Headline Perspectives (2/3)
See First part for notes
Later that night, a diplomatic yet creepy Alastair Black announced the news.
“Tonight on CNN nightly, fellow reporter missing in pile of rubble as team searches for him. No word yet on how he’s doing. All we know is that he was last seen getting the team out of the building. The last person he was trying to help was Becky Rosen, who also refused to leave the collapsing building until everyone else was out. The only thing we can do is pray for their safety but unfortunately, many people are expecting the worst.”
“And in other news, Football star and claimed best friend of Castiel has ditched his game to fly to Greece. His brother, a prosecution Lawyer by the name of Sam Winchester allegedly helped him get a private plane and board without the press finding him. We go live to a press conference. With Sam.”
A countless sea of people surrounded Sam Winchester outside a private airport in Detroit. He looked disheveled. Casual viewers may have thought it was about being surrounded by so many shouting people. It was really about the fact that his brother was going to a foreign and dangerous country to help in the search of his best friend.
“Do you think your brother is in love with this reporter?”
“With all due respect, it is not my place or yours to comment on the subject. I know he loves Castiel as a friend very much.”
“Do you consider your actions of sneaking your brother out of the country a risky decision considering your high position as a lawyer?”
“Not at all. It was a choice I made for my family and any client who chooses me should be able to respect that. If they can’t then I don’t want them as a client.
“Sir! Sir? Do you think Mr. Novak may actually be alive?”
“For all of our sakes, all I can do is hope so but he is a tough guy, and if anyone could do it, he can.”
Alastair nodded sadly before returning back to the station.
Viewers would continue watching the show for any updates on Cas but none came and in fact none came until morning on the Early Bird Show with the Harvelles.
Even the viewers could tell how distraught they were.
“Hello welcome to the Early Bird show with the Harvelles, I’m Jo Harvelle and this Is my mother, Ellen Harvelle and in breaking news today, a reporter and friend as well as his secretary are buried in the rubble of an Athenian building after an earthquake hit. Witnesses say he was trying to get everyone out of the collapsing building when it fell with him,”
Ellen patted Jo’s arm reassuringly before Jo caught her breath and continued.
“With him trapped inside. The likeliness of him being alive is very slim and if he is not found within fifteen hours, he will be claimed dead. We have american search and rescue teams down there removing rubble and searching where is safe. Dean Winchester, a close friend of Castiel’s was on the scene last night and has not left the spot. He is being fed food and water by medic’s on the scene. A video was released and we are going to follow in Castiel’s footsteps and not play it. We are required to summarize this. Winchester got into a quite large altercation with a man who told him that he could not help in the search. He was very temperamental and some say there were tears in his eyes. Completely understandable considering what has been going on.”
Ellen smiled at her daughter reassuringly. Jo looked like she was fighting back tears.
“Our correspondent, Andy Gallagher, Is down at the scene.”
The show would look like Jo in one box and Andy in another behind a pile of stone and rubble and sirens.
“Andy, What can you tell us about how it looks down there?”
“Well Jo, there are pockets where the stone and the rubble has formed to create spaces and pockets that someone could easily survive under. The rescue team doesn’t want to make them collapse in on themselves, though, so we have one team working on the ground, one team in cranes that are getting at the top of the rubble pile, and a what we call “mole team” who are the ones digging and calling. I talked to one of the supervisors earlier and he says it’s like a big and complicated jenga game and they so far, were choosing the right pieces.”
Jo looked shaken, but refused to let it get in the way of her job.
“And what about Dean Winchester? Any word from him? How’s he holding up?”
“Well, Dean’s a good guy, but he’s refusing to talk to any reporters and actually threatened one who got in the way of his view of the scene. He is showing lots of symptoms of someone who is traumatized, Ms. Harvelle. He won’t talk to anyone unless it is begging for a chance to help the mole team or yelling at someone for getting in his way. Unfortunately Mr. Winchester is just stuck waiting.”
The camera panned in to a man sitting on the back of a firetruck, scowling deeply , not keeping his eyes off the scene past the caution tape. He looked completely hollow.
“So, Andy,” Ellen pitched in, and her box showed up on screen. The camera on Andy’s box went back to a frame of his face.
“What do we have to worry about the most?”
“Well oxygen is inevitably an issue and if another earthquake hits then-,” Some yelling sounded over Andy’s shoulder and he turned around.
“Guys.. it looks like they found something.”
Andy’s face was cut off and the only two boxes that could be seen on screen were the ones of Ellen and Jo with tear filled eyes and clasped hands and one with a small blonde man carrying what was unmistakably a bloodied and bruised form of Castiel Novak from the rubble. Even with all the commotion, Dean Winchester’s bellowing scream could be heard. There was a commotion of showing a hopeful and terrified Dean running up to the body, a camera following him close behind. One quickly panned to the view of Becky Rosen’s figure being lead out by a few guards. She was still able to walk and limp out. Dean cupped Cas’s face in his hands and started to cry.
“He’s alive but barely, come on guys! Give him room!,” The rescuer said. Dean was right by Cas’s side. He let out a sigh of relief and stroked through Cas’s bloody hair, smiling as tears of sadness and fear turned to small ones of relief and Joy. The rescue man gave Cas over to Dean and Dean ran him to the ambulance, getting in. The cameras ate the scene up. Becky Rosen was loaded in the next truck and they were shipped away to a medical facility.
The rescuer went back to the press.
“Sir, Sir! What is your name?”
“uh- uh, Alfie Saman, Sir.”
