A/N: Yup, another one for Shadow of Castiel as a fic exchange, and who gave me the prompt of Dean and Cas adopting a kitten. I've been writing too much angsty stuff lately. However, the first part may seem a little dreadful don't worry I promise a happy ending for this one! Also, thought this would be a one shot but it looks like it will be more. Three parter at the most.

K is for Kitten:

By: LOSTrocker

Part One: C is for Care:

"Mew."

Cas stopped dead in his tracks. He was half way to getting to Dean when the faint soft cry of a kitten caught his attention. Strays were no strangers around Bobby's garage but Cas was use to seeing great big dogs that were the size of lions. He'd hardly seen any cats.

The former Angel stopped a moment to see if he could catch the cry again to see if he could tell where it was hiding. "Mew. Mew. Mew. MEW!" It sounded a lot closer than Cas thought it was. If he had to guess that kitten was coming from one of the cars that were in front of him, and sure enough as he made his way over and lifted up a hood to a beat up old Chevy truck there it was.

The kitten was so small it looked like it could fit in the palm of his hand. It was black, fluffy, and with a pair of sad green eyes that reminded much of Dean's. He looked around for any trace of a mother or siblings and found none. The kitten was lost to the world, and boy did he know how that felt. He couldn't just leave it there. Ever so carefully, he scooped it up in his hand and made his way back to Bobby's house to see if Bobby could offer some advise on what to do here. He knew he would. Bobby always seemed to know what to do.

Cas found Bobby in the kitchen getting a beer. "Hey Cas," Bobby greeted. "Want one?"

"No thank you," Cas turned him down politely. It was way too early for him to start drinking. Besides, he knew what that shit did to him, and didn't like the end result. Sure, that stuff made you feel good at the time, but come after ward and hello hang over. Not so much fun.

That's when Bobby caught the noise of the small animal in Cas' hand. "Wat'cha got there?" Bobby questioned and came up to him to get a better look.

Cas handed it out to him.

"Ah, I see." Bobby looked at it, and could tell that kitten was a small thing, if he had to guess it was the runt of the litter, and the runts never got the good end of the deal. All thought it was clear that it was a runt, he was still way too small and thin for Bobby's liking. By the looks of it that kitten had to been abandoned for awhile now."Where did ya find it?"

"Under one of the hoods of the trunk." Cas motioned with his head back outside.

Bobby explained to him that sometimes animals like that used spaces under cars for warmth, even if they didn't work anymore the sun still hit the vehicle to where it was still a good place for them to keep warm. Cats were a rare thing around here but that didn't mean he never saw them hanging around. They liked to play on his old cars using them for hiding spaces or climbing.

"What should I do Bobby?" Cas asked him. "I didn't want to leave it there, and I want to make him stop crying."

Bobby smiled at him and reached out to place a friendly on his shoulder. "He's probably hungry Cas."

Cas shrugged. He sighed with frustration. If he was an Angel he could easily use his Angelic mojo to at least offer this small creature some sort of comfort, but now that he was human he was freaking clueless and he didn't like that. If he couldn't help this creature than how was he going to help Dean?

Bobby could see that panic look in Cas' eyes. "It's gonna be okay Cas, I think I have some milk in the fridge." Bobby parted from him and hoped that he had some left and Dean hadn't drank it all. He smiled when he opened the fridge door to find that he had a good amount left. "Guess were in luck." Bobby pulled it out and held it up so Cas could see.

Then that was a good sign. Bobby went about his way to get a small bowel from the cabinets. The kitten was too small to help himself. After warming some milk up in the microwave, he told Cas to have a seat at the table, and Cas did so. "He won't be able to do it himself, yer gonna have to help him." Bobby said.

"How?"

Bottles wouldn't work. They were too big, as were spoons or any other sort of utensils he could think of it. It looked like Cas would have to feed him by dipping his finger into the milk and feeding him that way. That would probably be better so the kitten know it was in no harm and would trust Cas enough to let him to do that.

Bobby sat down next to him and had the bowel of milk with him. "Watch me Cas," Bobby instructed by dipping his pinky in the milk and then make his way towards the kitten's mouth. It was still meowing like crazy, and Bobby hoped that this would calm the poor thing down some and get something in his system. There was just one problem as soon as Bobby let his finger dip into its mouth, it wouldn't take the milk. Oh shit, he thought. Bobby hopped that Cas didn't catch that but Cas never missed a beat. He payed attention to everything because thats how he learned how to do things. It was his way of taking everything in.

"What's the matter?" Cas questioned with worry. "How come he's not eating?" Then he remembered a time when Dean was sick and how when he was ill that he didn't eat anything. "Is it sick?"

That kitten was sick, Bobby got it now. It was dying. Dammit. Cas hadn't experienced death yet, and wasn't sure if the former Angel was ready to handle it especially when he'd all ready taken the kitten into his care. Cas had a hard time of letting go of things because he was so new to all of this. However, Bobby tried to remain pessimistic for both Cas and the kitten's sake.

"It could be," Bobby some what lied. Now, that Cas was human he could lie to him easier. He hated to do so but this what he liked to call handling things with caution. Hell, for all he knew the kitten could make it. Cas was a good care giver. Dean was still alive wasn't he? Angel or not.

Cas hunched in his chair some. Feeling somewhat defeated. Bobby could see the sadness all ready working up in those baby blues of eyes. "Hey, don't worry Cas, c'mon, why don't ya try?" Bobby asked and grabbed Cas' wrist and asked him to dip one of his fingers in. He used his pointer. After he coated some on there he let it drift up to the kitten's mouth and smiled when he found some suckage there. The crying stopped for now.

"Well, I be damned." Bobby said with a grin. He had a feeling that if Cas did it the kitten would feel more encouraged. Cas was the one who found it after all so that small thing was now looking at the former Angel as its new mommy, or daddy in this case.

"That's good Cas. You're doin' great!" Bobby encouraged.

That made Cas smile and he waited until the kitten was done before dipping another finger in for some more. "What else should I do?" Cas asked Bobby, not taking his eyes off the creature in his palm.

"Ya could always try talkin' to it." suggested Bobby.

"Animals don't understand us."

"You'd be surprised that they do." Bobby corrected him. "They might not respond the same way we do but they understand what's goin' on. Or if you don't feel comfortable doin' that Cas, ya could try pettin' it, but ya have to gentle 'kay?" Bobby explained and showed him how that was done. Bobby let two fingers rub gently against the kitten's ear telling him that he was good hands and that it was going to be okay.

Cas was taken aback when the kitten stopped drinking enough to take some time to glance towards Bobby's way and gave him a soft : "Mew."

Bobby laughed to himself. "See, told ya." He then looked towards the living room and wondered if that wouldn't be more comfortable for Cas. These old chairs were nasty on the back. "Why don't ya go in the livin' room Cas?" he suggested. "It would be better fer the both of ya."

Cas nodded. Bobby helped him, seeing that his hands were full. He took care of the bowel of milk, while Cas held the kitten close and took his place on the sofa. Bobby put the bowel on the coffee table.

"Do ya need anythin' Cas?" Bobby asked him.

Bobby wasn't surprised that he didn't. Cas never asked for much. He was too busy looking out for others around him. That was the Angel in him, and all though Bobby Singer wasn't too fond of the dicks, Castiel was the exception. That was for damn sure. It looked like he was gaining another son in the process here. Not that he was complaining much. It was just always hard to see one of his boys hurting and he hoped to God or who ever was watching out for them that small kitten would make it, not just for itself but Castiel's sake. This would probably turn out to be a long day, and even a longer night.

TBC...