Castiel woke up to the blaring of the loudest alarm he had ever heard in his life. His eyes flew open and he sat up abruptly, immediately regretting those actions. His head throbbed painfully as the light and sounds of his room rushed to fill it. Castiel reached to turn his alarm off and stiffened when he felt a warm body next to his. Lifting his comforter tentatively, he sighed with relief when he saw the flaming red hair.

The fuzzy details from the previous night started to focus a little. The main focal points being several bottles of liquor brought over by Charlie. Vague recollections flashed through his groggy mind: divulging his conflicted feelings about Dean, a convoluted drinking game as they watched Return of the King, Charlie mooning over Arwen and Cas over…well half the cast (but mostly Eomer). Apparently he had a thing for strong blondes with intense gazes…mmm Dean on horseback…shit!

Shaking off that thought, Castiel went back to piecing through the night. After a tequila infused argument on who the most badass warrior in the battle for Gondor was and more moping over Dean Winchester, Charlie had passed out. Laughing at his lightweight friend, Castiel had drunkenly carried Charlie to his room. They often shared a bed, being on the exact opposite ends of the spectrum, as Charlie liked to say. And then Castiel had passed out himself. Happy to have reconstructed his night in his mind, he was content to pass back out.

A few hours later, Castiel awoke to the brutal nudging of small hands.

"Come on Cassie! Wakey, wakey rise and shine!"

"Fuck off Charlene." Castiel grumbled and snuggled deeper into his pillows.

"Geez Louise the mouth on you! One day with Winchester and you've been corrupted! Come on you need coffee and you have nothing here but more booze. So unless you would like to get your day-drink on, which I totally of approve of by the way, we need a food run."

"How the hell are you not hung over?"

"The Queen of Moondor does not reveal her most precious of secrets!"

"Ok, ok just stop shouting…"

Charlie laughed maniacally and loudly. "Come on we can hit up Gabe's"

"No Charlie I have class and no time for breakfast with you."

"Oh dear sweet Cassie, your classes ended about half an hour ago."

Castiel immediately sat up, turning desperately to his clock, the red numbers only taunting him as they revealed the truth behind Charlie's words. It was almost two in the afternoon. "Shit!" he groaned dramatically as he fell back into his blankets. He never slept this late…this is why he never drank tequila. (That and it usually brought out what Charlie and Gabe had dubbed "Slutty Cassie")

"You're a senior Castiel shouldn't you have all afternoon classes like me? Have you learned nothing?"

"I like mornings Charlie…just not this particular morning."

At least I don't have to face Dean and his nakedness this morning, Castiel thought to himself. He should have felt relieved, but somehow that was not the feeling that was spreading through him at the moment. Much to his chagrin, it had a slight tinge of disappointment.

"Oh shit I know that look. Clearly our talk did nothing last night."

Charlie was barely able to make out Castiel's muffled words as he covered his face with his pillow. She yanked it away from his face. "What was that?"

Looking past the slight angry glow in his cobalt eyes, Charlie was finally graced with the honest sober truth from Castiel:

"I like him Charlie."

"Oh sweetie I know, I got that much. Don't worry I'll sort this out." She threw the pillow back in his face.

Castiel frantically tossed it aside, "What are you talking about? Charlie? Charlie?!" Castiel yelled after her as she sauntered out the door laughing conspiratorially. That particular laugh usually made an appearance when Charlie was in cahoots with Gabe. Shit.

Charlie dialed a familiar number, "Hey there Trickster I need a favor."

All morning Dean kept an eye out for that messy mop of dark hair. He arrived early to the studio; Cas seemed like the type of guy who had to be on time, but no Cas. He surreptitiously looked through the crowd of easels as he posed for the students, no Cas. He even lingered afterwards, still no Cas. Dean finally gave up, grabbing his backpack, throwing his well-worn leather jacket around his shoulders. He was dejectedly heading out the door when Pam caught his arm.

"Hey grumpy, you wouldn't be looking for a certain blue-eyed angel would you?"

"Pam I don't…

"Come on now Dean you 're moping around like a damn kicked puppy."

"I…um…shit…"

"Look Dean he's just shy…"

"No Pam seriously I fucked it up."

"Aw come on Dean-o, so what you kissed him and he pushed you away. The kid's just scared, poor sweet angel like him has probably fallen hard a few times, got burned, chose the wrong friends. But I have a feeling you two could be something good."

Dean was floored. "Wha…how…Pam what the hell!?"

Laughing heartily, Pam replied, "Yeah, yeah don't get your panties in a twist." She gave Dean a knowing smirk as his cheeks were stained a deep pink. "I've always been a bit psychic. Maybe it's all the paint fumes." She winked suggestively.

With a sigh, Dean suddenly found himself divulging everything to Pam. He never talked to…well anyone…about his feelings, especially not someone he barely knew, but it just all came tumbling out. Pam regarded him pensively.

"I say go for it."

Dean was about to interrupt but Pam held up a paint-splattered hand. "Listen up, he's interested, just be you, as corny as that sounds. I know you're the type to put up a confident face, but drop the bullshit Dean. I'm warning you though, he may be timid but that boy can hold his own. You have yet to see him truly pissed."

With a playful pat on his cheek, Pam exited in the direction of her office leaving a very stunned Dean.

He hadn't fully recovered even as he made his way to Bobby's. The whole drive there was a blur as his thoughts raced faster than the Impala. He arrived, not remembering a second of the drive. As he strolled in, thoughts still plagued by Pam's words, he noticed Cas's clunker of a car up on one of the lifts.

His mind drifted once more to the previous night. He hadn't even realized just how long he had been staring at the car until he felt a sharp smack to the back of his head.

"Stop staring, ya idgit, and get to work on that piece of shit. You're boyfriend's not gonna wait forever."

"What Bobby? What are you talking about?"

"His brother filled me in on the details and it's more than I care about, just get to work."

Dean was thrown; how the hell does everybody else know more about what's going on right now than I do? He was ripped from this new train of thought as he heard his name yelled from across the garage.

"Hey Winchester! I need a word."

He turned to see a fiery haired girl strutting up to him. He sighed loudly, what now?