So, this baby was written for the deancasbigbang over on LJ. It's posted there with accompanying art (which I recommend you go check out) here is the link: zeppx .livejournal .com/ 32465 .html

Many uber thanks to my betas, larenoz, Scoobert0, and Comedicdrama (who held my hand and poked and yelled at me to write when I really didn't feel like it) and of course many thanks to everyone on Twitter/MSN/Yahoo who continuously cheered me on and helped me motivate myself to finish this bitch of a story.

Also, sorry for the inbox spam (actually I regret nothing bahahah!)

Anyway. Enjoy.

"Every time I see your face
My heart takes off on a high speed chase.
Now don't be scared
It's only love that we're falling in."
Falling In – Lifehouse

There were nights that Castiel wondered what had made him choose nursing as his career path. He liked helping people sure, but it was an exhausting job and hardly anyone ever thanked him for the long hours and sleepless nights. He could have done anything he'd wanted, he could have been a lawyer like his older brother Raphael, or he could have just gone all the way and become a doctor like Michael.

Hell, he could be an artist like Rachel if he had really wanted to be.

Point was, he could have been anything he wanted and for some insane reason he'd chosen nursing. He hadn't even chosen a particularly interesting field of nursing either. He'd been in ICU to start with, but ICU was depressing. The patients for the most part were either dying or unconscious and they never said a word. Which was nice for the people who weren't quite so people friendly, like Castiel himself. ICU had always been dark and a little too quiet though; the feeling of death seemed to linger everywhere and followed you wherever you went.

After two years of that, he'd switched to the Medical-Surgical floor and he hadn't looked back since. Nights like tonight though, when he'd just come back from four days off and had a chart being waved around under his nose, made him wonder why he'd done it.

In the ICU, he'd been allowed three patients maximum, and he'd kept a constant and critical eye on them at all times. Here in Med/Surg, though, he was allowed up to five, on busy night's sometimes seven patients. Tonight was looking to be a seven patient night since one nurse had been allowed to go home early.

He really didn't want seven patients tonight.

"Please Cas?"

Castiel eyed the chart Jo was waving around under his nose and shook his head, "I'm already full Jo."

"So?" Castiel scowled up at the petite blonde and took a sip of his coffee, willing energy to flow directly from the cup and into his bloodstream. This was the last time he took four days off in a row; it really screwed with his biorhythms.

Anna chuckled from his right side while Ruby said from his left, "Give it up Jo, he's not going to do it."

"Please?" Jo leaned over the counter, tapping Castiel on top of his head with the chart, like being annoying would help him change his mind.

"Why me? Why not Anna… or Jess? Hell even Ruby could do it."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence Cas." Ruby grumbled, gathering her own charts and stalking off the down the hallway to check on her patients. Castiel watched her go for a moment before he turned his attention back to Jo.

"Because they've already taken all my other patients for the night. You're the only one who's yet to take one." Jo rested her chin on her folded arms and widened her eyes at Castiel, trying the whole puppy dog look on him, which never worked since Castiel had a heart of stone. At least according to everyone else. Castiel didn't really, he just pretended he did, made everything easier.

"So, best for last then?" Castiel asked, shooting Jo a charming smile as Jess threw herself into Ruby's vacated seat.

"More like hardest to convince." Jo muttered, glaring now. Castiel sighed and pulled the nights schedule down from the wall to examine it.

"Why don't you give the patient to Jess? She's only got four patients tonight. I've got six. Give me a break Jo; I'm just coming back from being off for four days."

"Because Jess has only been here three months! You've been here, what… eight years?"

"Ten years here, twelve years in nursing total. What's your point?"

"More experience? C'mon Cas, it's just one patient." Jo waved the chart around again.

"Jess can use the practice, plus I'm charge tonight, I've got too much shit to do. Leave me alone. Better yet, don't go home and just stay here and you know… work." Jo scoffed and went back to trying to give him the puppy dog look.

Castiel glanced over to Jess who looked ready to pass out on the desk, then over to Anna who was hiding her smile behind a hand while she worked. Castiel scowled, snatched the chart from Jo, pointed his pen at her and snapped, "I want coffee for a week. And red velvet cake. Not the cheap kind from Safeway either, I want the kind from Mollie Stone's!"

"But Mollie Stone's is more expensive!"

Castiel raised an eyebrow and held the chart out, "You can take this right back then."

"Fine." Castiel nodded, added the patient chart to his own and went back to examining the schedule for the week. "Why was everyone else so easy to convince anyway?"

"Girl's day at the beach." Jo said, grinning now that she no longer had any patients to attend to and could go home for the night. Castiel disliked her in that moment.