“You look young! How old are you?”
“Twenty, Sir.”
“Will Castiel Novak be okay?”
“I can only hope.”
“Do you think what Castiel did was reckless or heroic?”
“I always thought too much heart was Castiel’s problem.”
*****************
A beeping sound and pain was all Cas could distinguish that night. A lot of pain and green eyes and then bright lights and shouting and blurriness and so much pain. Besides that, Castiel didn’t remember much from what happened. He dragged open his eyes, trying to adjust to the light in the room and was faced with a terrifying confusion of where he was. He just decided to take comfort in looking around and at first, feeling instant pain in moving his neck but instant relief to see Dean sitting in a chair opposite him.
“Wh-,” It was hard to speak. His throat was was so dry. He tried not to panic as he croaked. “Where am I?” Dean’s eyes shot up to Cas. He smiled and Cas’s pain seemed to ebb for at least a bit. “What happened, Dean?”
“Good,” Dean said, making his was over to Cas, “you remember me.”
Cas shuttered and tried not to gasp as Dean cupped Cas’s face in his hand, kneeling by his bed. Cas couldn’t concentrate on anything but the soft stroke of Dean’s hand and tried his best not to shudder as Dean brought a tender hand up through Castiel’s hair.
“What happened?” Cas tried, voice wobbly.
“The doctors said you wouldn’t remember. Cas’ It’s okay. Look at me.” Cas looked into Dean’s eyes. Dean had a hand placed firmly on Castiel’s shoulder.
“You’re in Greece.”
Oh Earthquakes, right. The memory of Greece was shocking and in a strange way frightening. He didn’t remember why he was in a hospital.
“You took a nasty tumble, scared quite a few people.”
“Sorry”
“Don’t be sorry, Cas.”
“Sorry-”
“What did I just tell- okay, forget it. I’m going to show you this tape. The doctors are really busy right now. They left me with what to show you when you wake up in case you forget anything. They thought you might.”
Cas took a deep breath as Dean turned on the TV. A nauseating amount of deja vu chilled the core of him as he saw a recording of him reporting followed by him yelling and then the tv going black. Dean was facing away the entire time.
This was followed by reports of Cas’s death. He saw Alastair giving a straight-faced report on his injury and Jo and Ellen almost crying on the morning show. Cas felt his breath catch in his throat when the clips of Dean bursting through the crowds and Dean’s brother not completely denying the question asking if Dean was in love with him. Dean had his back faced towards Cas but he could tell Dean was blushing furiously because even the back of his neck was a shade of red that rivaled a freshly picked tomato. The news cameras showed Cas getting carried out of the explosion, and Dean taking charge. Cas had never felt more happy with how someone had treated him. He was overwhelmed with Dean’s care and kindness and his indifference to media scrutiny. Dean turned the TV off when the collection of stories finished, looking down at his hands.
“Cas. We’re flying you back to New York tonight. Now that you’re awake. I’m sorry I was so crazy about finding you. You are the only friend I have so I just wanted- I mean- you’re the only friend I have.”
Dean didn’t meet Cas’s eye when he said that and Cas felt a slight twinge of disappointment. He wanted Dean to consider him as more than just a friend, but it seemed obvious that Dean would never consider it otherwise.
Dean gave him one last smile before patting him gently on the shoulder and going to get a doctor. She was a kind Woman and explained Cas’s injuries and situation. Cas wasn’t paying much attention. He was too busy thinking of Dean and the way he carried Cas into the ambulance, how kind he was, how gentile he was, how caring. Cas looked at Dean and he saw the man he could spend the rest of his life with and it was no surprise, no matter how terrifying it was.
He got a call from Gabriel later that day. Gabe fretted over him for hours before Cas handed the phone to Dean and let him handle it. He was flighted out with Dean panicking next to him.
“Jesus Christ, Dean,” Cas mumbled, laying in the bed of the hospital jet. “How did you even fly over here?”
“I had something to concentrate on.” Cas blushed and left Dean to his annoying humming. Cas watched Dean and how the muscles on the back of his neck tensed with every bit of turbulence.
They landed in New York and Cas was privately escorted to a hospital. Thank god for private airports.
Cas met a lot of people in his time at Shirley Medical. He met Sam Winchester first, and he was a great man. He and Sam got along very well and bonded over the subjects of Shakespeare and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Dean was with him the whole time. Cas talked to the reporter cameras on a Thursday, letting them ask him questions. He met the man who saved his life, Samandriel. He was a very kind boy. Dean gave him a hug and some pie and Cas felt himself blushing.
Becky Rosen stopped by and told Cas how heroic Dean was. In fact, Becky’s visit was the only time Dean left his side. Becky kept talking about how beautiful Dean’s love for him was and how love saved the day. Cas found himself unable to meet her eye, wishing with all his heart that what she was saying was true.
The people from the News company came down and planned for him to come back to work in three weeks when he could walk. Dean bargained with them and made them give Cas a month.
Jo and Ellen visited and fretted over how he was being fed and what he was eating and how bad his injuries were. Ellen and Jo just loved Dean and they bonded over being gun owners and football scores. They watched Doctor Sexy together before Cas drifted off to sleep. He woke up tucked under a blanked and Dean didn’t confirm if it was him or Ellen or Jo that put the blanket there.
