Hey y'all, I'm finally updating this. I know I have other fics that need to be updated and I'm sorry if I hooked you guys on any of them, but I'll be updating them when I can. At this point I don't have an order to which ones I'm finishing/updating first. Hope you guys like this chapter!

It'd been about a month since Cas had gotten home and he was enjoying the summer. He was enjoying being back and he was enjoying the company of his brother and the Winchester's—specifically a golden haired, green-eyed Winchester.

He was just getting back from a job interview with NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, when he spied Dean in the bakery with Gabe after closing.

"Cassie!" Gabe grinned widely when he walked in, "How'd it go?"

Dean turned when Cas walked in and sat down. As usual the older Winchester was shirtless, clad only in hemp shorts, his pendant around his neck, and he was donning a pair of flipflops. Cas couldn't help blushing a little when Dean smiled widely at him too.

"It went really well," Cas told them, loosening his tie and removing his suit coat, "They've got a lot of field work positions for right here in Encinitas, so I'm hoping I'll be doing something like that."

"That's great Cas," Dean said and Cas grinned at Dean's genuine excitement for him, "I gotta head out, I promised my mom I'd call her and I wanna catch some waves before the sun sets."

Shooting Cas another smile that made the younger Novak weak at the knees Dean headed out of the bakery and strolled down the street. Cas watched him go for a moment before turning to take a sip of the coffee Gabriel had made him and sighing longingly. Unfortunately, he'd done so in front of Gabriel, who he had forgotten about.

His big brother rose an eyebrow at him and had a cheeky grin on his face.

"What?" Cas asked.

"How long have you been pining over that grease monkey? Over a month? Just make a move already."

Cas choked on the coffee he'd been attempting to drink, "You're hilarious Gabriel."

"I'm serious Cassie," Gabe said leaning across the counter to make sure his brother was listening, "As Deano's best friend of four years I am telling you to go for it."

He couldn't deny that what Gabriel was saying didn't give him a little hope. The key word being little, as in, not enough. Living on a boat in foreign waters thousands of miles from home? Sure. Asking a hot surfer on a date? Fuck. No.

"Gabriel, I can't okay?" Cas sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Okay," Gabe shrugged, letting it go for now.

It's not that Castiel didn't want to, how could he not? He just felt like if he did and for some god forsaken reason that Adonis of a man said yes that he'd be disrupting everything Dean had been working towards.

He hadn't known the older Winchester for that long but from what he understood Dean had had somewhat of a tough life and his move to California with Sam had been the healthiest thing he'd done for himself in forever. Cas was just afraid that he'd screw it all up.

-x-

Dean only got a couple waves in before it started to thunderstorm. It was a rarity in California to have one of those and he welcomed the cool air and the rumble in the sky. The rain had rinsed the salt water from his wet suit by the time he'd gotten to his front door. Once he had showered he slid on some sweatpants and a t-shirt before plopping down in the hammock that hung in their living room.

Just as he was pulling his cellphone out of his pocket it started ringing.

"Hey Mom, I was just about to call you."

"Hi sweetie, how're things out there?"

Dean could hear the smile in his mom's voice, it always warmed his heart a little.

"Things are good. Really good. Sammy's doing so well, he's working two cases right now."

"What about you? How's the shop?"

"The shop's great. Business is booming, people are really loving the homemade organic vibes we got goin' on."

"Okay, so then what's bothering you?"

Dean cleared his throat and furrowed his eyebrows, "What makes you think something's bothering me?"

He could practically feel her roll her eyes. Sam had learned his bitch face from the best, "Well something's on your mind. I can hear it in your voice, Dean, so spit it out."

Covering his face with his free hand he felt his cheeks get hot and butterflies erupt in his gut, "It's no big deal it's just this guy—"

"Castiel, Gabe's little brother."

"Sam told you."

"He did" his mother confirmed, "But I actually heard it from Gabriel first."

"That smarmy little—" his mother interrupted him again, "Oh hush, he just cares about you. Tell me about Castiel."

He hadn't even said anything about Cas yet and he was already grinning from ear to ear. He hated it.

"Cas is just," his sighed a little, "He's really amazing. He's so smart yah know? He loves the ocean so much mom, I never thought I'd meet someone who loved it like I do, and he's down to earth, and wears socks with his Birkenstocks and his hair is always messy and he's gorgeous."

His mom laughed. Mary Winchester had a laugh that rang out clearly like a bell, had Sam been home he would have heard it ring out from Dean's phone and shot Dean and knowing smile.

"He sounds wonderful, Dean."

"He is."

"So? Get your head out of your ass and do something about it."

A whiney groan erupted from Dean's throat, "I dunno, Mom. He just moved back a month ago. He's barely even settled, not to mention my last relationship ended terribly. I'm not sure if I'm ready."

"Dean, it's been six years since Jo died. You know she wouldn't want you using it as an excuse."

