The Crossroads: Grace
Title: The Crossroads
Author: zimothy
Claim: Bridge to Terabithia
Genre: Friendship/Family
Pairing(s): Minor Dean/Castiel
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 15,700
Warnings: Language, Character Death
Summary: Dean Winchester had a plan in life, ask anyone in his 9th grade class. Though, when the human whirlwind known as Castiel Hatfield comes to town, Dean's entire life suddenly goes off kilter.
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3:
Raphael was a dick. Dean knew this without a doubt.
Confronting Dean in the weight room was one thing, but now he was extending his presence to Castiel as well. Dean had been in the middle of a conversation with Castiel on crocatta whenever the older boy walked up to them and sneered at Castiel before turning to look at Dean.
"For future reference, Dean. Homosexuality is a sin, and if you keep it up, God will smite you."
Castiel, being rather religious, took instantly to the topic. "What, Raphael, does friendship have to do with homosexuality?" He barked, anger evident in his face. Dean stared at him and Raphael opened his mouth to retort, but Castiel cut him off.
"While we're on the subject, where in the bible does it outright state such things? Nowhere? Then that means you shouldn't interpret God's word the way you want, because that, Raphael, is also a sin."
Castiel didn't get another word out before Raphael was shoving him back. Instead of retaliating, Castiel moved back with the shove, lessening the blow. Raphael growled low in his throat, taking a swing at Castiel's head. The attack was dodged with ease and Dean grinned.
"Hit him, Cas!" Dean cheered. Castiel ignored Dean's words, instead moving to avoid another blow from Raphael. A crowd of students started around the two, but Castiel refused to take a single swing.
That is, until someone shoved Dean into the fray and Raphael's fist socked him right in the side of the nose. Castiel was on Raphael in an instant, heel cracking against the boy's shin and then kneeing him in the gut when Raphael bent forward in pain.
Backing off as quickly as he'd jumped into the fight, Castiel helped Dean to his feet. They both stared at Raphael with wary eyes, waiting for the other boy to attack again. However, the fight was stopped the second a teacher came bustling through the crowd.
The woman took one look at Dean's bloody nose and Raphael's panting form before sending Raphael to the principal's office and Dean and Castiel to the nurse.
As they walked, Dean turned to look at Castiel. "Why didn't you show him his place? You could totally beat him in a fight!" He cried softly. Castiel shook his head, motioning for Dean to tilt his head back and pinch his nose.
"It isn't my right to teach another their place. That is only the right of God." Castiel responded gently. Dean made a face, but didn't argue the matter.
After the nurse had stopped Dean's bloody nose, they were sent to the principal's office. Both boys stood outside the door and Dean watched a man, who obviously wasn't Raphael's real father, reprimand the boy violently. Dean was at a loss for words, unable to do much more than watch this man shake and scream at Raphael for his behavior.
"Did you know that Raphael was adopted, Dean?" Castiel asked, his voice low. Dean shook his head and Castiel continued. "He lives in foster care with the priest's family. Raphael has been his entire life without a home to call his own." Castiel looked away from the scene to stare at Dean.
"Do you understand, now?"
Dean nodded mutely, and the principal beckoned them into the room while Raphael was dragged out by the priest.
The next day, Raphael brushed by Dean and Castiel without a single glance. His lip was swollen - the edge of it scabbed over. Castiel nudged Dean with his elbow, motioning to Raphael.
Dean shook his head furiously. "The guy's a dick! Why would you want to make him feel better?" He hissed. Castiel ignored Dean's words and followed Raphael.
"Jesus people..." Dean muttered under his breath, eyes rolling upward in exasperation. Castiel caught Raphael's arm outside the hallway, speaking to the other boy in a soft undertone. They exchanged words for a few moments and then both bowed their heads in prayer. Afterwards, Raphael grabbed Castiel's arm before the shorter boy could return to Dean's side. What he said, Dean couldn't catch, but Castiel nodded and they parted ways.
"What did you say to him?" Dean asked once Castiel was within talking distance. His response was nothing but a shake of the head.
The rest of the day passed like normal, as did the ride home. Dean and Castiel spent a few hours in The Garden, but Dean did nothing but talk about Lisa Braeden. After the third comment on the girl's personality and body, Castiel stopped mid-stance to drop his hands in exasperation.
