Okay, so I know it's been a while since I posted, but school's started and I'm a bit busy. You can definitely count on there being long breaks between chapters. Also, this chapter is crap so enjoy.

"Hey Sam!" Jess called brightly, walking into the room.

"Jess. What are you doing here?" Sam asked. "Not that I don't like your company," He amended quickly

"Just checking up on you." She said with a simple shrug. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

Fine, I guess. Nothing hurts, so I guess that's good." He replied. Jess laughed.

"Anything good on TV?" She asked, perching on his bed. He shrugged, turning it off.

"Only if you like procedural cop shows." He replied. Jess grinned.

"They aren't that bad."

"It pains me to watch something that ridiculous."

"Right." Jess rolled her eyes. "Anyway, Sam, I've been meaning to ask you since you're leaving soon. What's you favorite dessert? I wanted to make some for you as a parting gift." She said.

"Don't have one." Sam replied.

"What? Don't tell me you're one of those health nuts that never eat sweet things."

"I am not. I just... don't eat them that often." Sam stated.

"Sam!" Jess slapped his hand lightly. "When you get out of here, I will make you a box of eclairs." She declared.

"That's awfully nice of you." Dean said from the door. Jess whirled around, getting up off the bed. "Tell me, do you do that for all your patients?" Dean asked, amused. Jess shot him a look.

"What's with the sudden visit?" Sam asked. Dean hadn't talked to him since the incident, and he didn't believe for a second that his brother would come in here smiling widely so soon after.

"Well, Bobby wanted to visit so I drove him over." Dean stepped aside to reveal Bobby standing behind him. Jess smiled at the way Sam's face lit up when he saw him.

"I'll let you guys catch up. Have a good day!" She exclaimed and exited the room.

Sam waved to her and then looked back at Dean. Although he was smiling, Sam could sense the weariness underneath. His face was gaunt and he had large bags under his eyes.

"So, how are you feeling today, Sammy? You okay?" He asked.

Sam let out a dry laugh. "Yeah, I guess, but what about you? You look horrible."

"I'm fine." Dean replied automatically. "I just- I'm worried about you." He moved into the room and took a seat. Bobby walked out into the hallway, indicating to Dean that he was going to be back quickly. Dean nodded and turned back to Sam. "Look, I know I reacted kinda badly to what you told me last time and I'm sorry about that."

"Dean, it's okay. I get it. I screwed up badly, alright. Can't we just forget about it and move on? Besides, look at yourself. You're a mess."

"Forget about it?" Dean asked incredulously. "We can't just 'forget about it', Sam. Do you know what the consequences were after what you did? We lost the company to Crowley."

"Yeah? And whose fault is it that we're not getting it back? Instead of sitting around on your ass and complaining about it, maybe you should actually try to do something. You're practically a walking zombie." Sam retorted, crossing his arms.

Dean huffed. "That is not the point Sam. The point is-"

"What?" Sam asked angrily. "That I screwed up and I lost the company? I know! You can stop rubbing it in my face everytime we see each other, okay? And you can stop acting like I'm the only one that's done something wrong. You're no angel, Dean."

"What would you have done if you were in my place? I had no other choice!"

"Oh, I don't know? Maybe not agree to every stupid thing Dad says? You know the man only looks out for his own interests."

"So what? I was just supposed to say no to him and this whole situation would be resolved? It's not that simple, Sam."

"Yes it is! All you had to do was not marry Bela and then this whole thing would have been fine. Honestly, I don't know why you didn't say no. I mean, you had Cas-"

"Do not bring him into this!" Dean slammed his fist onto the armrest of his chair.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, Dean. Just deal with it like an adult for once, will you?"

"I am dealing with it like a fucking adult, and I don't need you messing with my life, so just shut up!"

"I am not messing with your life! I'm just saying that if you had just manned up and stayed with Cas, this whole mess could have been avoided!"

"And if you had just told me about what was happening, I wouldn't have been in that position in the first place!"

"I know, okay! What do you think I've been thinking about this whole time sitting in this damn hospital? Endless possibilities, every day. Endless ways that I could have prevented this situation, or at least made it better, and I can't do any of them! And here you are, coming here and talking to me about how it's all my fault."