I'm not mom," Dean's throat tightened a little, "I'm better, things are better but I'm still having a little trouble letting go. I don't want to hurt Cas if my head's not in it. Plus, I don't even know how Cas feels."

Mary hummed for a moment, thinking, "Well why don't you wait things out a little, spend some more time with him and see how you feel? Jo would want you to find love again."

"I know she would," Dean smiled sadly. He dipped his foot down towards the floor to push himself into a slight rocking motion, "You would like him."

"I'm sure I would. Maybe Gabe can bring him for Christmas this year?"

"Yeah, that's not a bad idea."

"Keep me updated, alright kiddo? I've got to go help Ellen and Bobby with some shipments for the Roadhouse, call me if you need anything. Or if you just wanna talk."

"Of course, mom," Dean smiled, "I love you. Tell Bobby and Ellen I say hi."

"I love you too."

He sat in his hammock for another fifteen minutes just staring into space until Sam came home. His conversation with his mom had helped him some but also made him a little sad. He hadn't actively thought about Jo in some time, it was bitter sweet.

"What're you thinkin' about?" Sam asked when he walked through the door and saw Dean staring out the window from the hammock.

"Jo," he answered honestly. He didn't need to look up to know that Sam was giving him a face full of pity.

"It's been a while since you mentioned her."

"Yeah, I know," Dean got out of the hammock and walked into the kitchen to heat up the kettle. The living room and kitchen were in the same large room in the center of the little shack, "I just talked to mom on the phone. Seems like you and another little birdie have been gossiping with her again."

Sam huffed defiantly but couldn't help giving him a sheepish smile, "We weren't gossiping, we were relaying our observations to Mary Winchester, with whom you cannot lie to."

"Fair," Dean said chuckling a little.

Sam loosened his tie and remained standing, "We just want you to be happy Dean."

"I know you do Sammy," Dean fished around in a cabinet for some tea and honey before looking at his brother, "But I am happy."

He expected Sam to push a little more but he didn't. He just nodded and walked down the hallway to his bedroom. Just before he shut the door he shouted back towards Dean, "Gabe and Cas are coming over!"

Dean sighed. He figured they might be at some point but he wasn't sure. Gabriel was probably one of the most level headed, (slightly manic) and fun people Dean had ever met but the little guy could not handle thunder for beans. Ever since Dean had moved to Encinitas after Sam got accepted to Stanford Gabe had been coming over to huddle on Dean's couch while Dean played guitar or something during thunderstorms.

Sam reentered the living room and Dean handed him a cup of tea.

"Ready to rap your big sasquatch arms around a certain little Novak to protect him from the storm?"

Sam huffed in denial a little before plopping down on the sofa, "Shut up. You gonna cuddle up with Cas to keep warm?" His little brother shot back.

"Shut up," Dean grumbled and was just about to sit down when Gabriel stormed into their little shack with Cas right behind him.

"Thunder-buddies unite!" Gabe shouted thrusting a massive fluffy pillow into the air with one hand as he sunk into a lunge. Cas rolled his eyes.

The younger Novak's eyes did brighten significantly however, when he saw Dean, and they warmed when they saw the mug in Dean's hands.

"You want some tea Cas?" Dean asked, "The kettle's still hot."

"I'd love some, thank you Dean."

Gabriel frowned at the them as they crossed into the kitchen, "That's fine Deano, I didn't want any tea."

"Gabriel, you don't even like tea." Cas said frowning at him.

"Yes, but it's still polite to ask!"

It was Dean's turn to roll his eyes, "Gabe, would you like some tea?" all the emotion had escaped from Dean's voice and all that was left was annoyance.

"Fuck no, I don't want any of your hot leaf juice."

Sam just chuckled when both Dean and Cas gave Gabriel a look of pure hatred. He patted the cushion next to him and Gabe sat down and curled up next to the large Winchester who rapped him in a blanket.

Over in the kitchen Dean opened the tea cabinet. He pushed the coffee aside, "What kind of tea would you like Cas?"

The cabinet was higher up on the wall and even though Cas wasn't short he wasn't as tall as Dean so he stood on his tip toes to get a better look. Dean watched him with a small smile. He didn't think anything could be more adorable.

Cas was wearing Nike joggers and a loose long sleeve shirt with cozy socks and he looked like a curious little kitten as he peaked at Dean's tea selection.

"I'd love some green tea."

"Solid choice," Dean reached for it and handed it to Cas with the honey and then grabbed him a mug. He chose the one that was shaped like a whale because he thought Cas would like it, "Here yah go."

Once Cas' tea was made Dean settled back into the hammock and Cas curled up in the soft chair that was next to him and he could see Cas well from his spot in the living room, he smiled at him.

They just talked for a while as the storm brewed outside. Eventually, discarded tea cups littered the coffee table and Gabriel was now finishing off a hot chocolate (with marshmallows of course).