Cas was aloud to go outside the hospital in a wheelchair for the second week out of the two he ended up staying at the hospital. It was probably a bad idea to let Dean wheel him around. The whole time Dean decided to run. Sometimes he would run really fast right by a wall then hold Cas by the back of the shirt and stop suddenly, chuckling at the way Cas widened his eyes in fear and annoyance. Dean would pretend to let him go and let Cas roll down a hill for twenty feet or so before picking him back up again. The rest of the healing process was slow yet relaxing and Dean was there the whole time. He even challenged a few people to wheelchair races. He laughed ad Cas’s screaming. Cas ended up laughing too.
Cas was released with the wheelchair, some crutches for the next week, and an endless amount of pain meds. They gave Dean the pain meds to give to Cas every morning and night. It made sense, because even with the Wheelchair shenanigans, Dean had become quite the caretaker.
When they were in Cas’s apartment. Dean made Cas’s soup, took out his trash, heck, when Dean didn’t have practice or games, he lived in Cas’s apartment. He slept on Cas’s pull out couch. He tucked Cas in at night. Cas was practically basking in Dean’s kindness.
Whenever Dean would come in, sit on the bed with Cas, feed him, Cas honestly just wanted to kiss him completely breathless. Cas wanted so much more from him. More than Dean could ever give. It was incredibly saddening to know how he couldn’t get that.
Dean was the one who picked out Cas’s bow tie and polo shirt for his first day back at work. Castiel was the dumb ass who couldn’t help but blush. Cas knew it was time for Dean to stop sleeping on the couch and he had a big game on Friday and had to leave on the day Cas went back to work. It was the last game of the season. It was no Superbowl but it was quite the event.
Dean was packing up his toothbrush and toothpaste and Cas watched, feeling like a part of him was about to walk out that door. He went to the living room and grabbed his old blanket from the couch.
“Bet you’re glad I’m leavin’” Dean mumbled, “Now you get your alone time and stuff.”
Cas sighed, not wanting to answer, probably because he was holding back tears. He crossed his arms and gripped the Fabric of his own light green polo for support. His blue bow tie suddenly felt ridiculous around his neck. It felt as if it were strangling him. He leaned against the doorframe and looked down at his arms, crossing his legs. He just wanted to disappear.
Dean noticed, the put down his stuff and looked towards Cas.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’ll just be weird with you not here. I got used to having a uh- a friend around.”
Cas swore he saw Dean blush. He didn’t quite meet Cas’s eyes as he said the sentence that altered his entire existence.
“I can stay if you’d like. I have money and was looking to maybe just get a roommate anyway. So if you.. I don’t know.. want me around...
Cas’s heart filled like a helium balloon.
“Yes!,” He interrupted, all too quickly. There was certainly no room to think of the consequences. Cas didn’t even have much of a spare bed room. He had an extra room that was completely devoid of furniture, so he could fix that up. The worst consequence that Cas was too blinded to see is the fact that he would be living with the man Cas wanted to have a lot of hot sex with.
Dean looked positively elated at Cas’s acceptance and that further pushed the doubts in Castiel’s mind as far away as possible.
“Let’s talk about financial stuff later and I’ll call Sammy and He’ll help bring my stuff over if that’s okay? I know you have that empty room so maybe I could take that. I’ll be really good! I’ll but the cap on the toothpaste and if you cook, I’ll clean, and I can help you water the plants and we Can watch tv together. How bout Saturday? It will be good because it will be after the game, you know?”
Cas smiled as Dean went on, beaming at the prospect. And what an amazing feeling it was, the pure pride and happiness that came with Dean’s excitement. Cas felt himself nearly bouncing out the door on his way to work.
He did the headlines, got the fan mail, but ultimately there was only one message he cared about. Dean, surprisingly enough, sent him a message through text.
Dean Winchester: Hey Cas. You gave me this number a while ago. Thought this would be easier to communicate on the go style. ;)
Dean Winchester: That was meant to be a smiley face, not a winky face. I am not coming on to you. Hahahahahahahahahah
Dean would receive these messages in return.
Cas: No worries, Dean. How has practice been going?
Dean Winchester: Pretty well considering.
Cas: Considering what?
Dean Winchester: NVM
Cas: Dean, please tell me, I won’t judge.
Dean Winchester: How was your first day back? Who was the genius who put you in that polo and bow tie? :)
Cas: I can see you don’t want to talk about it. It was great. I got the best ratings I have ever gotten and got good reviews for the show.
Dean Winchester: That’s good for you Cas!
Dean Winchester: Cassie your eyes are so pretty
Dean Winchester: I want to lick your cocsdfgasjhdfg
Dean Winchester: SORRY! That was Andy just screwin around. Sorry Cas. I have to go. As you can tell they are not happy that I’m texting at the bar. Whatever. Goodnight. Sleep Well.
But Cas couldn’t sleep well with the thoughts of Dean Winchester clinging in his mind.
It seemed to take an eternity until Saturday finally came about. On Friday, Jo and Ellen and Cas watched the game together and screamed their support as they won. Cas had never been happier as he watched Dean scream in celebration with his teammates. He sent Dean a few congratulatory texts and voicemails before going to sleep.
Cas got a call from Dean first thing Saturday morning saying how happy was and how “this is the best week ever”, and so on. Cas couldn’t help but agree. This had been a wonderful week. Cas got a call from Sam asking for his address. For some reason, Cas was nervous to see Sam. He hoped Sam didn't see right through Cas’s “we’re just friends,” act.
Unfortunately for him, Sam ended up seeing through him like a glass door someone would walk into. It was that horrendous. As soon as Sam marched on in, swinging his long, gangly legs behind him, he raised his eyebrows suggestively at Cas.
