Castiel has 8 siblings: Lucifer, Zachariah, Michael, Gabriel, Anna, Samandriel (they call him Alfie), Hannah, and Rachel. Dean teaches chemistry, while Castiel teaches advanced writing. Castiel is 23, Dean is 24, so they're still young. Castiel's father, Chuck, wanted them all to excel in writing. He talked the principal into letting all of them into Castiel's class, since he's the only advanced writing teacher in that school. In the classroom, there's only the Novak's, Sam Winchester, Charlie, Kevin, Jess, Jo, and Ash. Small class, compared to the usual 30 or so students. Castiel rents a small apartment, only to find out that he's neighbors to Dean.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

*Castiel's POV*

I wake up to the sound of my alarm going off. After getting ready, I walk down the steps to my car. I turn the key into the ignition multiple times, to no avail. After hopping out of my car, I pull up Gabe's contact on my phone.

"Hello?"

"Gabe, my car won't start. Can you pick me up?" I ask.

"Sorry, Cassie. Not today. Getting picked up by Charlie," Gabe tells me.

"Come on, I can't be late on my first day!" I whine.

"You have like an hour before school starts. Walk," he says. Then he hangs up.

"Ugh!" I groan. My phone gets shoved into my pocket.

"You okay?" Someone asks.

I jump, facing the culprit. My God is he hot. "Yeah, sorry. Car won't start and I have no way to get to work," I tell him.

"Come on, I'll take you. Wanted to get there early, but it's fine," he says. I look at him skeptically. "Come on, I'm not going to kidnap you. I live in this building, there's nowhere else I could take you." I laugh, shrugging. He goes to a black '67 Chevy Impala and hops in the drivers seat. I follow, sitting in passengers. "Name's Dean Winchester. You?"

"Castiel Novak," I tell him. 

"Novak? Like Lucifer and Gabriel Novak?" He asks.

"How do you know them?" I ask.

"They go to my school. Well, I teach there," he says. "Now come on, where am I dropping you off at?"

"The school," I reply, looking out the side window. "It's my first day."

Dean starts the car, driving off. "Well what do you teach?" He asks.

"Advanced writing. If you think those two brothers are bad, try having all 8 at once," I reply.

"So you're the oldest, I'm assuming?" He asks.

"Yup," I say. "Do you know any good mechanics around here?"

"Me," he laughs softly. I look at him in confusion. "I help my Uncle Bobby over the summer in his garage. He's a mechanic, taught me everything I know. I'll help you out after classes. That okay?"

"Uh...sure," I reply. We pull into the school and he leads me inside. I follow him until we get to the staff room. We stay together until he takes me to my classroom.

I unlock the door and lead him inside. "So who do you have, besides your siblings?" Dean asks.

"Charlie Bradbury, Sam Winchester, Jessica Moore, Kevin Tran, Ash Harvelle, and Jo Harvelle," I tell him.

"You have Sam?" Dean asks.

"Wait...is he your brother?" I ask. He nods. The bell rings, cutting us off. "You should get to your class. I'll be in here for lunch."

"Okay, I'll stop by," Dean says. "See you then." Then he leaves.

I take a seat in my chair, waiting for my students to come in. "Was that Mr. Winchester?" Someone asks, walking in and over to me.

"Uh, yes. What would your name be?" I ask.

"That's Charlie," Gabe says, making me jump.

"Dammit, Gabriel!" I whisper-yell. "No more of this."

Gabriel breaks into laughter, along with my siblings who just now appear in the doorway. "Sorry, Cassie. Didn't think you'd get that scared."

"Just go sit down," I grumble. The nine of them take seats. "Oh no, move." I direct Gabriel with my hand, pointing to a seat across the room. "I'm not suicidal, putting you two together would kill me."

"Oh come on, Cass!" Lucifer whines. "Let me sit next to my buddy!"

"No!" I say sternly.

"Uh, excuse me?" Someone asks.

I turn to the door, seeing the five other students standing there. "Sorry, please take a seat. Excuse my brothers."

"Brothers? Damn, I feel bad for you," a boy says.

"Who is who?" I ask.

They introduce themselves quietly, taking their seats. "You were with Dean earlier, weren't you? He said he was taking the advanced writing teacher to work because his car broke down."

"Yes, that was me," I sigh. "Why did he tell you?"

"He was supposed to take me. Nothing big," Sam shrugs.

"Shit, sorry, Sam," I say. "You can blame Gabe for that."

"Hey, you could've called me!" Lucifer yells

"And why would he do that?" Zachariah asks. "That's like suicide."

"And who says that's bad?" Michael asks.

"Michael!" I groan. "I'm going to kill you all."

"We're telling daddy-o!" Gabe yells.

"Well he would let me if I told him you were disrupting my teaching," I retort. "The principal let you guys come here strictly to learn. Now you know me, I'm lenient. I'm not strict."

"You're more like a kid," Anna says.

"Thank you," I reply sarcastically. "I'll let you listen to music while you work, and talk quietly. But you have to be working at all times. You can ask me questions, but it's a two-way street. Trust from both sides. Call me Castiel, okay? I'd rather not be associated with these idiots."

"Hey!" Lucifer and Gabriel whines.

"Shut up already," Alfie says.

I cover my mouth, stifling my laugh. "Yeah, okay, laugh it up. We'll get you back, Cassie," Luci says.

"Be quiet, no you won't. Okay, anyone have any questions for me? Other than my siblings."

"When are we going to start on assignments?" Kevin asks.

"Probably not until next week, Kevin. Anything else?"

"You live in Dean's building?" Sam asks.

"Yeah. Dean doesn't live with you?" I ask.

"No, I live with my dad. Dean moved out to be more independent," Sam responds.

"How old are you?" Charlie asks.

"Twenty-three," I reply.

"Isn't that a bit young?" Jo asks.

"Dean graduated before his 23rd. If you put in the work, you can get done early," Sam replies.

"Are you straight?" Charlie asks.

"Charlie!" Gabe groans.

"What? My gaydar alert went off like five times!" She retorts.

"Maybe it's broken," Michael snickers.

"Hey! I'll out every single one of you," I retort. "Kidding, I won't. But you do not want to start a war with me. Michael, you're the trouble maker. Then Luci, then Gabe. You keep quiet, unless you're asking or answering questions."

"Get 'em, Cassie!" Gabe cheers.

I sigh in response. "Charlie, I'm gay. Openly gay, to a point. I don't mind talking about it."

"Wait," Ash gasps. "You like Mr. Winchester!"

"What?" I ask, taken aback. Everyone seems to perk up at the claim. "No, why would you say that?"

"Ash is great at reading people," Jo points out.

"We need to get you two together," Charlie says.

"Yes!" Gabe cheers. "Cassie has been so alone."

"No, no. No one is getting me a boyfriend. No one is going to say anything either," I say.

"Why not?" Luci asks.

"Because if you do, I'll delve into your little minds and find out who you like. You know me, I can do that. Isn't that right?" I ask.

"Yes," Rachel sighs.

"I won't, but you know how I am. I can be worse than Michael if I wanted to be. Do not test me," I warn.

"Fine," Gabe huffs. He shares a glance with Charlie, probably not dropping the subject.

"He took me to school, is going to go my car, that's it," I reply. "I do not like Mr. Winchester."

"He's fixing your car?" Sam asks. "Nice, how much?"

"I...don't know," I sigh.

"If he likes you, he'll do it for free," Kevin says. "It's common knowledge. If you like someone, you want to do things for them. Like, paying for some expenses."

"Kevin's right," Rachel says. "Right, guys?"

"Definitely," everyone replies.

"You guys are going to be the death of me," I groan.

"I have a question," Jess says. Everyone turns to her, since it's the first time she has spoken. "What will we be doing in this class? Will it just be talking the whole time?"

"No, Jess, it won't. Thank you for getting off that subject, by the way," I say. "We will be doing group work, in pairs. Along with solo projects and free writing. You will be allowed to write anything you'd like, as long as it fits the requirements. I don't like having a whole bunch of rules, so if you have a question, ask."

"Will we pick out partners?" Anna asks.

