Castiel's head spun as he stepped out of the hotel room with his brother. How had Luke been there? The very random hotel Dean had been at? How had his door just happened to be the one that Cas just to happened to run into? He needed to know. He was startled from his thoughts as Sam ran up and grabbed his shoulders.

"Cas! What happened!? Are you alright!? We have been looking for you for hours!" Sam was so loud it split Castiel's head.

"I ran into my brother, Luke." Cas said. He pointed back, Luke leaned around him and offered his hand to Sam.

"I'm Luke Novak. My friend's all call me Lucy. My family calls me the literal Devil or Satan." He grinned at how off putting that was for Sam.

"We do not. Michael does, and when Gabriel does he is teasing." Castiel corrected, "Luke, this is my friend from college, Sam. Oh, and the girl running up behind him is Jessica, his fiance." On cue Jess trotted up and Luke shook her hand, "Jess, my brother Luke."

She looked confused between them and shook his hand, averting her attention back to Cas," Are you ok? You've been gone for hours!" She passed Sam and hugged Cas.

"I'm alright. I'm alright. Uh, How's Dean?" Jess stepped back and looked at Sam.

"Dean... saw the car. Broke down. Took us about an hour to calm him down enough to get him to lay down in your back seat. The shock hasn't worn off." He glanced at Luke.

"Hey, Luke... how long are you here?" Cas asked.

"Uh, I plan on being here a while. Why?" He hadn't taken his eyes off Sam since Jess had stepped back.

"I'm going to take my friends home. I'll visit you soon. If that is what you want." Cas turned to Luke and hugged him.

"Oh! You'll be seeing me around campus. I talked to Mike a while back and he talked me into coming. Dad is helping pay my tuition. He saw it as a sign of mutirity." Cas shook his head. He couldn't deal with this. not right now.

"I'll stop by tomorrow. I have to go." His head spun for a whole new reason.

When they got to the car Cas couldn't even remember how to turn the car on.

"Cas... why don't you sit in the passenger seat and Jess can sit in the back and hold Dean. I'll drive." Sam offered.

"Jess shouldn't have to sit in the back because of me. I don't mind." Sam smiled and opened the door, telling Dean to sit up so Cas could slide in. Once Cas had sat down Dean laid back down, his head in Castiel's lap. He looked horrible and Cas couldn't help but pet the other man's hair as if it would cofort him. Dean didn't protest. Dean didn't do much other than glare blankly at the roof and breath. Every so often Cas would see his nostrils flare or his jaw start working, or his eyes get glassy. He was trying so hard not to think about it, to shut down. All of his coping mechanisms were failing him.

"Hey Dean, how about you sleep in my apartment tonight? I know You have your own at the bar and sam has a couch, but my couch has a fold out bed, you look like you need one. " He couldn't stand the thought of Dean being uncomfortable on top of being so injured.

"Are you sure, Cas?," Sam said as he glanced in the rear-view mirror.

"I don't mind at all. Really. I have a bed that's not being used and I know he wants to be close to you." Castiel said.

When they did finally make it back to the apartments Dean had to be carried up the stairs. He could barely move his feet at all. He hated it, too. Castiel could tell. the way the brothers were snapping at one another and dean kept muttering under his breath. He kept trying to push Cas away. He could tell Castiel had probably broken his nose and still had the cold he had woken up with. He didn't like needing help. He hated being so vulnerable. Castiel caught himself staring at the cut under Dean's eye and the bruise forming over his freckles. they got him to the door and into Sam's room to administer first aid. Luckily Jess had some of her nursing supplies and was able to stitch him up and bandage what needed it. They also had some painkillers to help him sleep. By midnight they had him calmed down and cleaned up and relocated him to Castiel's fold out bed. The sheets were from the thrift store and the one pillow was a little flat, but dean took his shirt off and passed out almost as soon as he hit the pillow. Sam quietly thanked Castiel at the door as he and Jess went to their own.