Dean had moved from the hammock and was now sitting on the floor in front of Cas, leaning his back against the chair. Cas was curled into the chair but his socked feet were sticking out over Dean's right shoulder.

Sam stood from the couch and stretched. Gabe looked up curiously, "Sam?"

"One sec," Sam smiled at them and walked down the hallway but instead of walking into his own room he walked into Dean's room.

Dean knew what he was grabbing right away, "Come on Sammy,"

"Don't be embarrassed Dean," Sam said reentering the living room with Dean's acoustic guitar in hand, "Cas hasn't heard you play."

"Plus it's our thunder-buddy tradition!" Gabe added.

Rolling his eyes Dean reached up for the guitar and settled it into his lap. He was glad his back was facing Cas, that way he couldn't see him. He'd always been shy about his musical abilities, up until he'd met Gabe only his family and Jo had ever heard him play and Gabe didn't even know that he could sing.

He hadn't really sung much since Jo died.

"I didn't know you played guitar, Dean." Dean felt Cas rumble behind him.

He shrugged, "Only a little."

Before Sam could wave off Dean's humbleness and brag a little more Dean started to play. He played the first song that he'd learned on the guitar, Hey Jude by the Beetles. It hadn't been particularly easy to learn first but it was his mother's favorite song and he had learned to play it for her as a birthday gift one year.

Gabriel leaned into Sam while they listened, and Dean felt Cas's fingers stroke through his hair. He hadn't been expecting that type of physical contact with the youngest Novak; soothing, comforting, lovable touches? It threw him off-guard a little and all he could do was focus harder on the song he was playing otherwise he'd explode.

He liked it.

He'd already known that he liked Cas but when Cas reached out to do something as simple as run his fingers through Dean's hair and all Dean could think about was how perfect and right it felt, that's when he realized he was done for.

Dean Winchester was falling for Cas hard. He hadn't felt this way in a long time and the unfamiliarity was scaring him a little, but the rush and butterflies outweighed that feeling. All he could do now was channel his feelings through the music that he was plucking out of his guitar with his fingers.

Here Comes the Sun, another Beetles song, tingled off of the strings because even though a storm was raging outside Dean felt like he had the sun inside of him.

-x-

The storm didn't last long. Cas and Gabe stayed for another two hours after it had subsided before walking back to their apartment. At one-point Dean had given Cas a more detailed tour of their home. Cas had followed him into his bedroom where he watched Dean stick his guitar on a stand next to his bedroom window.

Cas liked Dean's room. It was warm and welcoming. There were a lot of rugs and Cas had been surprised to find that Dean's bed was an actual bed and not a hammock. There was an impressive vinyl collection on one wall and an interesting mix of album art, Buddhism and Tibetan books and art, and some old car posters. There was a rather large photo of Sam and Dean on the beach in their wetsuits with their surfboards standing on the shore line laughing. A wave was crashing around their ankles. There were a couple family photos and one of Dean and his mom when he was just a child.

One particular picture frame caught Cas' attention. It was a double frame—one photo was of a blonde haired woman. She was younger, in her early twenties at most. Her hair was long and curled at the bottom, her eyes were a warm brown and she was smiling. The second photo was of her and Dean talking while leaning against a bar. They each had a beer in their hands and there was a pool table in the background. Dean was smiling down at her like she was from heaven itself.

Cas wondered who she was.

As they walked home Cas nudged his brother with his elbow.

"Yeah?"

"Do you know who the blonde woman is in the photo's in Dean's room?"

Gabe's brows furrowed, "His mom?"

Cas shook his head, "No, the younger woman. Long blonde hair, brown eyes…"

His big brother looked at his feet and cleared his throat, "Uh, yeah. That's Jo."

"Jo?"

"She was Dean's girl back home, Cassie."

Cas wasn't sure what he felt when he received that answer, "Was? Did they break up or something—"

Gabe shook his head, "She died."

"Oh."

"Yeah," Gabe sighed, "Deano doesn't talk about it much. Apparently, she'd only died a year before he moved out here. He was gonna propose and everything."

Cas wanted to pull Dean into his arms and hold him there forever, "How did she die?"

"She was in a car accident. Dean won't discuss it but from what Sam's told me it was pretty bad."

"Wow."

Gabe nudged him this time, "Don't let that discourage you Cassie. Deano likes you a lot, I promise. It's been six years, he's past the mourning period."

"Yeah, okay."

Cas felt guilty.

He felt guilty because he felt jealousy, and confusion, and doubt, and the overwhelming feeling that he was encroaching into a situation in which he didn't belong. He felt guilty because even though he felt like he was intruding into Dean's life, now more than ever, he couldn't help but feel like he belonged there. Like he fit.

Dean thought so too.

I FINALLY FINISHED THIS CHAPTER. I AM TERRIBLE. PLEASE STILL LOVE ME AND STUFF. Hope y'all liked it! Read and Review! One love, Liz.