That night while Dean harassed Sam as he cooked their dinner there was a loud shouting match happening across town on the top floor of the Novak household – or rather there was just one Novak child shouting himself hoarse while his brothers listened. Their mother had just left for her night shift at the hospital when Gabriel had finally told Michael exactly why Anna had called Lucifer to bring their baby brother home early.

Michael sat up straight in his chair, hazel eyes hardening rapidly before standing and striding out of the dining room. Lucifer and Gabriel glanced at Anna who nodded and quietly requested for Castiel to come join her in the den while their brothers went upstairs.

It took about five seconds after Michael shut his bedroom door for it to begin.

It was most of the usual stuff. Michael pulling on his hair and blaming himself, calling himself stupid and wondering why he ever thought it was a good idea to let Castiel out of his sight. He looked half-crazed and his twin realised he was seconds away from blaming Gabriel who already looked like he was blaming himself too much so he stepped in.

"Mikey, Mike, Michael!" Lucifer snapped, grabbing Michael's shoulders and giving him a shake. "That's enough. Do you want him to hear you?"

Michael sobered up immediately, now just looking defeated. "Why did we do it, Lucifer? We shouldn't have let him go. Of course they were going to be cruel."

"Hey, they just need to get used to him." Lucifer tried a hopeful smile but Michael glared at him.

"It wasn't that long ago that we were in school, brother, you know as well as I do that kids are cruel and they don't like anything that's different. It won't change. He's not going back."

"No!" Gabriel and Lucifer protested.

"No, you know how he was when he was left at home," Gabriel reminded him weakly.

"Mike, this is the only thing Cassie has ever really communicated to us – he wanted to go to school with Anna and Gabe. We can't stop him," Lucifer added, looking desperate.

"But-"

"No, Michael. You promised him. You promised. You're not supposed to break promises. It's-"

"Our family code. I know." Michael heaved a deep sigh, looking distressed. The silence between the brothers was broken by the soft notes of a piano floating up to the second level. It was muffled by the closed door but they could still hear it.

Gabriel smiled, relieved. "Cassie..."

"There, see now, he can't be too traumatised," Lucifer grinned, tapping Michael on the arm with his fist. Michael tilted his head, exhausted and left his room, trudging down towards the den to sit with Anna and listen to Castiel playing the piano.

Gabriel's smile faded. "Luci, I'm so-"

"Don't even say it." Lucifer wrapped an arm tight around Gabriel and practically dragged him from the room to follow Michael. "You're going to turn into Michael if you keep putting so much pressure on yourself. Cassie will get used to the other kids. It'll still upset him if they touch him or throw things but I think he'll learn how to avoid it, the same way he now avoids Mum and comes to one of us if he needs something."

Gabriel nodded. Lucifer frowned worriedly at him and gave him another squeeze before releasing him as they joined their siblings in the den, Castiel's music floating around them, the only reassurance they had that he was alright.

They didn't have a lot of faith left in people after their own mother tried to kill Castiel but they had each other. With the exception of their brother Raphael who was thankfully attending college away at Penn state, they knew the only thing they could count on was each other. Each of them often wondered without telling the others, whether without Castiel to look after would they be this close? Would they stick up for each other and take care of each other so well? It was hard to think of because in their lives, they were all they had.

Unknowing of the turmoil in his siblings, Castiel just kept on playing.

For the rest of the first week of school, Dean didn't see the Novaks in the cafeteria anymore. He looked for them each day, trying to be subtle so Gordon and Crowley wouldn't realise what he was doing, but he couldn't see them. He wondered where they were sitting.

But each day after lunch he sat with Gabriel in his English Lit class and got to know him. He really liked the guy and wished he could invite him to sit with his friends at lunch but knew better than that. It would only end badly. He also had Gabriel in his class before lunch, something he hadn't realised that first day so when he found out he requested Garth to swap seats so he could sit with his new friend.

"Hey Dean," Gabriel said, taking his arm and pulling him aside after class on Friday. "Thank you."

Dean suddenly felt hot around the collar and shifted uncomfortably. Man he hated emotional stuff. Why couldn't the guy just let it go unspoken? Dean wasn't so much of an idiot that he didn't know what he was being thanked for.

"Don't sweat it," he mumbled, rubbing his neck and looking around. Gabriel huffed out a tiny laugh.

"Right. Well, I guess I'll see you Monday." He sounded miserable so Dean looked at him curiously.

"Or you could come hang out with me now," Dean suggested, gesturing to all the kids flocking to the doors, voices rising in excitement of the weekend ahead. "It's the weekend."

Gabriel shook his head slowly. "Michael's getting me and Cassie after school. It's time for his weekly appointment. I hate those things so much."

Dean frowned. "Why?"

