AN: Oooookkayyy. So now we've established I'm a terrible human being who couldn't update on a regular basis if my life depended on it. If you actually come here, and read this still, I applaud you for you are a better person than I. Please don't stop reviewing, because when I get one of those emails that say *yournamehere* has reviewed your story and said: WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU WOMAN, UPDATE BEFORE WE ALL KILL YOU. I actually get my butt into gear and write out another chapter. So here, I hope it is okay. Not too long, but hopefully enough drama to stop you for starving until I can update again. I'll try not to be shit and do it in a reasonable amount of time. Now enough waffling and onto the chapter...
For Matt the remainder of the weekend went by uneventfully. Dean spent the entire Sunday in bed, complaining of a splitting headache, though Matt wasn't entirely convinced that was the only reason. However by the time Monday came around he was out of bed and back to his usual moody self.
"Dean let's go or we'll miss breakfast!" Matt called through the bathroom door.
"It takes time to look this good!" Dean called back, only half joking.
Eventually Dean made his way out of the bathroom with just enough time for the pair to rush down to the dining hall. Matt made a beeline for the rest of the gang as soon as they entered the hall but he couldn't help but notice the slight breath of hesitation Dean exuded.
"Come on Dean, it's going to be alright." Matt tried to smile reassuringly but the look on Dean's face said it all. Matt didn't know what happened between him and Cas at the party, Cas hadn't wanted to talk about it after Dean left and Matt didn't want to push the topic, so he just accepted it as their problem. Not that he wasn't itching to help them solve it, he just wasn't jumping at the chance to have Dean accuse him of trying to 'steal Cas' from him again, like the bloke couldn't have more than one friend.
As the pair arrived at the table Cas quickly popped up, muttering something about returning books to the library and scurried away before they had even sat down, this put Dean in an even darker mood.
It didn't take Matt long to notice that Dean was not the only one who had woken up on the wrong side of the bed that morning, Sherlock and John could barley look at each other, Sam was finally sitting with them again but he was staring off into the distance with an extremely confused look on his face and River was no where to be seen. He sighed, wondering if everyone was going to be this cheery all day.
"Sam? Sam!?" Matt almost had to slap the taller boy before he received a reply.
"Huh?" Sam turned to him, confused look still spread across his features.
"That was the bell, we've got to get to class." Matt replied, slightly put off by the fact he could tell Sam still wasn't listening.
"What is with you bro?" Dean said, his brothers' strange behavior proving enough of an incentive to bring Dean out of his own funk.
"What?" Sam spat defensively, "Nothing I'm fine."
"Maybe you should go back to bed, I can tell our teachers your sick." Matt tried not to sound as concerned as Dean suddenly looked.
"Yeah, look I'll take him back, you get to class." Dean addressed Matt, quickly forcing Sam up from the table.
"Hey!" He squawked.
"Come on you weirdo." Dean muttered dragging him away.
The remainder of the conversation between the brothers was lost to Matt as they continued on out of earshot.
John and Sherlock had left the table minutes before and Matt, while surrounded by the many students making their way towards their various classes, suddenly felt very alone.
He found it impossible to concentrate in his first class and his concern only grew when neither Sam nor Dean showed up for English. Matt took the seat next to John and Sherlock, who once again were avoiding each other's eye. Cas turned up only seconds before the bell rang, tentatively poking his head into the room and relaxing, only slightly, when he obviously didn't find what he was looking for.
"Hi Matt." Cas sighed sliding into the chair next to him.
"Hey Cas, here's that book of Astronomy I promised to bring you." Matt liked Cas, they bonded well over being the two outsiders at the party, and found they had many similar interests.
"Thank-you!" Cas smiled back.
"Say, you're roommates with Sam right? You didn't happened to notice anything strange about him this morning did you?" Matt approached carefully.
"He did seem rather distracted at breakfast this morning. He was fine until we arrived at the Hall for breakfast, it wasn't until Ruby and Meg came over to say good morning too him that he started acting unusual."
"Ruby and Meg?" Matt replied, half to himself.
Cas looked as if he was about to reply but their conversation was cut short by the entrance of Dr. Tennant.
Matt breathed a sigh, hoping at least this would be an uneventful, English lesson.
Unfortunately, no less than ten minutes later he was proved wrong.
It all seemed to happen very fast, one minute the class was silently working and then next Lucifer was standing up shouting at Dr. Tennant.
"You think that you're the smartest teacher in this school? You've got nothing on Crowley. Mrs. Hudson is smarter than you and she's a damn housekeeper." Lucifer half spat, half laughed.
"Lucifer, sit down or I will be forced to send you out." Dr. Tennant replied, obviously trying to remain calm.
