Just before they headed home, the brothers and Castiel decided to head to the store to stock up on supplies. As soon as they got inside, the angel wandered off as he usually did, while Sam and Dean walked towards the food aisles. With all the extra mouths to feed at home, they ended up with at least 2 carts full of stuff by the time they left. It was a good thing the Impala had such a huge trunk.

As he watched Dean pick up a cherry pie and gaze at it as if he wanted to make out with it, Sam was curious how his date with Castiel went last night. Dean never went on dates, he went on hook-ups. Another new town, another random bar-fly. He was proud of his brother for being in a committed relationship and letting himself be happy for once. Dean was always too busy trying to save the world and keep Sam safe that he never even considered the possibility before.

For awhile, Sam had stopped trying to find someone, too. His quest to find the apple pie life always ended badly, usually with their horrible demise. He began to realize that they would never have that kind of life, not with the dangerous life they led. Then Rowena came along, and despite the fact she was trying to kill them and manipulate Crowley, he couldn't help but feel attracted to her. He seriously wondered who was more fucked up in the head at this point. Maybe both of them. Maybe all of them.

It actually made sense that Sam and Dean both ended up with supernatural beings. No civilian would be able to handle the two of them - not with their PTSD and constant nightmares ripping them from their sleep and causing them to scream themselves hoarse. No normal person would be able to commit to a life of that, and Sam wouldn't expect them to. But Rowena... she seemed perfect for him. She wasn't into all that romantic crap, she gave him his space, and she didn't try to change him. If she happened to be sleeping next to him when he woke up from a nightmare she would simply cast a spell to clear his mind of it so he could sleep peacefully until morning. He knew she wasn't entirely on the side of 'good', but that line had been blurred a long time ago for all of them, and he coul d hardly judge her for that. Not that he'd condone her going on a mass killing spree, but still.

"Earth to Sammy."

He snapped out of his thoughts and looked over to Dean, who held up another pie in his hand. "Huh? What did you say?"

Dean furrowed his brow. "I said, this one is gluten-free, thought you might like it. You okay, man?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Sure, toss it in the cart."

Dean put the two desserts into the basket and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I'm surprised, though."

"Why?"

"Normally you'd be asking me how the date went, did we kiss, did we hold hands, blah blah." Dean waved his hand.

This was a change. Dean actually wanted to talk about it? "Well, I wasn't sure if you wanted to share yet or not," Sam replied, pushing the cart forward.

Dean shrugged. "Might help me get used to everything, you know?"

Sam nodded. "That makes sense. So, how'd it go."

A smile broke out over Dean's face. That was a good sign. "It went great, Sammy. I thought it would be more awkward, but I've known Cas for so long that it just felt... normal."

"Well, you two have been best friends for years. It's not like you just met him in a bar. You've died for each other."

"Eh, that wasn't what was bothering me though." Dean stopped, his eyes trailing over the boxes of snack cakes on the shelf. "I was letting my past control my future."

"John?"

Dean looked at him warily. "What do you mean?"

"You were worried about what John would think, right?"

"Part of it, yeah."

"Because he was a homophobe."

Surprise flickered across Dean's face. "You knew?" he nearly whispered.

Sam knew. More than he wanted to, in fact. He took a deep breath, not really wanting to have this conversation here, but maybe it needed to be said. "I know what happened all those years ago, Dean."

Dean took a step back, fists clenching at his sides. "What are you..."

"John was in a rage that night when he dropped me off at the library. I knew it had to do with you, so as soon as he drove away, I ran back to the hotel." Sam closed his eyes. "I was too late, though. By the time I got there, he was standing over you, and yelling about how you were a... you know... I was angry with myself because I couldn't help you. So I called Bobby. He came up with a plan to get us away from John for awhile."

Dean's eyes widened with realization. "That's why John dropped us off at Bobby's for the next few months."

Sam nodded. "Bobby claimed he had just dealt with a young hunter who was gay, and John asked him if he could help 'man us up', too. Gay boot camp, he called it. John wanted me there just in case I caught the gay." Sam rolled his eyes. "Dumb ass."

