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Disclaimer: Surprise, surprise! I do not own Supernatural. I might own a horse named Impala though;)

Chapter 16

"Okay, troops, I've got a game plan." Sam rubbed his hands together and surveyed his forces.

"Can I object? Is this a democracy? Because if it is, I motion for a different team name. I'm too fabulous to be called a troop."

Sam knew it was a mistake to invite Gabriel along.

"I second that," Sarah chimed in, raising her hand guiltily. She rolled her eyes at Sam's betrayed expression. "Oh, c'mon, Sam, you've obviously spent too much time watching man movies. Do we look like troops to you?"

They didn't. Not unless today's modern armies wore pink fedoras and gold eyeliner. And he wasn't talking about Sarah either.

"Uggg. Fine. We're wasting time, but whatever, get on with the name choosing."

Gabriel's face lit up. "The Gay Squad! Castiel's Angels! Balls N' Dolls" he screamed.

Sam contemplated him. "First of all—hell no. Not in a million years. Second, can you take off the hat thing? It's distracting."

Gabriel caressed the fedora's brim and smacked a kiss Sam's direction. "Makes me hard to resist, huh Sammy?"

Sarah looked at him seriously. "Are you even gay?"

"Honey, I don't discriminate." He waggled his eyebrows and ran his fingers down her arm suggestively. Sarah giggled and Sam threw up in his mouth a little.

"Well if no one else has a realistic suggestion…" Gabriel looked offended.

"Team Free Dean. TFD."

Both Gabriel and Sam looked over at Sarah.

"Well, as long as we can put the initials in sparkles on the t-shirts, I can live with that."

Sam groaned but nodded his ascent and they got to work.

"So here's the thing," he leaned in secretively, "Dean has a couple things working against him. First, he's as thick as a brick—"

"I second that motion!"

"It wasn't a motion, Gabe, geez."

"It felt like someone should second that though. Am I wrong?"

"Anyway," Sam continued, "the second problem is that Dean has absolutely no idea how to fight for what he wants. Not as long as our dad is in the picture at least. As evidenced by my experiment last night, all he needs though is a…shove in the right direction. That's where we come in."

"You mean that's where Team Free Dean comes in." Sarah and Gabriel high-fived.

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Team Free Dean. The point is, I think we should attack this from three separate angles. You all remember that the big family-meet-n-greet is tomorrow night? Sarah, can you handle the other contestants?"

She saluted. Seriously, Sam wasn't sure how he'd gotten lucky enough to have a girl like her actually like him back. He'd shown up at her room late the previous night with a hand written message about his plan (he'd learned to be extra careful of the cameras) and she'd immediately agreed, no questions asked.

Then Sam, being himself, had wanted to talk about his feelings. To his delight, Sarah had admitted in a whisper that she liked him. She liked Dean too, but just not in that way, which made Sam incredibly happy of course. He only wished that he could have kissed her right then and there in front of the cameras.

"Hey! Earth to Sam! What about me?" Gabriel waved a hand in front of his face.

"Uh, right. Just be yourself Gabe."

"What? I don't get a special assignment?"

"You don't need one. You're annoying enough au natural—no improvement necessary. Your personality alone will drive both the contestants and my father away."

"I'm not sure whether to be offended or flattered."

"Just get my dad out of the picture whenever possible. Can you do that?"

"I want Bela. Give me Bela. Do you know what I could do to her? The pranks I could play…"

"That's the thing," Sam interrupted. "We want Bela to leave the show, but we also want her to survive the show," he emphasized.

"Fair enough," Gabriel shrugged.

"Sarah will let you know if there's anything you can do, right Sarah?"

Sarah nodded eagerly. "Of course, Gabriel. I already think Cas is the greatest so now I'll get to know both Novaks!"

"Baby, if you think Cas—socially retarded Cas—is fine, I'm gonna friggin' rock your world."

Sam slapped his hand on the end table to get their attention. "Gabe! Can you not speak to my…ermmm…friend like that?" he mumbled.

Sarah smiled slyly. "I'm your what? Can you say that again? I think I missed it."

Sam felt a rush of heat in his cheeks. "You know, my uh, girlfriend sort of, I guess. I'd like you to be. Only if you want to though!" he stammered.

Sarah's eyes twinkled but before she could reply, Gabriel leaped to his feet.

"I completely forgot! How could I forget? There has to be a camera in here. We're so screwed." He searched around frantically for the device, probably with the intention of yelling into it at the production crew.

