Sorry about the long wait! I just started school and so much has happened! Then I got a little writer's block and then my friend stood me up (didn't do the ending of this chapter, thankfully) and I'm telling you this because you can thank my friend for this chapter… inspiration.

Voting closed. Since the votes are so close together, I'm just going to do two chapters at the ending (possibly, I reserve the right to change this), well, epilogues, in one ending, Sam will end up with Balthazar and in the other, with Gabriel.

If you ever get writer's block, try writing about Balthazar. That's what works for me.

Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On.

"Mr. Novak, you're sister's calling. She says it's important," one of the radio interns said.

"Alright, radio listeners. We're going to take a short break. Enjoy this music," Castiel said before going out of the booth. "Amelia? Is everything okay?"

"Jimmy fell, Cas. He's fine, we're at the hospital, but I just thought-"

"Fell? Fell how?" Castiel demanded, grabbing his trench coat and trying to gather all his things at the same time. "What hospital?"

"Hey, Cas, it's Dean… look, you're car's been ready for you to pick up for like, fifteen minutes, so… just in case you forgot." wow, that voicemail sounded like crap. Dean hung up his phone, rubbing the back of his neck.

Dean wasn't too happy. He glanced at the clock. Castiel was… eighteen minutes late. There was probably traffic. He was supposed to see Castiel, and despite the awkwardness that would bring, some part of him (kept hidden from Sam) was looking forward to it.

People rarely forgot to pick up their cars. Maybe Castiel was in some pretty bad traffic? Maybe he had forgotten? Maybe something had come up? Maybe he couldn't get a ride?

He wasn't answering his phone.

The possibilities swamped over Dean endlessly, to the point where he was glancing more at the clock than the engine he was working on.

Bobby walked by and then did a double take, frowning.

"Boy, what're you still doing here? You were supposed to be gone half an hour ago," Bobby frowned.

"Guess I got stood up," Dean said.

As luck would have it, Fate wasn't that cruel of a mistress, if that could be what it was called, Balthazar thought wryly as he watched Castiel fret over Jimmy without knowing what "fretting" was.

"Stop worrying, Cas," Jimmy said.

"I'm not," Castiel said.

"Yes you are,"

"No I'm not,"

"Well then stop fretting,"

"I am not fretting," Castiel huffed, finishing swapping Jimmy's flat pillows for fluffier ones.

"Yes, love, you are," Balthazar said, snatching away the pillows from Castiel. "Now stop worrying so much and go make food. He only sprained his ankle, it's not the end of the world." Castiel glared at him, as if to say, yes, the apocalypse is upon us, it is the end of the world.

"Weren't you supposed to have a date with that mechanic today?" Balthazar asked. A blank look crossed over Castiel's face and Jimmy just looked confused. "To pick up your car?" A look of panic crossed Castiel's face and he rushed to grab his trench coat and keys. Balthazar looked amused as Castiel practically ran out of the house.

"He does realize you're going to have to drive him, right?" Jimmy drawled.

"I suspect he'll get to the end of the block before he realizes," Balthazar said.

"It's not like him to not realize things like this," Jimmy frowned.

"Don't you start fretting over your twin too. One fretting twin is more than enough," Balthazar frowned. "Besides, he's head over heels for that mechanic in case you couldn't tell and worried about you. The poor boy's probably never even had a crush before."

Jimmy and Balthazar watched as Castiel came back inside, looking sheepish- well, as sheepish as Castiel could manage.

"Balthazar…"

"Just call him and tell him you'll stop by later, Cas," Jimmy rolled his eyes.

Jimmy watched Balthazar watch his twin as Castiel walked out of the room to get the house phone to make the call. Sighing, he shook his head. Balthazar turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"What?" Balthazar asked, trying to look innocent. Jimmy rolled his eyes.

"You're just as bad a liar as Cas," Jimmy said.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Balthazar said.

"Right," Jimmy said.

Balthazar didn't answer but gave Castiel and Jimmy his farewell when Castiel came back in the room, not looking at Jimmy look as he left.

"…he answer?"

"He said…" Balthazar closed the door and headed to his car, briefly wondering if he should buy a motorcycle before dismissing the notion on the fact that Jimmy and Amelia would nag him about safety and Castiel would give him the look that said, "as long as you're not stupid" and Balthazar would have to return the bike anyways.

