This takes place a little over a year after the ending of Finding Unicorns. Really, it's just my excuse to bring my vision of endgame Meanstiel in that verse into fruition without ruining the initial message of Finding Unicorns itself.

This is unbeta'd, so expect errors lol. But I tried. So Happy New Year! Even though it's still December 30th lol. But I wanted to get this up in time for New Year's Eve, and I won't have time tomorrow.


"Is this Chinese any good?" Cas calls from the kitchen, head buried in the refrigerator.

Curled up on the couch and without looking up from her book, Meg calls back, "Wouldn't eat that, Clarence."

With a huff, Castiel pulls himself out of the fridge and turns to shoot her a scolding look over the bar that separates the kitchen from the living room. "How do you survive around here?"

"Order in, eat what I want, then let it grow it's own civilization." She turns a page.

He grumbles incoherently and then turns back to dig through the fridge.

After a few more minutes of grumbling, Meg closes her book with a sigh and props herself up over the back of the couch. "I don't know why you're so determined to find something to eat in there."

"Because I refuse to believe you eat out every night."

She props her chin on her hand. "I don't. Ruby and Sam feed me some nights."

"Meg!" She laughs at his ire, and he immediately deflates. "It's grocery night, isn't it?" he asks warily.

The smile she wears as she nods is beautiful. "Sure is." She flops back around, arms sprawled out across the back of the couch. "You might know that if you were around any."

Silence ticks by after that, Castiel not moving from the kitchen, and Meg staring blankly ahead.

"Meg, I-"

"Don't worry about it, Clarence. I'm just kidding." She turns to give him a smile. It's far more strained than her voice gives away. "Grab a couple of beers and we'll order a pizza."

Cas nods, offering up his own shaky smile. "Sounds good." He reaches into the fridge, pulls out two bottles, and raises an eyebrow at the name. "Arrogant Bastard?"

She laughs. "Don't knock it til you've tried it."

Walking around the side of the couch and handing her one of the bottles, he responds, with his own coy smile, "We'll see."

Once they're both comfortably seated and the pizza is on the way, Cas asks, "Should we take down the Christmas tree?"

Meg glances at the still lit up artificial tree as she throws back a swig of beer. Bottle slowly coming away from her lips, she responds, "Nah, let's leave it up until after New Years. I like the festive feel."

Castiel nods. "Movie instead, then."

Meg picks up the TV remote. "Sounds like a plan."


Hours later finds the pizza demolished, empty beer bottles scattered on the coffee table, and the TV on mute as Meg and Cas are laughing over the latest stories of their friends.

"I thought Ruby was going to kill him!" Meg howls.

Castiel doubles over in laughter. "I'm pretty sure that isn't the version Dean heard."

"Oh, I'm very sure it isn't."

As her laughter dies down, and as she wipes tears from the corner of her eyes, she asks, "Want another beer?"

"No. I'm fine." Something about the way he says it, suddenly so somber after their laughter, makes her look up. The intense stare he's settling on her makes her skin itch. His eyes are too blue, and it reminds her of different times, far away times, back before the Winchesters. It isn't a road she can't travel, so she shakes her head, laughs it off, though the sound is stilted.

"Suit yourself, but I do."

She makes to get up, but his voice stops her. "Do you still have feelings for me?"

She stops in her tracks, not sure what reaction she wants to have. In the stead of emotion, she asks, "What?"

"Do you still have feelings for me?" His voice doesn't sound as small this time, the timbre richer and so alluring.

She stands, righting herself to her full height, tries to disguise her shaking as she looks down on him. His calmness settles her right in the realm of anger. "The fuck are you playing at?"

His expression flickers, like for the first time he realizes what a horrible fucking question it is. "Meg, I didn't-"

"No! You know what? Fuck you! I'm going to bed!"

She storms off and slams the door to her room, locking it for good measure. She isn't sure why in the hell he would ask something like that, especially after they'd been having such a good night, but it's not something she can deal with right now. She hopes Holly will have an open spot tomorrow because she's going to need it.


By the time she wakes up, Castiel is already gone, a note written in his tilted scrawl left on the kitchen counter- "Went back to Dean's." She crumples it up and tosses it in the trash, a sigh heavy on her lips, not sure if she's happy or disappointed with the turn of events. After all, it was a dick move of him to pull something like that and then turn tail and run, but still, she doesn't think she could have that conversation right now anyway.

She glances into the living room, finding it spotless. He obviously stayed up to clean after she went to bed.

No, definitely couldn't deal with that right now. What she can deal with is some coffee and calling her therapist.


Before she knows it, it's New Years Eve, and everyone is piling up in Sam and Ruby's new place for a kind of housewarming/New Years' celebration. It's pretty much a crock of bull on the housewarming front considering they all had helped the lovebirds move in and all have to bring something to contribute to the party, food-wise. And while it should be nice for everyone to be together, the fact remains they all just saw each other at Christmas, being the only actual family any of them have left that aren't pieces of shit.

