Don't Ever Look Back 2/9 (Supernatural; Dean/Castiel, HS AU, Explicit)
Title: Don't Ever Look Back
Author: misachan
Artist: slinkymilinky (Link to Art Master Post)
Word Count: 3150
Characters/Pairings: Dean/Castiel, Dean/Anna, Sam, Uriel, Zachariah
Warnings: Violence (including violence between family members), drug use (nothing stronger than pot), underage drinking (nothing harder than beer), sex between an 18 and 17-year-old, sexuality angst
Summary: Another day, another town; when their bounty hunter father enrolls he and Sam in yet another school Dean thinks this will just be another town he'll forget five minutes after he leaves it. Things get more interesting when Sam befriends a classmate of Dean's and the lonely boy with the strange name and stranger family slowly gets under Dean's skin. Their new friendship gets complicated when it becomes clear that Castiel's brothers aren't just strange, they're dangerous, and the secrets they keep and the sins they bury have a lot to do with Dean. It would all be bad enough even without Dean starting to worry that maybe friendship isn't all he wants.
A Dean/Castiel high school love story with fist fights, movie nights, make outs, broken hearts, hospital vigils and a steamed up hotel shower.
About two weeks later Dean was late getting to class and was surprised to see Castiel standing outside the front gate, glancing at the cars passing like he was looking for one in particular. Dean ducked behind a corner to keep an eye on things; Castiel was usually pin point punctual; half the time he was in class and ready before the teachers. After a few minutes a black car pulled up and a man strolled out, older and taller than Cas, hairline already receding despite the guy being somewhere in his twenties; the guy had intense, buggy eyes and the general air of someone who was about to offer you a great deal on a used car. Dean saw Castiel's back go ramrod straight as the man approached, his eyes trained on the ground and his hands behind his back like a cadet lined up for inspection.
The stranger tousled one hand through Castiel's hair, a big fake smile on his face and Dean felt his hands ball into fists. If this guy touched Cas again Dean was jumping in, he didn't care who he was. At first the conversation seemed friendly enough, aside from the weird tension hanging in air, but it wasn't long before that turned. Dean couldn't make out what was being said but he could hear the man's tone of voice go mocking and angry, and when the guy put one finger in Castiel's face Dean felt himself flinch in sympathy.
Cas kept his eyes on the ground and from what Dean could tell didn't say a single word in return; he nodded a few times when Dean could tell he'd been asked a question, but that was as far as any response went. This went on for almost fifteen minutes, then the when the guy seemed satisfied his mood flipped like a switch, smiling that sleazy shark smile again as he waved goodbye.
Dean watched Castiel stand there for a few more minutes, his hands tight fists behind his back, then he seemed to shake himself out of it, first walking then full-on running down the street. It took Dean a few minutes to find him hiding out by the delivery entrance behind the school, sitting on the ground with a badly rolled joint in one hand. "That shit's bad for you," Dean said, leaning against the wall and not even bothering to pretend he didn't know why Cas was back there.
Cas looked up at him. "Would it be better for me if I shared?"
"Might be less bad," Dean allowed. He took the offered joint, noticing how Cas' hands shook as he handed it over, and lit it with his own lighter. Dean didn't smoke all that often - he'd go along with other people but never bothered going out of his way to buy weed - but he was experienced enough to manage it without embarrassing himself. "So who was that dick?"
Castiel let out a deep breath. "My brother Zachariah," he said, lips twisting into a scornful frown as he rolled and lit another for himself. "He handles family business for Michael. Handles the money, all of it."
Dean shook his head; the more he found out about Castiel's byzantine family structure the less he liked it. "So what was that all about?"
"He had some questions about how I'm spending my time."
"How you're spending what time? You don't do anything, if you're not doing school stuff you're either with your other dick brother...."
"Dean, don't."
