A week passed, then another. Finals approached; Bobby dragged out another desk so Cas had the room he needed to spread all his work and his notes out. The old man also put his foot down when Cas tried to do his chores, telling him that his school work is more important that the amount of dirt on the floor. It shocked the pair of them when Cas gave Bobby a fast, hard hug, leaving them both too embarrased to look at each other before Cas fled back to his studies.

But his nights were spent with Dean, as finals weren't the only thing approaching. Castiel's first day in court was scheduled soon; giving rise to profound nightmares whenever he slept alone. Dean would just hold him, and stroke his back and hair; and it was only in the arms of the mechanic that Cas could sleep.

Early in the morning of the last day of his final exams, Dean drops both Sam and Cas off at school, wishing them both well, and adding that Cas will do fine. Cas' lips curve in the soft, almost silly smile that Dean seems to bring to his lips as the Impala rumbles away, and Sam makes a puking noise through his grin. Cas ruffled his hair, and the pair of them split off to go to class.

By lunch time, Cas knows he's in trouble. His brother Raphael and the group of jocks he hung around with have been eyeballing him all day, and only the timely intervention of a teacher averts violence. But he wraps himself in the protective memory of Dean's love and forces himself through the rest of the day, ignoring the sullen glares and muttered threats. Sammy's last class ran late, leaving Cas standing outside the fence alone after school, his mouth going dry as Raphael begins to saunter towards him, his pack of oversized bullies in tow.

"Well, well, if it isn't my little brother," a familiar voice says, and when Cas looks to his left, his heart stutters in his chest to see Gabriel climb out from behind the wheel of a fancy looking convertible. "Two of them, in fact. How lucky am I?" Gabriel slips off the mirrored sunglasses he was wearing and gives Raphael a look with his gold-green eyes that would have scared Cas if he'd been on the recieving end. "How are you doing, bro? And my, what a fan club you have." He fans his face with one hand, a lecherous look in his eyes that make the jocks glance at each other uneasily. "I never knew you were into beefcake."

Raphael stops, looking from Cas to Gabe and back again. "Y-you?! W-what are you doing here?" Gabriel's glance never wavers.

"Me? Oh, I'm here for the trial. Sorry, it's just a case, isn't it? It's not a trial about how fucked up our family is." Gabriel gives a jagged laugh. "So run home, Raph, and spill the beans to that shit Mikey about how the real black sheep of the family is back in town." Raphael take one step back, and then another. "Go on; take your pack of dogs and run."

"Y-you're... I'll be back," Raphael says, trying to put a note of menace in his voice. "You'll get what's coming to you. Both of you." A vicious smile curves Gabriel's lips, and his green-gold eyes glitter with a look Cas has only ever seen in Michael's eyes before.

"Oh, please. Try me. I beg you." With that, Raphael gathers what remains of his dignity and leaves, leaving Cas to stare at Gabriel in shock. "Need a ride?" Gabe asks, turning to Cas in enquiry. Cas finally closes his mouth.

"Dean is coming to get me," he manages.

"Ah, your white knight to the rescue," Gabriel drawls, leaning against the fence at Cas' side and pulling a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. For a moment, he fiddles with the pack and a lighter, then he huffs out a sigh. "Sorry, bro. I scared you, didn't I?" Cas nods slowly, making Gabriel sigh again. "Guess I learned a few other things from Mikey," he muses, selecting a cigarette and lighting up, sucking the smoke deeply into his lungs before releasing it slowly. Cas scuffs the toe of his shoe against the ground and shrugs.

"Guess you did." He peeks up through his lashes and catches a flash of hurt on Gabriel's face, and speaks quickly. "But it's just a bit scary. You've... I don't think you'd ever hurt me." The hurt dissolves into that brilliant grin Cas remembers so well.

"That's true. You and me against those clowns once more, huh?" Cas can't help but return the smile. "So when is your knight showing up, hmm?" Cas checks his watch, blushing slightly at Gabe's joking about Dean. But it was true; Dean was his knight in shining armour.

"Sam's out of class in fifteen minutes, so, ten?" A familiar rumble cuts through the air, and Cas' smile changes. "Or, maybe, now?" Gabriel gives a low whistle of admiration, and when Dean pulls up and gets out, he crosses to the Impala and pats the hood.

