How (thanks to Gabriel) Dean and Castiel raised each other (and Sam)

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Normally, Castiel stayed away on holidays. The boys never prayed to him then and John or Bobby or Pastor Jim were generally present. Angels didn't celebrate holidays anyway as Dean had explained roughly to Sam that Thanksgiving.

"Not even Christmas?" Sam had frowned. "But we put angels on the tops of trees."

"Not Cas." Dean said, glancing over at him. "I don't think he'd like that."

"It's hard to settle at the top of a pine, but I have been known to take watch creation from an oak or maple." Cas confessed. "I'm not certain why a pine is used in any case. It should more rightly be an olive tree. I believe it was integrated into the day as the Church converted Germanic clans."

"Oh." This bit of speculation wrinkled up Sam's brow. "So... no Christmas in Heaven?"

"For humans." Castiel assured him. "But not the angels. We celebrate our Father's creation every day."

"But do you get presents?" Sam challenged.

"We require nothing." He said gently.

That seemed to settle the theological debate. Castiel spent Christmas Eve in Israel with Balthazar. They were not celebrating. Something had attacked archaeologists at the Wailing Wall and left behind runes not seen in centuries. They traced down the lumbering hellbeast and slayed it on the banks of the Dead Sea.

"You can't swim here." Balthazar told him as they washed their blades in the oily water. "If you try you just bob up like a cork. All the minerals in the water."

"Our Father made many wondrous things."

"So he did." Balthazar flicked the last of the water from his vessel's hands. "Sometimes though, you have to wonder why?"

Castiel thought of Dean and Sam jumping into a hotel pool, splashing and happy as they ever were. He had sat on the edge,pants rolled up and legs dangling in. When Sam got tired, he swam up to him and wrapped himself monkey-like around Castiel's calf. He stayed there watching Dean take dive after dive, a small blur of pink and black under the water.

"No." Castiel sheathed his blade. "I think I understand."

Christmas Day dawned crisply and with a flurry of undecided snowflakes in Tennessee. Castiel spread his awareness to the boys. They were alone, the Impala far enough away to be indistinct. Bemused, he manifested.

"Merry Christmas!" Sam greeted, but his usual energy wasn't there.

"Cas." Dean sat on one of the beds, legs folded up underneath him and a blinding power around his neck.

"Dean." He greeted, crossing to his side immediately. "What is this?"

"Sammy gave it to me." Dean reached up, wrapping a hand around the amulet. "Christmas present."

"Dean got me girls toys." Sam put in, joining Dean on the bed and leaning into him without even trying to bounce on the bed.

"Shut up." Dean chided, but he put his arm around Sam's shoulders.

"Where did you get such a thing?"

"Bobby gave it to me." Sam shrugged.

Bobby could not have known the worth of it, but it had wound up in the securest place Castiel could think of. And perhaps one day it would glow before all of them. It was something to pray for.

"I like it." Dean said defensively.

"So do I." Hesitantly, Castiel sat on Dean's otherside. "What grieves you?"

Dean looked at Sam and Sam looked at the floor.

"I read Dad's journal." Sam confessed, misery soaking every inch of him. "I know about the hunting and everything. The monsters."

"It could not remain hidden forever."

The loss of innocence had played out in front of him many times, but never had Castiel felt it so acutely. Dean and John had worked hard to keep Sam safe from the darkness even as it encroached upon them.

"You're not one of them." Sam said firmly, but there was a question in his eyes and that hurt too. Castiel didn't know what to do with that kind of pain. It settled uneasily in the pit of his vessel's stomach.

"No." He said firmly and Dean echoed it. "I'm an angel of the Lord just as I've always told you."

"Ok." Sam stared at him as if seeing him afresh.

"I have been charged with your protection." He said, wanting to be absolutely clear. "I watch over you as best I can."

"See?" Dean nudged Sam. "Between me, Dad and the angel? We've got you covered."

"I'm not afraid." Sam rolled his eyes. "I was just checking."

They spent the rest of Christmas outside in the scant snow, scraping together snowballs to throw at each other and building miniature snowmen. Castiel watched them rampaging while snow gathered in his hair.

"You look ridiculous." Dean brushed the snow off the tan sweatshirt's shoulders. The amulet shone at the hollow of Dean's throat where his jacket gaped open. Castiel pressed his hand over it, one of the horns biting into his palm.

"Take good care of this."

"Yeah, of course." Dean said absently. He flicked the snow off his fingers just as Balthazar had cast away the drops of the oversalted ocean.

Dean's birthday fell on Thursday that year. When the entirety of the household was asleep, Castiel manifested at Dean's bedside. He slipped one black feather next to the knife that Dean kept sharp under his pillow. He knew that Dean kept it tucked in his duffel bag because all of Dean's clothes smelled like Castiel. It pleased him.

"Can I have one for my birthday?" Sam asked when Dean was out of earshot.

"It is difficult for me to shed them." Castiel set a hand on Sam's shoulder. "I will give you something else suitable."

After all, it had been Sam left without an actual Christmas present. Castiel had never given much thought to gifts. To needs. To wants. But he thought he could understand a little of what his two charges might crave. He took what he needed easily enough.

"Look, look!" Sam crawled all over Dean once he had wrested his prize from under the pillow.

"It's a notebook." Dean grumbled. "M'tryin' to sleep."

"It's got stuff in it." Sam corrected. "Look."

He opened the page to reveal the runes that Castiel had inscribed along with their meanings.

"What is that?" Dean rubbed at his eyes. "Latin?"

"Enochian." Castiel sat at the edge of the bed. Neither boy startled and he wondered if they could sense his presence. "The language of angels. You must not show this to anyone."

"Not even Dad?" Sam hugged the book to his chest, still smiling.

"Not even your father. As long as you keep it hidden, I will teach you the meanings."

"So I can speak angel?"

"Your vocal chords will not accommodate the language, but reading it is far more important."

"You sure that's a good idea?" Dean asked, he was eying the notebook as if it might explode.

"No." Castiel smiled slightly. "But I am doing it anyway."