Dean found that being a nurse at a welfare hospital was very rewarding. After coming from a rather poor background himself given that his father never had a steady job Dean felt good about helping those less fortunate, as many others had done for him.

Unfortunately the job was also filled with a lot of heartbreak. He saw women with children, men who had fought for their country and now had no place to go, and teens who were far too young to be out on the streets by themselves; let alone living on them.

One such young man was Castiel Novak. Sometimes barely a week passed before Dean saw the eighteen year old traipse through the busy hospital doors again.

He always had some new wounds that needed stitching up from a fight he had gotten into - although Dean wasn't sure how much retaliation there had been on Castiel's part - and he was so incredibly thin.

Dean supposed he felt a bond with Castiel more than most because of their similar circumstances with deceased mothers and absent fathers. It was mostly by sheer luck that Dean wasn't sleeping on the street himself, but he at least had his little brother Sammy; Cas didn't seem to have anyone.

Dean was sadly not surprised to find Castiel in the waiting room late one Friday evening despite the fact he'd only been in the previous Monday. His face was covered in a fresh batch of scratches and bruises and he was trembling all over.

"Hey, Cas" Dean said with a slightly saddened smile.

"H-hello, Dean" Castiel quivered.

"C'mon in" Dean said as he stepped aside.

Castiel shuffled into the room and hauled himself up onto the examination table.

"What happened this time?" Dean asked with a concerned frown.

"The sh-shelter was full s-so I went to find a d-doorway I could sleep in, b-but unfortunately someone else wanted the s-spot and didn't care I was there f-first. I-I would have sh-shared."

"Oh, Cas. I'm so sorry" Dean said as he readied his supplies.

He hated that someone so young, innocent, and kind had to go through this at all. Castiel was clearly intelligent too, and he could have a really bright future if only someone would help him get along.

"It's okay" Castiel said with a meek smile. "I'm getting used to it."

"Well you shouldn't have to" Dean said firmly. "In fact we should probably go to the cops-"

"No!" Castiel said quickly. "If they found out I s-snitched they'd only hurt m-me worse."

"Then I'll take them down myself" Dean threatened. "Being a nurse is also helpful when you need to put someone in a coma you know."

Castiel gave a small huff of amusement.

"Th-thank you, Dean."

Dean offered a small reassuring smile. "Okay, you unfortunately know the drill; this may sting a little."

Castiel nodded and gripped tightly onto the edge of the table to ready himself.

As he started to dab ointment on the worst grazes Dean's hand brushed against Castiel's alarmingly cold skin.

"Cas, you're freezing" the nurse fretted.

"Yes, I-I've had to sleep one roadsides a lot r-recently" Castiel explained. "I-I've caught a chill."

"More than a chill; you're like an icicle dude!" Dean exclaimed. "You can't stop shaking-"

Castiel suddenly let out a loud and rattling cough. Dean had to stop cleaning the teen's wounds in order to run a soothing hand up and down his back.

"I'm going to get a doctor to look at that too" Dean said with evident worry.

Castiel bowed his head and nodded. He looked so small and timid; it showed his truly young age.

Dean had finished cleaning the wounds so he was going to move on to stitching. He had his back turned preparing the equipment when a muffled sob pierced the air.

The nurse turned around and saw Castiel with his head buried in his hands. The teen cried despairingly and Dean couldn't allow himself to just stand by anymore.

He swiftly moved over and wrapped his arms around Castiel's trembling body and hugged him tightly.

Castiel flung his arms around Dean's waist and nuzzled his face into the nurse's chest; he just wanted to cling to the one person who had ever cared about it him. Not only did Castiel have to endure constant beatings in an 'every man for himself' world but now he had gotten sick too. His future was uncertain, but Dean had been the only consistent thing in his life.

"That's it. You're coming to stay with me" Dean said firmly.

Castiel pulled back and looked up at Dean with shock. "What?"

"Well I only have a spare futon, but it's got to more comfortable than where you have been sleeping" Dean reasoned. "But I can give you hot meals and hot water."