"You don't get to tell me what to do old man."
"Actually I do. Now get out of my classroom and stop distracting my students." Dr. Tennant retorted, allowing his usually calm demeanor to slip, but only momentarily.
"Just, go see Crowley. I'm sure he'll sort you out." He said once he had retained his cool.
"My pleasure." Luci smiled in a way that sent shivers down Matt's spine.
Then he was gone, and the class suddenly plunged into hurried whispers.
"What the heck was that?" John asked.
"Your guess is a good as mine!" Matt replied, but he couldn't help but notice the darkened expression on Cas' face.
"Be quiet and get back to work." Dr. Tennant snapped before returning to his desk. The class resumed work, but Matt couldn't help but feel like it was just going to be one of those days.
John had to admit; the scene in English had proved a great distraction from the events of Saturday night. Although he couldn't stop the memories from floating into the back of his mind, no distraction was that good.
Everything was going great; he was kissing Sherlock, finally! He'd drank a hell-of-a-lot of alcohol but who cared right? Apparently Sherlock.
"John, I don't know if this is such a good idea right now." Sherlock suddenly breathed, pulling away.
"But, Sherlock…" John whined, looking Sherlock up and down. His cheeks were flushed and his hair had become somehow messier than usual and it only made John hotter.
"John, it's not that I don't want to, it's just, you're drunk and what if you regret this tomorrow." John could tell Sherlock was being uncharacteristically truthful, although he couldn't understand why Sherlock would doubt Johns feeling for him. A wave of nausea suddenly hit John.
"I think I'm going to be sick." John muttered.
"That's a little dramatic, don't you think?" Sherlock replied.
"No, I mean, really sick." John said suddenly jumping up to run to the bathroom, where he spent the next twenty-five minutes heaving over the toilet bowl.
At one point Sherlock came in to try and help.
"Just go away Sherlock, I'm fine." John slurred darkly before throwing up into the bowl once again.
Sherlock walked out of the bathroom without another word and by the time John had finished empting the content of his stomach John could think of nothing and no one but falling into bed and passing out.
When he woke up the next morning Sherlock was already gone, and did not return until after John had fallen asleep that night, if he returned at all. This left John with the entire day to try and piece together the events of the night before, and overthink every detail. He eventually came to the conclusion that Sherlock had decided they made a mistake, providing for a very awkward Monday morning.
As he walked from English towards lunch with Sherlock, Matt and Cas he was thankful for something to finally talk about, even if Sherlock didn't join in the conversation.
"I just wonder what provoked Luci to start yelling like that." John mused to no one in particular.
"Provoked?" Cas laughed darkly, "Luci doesn't need provoking to start a fight."
"That's right, I forgot you two are cousins." John replied.
"Cousins?" Matt choked out.
"Please, do not remind me. I highly doubt he thinks of me a "family" anyway." Cas retorted, making exaggerated bunny ears with his fingers when he said the word 'family'.
"Well speak of the Devil and he shall appear." John said as they rounded a corner to see Lucifer leaning against a wall, chatting up some second year girls.
"Lets just walk past quickly and he might ignore us." Cas said quietly.
John couldn't see any reason to disagree; he had no desire to be around Lucifer for longer than necessary, the guy gave him the creeps.
"Hey Cuz," Lucifer cooed, breaking free of the now disappointed looking girls, "Did you enjoy the show in English?"
Cas didn't reply and tried to continue walking, looking more uncomfortable than John thought possible. Lucifer responded to this by continuing to walk with the four boys towards the Hall, much to John's displeasure.
"I would just like to know if it was worth it, what did Crowley give you, a months detention?" Sherlock asked, apparently unaffected by Lucifer's general creepiness.
The sandy-haired boy just laughed.
"Sorry to disappoint boys but he gave me a warning and sent me on my merry way. Easiest way to get out of that boring class that I could think of."
It would have been comical how quickly the four boys heads snapped up to look at Lucifer, except that it wasn't. Even Sherlock allowed a momentary look of surprise to slip onto his face, but it was gone so quickly John couldn't be sure he saw it at all.
"Well, I best be off. People to do, things to see." Luci said with a wink and practically skipped off down the nearest corridor.
"That guy deserves a right punch in the nose, if you ask me." John thought out loud, the slight smile that played on Sherlock's lips gave John the indication that he agreed.
"Let's just go to lunch." Matt sighed, walking off. Sherlock and Cas followed, but John paused for a moment.
'What is happening to this school?' He though, before hurrying to join the other boys.
"Just come to lunch." Dean almost sounded like he was pleading.