"He is, Cas, I don't know how you put up with him. Anyway, like I said, you're either with Uriel or you're hanging out with me and Sam...." He trailed off when Cas glanced up at him. "You gotta be kidding me." Castiel looked down at the ground again, the joint slowly burning toward his fingers. Dean took another hit of his own, fighting to keep his temper in check. Cas wasn't the one he was mad at, after all. "Does your family not want you to have friends, Cas?"
Castiel stared at the burning tip of his joint for a few moments. "I did tell you they were insular," he said, which didn't help Dean's first knee-jerk cult assumption. "But it is specifically that I'm friends with you." He looked up at Dean then, and Dean could tell whatever he was about to say next, it scared the crap out of him. "Dean, if I tell you something, will you promise not to say a word?"
"Sure."
"Or to hate me?"
Dean felt a cold knot form in his stomach. "Of course."
Cas took a deep breath. "The fire that killed your mother. You're aware it was arson?"
For a second Dean couldn't breathe, the memories of flames were too hot and too close. "Yeah," he finally said, his throat so dry he was surprised he managed that much. "Someone snuck into Sam's nursery and did it. Killed my mom. There were a bunch of those at the same time, it got called the Lucifer murders. They caught the guy behind everything but my dad's spent his life looking for the bastard who was in Sam's room that night."
Castiel nodded. His lips went thin, like he was trying hard not to lose his nerve. "My brother was the one they caught," he whispered. "My second-eldest brother. He didn't physically set the fires but it was done on his orders." Castiel was shaking so hard the joint fell from his fingers. "My brother is a monster, Dean. I hope he's never able to see the light of day again."
Dean was so shocked he forgot how language worked for a moment. "How long have you been keeping this quiet?"
"I overheard Gordon Walker mention the murders to Sam. I told myself it had to be a coincidence, but when I researched you on the internet and knew it was true."
Dean put the whole researched you on the internet thing aside for the moment. "Why?"
"Why did the murders happen or why did I stay silent?"
"Let's try one then the other."
Castiel nodded, his eyes wide like Dean was about to lead him to the gallows. "I didn't know how you would react. I...how do you say something like this?"
"First one now," Dean said, the words harder than he'd meant them to be.
"I was three, Dean. If I've ever even met the man, I don't remember. I don't know my brother's heart, all I know is what I've been told." He raked one hand through his hair. "When my father left it threw my family into turmoil. Michael was the eldest so it was assumed he would be in charge but...." His lips twisted up into a mirthless smile. "Do you know, we even call him Lucifer now, even among ourselves?" He shook that away. "Anyway, Lucifer though he could do better. I don't know how the killings served that purpose, only that they did and that he had agents of his carry them out."
Dean stared at Castiel for a long, long time, fighting down the rage burning under his skin like the inferno he still had nightmares about. "Hey," he said, and the absolute despair in Castiel's eyes was finally able to drench that rage like ice water. "Dude. Like you said. You were three." Castiel let out a long, shaky breath and Dean rubbed the back of his neck. "You okay?"
Cas nodded, which was an obvious lie but Dean let it go. "All that was what your brother was giving you a hard time about?"
He nodded again. "Zachariah said he would tell you and then you would never speak to me again."
And Dean could bet the guy would find a way to spin it so Dean would do just that. "So you decided to head him off at the pass?"
"I couldn't find another way to remove the leverage."
"Hey, a little rebellion’s good for the soul, as far as I'm concerned." He rubbed his forehead, fighting back the headache building behind his eyes. "I still don't get it, what's their problem with me?"
"It's not you personally," Cas reassured. "Michael prefers to have problems handled internally, especially Lucifer problems. Everyone knows what your father does. Even though I don't know anything they want to make sure I don't tell you what little I do know."
Dean took one final hit from his joint. "I don't think I like your brothers that much." He could tell Cas wanted to agree but didn't dare say it out loud. "You wanna go to class? History's about to start."
"I think I'll skip today."
"Probably a good idea. You actually made the teacher cry yesterday."
He was glad to see Castiel smile at that. "She showed that Alexander movie and claimed it was history." He looked up at Dean. "Why aren't you going? You haven't traumatized any teachers this week."
