Outside These Walls [Destiel]

Chapter 20

Dean was holding his breath as they pulled up to Bobby's driveway in the rental car, his hand clutching Castiel's tightly, only letting go when he needed to put the car in park. He stared up at the house with wide eyes, and he didn't remember when his heart had begun to race, but he saw Bobby looking out from the window, and Dean knew that it was now or never and looked to Castiel.

"Come on," Dean whispered quietly to the blind man, who nodded and reached out, letting his fingers guide his hand to the door handle. He pulled it open and got out, Dean following suite a moment later.

It only took a moment to reach the front door, Bobby already standing there with a shocked look on his face as Dean approached, a guiding hand on Castiel's arm and a clenched jaw. He looked up at the man, fear running through his veins and icing his fingertips as he swallowed nervously, offering a slight smile.

"Hey, Bobby," Dean forced out, the words seemingly stuck in his throat. Bobby's eyes were wide and he slowly reached up, letting his hand rest on Dean's shoulder, as if testing that Dean was truly there.

"You're alive," Bobby said in a wonder-filled voice, tears welling in his eyes as he pulled Dean into a tight hug. Dean hugged him back, his shoulders sagging in relief as it sunk in that he was home.

"Bobby? Who is i-" He heard Ellen started to say, and when he looked to the door, he saw her standing there, shock on her face as he smiled at her and pulling out of Bobby's hug. Tears began running down her face, and she hurried forwards, cupping his cheek and smiling wide, kissing his forehead before hugging him just as tightly as Bobby did.

"Dean...I missed you so much," She cried as Dean hugged her back, a bit gentler than he did with Bobby. She pulled back only a moment later, looking him over several times before stepping back.

"Come in, both of you," She said hurriedly, as if Dean would disappear if she didn't speak quickly enough. Dean nodded, turning to Castiel, who was standing patiently, and taking his arm and guiding him up the stairs and into the doorway. He followed Bobby and Ellen into the living room, where he sat Castiel down on the couch before taking a seat beside him.

"Sam should be coming back in the next ten minutes or so. I'll go wait for him," Ellen said, wiping at the tears that continue to fall across her cheeks as she left. Dean watched her go, feeling the tenseness of before returning tenfold. Castiel's gentle touch on his hand eased him, but not by much as he looked down to the floor, gritting his teeth.

"He misses you, ya know?" Bobby said softly, the knowledgeable tone his voice making Dean flinch. Of course, Bobby would know what had happened, but that didn't make it any less painful.

"He didn't sound like he cared about me the last time we talked," Dean muttered back, and sure, he still held a little grudge over that day. He couldn't help it. The very thought of Sam hating him...it made him wish he had died.

"He sent you letter after letter, Dean. You know he didn't mean a word he said in the hospital," Bobby answered, a forlorn look on his face that made him seem older than he actually was, "Hell, if he hadn't of yelled you out of the hospital that day, John would have killed you for coming. He saved your life, whether ya want to believe it or not."