Mr Winchester is eager to do as much work on the house as possible the few days he's there. He teases his son a bit, and Dean is not amused by it. John has his own struggles at home, and can't wait to get out of there. Castiel wants to see Dean, but the way he goes about it feels a little like stalking until he get busted. Sam is on supply runs, and has to pick up a guest.

Songs in this chapter

Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana - M/L: Cobain, Novoselic, Grohl.

Visions - Jason Manns

The water that had leaked through the bathroom window, hadn't damaged the walls in as much as they'd feared, and the tiled floor had held up pretty good as well. That the humidity had seeped through to the hall was a bigger problem. The bathroom door and the doorframe were in bad condition, and some of the floorboards in the hall would have to be pulled out. They hoped that the beams underneath weren't that damaged, or else it would be a much more costly affair to renovate the house.

The front door was another story. The mold had crept up to the doorknob and door itself didn't really fit snuggly in the frame. Possibly because of the water damage, but also because it was old. "Older than the house itself." Dean rolled his eyes as he and his father assessed the work they had ahead of them.

The new door came with it's own frame, so they had to remove the old one even if it was only the threshold that was completely rotten. It was a big task, and if they didn't finish tonight, they would have no way of closing up the house.

"Your friend, is he any good with his hands." Mr Winchester was scratching his chin as he shifted his gaze between the new door and the old door. Dean had told him that Jack was coming over, but hadn't said anything about his ability to renovate a house. He cleared his throat. "Good with his hands? I'm sure he is, but, erm, I mean, if we give him a red wig and let him sing 'It's a hard knock life', we can probably get him to scrub the mold off the tiles, but other than that I'm not too sure." His dad sighed heavily. "Oh, one of those." He shrugged and measured the door for the umpteenth time. "You think we can do this before it gets too late?"

The words about Jack didn't sit well with Dean. "What do you mean? 'One of those'?" He folded his arms across his chest. John Winchester nodded to himself before he turned to his son. "A musical theater lover, a… you know, one of those." He picked up the crowbar. "Are we doing this?"

Dean got a little miffed, and was not amused by his father's comment. "That's a very derogatory remark. I have learned to like musicals too since I joined Glee club. Does that mean I am 'one of those'?"

For a few seconds the two of them stared at each other, but then Dean's dad exhaled audibly. "I don't know. Are you? You have some weird new friends; you have obviously changed a lot during the last year; I have never heard anything but rock'n'roll when you get to pick the music, so you tell me."

Being put on the spot like that was very uncomfortable. Dean didn't really know what to say. "I never really had any friends before; you never gave me the time. You should be happy that I have aquired a few." He really didn't want to make this into an argument, and regretted that he even commented on it in the first place.

"Son! I really don't care if you surround yourself with fruitcakes. Everybody is equal in my eyes, but I will fight for my right to make jokes about it in my own house." His dad sounded quite annoyed. "I couldn't care less if this Jack character is gay, as long as he can help out. You are the one who are implying that he's hopeless."

Dean watched as his dad went over to the door with the crowbar in hand and started to pry the trim away. "Uh, if we're doing this, wouldn't it be easier if we remove the door first?" Dean wasn't sure if he should have questioned his dad's way of handling the job, but he was pretty sure he was right.

"Well, yeah. We should." His dad pulled away the loose piece of trim before he put the crowbar down and grabbed a screwdriver. "Come on then, son. Let's do it." Dean hurried to pick up another screwdriver, and together they unscrewed the hinges of the door.

"If you fancy this guy, it will not change anything. You are my son, and I will love you no matter what." His dad lifted the door away and pushed it over the railing of the porch. "We have to build a new porch eventually, but it will have to wait."

Dean turned to his dad startled. "Jack? Oh, no. He is a friend, but…" He chuckled a little. "Jack is just a friend, and I don't fancy him at all." He said the word 'fancy' in a mocking way because it sounded so old fashioned. It was good to be able to say that he did not like Jack that way, but Dean was also nervous about what his dad would say if he knew about Castiel.