"Nah," Dean said, settling back against the wall. "I'm good here."
The look Castiel gave him was so grateful Dean couldn't return it.
***
Dean stirred awake, slowly registering the sound of rain pounding against the window. He rolled over, thinking to check the window, and almost jumped out of his skin when he saw Castiel standing by the window staring down at him. "Jesus, Cas," he said, remembering at the last second to keep his voice down. "Not cool."
"Sorry," Castiel whispered back, and now Dean was awake enough to see that he was dripping wet. "My ride fell through and my phone died."
"So breaking in and watching me sleep - and seriously, creepy - that's the solution."
"I just got here," he said, crossing his arms. "And I didn't break in, the window was open." As if that made it okay. "May I crash here?"
Dean wasn't so irritated that he could miss that Cas' teeth were chattering. "Sure, man, 'course you can." He nodded over to the dresser. "Grab something of mine to change into before you get hypothermia, then you can grab the couch." Then Dean hissed in a breath, grabbing Cas' wrist. "Wait, sorry, no you can't. I brought a girl back here a few days ago and she crashed out there and the manager had a fit. You gotta stay here."
"The floor is fine. Anything that's not wet is perfect." Once he'd gotten himself somewhere approaching dry Dean threw him one of the blankets and watched him curl up on the floor, so exhausted he was asleep almost immediately. After a few minutes Dean felt bad and threw him the pillow too, grinning despite himself at Cas' muttered, half-awake thanks as he managed to get the pillow more or less under his head.
The next time Cas showed up needing a place to crash Dean pulled an air mattress out from under the bed without a word, savoring the overwhelmed surprise on Cas' face. "Hey, if I had your brothers I'd
need a break every so often too," he said, cutting off whatever excuse Cas had been about to come up with.
And even though it went against everything his dad had taught him growing up, from then on Dean made sure to keep his window open.
***
"Motherfucking son of a bitch!" Dean was two seconds from hurling his phone against the wall when he heard a voice behind him.
"What's wrong?"
Dean felt his heart stop for a second when as he turned around. "Cas, don't do that. How many times do I have to tell you not to sneak up on people?"
"I didn't 'sneak up.' I walked up normally." He tilted his head to the side. "Again, what's wrong?"
Dean let out a long breath. "My dad swung by this morning, just to drop off some cash and a new credit card and stuff but Sam must have thought we were heading out because he took off. It must have been right after, I just found out he wasn't in school all day."
Dean was surprised to see that Cas seemed to be taking this as hard as he was. "Could he be back at the motel?"
"Looked already, he's not there. He even cleared his stuff out." Dean tried Sam's phone again, swearing when the call went to voicemail again. "He's not answering his phone and he turned off the GPS. The brat even changed the password so I can't get it turned on remotely."
"Perhaps he just needs time...?" Cas said, not sounding at all convinced.
"Last time he did this he was gone for two weeks and I only found him because he ordered pizzas on the credit card. Those were the worst two weeks of my life, Cas, I...Jesus, my dad's gonna kill me for losing him again."
"What can I do?"
Dean shook his head. "Don't worry about it, it's not your problem. I gotta head out looking."
Castiel narrowed his eyes at that, then walked over to the car and parked himself in the passenger seat. "We should go, then, shouldn't we."
Dean sighed, sliding behind the steering wheel. "Just cause a door's open doesn't mean you walk in, Cas." He turned the key in the ignition, the purr of the Impala's engines calming down his pounding heart. He could hear his dad's voice lecturing him about letting outsiders get involved in family business and tried to shut it out; he told himself as he pulled out onto the highway that he just didn't have time to argue with Cas about it.
It took three hours and five motels for Dean to calm down enough for him to admit that wasn't entirely true. "Thanks for tagging along, Cas," he said, keeping his eyes trained on the highway. "Dad always told us not to trust anyone other than family. Guess our folks are alike that way, huh?" He pulled onto yet another exit. "Not being alone right now's the only thing keeping me from going nuts."
