"I feel much better."

"You know I would've helped if you told me."

"I realize that. But do you recall what you said? That sometimes a guy needs to do things on his own. I feel the same way about this, Dean. I wanted to get back at him for everything he's put me through, for every snide remark or cruel word that has come out of his mouth these past few months. I wanted to be on the offensive for once."

Dean crawled over to where he was sitting and wrapped his arms around him. "You don't have to prove anything, Cas. You're strong even when Alastair is givin' you shit."

"You think so?"

"Hell yeah I do. Surviving everything you've been through? You're one of the bravest people I know. That's one of the things that drew me to you, y'know, and — "

Dean trailed off, and turned his head to the trees behind them.

"Dean?"

"Did you hear that?" he asked, separating himself from Castiel's arms.

"What are you — "

Branches snapped around them as Alastair came crashing through the trees, followed closely by Tom and Brady.

Castiel barely had time to register what was happening, except to think that they must have been followed to their lunch spot.

"Run!" Dean hissed.

Dean tried to scramble to his feet but Alastair was on him too quickly. He hauled Dean upright by his jacket and slammed him hard into the tree.

"You can't run...Dean."

Castiel swung at the advancing Brady, who ducked and grabbed him by the hair. He was able to turn and throw an elbow into Brady's stomach, but Tom came up behind Castiel and grabbed his arms, pinning him.

He struggled, trying to shake Tom and Brady. They held him fast, despite everything he could think of to do to get free. He shouted out Dean's name, but Brady punched him in the stomach to silence him. He gagged and his knees buckled. Castiel watched helplessly as Alastair held Dean against the tree with one hand and then swung and connected with Dean's mouth, causing a spray of blood to burst from his lip.

"You're going to pay for fucking up my car, Winchester."

Dean took a second to catch Castiel's eye, and at that moment Castiel realized he had made a terrible mistake.

Dean threw up his right arm and broke Alastair's hold on him, countering with a left uppercut to Alastair's jaw. Alastair's head snapped to the side, and he stumbled.

Dean panted, trying to catch his breath. "I didn't do anything to your — "

Alastair recovered and came around once more, and Dean again put his arm up to block the blow. This time Alastair swiped it away and caught Dean across the nose.

"Tell me again you don't know anything about it, you fucking gearhead!"

Of course Alastair wouldn't suspect Castiel of doing it. Dean was the one who excelled in auto shop, and he was also the one who had threatened Alastair after the Impala was vandalized. Castiel thought he was getting revenge when all he really did was make things worse. He had brought this on Dean.

Dean wiped at his face and staggered on his feet slightly, and then threw a roundhouse into Alastair's kidney. Alastair absorbed Dean's blow with a grunt, and then easily forced Dean to his knees with a blow to the side of his head. Alastair again brought Dean to his feet against the tree by grabbing him around the neck. He pressed his thumb and forefinger into Dean's throat and started squeezing his larynx.

Dean began making low, guttural sputtering sounds as he gasped for breath.

"Dean!"

Castiel kicked back with his leg as hard as he could to connect with Tom's knee. Tom yelped and let go. Brady, who still had a hold on Castiel's hair, yanked backward to spin Castiel toward him, but Castiel used the momentum to thrust his elbow into Brady's solar plexus and broke free. Tom and Brady looked at each other and took off running through the woods and toward the baseball field.

He pitched forward but immediately steadied himself on his feet, picking up a large tree branch when he did so. With all his strength he smashed the branch over Alastair's shoulder, causing him to break the grip on Dean's neck. The huge piece of wood snapped right in half, and Alastair pushed Dean aside and spun around.

His eyes were wild when he swung at Castiel, who ducked the blow and got in a solid right hook before Alastair's strength and size overwhelmed him. He could hear Dean coughing and yelling his name as Alastair rushed at him and hurled him into a tree. It knocked the wind out of him, and he felt Alastair's hand around his throat.

"Cas!"

Then a wide arm came from behind Alastair and pulled him away from Castiel. Mr. Zachariah pushed Alastair down to the ground, and Mr. Singer grabbed Castiel before he fell.

"Mr. Singer?" Dean gasped.

Alastair struggled at first, but Mr. Zachariah pinned his arms down and eventually he lay still.

"Zachariah was helpin' me with some welding when we heard screamin' through the open garage bay door," Mr. Singer explained as Dean stumbled over. "We saw Tom and Brady runnin' across the baseball field, and then we could see the commotion through the trees."

There was a moment when all three boys stared at each other, until Mr. Zachariah dragged Alastair to his feet and led him out of the area. He scowled at Castiel and Dean but said nothing.

Mr. Singer looked at Castiel. "You all right there, son?"

Castiel nodded and Dean helped steady him on his feet.

"C'mon, let's get you boys to the nurse. And then this time I'm escortin' you to Murphy's office, especially you, Winchester. We'll let him figure out what went on here."

"Yes, sir." Dean grabbed their backpacks and slung his arm around Castiel's shoulder. "Thanks."

*****

Everything that happened in the time immediately following the events in the woods occurred in a sort of blur, with meetings and conference calls and trips to the guidance office. His mother had come to school, as had Dean's father, and Castiel had seen more concerned looks on the faces of administration members than he ever had before.

As a direct result of the confrontation with Alastair and the stories of Mr. Zachariah and Mr. Singer, Alastair was not only expelled, but his varsity jacket was stripped from him and he was thrown off the baseball team despite the fact that the team was headed for the semi-finals. According to what Castiel had heard from his mother, apparently Alastair would be spending senior year at a school reserved for problem students.

And although his mother wanted to press criminal charges, Castiel convinced her to let it drop. He'd had enough, he told her, and didn't want to deal with Alastair any more than necessary. Just knowing Alastair wouldn't be at Flour Bluff for senior year was a victory for him.

As part of Castiel's agreement with the administration, Alastair would be permitted to complete his exams, so upon his return to school, Alastair was placed under constant supervision.

The atmosphere had changed perceptively at Flour Bluff. Tom and Brady, not wanting to lose their positions on the baseball team, were more than happy to downplay their involvement in the attack and only received a week of suspension each. Castiel had heard how Tom, Brady, and the rest of the baseball team shunned Alastair in the halls and in the cafeteria, where he was forced to sit alone every day.

On the fourth day of exams, he and Dean were walking together on their way to English when they saw Alastair at his locker, escorted by a guidance counselor. Alastair stared at them menacingly, his eyes lowered and teeth bared. He and Dean got halfway up the stairs when Castiel stopped.

"Just a moment," Castiel said to Dean.

"Cas, you're not supposed to be near each other."

He walked to the bottom step, and Alastair looked up at him.

"I have no doubt, Alastair, that when the weather gets warmer and you're out in your Mustang, you'll feel like a big fish in a small pond again."

"What the fuck does that mean?" Alastair growled.

Dean laughed and walked down the stairs to stand next to Castiel.

"What the fuck does he mean, Winchester?"

Dean waved at him cheerily, and made sure Alastair could see it when he placed his hand at the small of Castiel's back and ushered him up the stairs.