Dean is released from the hospital a day later, and Castiel respectfully gives the Winchesters some distance, fighting every instinct he has to go and wrap Dean in his arms and protect him from the world. Separation anxiety hits him harder than he expects, and his innermost self wants to curl up in a corner and whine until Dean hears and comes running. He actually spends their first night apart doing exactly that: lying on his couch covered with a blanket, breathing hard through his emotion and exchanging mournful text messages with Dean as they both lament the space between them until Dean goes quiet and Castiel realises that midnight has come and gone.

The next day at school, Jimmy hauls him into an empty classroom and berates him angrily for not calling him about the accident until he was discharged from the hospital and safely back home. He had thought that Jimmy had got all his ire out of his system over the phone the night before, but apparently not. Guiltily, he admits to himself he can understand why. But he had been so swept up in alpha guilt and comforting his mate that calling his brother simply hadn't crossed his mind.

"What the hell, Castiel? Imagine if I had done that! You'd go crazy!"

"You're my brother, Jimmy. It's my job to look after you, you're a-"

"If you say 'beta' I swear I will throttle you, Cas." Jimmy looks murderous. "Maybe that omega you were screwing hit the nail on the head with his flouting of secondary gender roles. Beta or not, I'm your twin and you should have called me. Where were you, anyway?"

"Out," Castiel grunts noncommittally. But he's well aware of his inability to hide anything from Jimmy, and his twin crosses his arms and fixes him with a withering look.

"Oh, out. How stupid of me not to realise you were out." Jimmy's blue eyes flash with exasperation. "I think I can guess who you were with at least, even if I don't know where you were. How is your little omega? Keeping you busy, I guess."

The growl that tears itself from Castiel's lips quells Jimmy into silence and submission, and he takes a reactive step back, palms raised in supplication.

"Don't use that patronising tone with me. Dean was hurt, Jimmy. Hurt badly enough that he stayed in the hospital longer than I did. He shouldn't have had to suffer through that." Castiel's voice cracks and he gazes at his feet, trying to regulate his breathing. "He should have been safe with me."

"Cas, it was a car wreck." Jimmy approaches his brother and puts a tentative hand on his shoulder. "It wasn't your fault."

"It was." Castiel sags against the desk, head dropping into his hands, wrung out with sudden exhaustion. Out in the corridor the bell sounds, but he can't bring himself to care. "I should have been more careful."

"Does Dean blame you for this?"

"No. Not at all."

"Then stop torturing yourself. He's okay, right?" At Castiel's jerky nod, Jimmy smiles. "Well then. That's all that matters. Although I feel obligated as the smarter, more sensible Novak twin to lecture you on the dangers of continuing to see this omega. He's a teenager, Castiel. You could-"

"We're bonded." Castiel says in a rush, passion heating his words. "Scent bonded. More than that, almost. I want him as my mate. I'm in love with him, Jimmy, and he loves me too. This is real, and I don't care about any consequences. He's worth it to me."

Jimmy appraises him for a long while then hugs Castiel to him with an arm slung across his shoulders.

"I know. You already smell like him."

"Then why…?"

"Why did I give you a hard time just now?" Jimmy shrugs, an impish sparkle in his blue eyes. "I'm your twin. Comes with the job."

•••

Cas, I miss you so much I can barely breathe. Come over.

No, Dean. It isn't appropriate. It would be disrespectful to your father.

Screw him! He's cool with all this. Come on, Cas. This is killing me.

Dean. Don't. Being apart from you is torture enough, please don't do this to me.

Sorry. Just miss you is all.

And I miss you, my sweet omega. My heart. Get your rest. I'll see you very soon.

Whatcha doing?

Having dinner with Jimmy. I've told him all about you. He thinks I'm obsessed.

Are you?

I'm in love. Isn't it the same thing?

Same, Cas. Same.

He's grading some papers one evening, cringing his way through some truly terrible grammatical errors, when there's a knock at his front door. It's a heavy knock, deliberate, and Castiel frowns while glancing at the carriage clock on the mantelpiece. It's after nine at night, who would be calling on him at this hour? Could it be Dean? His heart leaps at the idea and he's on his feet and crossing to the hallway in an instant.

When he opens the door, his lips part in a mixture of disappointment and shock. John Winchester stands on his doorstep, looking unamused with his hands shoved into the pockets of a leather jacket that he has definitely seen on Dean before. He also looks a little like he's going to bolt, and there are discomfited alpha pheromones coming off him so strongly that Castiel wrinkles his nose in distaste. He keeps one hand on the door, feet planted firmly, attempting a no-nonsense attitude when all he really wants to do is slink back into his living room away from a potentially difficult situation with Dean's father.