As they pulled up in front of the next motel on Dean's list he noticed Castiel had been quiet, even for him. "Dude. You okay?"
Cas stared out the window for a few moments before answering. "My sister ran away," he said softly, not looking at Dean. "Three years ago."
Dean smothered an impulse to say Good for her. "Didn't know you had a sister."
"We don't speak of her."
"Yeah, I forget who you're related to sometimes. She as bad as the rest?"
He drummed his fingers against the window. "She was bossy. She was always telling me and Uriel what to do."
"Sounds like a drag."
Castiel's lips tugged up. "I didn't mind it." He drummed his fingers against window again, that faint smile fading. "I didn't look for her, I was so angry. I wish...I wish I had done what you're doing for Sam."
"Little brothers aren't supposed to look out for the older ones, Cas. You were a kid. Wasn't your fault." He sighed, leaning his head against the back of the seat. "God, I wish Sam would answer his phone."
Castiel tilted his head. "I wonder if it could be that easy." He took out his own phone and pressed a number on his speed dial.
"Dude, it's not gonna work---"
Castiel raised one hand, cutting Dean off. "Sam? I didn't see you at lunch today, are you ill?" Cas' brows furrowed, like he was actually surprised by whatever Sam was saying. "Does Dean know?" Castiel's eyebrows lifted. "You shouldn't ever let him hear you say that." Dean made a wind it up gesture and Castiel frowned at him. "I have your homework. Do you want me to bring it to you?"
"C'mon, there's no way that's gonna work..." Dean muttered.
Castiel glared shut up at him. "Mhmm." He motioned to Dean for something to write with. "Aren't there a few of those?" He nodded. "The one on the north bound highway, I understand." His lips twisted into a sour frown. "No, I won't tell Dean." Cas ended the call and handed Dean the note. "That's where he is."
Dean floored it back toward the highway. "Thank God for nerds."
***
Dean hid along the side of the door as Castiel knocked, feeling his knees almost buckle in relief when Sam opened the door. "Hey, Cas! Glad you found it."
"So am I."
Dean took that as his cue; he pushed past Castiel and shoved Sam backwards, hard. "You little punk, what the hell where you thinking?"
Sam stumbled backward, staring up at Cas instead of Dean. "You liar! I don't believe you snitched on me!"
"How dare you run away." The outright fury in Castiel's voice snapped Sam's mouth shut. "How dare you. Do you have any idea how you worried your brother?"
"I'm not moving again. I just wanna stay in one place in for a whole year, why can't I just have that?"
Castiel's eyes narrowed. "Don't be such a brat."
It seemed like the time for Dean to step in. "We're not going anywhere. Dad was just dropping stuff off, we're still stuck here. Okay? Dad's not taking us anywhere yet."
"I'll be in the car," Castiel said as he stormed out, still so angry he was bristling with it.
Sam watched after him for a moment, then sank down on the bed, his head bowed over his knees. "What's he so mad about?"
Dean sat down beside him and heaved a huge sigh. "This all hit on some family stuff for him, I think. Don't take it personal." He tapped Sam's shoulder so his brother would look up. "Sammy, you told me after the last time this wouldn't happen again. You promised."
Sam went back to staring at his hands. "Don't you ever want more than this, Dean? New town, new school every few months? Making friends when you know you're never gonna see them again? I'm just...I'm so tired of it."
Dean tousled one hand through Sam's hair. "I don't know, Sammy. The only things I've ever needed are you and Dad. I got those, I'm home, it doesn't matter where we are, this town, that town, motel, driving down the highway, wherever. Hell, I'm happiest when we're on the move, you know that, you and me and Dad all in one car."
Sam was quiet for a long time. "Someday I'll be old enough that you won't be able to just drag me back, Dean."
Dean didn't say how often he had nightmares about that. "Well, you're not now." He stood up, tapping Sam's shoulder again. "C'mon. It's time to head back. And you'd better seriously suck up to Cas or he'll never forgive you."
"He snitched on me," Sam muttered but Dean saw guilt flash across his face, and he was just happy Sam was sorry for something.