"So I don't get invited?"

"Girl's day Cas."

"I'm gay."

"Bi. That means there are sufficient amounts of testosterone in your system to be considered an actual man." Ruby offered as she walked by the nurses' station. Castiel glared at her back and Jess giggled from where she had her head buried in her arms.

"I've been with more men than women." Castiel offered weakly.

"Doesn't matter." Castiel rolled his eyes at Jo, gathered up his charts and stood up, intending to go check on his patients for the night before settling himself down to make up the night shift schedule for the month.

Jo followed along as Castiel walked down the hallway, mentally tallying up how many days he'd be willing to work overtime so he would be able to afford the new car he'd bought over his time off. Which just proved he should never have so much time off since he went out and bought shit he didn't need in the first place.

"Fine Cas, you can come to the beach with us." Jo said as they came to a stop outside of Castiel's first patient's room. He eyed her for a moment. "No, no. It's too late now; my delicate sensibilities have already been damaged."

Jo rolled her eyes and Ruby called from a few doors down, "Does that mean you're going to go lock yourself in the little girl's room and cry? Make sure your mascara doesn't run before you come back out!"

"Bite me Ruby!"

"Ooh, nurses' station is catty tonight!" A familiar voice called from down the hall. Both Jo and Castiel groaned, Jo patted his arm and disappeared into the stairwell before Gabriel could keep her there.

Castiel, meanwhile turned to smile at the shorter doctor, "Evening Gabriel."

"Doctor Gabriel."

"Whatever." Gabriel came to a stop in front of Castiel, worked open a Twix bar and asked around a mouthful, "Anything need my immediate attention?"

"Nope."

"Alright, I trust your judgment Cas. Page me if you need anything, I'll be sleeping like a baby!"

"Damn right you should trust my judgment! I've been here longer than you have!" Castiel shouted as Gabriel disappeared into the doctor's lounge. Castiel rolled his eyes, sighed and entered his patient's room.

Sadly, the patient was awake.

Castiel stole a quick glance at the chart for a name. "You should be sleeping Mr. Winchester."

Castiel was greeted with a snort, a hand that brushed floppy brown hair out of hazel eyes and a smile that was all dimples and white teeth, "Itches too much."

Castiel hummed and pulled the stethoscope from around his neck, "Well, it's normal. Do you want anything for it? I can bring you something that will help you sleep if you need it."

"Nah, I'm good. Just annoying is all."

"Well you should be out of here by tomorrow." Castiel was awarded with another dimply smile; if he had been a few years older, Castiel probably would have been interested. As it was though, he didn't want to feel like a cradle robber and instead went about checking the IV, drawing blood, checking blood pressure and the incision site.

"Everything good?" The patient, Sam as he'd told Cas to call him, asked.

"Yep. You need to sleep though. It'll help your recovery."

"I'll work on it." Sam shot him one last smile and returned to the book he'd been reading before Castiel had come in. Castiel jotted down his notes, flipped the chart shut and headed out of the room to go and check on his other patients.

Two hours later and Castiel was sitting back behind the nurses' station, it was only five hours into his twelve-hour shift and he was already dead on his feet. He seriously was never taking so much time off again.

"So, how's my favorite night shift crew?" Gabriel asked, appearing on the other side of the counter a few minutes after Castiel had settled.

Castiel liked Gabriel, the doctor was entertaining and he always had candy to hand out, which was a bonus in Castiel's book since he had a raging sweet tooth. In the three years Gabriel had been working here, they'd managed to become rather close friends. Actually, Gabriel was more like a brother to Castiel now that he thought about it, especially with how his own brothers tended to treat him.

Gabriel always had some helpful advice though, or an open ear if Castiel needed to talk. He also shared some great ways to prank his brothers whenever he returned home, and knew the proper times to take Castiel out to get good and drunk.

"Get me some coffee and I may give you a coherent sentence." Castiel mumbled, not bothering to lift his chin from where it was resting in his palm.

"Aw, poor Cassie, shoved back into the working world so cruelly." Castiel grunted, choosing to ignore Gabriel and continued browsing around on Craigslist for houses to rent since the lease was almost up on his apartment. He'd always wanted to live in a house; it was too expensive to buy in this part of California though so he'd have to settle for renting. He'd bought a new car so why not just finish changing everything?

He couldn't argue with that kind of logic in his exhausted state of mind.

Jess was sprawled over the desk next to him, sometimes showing interest in a house he clicked on but otherwise generally unconscious. She was the newest addition to the night shift, Castiel felt for her, he could remember his first few months on the night shift, it had been hell on his body until he'd properly adjusted to it. Now he found he rather preferred the night shift lifestyle to the day shift. It was… quieter, which he approved.

