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The night air was heavy with the promise of a thunderstorm. The clearing high above the bunker seemed to crackle with static electricity.
Paul's arms wrapped around Dean, who leaned back into the broad chest of the firefighter.
"Your brother sure picked a great spot for the display." Paul muttered into Dean's ear.
"Hey," Dean protested twisting out of the embrace, "It was my master plan."
Paul left a hand on the back of Dean's canvas jacket. "Sam told me that he picked the clearing and you were the one who let the Inflatable Lincoln escape."
"It was an Uncle Sam, and I underestimated the wind factor." Dean narrowed his eyes looking over to where Sam was flipping burgers on the portable BBQ grill. His brother was wrapped up warm in more layers than the others but he was full of energy. "This Independence Day celebration is going to knock the ball out of the park."
"If we don't get arrested." Paul laughed lighting up his grey eyes in the bonfire glow, "I'm sure it is illegal somewhere to celebrate on the 3rd July."
"Hey maybe some fuddy duddies would say it is unpatriotic to celebrate early but it's the 4th in half the world by now." Dean replied.
"Nearly good to go Dean." Charlie called from her position kneeling by the fireworks. Who knew she was pyro-technician amongst her many skills? Charlie had taken control of the fireworks when she had arrived the day before. She ran a schematic through her computer and had enlisted a bemused Castiel to arrange them for takeoff.
Dean took a moment to knock back a few swigs of his Budweiser. Heineken was banned for the occasion. Paul had turned up with bottle of Jack.
Daria, who really did look like a young Winona Ryder, was explaining hair colors and styles to Debriel. The former angel was clearly fascinated and reached out to touch Daria's pixie cut.
Castiel and Inias were attempting to distract Doggie from their beer cooler box, which was full of steaks, meat patties and something called quorn for Inias. Doggie took a shine to the end of Castiel's jeans and Inias had to tease her off with a raw sausage.
Sam was plating up the burgers and dropping pickles and mustard randomly all over the plate. Dean rolled his eyes. Next thing Sam would be adulterating them with leaves. And Yup, there he went, some plastic bag of washed shredded herbs went all over the patties. He would wait for a steak.
Leslie was tossing the salads. He had brought violently pink plastic salad bowls and tongs for the job. He paused from that job to continue making swans out of the cheap shiny napkins. He noticed Dean and Paul looking his way and made a more birdie-like one. Lifting it up he winked at Paul.
"I think that is my cue," Paul chuffed and moved over to help his partner.
Dean dropped down onto a log by the fire and stretched his legs out. His evening was turning out to be one awesome party.
"You are lucky I am a shit hot tracker!" Garth appeared in the clearing, arms full of candy, with Kevin trailing after him.
Sam pulled Kevin into a hug, the prophet's arms flailing.
"Don't suffocate him Sam. He is very useful." Castiel poked Sam in the arm.
"Kevin Tran," Debriel said in awe.
"Um, yeah, that's me. Just Kevin though, 'Kay." He said awkwardly, "I guess you are an ex-…"
Dean shook his head violently.
Kevin saw and copped it, "… ex-colleague of Castiel. Hi, Inias. Good to see you are not black goo."
"Thank you. It is nice to see you again. Have you been well?"
Dean cringed. These shelter conversation lessons were a crap idea. He thought the angels should find their own style.
"Well? Not particularly, what with my life being ruined and all that," Kevin got control of his temper again, "but I'm good, thank you. Garth's new pad is a vast improvement on the boat."
"Kevin, man," Dean stepped up, "Garth, dude. Welcome. Let me introduce you to Charlie, Daria, Leslie and Paul. You've met Debbie and Inias."
Garth hugged everyone, declared they had been Garthed, and ate half of Sam's burgers, all without pausing for breath or removing his new blue, white and red cap.
Kevin ended up helping Sam with the rest of the grill.
Dean found Castiel and rescued him from Debriel's questions about how to initiate sexual intimacy by telling her, "Just catch Inias and kiss him."
"Is that what I should have done with you Dean?" Castiel asked.
"Trust me, Cas, you'd have ended up with a fist in your cakehole." Dean informed him, "until maybe Purgatory."
"I wanted to do it for a long time."
"Did you?"
"Yes Dean, but I didn't know how."
"Glad we have now?"
"Infinitely." Castiel curled his arm around Dean's waist.
"Hey Handmaiden, less PDA more USA, fireworks time!" Charlie shouted before letting off the first set of jet like fireworks.
Dean ignored her and kissed Castiel's forehead. He linked his fingers into Castiel's as they gazed skyward. Feeling eyes on him Dean looked left to see Sam raising his beer with a fond expression on his face. Their own special private fireworks display that 4th of July many years ago ran through both their minds. Sam might have sniffled as if he had a cold, and Dean might have wiped his damp eyes, but who needed to know.
All too soon the shit load of fireworks were spent and everyone gave a bowing Charlie a round of applause.
Sitting around the dying bonfire with the last of the food, Charlie explained their upcoming LARPing weekend to the others. She declared herself Galadriel and Daria her handmaiden. Dean protested saying Daria was a usurper. Charlie pointed out that he was a Warrior of Gondor which placated his fake snit.
Castiel asked about elf-Gondor love matches, leading to a detailed history of Middle Earth pairings from the two women.
Paul planted himself down on the log, on the opposite side to Dean. "You sure have a varied collection of friends, and you live in a pimped up nuclear bunker/tornado shelter."
"Hey, never claimed to be Mr. Normal." Dean shrugged.
"Normal is boring," Leslie said coming up behind them and swinging his legs around to sit on a surprised Paul's lap.
Dean moved over to sit on Castiel's log and leaned his head on his shoulder. Castiel turned his body and reached a hand up to steady Dean's jaw then moved forward to take his lips in a soft pleasant beer flavored kiss.
Dean was happy to stay there. Castiel's body heat and the embers of the fire warming him.
Sam was leaning back against a tree, beer in his hand, looking good. Dean saw Paul embracing Leslie. Daria was under Charlie's arm. He raised his eyes at Inias and Debbie's awkward attempt at a kiss.
There were still thousands of lost fallen angels. Dean suspected that Abaddon and Crowley weren't out of the picture and was fairly sure they hadn't heard the last of Metatron, not to mention everyday fugly ghosts, wenidgos and vampires. But, a very big but, he was there in his home with his little brother and friends and his angel. Life was pretty peachy.
There was a deep rolling rumble of thunder.
"Kansas storm!" Paul shouted and began marshalling everyone to gather all their stuff.
Huge raindrops were coming through the trees as they ran for the bunker.
"Come on Dorothy. Click those heels." Dean called at Castiel who was just behind him with the beer cooler.
Dean glanced back to check that Castiel was keeping up. The former angel was doing his adorable head tilt. Dean guessed he would have to add the Wizard of Oz to the list of to be watched movies.
The hood of the Impala, Paul's truck and Charlie's yellow monstrosity were below them. Sam was already at the bunker door.
Dean twisted round and grinned maniacally, "There's no place like home, Cas."
"I agree Dean, and home is with you."
"Shuddup," Dean laughed and pulled Castiel with his free hand.
If they were kissing as they entered, then that was fine. If they dumped the cooler box and army blankets inside the front door, then there were plenty of people to find them, and if they disappeared into their room until well after the storm had passed, then what could people expect from an angel finding his feet in the world and a hunter who had found his angel?
THE END
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That's all folks. Thank you so very much to everyone who has read this story.
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