Sam sat back in his seat and savored the rare moment when he was a step ahead of Gabriel. "Relax, Gabe. I got it covered."

"You? Sam Winchester?" Gabriel eyed Sam suspiciously, like he found him severely lacking in the whole cunning and mischievous department.

"I know people."

"No, I know people. Who exactly do you think you know?"

Sam looked down at his shoes. "Becky Rosen."

"Becky? Becky is your ace in the hole? Look, I know Becky in, ahem, let's just say multiple senses," he smirked, "and that girl is a gossip if I've ever met one. Again, I repeat: We're screwed."

"Nope. She's erasing this footage as we speak. Becky and I have a deal."

Gabriel stared, horrified. "You sold your soul, didn't you?"

"What is wrong with you? No, I didn't sell my soul! I agreed, after this is all over, I'd take her on…" he looked at Sarah guiltily, "a date. Maybe a couple dates."

Sarah slapped her thigh. "You are so totally winning the award for best boyfriend ever, Sam. How did you guess I was secretly hoping you'd ask me to go steady and then announce that you have plans with another girl?"

Sam was sure she was kidding. Like ninety-percent sure.

Gabriel appeared stunned and then intrigued. "That's rather devious of you, Samuel Winchester. I have to admit I'm impressed."

"I have my moments."

Suddenly, Gabriel whipped off his fedora and got down on one knee. "Sam, I want you to know that I've never felt this way about anyone before and I know this is probably too soon, but I'd like to ask you to be my BFF."

It took Sam about thirty seconds of an uncomfortable staring match to realize he was serious.

"That's, umm, too kind of you," he coughed. "Seriously. I couldn't possibly accept such an offer. Like I really can't, so you'd better get up or something."

"Nope, too late. I've decided—welcome to being my best friend! Get ready for the never-ending awesomeness." And without further ado, he plunked the hat on Sam's unwilling head.

Sam hoped Sarah would come to his defense but she leaned back, contemplative. "Pink is a sexy color on you, Samuel."

Apparently he wasn't going to get a choice in this. And if the whole ordeal wasn't already awkward enough, Gabriel proceeded to hug the stuffing out of him and yell stuff about how he'd never regret this. Sam gasped for air.

"By the way, now that that's settled, what exactly is your job?" Sarah asked after Gabriel finally released him.

"Dean. Somehow I have to convince Dean that I'm a normal, healthy, well-adjusted human being that doesn't need his older brother to make everything okay for him twenty-four-seven and that it's okay for him to pursue his own happiness."

Gabriel snorted. "Yeah right. Good luck kiddo."

"I can revoke your BFF status. Don't tempt me."

"Nah. You love me too much. I complete you." He made a little heart with his hands.

"I'd like to pass a motion to revoke Gabe's talking privileges."

Finally Sarah agreed with him. The motion passed two to one.

Castiel was confused. It seemed to be a perpetual state of existence whenever Dean was involved.

After multiple and rather unsuccessful showers, he'd eventually given up and gone to sleep with crusted chocolate syrup in his hair and his last conscious thought had been of Dean's face when he'd stuffed a handful of granola down his shirt.

However, at breakfast the following morning, Dean had barely acknowledged Castiel. He'd sat by his dad and moved his sausage around his plate without actually eating anything. Castiel wondered if he was imagining it, but even Sam had raised an eyebrow in confusion and left the table with a last odd look at his older brother.

Castiel had excused himself not long after that, only to be shoved into a closet in the entrance hall and subjected to an impromptu make-out session with Dean himself. Through hasty kisses, Dean had whispered something about there not being cameras in the coat closets and disappeared just as quickly as he had come, leaving Castiel unsatisfied and flustered.

It continued like that for the rest of the day; Dean acted like he didn't exist one minute and in the next, he was desperately affectionate. If Castiel were more socially adept, he supposed he might be able to discern the cause of Dean's behavior, but since he couldn't, he found himself doing the unthinkable—searching out Gabriel for dating advice.

He eventually found his brother giggling to himself in the sunroom. The entire room was made of windows and winter sunlight warmed the area. A small fountain gurgled in one corner, creating a peaceful effect.

Gabriel sat cross-legged on one of the low couches with his back to the door, phone out and fingers flying over the keyboard. Castiel snuck silently behind his brother and stole a glance over his shoulder.

"Who're you texting?" he asked suspiciously. Gabriel was always up to something, so it never hurt to be suspicious of even the most innocent acts.

