Broken, a Destiel Story

Part 3

An hour later Sam and Dean were pacing around the room, still waiting for Rowena and Cas to emerge from the bathroom.

"Hey, what's taking so long?" Dean barked, pounding on the door. He had been dressed in his tux for a while now. He could feel his hands sweating, and he only hoped he didn't look as nervous as he felt.

They had decided that Dean would be Brent Johnson, Cas's husband, and Sam would be in the Impala, watching from the outside, ready to get the kids to safety if and when Dean and Cas found them. Get it together, Dean told himself. This is Cas. It's not like it's a real date.

"Perfection takes time, Dean," Rowena said from the other side of the door.

Dean grumbled and sat on the edge of the bed closest to the bathroom.

"Dude, you okay?" Sam asked from the other bed, watching Dean run his fingers through his hair, his leg bouncing up and down.

"Yeah, yeah, of course," Dean lied. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"So, you ready to play house with Cas?" Sam asked trying to stifle a laugh.

"Shut up," Dean replied.

A second later the door to the bathroom opened and Rowena stepped out followed by Castiel who was wearing a floor length, blue lace gown that hugged his curves. His long dark hair fell in loose curls down his back and over his shoulders and he wore a silver necklace and earrings. On his dainty feet were silver high heels as well. Rowena had given him blue eye shadow to match the dress and darkened his lashes with mascara. His lips were a deep pink.

"Well, what to you think of your Cinderella, boys?" Rowena asked, gesturing to the angel.

For a second neither Sam or Dean spoke. They couldn't believe that the beautiful woman standing in from of them was actually Castiel.

Cas looked nervous. "Do I look okay?" he asked, looking down at himself.

"Uh, yeah," Dean said. As much as he wanted to he couldn't stop staring. Damn angel. He could feel his face flushing and turned away, hoping Castiel wouldn't notice.

"You look great, Cas," Sam said, glancing at Dean.

"Well, that's good because I feel ridiculous," Cas said, looking down at his female form again. "This dress is ridiculously tight. I feel like I can barely move, or breathe with this, bra thing on. And these," he lifted up his dress slightly to show his shoes more, "I'm just hoping I get better at walking in them before we actually have to leave. I don't know how women do it every day. It's a good thing I don't have to eat or use the bathroom because I'm not sure I could in this thing."

Sam laughed, "You'll do great, Cas," he assured. "And Dean will be right there with you. Right, Dean?"

"Yeah, right," Dean said, passively, still avoiding everyone's gaze. His heart was pounding. What the hell is wrong with me?! He screamed to himself.

"Well, gentlemen I think my work here is done," Rowena said, grabbing her bag. "You have until midnight tonight, and then you'll start to turn back, so make sure you're somewhere private by then? Good luck." She gave them a little wave and disappeared out the door.

**********

"Hey, Cas, come outside with me for a sec, I want to show you something," Sam said, as Dean sat in front of the tv watching Scooby Doo, a dorky smile on his face.

Cas looked at Sam, confused, but followed him outside just the same, lifting his dress to keep it off of the pavement. "What is it?" he asked, concern in his voice.

Sam looked back towards the hotel room and Cas followed his gaze.

"Is this about Dean?" Cas asked.

Sam ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "Listen, Cas, you probably noticed this, but Dean hasn't really been . . . himself lately. I mean, ever since you came back from the Empty he's been . . . different."

"Well, yes, he has seemed rather agitated," Cas agreed, "but with everything going on, and Jack and your Mom still stuck in the Apocalypse world, it's understandable."

Sam smiled a tiny bit, his hands in his pockets, looking at the ground. "No, Cas, that's not what I mean," he said.

Cas seemed genuinely confused. "What then?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

"I mean, yes, those things are bothering him, but that's not what this is about," Sam continued, hoping the angel would take the hint.

"I don't understand," Cas said, narrowing his eyebrows.

"You, Cas, I'm talking about you," Sam shouted in a whisper.

"Me?" Cas said. "What did I do?" His heart started racing. He hadn't done something to hurt Dean had he?

Sam saw the sorrow and fear in his friend's eyes and quickly responded. "No, no, Cas, you didn't do anything," he said. He found himself wanting to embrace the angel, hold him, like he would a sister he imagined, if she were upset, but he didn't. Instead he put his hand on Castiel's shoulder. "Cas, look, when you died . . . when Lucifer killed you, we thought that was it. I mean we were sure that was it. We burned your body. There was no coming back from that. And Dean . . ." Sam started to get emotional himself as he remembered, and tears filled his eyes. He removed his hand from Cas's shoulder to wipe the tears away. "It almost destroyed him, Cas," he confessed. "I don't know what would have happened to him if you hadn't come back when you did."

Castiel reached up, further than he usually had to, given his current stature, and rested a hand on the hunter's shoulder.  "Sam," he said gently. 

"Cas, I have never, never seen my brother like that before," Sam continued. "And I never want to see him like that again. So, just, please . . . be careful tonight, okay? He needs you."

"Of course, Sam," Cas replied sincerely. "You know how much I care for your brother."

Sam nodded, smiling and wiped away the last of his tears. "Yeah, I know," he said. If only Dean knew, he thought to himself.