His phone rang, and as he picked up the call from Jack, he noticed that Sam was back.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Yeah. That's right. John was in the choir at school this year." His mother was addressing her younger sister. "Remember back in the days?"

"Hello, hello, hello, how low?

Hello, hello, hello, how low?

Hello, hello, hello, how low?

Hello, hello, hello!"

The two ladies suddenly started singing together, and it wasn't pretty. John knew that the two of them had attended a choir about twenty years ago, but he also knew that they had been kicked out of it. Now he knew why.

"With the lights out, it's less dangerous

Here we are now, entertain us

I feel stupid and contagious

Here we are now, entertain us

A mulatto

An albino

A mosquito

My libido

Yeah, hey, yay."

They were screaming more than they were singing, and luckily they stopped after that one verse. "Oh, oh. When he died. I cried myself to sleep." John's aunt shook her head and it could look like her eyes watered up a bit. John had no idea who they were talking about. "But you were just a baby back then; like twelve, when Cobain committed suicide." His mother chuckled as she nudged her sister.

This was so bad. John hoped that the party would end soon. School was over and all he wanted to do was to celebrate with his friends. Sitting here being embarrassed, was not fun, but most of his friend had other things to do anyway. Some of them were probably forced to go through the same hardship as he had to, although he was pretty sure they would never hear that kind of 'concert'.

It was nice enough to hang out with his relatives for a while; they didn't visit very often, but none of them were at his age. He felt trapped in a crowd of people that he had nothing in common with, and being the center of attention was fun only for so long.

All of his cousins were much younger than him. His parents had him when they were very young, and both of them being the oldest child in the family, the rest of his aunts and uncles didn't start to produce until John was hitting double digits.

His mother's youngest brother, Harry, got married a year ago, and had just had a son. The baby took some of the attention away from John, and he welcomed it.

That his father didn't show up was a disappointment, but when John received a text message from him with a picture attached, he was happy that the guy stayed away. The woman, or girl, on his dad's arm, didn't look much older than twenty.

John knew that his dad was in a relationship, but he had never seen his new 'stepmother' before. It was a little embarrassing to know that his dad was dating someone close to John's own age, and the new knowledge made him want to escape even more.

Most of the guests were heading home after the party, but a few were going to spend the night. During the commotion that ensued when the party eventually started to break up, John excused himself. They probably thought he was going to bed, but he snuck out instead.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"I see the way he looks at you through the crowd

I see you wanna take him somewhere

Where it's not so loud."

Sam sang along to the music as he drove towards the house. He never sang in public, and he wasn't often alone in the car, so this was a rarity.

"With your silent speech so clear

And you're the only one he sees

and you're the only one he needs

But you're the only one for me."

He knew it wasn't horrible, but it wasn't made for human ears. Dean had definitely got all the musicality in the family, and a voice to go with it as well.

"I look into the room but all I see is you

You know I'm not complaining because

It's a beautiful vision."

Sam had to run errands the whole afternoon. It was like his dad and Dean didn't trust him to be able to help out. He didn't really mind driving back and forth, but it was kind of insulting. He felt that he could just as well have been at Jo's place.

He was driving his dad's truck for the most part. The bed could hold more than the trunk of the Impala, and some of the things he was sent out for wouldn't fit in there regardless.

This time, he had to go to a hardware store to get, among other things, a drill, a box of nails and some samples of different baseboards and trim. He had also been at their old apartment to get a few things, and to a convenient store to pick up something to eat.

The front door was wide open when he came back. He pulled into the driveway, and through the open front door, he could see more than hear that Dean and their dad were arguing about something. Sitting in the car with the music on, he would probably not have heard much anyway, but it didn't look like they were screaming at each other. It was more the gestures, and the expression on Dean's face that gave away that it wasn't a friendly discussion.