"All these years of me trying to save you, and you were trying to save me..." Dean said thoughtfully.

"Of course, Dean. You're my big brother." Sam clapped him on the shoulder. "We look out for each other, it's what we do."

Dean smiled at him. "Thanks for that, Sammy."

Castiel wandered up then, his arms laden with purple satin pillows and a matching comforter. He grunted as he tossed it into the basket. "For Claire," he said, adjusting his trench coat. "Her current blankets and pillows are scratchy and flat. I decided that she needed some new things."

Sam began to push the cart forward again. "They were all we had at the time."

Dean slung an arm around the angel's shoulder. "Good going, Cas. Even I didn't think about that."

Castiel glanced at the pie in the cart and then back at Dean. "Of course not, but you remembered your pie."

The hunter frowned, looking personally affronted. "Hey, pie is awesome!"

"You didn't even consider our daughter might have need for blankets and pillows!"

"Of course I did! She just didn't tell me that it was a problem!"

"She didn't tell you because she doesn't want to burden us!"

"She is family, how can she be a burden?"

"I don't know, Dean, why don't you tell me, since you seem to understand teenage girls so well."

"Yes, because a celestial being knows more than me, apparently."

"I suspect if she was a baked dessert you would understand her."

Sam couldn't help the bubble of laughter that escaped him until he was doubling over. Dean and Castiel stopped, looking at him in confusion. These two idiots were such an old married couple.

"Problem, Sammy?" Dean asked, with a bitch face that could rival Sam's.

"Nothing," Sam replied, wiping tears from his eyes. "Carry on."

"Is he your boyfriend?"

They all looked down at the new voice. A little girl, about 6 or 7 stood there, curiosity in her big green eyes. Dean's face turned red at first, and he put a big goofy grin on his face. "Uh... yeah he is, actually," he stammered out.

The girl smiled and clapped her hands. "Really? Does that mean I can have a girlfriend?"

Castiel bent down to face the child, all the frustration fading from his face. "You can be with whoever you love. Never let anyone tell you otherwise."

"I think it would be fun to have a girlfriend. We could braid our hair and play with Barbies." She looked excited at the idea. It was amazing how open minded children were.

A woman walked up to them, in her mid-40s, out of breath and afraid. She scooped the little girl up in her arms. "Oh my God, Cara, there you are! You can't just run off like that!" She looked at the other three men. "I'm sorry if she bothered you."

Dean shook his head. "Nope. You got an awesome kid there, Miss."

She smiled, clutching the little girl to her. "Thank you. I try, but it's hard being a single mother in this day and age. Do you have any children?"

"I recently adopted a teenage girl," Dean said, smiling fondly as he spoke.

"Wow. A teenager! You really have your work cut out for you!"

Dean chuckled and grabbed Castiel's hand. "Yep. Luckily, I don't have to do it alone."

For a moment Sam worried that the mother's face would fill with disgust and storm off. Her expression didn't change into anything but support.

"That's amazing. I'm really happy for you. I lost my husband last year in Afghanistan."

"I'm sorry," Sam said, feeling bad for this person who seemed to have a kind heart.

She nodded. "He died doing what he felt was right - keeping our country safe. At least I have something to remember him by," she said, kissing her daughter on the head.

"My name is Dean, by the way," the older Winchester said. "This is my boyfriend Cas, and my brother Sam."

She smiled at them. "I'm Vera. You guys live in Lebanon?"

"Yep. Just picking up some supplies before we go home."

"It's really a great town. I love it here, been living here all my life."

"We just moved to Lebanon a couple years ago."

Vera thought for a moment. "I don't know if this would be too forward, or creepy, since we just met, but you said you had a teenage daughter, right?"

"Right."

"Do you think she would ever babysit for me? I work so many hours lately and could use someone reliable."

"I think she would like that," Castiel answered.

"Great! Let me give you my number..."