"Nice wheels," Gabriel says. "Classic." Dean nods his head, pride in his face.

"I keep her in shape myself," he replies, before his attention shifts to Cas. Castiel wants to squirm under that gaze. "What happened?" Dean demands in a low voice. "Tell me." For some reason, there's a look that is both pained and happy on Gabriel's face before he speaks, drowning out Cas' attempt.

"Eh, nothing much. Family business." Dean's eyes shift across, and he glares at Gabriel.

"We're his family now. Those assholes don't have the right to claim that title. Not anymore." Again, that pained/happy look flashes through Gabe's gold-green eyes before he holds his hands up in surrender and gives a sunny smile.

"I was just keeping him company until you showed up," he says. "So I'll get going. I'll see you... Well, later, I suppose." Gabriel starts across the parking lot to his car, but he doesn't get far before Dean speaks.

"Hey." Dean clears his throat, but his voice is still gruff. "Come round for dinner." Two pairs of startled eyes turn to him, and he shrugs. "Look, for what you're doing... I owe you." Cas opens his mouth, and Dean lifts a hand to forestall him. "We owe you. A home cooked meal and a few beers is shitty payment, but it's a start." Gabe shifts his feet, clearly uncertain.

"Please?" Cas asks softly. "I..." He snorts a laugh, shakes his head. "Stupid as it is, I... Well, I miss you, okay?" Gabriel gives a clear, ringing laugh, then crosses back to hook an arm around Cas' neck. Castiel fights against the impulse to pull away and wins, letting Gabriel pull him into a hard hug.

"I missed you too, little brother."

Gabriel follows them to the yard in his convertible after Dean has sung it's praises and Sam has finished his classes; Bobby also has good things to say about the car, and melts Gabriel's reserve when he offers him a beer and tells him 'Mister Singer' was Bobby's father. Soon, it's as if Gabe has always been a member of the extended Singer/Winchester clan; he laughs and banters with Bobby as if he's known him for years. After dinner, Bobby cracks open a bottle of whiskey, and the two of them trade stories that make Cas and Sam blush, and Dean grin. Cas rises to do the dishes; and Cas is the only one surprised by Gabriel's offer to help.

"Least I can do. That was one fine meal, Bobby, thanks." Bobby waves away the praise as the pair move into the kitchen and start the washing up. In companionable silence they tidy and wash and dry; it's only when Cas is putting the last of the plates away that he notices Gabe standing in the doorway to the living room, a wistful expression on his face. Gabriel notices the look, and he smiles crookedly.

"I'm happy for you, little bro. Pity I'm a little bit jealous, too," he admits, folding the dishtowel and hanging it on the oven door. "If I'd've had some like Dean or Bobby around, I would have gotten out sooner. And I would have taken you with me." Gabriel gives an uncomfortable shrug. "C'est la vie, as they say." He crosses back to the door and spreads his hands. "It's late. I should go."

"Couch is comfy if you want to stay," Bobby notes casually, and again that pained/happy look crosses Gabriel's face.

"Nah," he replies, "I'm hitting up that smug British bastard for a hotel room while I'm in town." A smile of pure, evil delight curves Bobby's lips, and he salutes Gabriel with his glass.

"Then I wish you a high room service bill," he says, grinning.

"I see there's something else we agree on," Gabriel replies, a matching grin on his face. "G'night, fellas. Cas; walk me out?" Cas nods, and follows in Gabriel's wake as he leaves the ramshackle house. For a moment, they just stand beside the convertible, breathing in the sweet evening air, before Gabe offers Cas another hug, one scented with cigarette smoke and beer. "I really have missed you, you know? You were always the best of 'em."

"That's funny," Castiel replies, "I was going to say the same thing about you." Gabriel laughs and climbs into the car. "Hey; be careful, okay?" Cas says finally. "Michael knows you're..." At the look on Gabriel's face, Cas' voice trails off.

"I really hope he does try something," Gabriel says, and the tone in his voice makes Cas shiver. "I'm not that boy who ran away any more." His voice softens when he speaks again. "And you're different too; remember that, right?" Gabe's lips curve in a familiar, cheeky smile. "Don't worry; it's a good different." Cas nods, and watches the tail lights of the convertible until they vanish into the night.