"You'll pick two students you'd like to work with, and I'll decide which one from there. Do you mind if I give assigned seats?" I ask.

"Depends on the person," Ash replies.

"Everyone up," I direct. Everyone lines up against the wall. "Gabriel and Sam, Michael and Hannah, Lucifer and Ash, Rachel and Kevin, Jess and Zachariah, Charlie and Jo, Anna and Alfie." I wait for them to get situated before continuing on. "Everyone okay with these seats?"

I get no response, since they're too busy in conversation. The bell rings, so I sigh. This class is for two periods every day, back to back.

"Good morning, Vietnam!" Lucifer yells, running out of the classroom.

"Everybody be back by the next bell!" I yell.

Jess, Kevin, and Alfie stay seated. I put my hands over my face, groaning. It's going to be a long year.

"Well you look like you're having fun," someone laughs from the doorway. I look over and see Dean standing there with a smirk on his face. He walks over to me and sits on the edge of my desk, looking down at me. "Was it really that bad?"

"You have no idea," I sigh. "Don't you have to get ready for your next class?"

"Nah, I have no second period. Figured I'd help out in here," Dean says.

"Thanks," I sigh. "They're crazy, I'm warning you. Sam has been good, for the most part. I just think he was curious about this morning."

"Ah, yeah. Sorry, I forgot I was picking him up until I got to my classroom. We still up for after school?" Dean asks.

"Well I'm not going around town without a car," I retort. He laughs, nodding in understanding.

"Hey, Dean," Sam says, walking back into the room. Gabe follows in tow.

"Hey, Sammy. I'm sorry I forgot about this morning," Dean says.

"It's okay, I had dad drive me. He didn't mind," Sam says.

"Okay, take your seat, Sam," I say. The bell rings, and Lucifer comes running in, slamming the door shut behind him. "Lucifer, you're late. Don't slam my door, either."

"I'm being followed," he pants out. "Two dicks wanted to punch me, so I ran."

"Well you knocked them to the ground, yelling like crazy. What did you expect would happen?" Jo asks.

"Just sit down," I sigh. "If they come in here, I'll give them detention."

Lucifer nods, taking his seat. "Well this looks fun," Dean remarks.

"Hi, Mr. Winchester," the students say (except Sam).

"I'm gonna be helping out in second period from now on. I heard you guys were giving Mr. Novak some grief first period?" Dean asks.

"That was barely anything!" Michael defends. "If anything, Charlie started it!"

"Hey! Ash was the one who pointed it out!" Charlie retorts.

"I was pointing out the obvious!" Ash says.

"Alright, that's enough," Dean says sternly. The class shuts up immediately. "Now, what was this about?"

"We're trying to get Cassie a date," Gabe says.

Dean looks at me with shock and confusion. "Why are they trying to get you a date?"

"Your class is different than mine, Dean. I allow them to do a lot of things, ask questions, listen to music. But one question was asked and everyone went crazy," I reply. "And no, you're not getting the question or answer."

Dean rolls his eyes, turning back to the class. "Okay, so what did you guys do first period?"

"Talked," Rachel says.

"That's it?" Dean asks. "He didn't give you project instructions or anything?"

"A project on the first day?" I ask him. "No, I'm not that cruel."

"So, Castiel," Charlie says. "They said you were more like a kid. How so?"

I laugh in response. "I'm a big nerd. I also am very childish, but I can be stern if I need to. You heard me earlier, I'm lenient most of the time. It's just these idiots get on my nerves."

"I'm surprised you even moved out yet," Michael says. "You can't cook, you hate chores, you're not a morning person."

"He's not a person at all," Lucifer says. "He'd sleep all day if he could. Hey, remember that time–"

"Shut it, Lucifer!" I say sternly. "That's enough."

"You're no fun," he whines. "What about the time you set the house on fire?"

"That was one time!"

"More like four," Gabe says.

"My point exactly. He can't cook," Michael says.

"Okay. Can we please not talk about this?" I ask quietly.

"I'm sorry, Cass," Lucifer replies softly.

"Just drop it," I reply, looking down at my desk.

The class goes dead silent. I feel all eyes on me. "Do you need to go take a break?" Dean asks softly. "I'll take care of them, okay? Don't worry about it. It's not like you're doing anything."

I shake my head, sighing. "No, I'll be fine. Just please don't ask about it."

"Wasn't going to," he replies. "Just Get your bearings together. You don't have to participate. Just listen to the conversation."

"Fine," I sigh. "You know what? Just give me five, ten minutes. I'll be back."

"If you're not back by then, I'll ask someone to text you. Okay?" Dean asks. I nod.

"I'll be back. Listen to Mr. Winchester," I say, walking to the door. After exiting, I close the door and walk to the staff room.

Surprisingly, there were quite a few teachers in there. They all turned to me when I walked in. I walk over to the fridge and pull out an unopened water bottle.

"Benny Lafitte, gymnasium teacher," a man says, walking over to me and holding out his hand.

I shake his hand, nodding. "Castiel Novak, advanced writing."

"And, uh, that's Lisa Braeden, algebra two. That's Dick Roman, health teacher," Benny says. They pretend I'm not there, so I turn back to Benny. "Don't know what's up with them, sorry. Dick Roman is usually like that, but Lisa is usually a really sweet girl."

"Oh, okay. Does everyone here have a free period?" I ask.

"Yeah, there's multiple teachers so a lot of them have multiple study halls throughout the day," Benny replies.

Lisa walks over to us, turning to Benny. "Do you know where Mr. Winchester is? He said he'd be here."

"Oh, uh, he's watching over my class right now," I tell her. The three of them look at me with shock. "What?"

"First of all, Dean never watches over any other classes. Secondly, why aren't you in your classroom?" Mr. Roman asks.

"My brothers, they said something about something that happened. I needed to get out of there," I reply softly, looking to the ground.

"Your brothers?" Benny asks.

"Novak's," I sigh.

"Oh, wow. There's another one," Benny laughs. "You the oldest?" I nod. "How many are in that class?"

"All of my brothers and sisters," I reply.

"Woah, holy shit," Benny says. "Isn't advanced writing two periods in a row?"

"Yeah," I sigh. I look at my watch, groaning. "Dean's gonna send someone after me if I'm here any longer."

"Can I come? Seems like you could use all the help you can get," Benny points out.

"Sure," I reply.

"Can I...uh, come too?" Lisa asks. I shrug in response. We all leave Mr. Roman in the room by himself, walking to my room. I knock on the door and open it.

"I brought reinforcements," I joke. I hear Dean laughing as I open the door and walk in. "Everything okay in here?"

"Yup, seems to have calmed down since you left. Maybe that's because I'm a bit stricter, I don't know," Dean tells me. He looks behind me and smiles. "Benny!"

Dean walks over to Benny and pulls him into a hug. I look over at Lisa and see her biting her lip, staring at Dean. I sit down at my desk and look at my class.

"You feeling better, Castiel?" Jo asks softly.

"Yeah," I sigh. "Just don't talk about it."

"Needed reinforcements?" Michael asks. "Or is that your way to get over your crush with you-know-who?"

"Who?" Dean asks.

"Nobody," I sigh. Michael opens his mouth, but I point at him and glare. "Shut your trap. Why can't you make jokes like Lucifer or be crazy, playing pranks, like Gabe?"

"Because I'm me, not some clone," Michael retorts.

"Nobody wants to hear it, Michael," Jess says.

"Did Little Cassie just compliment us, Luci?" Gabe asks.

"I think he did," Lucifer says. "I think we've made some real progress here."

"So do you guys like your seats?" I ask.

"Definitely," Gabe replies. He turns to Sam and they start a conversation.

"Hey, Cassie, can we come here for lunch?" Luci asks.

"Not all of you. Michael, you're not allowed. Lucifer, you get three strikes and you're not allowed to come after that. Gabe, you're fine. You're just an idiot, everyone else is fine," I tell them. "Talk amongst yourselves. You've got the rest of the period to do whatever you want to."

I walk over to the three people in the doorway and sigh. "Everything better now?" Benny asks.

"Yup," I reply.

