Strings Attached

Chapter 43

By Christmas Eve two days later, Castiel is out of his casts. He should be going to physical therapy for all that time without walking, but he convinces Chuck not to force him to. Instead, he starts walking more often. He even convinces Chuck to let him walk to school after vacation ends. Until then, the only places he gets to walk are his friends' houses.

Gabriel runs into the room, though it's more of a jump than a run with his enthusiasm. He shoves his cell phone in Castiel's face, but the boy doesn't have to to look better Gabriel takes it away.

"Sam wants to know if you want to go to his house," Gabriel tells him.

"On Christmas Eve? We're gonna have people showing up in a few hours." Some of their cousins come up every year for Christmas Eve and sleep over until the twenty-sixth.

"Do you really want to spend unnecessary time with Raphael?" Gabriel counters.

Castiel chuckles. "So, the Winchester house? Fun!"

Gabriel grins. "Yay! Sam and I need someone to keep Dean entertained so he doesn't bug us."

"Oh, I'm just babysitting," Castiel clarifies.

"Yeah, but it's a fun baby," Gabriel reminds him. "Besides, you already said you'd come. You have no choice.

"Can we walk?" Castiel asks.

"Ugh, fine," Gabriel agrees reluctantly. "Come on, let's go!"

The two boys walk to the Winchesters' house, which is a slower process than usual because Castiel is still getting used to it again. Eventually, they make it there, and Gabriel doesn't bother knocking on the door before walking in.

"Where are people?" Gabriel asks the air as he steps inside, Castiel following him.

"People are here," Sam replies, walking out in front of them.

"Hey!" Gabriel runs up to him and gives him a kiss.

"Ugh, PDAs!" Dean says in mock disgust as he appears there as well. He walks over to Castiel, his eyes scanning the boy. "You're taller than I remember."

Castiel shrugs. "Well, six weeks in a wheelchair can do that to you."

Sam looks back at the boy. "Oh, hey, you don't have a wheelchair anymore!"

Castiel chuckles. "Yep. I'm not broken anymore! Yay!"

"I'm still way taller than you," Sam says proudly.

"Dude, you're, like, a freaking moose," Dean tells him with a laugh. "Oh, hey, you may or may not hear people calling you Moose at school. Crowley's idea, not mine."

"If I'm a moose, does that make you a squirrel?" Sam jokes.

"Boo! Get off the stage!" Dean says with a thumbs down.

"Alright, fine," Sam says. "I'll scram." He takes Gabriel's hand and leads the boy away in the cutest way possible.

"Don't be too loud!" Dean calls after them. "And use protection!"

"Shut up!" Sam's voice yells back.

Dean and Castiel laugh, sharing a high five.

"So, whatcha wanna do?" Dean asks.

Castiel shrugs. "Up to you."

"Well, I think sitting down is a good place to start," Dean says, leading Castiel to another room and sitting down on the couch. When Castiel remains standing, Dean says, "You gonna sit, or...?"

"No, I'll stand," Castiel replies. "I've had enough sitting the last few weeks."

"Ah, yeah," Dean agrees. "I don't blame ya. Hey, have you played any guitar since you got your arm back?"