened up to find my brother standing behind me, and he began to massage my neck and shoulders. I sighed and leaned into his hands.

Okay, spill it. You put up a good game face all evening, dude, but I can tell something's bugging you, he demanded after I'd started to relax under his ministrations. Is it this shit with Raphael that Cas was talking 'bout?

Yeah, it is. I thought we were finally done with all that bullshit for good. The thought that those douchebags could start that whole mess all over again terrifies me, I admitted.

It ain't gonna happen, little brother, Dean said firmly. Listen, it took the Devil and his goons decades to set up the breaking of the Seals, and that still only worked 'cause they managed to keep us in the fucking dark. But we know the score now, so there ain't no way that Raphael's chumps are gonna trick us like that. And we made damn sure that no one else can use the rings to open the Cage again. So that leaves those winged dumbasses up shit creek without a paddle unless they can find some other way to let Lucifer out. And they'd hafta get past Michael, Cas, and everyone else up there first.

So what, you think we can just ignore this?

No, of course not! But like they say, forewarned is forearmed. Cas and his guys will be watching those asswipes like a hawk, and we'll make sure he keeps us in the loop. On our end, we can research into if there really is any other way to open the Cage, and we'll bring Bobby and everyone else in on the search. If we do find something, then we can figure out how to stop it before Raph's crew can even start.

He came around to my front and took my hands. I know what's really scaring you, Sammy, and I promise, I ain't gonna end up in Hell again. I learned my lesson the first time—even if something drastic happens, I know better than to make another fucking deal. And remember that we got the King of Hell on our side. Besides being our friend, Crowley don't want the Apocalypse any more than we do! He'll wanna make sure just as much as we will that nothing happens to break the first Seal again. So like I said, it ain't gonna happen.

I leaned forward to rest my head against his chest and put my arms around his waist. I hope you're right, Dee. I can't stand the thought of losing you like that, not again!

My husband tilted my face up and bent down to kiss me reassuringly. You won't, baby. Hopefully Raphael is smart enough to realize the ship has sailed on breaking the Seals. And if he ain't, all of us will make sure that it don't happen again. Team Free Will already beat the two most powerful archangels, even with all their plans and prophecies, so their younger brother's half-assed attempt ain't got a chance!

Now c'mere. I don't want you worrying yourself sick over this shit. We'll take care of whatever we hafta, but I want you to focus on the good things ahead of us—moving into our new house, starting school and your new job, and the rest of our lives together. With that, he tugged me up and led me to bed.