-On to Part 3-
-Back to Masterpost-
-Back to Part 1-
Author: misachan
Artist: slinkymilinky (Link to Art Master Post)
Word Count: 3150
Characters/Pairings: Dean/Castiel, Dean/Anna, Sam, Uriel, Zachariah
Warnings: Violence (including violence between family members), drug use (nothing stronger than pot), underage drinking (nothing harder than beer), sex between an 18 and 17-year-old, sexuality angst
Summary: Another day, another town; when their bounty hunter father enrolls he and Sam in yet another school Dean thinks this will just be another town he'll forget five minutes after he leaves it. Things get more interesting when Sam befriends a classmate of Dean's and the lonely boy with the strange name and stranger family slowly gets under Dean's skin. Their new friendship gets complicated when it becomes clear that Castiel's brothers aren't just strange, they're dangerous, and the secrets they keep and the sins they bury have a lot to do with Dean. It would all be bad enough even without Dean starting to worry that maybe friendship isn't all he wants.
A Dean/Castiel high school love story with fist fights, movie nights, make outs, broken hearts, hospital vigils and a steamed up hotel shower.
About two weeks later Dean was late getting to class and was surprised to see Castiel standing outside the front gate, glancing at the cars passing like he was looking for one in particular. Dean ducked behind a corner to keep an eye on things; Castiel was usually pin point punctual; half the time he was in class and ready before the teachers. After a few minutes a black car pulled up and a man strolled out, older and taller than Cas, hairline already receding despite the guy being somewhere in his twenties; the guy had intense, buggy eyes and the general air of someone who was about to offer you a great deal on a used car. Dean saw Castiel's back go ramrod straight as the man approached, his eyes trained on the ground and his hands behind his back like a cadet lined up for inspection.
The stranger tousled one hand through Castiel's hair, a big fake smile on his face and Dean felt his hands ball into fists. If this guy touched Cas again Dean was jumping in, he didn't care who he was. At first the conversation seemed friendly enough, aside from the weird tension hanging in air, but it wasn't long before that turned. Dean couldn't make out what was being said but he could hear the man's tone of voice go mocking and angry, and when the guy put one finger in Castiel's face Dean felt himself flinch in sympathy.
Cas kept his eyes on the ground and from what Dean could tell didn't say a single word in return; he nodded a few times when Dean could tell he'd been asked a question, but that was as far as any response went. This went on for almost fifteen minutes, then the when the guy seemed satisfied his mood flipped like a switch, smiling that sleazy shark smile again as he waved goodbye.
Dean watched Castiel stand there for a few more minutes, his hands tight fists behind his back, then he seemed to shake himself out of it, first walking then full-on running down the street. It took Dean a few minutes to find him hiding out by the delivery entrance behind the school, sitting on the ground with a badly rolled joint in one hand. "That shit's bad for you," Dean said, leaning against the wall and not even bothering to pretend he didn't know why Cas was back there.
Cas looked up at him. "Would it be better for me if I shared?"
"Might be less bad," Dean allowed. He took the offered joint, noticing how Cas' hands shook as he handed it over, and lit it with his own lighter. Dean didn't smoke all that often - he'd go along with other people but never bothered going out of his way to buy weed - but he was experienced enough to manage it without embarrassing himself. "So who was that dick?"
Castiel let out a deep breath. "My brother Zachariah," he said, lips twisting into a scornful frown as he rolled and lit another for himself. "He handles family business for Michael. Handles the money, all of it."
Dean shook his head; the more he found out about Castiel's byzantine family structure the less he liked it. "So what was that all about?"
"He had some questions about how I'm spending my time."
"How you're spending what time? You don't do anything, if you're not doing school stuff you're either with your other dick brother...."
"Dean, don't."
"He is, Cas, I don't know how you put up with him. Anyway, like I said, you're either with Uriel or you're hanging out with me and Sam...." He trailed off when Cas glanced up at him. "You gotta be kidding me." Castiel looked down at the ground again, the joint slowly burning toward his fingers. Dean took another hit of his own, fighting to keep his temper in check. Cas wasn't the one he was mad at, after all. "Does your family not want you to have friends, Cas?"