"Sam, look-" Dean started.

"No, I get it, Dean. If you were half as much as a jerk to Cas, no wonder he left you." Sam glared at his brother, watching his statement hit the mark. Dean hissed and stood up walked towards Sam's bed.

"Don't. You don't know anything about what happened, and you have no fucking right-"

"Alright, that's enough!" Bobby suddenly materialized in the doorway, holding a bunch of papers in his hands. "What on earth has gotten into you two? I could hear you from the damn hallway!" He stepped into the room.

"Bobby-" Dean started.

"No." Bobby turned to him. "Go get me a coffee from the cafeteria."

"But-"

"Go." Bobby commanded him. Bobby rarely got mad, but when he did, Dean knew to listen. And he wasn't just mad now. He was livid. Dean scowled and walked out of the room, but he stopped outside the doorway and hid behind the wall.

"Bobby, I didn't mean-" Sam said immediately.

"I know, boy. I know." Bobby replied. There was a silence while Bobby sat down, and then Sam spoke.

"Has- has he been like this the whole time?" He asked.

"Don't know. Only visited him myself a couple days ago."

"Bobby, I'm sorry. I mean- I didn't think it would get this out of hand. It's just that what Dean said was right. This whole mess, it's all my fault, and I don't- I don't know what to do to make it better."

"Sam, you can't take all this guilt on yourself. It ain't gonna help anyone. And you know, I heard some of the things you said to Dean, and frankly, I gotta agree with you. He's not himself lately, and-" Bobby broke off and sighed. "You two can't sort out this mess alone."

"I wanna fix it, Bobby. With Dean and with this whole other mess too."

"I know, boy. I know."

Meg's feet were starting to had been walking around stores for almost 2 hours now. The main purpose of her excursion into the city had been to go to her job interview, but of course, she had blown it (Something about her being too "edgy"). But it didn't matter. She hadn't like the vibe the guy was giving off anyway and if he thought that she was too edgy he could go fuck himself.

Instead of going directly back to Cas's apartment, she had decided to go and buy him a gift. The least she could do for him. But finding a suitable gift for Cas was easier said than done, and now, after 2 hours, she was heading home. She had finally decided on a watch, and had even gotten it engraved with his last name. Then, for shits and giggles, she had stuck a tiny unicorn sticker on the band.

Walking home, she hoped he would like the gift. She hadn't ever seen him wear a watch, so she assumed-

Meg screamed. Or at least, she tried to. It was kind of hard with one hand covering her mouth, while another pulled her from the sidewalk into an alley. She struggled to get free, but it was no use.

Meg looked back at the sidewalk, but no one seemed to have noticed her disappearance. She tried to get free again, but the man (or at least, she assumed he was a man by the size and strength of his hands) held her tight. He chuckled.

"Still feisty, Meg? Just relax. I only need one tiny bit of information and one small favor and then you'll be free to go. Tell me darling, where does Castiel Novak live?"

It was easier to find Dean in the Winchester house the second time. Bobby followed the faint strains of a piano to the music room where Dean was playing a lively melody that didn't match his mood.

"Didn't know you could play." Bobby said, causing Dean to slam the lid shut and whirl around.

"It's nothing." He replied, shrugging. "So why are you here this time? Come to rip me another one on behalf of Sam?" He asked with snark. Bobby snorted, still leaning against the doorframe.

"No. I ain't stupid and I sure as hell ain't gonna get involved in the mess of yours."

"Then why are you here?"

"I wanted to try to talk some sense into that daddy of yours and see if at least he could help with this mess he created, but he ain't here, is here?" Bobby asked Dean. He shook his head.

"I haven't seen him for over a week and-" Dean swallowed. "I'm worried. Which is ridiculous, because this isn't even the longest he's been gone, but with everything that's going on, I don't know what's happened to him. I mean, it's not like he's worrying about us right now. We could be dead for all he knows, and he wouldn't give a shit." Dean said bitterly.

"Dean, look at me." Bobby said, and Dean whipped his head up at the intensity of his tone. "Let me tell you one thing. Ain't nobody in the world who's gonna help you if ya keep pitying yourself. Your daddy may have controlled your every move up 'till now, but you're the one in charge right now, and you gotta decide what you're gonna do."