“So..,” Sam started, setting the boxes down. “it’s good to see you in one piece, Castiel. The bed is on its’ way. Dean says he needs it but I happen to disagree, do you need the extra bed?
“of course, Sam. “ Cas mumbled, feeling heat spread through his cheeks.
“God.. You guys just need to get together already.”
“Sam Dean doesn’t like me that way”
“Funny, he said the same thing about you, Cas. I assume you are making a sad attempt to treat Dean like you would a friend, but Dean might just be doing the same thing.”
To avoid getting hurt, Cas stored the idea somewhere far away. He just gave a weak smile.
“hey man,” Sam started, “I’m sorry. I realize this must be a touchy subject. I just want my brother to be happy. He won’t admit it, but he has been under a lot of stress lately with our friend’s and parent’s killer at large. The police have no leads. Don’t tell Dean that, but they really don’t.”
Cas sighed, It must have been so hard.Cas was estranged from his parents, but even then, he would never want to see them dead.
Sam’s phone started ringing and Cas let out a sigh of relief at the end of their little “chat”.
“Hey Man. Yeah. Yeah. I’m here now. He’s right here.” Sam pulled the phone from his ear, “Dean says hi.” Cas smiled. Sam went back to the phone. “Dean, I got your stuff, no, no, don’t worry. I threw out the magazines. Yeah, just bring over your bed and stuff. You got the u-haul right. Jerk. Okay. See you in five.”
Cas fidgeted nervously.
“What was that about?”
“Oh, Dean is just being an angsty little jerk, don’t worry about it.”
Cas smiled half heartedly as he helped carry Dean’s stuff into his new room. Dean arrived around five minutes later with a confident attitude and a grin that could have powered the city. He gave Cas a big hug and Cas relished in it, loving the way it made him feel .
Cas almost whined as Dean pulled away from him. The hug probably lasted too long to be a normal hug, but Cas couldn’t care less. They helped Dean with the furniture next, letting him bitch and moan about how Cas’s building didn’t have a good parking spot for his ‘baby’.
When they were finally settled in, the first thing Dean did was go to the store.
“All you have is rabbit food, Cas,” He grumbled.
Cas smiled when Dean came home with groceries. He could get used to the domesticity of that sight. The only thing missing was Dean giving him a friendly kiss on the cheek.
They settled into a routine quickly and Cas started finding it impossibly harder to ignore his feelings for Dean. They would often settle down and watch Doctor Sexy or the Travel Channel depending on who won rock paper scissors. Castiel quickly found out that Dean always picked scissors, but he acted as if he didn’t know and threw about half of the games. Dean always smiled and blushed when Doctor Sexy walked on screen and Cas always smiled and blushed when he saw Dean smile and blush. He also, in order to attain a certain amount of distance from Dean, Sat on a chair next to the couch while Dean sprawled out on the couch.
Dean started taking Cas for runs and Cas, who was immensely out of shape, was humiliated yet also excited with every run. Dean always made breakfast and Cas always made dinner. They would often go out to lunch if they could. If they ever went out for breakfast or Dinner, they would rock paper scissors on who payed the bill. Again, Castiel threw about fifty percent of the games.
There was little to no conflict that came with living with Dean, sure, he was a pig, but only in his room and sure, with every day it became more and more of a challenge not to spring on top of the man and kiss him until he was disoriented and dizzy. Cas’s hand was sore from all his suspicious visits to the bathroom.
Everything went to hell, though, when one night about a few months after Dean moved in, Cas was sleeping in his bed and someone broke into his apartment. He woke up to a man looming over with him with a knife. It took him a few seconds for adrenaline to kick in and for him to realize he was in danger.
“Oh Dear lord,” Cas screeched, grabbing a nearby lamp post and swinging it. His first thought was if Dean was alright. The knife looked clean so that was...... good.
“Leave me alone!” Cas screamed, hitting the guy’s arm with his lamp, the shatter of the bulb didn’t even stir this masked invader from stepping closer.
“No,” The man mumbled, “Winchesters must feel pain.”
“HOW DARE YOU. YOU ARE A SICK MAN!,” Cas hollered. Trying something, anything, to block the man. He managed to elbow him in the gut and started to run, desperately hoping to get out. He could hear his blood whooshing in his ears and his heart felt like it was trying to escape his own chest. He couldn’t even breathe normally. He managed to make it to the door, but while opening it, the man came for him again. Cas gasped in pain as his head hit the doorknob. Before he knew what was happening, the man was on top of him. Cas tried to fight, tried to struggle or scream, but the knife started to raise. Cas let a deep breath in trying to grab at the man when he heard three loud pops and the man went still. It was only when the man fell right next to Cas and revealed a terrified and pale Dean Winchester with a gun in his hands did he realize what happened.
“Dean-,” Cas started, watching as Dean threw up right outside his door. He was shaking, obviously not very familiar with using a gun or killing people. He put a hand over his mouth and let out what Cas may have perceived as a sob.
Cas ran over to Dean and stroked his back gently, really shaken up himself. He called the police who were already on their way because they heard gunshots fired. Dean was taken to the station to work out some legal troubles and give a more formal statement.
They gave Cas a shock blanket and dabbed at the cut on his face from the door knob. Cas tried not to act too shaky as he told his story. Sheriff Mills, the woman who was taking his statement, was extremely kind. She let him babble and stutter and shiver. She was very accepting. Cas hoped that Dean was dealing with a sheriff like that. He called Sam, who was at the police station with Dean. All Cas could do was wait.