Castiel stared at the burning tip of his joint for a few moments. "I did tell you they were insular," he said, which didn't help Dean's first knee-jerk cult assumption. "But it is specifically that I'm friends with you." He looked up at Dean then, and Dean could tell whatever he was about to say next, it scared the crap out of him. "Dean, if I tell you something, will you promise not to say a word?"
"Sure."
"Or to hate me?"
Dean felt a cold knot form in his stomach. "Of course."
Cas took a deep breath. "The fire that killed your mother. You're aware it was arson?"
For a second Dean couldn't breathe, the memories of flames were too hot and too close. "Yeah," he finally said, his throat so dry he was surprised he managed that much. "Someone snuck into Sam's nursery and did it. Killed my mom. There were a bunch of those at the same time, it got called the Lucifer murders. They caught the guy behind everything but my dad's spent his life looking for the bastard who was in Sam's room that night."
Castiel nodded. His lips went thin, like he was trying hard not to lose his nerve. "My brother was the one they caught," he whispered. "My second-eldest brother. He didn't physically set the fires but it was done on his orders." Castiel was shaking so hard the joint fell from his fingers. "My brother is a monster, Dean. I hope he's never able to see the light of day again."
Dean was so shocked he forgot how language worked for a moment. "How long have you been keeping this quiet?"
"I overheard Gordon Walker mention the murders to Sam. I told myself it had to be a coincidence, but when I researched you on the internet and knew it was true."
Dean put the whole researched you on the internet thing aside for the moment. "Why?"
"Why did the murders happen or why did I stay silent?"
"Let's try one then the other."
Castiel nodded, his eyes wide like Dean was about to lead him to the gallows. "I didn't know how you would react. I...how do you say something like this?"
"First one now," Dean said, the words harder than he'd meant them to be.
"I was three, Dean. If I've ever even met the man, I don't remember. I don't know my brother's heart, all I know is what I've been told." He raked one hand through his hair. "When my father left it threw my family into turmoil. Michael was the eldest so it was assumed he would be in charge but...." His lips twisted up into a mirthless smile. "Do you know, we even call him Lucifer now, even among ourselves?" He shook that away. "Anyway, Lucifer though he could do better. I don't know how the killings served that purpose, only that they did and that he had agents of his carry them out."
Dean stared at Castiel for a long, long time, fighting down the rage burning under his skin like the inferno he still had nightmares about. "Hey," he said, and the absolute despair in Castiel's eyes was finally able to drench that rage like ice water. "Dude. Like you said. You were three." Castiel let out a long, shaky breath and Dean rubbed the back of his neck. "You okay?"
Cas nodded, which was an obvious lie but Dean let it go. "All that was what your brother was giving you a hard time about?"
He nodded again. "Zachariah said he would tell you and then you would never speak to me again."
And Dean could bet the guy would find a way to spin it so Dean would do just that. "So you decided to head him off at the pass?"
"I couldn't find another way to remove the leverage."
"Hey, a little rebellion’s good for the soul, as far as I'm concerned." He rubbed his forehead, fighting back the headache building behind his eyes. "I still don't get it, what's their problem with me?"
"It's not you personally," Cas reassured. "Michael prefers to have problems handled internally, especially Lucifer problems. Everyone knows what your father does. Even though I don't know anything they want to make sure I don't tell you what little I do know."
Dean took one final hit from his joint. "I don't think I like your brothers that much." He could tell Cas wanted to agree but didn't dare say it out loud. "You wanna go to class? History's about to start."
"I think I'll skip today."
"Probably a good idea. You actually made the teacher cry yesterday."
He was glad to see Castiel smile at that. "She showed that Alexander movie and claimed it was history." He looked up at Dean. "Why aren't you going? You haven't traumatized any teachers this week."
"Nah," Dean said, settling back against the wall. "I'm good here."