"So...Dean," Lisa says. Dean moves his eyes from me to her, so she continues. "I was wondering if you wanted to go out tonight. Maybe you could come over again?"

Dean clears his throat, shifting in his spot. Benny looks at her weirdly, while I stand there confused. "Uh, I can't tonight. Gotta fix Castiel's car."

She glares at me while clenching her fists and jaw, so I step back. I turn around and walk over to Gabe. I pull him from the chair and walk into the empty computer room connected to mine. It's for the students if they have to do essays online or anything.

"Woah, what's wrong?" Gabe asks. I shut the door before walking to the corner on the opposite side of the room. I sink down to the floor, pulling my legs to my chest and covering my face with my hands. Footsteps gradually get louder, but I don't think about them. My mind floods with memories and flashbacks. "Cass! Castiel! Can you hear me?!" He puts his hand on my shoulder and I flinch, crying. "Castiel! It's okay! You're safe!"

The door opens, but again, I disregard it. "Cassie?" Lucifer asks. "Gabe, what's going on?"

"I think it's happening again," Gabe replies.

"Should I call..?" Hannah asks.

"No!" I cry out. "Don't send me back there, just send her away!"

"What's going on?" Benny asks.

"Send who away, Cassie?" Gabe asks softly.

"No...mom, no," I cry. Footsteps come closer, making me flinch. "Mom, leave me alone. Please!"

"Cass, you're okay," Dean says softly. "You're in the school."

"N-no, I'm at home," I reply.

"Open your eyes," he says. I shake my head feverishly. "You're okay, you're safe."

"She's not here anymore, Castiel," Rachel says.

"She's gone, remember?" Anna asks.

"N-no, she's not," I reply.

"Cass, did you take your meds today?" Gabe whispers.

"In my bag..."

"Get his bag, Luci," Gabe says.

A couple moments later, a hand is placed on my shoulder. I flinch, but it stays. "You need to open your eyes to take your meds," Dean says.

I sigh, slowly pulling my hands away from my face. After opening my eyes, I gasp. Everyone is standing by the doorway, except Lucifer, Dean, and Gabriel. Benny stayed, Lisa left. Gabe hands me the pills and I take them.

"Sorry..." I reply.

"You need to take them every day, Cass," Gabe reminds me. "We don't want this to happen again."

"I...didn't realize," I reply. I go to stand up, so the three of them help me. "I'm fine, it was a temporary lapse, okay?"

"What triggered it, Cassie?" Gabe asks softly.

I shake my head, walking away from them. I take my seat at my desk, ignoring everyone's chairs moving as they sit down.

"You sure you should be at school right now?" Michael asks softly.

"I was cleared to work, as long as I take my medication. That's all I'm going to say. Don't push this," I say.

"You okay now?" Benny asks.

"Yeah," I sigh. The bell rings, making me jump. "See you tomorrow, everyone. Unless you're coming during lunch."

•••

Lunch passed by swiftly, so did the other classes. I came into Dean's classroom during one of my free periods, to observe how he was doing things. After lunch, I had two last class periods. Meaning, my other set of students.

When everyone walks into the room, I direct them to the wall. "Bartholomew and Lilith, Ruby and Meg, Aaron and Sully."

They take their seats without any problem. "My name is Mr. Novak, but you can call me Castiel. I'll be your advanced writing teacher for the next school year. Now I don't want any problems, but I will give detention if necessary."

"Miss Braeden said that you had a mental breakdown in your first class, is that true?" Lilith asks.

"Why is that any of hers, or your, business?" I ask. "She only followed me to my classroom so she could flirt with Mr. Winchester."

"They're together?" Ruby asks.

"I think she wants to be. He's not interested, most likely. You wanted gossip, there you go. Miss Braeden doesn't care about anybody who is friends with people she likes. I met Mr. Winchester today, she instantly hated me for it. If you're going to give someone grief, I'd rather it not be me. We good? Great. Now drop the subject."

•••

"Need a ride?" Dean asks, pulling up to the door in his Impala. I laugh, hopping in the passengers seat. Sam runs out, hopping into the back.

Dean drives off. It's dead silent until I break. "Okay, first off, can I just apologize about second period?"

"Don't apologize. Everybody has their battle scars," Dean replies.

Sam clears his throat. "Castiel, did you start the Miss Braeden rumor?"

Dean looks over at me, but I stare out the window. "So what if I did? She told her students about what happened, knowing well that it was her fault in the first place."

"Her fault?" Sam asks.

I pull the sleeves of my trench coat down over my hands. "It was her fault, yes. But that's not why I started the rumors. They're not even rumors, they're the truth. Anyway, I started them because she decided to out my medical condition to the whole school."

"Mind enlightening me on either of them?" Dean asks.

"I'm good," I reply. "You probably know anyway."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dean asks.

"You seriously don't know?" I ask.

"Uh...no?"

"Anyone can see it, Dean," Sam says. "Miss Braeden likes you."

"We went out once. Last year. What's that have to do anything?" He asks.

"When you said you were helping with my car, she looked as if she was going to...kill me," I tell him.

"What? So she's jealous I'm hanging out with you instead of her?" Dean asks. "I don't even swing that way. I doubt you do either."

Sam clears his throat. "Dean, you just passed dad's," he points out.

"Shit," Dean mutters. He pulls into a random driveway, then backs out in the direction we came from.

The rest of the ride is in silence. Even when we arrived at their dad's, it was quiet. Finally, we got back to the apartment building.

After we hop out, I toss Dean my keys. "Apartment 18S, drop them off when you're done."

I walk to the door, only to be stopped by Dean's voice. "Cass, wait. I'm sorry, okay? I was just pissed she caused you to relive...that," he says.

I turn around and lean against the nearby wall, to face him. "It's not your fault, Dean," I sigh. My phone rings, so I pull it out. Balthazar. "What do you want?"

"Can I come over? We need to talk," Balthazar says.

"No, I don't want to talk to you," I retort.

"I get I hurt you, okay? There was a reason," Balthazar tells me.

"What the hell? What kind of reason would make you cheating on me, okay?" I ask.

"I need to see you, Cassie," he says. "Please."

"Apartment complex on Jericho Street," I tell him. "I'll be waiting outside. How close are you?"

"Five minutes. See you there," he says, hanging up.

I shove my phone back into the pocket, shaking my head. "Assbutt," I sigh.

"An ex, I assume?" Dean asks. I look over, seeing he had already gotten his tools and is looking in the hood of my car.

"Yeah," I reply.

"How long till she gets here?" He asks.

I disregard the 'she' part, and answer. "Around five minutes."

"Hope everything works out. I'll bring your keys by when I'm finished," Dean says.

A couple minutes later, I see Balthazar's truck roll in. He parks it next to mine, and hops out. "Who's that working on your car?" He asks.

Dean looks over, watching as Balthazar walks over to me. "Another teacher. He lives here too. Offered to help me out."

"How much?" He asks.

"I don't know, I didn't ask," I reply.

Dean slams the hood and walks to the drivers seat. After turning the ignition, it fires to life. He turns it off and hops out, walking over to me.

"Nothing to worry about, just needed a bit of fixing," Dean says, handing me the keys.

"Thanks, Dean. How much?" I ask.

"Nah, it's fine. I didn't need to replace anything, just a little tweak. It stops working, let me know. 19S," he says.

"Neighbors, huh?" I laugh. Balthazar clears his throat, making me sigh. "Dean, this is Balthazar. Balthazar, this is Dean."

"Is this..?" Dean asks, shock written across his face.

"Guess you don't know me that well, Dean. Sorry," I reply. "Balthazar, let's go. Before I punch you right here and now."

"Hey! There's other ways of getting out your anger, you know?" Balth points out.

"Ew, not with you," I retort. "You're very tempting to punch. Don't test me." He holds his hands up in defense. "I'll see you later, Dean."

The two of us go inside. Faintly, I can hear Dean reply. "Bye, Cass."

Once inside my apartment, I shove him into the wall. "What the hell kind of bullshit do you think you're about to tell me?!"

"Calm down! Calm down!" He yells. "I didn't have a choice!"

