"Hello Dean," Cas started as he met Dean at his locker. 

"Hey," Dean grinned at him.

"You love me, right?"

"Of course I love you, you're adorable."

"Good cause I need a favor."

"You name it, angel." Dean looked at him, and Cas's momentary confidence fell apart as he realized what he was actually gonna ask.

"Well- it's gonna sound weird," He started. "And I totally understand if you don't want to be involved, I'll figure something out of you don't and it's personal so I'm not really sure why I'm involving you in the first place but it's just- you have a car and I know nobody else will take me and I don't want to have to explain so I thought you might be up for it even though it's completely INSANE and the dumbest idea I've ever had and-"

"Cas." Dean deadpanned.

"Yes?"

"You're rambling. What do you need me to do?" Cas made a face.

"I need to go to Bismarck."

"....North Dakota?"

"Yes."

"FOR WHAT?"

"My mother lives there and even though I haven't spoken to her ever, I want to see her because I'm dumb like that, and I need someone to take me because I don't trust the public transportation system."

"So you need me cause I have a car and could trek you up to Bismarck and back."

"....Yes? I know it sounds ridiculous but-"

"It doesn't sound ridiculous," Dean insisted. "Your mom left you, and now you want answers you can only get from her. If you have her address then it sounds perfectly logical to me." Cas stared at him.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"So you don't think I'm completely crazy for wanting to go?"

"I mean I think you should tell your dad you want to go see her because that's the right thing to do, but no, I don't think you're crazy for wanting to see her. If I had questions for my Dad, I'd find him and go see him too."

"I think that's the first time you've ever mentioned your dad."

"Yeah well I'm pretty sure he's a serial killer or something, so I don't really talk about him. But this isn't about my dad, it's about you, and you should tell your Dad your plan and then I'd be happy to drive you to Bismarck."

"I can't tell him."

"Why not?" Cas sighed.

"Dean, the first time in my life it actually occurred to me that I didn't have a mom was when YOU pointed it out, and since then it's been nearly impossible to find out anything about her. My siblings hate her and refuse to speak of her- Hell, Anna thought she was dead. My dad NEVER talks about her, and Michael said she was a sore subject for him. I don't want to upset him by mentioning her, and I don't want him to think I don't appreciate everything he does for us since I'm hung up on finding my mom. I got her address by swiping a return address sticker on a check in the mail and I haven't told a soul other than you that I've even learned her last name. I'm the only one who cares about this enough to do it. I can't drag the rest of my family into it now."

"I'm gonna say this in the nicest way possible," Dean said gently. "But that's stupid. Your dad is amazing. I'm sure if you told him you were going to road trip up to North Dakota with your boyfriend to see your mom, he'd hand you gas money and tell you to have a good time. He'd understand."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Then we go anyways, duh." 

"I just....I need to do this, Dean. I don't know why. I just do, and I'm not gonna risk my dad or siblings interfering with it, so I'm not going to tell them. Are you still in or not?" Dean thought for a moment.

"If I say no, what's your plan?" He asked.

"I take a bus."

"A bus."

"Yes."

"Like a shitty fucking greyhound where people get STDS from the toilet seats? Hell no."

"It's not like I have another choice."

"Yes you do, I'm taking you. This weekend work?" Cas stared at him.

"Seriously?" Dean shrugged.

"You're my boyfriend, Cas. I care about you, and that means if you want to go on a spontaneous road trip to reunite with your mom, then I'm going to make sure you get there safely. We're going, I'm driving, we'll take my car. How far is it to Bismarck from here?"

"Like 13 hours."

"Alright, so we'll leave early Saturday, drive up and make it there by Sunday, which is good cause most people are home on Sunday. You chat up your mom, we stay the night in Bismarck, drive back on Monday and crash. Possibly call in sick to school for Tuesday. It's best if we go this weekend cause we've got Monday off."

"You make it sound so simple." 

"The actual trip part of it is. Your only problems are gonna be last minute motel reservations, or we can sleep in my car, I don't care. Are you up for spending 26 hours in a car with just me and my classic rock cassettes?"

"I figured that would be the best part of the trip."

"Good, then this'll be easy. The hard part is figuring out what you're gonna do when your mother answers the door." Cas paused.

Dean had a point. What was he going to say? He thought he'd have more time to think of something. 

"I'll figure it out," Cas insisted. "Wait, what are you going to tell your mom? I'm pretty sure she'll notice if you just disappear for three days." Dean shrugged.

"Pull a movie cliche. I'll tell her I'm gonna stay at your house for the weekend, and you tell your dad you're staying at my house. Sam and Gabriel will cover for us."

"You do know that NEVER works, not even in movies, right?" 

"Fine, then..." Dean wracked his brain. "We'll tell them we're going to Lebanon. You tell your dad I have some old friends there I wanted you to meet, and I'll tell my mom the same thing. That way we won't get caught."

"But what if-"

"Cas, you're gonna what if yourself to death. That will work, and everything will be fine." Dean assured him. "You just focus on the fact that you could be meeting your mother in three days." Cas's eyes widened.

Fuck.

He'd be meeting his mother in three days.