AN: Thanks for all of the birthday wishes and encouragement. You all make me feel like an actual writer. My first fic was a giant mess that began with a good idea. I wrote a little mini-thing after called "It's August 1, 2014, Dean Winchester" and I remembered to like writing again. The first chapter of this piece was going to be a completed piece. I guess what I am saying is, you all made me write way more than one chapter, and for that I thank you all. On that note, here is the next chapter.

The meal with Bobby had been pleasant. They talked about the bike for the most part and avoided the subjects from earlier that day. Cas actually did not want to talk about the drugs, undercover work, or any thing that might be too familiar. He wanted to talk about things that were safe. This seemed like it could be difficult since it meant cutting out most conversation paths covering both the past and the present. He wanted to return to the imagined life that he and Dean were creating just a few hours before. Just then Bobby's dog, Cheney, came over and plopped his enormous head on Cas' leg.

"Don't beg." Bobby barked out at the dog. The dog let out a little whimper and dropped back down to the floor at Cas' feet. When Bobby turned back to his food, Cas casually dropped a small chunk of burger on the floor for the dog. Cheney swiftly lapped it up and then sat panting at Cas' side for more. "Now you'll never get rid of him."

Cas turned to the dog then, "You are not good at keeping secrets, fellow." He gave Cheney a pat on the head and tried to ignore his looming presence at his side.

"So, when do you have to get back tomorrow?" Dean asked.

"I am not on any particular schedule. I just need to get home before dark. I don't think that I am confident enough to do the night riding thing."

"You seemed like a pro. I don't think that you would have a problem." Dean smiled across at him.

"Well, there's no reason to tempt fate. Was there a reason for me to stay later?" Cas tipped back a little in his seat and took a pull from his bottle of beer.

"Nah, I just wanted to plan out my day." Dean looked like he was thinking more than he was sharing. Cas glanced over to Bobby. He wondered what Bobby was thinking.

"Well, leaving early also seemed like a way of saying thanks to Bobby, here. He has been plenty accommodating to me. I don't need to overstay my welcome."

Bobby tipped his head up from his food at that and said, "Well, now, Cas, that makes me sound like a piss poor host. Did I miss the part where I made you feel unwelcome?"

"Uh, no. Sorry. I didn't mean to imply anything. I was just trying to be polite." Cas felt an awkwardness descend upon him.

Luckily Dean piped in on his behalf. "You know what he meant Bobby." He turned to Cas then and added, "Besides, you likely need some down time at home. I imagine that you are going to be meeting with M again on Monday huh?"

"Well, she seems like a pretty regular fixture around my office lately." Cas didn't want to offer up too much on the subject as it was too close to everything that he could not discuss with Dean.

"Does she like working for Lucky?" Dean asked.

"I think so. I am not sure though. I think that she is good at what she does and that Lucky gives her a sense of purpose." Cas looked over to Bobby who was finishing off the last bites of his burger. "At least she isn't like the other two that Lucky could have stuck me with."

"What do you mean?" Dean asked.

"Well, he had three associates with him when we first met to go over the case that we are working on. M was one of the associates. The other two were R and A."

"What's the deal with the letters instead of names? That's just weird." Bobby wondered aloud.

"Well, Lucky calls them his arm, because of the letters. I think that he named them, at least that is what happened with M." Cas offered.

"So what is wrong with the other two? You said that M was better than them." Dean redirected back.

"They were different. M is real. She seems to care about people, despite the airs that she puts on. R seemed to be a little cold, but I didn't really talk to her. But you know how you just get that vibe from someone. I feel like she is not the kind of person that I would want to know." Cas paused to take a bite of his burger which he washed down with some of his beer.

Dean leaned forward onto the table a little. "What about the other one? A."

Cas felt as though Dean was not having a casual conversation. It felt like he was focused on some fine point, like he was looking at something that only he could see. Cas gave him a thoughtful stare and answered, "I don't think that A is the kind of man one would want to meet. That man is dead inside. When I met him, all I wanted to do was retreat out of the room. His eyes had a look in them that said that he had no problem cutting into you. Lucky pretty much implied that this was A's purpose." Cas noticed the way that Dean's muscles seemed to tense up in his forearms.

"Why did Lucky have you meet him?" Dean tried to sound casual, but it came out forced.

"I think to send a message. I am working on a rather big case for him. A was there to let me know the consequences of a mistake."

"Are you comfortable with that? It sounds like you were being threatened." Dean's jaw seemed to clench as he asked.

"It was all so subtle, that I hadn't really thought about it much. I don't think that I have anything to worry about. Besides the fact that I am good at my job, I don't think that I am going to get beaten or whatnot for doing legal work for them."