Sam decided to wait. The two of them had clearly not noticed that he was there, even if the truck wasn't the quietest vehicle in the world. He got lost in the music, and startled when the front door came crashing down next to the car. He looked up, worrying that the argument had taken a turn for the worse, but it seemed to be over already.

Sam opened the door and was about to exit the truck, when Dean came running out of the house. "Cool. you're back." His brother held the phone to his ear as he approached. "Can you pick up Jack?"

Yet another stupid errand. Sam sighed. "Jack? What the… What is Jack gonna do? And why is he coming?" He walked to the back of the truck to get the stuff in there. Dean rolled his eyes and pointed to the phone. It was obviously Jack at the other end, and Sam got a little embarrassed about what he'd said.

"No worries. Jack doesn't know what he's gonna do here either, but he has nowhere else to go." Dean smiled and threw his car keys to Sam. Take the Impala, I'll unload the truck."

He was hungry, and when Dean explained that Jack was bringing food, he didn't hesitate. The chips and chocolates he'd bought wasn't really food. After getting instructions on where to go, Sam left the house for the fifth or sixth time that evening, and he left in a hurry.

When Jack entered the car outside the Berry house, the scent that followed him was divine. "I made lasagna. I hope your oven is working, because it needs to cook another twenty minutes." Jack put the pan in the backseat and held up a bag. "A bottle of wine and stuff to make a salad."

Sam's mouth watered, and he had to admit that he didn't really keep the speed limit as he drove back to their new neighborhood.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"You're going for a walk? At this hour?" The pastor looked at his son and shook his head. "If you need to go somewhere, you can take the car, but isn't it a little late for social calls?"

For a split second, Castiel wondered if he should do that; take the car, but decided against it. If he was going to look if Dean was at the Winchester's new home, he had no interest in announcing his arrival. "I don't need the car. I'm just going for a stroll in the neighborhood." He shrugged. "I'm not tired, so I thought a nice brisk walk would be good."

He hadn't made any plans for this, but he was too antsy to just sit at home until he eventually had to go to bed. "It's just… I left school today knowing that it can take a while before I see some of these guys again. It's a little sad."

He smiled as he said it, so his dad should understand that he wasn't depressed about it or anything. "I'm a senior now. I just have a few things to think about. Don't worry, I won't be long." He knew that his dad wouldn't stop him; it wasn't that late, but he really wanted the guy's approval.

"Of course. I wish that you youngsters would take more time to just contemplate over things instead of just rushing from one place to another. And I agree, a nice brisk walk can cure a lot of things, especially a little burst of cabin fever."

Castiel had to laugh. Without choir practice and with most of his friends busy celebrating their graduation with family, it had been a long afternoon and evening. Even if Cas hadn't elaborated too much, his father had clearly understood that he was a little bored.

When he left, he had no idea of what he was going to do if the Winchesters were at the house. It was quite dark outside, and he knew that he could get pretty close without anybody noticing him, but he felt a little bit like a stalker. He told himself that he was entitled to walk around in his own neighborhood whenever he wanted without it being weird, and was sure he'd come up with a plan before he got there.

After the choir's last performance that afternoon, he had to leave in a hurry because his father needed the car back. He didn't get a chance to talk to Dean much, although he did manage to briefly explain why he had to take off. The only thing he wanted at the moment was to see Dean again, even if it was from a distance.

He could hear the Impala before he saw it. Castiel leaned up against a fence and tried to be invisible. He had nothing to worry about. The car passed him at a speed that was a little too high, and then it turned into the street he was heading for himself.

It was impossible for him to see who was driving, but it didn't really matter. Somebody was at the house.

As Castiel turned the corner, he could see Dean's car on the curb. A big oak blocked his view to the house, but he spotted a truck parked on the driveway. He guessed it was Dean and Sam's father's vehicle.

Sneaking a bit closer, he heard faint voices, and when he passed the oak, he saw Dean and his father in the doorway obviously discussing something. There was something odd with the picture, and Cas soon realized that the actual door and the doorframe were missing.