Oh yeah, and the fact that it's the first time Meg will be seeing Cas since his stupid stunt at their apartment (their apartment he barely even lives at). His stupid stunt that she doesn't even understand the motive behind. Because of course she'll always care about him, he's continually treated her better than anyone else in her life ever had. But he's off the market, and she's not that type of girl anymore. She wouldn't split up Dean and Cas, not for the world. They're freaking perfect together and it makes her stomach turn sour a little to think on it.

She wipes away all evidence of her thoughts as Ruby opens the door.

"Why the hell are you knocking? We thought you were the UPS guy."

Meg rolls her eyes. "Gee, I don't know. Couldn't possibly be that I need freaking help."

Ruby eyes the full crock pot in her sister's hands before turning back to shout into the house, "Sam! Meg's here!"

"Can I come in? This shit is heavy, you know."

Ruby's eyes widen. "Oh, right. Sorry." She stands aside to let Meg in, closing the door behind her and following into the kitchen.

Once Meg places the pot on the counter and plugs it back in, she turns to survey what she can see of the rental house. There is all kinds of art now adorning the walls, an eclectic mishmash of styles and periods. "You guys are accessorizing, I see. That why you're expecting a delivery?"

Ruby turns to eye one particularly gaudy piece of pop art. "Yeah. It's Sam's pet project. He's all excited to finally have a place to decorate all his own, since, you know, nomad childhood and then Dean being overbearing about these kinds of things. Some of it is pretty tacky, but I let him have it."

Meg throws a cheshire cat smile at her sister, cooing, "Look at you, all domesticated."

Ruby's cheeks turn a dusty shade of pink as she refuses to meet Meg's eyes. "It's not so bad."

Meg's smile softens. "I'm happy for you guys, really."

Ruby glances at her from the corner of her eye. "Thanks. You know-"

Thankfully, her sister is cut off by Sam entering the room with a happy shout of, "Meg! I'm so glad you made it!" He lifts her up into a bone-crushing hug. She actually feels her back pop.

"Hey Sammy, you get into the grown up juice a little early, there?" Meg asks as she's placed back on the ground.

Sam smiles his puppy grin, wet bangs falling into his face. "Sorry, just excited, you know?"

Meg raises her eyebrow. "Yeah... Sure."

Ruby rolls her eyes, obviously endeared to her boyfriend. "Ignore him."

"Always do."

And then the Masters sisters proceed to do just that, getting the house ready for the party, uttering variances of "Did you hear that?" and "What is that awful buzzing?" every time Sam tries to talk to them. By the time Dean and Cas show up about an hour later, Sam has never been so relieved to see his brother in his life. That is, until Dean joins right in with the girls upon finding out their game.

"You're my only friend," Sam sighs miserably at Castiel.

Castiel, who doesn't answer at first, eventually turns and cocks his head at Sam. "Did you say something?"

"I hate all of you! Get out of my house."

Ruby chuckles, walking up to place a kiss to his cheek. It only hits the bottom of his jaw, though, as he refuses to bend down for her. "It's my house too, you know."

"You can stay," he growls, grabbing her and dipping her low, placing a kiss against her lips. The display is met with hoots and hollers and whistles, which should honestly be far too much noise for only three people to make.

The night progresses as just about any New Year's Eve party should. There's food and drinking and someone (Dean) brought ridiculous, glittery hats and noisemakers. Sam and Ruby don't have cable, so they can't watch the ball drop. Instead, they painted a styrofoam ball in silver glitter paint and tied to the ceiling with intentions to cut it down when the clock strikes midnight.

At 11:58, somehow Cas is the one with the knife, which is dangerous enough on any normal day, but drunk as they all are, honestly none of them should have weapons, Cas least of all. They probably shouldn't even have scissors. Which they actually don't, and that's absurd.

"Why are you using a knife and not scissors?" Ruby slurs out, slung all across Sam in an attempt to stay upright (the wall being all that keeps Sam upright). "Wouldn't it be easier?"

Castiel snorts, swaying to and fro like a palm tree on a balmy day, potentially concerning, but not quite yet dangerous. "Real men use knives."

They all erupt into laughter, and none of them are quite sure if they're laughing because it's Cas who said it or because the Masters sisters can probably use a knife better than the men any day of the week.

Meg stumbles forward catching herself on Dean, a futile effort because he only tumbles down with her, and then they're both laughing harder, completely tangled up in a drunken heap on the floor.

"Guy! Guys!" Ruby shouts, far too loud and far too excited, but no one really minds. "It's almost midnight! We should count down!"

They start at "10" but have to restart four times because every time they reach "0" the clock doesn't turn over. Finally, on the fifth attempt, right as they're shouting out a mismatched countdown of "3" and "2", the clock strikes 12.

"Quick! Cut it! Cut it!" Ruby shouts.

"Everyone look out!" Cas yells, though it's unnecessary with Ruby and Sam halfway across the room and Dean and Meg still sprawled out on the floor.

