Finding You

Finding You: Chapter Three

Here is a new chapter! I'm sorry for the long hiatus, school has been busy. Thank you to those who have followed and reviewed. They make my day! Onto the story!

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I greeted my brother and his husband at the door. Sam greeted me with his usual warmth, slinging his arms around my waist and tightly squeezing. Gabe hesitated for a moment, hovering awkwardly by the door. I decided to put him out of his misery, and pulled him into a one-armed hug. I stepped back to let them step inside.

I looked over my brother and his husband as they walked in. Sam looked drained, however much he tried to hide it, as he looked around for Nova.

"Where's my one and only, favorite niece?" Sam asked, putting his hands on his knees as he peered around quizzically, brows slicked down in exaggerated confusion. The sound of a thundering Nova sounded as she rushed from her room and down the stairs reached our ears within a matter of seconds. Just like that, Sam's eyes lit up.

"Uncle Sammy! Uncle Gabe!" She called once she reached the bottom. She then proceeded to barrel into Sam's waiting arms.

"There she is!" Sam laughed, pulling her up and into his embrace, her legs churning in the air as she squealed. Gabe watched with a fond smile that threatened to split his face in two, and dare I say, a bit of longing. My throat tightened, and I felt the familiar pang of guilt in spite of myself. Gabe and Sam had been talking about having kids before Cas' disappearance, but ultimately decided not to out of consideration to Nova's and I's situation. Though they never said it in as many words, they didn't have to.

"Come on, dinner is ready. We don't want it to get cold." I took Nova's hand in mine and waved Sam and Gabe towards the dining room with my free one, where everything was set up.

Nova, Sam and Gabe all sat down in their seats while I grabbed the chicken from the oven and carefully set it on the table between all of us. I sat down and began to dish out the food as I listened absentmindedly to Nova and Gabe's conversation.

"Uncle Gabe, guess what?" Chirped Nova as I took her plate.

"What am I guessing, my sweet chocolate starfish?" Gabe guessed as he turned to focus on his niece, eyes warm as they looked at her. If the archangel had a soft spot, it would be her.

"I got pink roses from the street fair, today."

"Really? Are the flowers you picked the same as the ones at the center of the table?"

Nova nodded seriously. "They mean grace. That's what Papa told me when we saw him today."

My entire body stiffened up in spite of itself, and I watched as Gabe's eyes widened a fraction at the mention of his baby brother. For just a moment, his expression fell, but just as quickly he transitioned back into his usual good cheer, even as I could all but hear the gears whirring in his brain, frantically trying to piece everything together into something that made sense to him.

"Well, he wasn't wrong, starfish. He wasn't wrong." Gabe looked up and met my eyes, all but telling me we had things we needed to discuss later, and there was no way I was to be getting out of it.

At this point, everyone began to dig into their dinners, complimenting me on my fantastic cooking as they always do. For I was simply one hell of a master chef.

Once dinner was done and small talk had been exchanged, I turned to Nova.

"You said you had homework?"

"I do."

"Then you can go start on it. I've got the dishes tonight, baby girl."

"Okay daddy." Nova quickly exited the room, leaving us alone.

"What did you get?" I asked when Nova was supposedly out of earshot. Sam looks over at Gabe with an expectant look. Gabe let out a sad sigh before reaching under the table where he kept the briefcase he had brought in when they got there.

Gabe brought out a laptop and opened it. He turned the screen in such a way so that I could see the information clearly. I listened carefully as he explained his findings.

"So, let's start with the ice cream company. They were founded in 2009 by one Burt Gramm, who began the business in honor of his granddaughter who suffered from leukemia at the time. Quite tragic, really. Ever since she was diagnosed, he uses the money he earns from the ice cream shop to donate to the hospital where she was kept before she passes in 2014. I guess that's what drew Cas to him, albeit unconsciously."

I took in the information carefully as Gabe continued to speak.

"Cas began to work there in 2012, the year after he disappeared. Actually, he began working there the same day of his disappearance. According to the town records, Cas came into the shop several weeks prior, all beat up with no recollection of who he was, what happened, or how he got there in the first place. Burt took him to the hospital and then helped him get his life together, giving him a job and a place to stay until he could sustain himself. He's worked there ever since. It's not very exciting, though I'm sure Cas might have more insight on it."

Sam and I sat at the table silently, processing this new information.

"Is there anything to suggest that Cas remembers anything?" I asked quietly. Gabe sighed before turning and pulling up some documents on his laptop. He turned it back to me and he began to explain.

"Cas technically doesn't, but there are reports of him "phasing out of reality", meaning that he would be normal Clarence one second and then the next he would be Cas, looking confused and scared. At those times, Burt would haul him in the back and help him get back to now, away from customer's eyes."

"How do you know about that?" Sam interjected, looking at his husband quizzically.

"I may or may not have called Burt and asked him about Cas. To get him to talk I had to give him vague details of our situation. He wants to help Cas come back home, if he can."

Silence fell over them again as I sat back and thought about it.

"He would be helpful. He's someone Cas knows and trusts." Gabe continued.

"We, are supposed to be the people that Cas knows and trusts!" I snapped, regretting it the instant the words left my mouth. I didn't look up to see their reaction, and I had no want nor need to. I leaned back in my seat and crossed my arms and sighed. "But I see your point. Where do we go from here?"

"I don't know yet, but I'm going to draw up a plan later. You need some time to sit on this with Nova before you do anything. You don't want to scare them away. This tak-"

"Takes time, I know but that's all I've had. Time. Without Cas. Nova has had all this time without her father, and she misses him. I know she does, even if she doesn't-" I stopped abruptly, for my voice was dangerously close to cracking. I swallowed. "It's time to bring him home. Soon."

Gabe was silent, staring at me for a long while, before slowly nodding. He reached and closed the laptop before carefully stowing it away and getting to his feet.

"Thank you for dinner, Dean. We'll figure this out." Sam said as he rose. He clapped me on the back as we shuffle collectively to the door. I hugged Sam and shook hands with Gabe, then watched them leave through the front door and get into their car. I'm still standing in the doorway until long after they drive away.

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Cliffhanger. Again. But hey, Chapter four is being written as we speak, so you might get the next part soon. Thanks for reading!
~Cinnamon