"You have no idea how much they upset Castiel. He cries and screams. He hates going and he hates the doctor. It's so hard, seeing your baby brother that upset and knowing there's nothing you can do to help him."

Dean grimaced and walked with Gabriel towards the front office where he was supposed to meet Michael. Anna had already collected Castiel and they could see him standing silently by the waiting chairs, head bowed as usual. There was a man in the office, signing something before turning to Castiel.

"That's Michael," Gabriel pointed out the man who didn't really look too much older than they were, trying to get the youngest Novak to take his hand. Dean's heart broke a little at the resignation on Michael's face when he gave up as Castiel just continued to gaze at his own shoes.

"Gabriel! Come on!" Michael called, looking up at him. Gabriel suddenly looked panicked. Dean made a snap decision, hating how distressed his friend was.

"It's okay," Dean said suddenly, making the brothers look at him. "I can give Gabe a ride home if it's okay with you."

Michael tilted his head and looked at Gabriel who nodded eagerly and, though Michael looked unhappy about it, he agreed.

"I will be late," he informed Gabriel. "Lucifer is supposed to cook but you know he won't. Make sure you and Anna have all your homework and chores done by the time Castiel and I are home. Castiel, come with me."

Castiel transferred his gaze to Michael's shoes so he could follow him in perfect step.

"Now I feel bad," Gabriel murmured.

"Why? You got out of going."

"Yes but now Michael has to go alone. You have no idea how much he hates that specialist. He hates anything that upsets Cassie."

Dean rubbed Gabriel's shoulder. "You guys put too much pressure on yourselves. Come on, let's find Sammy and we can go out for burgers and take your mind off it."

Gabriel nodded and managed a small smile that seemed genuine. Dean was happy to introduce Sam and Gabriel who seemed to get along immediately. Dean almost told Sam to shut up when he started to ask about Castiel but Gabriel shook his head.

"It's okay, Dean. Sam's just curious and that's totally fine. I only hate people asking if they mean to be cruel about it."

Sam poked his tongue out at Dean and began his questioning about Castiel's condition. Dean had always hated that word: condition. It's what the doctors would say about his mum before she died. 'Her condition is no better but it is stable'. 'with her condition the way it is' – speaking about her as if she was some kind of science experiment instead of a human.

They arrived at the Roadhouse and Gabriel's eyes widened.

"Why are we at a bar?" he asked, looking at Dean worriedly. "Michael will kill me if I drink, I'm not kidding."

Sam laughed.

"Relax, the owner is a friend of ours," he explained.

"The Roadhouse does the best burgers and pie in the state and we're allowed in to get food since Ellen loves us," Dean explained. "Come on."

The brothers led Gabriel inside who looked nervous as he looked around. He relaxed when he realised it was mostly empty since most workplaces hadn't knocked off for the day yet.

"Dean! Sam!"

The boys were enveloped in warm hugs by a woman with dark blonde hair who smiled happily at them before smacking the back of Dean's head.

"Hey!" he protested.

"And just where have you been? I haven't seen you two in god knows how long," she explained, folding her arms.

"Busy. Jesus, woman, that hurt," Dean said, scowling. Gabriel laughed and Ellen turned her gaze onto him.

"This is Gabriel Novak," Sam introduced. "He's a new friend of ours."

Dean rolled his eyes. Of course Sam would claim friendship even though they'd only met that day. Ellen welcomed Gabriel with a bright smile and sat the three down at a table together before bringing out some soda and taking their orders.

"Okay, this place isn't so bad," Gabriel decided and Dean grinned.

"Wait until you try the pie."

"Dean, not everyone is obsessed with pie the way you are."

"Shut up, bitch."

"Jerk."

Their banter had the desired effect and Gabriel relaxed, joining in with their jokes and Dean was sure before they were even halfway through their burgers that Sam was in absolute awe of the older guy.

Sam left the table at one point and Gabriel's resignation returned.

"Dude, seriously, what's the real problem?" Dean questioned. "You can't be this upset about missing something you hate."

"No... I'm not. It's just... you've got no idea how hard this actually is Dean. None of us understand him, we're just doing the best that we can. All we've got is each other." Gabriel heaved a sigh and his shoulders slumped. He glanced at his watch. "I should be getting home anyway."

"Sure, man. Come on."

They said goodbye to Ellen who waved off all attempts to pay for their food and told Gabriel to come back any time. Dean followed his directions to his house and parked on the curb.

"Thanks for this, Dean, Sam," Gabriel grinned. "It was nice to get out of the house for an afternoon."

"Any time you need a break, you call me okay?" Dean said and Gabriel nodded, said goodbye and got out of the car. Dean waited until Sam climbed into the front seat before driving home. It hadn't really occurred to him to wonder how hard it was on the family, having to look after their younger brother like that. Dean glanced at Sam and realised that on some level he understood a little. Family was important.