"Dean, a hunter shouldn't focus on menial things like crushes. They are responsible for the lives of many, and cannot focus on someone who is unable to take care of themselves in a crisis." He said, voice low and serious. Dean grinned, shrugging his friend’s words off like a fly.
"I wouldn't mind taking care of her, if you know what I mean." Dean said with a grin, wiggling his eyebrows. Castiel huffed out through his nose, mouth pursing into a scowl.
"Just... don't let her see The Garden, okay? This place should only be known by other hunters, to keep it safe from evil." Castiel had taken to constantly calling their training ground 'The Garden of Eden', or 'The Garden' for short. Dean didn't particularly care for all the religious references, but it made Castiel happy to have such a sanctuary that he could hold in high regards.
In fact, Dean didn't get a lot of the religious references that Castiel made, but over the past few weeks he'd taken to reading important passages out of the bible at Castiel's request. (Most of those passages were found in Revelations, where Dean learned about every sign of an oncoming apocalypse.) If anything, it helped Dean understand Castiel's thought process a little better; given that it was usually Castiel who had to explain the meaning of various verses.
Personally, Dean considered Angels and all that stuff a bunch of bull, but the stories about ghosts and demons and monsters were somewhat believable.
November was coming around the corner, and Dean knew for a fact that Castiel's 15th birthday was only a couple of days away. In that time, he'd spent hours searching for the perfect gift.
The day before Castiel's birthday, Dean begged his mother to take him into the city. He'd saved up all his money and had just enough to get Castiel something nice. Mary was all too happy to oblige, and he, Adam and Sam all piled into Mary's restored Volkswagen for a trip to the city. They went through store after store, until Dean caught sight of a sign in front of the local pet store.
An idea hit him, and Dean knew exactly what he was going to get Castiel.
The next day, Dean met Castiel at the bus stop with a wide grin.
"Happy birthday, Cas." He and Sam said in unison. Dean could barely contain his excitement for the end of the school day to come. Castiel tilted his head, mouth pulling into a tiny smile.
"Thank you, Dean." He responded, obviously expecting nothing more from his best friend.
"I got you a present!" Dean blurted out before he could stop himself.
Castiel quirked an eyebrow, gaze looking down at Dean's empty hands and then to his book bag.
"I don't have it with me; it’s too big to bring to school. I'm gonna give it to you after school. You can come over for a little bit, right?" Dean added, elbowing Sam when his younger brother started to giggle excitedly. Castiel seemed intrigued, but Dean kept his mouth shut.
They spent the bus ride to and from school talking about things to put in Dean's journal, and by the time they got off the bus, it took all of Dean's free will to stay put and wait for Sam.
"I must admit, I'm curious about this present you've gotten me, Dean." Castiel muttered, looking more and more impatient as they waited for Sam's bus. Yeah, he was excited, Dean could totally tell.
The second Sam stepped off the bus, all three boys were running to the Winchester house. (stopping every now and then to let Sam catch up when he lagged behind.) Dean burst through the front door first, running for the large object sitting on the living room table that was covered in a sheet. Castiel's eyes grew as wide as saucers the very second he heard chirping coming from the sheet, and Dean lifted it up to hand it to his friend.
Castiel looked at the object in his hands for a very long time, listening to it chirp and peep loudly before he slowly removed the sheet covering it.
"A finch?" Castiel asked softly, voice full of wonder.
"YEAH!" Sam cried, jumping up and down next to the bird cage that Castiel held in his hand. Dean rubbed the back of his head shyly, shrugging once.
"Well, I couldn't afford a really big bird..... but you kinda remind me of a bird, you know?" He explained, waving a hand around to accentuate his point. Castiel looked up from the little hopping and fluttering ball of feathers and stared at Dean, brows furrowed.
Dean elaborated, "Well, you're always thinking about being somewhere else... and I bet if you had wings, you'd fly everywhere and see everything."
An expression crossed Castiel's face that Dean couldn't identify, something close to adoration. (Dean knew he'd love the gift.) Castiel ran his hand down the side of the small bird cage, looking back at the small creature with a gentle smile.
"I love it. Thank you, Dean."
Castiel ended up naming the bird Grace, arguing Dean's complaint of it being a girl's name (when the shop owner TOLD Dean it was a boy) by explaining that Grace is something inside of you, that it has no gender.