"Do you remember that story that Lucky told about how he got his name? I wouldn't put it past him."

"Now who's the worrier?" Cas smirked.

Bobby got up then and said, "Well, boys, I made a spectacular meal, if I do say so myself. So, you two get to do the dishes. I'll be out on the porch reading, so don't bug me." He smiled at them both and headed out.

"You dry. I'll wash." Dean tossed him a dish towel.

After they finished washing the dishes Dean started yawning. "Are you taking a shower tonight, Cas?"

"Yeah, why?" Cas threw him a questioning look.

"I just need to get cleaned up before bed. I was wondering if I should head up first or you." Cas wondered if Dean was trying to hint at something.

"Well, I don't mind going up first. I won't take long." Cas smiled at Dean and headed past him to the stairs. He turned at the stairs and glanced back at Dean. He was watching him with mild amusement playing out on his face. "What are you staring at?"

"Just watching you go." Dean smiled back. Then he turned and went out onto the porch where Bobby was still reading.

When Cas stepped into the shower and the first blast of warm water poured over his skin, he felt as if it was washing away the mess that was the last 24 hours. He ran his hands up over his face and back into his hair. The warmth spread up and over him in a kind of embrace. He could imagine all of the troubles that had formed in his mind slowly trickling down his body and away through the drain.

He finished up quickly and toweled off. He wanted to be sure to leave enough hot water for Dean. He padded out of the bathroom, back to his room, and over to the suitcase. He found his sleep sweats and a new tee-shirt and put them on before heading back downstairs.

He wondered if they were still out on the front porch. As he approached the bottom of the stairs he heard them talking outside. The door to the front porch was open with just the screen door keeping the bugs at bay.

Dean's voice rose up from the quiet. "And what would that accomplish, Bobby? Really? You act like you don't know what is at stake here."

"And you are acting like an idiot." Bobby's gruff voice practically growled out.

"Really? I could lose everything, Bobby. All of the years of effort, gone. Just like that, it would all be over."

"Maybe it wouldn't be. Maybe you should give him a chance." Bobby sounded resigned though, like he knew that his words were falling on deaf ears.

"No. I couldn't do that to him. It is bad enough with Sam. At least with Sam it is technically his fight. We owe this to her, and we are going to make good. But that doesn't mean that we drag other people into our messes." Dean sounded a little resigned too.

"Maybe, Dean, he wants to be dragged into your mess." Bobby paused in his speech then continued a moment later, "Or maybe I have been misreading you. Maybe you are concerned that he shouldn't be trusted with certain information." He paused again, then, "Maybe you shouldn't be so quick to assume that he isn't already knee deep in this too."

"What are you saying, Bobby?" Dean sounded irritated now.

"I'm saying, how well do you really know this guy? Are you sure that you can trust him?"

"Of, course I trust him. He saved Sammy. Do you know what kind of guy does what he did? I'll tell you, an honest guy, a trustworthy guy. He's a good man. I can tell."

"Well, there you go then." Bobby let out a sigh. "Talk to him, Dean. Let him make his decisions."

Dean let out a sigh, "It could ruin his career."

"Is that what you're worried about?"

"Among other things. You heard what he said about that guy? I can't put him at risk."

"Sam seems to be managing. Why should Cas be any different? He seems like a tough enough guy. Stop acting like he might break." He waited a beat then asked, "Are you worried about something else?"

Dean didn't answer right away. After the silence had stretched on long enough Dean said, "What if I'm wrong about him? What if he doesn't do the right thing? What then?"

"I am having a hell of a time following you, Dean. First you say, you trust him, he's honest, he's good. Next, you say he's maybe going to fail at being all of that. Make up your damn mind." Bobby sounded like he was getting up. Cas decided to make noises like he was just coming down the stairs. He ran his hand up through his hair and went out onto the porch.

"Hey, Dean. I think that I left you enough hot water." Cas was having a hard time making eye-contact.

"Oh, uh, thanks." Dean was looking anywhere but at Cas' face. "Well, I'm heading up. See you in the morning, Bobby."

"Night, Dean." Then Bobby turned to Cas, "You going off to bed now too, or are you going to sit out here for a spell?"

"I think that I'll join you." Cas said to Bobby, then looked over at Dean who was already headed into the house. "I'll see you up there in a bit, Dean." Dean grunted back at him in response in order, it seemed, to avoid acknowledging the sleeping arrangement that he would not talk about in front of Bobby.

Cas sat in the wicker chair across from where Bobby was standing and looked out into the dark yard, waiting for Bobby to speak. The silence though, surrounded them, and the night was thick and palpable. He could feel the weight of it gripping his chest. He should not have eavesdropped, but he couldn't change that now. Instead, he could just sit here waiting for the feeling to pass, waiting for Bobby to talk, waiting for his life to grow simple again. So he waited in the dark, but, at least this time in the dark, he was not alone.