Dean sighed and nodded, resting his face on the lid of the piano. All his life, his father had dictated what he would say, where he would go, who he would be friends with. And as embarrassing as it was to admit it, he didn't know what to do without his father directing him. Dean banged his fist on the piano bench in frustration. Sam had been right.

Dean's phone buzzed beside him, pulling him out of his thoughts. He turned it on, checking his notifications. There were a couple old messages from Bobby and Sam, but the newest one was the one that made him jerk upright. It was from Cas.

Castiel walked to his apartment door and unlocked. He was tired, hungry, and hoped to god that Meg had made something good for dinner. He opened the door and flipped on the lights.

"Hello," came a low voice that was most definitely not Meg. Castiel blinked in surprise at the man in a black suit who was lounging in his favorite chair. The man stood up and pulled something out of his coat pocket and showed it to Cas.

"Agent Crowley. Your wife said you'd be home soon." He put his badge away and extended his hand for Cas to shake.

"What? I-I don't have a wife." He stood there dumbfounded. When it became clear that Cas wasn't going to shake his hand, Crowley retracted it and cleared his throat.

"No? There was a woman here a while ago, short with dark hair. She let me in."

"That's not my-" Cas sighed and broke off. "Where is she now?"

The agent shrugged. "She left about 5 minutes ago saying you would be home soon. Very sweet woman."

Cas frowned. "She left?" Crowley nodded and gestured towards the table.

"She did leave something for you, though." He pointed towards a box. Cas glanced over at it and then looked back at Crowley.

"Right. Is there anything I can do for you now, Agent?" He asked, still uneasy about Meg. She wouldn't have just left like that, but he did know that she had an uneasy past with the police. She hadn't gone into the details, but she had said that they made her skittish.

"Castiel Novak, correct? I wanted to ask you some questions about your brother, Lucifer Novak."

"Luc?" Cas asked. His mind flew back to the last time he had seen his brother. It was a fuzzy memory, seeing as he had only been 12 at the time. "I haven't seen him in over 15 years." Cas replied. "What did you want to ask me about?"

"Your brother has been involved in some illegal drug and gang activity, and we were wondering if he had contacted your asking for money."

"No." Castiel said firmly. "I haven't seen or contacted him for several years, nor has he called me. I doubt he even has my number."

Crowley nodded. "Well, thank you for your time then." He handed Cas a card. "If anything happens, please call me."

"Of course." Cas replied. He stepped aside so the agent could walk to the door, but instead Crowley bumped into him.

"Oh, terribly sorry." Crowley said, righting himself. "Thank you once more for your cooperation, Castiel." Crowley smiled at Cas, and then walked out the door.

Cas sighed when he left and looked at the clock. It was only 8:30. He decided to call Meg in half an hour if she hadn't come home by then. He turned to look at the box on the table that Meg had left him. It was small, wrapped in a glittery pink bow. He carefully peeled it off and opened the lid of the box.

Inside was an exquisite watch. He took it out to examine it closer. The back of the face of the watch was engraved with his last name, and the watch had a gold and silver wristband. He smiled. It was thoughtful of Meg to get him a gift like this. As he put the watch back into the box, he noticed a small piece of paper stick out of a corner. He frowned and pulled it out of the box, unfolding it.

On the tiny scrap of newspaper were three words, underlined twice and scrawled in Meg's loopy handwriting. Don't trust Crowley.

Crowley walked down the sidewalk, smiling to himself. From his pocket, he pulled out the phone he had snatched from Castiel's pocket when he had bumped into him. He typed in the number password, Castiel's birthday, and the phone unlocked just as he expected. He snorted. It was almost too easy.

Sighing, Crowley opened the messages app and scrolled to the bottom. He was fairly sure that they hadn't talked in several months. His eyes brightened when he found the name and he tapped on it, sending three messages.

C: I need you to come to NY immediately.

C: It's urgent. I need your help.

C: Please Dean.

He sent an address after that, then threw the phone into the road. It was quickly run over by a yellow taxi cab. Crowley smiled as he watched it become crushed into smithereens. He would be waiting eagerly for Dean's arrival.