Last Part!
Later that night, a diplomatic yet creepy Alastair Black announced the news.
“Tonight on CNN nightly, fellow reporter missing in pile of rubble as team searches for him. No word yet on how he’s doing. All we know is that he was last seen getting the team out of the building. The last person he was trying to help was Becky Rosen, who also refused to leave the collapsing building until everyone else was out. The only thing we can do is pray for their safety but unfortunately, many people are expecting the worst.”
“And in other news, Football star and claimed best friend of Castiel has ditched his game to fly to Greece. His brother, a prosecution Lawyer by the name of Sam Winchester allegedly helped him get a private plane and board without the press finding him. We go live to a press conference. With Sam.”
A countless sea of people surrounded Sam Winchester outside a private airport in Detroit. He looked disheveled. Casual viewers may have thought it was about being surrounded by so many shouting people. It was really about the fact that his brother was going to a foreign and dangerous country to help in the search of his best friend.
“Do you think your brother is in love with this reporter?”
“With all due respect, it is not my place or yours to comment on the subject. I know he loves Castiel as a friend very much.”
“Do you consider your actions of sneaking your brother out of the country a risky decision considering your high position as a lawyer?”
“Not at all. It was a choice I made for my family and any client who chooses me should be able to respect that. If they can’t then I don’t want them as a client.
“Sir! Sir? Do you think Mr. Novak may actually be alive?”
“For all of our sakes, all I can do is hope so but he is a tough guy, and if anyone could do it, he can.”
Alastair nodded sadly before returning back to the station.
Viewers would continue watching the show for any updates on Cas but none came and in fact none came until morning on the Early Bird Show with the Harvelles.
Even the viewers could tell how distraught they were.
“Hello welcome to the Early Bird show with the Harvelles, I’m Jo Harvelle and this Is my mother, Ellen Harvelle and in breaking news today, a reporter and friend as well as his secretary are buried in the rubble of an Athenian building after an earthquake hit. Witnesses say he was trying to get everyone out of the collapsing building when it fell with him,”
Ellen patted Jo’s arm reassuringly before Jo caught her breath and continued.
“With him trapped inside. The likeliness of him being alive is very slim and if he is not found within fifteen hours, he will be claimed dead. We have american search and rescue teams down there removing rubble and searching where is safe. Dean Winchester, a close friend of Castiel’s was on the scene last night and has not left the spot. He is being fed food and water by medic’s on the scene. A video was released and we are going to follow in Castiel’s footsteps and not play it. We are required to summarize this. Winchester got into a quite large altercation with a man who told him that he could not help in the search. He was very temperamental and some say there were tears in his eyes. Completely understandable considering what has been going on.”
Ellen smiled at her daughter reassuringly. Jo looked like she was fighting back tears.
“Our correspondent, Andy Gallagher, Is down at the scene.”
The show would look like Jo in one box and Andy in another behind a pile of stone and rubble and sirens.
“Andy, What can you tell us about how it looks down there?”
“Well Jo, there are pockets where the stone and the rubble has formed to create spaces and pockets that someone could easily survive under. The rescue team doesn’t want to make them collapse in on themselves, though, so we have one team working on the ground, one team in cranes that are getting at the top of the rubble pile, and a what we call “mole team” who are the ones digging and calling. I talked to one of the supervisors earlier and he says it’s like a big and complicated jenga game and they so far, were choosing the right pieces.”
Jo looked shaken, but refused to let it get in the way of her job.
“And what about Dean Winchester? Any word from him? How’s he holding up?”
“Well, Dean’s a good guy, but he’s refusing to talk to any reporters and actually threatened one who got in the way of his view of the scene. He is showing lots of symptoms of someone who is traumatized, Ms. Harvelle. He won’t talk to anyone unless it is begging for a chance to help the mole team or yelling at someone for getting in his way. Unfortunately Mr. Winchester is just stuck waiting.”
The camera panned in to a man sitting on the back of a firetruck, scowling deeply , not keeping his eyes off the scene past the caution tape. He looked completely hollow.
“So, Andy,” Ellen pitched in, and her box showed up on screen. The camera on Andy’s box went back to a frame of his face.
“What do we have to worry about the most?”
“Well oxygen is inevitably an issue and if another earthquake hits then-,” Some yelling sounded over Andy’s shoulder and he turned around.
“Guys.. it looks like they found something.”
Andy’s face was cut off and the only two boxes that could be seen on screen were the ones of Ellen and Jo with tear filled eyes and clasped hands and one with a small blonde man carrying what was unmistakably a bloodied and bruised form of Castiel Novak from the rubble. Even with all the commotion, Dean Winchester’s bellowing scream could be heard. There was a commotion of showing a hopeful and terrified Dean running up to the body, a camera following him close behind. One quickly panned to the view of Becky Rosen’s figure being lead out by a few guards. She was still able to walk and limp out. Dean cupped Cas’s face in his hands and started to cry.
“He’s alive but barely, come on guys! Give him room!,” The rescuer said. Dean was right by Cas’s side. He let out a sigh of relief and stroked through Cas’s bloody hair, smiling as tears of sadness and fear turned to small ones of relief and Joy. The rescue man gave Cas over to Dean and Dean ran him to the ambulance, getting in. The cameras ate the scene up. Becky Rosen was loaded in the next truck and they were shipped away to a medical facility.
The rescuer went back to the press.
“Sir, Sir! What is your name?”
“uh- uh, Alfie Saman, Sir.”
“You look young! How old are you?”