Proving him right, Gabriel practically leapt into the air at the sound of his voice and snapped his phone shut. "I hate it when you do that, Cas!"

"Who are you texting?" Castiel repeated.

"What are you doing here?" Gabriel twitched, hand clamped around his phone like was afraid Castiel might try to rip it from him.

"Looking for you."

A smile swept across his brother's face. "Awww now ain't that sweet." He stretched his arm across the back of the sofa and patted the space beside him. Castiel sat down on the edge of the cushion. "What can I do for ya, Cassie?"

Now that he had Gabriel's attention, he struggled with what to say. "Dean Winchester is…a very frustrating individual," he stated finally.

"And?" Gabriel prompted.

"And I find myself unsure how to proceed."

Gabriel clapped his hands together. "After years of rejecting and judging my whorish ways, am I hearing you ask for dating advice?" He was practically vibrating with delight.

"I knew this was a mistake." Castiel moved to get up but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Nuh-uh. You do not get to start this conversation and then stop it before I get to give my professional opinion. I only have one question though: Have you had sex yet?"

Castiel groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "This is so embarrassing."

"Well, have you?"

"No."

"Good!" Castiel sat up, surprised. He had never known Gabriel to be pro-chastity. Considering his brother's rather vigorous and varied sex life, he wasn't even sure Gabriel knew what chastity was.

"What do you mean?" he asked, suspicious again.

"I just mean, don't give Dean-o what he wants until he behaves himself."

"That sounds like using sex as a weapon."

"Motivation, weapon, call it what you want."

"So that's it. That's your awesome advice. Withhold sex until Dean behaves as I desire?"

"Aren't you glad you asked me for help?" Gabriel said smugly. His phone buzzed in his hand but he ignored it.

"Thank you once again for your wisdom, older brother. I should have called Michael."

"Hey, now you're just trying to hurt my feelings. We both know Michael's a bitch and I'm your favorite." Gabriel stood and walked to the corner of the room "Cas, check this out."

Ruby stood by the pool house, towel in hand, shivering in a bikini and repeatedly checking her phone. After a couple minutes, she threw her towel on the ground and stomped back toward the house with a foul expression.

"What was that?" Castiel asked.

"Oh, she's on a date," Gabriel said vaguely. "She appears to have been stood up though. Isn't that the worst?" He didn't sound very upset to Castiel's ears however.

"Perhaps Dean got held up?" Castiel hated the fact that he had to sit around while Dean went on other dates, even if they didn't mean anything to him.

"Just makes you want to leave the show doesn't it?" Gabriel mused, mouth curving into a wicked smile. His unanswered phone continued to buzz.

"Aren't you going to take that?"

"Nope."

Castiel had been right, Gabriel was definitely up to something. He crossed his fingers and hoped it was legal.

Bela was happy with herself. Thrilled to be more exact. She was certain she had Dean feeding out of the palm of her hand.

Sure, things hadn't gone exactly as she'd planned. She hadn't counted on Dean seeing through her lie about Castiel nor had she expected the guy to freaking chase after him. But, in the end, she was going to win.

Dean had practically drooled over her "fashion" show yesterday. She'd seen the look in his eyes after she tried on her mini-skirt collection. She had been with too many men not to recognize lust when she saw it. Heck, the guy was so entranced he'd barely said anything. A woman knew she was on her game when a man was rendered speechless after all.

So, in light of everything that had happened, who could blame her if she swaggered a little as she made her way up to her room to change for the evening's activities? Swaggers were sexy.

A package sat waiting for her on the bed when she entered. A card was attached and her smile grew exponentially as she read the message inside.

Bela,

I can't stop thinking about you. Do you know how sexy you are? Those mini-skirts alone are enough to drive a man crazy.

Since you were generous enough to give me such a show, I thought it only fair to grace you with a little something that turns me on. Perhaps you would be willing to wear it?

Wear it to the meet-n-greet tonight. It'll be our little secret.

Dean

Bela opened the gift and ran her fingers over the fabric. Sure, it was a little unusual, but Dean wasn't an average guy, right?

Sarah sat next to Becky in the camera room and both girls grinned as they watched Bela open her gift. Bela's overconfidence was her weakness and Sarah had played to that beautifully, if she said so herself.

"What if Dean actually likes that get-up?" Becky asked.

"You really think, after watching Dean constantly for weeks now, that Dean notices clothes?"

"Not unless Castiel is wearing them, at any rate."

"Exactly." They laughed with each other.