It wasn't long before Grace came with them to The Garden, sitting in his cage and chirping to the bird in the trees.
Over a week had passed since Grace had joined their ragtag group when Dean decided something.
"Hey Castiel... I was thinking about maybe... asking Lisa Braeden on a date."
Castiel's face contorted into displeased scowl, but it was gone just as quickly as it had come. "She doesn't seem your type." He muttered, ducking a swing from Dean and grabbing his hand to twist it behind his back. Dean yelped, and Castiel let him go. They faced off again and Dean put his arms down from the defensive pose he'd taken to grin lewdly.
"She does yoga man. How is that NOT my type?" He asked, his young teenage mind already turning the gears. Castiel rolled his eyes and took a mock-swing at Dean's face for the other boy to dodge, obviously telling him to drop the subject.
Dean asked Lisa out on a Thursday, and by the time he was on the bus, he was bursting with newfound excitement. He flopped into his seat beside Castiel, hands flailing. "Oh man, Cas. You should have seen her face when I asked her out. She was totally waiting for it."
Castiel gave Dean a weak smile, one that Dean shrugged off as Castiel being himself.
He leaned back into his seat with a sated sigh. "I'm taking her to the movies tomorrow after school. I think we're gonna go into the city. Mom already said she'd give me money for the tickets, and extra to take her somewhere to eat. This is gonna be so awesome." Dean breathed out. Castiel said nothing for the longest time and Dean turned to face him.
"So.. what're you gonna do while I'm on my date?" He inquired. Castiel peered out the window, watching rain patter against it gently.
"Most likely I'll spend my day inside, reading a book. It’s been raining too much lately to do anything else." Castiel responded dutifully. Dean quirked an eyebrow at his friend's behavior, but didn't press the matter.
It was too rainy to make their normal venture out to The Garden, so they parted ways after reaching the road to Dean and Sam's house.
Dean instantly told his mother about the date with Lisa the next day, and Mary took to it wonderfully, going so far as to help Dean lay out the entire date into a perfectly executable plan.
The next day, Castiel met Dean at the bus stop. He looked like he wanted to say something, but ended up letting Sam talk instead. The ten year old blathered on and on about having trouble writing in cursive like his teacher wanted, and how his regular handwriting was much better than his cursive. Dean watched Castiel, even after they got on the bus. He waited, but Castiel never got around to saying what was on his mind. Dean shrugged it off by the end of the bus ride to school, clambering off and jogging into the school with a cheerful wave goodbye to Castiel.
They wouldn't see each other on the bus after school, since Dean was going to go on the city bus with Lisa to make it to the matinee he'd picked out, but Dean knew that he'd be going over to Castiel's that night to tell him all about the date. The day took forever to pass, though he and Lisa passed notes back and forth during all of science class. When the final bell rang, Dean met Lisa outside the front steps. Castiel walked by, heading for the bus, and Dean waved eagerly at him. Castiel tilted his head in Dean's direction, wiggling his fingers in a small wave, and boarded the bus.
Dean turned to look at Lisa, excitement putting a wide grin on his face. "Ready?" He asked. Lisa smiled and nodded.
"I've never taken the city bus before." She confessed. Dean scoffed, waving a hand about flippantly.
"It’s like the school bus, only quieter and more old people." He explained, walking with her down the street to the city bus stop.
After the bus dropped them off outside the movie theater, Dean paid for Lisa and himself, as well as a bucket of popcorn and a giant soda with two straws. They held hands during most of the movie, regardless of how greasy the popcorn butter had made their fingers, and afterwards Dean took Lisa to McDonalds for something to eat.
The rain was pouring in torrents, but surprisingly, Lisa didn't mind getting soaking wet.
"I like the rain, it’s nice." She explained as they shared a McFlurry. Dean nodded seriously, taking a lick from his spoon.
"That's cool. A lot cooler than most girls. I don't think Cas likes the rain too much, but he's weird." Dean joked, trying to laugh and failing. He felt guilty, teasing his best friend without Castiel there to defend himself. "But Castiel's really cool. I'm sure you guys'll get along great." He amended after a moment. Lisa nodded, eating a spoonful of the M&M laden ice cream.
"He seems nice, quiet though."
Dean barked out a laugh, unable to help himself. "Oh, he talks all right. You just gotta know what to say first to get him talkin'." At Dean's words, Lisa laughed softly.
