Chapter 2

Hey everyone, sorry this took a while :S The next update will be quicker. Thank you so much for the reviews, they mean a lot! Enjoy…

Dean made his way down to the relaxation room, again. This was his third day in the institute and he was going mad. At least his first day had been fairly eventful, meeting Castiel and getting settled in, but yesterday had been almost physically painful, the minutes dragging on for hours, the hours for days. Or at least that's how it felt to Dean. There was nothing to do in this place!

He had spent the whole day alone, what with Cas seemingly disappearing off the face of the Earth after his episode. Dean supposed that Castiel was getting some rest, or was still freaking out, he was no psychiatrist but it was clear to him that something was seriously wrong with his new friend. If that's what you could call their new relationship. They had only known each other for around an hour and it hadn't exactly gone smoothly after all. But still, Dean felt as if Cas needed him and he was therefore glad to see the man sitting in the same corner as before, playing a game of chess on his own.

"Hello Castiel, you um, feeling better."

"Yes." Dean sighed, it looked like Chatty Cathy had had her string broken.

"Good, it's just, I was worried about you I guess. Y'gave me a bit of a shock."

"I'm sorry Dean."

"Um, so can I play with you?" Dean nodded towards the chess game, slightly amused that this strange man managed to play by himself. Strange.

"I don't know, can you play chess?"

"That's not what I meant, I know the rules. My nerdy brother taught me once when Dad was…away. Anyway, do you mind if I play?"

"I am totally indifferent Dean…seriously. I can play either way."

Well, do you want my company or not?

"White or black?" Cas gave another ghost of a smile.

"Black."

"I'll be white then." Cas looked down fondly at the white Knight and smiled. It kind of reminded him of himself. He was a warrior of Heaven after all. Part of God's army against sin. The knight protected its king, he protected his God.

"Right then." Dean sank down on the ground next to Castiel, snapping Cas out of his reverie and feeling rather awkward. He hadn't meant to mention his father in this place. It bought up too many bad memories. But his father had been saving people, hunting things. Therefore, his alcoholism and countless disappearances when Dean was six were understandable. It was his duty as an older brother to single-handedly look after his baby brother. And if he got hurt once and a while when Dad was stressed, or he had to starve himself for up to a week at a time so Sammy could eat, Dean believed it was worth it. Sammy came first. Always.

His dad wasn't a bad person.

Not really.

Well, that is what Dean kept telling himself.

Castiel settled back again and set about putting all of the pieces back into the starting position, handling each one with over-the-top care as if they were made of glass rather than plastic.

As soon as they began to play it became clear that Cas was going to hammer Dean, he calculated each move with precision and thought for a ridiculous amount of time before each move, whereas Dean didn't. He had always been the type to get up and go. To take action. It was the hunter instinct. God he would do anything to be out hunting right now. He was bored of chess, it was more Sammy's things to play board games, he loved to shoot targets in his spare time. Shoot first, think later. But, it turns out, that his usual tactic wasn't great for chess.

After being beaten three times Dean was glad to see the nurse from the other day, and he was doubly glad when she notified everyone that dinner was ready.

"Come on then Cas." Dean was already on his feet when he heard the thunk of the chess pieces hitting the ground. He looked back and saw that Cas was grabbing at his short, dark hair, pulling a little with his head bowed and his eyes screwed shut.

"Cas, what's wrong? What is it?" Dean bent back down next to Castiel and placed a hand on his shoulder, giving the man a gentle shake.

"M-make it stop Dean. P-please." Cas sounded dreadful, his voice cracking as tears welled up in his eyes. He let out a low groan and bit down on his lip, rocking backwards and foreword until he drew blood.

"Cas, Cas, what do you want me to stop?" Dena was getting really worried now, he wanted to run and get help but Cas was gripping onto his wrist so tightly that he couldn't move, and when he tried to yell his voice seemed to fail him.

"Make them stop." Cas slumped foreword, forcing Dean to catch him and draw the sobbing man close to his chest.

"Who stop?" Dean only just managed a croak. Why is my throat so dry?

"The voices. The angels, they're so loud. They keep, they keep telling me to…" Cas was broken off by a choked sob and Dean sighed, he didn't have a clue what to do other than to draw Castiel in and hug him. Yeah it was chick-flick, but there was nothing else he could do.

When Castiel eventually stopped crying Dean pulled away from the embrace, relieved that he could do so without coming across as completely heartless.

"Cas, are you alright?"

"Y-yes. They've stopped now. You made them stop, t-thank you."

