At Least They're Talking

Big Days Ahead

"Well Dean, it looks like you got lucky. We initially thought that you had a major concussion, but after your MRI, it seems that even though you have a slight concussion, you won't have any major lasting effects. However, your X-ray did show that you have a broken wrist, so you will have to wear a cast for 6-8 weeks." Castiel said, talking to Dean, even though Mary was sitting right next to Dean.

"Well, I suppose your fall could have been worse, Dean." Mary said with a dry chuckle. Castiel gave no sign of hearing her.

"Well Dean, what do you say. Ready to go get your cast?"

Dean looked anxiously between Castiel and his mother, not knowing what to say. Finally, he looked at Castiel and gave a tiny nod.

"Do I have to take a wheelchair though? It makes me feel like a baby, Castiel."

Castiel just laughed and shook his head. Castiel started for the hallway that lead from the lobby into the depths of the hospital, and with one last look at Mary, Dean followed.

--

"You know Dean, you can call me Cas if it makes it easier. Typically my patients find that having a nickname for their doctor makes it easier to tell me what is going on in relation to their injuries."

"Alright Cas. I guess I can do that."

The pair walked in silence, each engrossed in their thoughts.

Cas. Castiel. The doctor. Samandriel. The nurse. Uriel. The nurse. Naomi. The receptionist. Who else will I meet, and how much weirder can these names get? Dean thought.

This young man in front of me. He has been through so much. I have seen his scars. How can his mother not know what is going on? She cannot be the one to do it. I have seen too much tenderness in her. It must be the 'John' I heard Sam muttering about when he fell asleep in the MRI room. And Sam. Does it happen to him as well? I doubt it. I bet Dean will take all of it and more as long as Sam doesn't know. Cas thought on the way to the Casting Room.

When Cas suddenly stopped, Dean was completely unprepared. He didn't notice until Cas gave a small cough, causing him to look up. Flushing with embarrassment, Dean half-jogged back to him.

"Here we are Dean. Anna will be with you shortly to make you a cast. When you are done, she will accompany you back to your family."

"Thanks Casti--Cas."

Smiling, Cas continued down the hallway, deeper into the places that Dean had not explored yet.

"You must be Dean. My name is Anna. I will be making your cast. Please, come in."

Dean followed her in, trying to take in everything in her office. She had painted her walls a bright yellow. At first glance, it looked like the paint had cracked, but when Dean looked closer, he saw that the 'cracks' were actually patterns traced lightly into the yellow with small white lines. As he started to notice the designs, he looked around again. Suddenly the room turned into an intricate painting that could take him hours to fully soak everything in. He felt like he was trapped in a little bubble where no bad thoughts could get to him. If he believed what his father had tried to force on him, he would have called this room "Heaven."

He finally noticed Anna watching him stare at her office. Turning red, he dropped his head.

"I--I'm so--sorry. I shouldn't have stared." He stammered, trying to get the words out before he became even more embarrassed.

Anna just took one look at him, and threw her head back, laughing. "Dean, it's ok. When I painted my office, I wanted people to stare at it. I wanted people to want to spend hours just trying to decipher the designs."