"Okay, I'll take your word for it." She teased. Dean grinned brightly and took another spoonful of McFlurry.
After they'd finished eating, both teens emerged from McDonalds and into the soaking rain. Lisa dragged Dean all over the city, exploring the various shops and strips that were within walking distance. The rain hadn't let up after the second hour, but Dean didn't mind being soaking wet if it meant more time to spend with Lisa.
Five o'clock rolled around soon enough, and Dean parted ways with Lisa at the city bus station -where her dad had shown up to pick her up. Lisa left him with a hug and a kiss on the cheek before climbing into her father's car.
Dean rode the next bus home with a dopey smile on his face, jumping off at the edge of the dirt road leading to his house and making the walk home with leisure. The rain had started to let up, finally, but Dean was soaked to the bone already - not that he cared.
He opened the front door to find everyone clustered in the living room in a group hug.
"What's going on?" He asked. John leapt to his feet, running over to Dean and grabbing him violently by the arms.
"Where have you BEEN?" He roared, shaking Dean with enough force that the boy's head jerked back and forth. Dean squirmed out of his father's grasp.
"Lisa wanted to look around the city for a little while, why?" Dean looked over his dad's shoulder to see his mother holding her mouth and shaking her head, tears streaking her cheeks. Sam was sobbing loudly, clinging to his mother and Adam's cries were just as loud, his head nestled against Sam's stomach.
"Wh-what's going on?" Dean breathed, looking back at his father.
"Why is everyone crying?"
John released Dean with a wavering sigh, bringing a hand up to wipe at his face. "Your friend.... Castiel... Dean. he's... he fell." The man croaked out, kneeling down to be more level with his son.
Dean's face contorted into a look of worry. "Is he okay? Did he break something? Where did he fall?" His questions went unanswered as John shook his head slowly, grabbing onto Dean once more.
"Dean... he fell during the storm... he hit his head." John paused, breathing in deeply and continuing, "Wherever you boys go after school - that creek filled up. He.... his parents said he didn't know how to swim."
Dean's stomach bottomed out, a burning sensation ripping through his entire being. He stepped out of his father's half-embrace. "S-so.. is he at the hospital? He-- I mean.. he's okay, right?" Dean's broken question caused Mary to burst into tears, clutching her two younger sons to her body.
Dean's mouth shut with a click and he instantly whirled on his feet, dashing out the door before his father could stop him. Dean ran as fast and as hard as he could; only stopping when he caught sight of the muddy tire marks that lead towards what he and Castiel had come to know as the crossroads. Dean froze in front of the weather-worn scarecrow that was perched between the two paths. Everything he was feeling suddenly bubbled up and Dean started screaming before he could even think of controlling himself.
"Crowley! CROWLEY! IF you're really there, come out! You're a demon, you have to make a deal! You have to bring him back!" The scarecrow remained immobile and Dean's eyes burned with tears - though they mingled with the rain on his cheeks. His chest ached, a pain that shot through his gut and all the way down to his fingertips. Sobs pushed up inside of him, but Dean ignored in his own anger and confusion.
"This can't be one big fucking lie! I know Cas wouldn't make this shit up just to be friends! Where are you?! CROWLEY!" Dean screamed, his voice breaking at the end. He reached out to the scarecrow, tugging and pulling it to try and wrench it from the ground. His father's arms were around him in an instant, pulling Dean into a hug he didn't want. Dean fought, shoving and squirming to get free. He didn't stop yelling.
"Crowley! CROWLEY! C- CAS. CASTIEL!" Dean sobbed, "YOU SAID YOU WERE AN ANGEL! You said you could protect yourself!" He cried, no longer directing his rage and heartbreak at the wet scarecrow before him. "What about Grace?! WHAT ABOUT ME!? You can't just- you can't just LEAVE like that! Wh- what kind of angel just LEAVES?!" Dean screamed himself hoarse, dissolving into tears as John clutched his son tightly.
"Dad, he can't be gone." Dean moaned brokenly, releasing a keening wail from the back of his throat. His fingers clutched at John's wet shirt, skin soaking up the man's warmth. John rocked him back and forth, one large hand brushing Dean's wet hair out of his face and the other pulling him into John's lap.
Dean sobbed himself to sleep with the sound of his father's singing 'Hey Jude' in his ears.
