All You Did was Save my Life

How We Were Raised

            The next several days were awkward and tense. Dean was trying to keep things normal for the boys, but that was proving difficult as Sam was still walking on eggshells around him and Cas apologized every chance he got. However, as difficult as it was, Bobby and Ellen were always there to try and lessen the strain.

            "Are you sure you don't mind?" Dean asked.

            "Of course not," Ellen assured him, "You know we love spending time with the boys and it'll be good for Bobby to get out this house for a couple hours." Dean nodded, smiling slightly as he put Jamie's coat on the baby. Bobby had finally pulled his head out of his ass and admitted his feelings for Ellen. The two had officially gotten together and, even though not much had actually changed, things were much less awkward now they weren't skirting around their feelings for each other.

            "Be good alright?" Dean said, ruffling Ben's hair as Bobby wheeled into the hallway.

            "You gonna be alright here?" Bobby asked and Dean heard the subtle 'with Sam and Cas' at the end of the question.

            "Yeah, we'll be fine" Dean nodded, "Besides, it'll be good for the boys to get out for a bit." Bobby nodded, reassured that Dean, Sam, and Cas wouldn't kill each other while they were gone.

            "Alright, we'll see you later then," Bobby said and he, Ellen, and the boys left for the park. Dean walked into the main room and found Sam on his laptop. His younger brother looked up as Dean entered the room and smiled hesitantly at him. Dean nodded and was about to leave again when Sam called him back.

            "Dean? We're good, right?" he asked.

            "Yeah, why?" Dean said shortly.

            "Well, I know since the whole Ruby/Starting the Apocalypse thing happened, things have been tense," Sam said, "But I thought we were getting past it. Then, this past week... It's like everything's fallen apart again." Dean sighed and walked over to sit across from his brother.

            "Look, I know these past few days have been difficult, but it's not you," Dean said.

            "It's Cas right?" Sam questioned, "The one you're pissed at?"

            "I just don't get how he could do it!" Dean exclaimed, "How could he even think it was okay to kill a child? Even if they aren't human!"

            "It' what he was taught Dean," Sam reasoned, "Kill the monster, no matter what."

            "So were we!" Dean shouted, "That's exactly what we were taught Sam! But we don't go around killing kids!"

            "Dean, we were raised to kill the monsters and save people," Sam said calmly, "To us, Jesse would be someone we need to save. To angels, he's a threat that needs to be eliminated. Sure, Cas was wrong for what he did, but he knows that. And I believe him when he says he thought he was protecting the boys." Dean looked at the ground and didn't say anything. At that moment, Cas walked into the room, staring the ground as he shuffled his feet like a child.

            "Dean," he said quietly and Dean knew he had heard everything.

            "What is it Cas?" Dean sighed, but before Cas could respond, there was a flutter of wings and two people landed in the room.

            "Gabriel?"

            "Jesse?"