Heaven on Earth

chapter 6

"Mother would like to see you, Castiel," Gabriel said after swallowing a mouthful of pie, and Castiel bristled. "She wants to see how her son is doing. You know, make sure you aren't any more of a disgrace to the family." Gabriel sounded as disgusted as Castiel felt by the words, and he swallowed his complaint. "She's visiting Kali and I for Christmas." At Cas' look of surprise, Gabriel laughed slightly. "I know, it's a wonder she's even leaving the office for that long, huh? I thought she fucking lived in the stuffy old attorney building. Anyway, little bro, she wants to see you. Check on her littlest kid."

"I do not wish to see our mother," Castiel growled silently. "Do you know the things Naomi did to me, Gabriel?"

"I've caught the gist."

"She beat me, Gabriel." The door to the bakery opened and Castiel didn't notice. "She beat me and-"

"Whoa, what?" a familiar voice said from behind Castiel. He looked over his shoulder quickly, eyes still cold from anger for his mother. Dean was standing there, frowning as his hand raised to drift through Castiel's hair. Cas avoided the touch though, feeling as though he didn't deserve it. He stood, walking up to his apartment. Footsteps followed him, and they sure as hell weren't Dean's because they didn't echo through the damned place.

"You haven't told him? You've known the guy for ten months, and you haven't told him about any of that?" Gabriel's voice boomed through the apartment. "Christ, Castiel, I thought you were smarter than that. This is your burden, yes, but you have someone you can share it with. Don't give me any of that shit about not being able to open up t-"

"I can't, Gabriel!" Castiel yelled, eyes like ice as he turned on his older brother, advancing toward him and dropping his voice to a whisper. "I can't open up because when I do, people get hurt! I was terrified to tell that man downstairs that I love him, let alone tell him what my own mother did to me, what she called me, let alone what I did on my own. I can't even tell him what happened to the two other people I opened up to, Gabriel. I can't tell him, he'll be terrified of what could happen. He'll leave, and I don't think I could take that. I don't think I can handle him knowing what I've witnessed, that chaos follows me around like the plague." Castiel took in a deep, shaky breath, the back of his hand wiping viciously at his wet cheeks. He looked up at the ceiling, jumping when he felt arms wrap around him. He looked back down in shock at his brother, who had never hugged him before without Castiel being the one to initiate it.

"Castiel, I know you better than most people. I know you can let that damned fool downstairs, who is worrying his ass off, about what has happened to you. You'll have to some day..." Gabe paused, sighing. He pulled out of the hug and stared at Castiel, hands on Cas' shoulders. "I wasn't supposed to tell you this, but Dean showed up at the hospital a while ago. He asked me about your nightmares and asked if there was anything he could possibly do."

Castiel stared at Gabriel in shock, lips parted slightly, eyes wide. "What?"

"Yeah. He's everything but married to you, little bro. Head over heels, fairy tale romance."

Cas swallowed thickly, crying for almost a whole different reason now. Dean cared so much about him, and Cas couldn't open up. He couldn't lose that in his life. Dean was the one, cliche, but true. Dean was the one he was meant to be with, the one who was made for him. Cas closed his eyes, this time gathering a fighting Gabriel into his arms. "That was exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you, Gabe."

"No problem, bro. Now, let me go. You're killing me here." Cas obeyed his brother, smiling slightly. "Now, I'm going to send your handmaiden up here and you're going to work this out. You hear me?" Castiel nodded, taking another shaking breath. "Okay. Good. Goodbye, Cas. I'll text you, and I expect an answer about Christmas. Have fun with your little worried pet." Gabriel reached up and messed up Castiel's hair with a smile before he walked downstairs.