The look Castiel gave him was so grateful Dean couldn't return it.
***
Dean stirred awake, slowly registering the sound of rain pounding against the window. He rolled over, thinking to check the window, and almost jumped out of his skin when he saw Castiel standing by the window staring down at him. "Jesus, Cas," he said, remembering at the last second to keep his voice down. "Not cool."
"Sorry," Castiel whispered back, and now Dean was awake enough to see that he was dripping wet. "My ride fell through and my phone died."
"So breaking in and watching me sleep - and seriously, creepy - that's the solution."
"I just got here," he said, crossing his arms. "And I didn't break in, the window was open." As if that made it okay. "May I crash here?"
Dean wasn't so irritated that he could miss that Cas' teeth were chattering. "Sure, man, 'course you can." He nodded over to the dresser. "Grab something of mine to change into before you get hypothermia, then you can grab the couch." Then Dean hissed in a breath, grabbing Cas' wrist. "Wait, sorry, no you can't. I brought a girl back here a few days ago and she crashed out there and the manager had a fit. You gotta stay here."
"The floor is fine. Anything that's not wet is perfect." Once he'd gotten himself somewhere approaching dry Dean threw him one of the blankets and watched him curl up on the floor, so exhausted he was asleep almost immediately. After a few minutes Dean felt bad and threw him the pillow too, grinning despite himself at Cas' muttered, half-awake thanks as he managed to get the pillow more or less under his head.
The next time Cas showed up needing a place to crash Dean pulled an air mattress out from under the bed without a word, savoring the overwhelmed surprise on Cas' face. "Hey, if I had your brothers I'd
need a break every so often too," he said, cutting off whatever excuse Cas had been about to come up with.
And even though it went against everything his dad had taught him growing up, from then on Dean made sure to keep his window open.
***
"Motherfucking son of a bitch!" Dean was two seconds from hurling his phone against the wall when he heard a voice behind him.
"What's wrong?"
Dean felt his heart stop for a second when as he turned around. "Cas, don't do that. How many times do I have to tell you not to sneak up on people?"
"I didn't 'sneak up.' I walked up normally." He tilted his head to the side. "Again, what's wrong?"
Dean let out a long breath. "My dad swung by this morning, just to drop off some cash and a new credit card and stuff but Sam must have thought we were heading out because he took off. It must have been right after, I just found out he wasn't in school all day."
Dean was surprised to see that Cas seemed to be taking this as hard as he was. "Could he be back at the motel?"
"Looked already, he's not there. He even cleared his stuff out." Dean tried Sam's phone again, swearing when the call went to voicemail again. "He's not answering his phone and he turned off the GPS. The brat even changed the password so I can't get it turned on remotely."
"Perhaps he just needs time...?" Cas said, not sounding at all convinced.
"Last time he did this he was gone for two weeks and I only found him because he ordered pizzas on the credit card. Those were the worst two weeks of my life, Cas, I...Jesus, my dad's gonna kill me for losing him again."
"What can I do?"
Dean shook his head. "Don't worry about it, it's not your problem. I gotta head out looking."
Castiel narrowed his eyes at that, then walked over to the car and parked himself in the passenger seat. "We should go, then, shouldn't we."
Dean sighed, sliding behind the steering wheel. "Just cause a door's open doesn't mean you walk in, Cas." He turned the key in the ignition, the purr of the Impala's engines calming down his pounding heart. He could hear his dad's voice lecturing him about letting outsiders get involved in family business and tried to shut it out; he told himself as he pulled out onto the highway that he just didn't have time to argue with Cas about it.
It took three hours and five motels for Dean to calm down enough for him to admit that wasn't entirely true. "Thanks for tagging along, Cas," he said, keeping his eyes trained on the highway. "Dad always told us not to trust anyone other than family. Guess our folks are alike that way, huh?" He pulled onto yet another exit. "Not being alone right now's the only thing keeping me from going nuts."
As they pulled up in front of the next motel on Dean's list he noticed Castiel had been quiet, even for him. "Dude. You okay?"