"Uh, sure. Anytime. Just, y'know, try and tune out of Angel FM ok, angel radio doesn't look like easy-listening and you look like you need to relax, no offence. Anyay, wanna go to dinner before I eat my own hand?" A look of terror crossed Cas' face.

"No Dean, you can't do that!"

"It was an expression Cas, a figure of speech. Chill!"

"Oh, right." Castiel stood, his brow still slightly furrowed in confusion and his head tilted sideways. Dean gave him a reassuring smile and made his way to the canteen, Cas close behind him.

Castiel made his way over to the far corner of the room, seemingly where he felt safest, and sank down into a chair, whilst Dean went up to the counter and grabbed his meal, thankfully pizza rather than mush.

He sank down next to Cas and grinned after eating his first slice in three mouthfuls.

"Aren't you getting any? It's good."

"I am an angel Dean, a multidimensional wavelength of celestial intent, I do not need food." Dean frowned at this, he hadn't failed to notice how skinny the man was and how his spine protruded painfully through his trench coat when Dean was hugging him. This was clearly why. Castiel was starving himself, whether he realized it or not.

"Man, you're too skinny; I guess your meatsuit needs food even if your multi-dangly wavey bits don't."

"I am a celestial being, my vessel, Jimmy, does not need sustenance any more."

"Hmmm." Dean decided that he was fighting a loosing battle, but he couldn't help noticing how Castiel looked exhausted and how his hands shook. He was clearly malnourished, but there was nothing Dean could do. He was no psychiatrist or dietitian.

Once Dean had eaten fourth helpings of pizza, being rewarded by a smirk and smile from the canteen staff, he made his way back to his own room. Today hadn't been too bad so far, but he was determined to leave. He liked Cas, he really did, but Sammy always came first and there was no time like the present.

It was too dangerous to hunt solo and he would be damned if he let anything happen to his little brother.

Dean stalked down the corridor, stealth and silence had always been his strong points, they had to be as a hunter. And, the exit was his prey. He was nearly there, admittedly he had no idea how he was going to open the door, which had about seventy safety locks on.

He was so close now, so close to freedom when he bumped into something solid, knocking it to the ground.

"What the hell?" Dean looked down and saw that he had knocked over a person and sighed, assuming it was one of the nurses, but then he noticed the beige trench coat.

"Shit, Cas are you ok?" Dean stared down the man who was huddled on the floor, shaking violently. Castiel let out a tiny whimper, but seemed to relax when he recognized Dean's voice.

"I'm sorry man, I didn't see you there." Dean uncertainly leant foreword and pulled the smaller man up, trying to ignore the guilt creeping up at him when Cas' wide blue eyes met his own green ones.

Castiel gave a small nod, tilting his head when Dean jerked back, noting how close he was to the other man and feeling uncomfortable. Castiel flinched and tilted his head in confusion.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"What? No, just personal space."

"Sorry."

"So Cas, what are you doing out after curfew? I thought an angel would follow rules."

"You haven't read the Bible have you?"

"Nope."

"Not all angels follow the rules, you clearly haven't heard about Lucifer."

"What, you mean the devil?" Castiel flinched at the name but gave another, almost imperceptible nod.

"Yes."

"Well, what were you doing then?"

"I was walking dean. It is a human activity I know, it really is quite tedious after a while but it helps me clear my thoughts. I do prefer flying though, but I cannot do that anymore. Not without my wings." Cas looked down at his hands sadly so Dean quickly changed the subject.

"What were you thinking about?"

"I was contemplating what a bee would do if he was in love with another male bee. I know that dad doesn't care about the sexuality of humans, but I wondered if this extends to bees. Surely as long as they still make honey it wouldn't matter. I will have to ask him when he raises me back to heaven. I do like heaven…there are many beautiful gardens full of flowers. There are no insects though, in that way Earth is far superior."

"Oh, right. Of course you were." Well I wasn't expecting that!

"So what were you doing Dean?"

"Escaping."

"Why?"

"My little brother needs me. We are hunters; he can't go it alone much longer."

"Ok then, what do you think?"

"Think? About what?"

"The bees."

"I dunno, I've never given it much thought."

"You should. I guess you want to get going then?"

"Uh yeah, I guess I should." Dean turned his back on Cas, heading back to the door.

"See you at breakfast." Dean turned again.

"No, Cas, I'm leaving. Properly, I'm not coming back."

"See you at breakfast." Cas said this with a knowing smile, repeating himself once more as he turned away to head back to his own room.

No you won't.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter, please leave a review, they mean a lot and keep me sane! xxx