"Who told you that?!"

"She said she would tell everyone what happened!"

I flinch, taking a step backwards. "How-how does she know?"

"I don't know, but she does," he says softly. "I'm so sorry."

"She-she can't know," I stutter. "You don't even know. All I told you was my mother died, and it was an accident. You don't know what type, or anything."

"Then talk to me, Cassie," Balth says.

"Get out," I say. "Get. Out!"

He sighs, opening the door and leaving.

•••

The rest of the day I spent cooped up in my bedroom. I didn't bother with eating, or changing. It was too much.

The next morning, I had Gabe pick me up. It's only me and him today, thankfully. Everyone else took another car.

"Are those the same clothes you wore yesterday?" Gabriel asks. I look out the window, not responding. "Okay, you took your meds, right?"

"No, I'm just an idiot who wants to get fired for psychotic breakdowns in the middle of class," I retort.

"Alright, jeez, fine. What happened, anyway?" Gabe asks.

"Balthazar is back. And Dean found out I'm gay. Along with the fact that someone knows what happened that day," I reply.

Gabriel slams on the breaks, luckily on an empty road. He takes a deep breath before driving again. "It was self-defense, Cassie. You have to know that, right?"

"I didn't do it on purpose! How many times do I have to tell you that?!" I yell.

"Okay, calm down. Calm down, it's okay. Maybe we need to talk to your psychiatrist, up your meds?"

"Whatever," I huff. We pull into the school and I go straight to my classroom. After entering, I take my seat. Someone knocks on the door softly. "Go away."

"You okay?" Dean asks softly.

"No, but I will be," I sigh.

"I'm here if you need to talk," he offers. "We have like half an hour until class. You want to talk about it?"

I sigh. "You make me feel safe. I haven't felt that in...forever. I feel like I can trust you. But you can't tell anyone. And be prepared if it happens again. I'm probably going to trigger a memory somewhere along the line."

"Okay, what should I do?" Dean asks.

"I...don't know," I sigh. "I don't want another breakdown, but I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

"Just tell me," he says. Dean takes a seat at one of the desks before looking over at me.

"You're gonna make fun of me," I whine.

"No, I won't. Okay? Just tell me what you need. This is about you right now," Dean says.

"I...uh," I take a deep breath. "Come over here." He cautiously walks over to me as I stand up. "Sit down." He does. I take a deep breath, not knowing how to tell him.

"Do we need to be close? Like, hugging? What? I'm not judging," Dean says.

"In a way," I reply.

"Okay, then come over here," he says. I walk over to him and he pulls me onto his lap. Then, he wraps his arms around me. "I'm assuming this is what you were too afraid to admit?" I nod, curling in closer. He lets out a breathy laugh, wrapping his arms around me tighter. "Just start when you're ready."

I take a deep breath before starting. "My mother, she...was not a nice person. Since I was the oldest, I'd take the blame for everything. They're only a couple years younger, but they're my little brothers and sisters. I couldn't let them get hurt. So I took it all. Every last bit of it." I take a deep breath, calming myself down. Dean rubs my arm comfortingly. "Then...uh, one day, that's when it happened. Mom was trying to teach me how to cook, because I can't. I ended up setting the whole house on fire." I shut my eyes, trying to focus on getting through this. "My dad helped me get everyone out of the house. I went back into the house alone, to get my mom. She started...to beat me, in the middle of the burning house. She held me down as the house was slowly turning into flames. I pushed her off of me before she could really hurt me, but she ended up hitting a flaming bookshelf. It fell on top of her. I tried to get her out in time, but it crushed her. She wouldn't give up though, she was still spilling insult after insult from her mouth as if she'd never been crushed. Then, she just stopped. Died, with her eyes open. Staring at me. I could see all of the pain and fury behind them, even after she passed away. My father had to come get me because I was frozen in shock."

"And now..?" Dean asks softly.

"Now? They're haunting me. Her words, the beatings, watching her die. It's my fault she didn't make it. I could've gotten her out of the way before it crushed her. But I was selfish and only thought of myself."

"No...not selfish, driven. You fully intended on moving out of the way so you could go save her. Despite everything you did, you wanted to save her. You were driven, trying to save her. You had a purpose. It's not like you were going to leave her there."

"I could've saved her, Dean. But I didn't," I say softly.

"Hey...look at me," he says softly. I look over at him and sigh. "That wasn't your fault. You couldn't have done anything differently."

"No...that's not true," I shake my head, burying it into Dean's chest. "It's not true. It's not true. I know it's not true."

Dean quietly shushes me, soothing me into silence. The door opens and I scramble off of his lap. "Oops..." Sam says. "Sorry."

"Sammy, get in here!" Dean demands. "Lock the door while you're at it." After that's done, Sam takes his seat. "How long were you there for?"

"Well considering I just opened the door when you saw me, about two seconds," Sam replies.

"I'm sorry, Cass," Dean sighs. "We can talk during lunch, okay? I'll be here." And with that, he leaves.

"Well so much for not swinging that way," Sam laughs.

I sit down at my desk chair, looking over at Sam. "He was trying to stop another memory relapse," I tell him. "That's all. He's still straight."

"Wait, seriously?" Sam asks, his face lighting up.

"Yeah, why?" I ask.

"Dean has this 'no chick-flick moments' rule. No feelings," Sam says.

"Then why..?"

"No clue," Sam replies. "I'm gonna go meet up with Gabe. See you, Castiel."

"Bye, Sam," I reply. After he leaves, I decide to get a water bottle from the staff room. My throat became dry from explaining everything. I walk into the room, seeing Miss Braeden and Mr. Roman. They whisper to each other as I get my water bottle. As I'm leaving, someone turns me around and shoves me into the wall. "What do you want?"

Mr. Roman punches me in the face, and walks off with Miss Braeden in tow. As I walk back to my room I try to make sense of what just happened. Charlie, Kevin, Sam, Gabe, and Luci are waiting outside the door. When I walk inside, I turn the light on.

"Good morning, Castiel," Charlie says.

I take my seat, as the students take theirs. "Good morning, Charlie."

"Cassie?" Gabe asks. He walks over to me and pokes the spot where I was punched.

"Ow, Gabe!" I whine, pushing him back. "What the hell was that for?!"

"Why is it all red? And why does it hurt so much?" Gabe asks, walking back to his seat.

"Because someone punched me, okay?" Everyone gasps softly, making me sigh. "It's fine, I'm fine."

"Who punched you?" Lucifer asks.

"I'd rather not talk about it right now, okay?" I sigh.

•••

First period ends, and Dean walks in. He steals a chair from the back and puts it next to mine.

"You okay?" Dean asks.

"Cassie, now can you tell us who punched you?" Gabe asks. "You said not then, so now?"

"Punched?" Dean asks.

"Gabe, I'm not going to talk about it. Probably my fault anyway," I sigh. "Just drop it."

"Was it Balthazar?" Gabe asks.

"He's back?" Anna asks.

"Yeah," I sigh. "It wasn't Balthazar, Gabe."

"What do you mean it's your fault?" Michael asks.

"I pissed someone off, okay?"

"Who?" Dean asks.

"Was it you-know-who?" Sam asks.

"If it's who you think it is, then probably," I reply.

"It wasn't even your fault," Sam says.

"I doubt it, but thanks," I sigh.

•••

Three months pass by. Dean and I are close friends. He's going out with Lisa, and I got back with Balthazar. I forgave him, because I knew it wasn't his fault. He was trying to protect my secret. Ever since I've gotten back with him, Dean has been avoiding me. That, or he's just busy with Lisa. Mr. Roman and Lisa have been abusing me ever since that day. Lisa verbally and emotionally, and Mr. Roman physically. I keep it from everyone, though. That way they don't have to worry about me.

Today is New Years Eve. Benny, Andrea (Benny's wife), Dean, Lisa, me, and Balthazar, are going out to a bar tonight to celebrate the New Year. Apparently Jo works there, along with Ash, and their mother Ellen. It's a cute place called The Roadhouse.

After getting ready for tonight, I leave my apartment. As I'm locking up, someone calls out to me. "Hey, Cass!"