But he had missed that Harley…

"Well after you pulled that disappearing act on me for seven months, I deserve to get favors from you," Castiel said.

But then again, he had come back because he missed Castiel more.

"A motorcycle? You bought a motorcycle?" Jimmy asked, arm around his eight months pregnant wife as they sat around the table.

"You're going to get yourself killed," Castiel said bluntly in his monotone voice.

"Do you want a big funeral or small?" Jimmy asked.

"Oh, are you worried about me, Cassie?" Balthazar asked. "Big, of course, Jimmy, don't be stupid. How can I invite everyone who would miss me to a small funeral?"

"No," Castiel said, twirling his fork in spaghetti. "And don't call me Cassie."

"Of course you would," Balthazar said. Castiel rolled his eyes but didn't object.

"You should get a safer car, Balthazar," Jimmy said.

"Who's going to be the father again?" Balthazar asked, rolling his eyes. "You two have no sense of fun. I tried beating it into you both, but look at how I failed. I'm so sorry Amelia. But you should have seen Cas before I got to him-"

He rambled on for as long as they let him, each interjecting at different times, like when Castiel said that Balthazar wasn't in love with him or when Jimmy pretended to call someone to plan Balthazar's funeral, or when Amelia accepted Balthazar's arm as they went to order more food.

Balthazar had been part of a rich family, he knew that he was entitled. He knew that the reason he was able to live his lifestyle was because he was born into it, well adopted into it. His uncle and aunt had taken him in once his father had left and his mother had died during childbirth. Well, he knew but never fully grasped that concept until Castiel stepped into the picture. The Novaks weren't poor, but they certainly weren't rich or even part of the upper middle class.

And Castiel had no problem telling him about his bullshit (mostly because he couldn't understand the concept of "being rude") and Jimmy had no problem backing his twin up or putting Balthazar in his place when he felt something went over Castiel's head.

In short, the Novaks weren't going to put up with him just because he had money.

So Balthazar stuck around.

"So… I'm gay," Balthazar said nonchalantly to Castiel who was sitting on the other chair as they watched television. Castiel looked at his friend, eyebrow raised- a look he had most certainly gotten from Jimmy.

"And?" Castiel asked.

"And what?" Balthazar said. "That's it? No awkward looking around and trying to go away? Distance yourself?" Castiel let out a huff.

"Balthazar, I knew you were gay already," Castiel said.

"And you don't care?" Balthazar asked.

"Don't ask stupid questions. A grandma could tell you were gay from three blocks away," Jimmy said, walking in and hitting Balthazar on the back of the head. "Of course we don't care. Cas is gay too, you know."

"Shouldn't he have told me that?" Balthazar asked.

"Cas?" Jimmy asked.

"I'm gay," Castiel said bluntly.

"Oh… well alright then," Balthazar said.

"You… want me to marry her?" Balthazar asked, in complete disbelief. He couldn't recall one time he had been shocked into silence. Not one. He had never been at a loss for words.

But he was now.

Staring at the picture of the lovely redheaded Anna Milton, he was genuinely at a loss for words.

"We want the companies to merge," his uncle said. "You two will marry and our companies will be joined. Do you understand me, Balthazar? You can't screw this up. You two seem to get along quite well at-"

He didn't bother giving his father a chance to finish explaining. He turned on his heel and walked out, slamming the door behind himself.

But that wouldn't really be him, would it?

As soon as he slammed the door, he turned around and reopened the door, walking right back up to his baffled uncle.

"You want me to marry some girl because of the damned company? Money isn't everything, you know. It just makes life better. What do I look like to you? Some Ivy League rich boy who listens and obeys his father's every whim? Do I look like the type who just bends over and- well, I do do that on occasion- but the point is, I am not going to trick that poor girl into thinking I love her and get married to her so you can have a damned merger," Balthazar said and then he stormed out…

And then stormed back in again.

"Love can touch us one time and last for a lifetime* and I will not do that to that poor girl- and oh my god, I just quoted that destitute lounge singer…" Balthazar said, stumbling out of the room as if he were drunk.

He was nothing if not theatrical, which was why he went back to his apartment, threw things into a bag, and paid the biker downstairs a ridiculous amount of cash for his bike.

It had been the best, most ridiculously high amount of money he'd ever spent.

At least until he got in the accident.

*lyrics are Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On