Anna and Ruby had been here for about four years while Jo had been around for three. They were all still for the most part, young and eager to make a difference.

Castiel sometimes felt incredibly old when around them and he was only thirty-six. He scowled at the computer screen in front of him, who was he kidding? Thirty-six was the new fifty-six. He was old damnit. And what did he have to show for it? A small apartment, a cat and a new car he could barely afford.

Castiel heard Gabriel chuckle from above him and managed to grunt out his thanks when Gabriel pressed a Milky Way into his free hand before walking off.

When three am rolled around Castiel was trying to scrounge up the energy to get up and check on his patients again. He only had to last four more hours and he could go home to his bed and sleep until he had to come back and do it all over again.

"Castiel?" Castiel looked up from where he'd been contemplating stealing Ruby's pen since she was being bitchy tonight and it wrote better than his anyway.

"Oh, hello Ellen."

Ellen, Jo's mother and floor manager smiled at him as she approached, "Had a little mix up with the schedule and Sarah will be running a few hours late getting in this morning. Do you mind staying extra for a few hours to cover?"

Castiel hummed in thought and picked at a loose thread on his blue scrubs. He was exhausted but the extra money would be nice, especially if he was thinking about moving. Plus he'd bought that damn car (why had he bought it if he was so conflicted over it? Could he return it?) and if he wanted to move into a house…why had he bought that car? Especially for the amount he'd paid, sure, he'd been able to talk them down a little but seriously,he was only a nurse here. Ugh…

Fingers snapped in front of his face, "Cas? Need an answer sweetie."

"Yeah, sure Ellen. Sorry."

She smiled, reached over and patted his shoulder, "Thanks hon. It'll only be until ten at the latest."

Castiel saluted with his own pen, then snatched up Ruby's and went off to get a fresh cup of coffee and to do his check-ins.

Behind him, when Ruby returned to her chair shouted, "Castiel! You damn pen thief! Get back here!"

At nine, a few minutes before clocking out for the day, Castiel found himself staring into angry green eyes as he tried to explain that he was just trying to do a quick check up. Sam's brother was having none of it though, was being stubborn and a general pain in Castiel's ass while he demanded answers. It was like he'd turned off his ears and refused to listen to a damn thing Castiel tried to say to him.

This was not how he wished to end his shift.

"Listen, I just want some answers before I let you grope my brother."

He would get his damn answers if he would just let Castiel do his job.

"I will gladly answer your questions after you let me check up on my patient. Soon as I finish that I'll be better able to tell you what's going on."

They stared at each other before those green eyes narrowed and arms crossed over his chest, "What kind of doctor are you anyway?"

Why did the handsome ones always have to be such jackasses? Castiel sighed and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He didn't need this shit; he knew how the elder Winchester would react when learning that Castiel was a nurse. Male nurses were hardly ever taken seriously, since apparently nursing was a women's job and any man doing it was incapable of doing anything else. Or so Castiel had been told by other patients before.

"I'm not a doctor." Castiel said as he moved to step around the elder Winchester.

He found his path blocked once again, "No way I'm letting you touch my brother if you're not even a doctor!"

"I assure you I'm more than capable of-"

"I don't care! You're not touching my brother!" Castiel was nearing the end of his rope.

"Dean! Stop being such a jerk!" Sam moved until he was peering around 'Dean', he shot Castiel an apologetic smile and a shrug that said, big brothers, what can you do?

Stab them in the face with a sedative, that's what he could do.

"Shut up Sam!" Dean snapped his attention back to Castiel and asked, "So if you're not a doctor what the hell are you?"

Castiel sighed, shifted on his feet impatiently, "I'm a nurse."

Dean's eyebrows went up and he looked Castiel up and down, here it came, "So what good are you then?"

"Dean!"

Castiel sighed and rubbed his forehead, he was too tired for this and the urge to take off his stethoscope and either hit Dean on the head with it or strangle him was becoming harder to repress.

"Listen… Dean. I'm more than qualified to check your brother's vitals and change his dressing. He's been in my care for the last fourteen hours and he's still alive and in one piece. So, please, step aside and let me do my job so I can go home or I will have security escort you out of the building."

Dean crossed his arms and glared, obviously not caring and daring Castiel to do it.

"Dean would you just let him do his job?" Sam muttered from behind his brother.

Castiel sighed and ultimately gave up, he just wanted his bed, "Listen, I'll leave a note for the doctor, but I believe he'll be in surgery soon and he won't be available until this afternoon."

The glare didn't let up so Castiel shrugged, "But if you want to wait that's fine but, I'll tell you now though he'll just have a nurse, or worse, an intern do what I'm trying to do. Believe me, you'd rather I do it."