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Epilogue
Author: zimothy
Claim: Bridge to Terabithia
Genre: Friendship/Family
Pairing(s): Minor Dean/Castiel
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 15,700
Warnings: Language, Character Death
Summary: Dean Winchester had a plan in life, ask anyone in his 9th grade class. Though, when the human whirlwind known as Castiel Hatfield comes to town, Dean's entire life suddenly goes off kilter.
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3:
Raphael was a dick. Dean knew this without a doubt.
Confronting Dean in the weight room was one thing, but now he was extending his presence to Castiel as well. Dean had been in the middle of a conversation with Castiel on crocatta whenever the older boy walked up to them and sneered at Castiel before turning to look at Dean.
"For future reference, Dean. Homosexuality is a sin, and if you keep it up, God will smite you."
Castiel, being rather religious, took instantly to the topic. "What, Raphael, does friendship have to do with homosexuality?" He barked, anger evident in his face. Dean stared at him and Raphael opened his mouth to retort, but Castiel cut him off.
"While we're on the subject, where in the bible does it outright state such things? Nowhere? Then that means you shouldn't interpret God's word the way you want, because that, Raphael, is also a sin."
Castiel didn't get another word out before Raphael was shoving him back. Instead of retaliating, Castiel moved back with the shove, lessening the blow. Raphael growled low in his throat, taking a swing at Castiel's head. The attack was dodged with ease and Dean grinned.
"Hit him, Cas!" Dean cheered. Castiel ignored Dean's words, instead moving to avoid another blow from Raphael. A crowd of students started around the two, but Castiel refused to take a single swing.
That is, until someone shoved Dean into the fray and Raphael's fist socked him right in the side of the nose. Castiel was on Raphael in an instant, heel cracking against the boy's shin and then kneeing him in the gut when Raphael bent forward in pain.
Backing off as quickly as he'd jumped into the fight, Castiel helped Dean to his feet. They both stared at Raphael with wary eyes, waiting for the other boy to attack again. However, the fight was stopped the second a teacher came bustling through the crowd.
The woman took one look at Dean's bloody nose and Raphael's panting form before sending Raphael to the principal's office and Dean and Castiel to the nurse.
As they walked, Dean turned to look at Castiel. "Why didn't you show him his place? You could totally beat him in a fight!" He cried softly. Castiel shook his head, motioning for Dean to tilt his head back and pinch his nose.
"It isn't my right to teach another their place. That is only the right of God." Castiel responded gently. Dean made a face, but didn't argue the matter.
After the nurse had stopped Dean's bloody nose, they were sent to the principal's office. Both boys stood outside the door and Dean watched a man, who obviously wasn't Raphael's real father, reprimand the boy violently. Dean was at a loss for words, unable to do much more than watch this man shake and scream at Raphael for his behavior.
"Did you know that Raphael was adopted, Dean?" Castiel asked, his voice low. Dean shook his head and Castiel continued. "He lives in foster care with the priest's family. Raphael has been his entire life without a home to call his own." Castiel looked away from the scene to stare at Dean.
"Do you understand, now?"
Dean nodded mutely, and the principal beckoned them into the room while Raphael was dragged out by the priest.
The next day, Raphael brushed by Dean and Castiel without a single glance. His lip was swollen - the edge of it scabbed over. Castiel nudged Dean with his elbow, motioning to Raphael.
Dean shook his head furiously. "The guy's a dick! Why would you want to make him feel better?" He hissed. Castiel ignored Dean's words and followed Raphael.
"Jesus people..." Dean muttered under his breath, eyes rolling upward in exasperation. Castiel caught Raphael's arm outside the hallway, speaking to the other boy in a soft undertone. They exchanged words for a few moments and then both bowed their heads in prayer. Afterwards, Raphael grabbed Castiel's arm before the shorter boy could return to Dean's side. What he said, Dean couldn't catch, but Castiel nodded and they parted ways.
"What did you say to him?" Dean asked once Castiel was within talking distance. His response was nothing but a shake of the head.
The rest of the day passed like normal, as did the ride home. Dean and Castiel spent a few hours in The Garden, but Dean did nothing but talk about Lisa Braeden. After the third comment on the girl's personality and body, Castiel stopped mid-stance to drop his hands in exasperation.
