Close To Me – The Cure

I've waited hours for this
I've made myself so sick
I wish I'd stayed asleep today
I never thought that this day would end
I never thought that tonight could ever be
This close to me

Castiel was happy to get away from the pre-wedding activity. Although he adored his brother and future sister-in-law, there was only so much he could take watching her and Michael be a perfect couple.

He had left Meg alone at the apartment while they were at the dress shop. And even though she promised not to take off on him, he never knew if he could trust that she'd be there when he returned. He half expected her to be on her way.

Without any provocation, his thoughts turned to Dani. He missed his friend and had the urge to see her. He took out his cell phone and dialed instinctively.

"Hello?" came the small voice on the other end.

Castiel didn't even consider if she was still angry at him and for a second, he almost hung up

"Hello?" she said again "Cas?"

"Danielle," Cas managed to croak out "I didn't think you'd answer."

She laughed warmly, a good sign "Do you want me to hang up so you can call again and get my voicemail?"

Castiel smiled into the phone "No, certainly not."

Rustling sounds could be heard in the background "What's up?"She asked.

"Not much..I was wondering..what you were doing? Thought maybe we could catch up, get a cup of coffee. I owe you one."

"Yeah you do," she emphasized and laughed again "And normally I'd say I'd love to but I'm on my way to sound check."

"Oh," Castiel said softly "I see."

"I need to be there early, you know..since I was…late…Charlie and Chuck might kick me out…"

"Where would they find such a skilled musician to replace you?" he said, his voice a little bit deeper.

"Well you know Charlie's been trying to get Dean up there, and he's pretty good."

"He's not as pretty though."

"Half the female population might disagree with you there," she replied "And it might raise the band's popularity."

"Hmm, I'll take your word for it."

"You could..come to sound check…I mean, if you wanted," she offered, trying not to sound overeager. "We could hang out afterward, get coffee, I mean only if you want."

"25?" Castiel asked glancing at his watch.

"See you then!" Dani answered excitedly.

Castiel could hear the music before he even walked into the Roadhouse. Coming through the door, he noticed the lights were on. He'd been there during the day many times but it was always funny to him how different everything looked with the lights on.

He nodded to Garth who was standing behind the bar, cleaning glasses as the sounds of Hot Chelle Rae's Honestly resounded in the background with Charlie singing the lyrics to Gilda sat in her chair swaying, giggling at the attention. Danielle had her rayban's on but seemed to be looking down at her fingers. Even Chuck was lost in the beat of the music.

"Hey Garth."

"Hey man, what's going on?"

"Not much," Cas replied "I'm here to see the band rehearse."

"You're in luck. They are running through the fun set right now." Garth arched his eyebrow in their direction.

"Fun set?" Castiel asked "I've never heard them play this."

"Tom usually makes 'em stay close to the mainstream but sound check is free reign. It's not even really sound check. It's mostly a jam session."

Castiel turned in time to catch the last notes of the guitar and the girls laugh. Walking toward the stage, the band finally got a glance at him.

"Castiel!" Charlie cried, a slight lisp noticeable, pushing her wild head hair out of her face, "What are you doing here?"

Castiel smiled at Danielle before turning his attention to Charlie "I heard I could catch rare tracks if I hit the sound check, so here I am."

"Awesome," Chuck said as he twirled his drum sticks. "It's nice to have another male around. Maybe you can convince them to play some classic stuff."

"We just did some Styx," Gilda said rolling her eyes.

Charlie looked over at Dani, waggling her eyebrows "Why don't we play the one you've been working on?"

"No!" Dani replied swiftly pulling off her glasses and placing them on the drum platform "Not that one."

"Why not?" Gilda asked "It's coming along really good."

"Maybe later," Dani replied strumming her guitar strings, not making eye contact with Castiel. He wondered why she was reacting that way.

"Yeah that one doesn't have much drum action," Chuck hit his cymbals.

"Any requests, Castiel?" Gilda asked seriously.