"Dean, what are you doing out here?" I ask him.

"I was hanging with my dad and Sammy. Just got back," he responds. "What about you?"

"Balth wanted to take me out to dinner before meeting you all at the diner," I reply. "I'll see you there?"

"Yep, bye, Cass," Dean says. "Hope you enjoy your meal."

"Thanks. See you then," I reply.

•••

It's been three hours, and I've just been sitting against the wall outside of the apartment building. I've texted him, and waited. If he was waiting for me to show up at the restaurant, he would've responded to my messages. Instead, nothing.

The door opens, making me sigh. I look over, seeing Dean walk to the Impala. "Hello, Dean," I say.

Dean turns around quickly, then gasps at the sight of me. "Cass? What are you doing here?"

"It appears I've been stood up," I laugh dryly. "On New Years Eve, no less. Guessing you're about to leave right about now?"

"Yeah, I'm about to go pick up Lisa. Want a ride?" Dean asks.

"No, thanks. I'm probably just going to go back to my apartment and wallow in self-pity," I reply.

"Nope, you're coming with," Dean says, walking over to me and pulling me onto my feet. He grabs my arm and pulls me to the passengers seat.

"Ah, no. If you're forcing me to come with you, I want to sit in the back. My choice, okay?"

"Fine," Dean huffs, walking over to his side and sliding into the car.

•••

We pull up to Lisa's house, and see her already standing there on her porch. She smiles at the sight of the Impala, carefully running over to it and hopping in the passengers seat.

"Hey, baby," Lisa says. "I was thinking, why don't we just ditch those idiotic teachers and have ourselves our own night?"

I decide to stay quiet, since she doesn't know I'm here. Dean looks at her with shock. "Idiotic teachers?" Dean asks. "Those are my friends you're talking about."

"And we can hang out with them at school, but not outside of there. It's New Years Eve. Our night. Not to spent with a gay fag and a married couple," Lisa says.

"'Gay fag'? Did you seriously just call him that? He's my best friend," Dean says. "Why do you hate him so much?"

"Because he's stealing you away from me," Lisa replies. "He's coming in between us. Plus, I see the way he looks at you."

"Is that why you've wanted to hang out so much? So that I don't hang out with him instead? That's absurd, he's my best friend. I'm with you, Lisa," Dean says. "Plus, Cass is with Balthazar."

"That doesn't mean he won't make a move on you when he's drunk," Lisa retorts.

"If he got drunk, he'd go to the person he has feelings for. Not me, he'd go to Balthazar. You don't have anything to worry about," Dean says. "Isn't that right, Cass?"

"Thank you, Dean," I reply.

Lisa gasps softly. "Castiel, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize you were there."

"It wouldn't have changed your opinion. No reason for apologizing. Don't take it out on Dean, though. You can't control him into not hanging out with me. Everyone is their own person. I already know how you feel about me. You don't have to keep reminding me."

"Reminding you? So you two have talked about this before?" Dean asks.

"Well, that's absurd," Lisa laughs nervously. "He's just joking around. Right, Castiel?"

"Uh...sure," I reply hesitantly.

"Why are you riding with us? Just for curiosity, of course."

"Balthazar never picked him up. I offered to give him a ride," Dean says. "We're here."

Dean pulls into a parking spot, and we all hop out. We walk inside, seeing Benny and Andrea already seated at a booth. Balthazar is nowhere to be found. Dean and Lisa go over to the booth and sit down. I decide to leave them be, the two couples. After walking to the bar, I sit on a stool. I order myself a drink.

"Tequila, please," I say to the bartender. He nods and starts with the drink.

"Saw your friends go over to the booth. You get left alone on New Years Eve?" He asks.

"Yeah," I sigh. "Rather not be the odd one out. Especially if one of them is abusive in many ways."

"Who? One of the guys?" He asks.

"No, the girl that was with me when I came in," I sigh. I lift up the bottom of my shirt and show him the bruises scattered on my stomach.

The bartender gasps, handing me the drink and leaning on the counter. "She did that? Damn, woman can pack a punch."

I pull my shirt down, along with my sleeves. "Nah, hers is emotionally and verbally. She gets this other teacher to physically abuse me. He did that."

"Teacher?" He asks.

"Everyone except the girl, Andrea – the one who was already in the booth before the three of us showed up – are teachers. I teach advanced writing at the high school nearby," I tell him.

"Wow, that's awful," he says. "Sorry, let me introduce myself. Crowley McLeod."

"Castiel Novak," I reply.

I go to hand him the money, but he declines. "Nah, you keep it. It's on me," he says. "Who would be so stupid to leave you high and dry on New Years Eve?"

"My boyfriend. Well, ex? I don't know, we're together right now but this is the second time he's done this to me," I sigh.

"Second time? He doesn't deserve you," Crowley says. "My shift ends in a couple minutes. Mind if I keep you company?"

"Go right ahead," I say. "You seem interesting. I want to get to know you."

"As do I, Castiel," Crowley replies.

"Cass?" Dean asks, placing his hand on my shoulder.

I jump and wince, pulling away from his grasp. "Hey, Dean. Everything okay?" I ask.

"We were wondering why you didn't come sit with us," Dean says.

"I'd rather not be left out. Two couples, while I'm ditched for the second time by the same guy? He's probably cheating on me again," I scoff. "Just go back to Lisa, Dean. She's gonna be pissed if you don't."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dean asks.

"Here you go," Crowley says, sliding me another drink. "On me, again. Last one for the night."

"Thanks, again," I reply.

"Cass, what did you mean by Lisa will be pissed?" Dean asks.

"He doesn't know?" Crowley asks.

"Crowley!" I hiss. "No, and now I have to tell him."

"Well you don't have to," Crowley retorts.

"No, no. Cass, tell me," Dean says.

"You're right, Crowley. I don't have to say anything," I say. "Thanks."

"Cass, what the hell is your problem? Can't you trust me?" Dean asks harshly.

I quickly stand up, backing away. I've been better with my flashbacks, but certain things can still trigger it.

I bump into a table, gasping softly. I turn to the exit and walk towards it. Before I can get all the way, a hand on my arm stops me.

"You okay, Castiel?" Benny asks.

I shake my head, pulling out of his grip and rushing out of there. I sit down on the bench and wrap my arms around my legs. Squeezing my eyes shut, I try to get ahold of my breathing.

"Cass, shit, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to trigger it," Dean apologizes. I flinch at the sound of his voice. "I was just upset you think you couldn't trust me."

"Go away," I whisper. "Just go back to Lisa. I'm gonna walk home."

"What? No, I'm not letting you do that," Dean says.

I flinch at his words. "So you're controlling me now, is that it?" I ask softly.

"No, Cass," Dean sighs. "I just want you to be okay when you leave. I care about you. If you know something about Lisa that I don't, I want to know."

I shake my head, the abuse coming back. All the times Lisa and Mr. Roman have abused me. I flinch when a hand touches my knee. "Hey, I get it. Anyone in your position would be traumatized," Crowley says.

It takes awhile for me to get back to normal. After I do, I see Dean and Crowley nearby. "I'm okay now," I say softly. They turn to me in shock.

"Cass, I'm sorry," Dean says.

"I'm fine, Dean," I reply. "You really wanna know what I'm keeping from you?" Dean nods. "I'll be back, Crowley." I grab Dean's arm and tug him to the back of The Roadhouse, where nobody can see us.

"Woah, why'd you take me back here?" Dean asks.

"Because it'll only get worse if she finds out I told you," I reply, looking in all directions. "You have to promise me you'll stay with her and you won't say anything."

"Cass, you're scaring me," Dean says softly.

"Promise me," I whisper.

"I promise," Dean sighs. Slowly, I pull up the front of my shirt. Dean instantly walks over to me and gasps. He bends down to get a better look at it. "When did this happen?"

"Uh, Friday, I believe," I respond. "Why?"

"There's so many bruises, Cass. There's scars and scabs, too. This has been going on for awhile, hasn't it?" Dean asks.

