The Story of US

Chapter 25

When Dean returned to his friends with one look he held up his hand before they even started.

" I know, I know. Okay. I am not gonna do anything stupid. I know he doesn't remember me but do you really expect me to tell him no when he asks something from me. You all know better than that." Dean told them all. His fight was coming up and it really couldn't get here fast enough. He was bursting at the seems with more energy then he's had in a long time. Even though he was projecting the opposite, he was holding on to the feel of Castiel in his arms again. The smell of his shampoo and the softness of his skin. He needed to hit somebody or he was gonna crack. He was going to do this for Cas, whatever took to keep his own feelings in check he was going to be there for his blue eyed boy in whatever way he needed him. 

The night flew by and before he knew it Dean was blinking the sun out of his eyes from his bedroom. Every morning was the same. He would wake up and for a wild minute he could pretend the nothing had happened. Then reality would come crashing down on him and the realization that Castiel had no clue who he was settled over him. At first he wouldn't even get out of bed. Then when his friends finally got him up it was a chore to keep him sober. Fighting let him burn off some of his anger but nothing was helping his heart. Still, he had never been alone. A testament to how amazing his friends were. When the night came where he drank so much that he had almost left a fight with a stranger, Meg, Jess and Charlie, Jess's best friend had to get Benny to knock him out to take him home. That had left him even more depressed then before if it was possible. Those three girls had helped him more than anyone. They had held his hand while he cried and tried every way they could think to make him smile. Charlie was the first to succeed in that area. 

For a solid week she showed up everyday with a new slew of movies and munchie food. She forced him to sit through the Harry Potter movies and had taught him how to play Dungeons and Dragons. She didn't ask him to be happy, she just asked him not to give up. At this point he had adopted her as his little sister and would protect her against anything, although he couldn't imagine anyone wanting to hurt her, she practically sparkled.

She was the first thing he saw when he walked into the kitchen. Sammy was still sleeping and no one else was here, but he had given up trying to figure out how she got in. He could fully get behind her having magical powers. She handed him a cup of coffee and pounced.

"Well?WELL? Am I gonna have to drag it out of you?" she demanded, red hair flying.

" What?" He said, trying to not burn his mouth on his drink.

"Dean Winchester don't you dare! I know you saw him last night and that you two talked?" She told him, her voice raising at the end to indicate she was asking him a question.

"Yeah but we are just talking. He wants to know more about me and I guess more about what we were." he told her, trying to reign in his fluttering heart.

Charlie raised one eyebrow and said "umm hum" not taking her eyes off him. Knowing that she was not gonna drop it he caved, he was going to tell her anyways, he just liked pulling her leg.

They sat in the living room as Dean recounted the events of last night. Charlie is the only one who will hear how it made him feel like he was being torn apart and glued back together at the same time when he held Castiel in his arms. How when he came to tell him he was leaving Deans heart hit his feet and his mouth went dry. How it made him feel like a million dollars when Cas confessed to being distracted by him. She was his closest friend now and she was the one place where he felt no judgement. She never let him down, listening intently with Awws and oh Deans in all the right places. When he finished she acted like there was more coming and when he failed to keep talking she asked him

"So you have your in, what are you gonna do with it?"

Dean just looked at her, not really following where she was headed. When he didn't answer she got frustrated in her little troll way.

" You mean to tell me that you haven't thought about it? How are you gonna make him fall in love with you again? This is your chance to be with him again, you just have to woo him" She said. Dean had to admit that the thought had not crossed his mind. He was so focused on getting the old Castiel back that he never thought about this. He sat there for a few minutes.

" But I have to be good. Just friends is all he wants and I am going to play by his rules." he told her. Charlie snorted and looked at him like he was the stupidest person in the world.

"Well no shit, you don't fall in love with strangers Dean, you fall in love with your best friend." she explained to him. Talking slow so he could catch up. He really hadn't thought about it before but now it seemed like the only way to go. Seeing that the idea was taking root, Charlie smiled and rubbed her hands together.

"Operation Destiel 2.0 underway" she said excitedly. Dean laughed at her and shook his head.

"Let me guess, you are gonna be our number one fan?" he said to her, feeling his heart swell over her friendship.

"Oh yeah, I ship you guys hardcore" She said smiling at her friend.