When Dean woke up, his eyes focused immediately on Cas. He was across the room, getting dressed. Dean tried not to ogle his best friend's back, but he noticed something as Cas's skin caught the light just right- something he had largely forgotten about in the current drama of his own life. Scars littered his best friend's body, proof of his tragic past- and Dean was just adding more hurt to the already pained boy.

"I'm sorry, Cas." The author pulled a shirt over his head and looked at the floor.

"Sorry for...?" Dean could tell that a lot was hanging on his answer. What he didn't know was that Cas didn't know what the right answer would be either.

"Anna." Cas tensed. "I'm sorry she died, sorry you've had to live without her. I'm sorry that you hurt so much, sorry I keep hurting you." Dean's voice broke but he cleared his throat ans kept speaking. "I'm sorry I got Eve pregnant, I'm sorry I told you like I did. I'm sorry I'm useless and fucked up and stupid." Dean's apology would have gone on for God knows how long, but Cas silenced him by sitting on the edge of the bed and pressing a brief kiss to his forehead.

"It's okay Dean." he wrapped his arms around the green-eyed boy. "Everything will be okay." There was a few beats on silence while Dean pulled the other boy closer to himself.

"I'm sorry, Cas." The writer nodded, his temple pressed against Dean's.

"I know. It's okay." he murmured soothingly. "It's okay."

A while later, Cas pulled out of Dean's hold and gently ran his finger's through the boy's hair.

"Tell you what.: he smiled at his friend. "Why don't you get dressed. We'll go to the store and get some ice cream. Then we can talk, okay? You can tell me about Eve, and I won't get mad. Does that sound like a plan?" Dean nodded and Cas smiled. "I'll be in the living room." Cas pressed his hand to Dean's cheek for a moment before standing. As he got to the door, Dean spoke.

"I love you, Cas." The author froze for a moment, unsure how to respond, or even if he should at all. He spoke to the floor, hand on the doorknob.

"I'll never lie to you, Dean. I love you too." With a slight nod, Cas opened the door and left the room, closing it quietly behind him.

"He loves you, Winchester." Dean murmured to himself. "He still loves you. You haven't messed everything up yet." He smiled to himself. "You can be a dad and not be with Eve. You can make this work." Grinning, Dean sprung from the bed and got ready to go to the store.

Upon returning from the store, Rocky Road in tow, the boys sat on the couch together, putting the ice cream between them. Cas brought two spoons from kitchen and sat, cross-legged, facing Dean, who did the same.

"So, tell me about Eve." Dean looked faintly uncomfortable. "How pregnant is she?" Dean scooped a large amount of ice cream into his mouth before answering.

"5 weeks." Cas nodded, shoveling his own overlarge bite into his mouth.

"Do you think you're ready to be a dad?" Dean laughed humorlessly.

"It's my kid, I have to be." He chewed on his lip for a moment. "One thing's for sure- I won't be like my dad. I won't." Cas smiled.

"I know, Dean. You'll be a good dad. Is it too early to know the sex?"

"I think we already know sex, otherwise..." Dean tried to joke. "I think so, yeah."

"Hmm. I think you should have a girl." Dean barked out a laugh.

"Why?" Cas shrugged.

"It's be cute, seeing you play with your baby girl." Dean grunted.

"I'll see what I can do."

"You'd better." The boys smiled and ate in silence for a while. "Have you told your mom and Sam yet?" Dean groaned and flopped backwards, covering his eyes dramatically.

"Oh God, don't remind me. Maybe if I hold off, I can just show up with her someday and hand her over to my mom with a 'meet your granddaghter'!" Cas laughed, strategically ignoring the fact that Dean had referred to the baby as a girl.

"Why not just tell them?"

"Well, first my mom would yell about how irresponsible I was being, then she'd insist on giving me a safe sex talk, ignoring the fact that she gave it to me in 8th grade, and then she'd demand to meet Eve, and it would just be awful. She's want me to get back with Eve so I could 'raise my child right' or something,"

"You didn't get back together with Eve?" Cas interrupted suddenly. Dean moved his arm and looked at the wide-eyed author.

"No... I was hoping, well, maybe... you and... I... maybe..." Cas began to smile. "Well, maybe you would... still... with me..."

"You didn't get back together with Eve... for me?" Cas whispered, grinning. Dean nodded slowly.

"If that's... okay?"

"Well, I may still take a little winning over, but..." Cas moved the ice cream to the coffee table and positioned himself so he lay on top of Dean, laying his head on the other boy's chest. "I'd say your chances are good." he breathed as Dean's arms made their way around his waist.

"Hmm, I'm glad." Dean teasingly poked the other boy's sides.

"But every time you tickle me you'll find it takes a little more for me to be won over." Cas warned, lifting his head to glare at the green-eyed boy.

"Sorry, Cas."

"Damn straight you are." Cas lay his head back down and Dean's hands landed on his shoulders, rubbing them gently.

"I'm scared, Cas." he finally whispered, staring at the ceiling. "What if I do end up like my dad? He... he used to be a good dad, I remember it. He was my... he was my hero, Cas."

"You're not like him, Dean. You couldn't be like him. When you get angry, sure you lash out. But never against another person. You take your anger out on inanimate things... or yourself. You'll be a good dad. I know it." Dean didn't answer, and Cas sat up suddenly. "How pregnant did you say Eve is?" Dean's brow furrowed.

"You alright there, Cas?" Cas slapped Dean's chest impatiently.

"This is important. How pregnant is Eve?"

"5 weeks, what's this ab-"

"That's not your kid, Dean."