"Dean, a hunter shouldn't focus on menial things like crushes. They are responsible for the lives of many, and cannot focus on someone who is unable to take care of themselves in a crisis." He said, voice low and serious. Dean grinned, shrugging his friend’s words off like a fly.
"I wouldn't mind taking care of her, if you know what I mean." Dean said with a grin, wiggling his eyebrows. Castiel huffed out through his nose, mouth pursing into a scowl.
"Just... don't let her see The Garden, okay? This place should only be known by other hunters, to keep it safe from evil." Castiel had taken to constantly calling their training ground 'The Garden of Eden', or 'The Garden' for short. Dean didn't particularly care for all the religious references, but it made Castiel happy to have such a sanctuary that he could hold in high regards.
In fact, Dean didn't get a lot of the religious references that Castiel made, but over the past few weeks he'd taken to reading important passages out of the bible at Castiel's request. (Most of those passages were found in Revelations, where Dean learned about every sign of an oncoming apocalypse.) If anything, it helped Dean understand Castiel's thought process a little better; given that it was usually Castiel who had to explain the meaning of various verses.
Personally, Dean considered Angels and all that stuff a bunch of bull, but the stories about ghosts and demons and monsters were somewhat believable.
November was coming around the corner, and Dean knew for a fact that Castiel's 15th birthday was only a couple of days away. In that time, he'd spent hours searching for the perfect gift.
The day before Castiel's birthday, Dean begged his mother to take him into the city. He'd saved up all his money and had just enough to get Castiel something nice. Mary was all too happy to oblige, and he, Adam and Sam all piled into Mary's restored Volkswagen for a trip to the city. They went through store after store, until Dean caught sight of a sign in front of the local pet store.
An idea hit him, and Dean knew exactly what he was going to get Castiel.
The next day, Dean met Castiel at the bus stop with a wide grin.
"Happy birthday, Cas." He and Sam said in unison. Dean could barely contain his excitement for the end of the school day to come. Castiel tilted his head, mouth pulling into a tiny smile.
"Thank you, Dean." He responded, obviously expecting nothing more from his best friend.
"I got you a present!" Dean blurted out before he could stop himself.
Castiel quirked an eyebrow, gaze looking down at Dean's empty hands and then to his book bag.
"I don't have it with me; it’s too big to bring to school. I'm gonna give it to you after school. You can come over for a little bit, right?" Dean added, elbowing Sam when his younger brother started to giggle excitedly. Castiel seemed intrigued, but Dean kept his mouth shut.
They spent the bus ride to and from school talking about things to put in Dean's journal, and by the time they got off the bus, it took all of Dean's free will to stay put and wait for Sam.
"I must admit, I'm curious about this present you've gotten me, Dean." Castiel muttered, looking more and more impatient as they waited for Sam's bus. Yeah, he was excited, Dean could totally tell.
The second Sam stepped off the bus, all three boys were running to the Winchester house. (stopping every now and then to let Sam catch up when he lagged behind.) Dean burst through the front door first, running for the large object sitting on the living room table that was covered in a sheet. Castiel's eyes grew as wide as saucers the very second he heard chirping coming from the sheet, and Dean lifted it up to hand it to his friend.
Castiel looked at the object in his hands for a very long time, listening to it chirp and peep loudly before he slowly removed the sheet covering it.
"A finch?" Castiel asked softly, voice full of wonder.
"YEAH!" Sam cried, jumping up and down next to the bird cage that Castiel held in his hand. Dean rubbed the back of his head shyly, shrugging once.
"Well, I couldn't afford a really big bird..... but you kinda remind me of a bird, you know?" He explained, waving a hand around to accentuate his point. Castiel looked up from the little hopping and fluttering ball of feathers and stared at Dean, brows furrowed.
Dean elaborated, "Well, you're always thinking about being somewhere else... and I bet if you had wings, you'd fly everywhere and see everything."
An expression crossed Castiel's face that Dean couldn't identify, something close to adoration. (Dean knew he'd love the gift.) Castiel ran his hand down the side of the small bird cage, looking back at the small creature with a gentle smile.
"I love it. Thank you, Dean."
Castiel ended up naming the bird Grace, arguing Dean's complaint of it being a girl's name (when the shop owner TOLD Dean it was a boy) by explaining that Grace is something inside of you, that it has no gender.