"Castiel," John begins then falters and glowers at Castiel before averting his eyes. There's a tense pause between them then Castiel steps back, gesturing into the warmth of his hallway.
"Would you like to come in?"

John peers at him suspiciously, as though expecting some form of prank, then accepts the invitation and steps into Castiel's house, pausing in the doorway to the kitchen. He's a large man with a demanding presence and although Castiel is far from small himself, he does feel a little on edge. If it comes down to it, he's sure John could take him in a fight. But it shouldn't come down to it, he berates himself as he crosses to the refrigerator. Things were fine at the hospital, John seemed to accept him as a part of Dean's life. Didn't he?

"Would you like a beer?" He offers a perspiring bottle to John, who takes it after a moment's hesitation.

"Thanks."

Castiel sips his own, and silence stretches between them in the kitchen so loud that it's almost deafening. Castiel fiddles with the label on his bottle, leans against the counter, crosses and uncrosses his ankles, and waits for John to speak. The older alpha is just watching him with quiet deliberation, something going on behind his dark gaze that Castiel can't quite place.

"John, not to be rude but I get the feeling this isn't a social call," he hedges eventually, when the silence becomes too much and threatens to burst his eardrums. His skin is prickling with the intensity in which he's being watched. "Is there something I can help you with?" Then, in a sudden panic, "Is it Dean? Is he okay?"

"Boy's fine," John grunts. "Wanted to talk to you. To tell you something."

"Oh." Castiel's nerves settle somewhat. If Dean is alright then whatever else John has to say can't be so bad. "I see. Should we sit down?"

John shrugs, doesn't move. "Listen, Castiel. I know we talked at the hospital. But seeing you two together was a shock, you gotta know that."

Castiel nods gravely, head bowed a little in deference to the older alpha. "I do. Absolutely. And it wasn't how we wanted you to find out. Dean had invited me for dinner the night of the crash."
"Yeah, about that. How had you planned on telling me that you were screwing my son?" John's voice has lowered to a growl, but he doesn't smell angry. His scent is frustrated, concerned, irate perhaps but not angry. Castiel senses that John just wants to vent at him, that there were things left unsaid at the hospital that John clearly wants to get off his chest and now seems, apparently, to be the right time.

"We, uhm, we hadn't decided. We were going to talk about it on the drive home…"

"Just planned on turning up on my doorstep? Introducing yourself as his new alpha and sweeping me aside like old news?" A spike of sadness laces John's scent and Castiel frowns. "Those boys are my world. I might not be the best father, but I love those kids and if anyone tried to hurt them…" John wipes a hand over his face, downs half his beer in one swallow. "Don't ever hurt him, Castiel. Or I'll find you. I swear it."

"I won't." Castiel gets it now. Dean finding an alpha of his own means something to John. It means he isn't needed in his son's life any more, not as his protector or the man he would naturally default to for any help or advice. It means someone else has taken his place, and he's struggling to deal with it. Taking a chance, Castiel reaches for John, places a hand on his arm, and they both stare at it before looking up at each other.

"I'll never hurt Dean. Ever." Castiel puts as much meaning into the words as he can, holding John's gaze levelly. "I'd rather tear out my own heart than harm him, John. I want you to know that."

John watches him for a moment longer in quiet contemplation, then his shoulders relax and the groove between his brows smoothes out a little. He appears satisfied with Castiel's answer. Then, perhaps in an attempt to lighten the mood or to regain his footing in the conversation, he rolls his eyes.

"Alright, enough already. No need to go overboard. I'll tell my son you're sweet on him."

"Please do," Castiel allows himself to smile and the atmosphere in the kitchen becomes immediately warmer. "How is Dean?"

"Fine. Better. Pining for you, I think." John looks uncomfortable at his own words. "Back to school on Monday."

Pining. Well, Castiel can definitely relate to that. He's been aching to be close to Dean ever since he left the hospital, and the thought of his omega suffering in any way from not being in his vicinity is like a hot knife to the heart.

"Please wait here just a moment." He spins on his heel and heads for his bedroom, coming back a minute later with a soft caramel-colored sweater folded in his arms. "Please give this to Dean. It may help with any upset caused by my absence."

"Yeah. Okay. Fine." John takes it, clearly embarrassed by the discussion and rocks back onto his heels. "Well, I'll get out of your hair. Thanks for the beer."

"Anytime." He isn't sure he means that. While he has no objection to John, he would rather his omega's father didn't drop by at every opportune moment. And from the pause then slow nod, John Winchester shares his feelings on the matter.

