Soldier Boy

Chapter Seventeen

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAD SEX WITH DEAN?" Anna screamed at the top of her lungs, and Castiel wanted to strangle her.

"Shhh!" Castiel hushed her, violently making motions for her to lower her volume. She clamped her own hand down on her mouth, eyes widening in horror. She'd momentarily lost her senses after Cas had randomly said that he'd had sex with Dean, not even thinking about their surroundings.

Anna had only been awake an hour, Balthazar having driven them home when a very upset Cas had woken them up. Charlie, Bela, Jo, Ash, and Benny had all gotten into Jo's car to head home, while Castiel getting shotgun in his own car since he needed time to calm down, and Anna got the backseat. It had been raining the whole ride, starting just before they had gotten in the car. The rain poured down, harsh and unrelenting, hurting as it met soft skin.

Balthazar was sitting in the room, standing by the door and looking and listening for any sign of their brothers now. Chuck was in his room, asleep, but they weren't sure if their older brothers were home.

When Balthazar heard and saw nothing, he gave them a thumbs up.

"So what happened?" Balthazar asked quietly, voice hushed. Anna unclamped her mouth, still looking quite guilty. Thunder boomed overhead, and lightning flashed outside.

"Well, I got pretty drunk, but he was super drunk. I ran into him sometime during the water balloon war in the pool, and he started coming onto me. One thing led to another, and we found ourselves a room. We did the deed, obviously, and we fell asleep. I woke up this morning with him out of bed, dressed, right next to the window, looking as if he'd seen a ghost. I asked if we did it, not quite remembering yet, and he hightailed it out of there like I had an STD or something. He didn't even say a word to me," Castiel whimpered, tears welling up in his eyes. Dean had been so cold this morning. All Cas wanted now was for everything to go back to normal.

"That dick." Anna growled, obviously pissed at Dean's behavior.

"Whatever, I just want breakfast." Cas was desperate to change the subject as his stomach grumbled. His siblings nodded, following him down the stairs. When Castiel halted on the bottom step, the other two barely had time to catch themselves before they all toppled on the floor due to his abrupt stop. The two looked over his shoulder, going pale at the sight in the living room.

Michael and Raphael, scowling, sitting on the couch deathly still.

"Castiel. Come in," Michael said, his voice calm but deadly. Balthazar gulped. Anna clutched Cas's arm in her hands, cowering just behind her younger twin.

Cas's hands shook as he walked forward, Balthazar and Anna following. Raphael glared at the two with thinly veiled rage, and Balthazar ran for the kitchen, dragging Anna along, who tried to stay with Castiel. Michael pointed to a seat near them, clearly indicating for him to sit.

Cas stiffly sat down in the seat, hanging off the edge of his seat for when he'd need to make a quick escape.

"So, Castiel, you slept with Dean Winchester?" Michael asked slowly, deliberately, an eyebrow raised toward Castiel. Cas swallowed hard. He should lie, but if they discovered the truth, the punishment would be worse for lying. They must've heard Anna's words. Castiel's grave had already been dug, the coffin made. Castiel's fate was sealed.

Castiel slowly nodded, biting the inside of his cheek.

Everything happened so fast that if Cas had blinked, he would've missed it. Michael lunged at him, grabbing his shirt and lifting him off the ground by the collar of his shirt. Raphael stood up too, ready to grab Cas and hold him as Michael beat the living shit out of him. Castiel could hear Anna whimpering, crying, and Balthazar comforting her in the kitchen.

Michael's fist pulled back, ready to let the first punch fly, when Chuck stumbled down the stairs. "Michael! Put your brother down now!" Chuck growled. Michael froze as Raphael sneered. The whimpering stopped in the kitchen. Castiel stopped breathing for a moment.

Their father's voice was firm. It didn't waver or have any trace of a slur. He meant business, and Michael looked shocked at the order. "But Father, he's gay!" Michael exclaimed, his arm lowering to put Cas down on the ground as his fist fell back to his side.

"So? That doesn't mean he isn't your brother! He's still the same boy that grew up beside you! I am sick of Raphael's and your behavior. It's bad enough you chased off Lucifer simply for being gay, and most likely caused Gabriel's departure. I won't stand for it anymore! In fact, I am going to get your brothers back, and you are going to apologize for your despicable behavior," Chuck ordered.

"I-I thought that was what you wanted. I'm sorry." Michael's head hung in shame, and Raphael just stared, wide-eyed, at their father before nodding grudgingly in agreement to Chuck's demands. Chuck's eyes softened on Michael, knowing his son truly did think that had been what Chuck wanted from him. Anna and Balthazar came out of the kitchen, Anna's eyes red and puffy and Balthazar's eyes held tears as well, but he didn't let them fall as his throat constricted painfully with emotion.

"Are we really getting Luci and Gabe back?" Anna asked, her voice soft and childlike with hope. She'd missed her brothers so desperately, despite how angry she had been with them for leaving, that she could hardly speak now, more tears threatening to fall.

Chuck's eyes landed on her, soft and loving. "Yes, dear. We're getting them back." Chuck swallowed, his own emotions almost drowning him. Anna ran to him, wrapping her arms around him as she clung to him, holding on to him tightly as sobs racked her body.

It was as if the rain that still beat against the windows had cleansed the house of years of pain and anguish. The resentment Anna has clung to in their unfeeling world washed away as she sobbed, clinging to the father she'd thought she'd lost. Balthazar smiled without hidden pain in his eyes for the first time in years, lighting up his face. Castiel watched his twin, relief evident in every inch of his body. Everything would be okay. They'd be a family again.

Michael and Raphael watched their younger siblings and father interact, unsure of what to do and guilt weighing on their minds.

Raphael had followed Michael's lead without question for years. Michael was the golden child Raphael always tried to be. When he realized Chuck would never notice, he'd grown angry. The anger covered up the pain he felt. Of course, that had resulted in fighting with Michael and some hateful words thrown at his father.

Michael had desperately tried to please his father ever since their mother had died. When he'd found out about Lucifer... He'd assumed that Chuck wouldn't want that- would hate Lucifer. So he'd chased his little brother- the brother he'd helped raise- off. Michael couldn't say he hated his little brother; no, he still loved Lucifer. He'd never stop loving his brother.

Michael wasn't sure what to do now. He'd done everything- hurt his own family- just to earn Chuck's approval. He didn't dare admit to himself that some of his motivations had stemmed from his mother's premature death. His father's approval had been what he'd wanted, and to know that everything he'd done had been against his father's wishes was mind-boggling. He'd refused to allow for his younger siblings to talk about Lucifer because it had hurt- thinking about him hurt. Michael had no idea that his siblings still hurt as much as he did about it until now.

Raphael was frustrated. He'd done everything his oldest brother had said to do to win his father over, and it had all been for nought. Chuck's disapproval stung. Watching his family be happy hurt. He didn't have a mother because of Lucifer- because of the first gay person he'd ever met. All they'd ever brought him was death and pain, so why would Chuck want to bring them back into his home? Yet Michael seemed to be anxious at the thought, but also with a spark of happiness that wasn't normal for him. Michael never showed happiness. Maybe this was a good thing. All Raphael could do, however, was replay his mother's funeral in his mind and remember that she was gone.

As Chuck's, Anna's, and Balthazar's worlds were being pieced together, Castiel's, Michael's, and Raphael's worlds seemed to be falling even more apart.