"So you hear enough?" Bobby finally broke the silence.

"What?" Cas looked up at him with surprise.

"You heard me. I heard you skulking around in there. Not sure how much you heard, but I reckon that it was plenty." Bobby leveled his stare on him.

"It was." Cas stated in a flat monotone. "It seems like you both have some questions about my character, and about my safety."

"Yes. Well, I thought that your character was fine until I heard you come down the stairs to eavesdrop."

"I didn't come down to eavesdrop; it just happened. Look, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to do that. I should have made myself known."

"But then how would you learn anything about the company that you keep." Bobby came over and sat next to Cas in another chair. "So, there is a way around all of this cloak and dagger stuff."

"Really, because I was just getting use to spending most of my time in the dark." Cas smirked over at him.

"You don't have to pretend with me. I am quite certain that you have put the pieces together a little. I think that you know more than you can let on." Cas started to interrupt him, but Bobby raised a hand to continue, "Like I said there is a way around all of this confusion. You want answers, you should talk to Sam. He can share stuff with you that Dean can't. Talking with Sam is also safe because you won't have to worry about breaching the attorney/client privilege rules, since he is one of their lawyers too."

"What would Sam be able to tell me?" Cas wondered aloud.

"He could maybe make you see the merits of turning a blind eye to the investigation that Dean is doing even if you find it getting a little too close to home." Bobby sent him a pointed glance.

"I am not going to betray my clients. I have an ethical obligation." Cas looked appalled by what Bobby was suggesting.

"I'm not telling you to do any such thing. I only suggested that you talk to Sam. He's better at this communicating thing than I am anyways."

"I mean it though, Bobby. I am not comfortable with betrayal. My clients trust me, with good reason."

"So, I suppose that your clients wouldn't mind that your date to that fancy party last weekend was someone that never would have gotten access to that lion's den on his own." Bobby looked off into the dark then and Cas felt his muscles tense up.

"What are you saying? Are you saying that he went with me to Ezra's because he was on the job?" Cas was feeling a growing knot of irritation brewing in his stomach. Dean didn't even want to go to this party. Why am I believing this? But then Cas remembered John's journal. Surely, Dean knew about Ezra Brady. Surely, Dean had read the same notes that Cas had, maybe even a hundred times.

Bobby interrupted his train of thoughts. "I don't think that he wanted to go. However, it certainly afforded him an opportunity."

"Why are you telling me all of this?"

Bobby didn't answer right away, but Cas didn't mind waiting him out. After a few moments he said, "Secrets hurt people. Sometimes they even get people killed. I'm a fan of spoilers, and if Dean can't share certain things with you, well then it is my duty to send you down the right path toward truth. I saw you two together the other night, and Sammy gave me a little head's up last week. I want Dean to be happy. He won't be if you two start off wrong."

"What do you mean by starting off wrong?" Cas was calming down a little. He was still feeling the knot in his stomach that came with maybe being manipulated. He wondered if Dean had used him to gain access to Ezra's party and its attendees.

"Dean has struggled for as long as I have known him. He has struggled to just be in a world full of darkness. He had to deal with a father that forgot how to love. He had to deal with being a type of father figure to Sam. He never had an opportunity to just live. It quickly became all duty and sacrifice for him. He gave up on trying to connect with people. It became more important to just save people, thus the job choice. He needs to be reminded what it means to live in the world. He needs to actually be with someone that makes him remember what's worth saving, and what's worth living for. Because when this case ends for him, and it will, soon, if he doesn't have something worth living for, well..."

"So, I get to be that for Dean? Is that what you think?" Cas stared back at him.

"Seems so. I wouldn't have guessed someone like you would be the type for someone like Dean, but to each their own." Bobby smiled a half smile that extended a little to his eyes.

"So you approve, sort of?" Cas smiled back.

"Meh, I think you can probably do better, but I can't say that because I am loyal." Bobby got up then. "Do talk to Sam, though. Let him fill in the gaps. There's a lot that I reckon you don't know. Even I don't know everything."

"These Winchesters and their secrets, huh?" Cas followed Bobby in.

"You don't say. Makes you almost wanna run for the hills." Bobby turned up the stairs.

"Nah, at least not yet." When they got to the top of the stairs Cas said, "Good night, Bobby."

"Good night, Cas. Tell Dean good night too." Bobby headed down the hall to his room and Cas opened the door to his. Across the room sitting in the moonlight was Dean. There were still so many questions, but for now there was just the night, this room, the moonlight streaming through the open window, and Dean, a glowing presence in the dark. Cas didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but for now there was this, and he was going toward it.

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