"No, I think I'll just stay here, I have things to do." Sam quickly replied, rooting around in his desk, trying to find something that looked like it needed doing.
"I don't buy it, you're always ahead on your assignments, just come have something to eat and tell me why you're being such a weirdo!" For all of Dean's faults, Sam couldn't deny that his brother cared about him. He'd forgiven Dean for his strange outburst the week before, half because Dean was his brother and half because Dean was quickly running out of friends to alienate.
"Just, leave me alone. I don't feel well." Sam muttered. It wasn't so much that Sam didn't feel well; rather he just didn't feel right. He'd been fine that morning until Meg and Ruby had started talking to him, then he started to get these strange feelings he couldn't quiet explain, but he was refusing to think about that. He had already decided he could just stay in bed until he figured out what the hell was happening to him.
"Fine, you don't have to go to lunch, but don't you think for one second I'm leaving you here." Dean said, stubbornly sitting down on the opposite bed.
"Fine." Sam replied, unintentionally activating his prime bitch face.
"Bitch." Dean muttered, a small smile playing on his lips.
"Jerk." Sam retorted, a small smile creeping onto his.
The brothers sat in silence for a while; comforted by the fact that everything between them was getting back to normal. Every fight they had seemed to be worse than the last, but eventually they always got back to being friends. They might be different, but they were brothers and that came first, always.
"Sam," Dean started hesitantly.
"Yeah Dean?"
"You know, if you do have any like problems or whatever you can always tell me." Dean muttered so fast Sam wasn't even sure if that was really what he said.
"I know Dean." Sam smiled.
Dean looked up and smiled back.
It was nice, relaxed, Sam felt like for the first time since they arrived back at school for the year he could breath a little.
Unfortunately this peace was short lived. The cool and calm atmosphere was shattered by a frantic knock at the door. Dean arched an eyebrow.
"Could be Cas?" Sam suggested. The mortified look on Deans face was beyond comical.
"I'll get it then shall I?" Sam laughed as the knocking increased in volume.
"Matt?" Sam asked, confused, when he opened the door.
"Sam? Dean? You've got to come with me." Matts eyes were large with worry, and he started to move urgently down the hall.
"Wait? What's happening?" Sam called to the frantic teen.
"It's Cas." Matts voice was shaking with worry. Before Sam even had the chance to move Dean had already sprinted past him and was running to catch up with Matt.
"Come on Sammy, lets move." Dean called back.
Sam sighed, quickly jogging to catch up to the pair.
Matt stopped them just before they rounded the corner too a small corridor.
"There is five of them against Cas, I should have helped but I knew I couldn't take them, that's why I came to find… Dean?! What are you doing?" Matt whispered.
Dean rounded the corner before Matt had even finished explaining, Sam sighed shooting an apologetic look at Matt before following. Matt was right, it was five guys against Cas, Matt wouldn't have been able to do much. Although Cas looked like he had put up a hell of a fight, one of the guys was sporting a bleeding nose and another looked like he had the beginnings of a black eye.
"What do you think you're doing?" Dean yelled, obviously angry.
The goons turned around.
"Oh nothing, we were finished here anyway." One laughed as they started to walk away.
"By the way, Luci sends his love." Another smirked.
Dean made a move to go after them but quickly changed his course when he saw the state Cas was in.
Sam and Matt moved together to the slumped body leaning against the wall.
"Cas, Cas? Talk to me buddy." Dean sounded concerned, leaning in close to Cas.
"M'fine Dean." Cas slurred back, obviously not fine.
"You're obviously not fine." Dean retorted, let's get you to the nurse."
Dean reached out and took Cas' arm to help him up.
"Don't touch me Dean." Cas spat back, flinching away from his touch.
"Cas I just want to help." Dean responded,
"I don't need your help." Cas struggled to stand, got about half way and slid back down the wall again.
"You obviously do." Dean pleaded, trying to take hold of Cas' arm again.
"Just back off Dean. Please just leave me alone." Cas exploded.
"Fine." Dean whispered, the look on his face saying more than words ever could. He turned and walked back the way they came, past Matt and Sam.
Cas' struggled to pick himself up off the floor and once again only got about half way before sliding back down.
"Look I'll help get Cas to the nurse, you go look after your brother." Matt said softly.
"Yeah, good idea." Sam said, mostly too himself as he turned and walked off in the same direction Dean had just gone.
"Can't we just have one normal day around here?" He breathed, trying to bury his concern for Cas with concern for his brother.
"Up you get." Matt struggled, pulling Cas up. Cas was very weak, and subsequently Matt was carring the majority of his weight, which made walking very hard.
Eventually they got to the nurses office, to which the nurse responded by running out to franticly but gently and helped Matt get Cas onto a bed.