"Yeah," I sigh, pulling down my shirt and leaning on the wall. "I'll be okay, Dean. I'm dealing the best I can."

"You're not okay, Cass," Dean points out. "You're being abused." Dean looks to the ground in thought. "You said Lisa had something to do with this. She didn't do that, did she?"

"No, she prompted it, though. She had someone else do it, while she spat insult after insult," I reply.

"And you expect me to stay with her, and say nothing?" Dean asks.

"It'll only get worse," I whisper. "Dean, she already thinks I like you. Which made all this happen. What do you think would happen if you broke up with her or she found out I told you? She'd assume you like me, and it would be worse."

"Fine, but I'm not happy," Dean sighs. "Just tell me, how long has this been going on?"

"Around three months, probably. It was one of the first days of my teaching. Do you remember when I got punched?" I ask.

"Yeah? Wait...that's why?" He asks.

"Yeah, that was the first time it happened," I sigh.

"Well I'm going to hang out with you more, whether you want me to or not. If I'm around, nobody can touch you," Dean says.

"Thanks," I reply.

•••

It's 11:56, and Lisa is going to quickly clean herself up in the bathroom. I sit with Dean, Benny, and Andrea in a corner booth. Crowley had to leave early.

"I don't think Lisa will be back in time, Dean. Better find someone to kiss," Benny says.

"Then Castiel will too," Dean says. We both get out of the booth, and he leads me away from the couple. We find ourselves secluded in the back room of The Roadhouse. "You can still hear the countdown, right?"

"Yeah," I say hesitantly. "How'd you even get us back here? And what are we doing here?"

"I'm close with the owner," Dean replies. "And we're here, so you can have the traditional New Years kiss, without any interruptions."

"Dean, what are you doing? You're straight," I say.

"I've been bisexual for awhile now, Cass," Dean whispers. I back into the wall, Dean walking closer. "I won't do anything you don't want me to, but I figured I'd offer."

"No, it's okay," I whisper, smiling. "Can I just point out that you have a very angry, jealous, girlfriend?"

"Screw her, Cass," Dean whispers. "It's about us right now. Not her."

"You deserve better than her," I say softly.

"Maybe someone more like you?" Dean asks.

"Well that's up to you," I reply.

"I've always liked you, Cass. You're the reason I realized my sexuality. I liked Lisa before I met you, but ever since I met you, I can't stop thinking about you," Dean says.

"Then why are you with her?" I ask.

"I didn't like being bisexual, so I tried to change my feelings," Dean admits. "It's always been you, Cass. Ever since we met."

"They're counting down," I laugh softly.

Dean pushes forward, his body flush against mind. He looks into my eyes as we both wait for the countdown to end. Once it does, my eyes flutter shut and lips are placed against mine. I wrap my arms around his neck after he places his hands on my waist, deepening the kiss. He glides his tongue across my lip, asking for an entrance. I grant it, and we fight for dominance. He wins, exploring each nook and cranny in my mouth with his tongue. I moan into the kiss, enjoying the pleasure. After a few more moments, we pull away.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do that," Dean laughs breathlessly.

"Same here, Dean," I reply. "We should probably get back to the table. They probably don't know where we are."

Dean nods, pulling away. We fix our wrinkled shirts and walk out of there. After going back to the booth, I see Lisa is still gone. We sit down and the couple faces us.

"Hey, guys," Andrea says.

"Hello," I say.

Dean places his hand on my thigh, making me jump. He slowly moves it up and squeezes. Dean smirks, feeling my hard-on. I glare at him out of the corner of my eye. "I think Cass and I are gonna head back home. I'll see you in school."

"Bye, guys," Benny says.

We stand up, and instantly, I cover myself with my trench coat. Dean and I walk to the car and get in. He drives off. "I'm going to kill you, Dean!" I hiss.

"Your boner says otherwise," he retorts.

"That was entirely your fault," I reply.

"Doesn't mean you didn't enjoy it," he says.

"Just hurry up and drive so I can get back and take care of this mess," I grunt.

Dean laughs at my response. "You want any help with that?" He asks.

I groan, beginning to palm myself through my jeans. "Drive!" I hiss.

He does as he's told. When we arrive, I quickly run to the elevator and press my floor. Dean slides in as it's closing. When it opens again, I go straight to my room and fiddle with the keys. Dean walks over to me and presses his frontside into my back. I feel his hard boner up against me, making me groan.

"You sure you don't want to come back to mine?" Dean asks softly.

"Take me," I whisper.

That's all it takes for Dean to lead me to his door and instantly unlock it. We head inside and he leads me to his bedroom. After entering, he tosses me onto the bed. He climbs on top of me and starts kissing my neck, making hickeys all over. I let out a soft moan and Dean starts to grind down onto me. One by one, each of our clothing articles are discarded onto the floor. He kisses my lips softly before pulling away.

"Are you sure you want this?" Dean asks softly.

"Fuck, yes. Dean, don't make me beg for it," I reply.

He dips down to leave small hickeys all across my torso, making his way down to my hips. Dean grabs my cock and licks the tip softly. I moan, gripping onto the bed sheets for support. In one swift movement, he takes me deep into his mouth. He bobs up and down, tracing the vein on the bottom with his tongue. I buck up into his mouth. Dean grabs onto my hips, pushing them flush against the mattress. He hums, sending vibrations straight to my cock. I let out a loud moan, so he pulls off.

"Keep quiet. Don't want the neighbors to hear anything, do we?" He asks softly.

I shake my head feverishly. He strokes my cock a couple times before stopping again.

"Oh, come on," I whine. "Stop teasing already."

Dean laughs softly. He reaches to the nightstand and grabs a condom, along with lube. I look at him skeptically.

"I prepared in case this were to ever happen. Don't judge," he grumbles.

I let out a breathy laugh. "Well I'm glad you did," I reply. "Dean, are you clean?"

"Yeah, I got tested a little while ago. Are you?" He asks.

"Yeah," I reply. "I want to feel you, no condom."

Dean moans, tossing the condom onto the floor and bringing me into a soft kiss. The lube opens and a little while later, I feel a lubed finger pressing through the tight ring of muscles. He works for a couple minutes, trying to open me up. Dean curls his fingers as he stretches me, looking for my prostate. He brushes against it softly, making me squirm in his grasp. He chuckles softly, pulling me into a soft kiss before pushing another finger through. Dean makes it to four fingers before he stops.

When he pulls out, I whimper at the loss. It only takes a couple more seconds before his lubed cock is pressing against my entrance. As he slowly pushes in, I whine at the pain. Dean leans down and presses his lips against mine, distracting me from the pain. He stops, but I urge him to continue. Soon enough, he bottoms out. After I adjust, I wrap my legs around his waist, pulling him closer.

Dean starts to thrust into me, making the both of us moan. It starts out as a slow pace, both of us adjusting to the new feeling of pleasure. He studies my expressions, as if he's searching for pain or regret. I pull him into a kiss, assuring him that I'm okay. Dean picks up his pace, pushing into me faster and deeper. He whispers sweet nothings into my ear as he thrusts into me. After awhile, I notice I'm close. I writhe under his touch as his thrusts become more erratic, losing its pattern completely. After a couple more times, I release onto our torsos. Dean cums at the same time. We moan each other's names as we release. Dean pulls out and rolls off of me.

"Holy shit," he whispers.

I laugh breathily, laying my head on his chest. He wraps his arms around me and pulls the blanket over top of us.

"What's going to happen after this?" I ask softly.

"I don't know," he sighs. "We'll figure it out, though. I don't want to lose you."

"Guess it'll just be our secret, then," I reply.

"Of course," Dean says. Then we fall asleep.

•••

I wake up to the sound of my phone ringing. I unwrap Dean's arms from around me and search for my phone. After finding it, I realize it's Gabe.

"Hello," I say quietly.

"Cassie! I've been ringing your bell for like 20 minutes! Where are you?" Gabe asks.

"Not so loud!" I hiss. I start to get dressed.

"What? Why?" Gabe asks. "Ooh, you're not home are you? You're at Balth's aren't you?"

"No," I sigh. "Not Balth's."