"Uhm.."Castiel replied appearing in deep thought "One Direction?"

Charlie laughed as Dani strummed the opening notes of "One Thing."

"Wait, no," Castiel interrupted "I was kidding. Danielle, should I be concerned that you actually know how to play that song?"

"Come on, Cas, you know I adore One Direction," she answered a look of honesty on her face.

"Me too," Gilda gushed from her stool

"Who doesn't like preteen girls?" Charlie asked seriously "Oops I mean boys…"

"I'm not playing that shit," Chuck chimed in.

"Ok Chuckles, how bout some Fleetwood Mac." Charlie replied, taking a sip of her water.

"Hell yeah," Chuck replied excitedly "Let's rock it."

"Time to go to work, babe," Charlie told Gilda who nodded and picked up her tambourine.

"Take a verse each?" Gilda asked Dani who replied while screwing the top of her water bottle back on and tossing it"Yeah."

Castiel pulled chair from one of the tables in the corner to the center of the dance floor as Chuck counted off.

After a few more numbers, sound check was done and Dani slung her messenger bag across her chest after putting her guitar back in its case.

Castiel was climbing the stairs of the stage to help her carry her stuff.

"Let's try to be on time tonight," Charlie joked playfully punching at Dani as she and Gilda walked by hand in hand.

"I'll do my best," Dani deadpanned.

"Sure you will," Charlie's eyes widened and she stared at Castiel "Later, Cas."

"Good evening Ladies," Castiel replied flashing them a smile.

Danielle turned toward him as she picked up her guitar case.

"You were great," he told her, as he automatically took the case from her to carry.

Dani laughed "You've seen us play before. We weren't any different than we normally are."

"No it was…You all were definitely more…," he said tilting his head as he tried to explain. "relaxed."

"Hmm," she said softly "I guess you're right. .I mean, it's a lot of fun."

"I'm sorry for what I said the other day, about this not being your job."

She shrugged "I knew what you meant. I was just being..sensitive."

Castiel smiled and shook his head "There seems to be a lot of that going around."

"Dean and Jo still fighting?" she asked as they got to his Mustang.

"Like cats and dogs," he said looking grim as he started the engine and threw the car in gear, "I don't understand it."

"Understand what?" Dani asked surprised as she opened the car door and got in.

He put the key in the ignition and back threw the car in reverse but didn't miss a conversational beat. "Why they act like that? I mean he loves her and she obviously loves him but instead of doing the adult thing and admitting it to each other…well, it's like we're in fifth grade all over again."

"Did he tell you that he loved her? He really said that?" Dani wasn't sure she could ever imagine those words passing Dean's lips.

Castiel's eyebrows furrowed and he glanced over at her as he drove "Well, no, not in so many words, but he didn't have to. I mean I live with them. And I know Dean…better than….anyone save maybe Sam."

Dani nodded and he continued "And she's got a date tonight. Dean's going to pace the floor until she walks through the door in one piece."

Cas' warm chuckle spread through the car "Charlie has the biggest mouth, doesn't she?"

"She likes to share. So I wonder why doesn't he just tell her how he feels about her?" Dani shrugged.

Pulling into the parking lot of the coffee bar, he put the car in park. A silence fell over them as they climbed out of the car. They walked a bit before he looked over at her a sad smile on his face "Its' never that easy, is it? "

Dani's heart was heavy because she didn't really know if he was still talking about Dean and Jo or himself and Meg or maybe even her and him. Trying to change subject, she laughed softly "Castiel, don't you ever run a brush through your hair?"

He lifted his hand to touch the inky mess. "Not as often as I probably should."

She lifted her hand to push back a stray lock of hair from his forehead.

His blue eyes searched hers before asking "Better?"

"Perfect," she said blushing

"How long do we have before you have to head back to the bar?" he asked turning away, as if embarrassed.

Dani looked down at her watch and shrugged slightly. "A couple of hours."

He took a deep breath and reached over to take her hand "Let's get some coffee."