The next day Castiel felt much better. His nose was swollen and his head still ached, but the cold had passed. He was quiet as he got up and walked into his kitchen. He glanced at the bed in the living room and about jumped out of his skin. Dean was sitting up and facing away, reading an old journal by a dim light. Castiel didn't want to scare him when he started the coffee but he was too nervous to speak. He cleared his throat and went about making coffee, not acknowledging Dean as Dean noticed him, putting the journal away.

"Hey Cas." Dean muttered as he stood up and crossed the room. Castiel had never been considered short. He was average, at least. Taller than most women he met. Now he felt small. He had always been a dwarf compared to Sam, but he had never been in this close of quarters with dean, even carrying him last night had not had the same effect. Dean was tall, he filled the room. How had he and his brother lived in hotel rooms with their father all this time? If they had been tall like this since puberty they had to barely fit in hotel beds. Not only was Dean tall, he seemed to fill the space he was in. Almost command it.

"Hello Dean." He didn't know why his voice did that. It was like he was... mimicking Dean. It had gone so quiet and deep. He had never heard himself speak this way before. Dean raised a brow and glanced at the door. Even with about two feet between them, Castiel felt like dean was standing right on him.

"You shouldn't be up. You need to rest. Just stay here for now. I'm going to go to my classes and then to see my brother. I'll send Jess over with some medicine. You really should rest." Castiel cleared his throat and grabbed the coffee pot, pouring himself some, trying not to look back at Dean for his reaction.

"I'm actually going to head over to the bar and see Jo and her mom. I need to tell them what happened." He didn't seem happy about that at all.

"You don't have a car." Castiel mixed his drink.

"I'll walk there. It's not too far. I've walked further. I need to call Bobby and get him to come pick up the Impala." Dean said. He leaned on the counter and frowned.

"Dean, you need to rest. Sam is taking care of the Impala and I'm pretty sure one of us can call Jo and tell her what happened. Walking that much might really hurt you." Castiel protested.

"Cas, I have walked much further in much worse condition." He took a breath to continue but Castiel cut him off.

"But you don't have to. you really don't. Not anymore. You can rest until you get better. It's okay to. Just lay back down, Dean. Really." He was stern but not too demanding and not too pushy. He needed Dean to understand. He didn't need to be this way. not right now. Now he was safe and he didn't need to be constantly moving.

"Okay. Okay I'll lay back down." He whispered.

Castiel's exam went alright and the class after went uneventful. He didn't even really have to take notes. It was just a refresher anyway. He could have even slept or skipped it and it would have been fine. Truth was that he was putting off going to see Luke. Cas was easy to sway and he knew that Luke was best at swaying. Slowly but surely everything he did would bring about his own gain. sometimes it was just for the hell of it that he messed you up. He was not Castiel's favorite brother. To be honest, he was only Michael's favorite brother. He taught Gabriel all of his tricks and he was the only one that could make Michael smile and he was the only one that really made castiel be part of the family for more than just courtesy's sake. With all of that he was the least trustworthy and the most arrogant of them all. He had played games with their heads and had cause Michael more than once to try to take his own life. It had been true. They called Luke Lucifer. Sometimes their Dad even went as far as to say that was always what Luke was short for.

He knocked on the door from last night. At least he hoped it was. Sitting out here waiting for an answer, He wasn't so sure he was at the right door. He looked around, squinting at other doors, trying to remember, this was the right door, right? He had been so sick yesterday, he had been hurt. he could be wrong. Why else would Luke not answer? He huffed loudly and was about to leave. Luke opened the door just as he turned away.

"Hey little bro!" Luke said. He leaned on the doorway, opening the door for a very scantily clad woman to walk out. she had to lean under his arm as he was taking up most of the doorway. He waves his fingers at her, that goofy grin on his face. Like always.

"I thought you were into men." Castiel commented as he watched her leave.