“Twenty, Sir.”
“Will Castiel Novak be okay?”
“I can only hope.”
“Do you think what Castiel did was reckless or heroic?”
“I always thought too much heart was Castiel’s problem.”
*****************
A beeping sound and pain was all Cas could distinguish that night. A lot of pain and green eyes and then bright lights and shouting and blurriness and so much pain. Besides that, Castiel didn’t remember much from what happened. He dragged open his eyes, trying to adjust to the light in the room and was faced with a terrifying confusion of where he was. He just decided to take comfort in looking around and at first, feeling instant pain in moving his neck but instant relief to see Dean sitting in a chair opposite him.
“Wh-,” It was hard to speak. His throat was was so dry. He tried not to panic as he croaked. “Where am I?” Dean’s eyes shot up to Cas. He smiled and Cas’s pain seemed to ebb for at least a bit. “What happened, Dean?”
“Good,” Dean said, making his was over to Cas, “you remember me.”
Cas shuttered and tried not to gasp as Dean cupped Cas’s face in his hand, kneeling by his bed. Cas couldn’t concentrate on anything but the soft stroke of Dean’s hand and tried his best not to shudder as Dean brought a tender hand up through Castiel’s hair.
“What happened?” Cas tried, voice wobbly.
“The doctors said you wouldn’t remember. Cas’ It’s okay. Look at me.” Cas looked into Dean’s eyes. Dean had a hand placed firmly on Castiel’s shoulder.
“You’re in Greece.”
Oh Earthquakes, right. The memory of Greece was shocking and in a strange way frightening. He didn’t remember why he was in a hospital.
“You took a nasty tumble, scared quite a few people.”
“Sorry”
“Don’t be sorry, Cas.”
“Sorry-”
“What did I just tell- okay, forget it. I’m going to show you this tape. The doctors are really busy right now. They left me with what to show you when you wake up in case you forget anything. They thought you might.”
Cas took a deep breath as Dean turned on the TV. A nauseating amount of deja vu chilled the core of him as he saw a recording of him reporting followed by him yelling and then the tv going black. Dean was facing away the entire time.
This was followed by reports of Cas’s death. He saw Alastair giving a straight-faced report on his injury and Jo and Ellen almost crying on the morning show. Cas felt his breath catch in his throat when the clips of Dean bursting through the crowds and Dean’s brother not completely denying the question asking if Dean was in love with him. Dean had his back faced towards Cas but he could tell Dean was blushing furiously because even the back of his neck was a shade of red that rivaled a freshly picked tomato. The news cameras showed Cas getting carried out of the explosion, and Dean taking charge. Cas had never felt more happy with how someone had treated him. He was overwhelmed with Dean’s care and kindness and his indifference to media scrutiny. Dean turned the TV off when the collection of stories finished, looking down at his hands.
“Cas. We’re flying you back to New York tonight. Now that you’re awake. I’m sorry I was so crazy about finding you. You are the only friend I have so I just wanted- I mean- you’re the only friend I have.”
Dean didn’t meet Cas’s eye when he said that and Cas felt a slight twinge of disappointment. He wanted Dean to consider him as more than just a friend, but it seemed obvious that Dean would never consider it otherwise.
Dean gave him one last smile before patting him gently on the shoulder and going to get a doctor. She was a kind Woman and explained Cas’s injuries and situation. Cas wasn’t paying much attention. He was too busy thinking of Dean and the way he carried Cas into the ambulance, how kind he was, how gentile he was, how caring. Cas looked at Dean and he saw the man he could spend the rest of his life with and it was no surprise, no matter how terrifying it was.
He got a call from Gabriel later that day. Gabe fretted over him for hours before Cas handed the phone to Dean and let him handle it. He was flighted out with Dean panicking next to him.
“Jesus Christ, Dean,” Cas mumbled, laying in the bed of the hospital jet. “How did you even fly over here?”
“I had something to concentrate on.” Cas blushed and left Dean to his annoying humming. Cas watched Dean and how the muscles on the back of his neck tensed with every bit of turbulence.
They landed in New York and Cas was privately escorted to a hospital. Thank god for private airports.
Cas met a lot of people in his time at Shirley Medical. He met Sam Winchester first, and he was a great man. He and Sam got along very well and bonded over the subjects of Shakespeare and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Dean was with him the whole time. Cas talked to the reporter cameras on a Thursday, letting them ask him questions. He met the man who saved his life, Samandriel. He was a very kind boy. Dean gave him a hug and some pie and Cas felt himself blushing.
Becky Rosen stopped by and told Cas how heroic Dean was. In fact, Becky’s visit was the only time Dean left his side. Becky kept talking about how beautiful Dean’s love for him was and how love saved the day. Cas found himself unable to meet her eye, wishing with all his heart that what she was saying was true.
The people from the News company came down and planned for him to come back to work in three weeks when he could walk. Dean bargained with them and made them give Cas a month.
Jo and Ellen visited and fretted over how he was being fed and what he was eating and how bad his injuries were. Ellen and Jo just loved Dean and they bonded over being gun owners and football scores. They watched Doctor Sexy together before Cas drifted off to sleep. He woke up tucked under a blanked and Dean didn’t confirm if it was him or Ellen or Jo that put the blanket there.