It takes three swipes of the blade before Cas finally hits it, but the ball still doesn't come loose.

"You gotta get some tension in the string, baby," Dean calls.

Castiel screws up his face, grumbling incoherently about "anti-climactic."

Meg laughs harder, leaning into Dean for support, which he offers by wrapping his arms around her.

"Yeah, real men use knives," she gasps out. It has everyone, except Cas who is far too busy trying to cut the ball loose, doubling over in laughter once more.

Finally, with a shout of "Yahtzee!", Cas cuts the ball loose. It bounces and rolls across the floor accompanied by a chorus of "Happy New Year!" Which is followed by a sloppy New Years kiss between Sam and Ruby. Meg, however, completely misses it, shocked to find Dean's lips on hers. Drunk as she is, she lets it happen, falls into it. Dean is a ridiculously good kisser, plush lips with just the right amount of tongue. She can see why Cas was seduced by the guy.

That brings her back to herself, and she doesn't so much shove Dean off as pull away in a haze as the kiss naturally ends. He's staring at her, green eyes deep and smoldering, and it sends a chill down her spine. Sam and Ruby don't notice a thing, still too engrossed in drunkenly making out, but she can feel another set of eyes on her. She can see in her mind how blue they are, a lovely compliment to the green in front of her.

She wills her body to move, get up and run, because this can't be happening. She just kissed her best friend's boyfriend, the guy said best friend cheated on her with. She thought her life was supposed to be getting more normal.

Castiel crouches beside them, and before she can ever apologize, his lips are on hers, kissing her in just the way she remembers. It's surprisingly simple to fall back into. And then he's pulling away to place a kiss to Dean's lips.

It somehow deteriorates into a three person make out session, which is surprisingly easy to do while drunk, as hard a concept as it is to envision sober. They wind up on the mattress in the guest bedroom, but before any clothes are ever actually removed, they end up falling asleep in a hodgepodge of limbs.


The next morning finds Meg sitting on the back deck, nursing a cup of coffee and a hangover the size of Texas. She grimaces as she hears the sliding door open and close behind her.

Dean doesn't so much as sit down beside her as tumble down into a position reminiscent of sitting. She eyes his cup of coffee with no small amount of amazement that none spilled out in the movement.

They sit in uncomfortable silence as the sun starts to peak through the morning fog, neither sure what to say.

Finally, Meg breaks the tension by asking, "Clarence still asleep?" It doesn't serve to cut down on the awkwardness, probably intensifies it, bringing back memories of the night before. But Cas is their one common link through everything, the whole reason they have a friendship at all, so it seems the safest ground.

Dean stares into his coffee, face flushed, whether from a hangover or embarrassment, Meg doesn't know. "Yeah, out like a light. You know him."

Meg smiles blithely. "He could sleep forever if someone let him. Always hated early mornings. Drove me crazy."

Dean barks out a laugh, immediately regretting the decision as he winces from his headache, but the smile doesn't fall. "Yeah, you're tellin' me! Just once I wish I could get the guys to go on a morning run with me."

And then they're meeting each other's sight out of the corners of their eyes and sharing a small smile.

Dean glances back down into his coffee. "Look, Meg, about last night..."

"Is that why Clarence asked me if I still had feelings for him?"

Dean glances up at her, startled by the question. "What?"

She watches him, sizes him up. "You didn't know about that, did you?"

Dean gives a small shake of his head. "No." He shakes it once more, the movement more resolute this time. "No, I didn't. I can't believe he did that!"

Meg leans back to watch the sky, hands secure around the warmth of her mug. "I couldn't either. Though put into context, it's a little less offensive." She side-eyes Dean, flashing a smirk.

He blushes up to his ears, pouting at his coffee. "Yeah, well... Look! Do we really need to talk about it?"

Meg looks back to the sky, and without any thought says, "Probably, but we should also probably wait for Clarence to do it. After all, neither of us are very good at feelings."

They share a small smile between them. Two peas in a pod, they are. Fucked up pasts, a slew of daddy issues, and love for the same man always tying them together. Meg isn't sure when they became more than that, but if she actually gives it any thought, she knows they've been more than that for quite some time.

They settle into a comfortable silence this time, soaking in the cool morning and enjoying their coffee.

The sun has fully risen and is shining the bright gold of morning when the door to the deck opens and closes yet again.

Castiel, wrapped in a blanket and sporting the worst case of bedhead imaginable, wriggles in between them.

"It's cold out," he grumbles petulantly.

Dean instinctively wraps an arm around Cas. "You didn't have to get up and come out here."

Castiel nuzzles against Dean at the same time he hooks a foot around Meg's ankle. "Was lonely without you. Both of you."

Meg smiles, leaning against Cas. "Well, you have us now."

Cas smiles happily. "And I plan to keep it that way."

Of all the ways to start the new year, Meg thinks, being in a polyamorous relationship with Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak might be the most unexpected.

But it's the best start any of them could ask for.