"Yeah. Sure. G'night, Castiel." John starts down the steps then pauses, turns. "Dinner. Tomorrow night. Seven PM."

"That… sounds great." Castiel manages to cover his surprise pretty effectively. "I'll be there."

"Great."

Then he's truly gone, out of the garden gate and climbing into the gleaming Impala, the car Castiel knows Dean loves so much. As the car roars to life and vanishes down the street with the tail lights glowing, Castiel leans against the doorframe and folds his arms. It feels finally as though all the pieces in his and Dean's lives are starting to come together.

•••

Castiel dresses for dinner in a soft sweater and dark denim jeans, a crate of beer clutched under one arm for John and an apple and cherry pie he picked up from the bakery on his way over for Dean. He can't deny he's nervous, a small lump clogging his throat, but when Dean yanks open the door with a grin on his face and his freckles popping in the cheap light from the motel car park, Castiel can barely stop himself from letting out a low noise of excitement.

Dean looks, and smells, incredible. He has a healing cut on his forehead held together with two thin strips of tape, a scrape on his jaw, and sparkling eyes as he takes in the sight of his alpha. Castiel allows himself to reach in, to cup Dean's elbow and place a quick, chaste kiss to his lips before pulling back and glancing nervously into the motel room. A little of Dean's excited glow seems to fade and he throws a look back inside, shifting from one foot to the other.

"It's, uh, not much. Really. Not compared to your place."

"Dean." Castiel moved closer and kisses him again, this time slower and with more deliberation, the type of kiss intended to comfort. "It's perfect. You're perfect. Tonight will go just fine. Now let me in so I can see your dad and Sam."

Sam is skittish and nervous, long bangs hanging in his eyes as he greets Castiel, almost vibrating with the typical energy of a teenager. John sits at the table already, watching, yet stands and shakes Castiel's hand firmly when he approaches, and his eyes hold enough warmth that it sets him at ease.

"Here." He hands the beers to John and the pie to Dean, watching his omega's eyes light up at the sight of it. "I couldn't come empty-handed. I think this flavor is your favourite, right Dean?"

"Is it ever," Sam snorts. "We never hear the end of his pie obsession."

"Have a seat, Castiel." John gestures to the table, attempting to deflect Castiel's attention while Dean thumps Sam hard on the arm. "It's pizza, hope that's alright."

"Sounds great." Castiel takes his seat and clinks his bottle with John. He can see Dean eyeing up one for himself and rolling his eyes when he's presented with a can of Coke instead.

Conversation flows, albeit stiltedly, and Castiel asks Sam about his school work and John about his job. He politely keeps the focus off Dean for a while, letting his omega enjoy his dinner without feeling the eyes of the entire table on him. Until, that is, John decides to wade in.

"So, can I expect grandchildren at some point before I croak?" John folds a piece of pizza in half and crams it into his mouth. Castiel hides a smirk behind his own forkful - it's easy to see where Dean's table manners come from. Across the table, Sam makes a muffled noise of amusement into his palm - clearly the thought of his older brother having kids is something he finds particularly hilarious. Dean has gone scarlet and it looks like he kicks Sam under the table. Castiel takes control of the situation to save the omega from any further embarrassment and clasps Dean's hand across the table.

"Whenever Dean is ready, we will discuss it. And it will happen when it happens, and only if Dean wants to. I want whatever he wants, and if children are in our future then that will be fantastic. If not," he meets Dean's nervous gaze and squeezes his hand in comfort. "Then spending our lives together will be simply enough."

Something flickers behind Dean's green eyes and he looks like he's about to speak, then drops his gaze back to his plate and doesn't pass comment. A short silence stretches between the four of them after Castiel's impassioned declaration until John shorts, shattering the tension.

"Well, you two make damn sure you're ready for kids before making that commitment." John finishes his drink with an audible swallow. "Emotionally, financially, all that crap. Give them the best kinda life you can give."

"When did you become such a responsible parent?" Dean gripes petulantly, and John Winchester reaches over and slaps him on the back of the head. It's not as hard as it would usually be, Castiel is sure, and he's certain that's down to his presence. He's not Dean's blood-bonded mate yet, but he still has ties to the omega and would be within his rights to challenge anyone who brought wilful harm to Dean - relative or not.

"When I realised how much you and Sammy mean to me," John says quietly and the air immediately thickens around them all. Dean flushes and drops his gaze to his plate and Sam stares openly, lips parted in shock, at his father. Castiel gets the impression that open statements of affection just aren't a common occurrence in the lives of the Winchesters.

