Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural. Nothing monetary is being made for my having written this piece.

Sam called Dean when he was twenty minutes out, telling him to meet him outside.

The sun had set and darkness spread over the horizon while Dean waited calmly for his brother, sitting on their rarely used front porch with only a magazine and his thoughts. Cas had complained about a headache earlier so Dean knew that he was still inside napping. He hoped the guy was alright but he didn't really feel in the position to really help him. He was just a friend, right?

The Impala appeared at the end of the street and a few minutes later she was pulled up in front of the house. Sam climbed out from behind the driver's side door and went over to his brother, giving him a companionable hug and slap on the back before both men started for the house.

"So? What'd you find out?"

Sam immediately shook his head. "Honestly, I have no idea. Get this..."

Castiel heard the tell-tale sound of a door slamming shut, meaning that Sam had finally returned from his sojourn. Dean hadn't really told him where he was going but the fact that Sam was gone for almost three days was a bit much to leave hanging. He never said a word though. Every time he'd asked, Dean vaguely said that he was going to "tell him later" - but he never did. Cas didn't really mind though. He was merely a guest in their home for the time being.

"They don't trust you, Castiel."

Huh?

Castiel rolled over and stared through his darkened room. He was alone. He knew he was alone. But that voice...? Where did it come from?

"Find out where he was."

What?

"You'd be interested to know it, child."

Trying to make the least amount of noise possible, Castiel got off of the bed and went to his door, opening it just an inch. A crack of light illuminated a line against his face and body as he sat down and listened.

"...So he's got some serious problems then?" That was Dean talking, trying to figure something out.

"No," Sam answered with a sigh, "Well, not anymore anyway."

Papers ruffled and Castiel leaned in to see the back of the boys' heads as they leaned their heads down to look at something between them.

"He went to a kid's shrink and then, over time, just forgot about it I guess."

Castiel brought his upper lip against his lower teeth and held his breath. They couldn't be...

"In high school things were troublesome too. His mother said that he got into all kinds of trouble - drugs, alcohol. He even served a short jail sentence -"

"But...but, Cas?"

Castiel stifled a gasp and in his haste and nervousness he bumped against the dresser he was resting his back against. The brothers turned around as one and Castiel quickly slammed his door shut and locked it.

"Damn it," Sam murmured.

He looked to his brother beside him and he too looked like he'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. They should've had this conversation upstairs, away from prying ears. They were just so used to not having to hide anything and, visiting the guy staying with them's parents? That was definite hidden material that needed to be done in a more delicate way than simple snooping.

"Dean..."

"I'm on it."

Dean stood and went to Cas' door and gave himself a minute before knocking politely.

"Cas, open up."

"They're lying to you, Castiel."

"Why did they visit my parents?" Castiel asked the voice. "How did they find them?"

"They're expert hunters, child. They've been trained in seeking the unknown since they were but children themselves."

But...But why didn't they tell him? He should've...he should've been there. He missed his parents. They had absolutely no idea where he was. He hadn't called them in weeks, being so busy with his studies. And the obvious vampire thing. The knocking continued but Castiel ignored it, concentrating on that buzzing in his head.

"Sam had no right."

"That's right."

"Cas," Dean said, "Come on man. We can talk about it."

Castiel covered his ears and lowered his head to his knees.

"Come to me, child. I would never lie to you as the brothers have."

"Cas."

The door flew open and Castiel leapt at Dean and attacked him with punches and incoherent yells before running up the stairs, out the front door and to the end of the street.

"Where are you?" Castiel asked the voice. He nearly collapsed when an image suddenly popped into his head. A magnificent house in the middle of...

"North Dakota. You will find me in the town of Hoople."

Castiel looked back behind him and then took off, heading north.

Sam was upon his brother just seconds after Castiel left the house, concern at the forefront of his mind.

"Dean?"

"I'm okay," his brother said and immediately Sam helped him back to his feet. Dean began to rub at the now sore spot at the back of his head as he looked dismally into Castiel's vacated room.

"He can be anywhere by now."

The brothers locked eyes and Sam reached into his pocket, retrieving his cell phone.

Dean walked into the dark room and sat down on the bed, listening to his brother giving the details to Bobby. He had a bad feeling that this was going to go down this way. Cas heard them talking, figured out that it was about himself and now he was gone, far away from them. They had no idea of to where and no way of figuring it out.

Dean sighed and took his own phone out of his pocket, dialing the first person he thought would be of assistance. Maybe Charlie would be able to help them too.

The house was one of the largest he'd seen and was surely the grandest. He stood on the bottom steps and looked up to see a figure looking down his eyes at him.

"Are - are you the one?"

"Indeed I am," a silky voice answered, stepping down to come and meet him. As the figure approached, Castiel realized that he recognized him. It hit him all at once.

"You're the one," he whispered, almost reverently. "You're the one that turned me."

He stopped before Castiel and reached out his hands and brought Castiel's head down so that he could kiss him on the top of the head. Like a father.

"Indeed I am. I am your Alpha, the first of our kind."

Castiel felt weak in his very presence and for some reason unknown to him was unable to look him in the eye without feeling shame.

"Do not be ashamed Castiel. I forgive you."

"You - you forgive me?"

"Come," the Father said, taking him by the arm. "Come and I will teach you the true ways of our kind."

Castiel followed him up the stairs and into the house without a single word of protest.