Author's Note: Revised on 5/27/2018

Homesick – A Day to Remember

Meet the Novaks

It was Friday night when Dean pulled up to Sam and Gabriel's country home. He parked the Impala on the street and jogged up the front porch steps and pounded on the door. A moment later he was greeted with Sam's excited face.

"Dean." He said breathlessly enveloping him into a big Moose hug. He held on tightly and a wave of guilt washed over the older Winchester. Every time Sam hugged him it almost felt like he was afraid Dean would leave again.

"Alright, alright Sam. I've been here a month. Easy up. We've got seven more months until your wedding. I'm not dealing with these chick-flick moments for seven more months."

He pulled away. "Sorry, Dean. Please. Come inside." He stepped into the warm house, immediately shrugging off his leather jacket and placing it on the coat hanger beside him. He was hit with a strong scent of Pumpkin Pie when he walked further into the foyer and noticed the scented candles placed on the credenza.

"Jesus, Sammy. How very Martha Stewart of you."

His littler brother rolled his eyes. "Let me give you a tour." He gestured to the left. "This is my office." There was a little open area that held a desk with a computer and the walls were lined with bookshelves. He could hear voices to their right and Sammy ignored them and instead led Dean up the wooden stairs. "We've got a guest bathroom right here at the top of the stairs." He opened the door to his right and Dean took notice of a pristine, up to date bathroom filled with pale blues and cream colors. Sam continued down the hall and opened the next door revealing a bedroom. The walls were a plain beige with some artsy paintings along the walls without windows – no doubt Sammy's influence – as well as a large mostly empty walk in closet. "This is our guest bedroom."

"So clean Sammy…"

His little brother chuckled. "Yes, well one of us has to be. Gabe is a bit of a slob." They continued further down the hall and he opened a door on the left side this time. "This is Gabe's game room."

"Whoa…" Dean couldn't help but gawk. There was an 85-inch TV on one wall, a sectional couch large enough to seat about twelve people on the other wall as well as shelves upon shelves of videogames. There were several up to date gaming systems as well as a computer on an elaborate TV stand underneath the massive screen. "Yeah." Dean shook his head and pulled away from the sight. "No kidding… hardcore gamer, huh?"

Sam laughed. "Yeah, but it's kind of fun. It's been a little out of hand with all his brothers in town."

As if on cue there was a loud wave of laughter from downstairs. "Sounds like you've had your hands full."

"Yeah, no kidding." Sam continued to the last room in the hall. "This is our room." This time the room was in deep maroons and off whites. There was an elaborate bathroom with a shower big enough to fit at least four or five grown men, as well as a jacuzzi sized bath tub and Dean cringed wondering why they needed so much space.

"The place you guys got here is pretty amazing, Sammy! The law firm and diner must be doing well!"

His brother chuckled and rubbed his neck nervously. "Well yeah, that and other things." Dean was about to ask what 'other things' meant but Sammy interrupted him. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask," He started down the hall. "Did you ever find out about that mystery guy you've been obsessing over?"

Dean groaned as they headed down the stairs. "Sammy I'm not obsessed."

Sam halted at the bottom of the stairs and frowned. "Dean, you've been talking about 'the guy with the Mustang' all week!"

Dean scoffed. "I have not." Sam rolled his eyes. "Bitch."

"Jerk." He pulled Dean away from the stairs. "Come on, everyone is in the dining area."

As they approached Dean could make out muffled voices having a heated discussion.

"-did not agree to this! There's no way you can convince him otherwise, Balthazar!"

"Luci, I don't have to. He already did."

"When he was sober?" He recognized Gabriel's voice.

"Yes, when he was sober, mate! I had Michael go over the contract with him again. It's legally binding. He's got until the end of next week to write-,"

The three blondes snapped their heads up as the Winchesters entered. "Deano!" Gabriel was quick to come forward and envelope Dean in a bone crushing hug. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Balthazar gather up the papers and exit the room.

"Alright, alright. Too much hugging!" He pushed his brother's fiancé away from him.

"Hey Dean!" Lucifer smiled brightly at him over the table. He was wearing a gray button down accenting his pale gray eyes with lack slacks. "Good to see you again! How's the shop doing?" He pushed out of his chair and they held a brief handshake before he sat back down.

"It's good. Everyone coming in for oil changes, broken heaters and to get new tires to brace for the snowy weather coming up so we've been extra busy." Sam disappeared into the kitchen. "How about you? How much longer are you going to be in Kansas for?"

Lucifer slumped back comfortably in his chair. "Well, I've just taken a position as the new travelling lawyer for the firm, so I imagine I'll be here on and off for awhile before settling back into New York." He chuckled lightly. "As much as I'd like to be home with Abaddon and our daughter Lilith, I'm eager to start traveling again."

