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Chapter Eight

Dean, Eddie, and his fellow classmates waited in the headmistress' office no more than five minutes before their punishment was doled out, but to Dean it felt like a lifetime. His career was over before it even began.

"What if there had been an attack on your Moroi classmates tonight? Not a single one of you was in any condition to fight a Strigoi tonight," Headmistress Kirova said.

Eddie looked like he wanted to speak up and point out he hadn't had anything to drink tonight and could have definitely taken down a Strigoi, but Dean cut him a look that made him rethink that.

"You're lucky I don't expel all of you," the headmistress continued. "To do something so reckless at such an important time in your education is nothing short of idiotic."

Dean didn't need her to remind him he was an idiot. He knew he was an idiot.

"So instead you will all receive failing marks on this exam," she announced.

Dean couldn't keep his mouth shut this time. "What? We won't graduate?" he asked her.

"Quiet, Mr. Winchester. And you will all graduate…if you pass an even more difficult test the guardians are currently preparing for you," the headmistress explained. "Until then you are confined to your rooms and will only be allowed out for your classes and meals."

Dean and the others exited the room quietly. Headmistress Kirova wasn't someone you could reason with once she had her mind made up. Once he was in the hallway he saw Cas sitting at the bottom of the staircase. He was the last person Dean wanted to see right now.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Cas asked, resting his hand on Dean's arm when they were close enough. "No one would tell me where they took you guys."

Dean shrugged his arm away from Cas' touch. "No, I'm not okay," he said sharply.

"Oh, no…did they expel you?" Cas asked nervously, fiddling with the cuff on his sleeve.

Dean shook his head no. "Failed my exam," he said to him. "We all did."

"That's crazy. How are you going to graduate?" Cas asked.

"We get a make up…that's going to be a hell of a lot more difficult than the original one," Dean said to him. "Look, I have to go. I'm confined to my room. Aren't you too?" he asked. He assumed the Moroi at the party had probably gotten a similar punishment.

Cas swallowed. "Oh, um…no. We just got a warning," he explained.

Dean's eyes widened so much he was surprised they didn't bug out of his head. "Are you fucking kidding me? All you got was a slap on the wrist?" he exclaimed.

"Well, I mean I wasn't drinking and…" Cas tried to explained.

"Neither was I…or Eddie and we still got the maximum punishment," Dean huffed.

"Let me talk to the headmistress. This is all a mistake," Cas interjected.

"I think you've done enough," Dean said coldly.

"Excuse me?" Cas asked him, clearly taken aback.

"If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have been at that stupid party," Dean snapped.

Cas raised his eyebrows. "Oh, I didn't realize I forced you to go," he said. "What other wrongs have I committed?" he asked. "I'm very curious to hear this."

"There's a clear line between Moroi and Dhampirs. A line I never crossed…until you came along," Dean said to him.

Cas crossed his arms over his chest. "So let me get this right. Because you got assigned to me for your exam your future is now over?" he asked him.

"No, that's not what I said," Dean replied. "Because I let myself get CLOSE to you my future is now over," he clarified. "Who is going to want a guardian who had to take some punishment exam?"

"Dean, I know this sucks. I'm agreeing with you…this sucks, but you can't blame it on me," Cas said. He tried to step closer to him. "Do you really regret everything?" he asked softly.

Dean didn't look him in the eye as he replied, "Yes, I regret everything," he said in a tone as cold as ice.

Cas paused a moment to collect his thoughts. "Right now…so do I," he finally said. With that he turned away and walked up the staircase towards his dorm leaving Dean all alone.

…

"What are you doing here?" Adrian asked as Dean walked inside their room.

"I live here," Dean replied. He sat down on his bed and looked over at his best friend.

"I know that, genius," Adrian said. "It hasn't been six weeks. You're still on assignment."

Dean tilted his head to the side. "What time did you leave the party?" he asked him.

Adrian's eyes lit up. "Around 11…with quite possibly the hottest chick ever," he said to him.

"Ah, so you missed the main event of the night," Dean mused.

"Did someone punch out Zeklos?" he asked excitedly.

"Belikov broke up the party," Dean said to him.

Adrian's face fell. "Oh, shit…" he replied. "Wait…did you get expelled or something?" he asked.

Dean shook his head. "The Moroi got off with a 'warning'," he said making quotation marks around the word. "While us guardians present failed our exam."

"Failed your exam?" Adrian said. "Man, that's wrong. Are you going to graduate?" he asked.

"Yeah, I mean…I hope so. We have to take a make up exam. It's going to be a killer, though…according to Kirova," Dean explained.

Adrian relaxed a little. "Oh, well…that's not awful. You'll ace that no problem," he said to him.

"How am I going to get an assignment guarding you if I couldn't even pass the real exam? I have a big red mark on my record now," Dean said. "Fucking Cas."

"What does Cas have to do with this?" Adrian asked.

"He's the reason I went to the party. I blurred the lines and it bit me in the ass," Dean said.

"But it was YOUR decision to go with him," Adrian said. "Unless he was using compulsion on you it's not just HIS fault."

"Dhampirs shouldn't mix with Moroi," Dean said.

"You and I are best friends," Adrian reminded him.

"Yeah, but once I become your guardian it won't be like that anymore," Dean said.

Adrian blinked rapidly. "What? You're not going to be my friend anymore? Because of some archaic notion?"

"I can't," Dean explained. "Why doesn't anyone understand this? I have to protect you…I can't be all buddy buddy with you."

"Says who, Dean?" he asked. "Moroi are friendly with their guardians all the time. "

"But then I wouldn't be on top of everything. I wouldn't be the best guardian," Dean replied.

"Is this shit still steming from your dad? Dude, you have NOTHING to prove to him," Adrian said. "You're a great guy and an outstanding guardian. Everyone knows that. Why do you want to prove something to someone who has spent his entire life not giving a damn about you?"

"Just fuck off, Adrian," Dean barked.

"Yeah, love you too, buddy," Adrian replied and rolled over onto his side.

Dean ran his hands over his face. This is what he got for making an exception.