Cas was on the other side of the street covered by the the shade of some bushes, so he knew they couldn't possibly see him, and he wondered what he should do next. He didn't get much time to ponder. A set of headlights hit him as a car came around the corner. Thinking it was just someone living on the street, Castiel pretended to move on, but then the car screeched to a halt next to him.

"Cas! How nice. Are we having a party?" John leaned out of the side window. "I was bored and hoped to find something to do. This was the only place I could think to go to." His car wasn't making much sound, but it still drew the attention of Dean and his dad, and Castiel's heart sunk. So much for the stalking. He was so busted.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Dean startled a little when he hear someone on the outside. John practically jumped up the stairs and stopped outside the opening that had formerly held a door. "I'm here! I'm ready to help out." Dean and the rest of the guys inside looked at him dumbfounded. "JACK? What the hell are you doing here?" John was still standing on the porch smiling from ear to ear.

"Is he a vampire or something? Why is he just standing there?" Dean's father shook his head as he walked into the kitchen. Dean knew he had to take care of this and gestured for John to enter, but John took a step back instead. "I picked up a guy on the way, but he's too shy to come forward." He turned briefly and waved at someone behind him.

When Castiel came into the light from inside, Dean almost choked. This was not looking good. Not that he didn't want Castiel there, but his dad had just been introduced to Jack, and now he had two more 'fruitcakes' on the doorstep.

He could hear that Sam struggled not to laugh, and he really wanted to punch his brother. "You better come in. What are you guys doing here? I thought…"

John grabbed Castiel's arm and pulled him inside. "We, erm, I had to get away. My mother was singing." John scrunched his face as if the memory was too disturbing to handle. "Cas was just hanging about, so I…" John stopped when Cas stepped forward and elbowed him in the ribs. It looked deliberate, but Castiel hurried to apologize. "Sorry. Me clumsy. I was, erm. I wanted to see the house, and went for a walk. Didn't know you'd be here this late."

Dean nodded. "Okay, but you…" He was about to mention that Cas had seen it already, but the look he got from the guy told him to shut his cakehole. "Cool. Jack was bored and needed something to do tonight, so I invited him over if he promised to bring food, and he did." He cocked his head and looked directly at John. "How did you know where to find us?" He gestured for the guys to come into the kitchen where his dad had put Jack's lasagna on the counter waiting for the oven to preheat. John shrugged. "I have my sources." He entered the kitchen and took a look around before he smiled and chuckled. "I overheard you before I left graduation. You gave Jack the address."

Dean's father looked at them as they entered the kitchen. "You know. I don't think we're gonna get much more done tonight. Why don't I leave you guys here, and come back in the morning?" He turned to Sam. "Did you get the tarp? I think we should just cover the opening and fit the new door tomorrow."

It sounded like a good idea; Dean had planned to spend the night there anyway, and had brought everything he needed for that, but the guests would have to roughen it. "Sure. The five of us can possibly get some cleaning done, but it's kind of late for anything else. I'm sure our new neighbors would complain if we start working with the nailgun at this hour."

"Do you have a bowl and a knife?" Jack was at the counter picking stuff out of the bag he'd brought. He opened a few drawers and cupboards, but they were empty. "Er, this is not going to be easy." He chuckled nervously. "It's gonna be an interesting meal if we have to eat from the pan with our hands. And you can forget about the salad."

Sam hadn't said a word since John came to the door, and even if he sported a smile, he looked rather confused about everything going on at the moment. "I could, I mean, I can go back to get what we need. I want to spend the night here as well, but I need some stuff from the old apartment."

That sounded like a plan. Dean patted his brother's back. "You would do that? That's great. It would be like a housewarming party. Do we have any beer?" He could see that Castiel, John and Jack exchanged a look before they threw clandestined peeks at Mr Winchester.