The rest of dinner goes comparatively well and by the time they've all polished off a slice of pie (Dean has two, which makes Castiel smile fondly) he's relaxed and happy, and feeling as though he could carve out his space in the Winchester family. Sam is sweet and funny, John just as gruff and contemplative as he expected him to be, and Dean is a bundle of charming, endearing energy and Castiel just wants to bundle him up in his arms and kiss him senseless.

"Be back by dinner time tomorrow, Dean," John says as his sons clear away the empty pizza boxes, beer bottles, Coke cans and plates. "I have stuff I need you to help me with, need you to wash and wax the Impala."

"Tomorrow?" Dean frowns. "Why? Where am I going?"

Sam smothers another laugh behind his hand and turns away when Dean pins him with a furious glare. He's about to snap something at his little brother when a gentle hand comes down on his shoulder and sweet, whiskey-laced pheromones flood the air around him. Castiel embraces him from behind and kisses his neck.

"I think your father is suggesting that I drive you home tomorrow after lunch, if that's agreeable with you. He thinks we deserve some quality time together after our traumatic experience."

"But why would he…" Realisation dawns quickly and Dean's cheeks flush with heat. "Oh. Oh ."

"Yeah. Oh ."

Castiel's smile could outshine the moon.

•••

Dean drags Castiel through his front door and they collapse together on the stairs, pulling at jackets and kicking off shoes, hair and eyelashes damp with rain drops. Dean is panting already, clutching at Castiel, and he wastes no time in dragging the older alpha up the stairs and into the bedroom. It's dark out and Dean reaches with trembling fingers to turn on the bedside lamp, his skin seeming to glow in the soft orange light. Castiel is forced to pause for a moment just to look at him, to take in how handsome he looks. He's awarded only a minute though before his arms are full of needy, passion-driven omega.

Castiel presses kiss after kiss to his open mouth, combing his fingers through his hair, and smiling as Dean tugs at his clothes, over-eager and desperate.

"Dean, Dean. Shh, slow down. We don't need to rush this." He sits down on the bed, allows his omega to straddle him and kiss the breath from his lips. "We have the rest of our lives, Dean. This is only the beginning."

"And I want to kick it all off with a bang." Dean nips his bottom lip and pushes Castiel back onto the bed, attacking his neck with licks and sucks, hot kisses and gently bites. "Can I…"

"No." Using his superior strength - which he knows will enrage his omega beautifully - Castiel flips them so that Dean is beneath him and kisses his protests away. "Soon. Not tonight. Tonight, my gorgeous Dean, is all about you." He unfastens Dean's belt, pulls it through the loops with a shuck and throws it aside. "And only you."

He takes his time stripping Dean, kissing every exposed expanse of skin as he does so. Clothes begin to pile on the floor, his own joining them, until they lie naked together, erections nudging against each other as Dean gasps and clutches at him, wrapping one leg around Castiel's thighs to pull him closer.

"More, Cas. Take me, I'm so ready for you."

And he is; the scent of his slick is thick and heady in the air, mingling with Castiel's arousal and spurring him into nipping the soft flesh between Dean's neck and shoulder - right where his mating bite will go.

"How do you want me, Dean? How do you want me to take you?"

"From behind," Dean gasps, and Castiel raises his eyebrows in surprise. He'd thought Dean would want to be face-to-face for this. "I wanna ride you. It always feels so deep when we do it like that."
Castiel knows the position Dean means, and a low moan tears from his lips as he pictures them. He'll sit on the edge of the bed, Dean on his lap with his thighs draped on the outside of his alpha's. Castiel will be buried deep, barely containing his groans of pleasure as Dean rocks in his lap, one hand covering Castiel's where it clutches at his waist and the other thrown behind him, fisted in dark hair and throwing his head back, opening his throat for what he wants. It's a beautiful image…

And that's exactly how Castiel takes him. He spends a while between Dean's legs first, eating him out while Dean thrashes on his back, thighs over Castiel's shoulders and hands in his hair, groaning as Castiel laps his slick from his hole and fingers him deeply, working his prostate until he's shaking. Then he pulls Dean into his lap, back to chest, and presses into him in one slow thrust, inch by inch, until Dean is panting, arching, sweat beading on his spine and dripping down into the crease of his ass right where their bodies join. The scent of his slick combined with Castiel's precome floats up to embrace them both and Dean rocks his hips experimentally, whining at the increased pressure on his prostate.

"God. Fuck . Cas, I love you. I love this. God!"

"How does it feel, my beautiful omega?" Castiel embraces him, both arms wrapped around his waist, thrusting up into the tight heat of Dean's body and spreading his legs, forcing Dean's thighs wide. The omega's hard, hot cock arching up towards his stomach, wet at the tip, and Castiel cradles his balls, strokes the shaft with his thumb.