Sam appeared with a stack of plates and began setting the large dining room table for eight people. Dean shifted in his seat. "Need any help, Sammy?"

His little brother shook his head. "Nah, it's alright." He nodded towards Lucifer. "Luce, Gabe said and I quote, 'If Luci is gonna make us eat his disgusting salad then he better get in here and start prepping it.'" He gave an apologetic look.

Lucifer laughed. "Not a problem." He pushed his chair out and stood up. "If you'll excuse me." Sam finished placing down the plates and rushed into the kitchen for silverware.

A moment later Balthazar came thundering down the stairs and into the dining area. He was wearing a blue V neck with a pair of dark jeans. "Dean, it's always a pleasure to see you mate!" He clasped him on the shoulder with one hand, his phone in the other as his eyes flickered across the screen. Sam returned from the kitchen and started setting down the silverware. "I apologize, I've got a big interview this weekend in New York, that was just my itinerary." He put the phone back in his pocket.

Sam glanced up. "What's going on in New York?"

"One of our bands has signed another contract with us so we've got to get ready to record an album and book tour dates."

"Oh?" Sam asked absentmindedly. "Which band?"

Balthazar smirked. "Perdition."

There's a clang as the remaining silverware in Sam's hands hit the plate in front of him. Dean's mouth gaped open. "You serious?"

Balthazar chuckled. "Are you guys fans?"

"Hell, yeah we're fans!" Dean leaned forward on the table and raised an eyebrow. "Think you can get us tickets to one of their shows?"

"Of course, I can!"

"Balthazar!" Gabriel entered the dining area drying off his hands. "Can you come in here? I'm about ready for some appetizers, but Cassie would kill me if we brought out chips without your famous dip."

Balthazar stood up and waved his hand. "Of course, of course." He winked at the Winchesters. "We'll talk later, mate!"

Gabriel took the empty seat beside Balthazar. "So, Deano." He rested his chin in his hands. "We're gonna be brothers soon!" Dean groaned and let his forehead hit the table.

The doorbell rang, and Sam returned with the oldest brother beside him. "Raphael," He gestured to Dean. "You remember my older brother."

Dean didn't miss the disapproving look that Raphael gave him before holding out his hand. He was wearing a black suit with a simple white shirt and black tie. "Dean. Good to see you again." That was a lie if he ever saw one. He glanced down and noticed an expensive bottle of red wine in one hand and another tucked underneath his arm.

"Good to see you too." Also, a lie.

Raphael set the two bottles onto the table. "I hope this is alright."

Sam gave him a light smile. "Yes of course."

Gabriel beamed at his older brother. "Raphael, dearest oldest brother, how much longer do we have you for?"

Raphael shifted his feet uncomfortably. "I will be leaving on Monday morning. My work here is done, and my services are no longer required at this branch of Novak Industries." He looked down at his watch and then back to Gabriel. "Is he here yet?"

Gabriel smiled. "Cassie you mean? No not yet. Which reminds me. Sammy here is a bit of a health freak like Cassie and Luci, I was hoping you'd make that special dip to go with fruit for dessert."

Raphael rolled his eyes. "Yes of course. Lead the way."

Dean snorted after they'd left the room. "What's with the grumpy Ninja Turtle anyway?"

Sam chuckled as he started placing out wine glasses from a china cabinet. "He's the oldest. Gabriel says he's always been uptight."

The door to the dining room opened and Michael appeared with a broad smile on his face. He was wearing a suit as well and seemed to have come straight from work. "Sorry I didn't knock. I figured I'd been here enough to earn the right to just walk right in. I know I'm late." He shucked off his coat and loosened his tie placing it on one of the chairs at the head of the table. "Hello Dean." Dean nodded in response. "I'll start on the burgers."

He patted Sam on the shoulder and the younger Winchester flopped in the chair beside Dean letting out a tired sigh. He took a remote from his pocket and turned on a small stereo in the corner letting music flood the room. Dean instantly recognized it as a song by Perdition. "Trying to get dinner ready for eight people is a little exhausting."

Dean chuckled. "You're shaping up to be quite the house wife, aren't ya Sammy?"

Sam nudged him. "Shut up, Dean!"

Everything about me seemed so much different when I was young.
I couldn't wait to take my place, five years have passed. Good god have I been gone?
So why, I've never felt so alone in my whole life.
Times not on my side.

Gabriel appeared and took a seat beside Sam kissing him lightly on his cheek. "Hey Samsquatch! Michael is starting on the burgers, so it shouldn't be long."