His dad shook his head and emitted a small chuckle. "There is beer in the fridge. Not much, but I don't want you guys to get drunk so it'll have to do." He looked over at Jack before he turned his gaze to the pan. "The lasagna looks and smells good. Will you save me a piece?"

Jack nodded vigorously. "Yes, sir. Of course. I'll make sure they don't eat it all."

"And bring the guitar." Dean shouted after Sam as he left the house with a list of what to bring back.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

A blue tarp was covering the door, but it wasn't particularly soundproof, so they would have to keep it down somewhat at their little impromptu party. Without a stereo system, and no internet yet, there wouldn't be any possibility for playing loud music, so they all figured it would be fine.

Castiel knew that his own plan had backfired big time. When he left home, he just wanted to see if Dean was there, but hadn't thought of what to do if he actually entered the house. At the moment, he was in a pickle. He had promised his dad that he wouldn't stay out too long, but wild horses couldn't pull him away right now.

There was no way around it. He had to call home and say that he was staying at a friend's house. It wouldn't be easy to explain. His father wasn't stupid, and would draw the conclusion that Cas had planned this from the get go.

While Dean showed Jack and John around, Cas went outside to call his father. "Hey. One of my friends just moved into this neighborhood. He invited me in when he saw me on the street, and I said I could help them." He had to stop because he was out of breath, and was about to continue when his dad cut him off. "Now? Tonight? Is that why you went out?"

Cas decided it was best to keep the explanation as close to the truth as possible. "No. I promise. I wanted to see the house, but I didn't know they were moving in already. It needs some work, and they are at it around the clock to make it a home. They need all the help they can get, so I offered."

He could hear that his father chuckled. "And what are you going to help out with? No offence, but at this hour..." The tone of his voice was not discouraging, and that was a good thing. "I know, but tonight we're just cleaning up a bit. It's been empty for a year, and needs a good scrub down."

There was a short pause on the line. "What can I say? You have no school tomorrow, and I trust you, so go ahead." Cas was elated about how easy that was, so he went ahead and pushed a little further. "Thank you, but is it possible that they can have the old table and the folding chair we have in the basement?"

-o-o-

Castiel went inside to tell Dean about the conversation with his dad. "We can pick it up now, but we have to hurry because he's going to bed soon." It wasn't hard to see that Dean was happy about it, and immediately agreed to go. That was until he remembered that he didn't have a car. "Fuck that. Sam has the car, and we don't know when he'll be back."

John threw his hands out. "So take mine. How big is that table?" He pulled the car keys out of his pocket. "Go, go. Jack and I will find something to do while we're waiting." He winked at Jack, but the guy just rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I don't know what you're thinking, but I can always clean the bathroom."

As soon as they were in the car, Dean pulled away from the curb and drove past a few houses before he pulled over and parked. Then he turned to Castiel as he licked his lips suggestively.

Cas didn't hesitate and they kissed violently as if they had been starved forever. Technically they had. From the moment he stepped through that opening that once held a door, Cas wanted to kiss Dean, but there were too many people around.

"We have to tell them." Dean panted a little as they stopped to breathe. "I can't just not touch you or whatever, the whole night." He went in for another kiss, slower and more gentle this time. Cas reciprocated in the same fashion, and for a few minutes they were lost in each other.

"We have to go." Castiel pulled away reluctantly, but he knew that they had to hurry. Another small issue was that he needed time to compose himself because he couldn't walk through the door at home facing his dad with a hard on.

They were outside his house before any of them had said another word. As they got out of the car and walked up to the door, Dean touched his hand briefly. "Think about it. We should just let them know. They suspect it already, so…"

Cas was still not sure, so instead of answering, he just opened the door and let Dean inside. His dad was on his way up the stairs, and turned briefly to tell them to keep it down before he went to bed.

They dug out what they needed from the basement. Castiel found two small lamps and a rug that he barely remembered that they had. The desk from his father's old office was too big to get in the car, but Dean seemed to like it, so he took note, and decided to ask his dad about it later.