Tell Me Your Story

Chapter Twelve - Thankgiving Dinner

Everything was nice over the course of the next few weeks. Dean and Charlie were getting along, and Cas seemed better, even if the method was less than ideal.

By the time Thanksgiving rolled around, it was starting to get really cold, and it had already snowed a few times. Thanksgiving afternoon found Sam and Dean both nervous for the night, Sam trying to figure out what to wear and Dean trying to prepare himself for any scenario while Bobby prepared the house, rather bitterly since no one was helping.

"Do you think Gabe will like sandwiches?" Sam asked Dean nervously as they waited in the living room few minutes before Cas and Gabe were supposed to arrive.

"I am positive Gabriel won't mind that we have turkey sandwiches," Dean said, shifting on the couch he was sitting on. Sam nodded, but he didn't look any surer than he had before. "Sammy, Gabe likes you. Our Thanksgiving menu isn't going to change that," Dean said. Sam looked up at him.

"You think so?" He asked.

"I know so," Dean replied. Sam smiled, but it faded quickly.

"And what about Cas?" He asked. Dean stared at Sam.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Does Cas like you?" Sam asked. Dean blinked.

"I... I don't think so," he said.

"Do you like him?" Sam pressed.

"Why are you interrogating me about this?" Dean asked.

"I just don't like this. Dean, I don't want anything bad to happen. You've been acting weird recently and it started with him, and I don't want you keeping secrets from me," Sam said. Dean stood up.

"Nothing bad is going to happen. I promised you that you would be okay and I'm not going to break that promise," he said. Sam stood up as well.

"I'm not worried about me, Dean. I was fine, you were the one almost dying every night," Sam said. Dean turned around, starting to feel frustrated.

"I'm fine, Sam. Worry about yourself. You're thirteen, you aren't supposed to care about other people," he said, walking to the window and glancing out at the street.

"Dean, don't you dare. Don't shut me out again, I-"

"They're outside," Dean said, cutting Sam off. Sam sighed, but he didn't press the subject.

As soon as the two Novaks got inside, Gabe split off to go with Sam to play video games or something.

"Hi Cas," Dean said. Cas nodded to him. "We have a little while until dinner, do you want to do something?" Dean asked. Cas looked at him.

"Cassie, come in here, check this out!" Gabe called from Sam's room. Dean followed Cas up the stairs and into Sam's room, where Gabe was grinning at the wall. The look on Cas' face changed, softening, when he saw the painting of space someone had painted across one wall of Sam's bedroom. Dean watched as Cas approached the wall and ran his fingertips over it, following some of the swirls of galaxies.

"He likes space?" Dean asked. Cas and Gabe both nodded.

"He loves it. Mom used to-" Gabe cut himself off, glancing at Cas. "He used to go to the planetarium all the time," he finished. Dean looked from Gabe to Cas, whose back was still facing him. Something must have happened to their mom.

"Well our roof is a pretty great place for stargazing if you ever... can't sleep... or something," Dean said. Cas looked around at Dean and Dean looked back at him.

"What are you guys doing in here?" Sam suddenly asked from the doorway. Dean looked around at him.

"Cassie likes space. I thought he'd like your wall," Gabe said. Sam nodded somewhat reluctantly.

"Okay," he said. Cas brushed past Dean and left the room. Dean looked questioningly at Gabe. Gabe shrugged.

"Who knows what Cas has going on in his head?" He said. The three of them spent a little more time there before Bobby called them down to dinner.

When Dean walked into the kitchen, the first thing he noticed was Cas, sitting at the table and watching Bobby. Dean wondered if they'd talked at all. He didn't find it likely.

Dinner conversation consisted mostly of questions from Bobby and awkward answers from Gabe. The most notable thing that happened was about halfway through.

"So tell us about your family, Gabriel. Are you and Cas the only two kids?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah, it's... just us," Gabe said, glancing at Cas, who was staring at his food.

"And what about your parents? I've heard very little about your dad and even less about your mom," Bobby continued. Gabe cringed.

"Our, uh... our mom died," he said quietly.

"Oh. Well I'm sorry about that. You boys deserve better," Bobby said.

Bobby had tried his best to change the conversation after that, and Gabe seemed distracted, but Cas just stared at his food and got up and left as soon as he was done, walking upstairs.

"I'm really sorry about him," Gabe said. Bobby waved him away and glanced out the window.

"It's started snowing pretty hard since you boys got here. If it keeps going like this you might have to stay," he said. Gabe and Sam exchanged a look that was a bit too excited for Dean's liking. 

"We've got room," Sam said.

"And none of it is in your bed," Dean said. Sam turned red.

"Dean, shut up," he muttered. Dean grinned.

***

After the four of them finished their dessert - pie - Sam and Gabe headed into the living room, Bobby called Gabe's dad to let him know they would in fact be staying over because of the snow, and Dean headed upstairs to find Cas.

Dean checked Sam's room first, figuring maybe Cas was admiring the painting again, but he wasn't there. Dean walked down the hall slowly, wondering where to try next, when he passed by his own room and saw Cas inside. Cas was lying on Dean's bed, curled into a ball on top of the covers and hugging one of Dean's pillows. Dean stopped in the doorway, watching Cas' chest rise and fall. Dean couldn't tell if Cas was asleep or not, but it looked like he was. Dean liked seeing Cas like that, so peaceful, so calm. Cas finally looked okay with the world somehow.