"Hi Honey!" he heard as soon as he walked into the room. It was somewhat muffled, but he'd recognize that voice anywhere. Looking around, he didn't see the person it belonged to though. Pausing, he searched again and finally caught sight of a lady waving energetically over on a big soft recliner. At first, he was shocked as he took in the sight. His mom was rocking slowly, wearing regular clothes. The muffled sound came from a strap on mask over her mouth.

What bothered him most, as he hurried over to her was he couldn't see her smile. Still, he knew it must be huge because the wrinkles on the corners of her eyes were very pronounced. Reaching out he tried to hug her, but she lifted her arms for him to stop. Feeling crushed, he felt a tear beginning to leak out of an eye. With all his strength, he held it back so as to not stress her out. She seemed to be looking over his shoulder for instructions.

Turning, he had walked right past a man in a suit who apparently was her doctor. He smiled warmly at him and then nodded over to his mom. He faced her again and gave her a questioning look. Nodding quickly, she beckoned him over with her arms flapping excitedly. Breaking into a sprint , he found himself sitting on her lap, as if he were a kid and she were reading him a story before bed. He wrapped his arms around her and a few tears did finally leak out. The smell of a sterile environment wafted around, but thankfully, she smelled exactly the same as if she were at home.

"Oh, happy birthday Benjamin." she squeezed him and kissed his forehead a few times.

"Mom..."he said, which came out immensely childish.

"I know, you don't like me to use your full name." she sighed, but still kept a tone of amusement in her voice.

"You've gotten so big since I seen you. It feels like it was only yesterday I was bringing you home from the hospital." she said warmly.

"Well, we haven't seen each other for almost a month, so my arm is all well and I've been helping Dean out around the house." he told her, feeling it was his job to suddenly take care of their home while she was here in this clinic.

"What's this?"she asked playfully, reaching up and scratching small amount of stubble growing on his chin, then went down and jabbed at his ribs, making him squirm as she tickled him.

It was as if they were home again, but he wanted to see her smile. After a few final moments of her trying to tickle him, they settled down and sat back in peace. Looking up, he wondered where Dean was, knowing he had been very anxious to see her as well. The doctor seemed to have stepped out and was talking to Dean outside the door. Behind him, his mom began to cough in earnest, startling him. Turning back around, he fixed her with a worried face. In that brief instant that she was unaware of his attention, she had let her guard down and it was very easy to see she did not look good.

Her eyes looked down and closed while her forehead crinkled from pain, and a small amount of perspiration appeared on her cheeks. The new look was shocking, and awful. It was so clear she was in a lot of pain, and had just been trying to reassure him that everything was fine. She opened her eyes and began to put her wall back up until she saw he had already spotted the act.

"Mom?"he asked, voice shaky.

Sighing, her eyes softened and she raised her hand stroked his cheek. This small action was even worse than her concealing her actual health complications. Opening her mouth, she began to explain.

****Out in the hall.****

"It's called Huntington's Disease. It's a hereditary condition in which your brain's nerve cells gradually break down. This affects your physical movements, emotions, and cognitive abilities. There's no cure, but there are ways to treat the pain. Intense work is being done even as we speak to find the answer. Luckily, Miss Braedon has been in our care, and was diagnosed extremely early, so there is a very, VERY high possibility we can keep her treated long enough until someone has a break through. She's young and healthy, doesn't smoke, drink, or do drugs, so that's another positive thing to look at. " explained Doctor Forge out in the hall to Dean.

Sighing heavily, Dean let out a breath of air he hadn't realized he had been holding in. The moment he heard Lisa's voice, his heart began to quicken at the sound of the stress in her voice. Even now, he was looking in at Ben, who was sitting on her lap. It brought a smile to his face seeing how happy the two looked together. Ben turned his head and looked at the door with a questioning look, obviously searching for him. As soon as his head had turned, he saw Lisa cough through the window. Apparently, she had been holding it in from Ben. Once started however, she couldn't stop. When her eyes finally opened again, they were full of pain and exhaustion. Ben's face had turned pale and mouth began to quiver.

"Thanks doc, I'll be back in a minute." he had cut the doctor off and walked toward the entrance of the clinic. Increasing his speed, he was determined to make it out of the building before he broke down. Bursting out through the front doors, he walked quickly to his truck, tears falling down his cheeks. He still loved Lisa, but no longer in a romantic way. Her pain was so great, and yet her resolve to put on a brave face for her son had commanded all her will. When her coughing spell had come to an end, Ben's face been so shocked. He looked scared and broken.

The two people who had taken him in after he was alone, were in pain, Lisa physically, and now Ben, emotionally. This almost broke his heart. Wanting to get in his truck, he had forgotten he had handed the keys to Ben, indicating he was going to let him drive all the way home. Cursing, he walked to the front and collapsed on the sidewalk, leaning his back against the front tire of the driver's side and wept.

"Dean?" came a voice with a flutter of wings. He knew who it was, but he just didn't have the strength to look up. A pair of shoes walked right up to him and he then moved out, as the man sat down next to him.

"I can't let Ben see me like this." was all he could say as the angel reached over and pulled him down until he was sobbing against Cass's chest. A large hand cradled his head while the other was rubbing over his chest, slowly. Finally, he felt his emotions come back under control.

"Thanks Cass..."he mumbled, sniffling and feeling embarrassed.

"You are very welcome Dean."said his warm voice.

"Cass?" he asked, stealing himself.

"Yes?" he asked quietly.

"We've got to find a way to save her...any way. I know I love Ben, but she's still a great woman and deserves to live a full life." he begged.

"Dean, I thought I told y-"he began.

"I KNOW! I know Cass, but we've got to...some how...will you help us?"he asked, finally looking up into those gorgeous blue eyes. The angel didn't break their gaze, as if he wanted to test his resolve.

"Please...Cass...I've got to help Ben out. I've got to help them both out, they're my life."he finished.

Not as long as I initially wanted the chapter to be...but I wanted it to hit home, that everything is not over, after this chapter, the feelings Ben feels for Dean will sky rocket after he hears of their plan during next chapter, sealing his and Dean's fate.