AN: Hey, hey, what's shakin' with you guys? Thanks to all my lovely reviewers, I don't feel worthy of your praise X3 I might be wrapping up soon so enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 7

Castiel spent the next day in bed, switching off between crying and staring vacantly at the wall. He refused to get up even for food. The flowers Dean had dropped lay next to him, crumpled and ruined. While he gazed at the wall, his fingers stroked lightly over the wilting petals.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, making Cas jump slightly. He glared in the general direction of the front door as whoever was there kept ringing it urgently. He sat in bed and ignored it, and eventually the ringing went away. Castiel turned away from the door to stare at his wall again.

"You're being a bit of a baby, you know."

Castiel jolted up, whipping around to see Meg leaning against his open doorway. In one hand she held a thermos, in the other, a plastic shopping bag.

"I'm already mad at you. Being rude isn't helping," Castiel snapped at her.

Meg sighed sadly and took a step into his room. "Can I sit down?"

"No."

Meg just rolled her eyes and grabbed a chair, sliding it next to his bed.

"I brought you soup," she said, sitting down and holding out the thermos. "It's chicken noodle, your favorite."

Cas glared at her, refusing to take the thermos. She set it down on the bed and reached into the shopping bag, pulling out a spoon.

"I also brought ice cream," she said, digging through the bag for a carton of Ben and Jerry's cookie dough.

Castiel continued to glower, determined not to accept anything from her. Unfortunately, his growling stomach eventually won out. He snatched up the ice cream and the spoon, ripping the lid off and digging in.

"I know all your weaknesses," Meg smiled.

"I'm still angry at you," Cas said around a mouthful of ice cream, although the softness in his eyes betrayed him.

"You could never stay angry at me," Meg said softly, her smile turning sad.

"But I can't just forgive you." Cas set the ice cream down and sat up straighter, sitting criss-cross-apple-sauce on his bed (AN: If anyone knows a legitimate term for that way of sitting, let me know because I have no freaking clue. Saying 'legs crossed' makes me think of them stretched out, one on top of the other.)

"I'm really sorry, you know. I didn't think he was going to walk in at that exact moment."

"That doesn't make things better, Meg," Castiel realized how hurt his voice sounded. "This is something you can just apologize or explain away."

"I know."

"Do you, Meg? Do you really know?" Cas started to get angry, but it was a quiet rage. "Because I don't think you do."

"Then explain!" Meg began to shout. "Explain to me, because I clearly don't understand!"

"I-" Cas ran his fingers furiously through his hair, searching for the right words. "I just-"

"Can you explain, Cas? Do you even understand?"

"Don't you dare," Castiel spat furiously. "Don't you dare try and make this is out as less than it is."

Meg leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow pointedly at Cas.

"Dean's like us, Meg. Don't you get that? He's friendless, and damaged, and no one seems to care." Castiel picked up one of the flowers that lay on his bed, trailing a finger over one of the delicate petals. "People think that because Dean's deaf, he's broken. They don't even bother to take a closer look. He's like you and me were, once upon a time. Back before we'd found each other. His whole life and he hasn't had a single friend."

Meg's anger melted away, replaced by guilt.

"That's not true," she said. "He has you."

"Yeah, and some friend I've turned out to be," Castiel laughed bitterly. "Can you imagine what he went through? What you and I have put him through? He never let anyone in, because all he knew was rejection. And then, somehow, he let me break down those walls. And he- he had feelings for me. And, probably for the first time in his entire life, someone actually reciprocated those feelings.

"I think, for the first time ever, he saw himself being something other than alone. And then he walked through the door, and he saw me, saw us, and the entire fantasy came crashing down around his ears. Imagine if that were you. Every insecurity, every bitter generalization you formed of people in general turns out to be true. And you learn that from the one person you in the whole universe you thought you could actually trust."

"I don't have to imagine that, Cas." Meg stared down at her lap."

"W-what?"

"That's how I felt when you told me you asked him out. I hate people, you know that. But I don't hate you. And I knew there would never be anything between us, but I was okay with that. It would still be you and me, taking on the world together. Meg and Castiel, two unstoppable forces. And you brought Dean in. I felt replaced." There was no resentment behind her words.

"Meg, I didn't even think-"

"It's fine," Meg cut him off. "Don't apologize. I'm not angry. I get it now."

Cas gave her a half smile and patted his bed, scooting over to make room for her. She got up and sat next to him, leaning on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her.

"Look at us," he said, stroking her hair. "Some unstoppable forces we are. We're complete messes."

"So let's do something about it. We've already worked through my issues, now let's work through yours. "

"We've worked through your issues?" Cas quirked his head to the side.

"Yeah. We love each other, and we're going to be best friends forever, and we're going to share that with Dean."

"We are?" Castiel was confused by the sudden turn of events. "I thought you didn't like him."

"Well, yeah, but then you explained. Besides, nothing's worth losing this."

"Well, crap." Cas tightened his arm around her. "You were right. I do love you."

"I know," she smiled, sitting up straight. "Now let's get your boyfriend back."

"How?"

Meg smirked, grabbing a pad of paper and pen off of Castiel's bedside table.

"I have a few ideas."