Cas didn't wake up till noon the next day. As he opened his eyes, he rolled over. Aaron wasn't there, but Cas... didn't care. He simply rolled back over and began to stare at the wall.

When Cas finally dragged himself out of bed, he got himself a glass of water and sat on the couch, picking up his book. He was almost done with this one. Just a few more chapters. He had just started reading again when his phone buzzed. Cas looked up, something flickering in his chest. Maybe it was Dean. He picked up his phone and looked at it. It was just Gabriel asking if he was okay. Cas felt a small warmth settle over him. He wasn't used to his family caring about him. Cas picked up his phone and texted Gabriel back, telling him he was fine. Gabriel was a little skeptical, but Cas convinced him that everything was alright. They talked for a little longer about this and that, Cas reading his book while doing so. 

By the time Cas finished his book, it was two in the afternoon. Cas put his book on the coffee table and stood up, walking to the window and looking outside, the happiness he'd felt at Gabriel's concern already fading.

"Hey Cas," Aaron said, walking through the door. Cas turned around to look at him.

"Hi Aaron. Did you have a good day?" he asked. Aaron gave Cas a quick kiss.
"I did. You slept for a while," Aaron commented.

"I had a nightmare," Cas told him simply.

"Well I'll make you forget all about that. I have some plans for tonight. You're free, right? I was thinking we could go out and have dinner together," Aaron said. Cas nodded.

"I would like that," he said. Aaron smiled and headed into the kitchen, probably to grab a snack. Cas walked over to the corner of the living room and sat down in front of the bookshelf that was there, hoping to find some new reading material. He ran his fingers over the spines of the books and pulled one out. A book on monster mythology. Cas didn't remember ever buying that. He opened the cover and was about to start flipping through the pages when something caught his eye. D.W. was written in the top corner. Cas gave a small smile. Of course. This was one of the books Dean had given him when he was in the hospital.

Cas stood up and walked back over to the couch, settling back into reading. He had never been especially interested in monsters before, but... he missed Dean. And what else was he supposed to do but read? What was Cas good for but sitting on his couch and reading?