"Cass?" Dean asks softly. "Where are you going?"

"Shit," I mutter. "Go back to sleep. Gabe called. He's outside my apartment."

"I'll see you later," Dean says quietly.

"Who was that?" Gabe asks.

"It's none of your business who that was," I reply. "Wait, are you still outside?"

"Yeah, why?" Gabe asks.

"Shit," I sigh. "You're gonna fund out anyway then. Give me like five minutes and I'll be there." After that, I hang up. "Dean, you've gotta wake up."

"Why?" He whines.

"Because Gabe is going to find out," I tell him.

That wakes him up pretty quickly. "What? How?"

"He's outside my apartment. If I leave, he's going to know it was you," I reply.

"Might as well face him together," Dean sighs. He gets up and changes into a new outfit. We leave the bedroom and walk to the door. He gives me a soft kiss. "No matter what happens, I'm not going anywhere."

We walk out of the apartment and Gabe gasps. "You two?!"

"Be quiet!" I hiss. After unlocking my apartment, the three of us walk inside. Dean and I sit down on the couch, Gabe in the recliner. "You can't tell anyone."

"Have you seen yourself?" Gabe asks. "Anyone who walks by will know what happened."

Dean laughs, looking down at my neck. I shove him softly, groaning in frustration. "Are you serious? We go back tomorrow!"

Dean laughs, pulling me closer. "You weren't complaining last night."

"Ew, okay. I don't need to hear about this," Gabe whines.

"So what brought you here?" I ask him.

"Uh...Dean don't kill me," Gabe says.

"What?" He asks.

"Sam and I kissed last night," Gabe whispers.

Dean and I look at each other in shock. "Congratulations, Gabe," I say. "You look really happy."

"I am," he sighs. "Now what's going on between you two? You're both dating someone else."

"Can you show him?" Dean asks softly.

I sigh, lifting up the bottom of my shirt. I see the bruises, along with a couple hickeys, plastered across my stomach. "Three months it's been happening. Lisa and Mr. Roman." Gabe looks away, anger shown across his face. "Gabe, I'm okay now."

"How many?" Gabe asks.

"How many what?" I ask.

"Breakdowns you've had since then," Gabe says.

"A lot," I sigh. "Usually when I'm alone, though. Or when it's happening."

"So that's why Dean isn't with her, but what about Balthazar?" He asks.

"He stood me up, again," I reply. "Wouldn't be surprised if he was with another girl."

"So that makes it okay to sleep with another guy? You're both still in relationships. You just did the same thing," Gabe tells us.

"Gabe..." I sigh.

"No, I get it. Ash was right, wasn't he?" He asks.

"Ash was right about what?" Dean asks.

"First day of classes. I told you that they were trying to get me a date. Ash said I liked you, so they wanted to set us up," I say.

"So you've had a secret crush on him since then?" Gabe asks.

I clear my throat, glaring at him. "Time to go, Gabe," I say.

"What? I'm not done teasing you for this!" Gabe whines.

"Exactly why you need to go," I retort.

He huffs, standing up and walking to the door. "I'll keep it to myself until you two are ready. Okay?"

"Thanks, Gabriel," Dean says. Then Gabe leaves.

I let out a sigh of relief. Then I turn to Dean with a scowl on my face. "We have classes tomorrow!" I whine. "How am I supposed to go like this?!"

"Hey, you didn't stop me," Dean laughs.

"How obvious is it?" I ask.

He reaches over and ruffles my hair. "Just...fix this a bit, wear a washed outfit, cover up your neck," Dean says. "And then you'll be fine."

I swat away his hands, glaring at him. "My hair cannot be fixed," I remind him. "How exactly do you propose I cover up my neck?"

"A coat that would cover your neck, even when the hood isn't up," he suggests. "Or use some sort of makeup."

I sigh in response. "Tomorrow's going to be hell. At least I was generous enough not to leave anything where Lisa could see it. Or anywhere else, for that matter." Dean's phone rings. "Didn't notice you brought it with you."

He rolls his eyes, pulling out his phone. He gestures for me to be silent. "Speak of the Devil," he sighs. Dean answers it, putting it to his ear. "Hey, where were you last night? Before the countdown, you disappeared."

I can hear her responding on the other side, since the phone is in between the two of us. "I went to the bathroom," she replies.

"During the countdown? Pretty sure you'd be out there with me if that's the case," Dean says.

Lisa sighs. "The line was long," she lies. When Dean and I passed there to get to the back room, there was no line, and no one in there. "And what about you? You were gone when I came back. So was that gay you're friends with."

"'That gay'? Excuse me?" Dean asks. "We went home because Cass was tired. I was his ride, and we're neighbors. So I took him home."

"You were also my ride, Dean," Lisa points out.

"Then who took you home?" He asks.

"I had my friend pick me up," Lisa says.

"A friend?" Dean asks.

"Just a friend, I swear," Lisa says.

•••

I walk into my classroom, waiting for the students to file in. Once they do, I sigh. "Welcome back. Hope you all had a good break," I say.

"You clearly did," Michael says.

"What?" I ask.

"You get lucky over the break?" Lucifer asks.

I sigh, sitting down at my desk. "What I do or do not do outside of school does not concern you," I retort.

"He totally banged someone," Charlie says.

"That he did," Gabe says.

"Hey! Keep quiet!" I tell Gabe, pointing at him accusingly.

He holds his hands up in defense. "Not saying a word. All I did was confirm," Gabe points out.

"Who was it? Do we know him?" Jo asks.

"I'm not commenting on it, okay? I'd rather not talk about it," I sigh.

"That's no fun," Charlie whines.

"I'm here to teach, not to bring you guys fun," I retort.

"I'm pretty sure you had a fun night, though," Lucifer says.

I groan, shaking my head. "That's enough. New assignment."

•••

A month passes by. Dean and I have seen each other in secrecy, so nobody will find out about us. He's still with Lisa, though. For some reason, I haven't been hit in a while. She still spits insults at me, so that hasn't changed. It seems as if Mr. Roman is avoiding me. Maybe it's because Dean has been around me a lot. I don't know.

After first period, I realized I forgot something in the Impala. I told everyone I was going to be right back. Dean said he would watch over the class. I walk back outside, heading towards it. I arrive, so I sift in my pocket for the keys. Suddenly, I'm smacked to the ground. My head hits the car, and I fall to the ground, leaning against it. I look up, seeing no other than Mr. Roman standing there.

"Well finally you're alone. Dean has been around you a lot recently, huh? You trying to piss Lisa off? Or me? You're making him cheat, aren't you? He's too good for you, Castiel. Don't you get that?" He asks.

He kicks me multiple times, until I'm struggling to breathe. Something hard hits my head, making me disoriented. Suddenly, it feels as if I'm fighting for my life. My chest burns and I realize he's kicking my ribs. I fall to the side, on the blacktop. He kicks me a couple times in the face, splitting my lip open and bruising my cheek.

Then, he walks away. I hear the bell ring, signaling second period is starting. I stumble onto my feet and grab what I needed. I use the cars leading up to the entrance to steady myself. Luckily, the halls are empty. When I enter the room, I topple over to the ground.

"Cass?!" Dean asks. Multiple people rush over to me, helping me up. "Get the chair!" In the next moment, they're sitting me down on the chair. I lean back onto the wall for support. "He did it again, didn't he?"

"Can't...breathe...." I pant out.

"Breathe with me," Dean says. He takes a deep breath in, then out. I follow him, doing it over and over again. Once my breathing is under control, Kevin looks over my visible injuries. "Is he gonna be okay?"

"I'm pretty sure, but I think we should call an ambulance just in case," Kevin says.

"Dean..." I say softly. He bends kneels on the ground, at the same eye level. "Your car might be a little ruined."

Dean laughs softly. "It can be fixed. As long as you're okay. You're okay, right?"

He puts his hands on my cheeks, making me look into his eyes. "I'm fine, Dean. I'm just dizzy. I hit my head a couple times."

"Who did this, Cass?" Michael asks. "Nobody hurts a Novak and gets away with it."