"Gabriel!" Raphael called out. "Come help us in the kitchen please." The song continued to play in the background.

Gabriel groaned and kissed Sam again. "Duty calls, Sweet Cheeks!"

Dean watched his brother's eyes follow Gabriel out of the room. A goofy and dazed grin was plastered on his face.

Right here, right now this is the beginning of the end.
And I won't sing a single thing until we can get this right.
I'm moving on, I'm moving on.

Dean cleared his throat catching his brother's attention. "He's good for you, Sammy." He shifted uncomfortably for the mildly emotional conversation he was about to have. "Gabe." He clarified. "He helps you relax and have some fun. You guys seem to really understand each other."

Sam gave Dean a sad smile. "He just gets me… We've been through a lot of the same things you know?" Dean furrowed his eyebrows in response and Sam continued. "Dead mom… absent father. All they had were each other. We know what that's like."

The dining room was suddenly filled with the voices of all the brothers. "Hey mom, I wrote you some soft songs, and tell dad I'm just fine. We had to choose, we made our moves and now we got to go. And why's this make me so nervous? Why does everything go wrong? Why's this make me so nervous? Why does everything go wrong?"

Dean closed his eyes almost feeling all the brothers' sadness in those lyrics. For a moment it felt like the song was written for them. The doorbell rang and there's a collective -

"Cassie!"

From each of the brother's in the kitchen. Sam and Dean jumped when all the brothers came barreling through the dining area and into the foyer to greet their youngest brother. "Aaayyyyeeee!"

And just like that the questions started firing with Lucifer first-

"Cassie, it's so great to see you. Are you eating well?"

"Luci mate, he's eating just fine. I take excellent care of him."

"You Balthazar? I'm the one whose diner he eats at every day. I'm the one feeding him."

"Gabriel, that's hardly comforting knowing that you're the one shoveling our littlest brother with food."

"Oh come on Mike. It's not like my food is poisonous!" Someone snorted. "You've got an opinion Raphy?"

"My name is Raphael. And I just think that your meals contain so much sugar!"

Sam and Dean shared an amused smile. The older Winchester found himself fondly remembering fussing over Sammy whenever he called from Stanford. He knew Sam took his studies seriously and he was always worried he'd forget to eat. He briefly wondered if this Cassie was of college age, or possibly high school.

"Brothers, please." There was a firm and rumbling voice amidst the chatter in the hallway. No way was that voice in high school. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you. I am a grown man." There was a collective noise of affirmation and the shuffling of feet. All the brothers entered the room in a huddle around one individual who was trying futilely to pull himself away. "You are going to have to let me go if you want me to sit down." A muffled voice groaned out of the huddle.

One by one the brothers moved away taking seats around the table or disappearing into the kitchen revealing a mildly disheveled dark-haired man. He brushed off the shoulders of his steel gray suit and adjusted his black tie before looking up and holding out a hand to Sam. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Samuel. My name is Castiel."

Castiel? His back was turned to Dean and he furrowed his eyebrows. Why did that name sound so familiar? He stood to his feet.

"Just Sam is fine. It's a pleasure to finally meet you too. Gabriel talks about you all the time." He let go of Castiel's hand and gestured towards Dean who was standing behind him. "This is my brother, Dean."

Castiel turned around and Dean felt his breath hitch in his throat, his heart beating wildly against his chest. A pair of deep, calculating dark blue eyes locked with his and for a moment he felt for sure that he was drowning. He had black – absolutely sexed out – hair. He was wearing a fitted steel gray suit with a thin black tie flipped in the wrong direction. His pale chapped lips parted slightly, and his head tilted curiously towards Dean. The older Winchester felt his stomach flip. "Hello, Dean."

And oh my god did he want to hear his name from Castiel's lips over and over and over again...

"Castiel," And God if that didn't just roll so beautifully off the tongue. Dean held out a hand and he shuddered as their palms touched.

Realization dawned on him. "Wait a second. You're Castiel Novak."

Castiel furrowed his eyebrows. "A-ah yeah. I am." He let go of Dean's hands uncertainly.

He turned to Gabriel. "Wait a minute your last name is Novak?"

"Yes," He looked at Sam questioningly. "Did you-did you not tell him?"

Sam gave Dean a pleading look. "I tried to tell you so many times we just kept getting interrupted."

"Sammy-,"

"Gabriel." Michael appeared in the doorway. "I was going to put the burgers on the grill. But ah-any reason why there are Barbies on your barbeque?" There was a loud groan as Castiel plopped into the empty seat directly across from Dean with his face in his hands.

Balthazar broke out into laughter.