Chapter 17

The aroma of coffee pulled Dean out of his sleep the next morning. He rolled over and stretched his body, trying to wake himself up more. He needed to use the bathroom and go check on Sam. He rolled to the edge of the bed and sat up, pausing for a moment to get his bearings, then headed for the bathroom.

Ten minutes later Dean came out and went to Sam's room to get him up so he could use the bathroom. They came out and Dean lead Sam to the kitchen where they found Castiel had started coffee.

"I thought you could use some coffee, you seem to enjoy it in the mornings." Castiel offered sitting cups on the counter.

"It's go juice, gets your body running." Dean answered accepting a cup of coffee. He blew across the top several times before taking a test sip of the hot liquid.

"I'll get Sam some juice."

"Thanks."

"Hey guys." Oree yawned rubbing her eyes as she made her way into the kitchen.

Dean looked up and did a double take. His sister's hair stuck out from her braid in every direction. She looked like she had a poorly made bird's nest positioned on her head for hair. Not sure what to say, he kept quiet.

Castiel looked at Oree and frowned tilting his head slightly.

"Is there something wrong with your hair?" he asked.

"Why?" she asked raising a hand to her head.

"I don't think it should look like that." he said innocently.

Dean rolled his eyes knowing this wasn't going to end well. Castiel was too naive to know he was walking on thin ice.

"And how should it look?" she asked giving him the evil eye.

"More tame, a little more in control, maybe you should brush it?" he suggested.

"You men are all alike." she huffed trying to flatten her hair down and into some sort of order while ignoring Castiel. "Would pancakes be okay for breakfast?"

"Sounds good." Dean managed to get out without laughing.

"Auntie called, Bobby and her will be over after breakfast." Oree told Dean.

"Good, I'd like to get this started and get Sam back."

"Alright Angel, your first cooking lesson." she informed him tossing an apron his way.

Castiel caught the apron and held it up trying to figure out what to do with it. He watched Oree put on one and followed suit. Dean snickered seeing Castiel, an angel of the Lord, standing in the kitchen with a flower print apron hanging from his neck. Oree reached over and pulled the ends around his waist and tied it in the front.

"We are making pancakes. First, measure out two cups of mix." she instructed him handing a box of mix, a bowl, and measuring cup.

Castiel looked at the items in his arms and back up at Oree unsure what to do.

"Well, some of us are hungry." Oree urged as she heated the griddle. "Get to mixing."

With that, Castiel sat the bowl on the table and opened the box to look inside. He took the measuring cup and poured the mix into it, spilling the mix around the cup. He then poured the measured amount into the bowl and filled it again putting that in the bowl too.

"Add a cup of milk and whisk it together."

"What is whisk?" he asked Dean who was hiding his laughter behind his coffee cup.

"It's that wire thing on the left there." Dean pointed to an assortment of utensils in a bucket on the counter.

Castiel poured milk in the cup and then into the bowl. He pulled out a whisk and tried to stir the batter, instead of whisking, splashing it out on the counter. Dean shook his head sadly as Castiel tried to understand the concept of whisking.

"Like this." Oree said showing him how to beat the batter. "You have to do it in small strokes with your wrist." Castiel watched as Aurora took his hand in hers and showed him how to whisk.

Castiel tried to follow her instructions and mixed the batter doing better this time.

"You may have to add a little more milk if it seems too thick." Oree commented getting the butter out of the fridge. "The griddle is about ready, is the batter?"

"I guess." Castiel said handing her the bowl.

"Now watch, you pour about a fourth a cup on the griddle, space them apart." she showed him. "You have to wait for them to set and start to bubble before you flip them."

"Flip them?"

"Yes, you have to be careful don't want to put one on top of the other." she said checking the pancakes to see if they were ready. "You want them golden brown on both sides. Dee you want butter on yours?"

"Of course." Dean said watching Oree expertly flip the pancakes to cook on the other side. As each one was ready, she piled them on a plate putting butter in between.

"Here you go, and warm syrup for topping. Now your turn, make Sammy and me breakfast." she said handing him the spatula.

Castiel stood there looking slightly bewildered and not sure what to do.

"I'm hungry Angel, start cooking." she insisted.

Castiel took the cup and measured out the batter pouring it carefully on the griddle. He repeated that step four more times watching them set, begin to bubble and brown. He turned the first one letting the corner hang over the edge of the griddle. The next one faired a little better, but ended partway onto another one. After finally getting them turned, he took a plate and stacked three on one plate and two on another.

"Not bad Angel, little more practice you'll be flipping like a pro." Oree smiled accepting the plate. "Turn off the griddle and have a seat."

"I can feed Sam while you eat." he offered taking the plate and cutting up the pancakes before adding syrup.

"Sam, open your mouth, you need to eat."

Sam obeyed Castiel and allowed him to put the food in. He began to chew slowly and robotically. Castiel waited patiently to feed him another bite being sure he had juice to drink.

"Not bad, only one slightly burnt and one slightly undercooked." Oree told him. "I'll make a cook out of you yet."

Castiel blushed slightly as he continued to feed Sam and feeling pleased with himself that he had actually cooked and happy to have pleased Aurora. He wasn't sure why it felt good to get her approval, but it did.

"You want a refill?" Dean asked Oree as he got up to get more coffee.

"I'm good." she told him forking another bite into her mouth. Oree was pleased with herself that she got Castiel to act a little more human.

spn

A knock sounded from the front and Ellie went on alert as Oree headed to open it. Bobby and Asteria waited on the porch for someone to open the door. Oree threw the door open and rushed to hug her aunt.

"I'm glad you're here." she whispered. "Bobby good to see you." she smiled hugging the older man.

Bobby coughed before answering. "Good to see you to lass. Wish it was different circumstances."

"The guys are in the kitchen, we were just finishing breakfast."

"Any change in Sam?"

"No, still the same." she told them leading them toward the kitchen. "Would you like some coffee?"

"I'm good, had my quota already." Bobby replied watching Castiel feed Sam his breakfast.

"Me to." Asteria said.

"So you know what did this to him?"

"Yeah and it's not good." Dean said speaking more to Bobby as he looked over the younger Winchester.

Bobby watched Sam as Castiel continued to feed him seeing the blank expression on his face. His eyes were slightly glazed with no signs of life behind them. He looked over at Dean with a sadness and concern for his brother. This was the shell of Sam, but Sam was not in there. There was no sparkle, no quizzical expression, no look of compassion or concern. No their Sam was gone and what was left was just a body.