It wasn't long before Grace came with them to The Garden, sitting in his cage and chirping to the bird in the trees.
Over a week had passed since Grace had joined their ragtag group when Dean decided something.
"Hey Castiel... I was thinking about maybe... asking Lisa Braeden on a date."
Castiel's face contorted into displeased scowl, but it was gone just as quickly as it had come. "She doesn't seem your type." He muttered, ducking a swing from Dean and grabbing his hand to twist it behind his back. Dean yelped, and Castiel let him go. They faced off again and Dean put his arms down from the defensive pose he'd taken to grin lewdly.
"She does yoga man. How is that NOT my type?" He asked, his young teenage mind already turning the gears. Castiel rolled his eyes and took a mock-swing at Dean's face for the other boy to dodge, obviously telling him to drop the subject.
Dean asked Lisa out on a Thursday, and by the time he was on the bus, he was bursting with newfound excitement. He flopped into his seat beside Castiel, hands flailing. "Oh man, Cas. You should have seen her face when I asked her out. She was totally waiting for it."
Castiel gave Dean a weak smile, one that Dean shrugged off as Castiel being himself.
He leaned back into his seat with a sated sigh. "I'm taking her to the movies tomorrow after school. I think we're gonna go into the city. Mom already said she'd give me money for the tickets, and extra to take her somewhere to eat. This is gonna be so awesome." Dean breathed out. Castiel said nothing for the longest time and Dean turned to face him.
"So.. what're you gonna do while I'm on my date?" He inquired. Castiel peered out the window, watching rain patter against it gently.
"Most likely I'll spend my day inside, reading a book. It’s been raining too much lately to do anything else." Castiel responded dutifully. Dean quirked an eyebrow at his friend's behavior, but didn't press the matter.
It was too rainy to make their normal venture out to The Garden, so they parted ways after reaching the road to Dean and Sam's house.
Dean instantly told his mother about the date with Lisa the next day, and Mary took to it wonderfully, going so far as to help Dean lay out the entire date into a perfectly executable plan.
The next day, Castiel met Dean at the bus stop. He looked like he wanted to say something, but ended up letting Sam talk instead. The ten year old blathered on and on about having trouble writing in cursive like his teacher wanted, and how his regular handwriting was much better than his cursive. Dean watched Castiel, even after they got on the bus. He waited, but Castiel never got around to saying what was on his mind. Dean shrugged it off by the end of the bus ride to school, clambering off and jogging into the school with a cheerful wave goodbye to Castiel.
They wouldn't see each other on the bus after school, since Dean was going to go on the city bus with Lisa to make it to the matinee he'd picked out, but Dean knew that he'd be going over to Castiel's that night to tell him all about the date. The day took forever to pass, though he and Lisa passed notes back and forth during all of science class. When the final bell rang, Dean met Lisa outside the front steps. Castiel walked by, heading for the bus, and Dean waved eagerly at him. Castiel tilted his head in Dean's direction, wiggling his fingers in a small wave, and boarded the bus.
Dean turned to look at Lisa, excitement putting a wide grin on his face. "Ready?" He asked. Lisa smiled and nodded.
"I've never taken the city bus before." She confessed. Dean scoffed, waving a hand about flippantly.
"It’s like the school bus, only quieter and more old people." He explained, walking with her down the street to the city bus stop.
After the bus dropped them off outside the movie theater, Dean paid for Lisa and himself, as well as a bucket of popcorn and a giant soda with two straws. They held hands during most of the movie, regardless of how greasy the popcorn butter had made their fingers, and afterwards Dean took Lisa to McDonalds for something to eat.
The rain was pouring in torrents, but surprisingly, Lisa didn't mind getting soaking wet.
"I like the rain, it’s nice." She explained as they shared a McFlurry. Dean nodded seriously, taking a lick from his spoon.
"That's cool. A lot cooler than most girls. I don't think Cas likes the rain too much, but he's weird." Dean joked, trying to laugh and failing. He felt guilty, teasing his best friend without Castiel there to defend himself. "But Castiel's really cool. I'm sure you guys'll get along great." He amended after a moment. Lisa nodded, eating a spoonful of the M&M laden ice cream.
"He seems nice, quiet though."
Dean barked out a laugh, unable to help himself. "Oh, he talks all right. You just gotta know what to say first to get him talkin'." At Dean's words, Lisa laughed softly.