Cas stared out the window for a few moments before answering. "My sister ran away," he said softly, not looking at Dean. "Three years ago."
Dean smothered an impulse to say Good for her. "Didn't know you had a sister."
"We don't speak of her."
"Yeah, I forget who you're related to sometimes. She as bad as the rest?"
He drummed his fingers against the window. "She was bossy. She was always telling me and Uriel what to do."
"Sounds like a drag."
Castiel's lips tugged up. "I didn't mind it." He drummed his fingers against window again, that faint smile fading. "I didn't look for her, I was so angry. I wish...I wish I had done what you're doing for Sam."
"Little brothers aren't supposed to look out for the older ones, Cas. You were a kid. Wasn't your fault." He sighed, leaning his head against the back of the seat. "God, I wish Sam would answer his phone."
Castiel tilted his head. "I wonder if it could be that easy." He took out his own phone and pressed a number on his speed dial.
"Dude, it's not gonna work---"
Castiel raised one hand, cutting Dean off. "Sam? I didn't see you at lunch today, are you ill?" Cas' brows furrowed, like he was actually surprised by whatever Sam was saying. "Does Dean know?" Castiel's eyebrows lifted. "You shouldn't ever let him hear you say that." Dean made a wind it up gesture and Castiel frowned at him. "I have your homework. Do you want me to bring it to you?"
"C'mon, there's no way that's gonna work..." Dean muttered.
Castiel glared shut up at him. "Mhmm." He motioned to Dean for something to write with. "Aren't there a few of those?" He nodded. "The one on the north bound highway, I understand." His lips twisted into a sour frown. "No, I won't tell Dean." Cas ended the call and handed Dean the note. "That's where he is."
Dean floored it back toward the highway. "Thank God for nerds."
***
Dean hid along the side of the door as Castiel knocked, feeling his knees almost buckle in relief when Sam opened the door. "Hey, Cas! Glad you found it."
"So am I."
Dean took that as his cue; he pushed past Castiel and shoved Sam backwards, hard. "You little punk, what the hell where you thinking?"
Sam stumbled backward, staring up at Cas instead of Dean. "You liar! I don't believe you snitched on me!"
"How dare you run away." The outright fury in Castiel's voice snapped Sam's mouth shut. "How dare you. Do you have any idea how you worried your brother?"
"I'm not moving again. I just wanna stay in one place in for a whole year, why can't I just have that?"
Castiel's eyes narrowed. "Don't be such a brat."
It seemed like the time for Dean to step in. "We're not going anywhere. Dad was just dropping stuff off, we're still stuck here. Okay? Dad's not taking us anywhere yet."
"I'll be in the car," Castiel said as he stormed out, still so angry he was bristling with it.
Sam watched after him for a moment, then sank down on the bed, his head bowed over his knees. "What's he so mad about?"
Dean sat down beside him and heaved a huge sigh. "This all hit on some family stuff for him, I think. Don't take it personal." He tapped Sam's shoulder so his brother would look up. "Sammy, you told me after the last time this wouldn't happen again. You promised."
Sam went back to staring at his hands. "Don't you ever want more than this, Dean? New town, new school every few months? Making friends when you know you're never gonna see them again? I'm just...I'm so tired of it."
Dean tousled one hand through Sam's hair. "I don't know, Sammy. The only things I've ever needed are you and Dad. I got those, I'm home, it doesn't matter where we are, this town, that town, motel, driving down the highway, wherever. Hell, I'm happiest when we're on the move, you know that, you and me and Dad all in one car."
Sam was quiet for a long time. "Someday I'll be old enough that you won't be able to just drag me back, Dean."
Dean didn't say how often he had nightmares about that. "Well, you're not now." He stood up, tapping Sam's shoulder again. "C'mon. It's time to head back. And you'd better seriously suck up to Cas or he'll never forgive you."
"He snitched on me," Sam muttered but Dean saw guilt flash across his face, and he was just happy Sam was sorry for something.
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