Dean blinked but didn't move so Castiel shrugged, nodded a farewell to Sam and exited the room.

The familiar night shift crew had left a few hours earlier, leaving Castiel with the day shift people. He knew them all well enough since he'd worked the day shift a few times and they all saw each other at meetings and such; he just wasn't as well acquainted.

Didn't matter to Pamela though as she strutted up to him with a wink, "Don't see you around much hot stuff, our schedules don't collide much anymore." Castiel smiled over at her, she had been working here for about as long as Castiel had been so they got along well enough. Sometimes a little too well, the supply closet could tell a few tales…

She winked at him again before wandering off, Castiel handed over Sam's chart to Ava, "Unless you want to be chewed out for being a nurse, avoid room 208 until Gabriel's had a chance to be in there." Ava nodded and smiled and Castiel turned and leaned against the counter, waiting for Sarah to show up. He'd seen her run into the locker room when he'd been heading for Sam's room a few minutes ago.

"My ears were burning so I came to investigate before I head downstairs," Castiel looked up at Gabriel's voice and smiled as the shorter man leaned next to him, "Why are you still here Cas?"

"Just covering for Sarah. She should be out soon though and then I'm out of here." As soon as the words were out of his mouth Sarah was running around the corner and throwing herself into the nearest chair with a breathless, "I'm here!" Sarah had started around the same time as Jess and was just as adorable, he liked them both.

"So, Room 208 needs you in there soon if you get the chance." Castiel said, turning to face Gabriel.

"Why? That's your job, not mine." Gabriel popped a Snickers into his mouth and smiled obnoxiously up at Castiel.

"I know, but the patient's brother has a prejudice against nurses or something." Gabriel chuckled and Castiel looked up at the sound of someone clearing their throat. His gaze landed on Dean and Castiel raised his eyebrows, unimpressed with the glare Dean was shooting at him. He had no regrets for how he had treated Dean, even if his tone may have been a little harsher than needed.

"If you're looking for an apology, you're not going to get one from me." Dean shuffled in place a little, eyes falling to his feet while Gabriel grinned, "This 208?"

"The brother, yeah."

"Listen up bucko, Castiel is more than capable of doing his job. In fact, he makes most of my decisions for me if I'm busy elsewhere. I'm not going to take time out of my busy schedule to baby you and your brother just because you've got issues."

Castiel bit back a smile, patted Gabriel on the shoulder, "I'm out of here. My bed, air conditioning and black out curtains are calling me."

A chorus of, "See you Cas!" followed him as he headed for the locker room to grab his bag and get out of there.

When he exited the locker room and headed for the elevators Gabriel shouted, "Hey, when you come in tonight bring me some chocolate from the outside world! I'm sick of this vending machine crap!"

Castiel waved over his shoulder and stepped onto the elevator.

Down in the parking lot, staring at his new car, he was once again wondering what had prompted him to buy it and trying to ignore the annoying presence behind him that was Dean Winchester.

Finally, he turned and snapped, "Okay, what?"

"Uh?"

"Want to belittle my profession some more? Go ahead; give it your best shot! I've heard worse from my own family and from other patients. So go ahead, get it out of your system; can't be worse than the disappointment I get on a daily basis."

Dean blinked, shuffled in place and muttered, "I wanted to apologize."

"Oh." Well now, Castiel felt like an ass. Great.

"So yeah, I'm sorry. I'm just a bit…overprotective when it comes to my brother."

Castiel shrugged, "Well, like I said, I've heard worse."

Dean nodded and they fell into an awkward silence until Dean stepped forward so he was standing next to Castiel instead of behind him, "New car?"

Castiel turned his attention back to the dark grey Audi parked at the curb in front of him. It was a major upgrade from the beat up orange Beetle he'd been driving since high school and he'd always wanted a car like this ever since he'd seen one on TV.

Top Gear reruns on BBC at two in the morning were dangerous, Castiel decided.

"Yeah," Castiel finally said.

"Buyers regret?"

"Like you wouldn't believe."

Dean snorted, "Little above your pay grade isn't it?" The man had to be stuck in jackass mode or something.

Castiel huffed and glared over at Dean, "I may be a nurse, but I do make more money than you do."

"You don't even know what I do, dude."

"You're a mechanic," at Dean's incredulous look Castiel added, "Sam told me."

"Of course he did."

Castiel shrugged, waved his keys in the air, "I'm gonna go now."

"Uh…yeah. See ya."

Castiel gave a halfhearted wave and slid into the car and took a moment to enjoy the leather seats and new car smell before heading off towards home.