"Good. So good. Incredible. Cas, I want… I want…"

"Now? You're sure?"

"Yeah, Cas. I wanna be yours. Wanna be your mate." Their orgasms are approaching fast and Castiel doesn't know how much longer he can hold on. "Do it, please. Please !"

"I love you, Dean," Castiel whispers into the damp hair at the nape of his neck. Then he mouths down to the juncture of his shoulder and Dean takes a breath. As he exhales, Castiel bites down hard enough to break the skin and Dean comes with a helpless cry, pleasure igniting in every atom of his body, his vision sparkling then going white, then dark. When it clears, he realises Dean is relaxed and pliant in his arms - he's passed out from the force of his climax.

Castiel embraces him tightly, kissing his neck and lapping at his bite until Dean begins to stir and realises that they're tied together. He groans, arching back, murmuring that his alpha's cock feels huge inside him, and Castiel can't help but agree: Dean's rim is tugging deliciously at his knot and he wants the feeling to last forever. While Dean had been unconscious in his lap, Castiel had turned them both to lie on their sides and his warm hands roam lazily across Dean's stomach and chest, mouth blissfully soothing over his bite time and time again.

"I wanna see it," he slurs and Castiel smiles into his skin.

"You will. It's beautiful. You look good with my mark on you."

"I feel good." Dean is floating on endorphins. He arches his hips, and Castiel both hears his groan and feels his body tense as he comes again; he grips Dean tight throughout it and nuzzles at the bite on his neck. "You feel good. I love you."

"My omega," Cas holds him so tightly as a rush of emotion hits him, almost as though he's afraid to let Dean go, like Dean will slip through his arms and vanish if he does. "I love you. I love you so much. My mate."

"My alpha," Dean smiles into his pillow as sleep threatens to take them both. He wants Dean to stay awake, to wait until Castiel's knot has gone down so that he can sit up and stagger to the bathroom, look at his new bite. But then again, he considers as he drifts under, the scent of his omega filling his nose and happiness in his heart, it will be a wonderful treat for them both to wake up to in the morning.

•••

He displays his mating bite with pride at school the following Monday, and Charlie's shriek of excitement echoes down the corridor towards him before he's even laid eyes on her.

"Winchester! What the hell? Oh my god , what the hell is that ?" She punches him on the arm, wraps him in a bear hug, and tugs his t-shirt down to look at the bite. "Is that… did he… is it…"

She can barely speak she's so over-enthused and Dean drags her into a nearby classroom, unable to wipe the grin from his face.

"Yeah. It is. It's from him. We, uh, we're mated."

"Wait. Let me get this straight." Charlie's red curls bounce almost as much as she does. She's had her hair cut over the weekend; it's now shoulder-length and looks great, so Dean tells her so. "Winchester! Stop trying to deflect! Did our super-sexy English Lit teacher do that to you?"

"Yeah, kinda." Dean knows he's blushing and grinning like a new bride but he can't help it. He touches his fingers to the scabbed-over bite, feeling the indent of Cas' teeth and remembering the delicious pain as his skin broke, and Charlie punches him on the arm again.

"That's so awesome! It is awesome, right? You're happy?" She shakes herself, laughing. "Of course you're happy, look at you! You can't stop grinning! Did you bite him? I saw him this morning and I swear he didn't have one."

"No. He won't let me, not until graduation. He doesn't want anything to impact my future," Dean says as he rolls his eyes. "He said if we both turned up with matching bites it would be obvious that we were mated. But if I'm the only one with a mark and we both wear scent blockers, nothing can be proven unless we admit to it. I totally would, but he won't. Why did I ever mate someone so-"

"Adorable?" Charlie finishes for him. "He's looking out for you, Dean, for both of you! That is the sweetest thing!"

"Yeah, well. I'll send you a wedding invitation."

"Screw you." The bell rings and Charlie loops her arm through Dean's as they head back into the corridor. "I'm going to be the Best Woman. You don't have much of a choice there. In fact, I just had the coolest idea for your bachelor party…!"

Dean walks to Geometry with her, listening to her prattle on about Moondor and Comic-Con and San Diego and more costumes than Dean can keep track of, and from the other end of the corridor he catches sight of Castiel, holding a pile of books and talking animatedly to his twin. Their eyes meet through the throng of other students and his alpha smiles warmly at him. Dean's heart leaps with love, and he grins back. He remembers what Castiel said the night before: this is the beginning of the rest of their lives.

And he simply can't wait for them to spend it together.