Cas was aloud to go outside the hospital in a wheelchair for the second week out of the two he ended up staying at the hospital. It was probably a bad idea to let Dean wheel him around. The whole time Dean decided to run. Sometimes he would run really fast right by a wall then hold Cas by the back of the shirt and stop suddenly, chuckling at the way Cas widened his eyes in fear and annoyance. Dean would pretend to let him go and let Cas roll down a hill for twenty feet or so before picking him back up again. The rest of the healing process was slow yet relaxing and Dean was there the whole time. He even challenged a few people to wheelchair races. He laughed ad Cas’s screaming. Cas ended up laughing too.
Cas was released with the wheelchair, some crutches for the next week, and an endless amount of pain meds. They gave Dean the pain meds to give to Cas every morning and night. It made sense, because even with the Wheelchair shenanigans, Dean had become quite the caretaker.
When they were in Cas’s apartment. Dean made Cas’s soup, took out his trash, heck, when Dean didn’t have practice or games, he lived in Cas’s apartment. He slept on Cas’s pull out couch. He tucked Cas in at night. Cas was practically basking in Dean’s kindness.
Whenever Dean would come in, sit on the bed with Cas, feed him, Cas honestly just wanted to kiss him completely breathless. Cas wanted so much more from him. More than Dean could ever give. It was incredibly saddening to know how he couldn’t get that.
Dean was the one who picked out Cas’s bow tie and polo shirt for his first day back at work. Castiel was the dumb ass who couldn’t help but blush. Cas knew it was time for Dean to stop sleeping on the couch and he had a big game on Friday and had to leave on the day Cas went back to work. It was the last game of the season. It was no Superbowl but it was quite the event.
Dean was packing up his toothbrush and toothpaste and Cas watched, feeling like a part of him was about to walk out that door. He went to the living room and grabbed his old blanket from the couch.
“Bet you’re glad I’m leavin’” Dean mumbled, “Now you get your alone time and stuff.”
Cas sighed, not wanting to answer, probably because he was holding back tears. He crossed his arms and gripped the Fabric of his own light green polo for support. His blue bow tie suddenly felt ridiculous around his neck. It felt as if it were strangling him. He leaned against the doorframe and looked down at his arms, crossing his legs. He just wanted to disappear.
Dean noticed, the put down his stuff and looked towards Cas.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’ll just be weird with you not here. I got used to having a uh- a friend around.”
Cas swore he saw Dean blush. He didn’t quite meet Cas’s eyes as he said the sentence that altered his entire existence.
“I can stay if you’d like. I have money and was looking to maybe just get a roommate anyway. So if you.. I don’t know.. want me around...
Cas’s heart filled like a helium balloon.
“Yes!,” He interrupted, all too quickly. There was certainly no room to think of the consequences. Cas didn’t even have much of a spare bed room. He had an extra room that was completely devoid of furniture, so he could fix that up. The worst consequence that Cas was too blinded to see is the fact that he would be living with the man Cas wanted to have a lot of hot sex with.
Dean looked positively elated at Cas’s acceptance and that further pushed the doubts in Castiel’s mind as far away as possible.
“Let’s talk about financial stuff later and I’ll call Sammy and He’ll help bring my stuff over if that’s okay? I know you have that empty room so maybe I could take that. I’ll be really good! I’ll but the cap on the toothpaste and if you cook, I’ll clean, and I can help you water the plants and we Can watch tv together. How bout Saturday? It will be good because it will be after the game, you know?”
Cas smiled as Dean went on, beaming at the prospect. And what an amazing feeling it was, the pure pride and happiness that came with Dean’s excitement. Cas felt himself nearly bouncing out the door on his way to work.
He did the headlines, got the fan mail, but ultimately there was only one message he cared about. Dean, surprisingly enough, sent him a message through text.
Dean Winchester: Hey Cas. You gave me this number a while ago. Thought this would be easier to communicate on the go style. ;)
Dean Winchester: That was meant to be a smiley face, not a winky face. I am not coming on to you. Hahahahahahahahahah
Dean would receive these messages in return.
Cas: No worries, Dean. How has practice been going?
Dean Winchester: Pretty well considering.
Cas: Considering what?
Dean Winchester: NVM
Cas: Dean, please tell me, I won’t judge.
Dean Winchester: How was your first day back? Who was the genius who put you in that polo and bow tie? :)
Cas: I can see you don’t want to talk about it. It was great. I got the best ratings I have ever gotten and got good reviews for the show.
Dean Winchester: That’s good for you Cas!
Dean Winchester: Cassie your eyes are so pretty
Dean Winchester: I want to lick your cocsdfgasjhdfg
Dean Winchester: SORRY! That was Andy just screwin around. Sorry Cas. I have to go. As you can tell they are not happy that I’m texting at the bar. Whatever. Goodnight. Sleep Well.
But Cas couldn’t sleep well with the thoughts of Dean Winchester clinging in his mind.
It seemed to take an eternity until Saturday finally came about. On Friday, Jo and Ellen and Cas watched the game together and screamed their support as they won. Cas had never been happier as he watched Dean scream in celebration with his teammates. He sent Dean a few congratulatory texts and voicemails before going to sleep.
Cas got a call from Dean first thing Saturday morning saying how happy was and how “this is the best week ever”, and so on. Cas couldn’t help but agree. This had been a wonderful week. Cas got a call from Sam asking for his address. For some reason, Cas was nervous to see Sam. He hoped Sam didn't see right through Cas’s “we’re just friends,” act.
Unfortunately for him, Sam ended up seeing through him like a glass door someone would walk into. It was that horrendous. As soon as Sam marched on in, swinging his long, gangly legs behind him, he raised his eyebrows suggestively at Cas.