Murmurs of agreement spread throughout the classroom. Dean gets up, but I grab his arm. "Don't, please," I beg. "You'll only make it worse."

Dean sighs, turning away and groaning in frustration. "They can't get away with this, Cass. This is the last time this will happen. I thought you told me it stopped."

"It did! You would've seen!" I point out. "Apparently it only stopped because you were with me all the time. Didn't want to do it around you."

"I should've went with you," Dean sighs.

"Do you know who did it?" Lucifer asks Dean.

"Of course I know!" Dean says loudly, facing Lucifer. "Cass, can I at least break it off with her?"

"It's only gonna be worse then," I counter.

"Miss Braeden did this?" Jess asks.

"Not today, no," I sigh.

"So he came alone?" Dean asks. "Sammy, go get Benny from the staff room. Whatever you do, don't let Lisa come. Ash, go with him."

The two of them leave. "Are you going to be okay, Castiel?" Charlie asks.

"Considering I don't feel like I'm dying, I think so," I reply.

"And what about the people who did this?" Jo asks.

"I don't think they'll last very long. Dean and Gabe know who did it, and soon all of you will. Having eight Novak's plus Dean team up on you? You're asking for death," I laugh softly.

"Count me in," Charlie says.

"Me too," Jo says.

"Same here," Jess says.

"Sam and Ash will want to help too," Gabe says.

"Thanks, guys," I laugh softly.

Benny, Sam, and Ash walk into the room. Benny gasps at the sight of me. He notices most of the students crowding around me, along with Dean by my side.

"What the hell happened?" Benny asks.

"Someone beat him in the school's parking lot," Dean tells him.

"Holy shit, are you okay?" Benny asks.

"Yeah," I sigh. "Thanks, Benny." He nods in reply.

"Cass, I don't think it can get much worse than this. I think I should break up with Lisa," Dean says.

"Benny, you mind getting her?" I ask.

"I'll be back," Benny says. Then he leaves.

"Dean, are you sure about this?" I ask.

"Definitely," he replies. "She hurt you, because she was jealous."

I sigh, knowing there's no way to reason with him. "Hey, baby," Lisa says, walking into the room and kissing his cheek. "What's up?" Dean looks over at me and she follows. She gasps at the sight. "Castiel?! Are you okay?"

"You can drop the act, Lisa," Dean tells her. "Tell me the truth. Did you or did you not make Mr. Roman attack Castiel because you were jealous?"

"I didn't make him do anything," Lisa laughs. "He hates fags, so I urged him to go ahead with it."

"You did what?" Dean asks. "So you were behind it, in a way."

"Not officially, no," she denies. "Why do you care so much? I understand you'd be upset but you're furious. You're just holding it in."

"I'm breaking up with you," Dean says, backing away from her.

"Excuse me?" She asks. "Why?"

"Because I like somebody else, okay?" He sighs.

Lisa charges at me, only to be held back by Benny. "It's you! Isn't it?!" She yells. "This is all your fault!"

I cower at her words. Dean walks over to me and kneels. He takes my hand in his. "You're okay now, Cass. They won't hurt you anymore," Dean says softly.

"Thank you, Dean," I respond. I look over to Lisa, seeing Benny struggle to hold her back. "Go help Benny. Take her to the principals or something."

"I don't want to leave you like this," Dean admits.

I smile softly at him. "You forget I have a class right now. I won't be alone," I remind him.

Dean sighs. "Fine. Don't get up, though," he says. I nod. He leans forward, pecking my nose softly.

I roll my eyes playfully, laughing at his cute gesture. "Go," I tell him.

He sighs, standing up. "I'll be back," he says. "Watch over him." The whole class mutters in agreement.

Dean and Benny manage to swiftly take Lisa out of the room. "You and Winchester?" Michael asks. "Wow, never expected it to come true." People laugh in response. "How long, Cassie?"

"About a month," I reply.

Charlie squeals, making me laugh. Sam walks over to me, smiling. "I've never seen him so happy. No wonder he's been different," Sam says.

"Different?" I ask.

"He'd help around the house, insist on cooking. He'd always be humming something, but it didn't sound like his usual music," Sam says.

I laugh, shaking my head softly. "He always made dinner for us. Whether we were at his or mine. He'd even make something for me when he was going to yours, so I didn't have to order out or get something caught on fire," I tell him.

"That's so sweet," Jess coos.

"Told you it would happen," Ash says.

We all laugh. "Yes you did, Ash," I reply. "What about you and Gabe though, Sam?"

"Hey, shut it!" Gabe warns.

"You can't do much than what I'm dealing with right now," I retort.

"I hate you sometimes," Gabe huffs.

Sam laughs, walking over to Gabe. He places a kiss to Gabe's forehead, making me – and Charlie – awe at the cuteness. Gabe glares at me, but pulls Sam into a hug anyway.

•••

By lunchtime, it seemed to have spread across the whole school. It was the whole talk in the halls. My door is left open, since I'm about to go meet Dean.

"Mr. Winchester broke up with Miss Braeden for Mr. Novak," one says.

"Well can you blame him? Mr. Novak is hot," another replies.

I laugh softly to myself. I carefully stand up and walk out of the room. Losing my balance, I lean on the lockers beside me.

"Mr. Novak, are you okay?" The first one asks. I nod my head, trying to steady myself.

"Sorry about that, girls," I sigh.

"Was it Lisa?" The second asks. The first slaps her softly. They scowl at each other.

I laugh to myself. "I swear you two act like Gabe and Lucifer," I say. They immediately stop, staring at me. "It wasn't Lisa, to answer your question."

Mr. Roman walks into the hallway, making me cower. The girls turn around, following my gaze. They turn back to me after seeing. "We'll keep you company. Dean's on his way, isn't he?"

I nod. "Thanks, girls. What's your names?" I ask.

"Lindsay and Tessa," they say.

"Thank you," I say quietly.

"Cass? What the hell are you doing?" Dean asks, rushing over to me. He grabs onto my biceps to help hold me up. "I told you to stay in your chair. You're still in a lot of pain."

"Dean, I'm fine," I sigh. "I'm not going to die."

"Why'd you even get up?" He asks.

"I wanted to wait out here for you," I admit. "I got bored in my room waiting."

"I'm sorry, Cass," Dean sighs. He kisses my forehead softly, making me smile. "One of my students needed a little help so I was late."

Tessa clears her throat. We both look over. "Sorry," I laugh. "Dean, this is Tessa and Lindsay."

"Nice to meet you girls," Dean says. "But I've gotta get this idiot into his classroom before he collapses."

"Hey!" I whine, slapping him softly.

He rolls his eyes, laughing. "You're my idiot, Cass," Dean says. "And if you don't move now, I will not hesitate to pick you up and carry you."

"No!" I whine, breaking out of his grasp and entering my classroom. I hear Dean laugh behind me. After taking my seat, I look over at Dean.

"They're nice," Dean says, closing the door.

"They offered to keep me company until you got there," I tell him.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" Dean laughs.

"That's not very nice," I joke.

"Well you're my idiot, so yes it is," he remarks.

I laugh, shaking my head. "You're so corny," I tell him.

"Only for you," he replies.

"Oh, shut up," I laugh.

•••

Ten years go by. Mr. Roman got fired, because someone found out that he was abusing a fellow teacher. It was only the day after he hit me in the parking lot, when he got fired. Tessa and Lindsay always had these looks on their faces whenever I saw them, like they were the ones who told them about Mr. Roman.

Turns out, the girl who 'found out' about my past – the one who Balthazar cheated on me with – was a liar. They were friends, and Balthazar let slip that I had some emotional baggage or something. About a week later, New Years Eve, she tells him that she knows and if he didn't sleep with her, she would tell everyone. She didn't know anything about it. It was a complete lie, but they ended up having an actual relationship despite that.

Sam and Gabe got engaged the day before they started college. Dean and I got engaged after their freshman year at college. Now, everybody is married. Dean and I adopted a teenage boy named Jack, while Sam and Gabe decided they wanted a steady life before kids.

Despite everything I've been through, I wouldn't change a thing. It shaped me into the person I am today. And I couldn't ask for anything better.

THE END