Over the Moon-
Cas was worried about how Dean would do, coming back from his ordeal. But the nights that followed Sam's intervention into his big brother's isolation were enough to heal him. His eyes blossomed with their own light again. And he was more willing to go on cases if the "Chief" asked him to.
The first time that Sam, Dean, Cas, and Jack decided to leave the bunker on a minor hunt so that Jack could practice things, Cas was terrified. How would Dean do with Cas and Jack tagging along? He was still pretty vulnerable and that was something he only normally handled well in Sam's exclusive presence.
Cas had never resented this, of course. Sam had been there with Dean at the beginning of life and was the thread that wove the whole together. Sometimes, though, the angel wished his best friend would open his heart up to him more. It felt a bit intrusive to read his silent pain through the prayers he was not aware that his heart constantly made.
It was late at night. They were hunting a werewolf that needed a full-moon to transform. They were driving down a highway in the pitch black. Jack was cranky, bored and sleepy. And then Dean, mischief suppressed for so long, had an idea. His eyes were lightning bugs and shot off grassroots and sparks in one fiery night of the world.
"Heya, Sammy? Remember when you were learning to tie your hunting boots like Jack here? The first time we went after a werewolf and you were allowed to come?" Dean looked at Sam. Sam had his finger raised, arguing with Jack over the moral purpose of their job for the thirteenth time today.
"Oh, yeah, and you seriously PO'ed Dad with the werewolf hunting theme song?" Sam's mouth snapped shut, finger curling downward as he gave up his argument. Whatever the memory was, it was pleasant enough that he forgot mid-sentence whatever he and Jack had been bickering about.
"What? What does that have to do with the bigger picture here?" Jack whined in irritation. Sam leaned back and smiled at him.
"Oh, you probably wish you hadn't asked that, bud." Sam winked at Jack and then smiled at Cas, patting his knee.
"I'm sorry for this in advance," he whispered through a cringing smile that made him look like a little boy again, if only in his eyes. Cas felt a smile's warm glimmer across his face like welding dust, painfully conducive of some new memory being made. He was smiling, because he could sense that this was one of those moments again. One where Sam and Dean Winchester were alone in their car, up against angels and demons and destiny again. Cas grabbed at Jack's shoulder, unaware that the prospect of this was actually exciting.
"Ha! And I've still got the tape!" Dean pulled a cassette that said, "The Police" on the band of it out of his glove box. Sam clapped his hands together in one balled fist motion that seemed to be more for keeping the beat than celebrating what may be a ritual between them.
Walking on the Moon suddenly blared over the radio. Dean raised his voice to sing over the song's real lyrics, words he'd made up for the werewolf hunting anthem:
Sasquatch steps are what you take! Walkin' on the moon!
And Sam, to Cas and Jack's surprise responded singing with pop star enthusiasm:
Better hope your neck don't break, when I get done with you!
-And Dean came back with-
If Dad could see your hair now! Walking on the moon!
Quaker state oatmeal guy, walking on the moon…Dean looked back and winked at Cas, who was rolling with quiet laughter now. How long had he known them and still had never heard this of this weird ritual before?
A string of continued nonsense lyrics followed with Dean:
This could take forever! Walking on the moon-
And then Sam:
Still stuck livin' togethaaa-walking on the moon!
And a string of more nonsense where Jack finally leaned up in between them, laughing until the tip of his nose was red. Cas covered his mouth, laughing so hard he felt like he might be about to throw up.
"What...The...Heck?!" Jack ran a hand through his hair, choking on giggles.
Sam's breath stopped in the middle of gathering air for a new lyric.
"This is the Werewolf Hunting Anthem. The first time we hunted one that required a full lunar cycle, I was a kid, maybe 12. I was cranky like you've been. My Dad was really ticked at me, so Dean put in this tape and made up random lyrics to make the song relevant to the hunt to shut us both up." Sam grinned.
Some may say, I'm wishing my days away, But I say! Thank God, you shaved!_Dean reached out and started fondling Sam's chin, tapping his finger on his nose.
"It's like a wittle naked mole rat. So adorable…" Dean's voice took on a teasingly patronizing tone, gripping Sam's cheeks where his lips made a fish shape. Cas and Jack were crying with laughter as Sam struggled against Dean's fingers, spluttering in amused irritation. He got free at last and took a swat at the back of Dean's head.
"Ah!" Dean laughed, huffing annoyance.
"The road, dude!" Sam held his hands up in mock surrender.
"Jack, Cas...Please tell this guy to never grow a beard again." Dean whistled low in his throat. Then he looked at Sam, lips forming a pout.
"Please for your afflicted big brother, please don't grow a beard again. You looked like a pedo sketchy candy van guy."
"What the hell, Dean?" Sam was laughing now, bowing his face in his hands.
Jack fell back in the seat then, propelled by the forward lurch of the car. Dean had seen the werewolf step out into the street and hit the gas.
"Whoa now! Steady, Dean." Cas reached out and put a hand on Dean's shoulder as he stepped on it, for a split second fearing the worst had happened in Dean's momentarily fragile mind.
The feeling of the wheel grip going up Dean's strong arm gave Cas some confidence. He had been through so much. Cas remembered the first time he'd taken Dean by this shoulder and felt his hand burn with Dean's hell scorched flesh. He felt the smile curl around Dean's lips as he felt Cas' calm restraint check him. And Cas knew, with the mischief still dancing in Dean's eyes that he was okay. They looked into the rear view mirror, making contact with Cas' eyes in the reflection. The torment that used to say Don't try to save me now said It's okay I'm home.
Cas then saw Sam's eyes lift up, looking on in concern when he'd heard Cas. Cas smiled at him. Between the laughter and the hunt's adrenaline, he felt them. Their silent burning prayers. His little brothers made secure in the bond between them that spanned torment and decades. Cas nodded and leaned back.
"See, Jack. Times flies when you don't whine." Dean nodded to Jack who had watched the whole exchange with renewed wonder. He was beaming now, sharing a speed drunk smile with Sam. The four of them had bonded more in that peculiar moment than any chick flick episodes of the recent past. It was the first time the curtain truly peeled back for the Nephilim boy, showing his dads in the light of their youth, making them equivalent to where he was now. And somehow, at that moment, in that silly trivial moment, their bond was over the moon.