"Oh I am, but I can't deny women are appealing as well." He said. his eyes never left Castiel," Come in. I cant' wait to get to know my little bro again. how long has it been? So long. I'm so excited." He didn't move aside and Castiel had to duck under his arm as the woman had. It wasn't as easy for him as it had been for her. Once past Luke he made his way into the hotel room. This was the room he had been in yesterday. Very much like the one Dean had been in.

"So... youre taking classes at the college. How long have you been back in contact with Dad? Castiel found a chair and sat in it as he asked.

"Uh... I started trying to talk to him just about the time that Aunt Amara took you in. Michael was old enough he ran off to school. Gabriel chose to just plain run off. King of like I did, except quieter. It took so long to get back in Dad's good graces because he was so... absent through those last years you were a teen. I pushed though. finally I got through to him. I've been living in my old room, getting to talk to him every night... that he's not out doing his work. Still vague, what he does." He crossed his arms, tapping his chin with his finger,"Tell me about you."

"Uh... I'm working on getting in med school. I hang out with friends at the bar almost every night. To study, to talk. Sometimes we go other places. The whole group is very close. There's not much else." Castiel said.

"Do you like the subject you're studying?" Luke seemed to act interested.

"Luke, why would someone like you conform to something like college?" Castiel blurted," You aren't the kind that likes this kind of structure in his life, and it's kind of late..."

"I'm wounded. We all were too smart for our own good. Even if you and Mike were a little naive." He leaned back against the wall, faking a pout.

""I didn't say you weren't smart. You just don't like... authority." Castiel's voice dropped.

"I've grown up. A new man. Having a kid changes you." He looked down, scuffing his boot.

"Having... a kid?" Castiel squinted again.

"Yeah. I had an affair with this business woman and turned out she was not as infertile as she thought. I get him for holidays every other year. We switch off his summer breaks. I get him this one." He grinned.

"You have a son? I have a nephew?" Castiel said, in shock.

"His name is Jack. Good kid. I came back to school to be the Dad he really needs. I'm stepping up." He said with a light shrug.

"Jack... How old is he?" Castiel said.

"Fifteen. I got her pregnant around the time I ran off with that guy. I honestly didn't know until years later. She was... really sweet. She introduced me to him and I've been trying to be a good Dad since." he said,"Want to see a picture?"

"Of course." Castiel said. He was almost too eager. He couldn't help it. He was a sucker for family. Michael had ingrained that in him. Luke pulled a picture out of his pocket and offered it to him.

"He has your smile, brother." Castiel smiled softly. Attractive kid. Dark hair, pure look in his eyes.

"You can have that one. I have a lot of pictures of him." Luke said.

"I will. Thank you. Can I meet him?" Castiel said.

"Yeah, this summer. I get the kid the whole time." Luke looked excited.

"I can't wait. Do... you want to come to the bar with my friends and I tonight?" Castiel offered.

"Would they mind?" Luke made a face. It was fake. He would come, he didn't care if they cared or if they liked him. He was very confident and barely anyone ever turned him away.

"They won't. We only have one car though. I will be taking Dean, Jess, and Sam. That's my three extra seats." Castiel hoped this would deter him. Why had he invited him?

"Sam. Is that the really tall one? Long hair?" Luke gestured to his own neck to indicate how long Sam's hair was.

"He's taken, Luke." Castiel warned.

"Oh, you told me. That Jess chick." Luke shrugged it off, smirking.

"I mean it, Luke. Leave Sam alone, he's taken." Castiel was hating this already.

"I'm not the same guy you remember, Castiel. Stop assuming I'm out to get you and your friends. We all know that's a lie Dad and Aunt Amara fed you anyway." Something flashed in his eyes for just a moment as he grinned darkly.

"Alright. Then... I'll see you tonight at the Roadhouse." Castiel stood and took a very tight and awkward hug from Luke.

Author note: Any reviews for me? How is the story going? I was writing it when I was watching season 6 so the characters have changed a little since we are in season 13 now. Any characters anyone want portrayed that I may be forgetting about? Let me know.