"Dean" Castiel said quietly; his eyes were wide with disbelief. "I-I couldn't-"

"Of course you can" Dean assured him as he placed his hands steadily on Castiel's shoulders. "Look, Cas, you're the same age as my little brother and…I can't stop myself from seeing you as a little brother too. If I go home one more night to my warm bed after sending you out into the cold and dark then I'm just never going to forgive myself, but first and foremost I want to do this for you. You are so smart and sweet, Cas; you don't deserve this poor excuse of a life you have. Please just let me help you."

"I-I wouldn't be a burden?" Castiel asked.

"Absolutely not" Dean replied. "I'm sure we could both benefit from the company."

"Y-yes" Castiel replied. "Alright. I-I'll find a way to repay you."

"Don't you worry about that now" Dean said firmly. "Let me finish dressing these wounds and then I'll get a doctor to check out that cough. After thatI'll take you home."

"Home" Castiel breathed with a small smile; he hadn't had one of those in a long time.

It turned out that Castiel had caught a form of the flu but the doctor had given him some medicine and said he would be better in a few days as long as he had plenty of rest and fluids.

When they entered Dean's small apartment Castiel looked around in awe.

"It's beautiful" he breathed.

"Thank you!" Dean beamed. "My brother things I have horrible taste."

"Well I like it" Castiel affirmed.

"Okay" Dean said as he walked over to the futon/sofa. "I'm going to make this into a comfy bed for you and you are going to get warm whilst I prepare a hot meal for you, okay? Make yourself at home."

"Yes, Dean" Castiel said with a determined nod. "May I have a shower?"

"Sure! I'll get some of my old clothes for you to change into."

Whilst Castiel was getting washed Dean made up the futon with as many sheets, throws, and pillows he could find. After he'd constructed a safe nest he went to the kitchen to make his mother's famous tomato and rice soup; he wanted something light so as not to unsettle Cas' stomach.

When Castiel returned he appeared swamped by Dean's clothes with the AC/DC t-shirt almost falling off his scrawny shoulders and the bottom of the sweatpants touching the floor, tied as tightly as they would go. Dean made a mental note that as soon as this flu was gone getting some meat on Castiel's bones was the next urgent step.

"Get yourself comfy" Dean said as he indicated to the bed. "And put on the TV if you'd like."

"Okay" Castiel said excitedly.

Dean watched with a smile as the teen scrambled under the sheets and hunkered down.

Castiel let out a sigh of content; he didn't remember the last time he'd felt something so soft. He flicked the TV onto a Spanish Soap Opera with Dean made a noise of approval towards.

Dean came over with the soup and a fresh bread roll on a tray and handed it to Castiel.

"Thank you so much" Castiel said looking down at the fresh food with utter glee. "Will you sit with me?"

"Sure" Dean said with a smile.

He went to grab his own bowl from the table and then settled down next to Castiel.

"This is amazing" Castiel said as he savoured the sweet taste of the soup.

"Thanks. I think my mom would approve" Dean said.

"Most definitely" Castiel agreed.

He tried not to wolf the rest of the soup but it was difficult given just how hungry he was.

Once they were finished Dean went to put the dishes in the sink and then returned with Castiel's medicine and a glass of water.

"Here you go" Dean said as he handed them to the teen. "Don't chew."

Castiel downed the pills and the water before settling the glass down on the floor.

"Thank you so much again, Dean" he said. "This is the safest I've felt in months…the happiest. I-I just still can't believe-"

The teen started to tear up again so Dean pulled him into a warm embrace.

"It's okay" Dean soothed. "You can stay as long as you want to. We'll figure things out in the morning."

Castiel nodded into Dean's chest.

They returned to watching the TV but Castiel remained attached to Dean.

Eventually the teen feel asleep still cuddled up to Dean, so the nurse sat back and accepted he was probably going to be there all night; he didn't want to disturb Castiel.

As Dean spoke he hoped that his sincere words would somehow float into Castiel's subconscious.

"I'm going to care of you. Everything is going to be okay now. I promise."