“So..,” Sam started, setting the boxes down. “it’s good to see you in one piece, Castiel. The bed is on its’ way. Dean says he needs it but I happen to disagree, do you need the extra bed?
“of course, Sam. “ Cas mumbled, feeling heat spread through his cheeks.
“God.. You guys just need to get together already.”
“Sam Dean doesn’t like me that way”
“Funny, he said the same thing about you, Cas. I assume you are making a sad attempt to treat Dean like you would a friend, but Dean might just be doing the same thing.”
To avoid getting hurt, Cas stored the idea somewhere far away. He just gave a weak smile.
“hey man,” Sam started, “I’m sorry. I realize this must be a touchy subject. I just want my brother to be happy. He won’t admit it, but he has been under a lot of stress lately with our friend’s and parent’s killer at large. The police have no leads. Don’t tell Dean that, but they really don’t.”
Cas sighed, It must have been so hard.Cas was estranged from his parents, but even then, he would never want to see them dead.
Sam’s phone started ringing and Cas let out a sigh of relief at the end of their little “chat”.
“Hey Man. Yeah. Yeah. I’m here now. He’s right here.” Sam pulled the phone from his ear, “Dean says hi.” Cas smiled. Sam went back to the phone. “Dean, I got your stuff, no, no, don’t worry. I threw out the magazines. Yeah, just bring over your bed and stuff. You got the u-haul right. Jerk. Okay. See you in five.”
Cas fidgeted nervously.
“What was that about?”
“Oh, Dean is just being an angsty little jerk, don’t worry about it.”
Cas smiled half heartedly as he helped carry Dean’s stuff into his new room. Dean arrived around five minutes later with a confident attitude and a grin that could have powered the city. He gave Cas a big hug and Cas relished in it, loving the way it made him feel .
Cas almost whined as Dean pulled away from him. The hug probably lasted too long to be a normal hug, but Cas couldn’t care less. They helped Dean with the furniture next, letting him bitch and moan about how Cas’s building didn’t have a good parking spot for his ‘baby’.
When they were finally settled in, the first thing Dean did was go to the store.
“All you have is rabbit food, Cas,” He grumbled.
Cas smiled when Dean came home with groceries. He could get used to the domesticity of that sight. The only thing missing was Dean giving him a friendly kiss on the cheek.
They settled into a routine quickly and Cas started finding it impossibly harder to ignore his feelings for Dean. They would often settle down and watch Doctor Sexy or the Travel Channel depending on who won rock paper scissors. Castiel quickly found out that Dean always picked scissors, but he acted as if he didn’t know and threw about half of the games. Dean always smiled and blushed when Doctor Sexy walked on screen and Cas always smiled and blushed when he saw Dean smile and blush. He also, in order to attain a certain amount of distance from Dean, Sat on a chair next to the couch while Dean sprawled out on the couch.
Dean started taking Cas for runs and Cas, who was immensely out of shape, was humiliated yet also excited with every run. Dean always made breakfast and Cas always made dinner. They would often go out to lunch if they could. If they ever went out for breakfast or Dinner, they would rock paper scissors on who payed the bill. Again, Castiel threw about fifty percent of the games.
There was little to no conflict that came with living with Dean, sure, he was a pig, but only in his room and sure, with every day it became more and more of a challenge not to spring on top of the man and kiss him until he was disoriented and dizzy. Cas’s hand was sore from all his suspicious visits to the bathroom.
Everything went to hell, though, when one night about a few months after Dean moved in, Cas was sleeping in his bed and someone broke into his apartment. He woke up to a man looming over with him with a knife. It took him a few seconds for adrenaline to kick in and for him to realize he was in danger.
“Oh Dear lord,” Cas screeched, grabbing a nearby lamp post and swinging it. His first thought was if Dean was alright. The knife looked clean so that was...... good.
“Leave me alone!” Cas screamed, hitting the guy’s arm with his lamp, the shatter of the bulb didn’t even stir this masked invader from stepping closer.
“No,” The man mumbled, “Winchesters must feel pain.”
“HOW DARE YOU. YOU ARE A SICK MAN!,” Cas hollered. Trying something, anything, to block the man. He managed to elbow him in the gut and started to run, desperately hoping to get out. He could hear his blood whooshing in his ears and his heart felt like it was trying to escape his own chest. He couldn’t even breathe normally. He managed to make it to the door, but while opening it, the man came for him again. Cas gasped in pain as his head hit the doorknob. Before he knew what was happening, the man was on top of him. Cas tried to fight, tried to struggle or scream, but the knife started to raise. Cas let a deep breath in trying to grab at the man when he heard three loud pops and the man went still. It was only when the man fell right next to Cas and revealed a terrified and pale Dean Winchester with a gun in his hands did he realize what happened.
“Dean-,” Cas started, watching as Dean threw up right outside his door. He was shaking, obviously not very familiar with using a gun or killing people. He put a hand over his mouth and let out what Cas may have perceived as a sob.
Cas ran over to Dean and stroked his back gently, really shaken up himself. He called the police who were already on their way because they heard gunshots fired. Dean was taken to the station to work out some legal troubles and give a more formal statement.
They gave Cas a shock blanket and dabbed at the cut on his face from the door knob. Cas tried not to act too shaky as he told his story. Sheriff Mills, the woman who was taking his statement, was extremely kind. She let him babble and stutter and shiver. She was very accepting. Cas hoped that Dean was dealing with a sheriff like that. He called Sam, who was at the police station with Dean. All Cas could do was wait.
Last Part!