"Okay, I'll take your word for it." She teased. Dean grinned brightly and took another spoonful of McFlurry.
After they'd finished eating, both teens emerged from McDonalds and into the soaking rain. Lisa dragged Dean all over the city, exploring the various shops and strips that were within walking distance. The rain hadn't let up after the second hour, but Dean didn't mind being soaking wet if it meant more time to spend with Lisa.
Five o'clock rolled around soon enough, and Dean parted ways with Lisa at the city bus station -where her dad had shown up to pick her up. Lisa left him with a hug and a kiss on the cheek before climbing into her father's car.
Dean rode the next bus home with a dopey smile on his face, jumping off at the edge of the dirt road leading to his house and making the walk home with leisure. The rain had started to let up, finally, but Dean was soaked to the bone already - not that he cared.
He opened the front door to find everyone clustered in the living room in a group hug.
"What's going on?" He asked. John leapt to his feet, running over to Dean and grabbing him violently by the arms.
"Where have you BEEN?" He roared, shaking Dean with enough force that the boy's head jerked back and forth. Dean squirmed out of his father's grasp.
"Lisa wanted to look around the city for a little while, why?" Dean looked over his dad's shoulder to see his mother holding her mouth and shaking her head, tears streaking her cheeks. Sam was sobbing loudly, clinging to his mother and Adam's cries were just as loud, his head nestled against Sam's stomach.
"Wh-what's going on?" Dean breathed, looking back at his father.
"Why is everyone crying?"
John released Dean with a wavering sigh, bringing a hand up to wipe at his face. "Your friend.... Castiel... Dean. he's... he fell." The man croaked out, kneeling down to be more level with his son.
Dean's face contorted into a look of worry. "Is he okay? Did he break something? Where did he fall?" His questions went unanswered as John shook his head slowly, grabbing onto Dean once more.
"Dean... he fell during the storm... he hit his head." John paused, breathing in deeply and continuing, "Wherever you boys go after school - that creek filled up. He.... his parents said he didn't know how to swim."
Dean's stomach bottomed out, a burning sensation ripping through his entire being. He stepped out of his father's half-embrace. "S-so.. is he at the hospital? He-- I mean.. he's okay, right?" Dean's broken question caused Mary to burst into tears, clutching her two younger sons to her body.
Dean's mouth shut with a click and he instantly whirled on his feet, dashing out the door before his father could stop him. Dean ran as fast and as hard as he could; only stopping when he caught sight of the muddy tire marks that lead towards what he and Castiel had come to know as the crossroads. Dean froze in front of the weather-worn scarecrow that was perched between the two paths. Everything he was feeling suddenly bubbled up and Dean started screaming before he could even think of controlling himself.
"Crowley! CROWLEY! IF you're really there, come out! You're a demon, you have to make a deal! You have to bring him back!" The scarecrow remained immobile and Dean's eyes burned with tears - though they mingled with the rain on his cheeks. His chest ached, a pain that shot through his gut and all the way down to his fingertips. Sobs pushed up inside of him, but Dean ignored in his own anger and confusion.
"This can't be one big fucking lie! I know Cas wouldn't make this shit up just to be friends! Where are you?! CROWLEY!" Dean screamed, his voice breaking at the end. He reached out to the scarecrow, tugging and pulling it to try and wrench it from the ground. His father's arms were around him in an instant, pulling Dean into a hug he didn't want. Dean fought, shoving and squirming to get free. He didn't stop yelling.
"Crowley! CROWLEY! C- CAS. CASTIEL!" Dean sobbed, "YOU SAID YOU WERE AN ANGEL! You said you could protect yourself!" He cried, no longer directing his rage and heartbreak at the wet scarecrow before him. "What about Grace?! WHAT ABOUT ME!? You can't just- you can't just LEAVE like that! Wh- what kind of angel just LEAVES?!" Dean screamed himself hoarse, dissolving into tears as John clutched his son tightly.
"Dad, he can't be gone." Dean moaned brokenly, releasing a keening wail from the back of his throat. His fingers clutched at John's wet shirt, skin soaking up the man's warmth. John rocked him back and forth, one large hand brushing Dean's wet hair out of his face and the other pulling him into John's lap.
Dean sobbed himself to sleep with the sound of his father's singing 'Hey Jude' in his ears.
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Epilogue