"What happened?" She asked, eyes wide.
Matt just shook his head, he couldn't find the words in him to explain, and in fact he didn't really know what had happened. After the confrontation with Lucifer Matt, Cas, John and Sherlock had continued on towards the lunch hall, after a few moments Cas muttered something about needing to go to the bathroom, at which point he broke off from the rest of the group. About ten minutes after reaching the Hall for lunch Matt suddenly wasn't hungry for food, but had an intense desire to go and find Cas, worry building up in the pit of his stomach.
He had half rounded the corner when he heard the unmistakable sounds of a fight, he saw a flash of dark hair and heard Cas beggging them to stop. He had half a mind to try and fight the thugs off right then and there, but he knew he couldn't take them so he made the hardest decision he could and ran in the other direction, towards the dorms. He knew Sam and Dean would be there, since they hadn't been in class, the only choice was did he go to his room to get Dean or Sam's room first? Luckily he decided on Sam's room, since it was closer, and found both boys there.
"Matt?" Cas whispered very quietly as the nurse tended to his cuts a bruises, shaking her head and muttering to herself.
"Yeah?" Matt said leaning in close.
"Thanks." He replied, before passing out.
"Is he going to be okay?" Matt said, shocked.
"I think he's just exhausted but it doesn't look like there are any serious injuries, I'm going to call a doctor to come in, just incase, but I think he just needs rest now." She replied sympathetically, before walking back to her office to call the doctor.
Later that night, after the doctor had been in to give Cas the final OK, after recommending at least five days of bed rest, Matt was dozing in his chair. He had somehow convinced the nurse to allow him to stay the night, he couldn't bear the though of Cas waking up alone and in a strange bed.
"Dean?" Cas muttered, half asleep.
"Hey, no it's Matt." He replied.
"Oh," Cas breathed, "Where am I?"
"The nurses office, the doctor came and said you were okay but you have to stay in bed for the next few days." Matt explained calmly.
"Oh." Cas replied, wincing as he tried to sit up.
The pair sat in silence for a moment, Cas trying to piece together the memories of the days events, he suddenly sighed.
"I kind of yelled at Dean didn't I?" He asked, burring his face in his hands.
"Well, yeah a little bit." Matt replied, suppressing a smile.
"Can I tell you something? A secret? But you have to promise not to tell anyone." Cas said, his blue eyes looking into Matts.
"Of course."
"I think I love him." Cas sighed, leaning back and closed his eyes.
"Who?" Matt replied, slightly confused.
"Dean." Cas said, pulling the covers up over his head.
Suddenly, it all clicked for Matt. Why Cas and Dean seemed so lost with out each other, why Cas seemed so upset after Dean confronted him at the party, why Dean accused Matt of trying to 'steal Cas away', it was so clear and he didn't even see it. Cas was in love with Dean, and Matt had a sneaky suspicion that the feelings weren't one sided. Although Dean had a funny way of showing it, Matt knew he felt the same for Cas. It was in that moment Matt decided he would not rest until these two idiots knew how they felt for one another; he knew he'd get them together if it was the last thing he ever did.
"Don't tell him though, please?" Cas peeped out from behind his quilt.
"You have my word." Matt replied.
Cas breathed a sigh, releasing the bed cover and leaning back into his pillow.
"I'm surprised you're still hanging around." Cas said after a few moments a silence.
"What do you mean, of course I'm still around?"
"It's just that, you've seen proof now, I didn't think you'd want to be seen with a bunch of losers. You're smart, relatively normal, you could get in with some cool people, if you wanted." Cas sighed.
"You are cool people, and besides, I'm pretty far from 'relatively normal'." Matt laughed.
"We're not though, why do you think our group is together? None of us fit anywhere else. Sherlock's a complete nutter, although incredibly brilliant and John couldn't stop being Sherlock's best friend even if he wanted too, even though he is amazing at football! Sam's super-smart and Dean…" Cas cut off, his voice breaking when he said Dean's name.
"Cas! That's not true, you all such incredible people. I've never had friends like you before! Of course you don't fit anywhere else, because you all fit so perfectly together." Matt responded truthfully.
"Don't you see?" Cas retorted, "Were not cool, we're nobody important."
"Nobody important? Blimey, that's amazing. You know that in all my years of travelling around I've never met anybody who wasn't important before." Matt replied, smirking slightly.
Cas looked up and smiled, Matt smiled back knowing that his words affected Cas.
"Now get some rest, you need it and so do I." Matt said, closing his eyes at once.
"Thank-you." Cas whispered before closing his eyes himself, and quickly falling into a dreamless sleep.