Good Time
"Here, we'll scoot over." Sam says, tugging on Jessica's arm. She gives a wide grin and follows Sam further into the booth.
"It's quite alright Sam, I actually don't think I can stay." Cas says, eyes never moving from Dean's.
"Oh, that's crap Cas! You just got here. C'mon, sit down. I want you to meet my girlfriend!"
Cas sighs, finally breaking the gaze and turning to face Sam and Jess.
"Castiel, this is my beautiful girlfriend, Jessica. Jess, this is our good friend, Castiel."
Jess nearly jumps from the booth, "Castiel! Sam has told me so much about you! He says you're an editor? That is what I want to do, or go into publishing. I don't really know yet, honestly."
Dean gawks as Jess falls all over herself, as if Cas is some sort of superstar that had just stumbled into the place. He watches as Cas shuffles uneasily in his shoes, knowing that this sort of attention—from a woman no less, must be making him very uncomfortable.
"It is lovely to meet you Jessica. It is pleasing to hear that you want to enter this career path. It is very rewarding."
Cas sounds like a TV commercial.
Jess laughs and nods, finally gesturing for Cas to sit down. Dean watches as his friend slides in, now looking everywhere but across the table at him.
"Oh, and Cas, this is our friend Lexi. We met her at school." Sam offers, gesturing to the woman who is currently draped across Dean.
Cas shoots another awkward look at Dean before pushing up a meager smile and nod in Lexi's direction.
"Pleasure." Lexi yips, still tracing hearts along Dean's forearm. "You have a pretty cool name, Castiel. Where'd you get it?"
Cas gives Lexi the same awkward stare that he'd just given Dean. "Um, I suppose you could say it was a birthday present."
Dean bursts out a laugh before quickly snapping his mouth shut and looking to the other side of the booth. Lexi stops drawing hearts, apparently unaware of the joke—perhaps Cas is unaware of it too because the awkward glare is now turning into pure fury.
After a few moments of silence, Lexi finally breaks in with a forced giggle, "Well, I need to use the little girl's room. Jessica, care to join?"
"Sure, excuse us."
Cas slides out of the booth once more, allowing Jessica to pass. Soon, the two women disappear behind the far left corner of the kitchen.
Sam smiles until the women are out of sight and Castiel is back in his seat. Then his face slacks with the weight of everything he has apparently been holding in. "Alright, you two are obviously pissed at each other or still feel awkward or whatever; but I wanted to get you both here so you could see that nothing has to change because of some crap Dean said or did when he was drunk." Sam takes a deep breath before tossing his hand in the air, before letting it fall to the table again, causing all the glasses to shake. "I figured things would be weird with you guys, but this is just stupid!" Sam is shooting fatherly glances from Dean to Castiel and then back to Dean once more. He stops on Cas's face during the third go-around, his eyes bursting wide as he shifts his head back and forth, seemingly consumed by the blue eyed man.
"Dean . . . please tell me you didn't do that to his face?" Sam asks, his eyes squinting now, his brow turning into a sea of wrinkles.
Dean looks down at the table, he had forgotten about the bruise. He glances up and notices just how yellow and ugly it has become. The hazy light of the restaurant makes it look ten times worse than it did this morning.
"Dean?" Sam says again, now leaning towards his older brother, shoving him a little with his fist.
"I was really, really drunk, Sam. I didn't know what I was doing." Dean grunts.
"It's true Sam, he was very unlike himself."
Dean snaps his head back to Cas. Was he really defending him?
"Oh, don't you protect him! And why the hell didn't you tell me? All you said he did was shove you a little!" Sam fumes.
"I didn't want you to worry, Sam. We got it straightened out, eventually."
Dean lets out a snort before he can even think. Sam glares at him once more.
"Got something to add, Dean?"
Dean had a lot to add, but nothing that he wanted Sam to hear. Nothing got "straightened out" and the irony of Cas's words was not lost on him.
"Look, you guys need to stow this high school crap and make up." Sam says, shaking his head at his empty plate. "Dean, you were drunk and stupid. . . Cas, I am sure you tried too hard to make things better and probably pissed Dean off in the process—I am assuming that because, buddy, I've been there. But I want the girls to have a good time with my family, so please, just play nice!"
"If you wish them a good time, Sam, than I should probably leave." Cas says, pulling himself up from the table.
"No, Cas, that is not what I meant." Sam pleads.
"My apologies Sam." Cas whimpers, backing away from the booth.
"Cas. Castiel! Get back here!" Sam spits, a low growl beneath his words
But the bruised man is already speeding out the door, just in time for Jess and Lexi to see him leave. The girls scurry back to the table—Jess's eyes full of concern.
"Where is Castiel going?" She asks, throwing worried glances back at the entryway.
Sam fidgets in his seat, obviously struggling with what he should tell her.
"He really did have a lot of work to do. That's what you have to look forward to, Jess! No time left for fun or friends!" Sam laughs meagerly.
Dean feels sorry for his brother. Even though he meddled way too much- inviting Cas here just so he could play Dr. Phil, he knew what his intentions were and he knows Sam really did want Jess to have a good time. Dean feels his frustration with Castiel burst—the guy can be pissed all he wants at him but he shouldn't make Sam suffer for it! That just can't fly! As soon as Dean is done here, he will make that very clear to him.