Strings Attached

Chapter 67

When Castiel is finally allowed to have visitors, he has what could be considered a party. His room is flooded with familiar faces. Three people in particular catch his eye; the three that push their way to the front of the crowd. Lucifer, Gabriel, and Dean.

"Oh my god, Castiel, are you okay?" Gabriel asks immediately.

"Yeah, I think so," Castiel replies. "I mean, I can't really feel my body right now, but I guess it's better than having no pain killers, huh?"

"You should be ashamed of yourself, Castiel," Lucifer scolds him in a joking way. "You totally ruined the carpet. It's all red now. We better be able to wash that out, or you're paying for it."

Castiel laughs. "You know, for some reason the carpet isn't very high on the list of things I care about."

Lucifer gasps. "You ruined the carpet, and you don't even care? How could you, Castiel? I thought you were better than this!"

"I think you're overestimating my character."

"Clearly!" Lucifer replies as if what Castiel said is outrageous. "I can't believe you, Castiel. Ugh. I'm ashamed to call myself your brother."

Castiel grins at his brother 's humorous ways. "I did just save your life, by the way. I think you should be at least a little grateful."

"Oh, true," Lucifer agrees. "And thanks for that, by the way. I kinda like not being dead."

"Yeah, I feel ya," Castiel replies.

"Aw, Castiel loves being alive now!" Gabriel cheers. "You've come so far, young one."

Castiel laughs. "I wouldn't say I've come that far, but sure? Oh, sorry for choosing Lucifer over you."

"Actually, I was gonna thank you for that," Gabriel tells him. "I don't think I could have handled that. Plus, I'm not selfless like those two. I would've been telling you to pick Dean the whole time. You took a really fucking long time choosing, by the way. Just saying. That was stressful for me, and I wasn't even involved in that."

"Well, I'm sorry I didn't tell that psychopath that broke into our house to kill my brother or my boyfriend immediately," Castiel says sarcastically.

"You should be," Gabriel replies jokingly. "Also, side note. You were way too calm for a situation like that."

"I wasn't calm," Castiel protests.

"You kinda were," Sam tells him.

"I wasn't calm!" Castiel repeats. "I was freaking out. I just hid it really well."

"Then you're a hell of an actor," Samandriel tells him.

"It comes in handy sometimes," Castiel replies simply. "And how are you doing?"

Samandriel shrugs. "I'm good, I guess. Mentally scarred for life, sure. But I'm sure I'm doing better than you right now, at least."

"I doubt it," Castiel replies. "I'm pretty used to things like this happening by now. I'm guessing you, on the other hand, have never seen anything like that. Not so fun, huh?"

Samandriel nods. "Yeah, you're right. That was... That was crazy. I can't imagine being in your shoes."

"Hopefully, you won't ever have to be," Castiel replies. He looks over at Anna. "How 'bout you? How are you holding up?"

"I'm — I'm fine," Anna stammers.

"Why do I not believe that?" Castiel replies.

"No, I'm — I'm fine," Anna repeats. "Fine."

Castiel sighs. "Anna, as someone who has been in your shoes many times before, let me tell you something very important. You don't always have to be fine. You're eleven years old and some serial killer just broke into our house and threatened to kill our brother. It's okay to not be fine after something like that."

Anna manages a small smile. "How'd I end up with a brother that already knows exactly what's going on?"

"Because your brother's life sucks and he's lived through everything and knows exactly how not to handle it," Castiel replies.

"That is the most accurate description of anything I have ever heard," Anna replies with a laugh. It's soft and shaky, but it's a laugh, and that's what counts. "So, what magical advice do you have for someone who just watched a serial killer threaten to kill their brother and is definitely not fine?"

"I can tell you what not to do," Castiel replies. "Don't not talk to anybody. Trust me. It doesn't get better."

"Well, look who finally figured shit out," Lucifer laughs.

"Took me eleven years, but whatever," Castiel replies. "It still counts."

"But now you've got to remember this," Gabriel tells him. "You have no excuse not to talk to anyone about things now."

"I know," Castiel replies. "But Dean and I have already decided that he's gonna be my therapist. He's way hotter than any other one I could hire." He flashes a smile at his boyfriend, who laughs.

"Dammit, Dean! You're stealing my job!" Gabriel complains. "I've literally been waiting eleven years for this!"
Dean shrugs. "Well, I win, so suck it up."

Gabriel sticks his tongue out at the other boy, who rolls his eyes. He's smiling, though, and it's clear that even if they did once dislike each other, they're passed that now.

"How 'bout you, Adam?" Castiel asks the younger boy. "You've been pretty quiet. How're things in Adamsville?"

Adam shrugs. "Well, they're definitely more eventful here than where I come from, that's for sure. But for some reason, I don't really mind it." He glances at Samandriel when he says the last part.

Lucifer leans towards Castiel and whispers in his ear, "I ship it."

Castiel chuckles. "I'm giving them two years."

"One," Lucifer counters. "You wanna bet?"

"No way," Castiel replies. "I am officially done with ship betting."
Lucifer shrugs. "Well, worth a shot."
Castiel looks around the room for whoever else hasn't spoken to him yet. There's one person who's been completely silent and one person missing. Where Chuck is, Castiel doesn't know, but he doesn't mind his father's absence. When he finally talks to Chuck, he'd rather it just be the two of them. Until then, he had another person to talk to.

"Michael, what's up with you?" Castiel asks. "You're pretty quiet."

Michael shrugs. "Well, I figured I'd let them all have their greetings party thing."

"Do I have to do my 'don't not talk about things that are bugging you' spiel?" Castiel asks.

Michael chuckles at that. "How 'bout we skip that part and I'll just tell you anyway. I'm sorry I let that happen. I was supposed to be the guardian angel and all that while Dad was gone, and I failed miserably."

"It's fine," Castiel assures him. "I don't think you could have done anything anyway."

"I could have tried."

"And probably failed," Castiel adds. "So thank you for not trying, because it probably would have gotten someone else hurt."

"Remember last time Castiel ended up in the hospital?" Lucifer recalls. "And he literally didn't talk to us, like, at all? It's amazing how things change."

Everyone murmurs in agreement. Things have changed. Not just that; people have changed. Castiel has. And he couldn't be happier.