You're safe
Cas didn’t stay over as much anymore.
His parents didn’t go away as often because they wanted to save some money so Castiel could go to a good college, he and Sam had their hearts set of Stanford University.
Also Gabriel had moved back home so when Gabriel wasn’t out or at work, Cas usually stayed at home.
Dean was a little hurt that Cas didn’t stay over as much, and he blamed himself really.
They still shared the bed but Dean never really came home until the early hours at the weekend and he was usually drunk, leaving Cas to deal with him.
But he had no idea what was really going on in Cas’ world.
Cas was trying to distance himself from Dean.
He knew he was way too dependent on the older boy and soon, Dean would be away at college and Cas wouldn’t have anyone to share the bed with and no one to talk to until 3am and he wouldn’t have Dean’s hand to hold if the bad dreams started. He knew he sounded like a baby but it was a habit that he couldn’t shake himself out of and he wondered if Dean was feeling the same way.
“Hey baby bro, why the long face?” Gabriel threw himself onto Cas’ bed.
“I'm not a baby.” Cas glared.
“You’re my baby brother, nothing you can do to change that. What’s up?”
“Nothing.”
“I’ll give you a lollipop if you tell me.”
“I'm not seven, Gabriel.” Cas shouted.
“Whoa!” Gabriel held his hands up. “Is something going on?”
Cas lay down with his hands over his face. “I don’t know. I have no idea how I'm supposed to feel.”
“What about?”
“Dean.” Cas sighed heavily.
“Dean across the road?”
“Yes. Who else would it be?”
“Why do you not know how to feel about him? He’s like another brother right?”
“Not exactly. I don’t know. That’s why I'm so confused. He’s like a brother because he’s funny and he looks out for me but then he’s like my best friend too because we can talk for hours and hours and we tell each other everything.”
“Is there a third part?”
“Yeah.” Cas took a deep breath and sighed again. “I think there’s something different with us. He treats me like he does Sam but he never really shouts at me and he lets me share the bed with him, but he wouldn’t let Sam anymore and I just feel funny about him.”
“Feel funny?” Gabriel kept his face composed, he never really got Cas to open up this much.
“Yeah.”
“Funny how? A bad way?”
“No. In a weird way.”
“Helpful Cassie.”
“When I used to share the bed with you it was normal, it felt just like this but when I share with Dean my stomach does weird flips and I feel like I need to move all over the place but I can’t move at the same time.”
Gabriel was struck with sudden realisation, but quickly hid it. “Sounds like you need to have your own space at their house, your own bed. You do fine sleeping in your bed here.”
Cas shook his head. “I still have nightmares. I just wake up before I start to wake Mom and Dad up.”
“Maybe you need a doctor.”
“Maybe you should shut up.” Cas fake glared at his brother.
“It could just be that you like sleeping close to somebody. Tonight, sleepover at their house and sleep in the spare room, it might all just be in your head, Cassie.”
“I’ll try.” Cas frowned.
“’Atta boy.” Gabriel grinned. “Now pack your bag and get your ass out, I'm inviting some friends over.”
Cas smiled and hurried over, just in time for dinner.
“Told you he’d be here.” Sam stuck his tongue out.
“It’s Friday, of course I'm here.” Cas took his usual place and dug in to his pasta.
Dean went out with the promise that he’d be back to watch some TV with Cas and Sam later on so Sam and Cas decided to play some video games.
11pm turned to 12, then to 1 and finally at 2 they gave up on Dean coming home anytime soon and headed upstairs.
Cas automatically went to Dean’s room but remembered what his brother had told him and he turned back to the spare room.
It was cold and almost empty, no one slept in this room apart from Mary when John was snoring too loud.
Cas tiptoed over to the bed and slipped inside, keeping the curtains open so some moonlight got in.
He took a deep breath and lay down, drifting to sleep.
It was almost instant that the nightmares started.
Cas was alone in Dean’s bedroom when suddenly the door swung open, making the room shake.
“Dean?” Cas squeaked.
“Castiel, what the fuck are you doing in my room?”
“I was going to sleep, are you okay?” Cas asked, very used to an angry Dean coming home if he’d had a few drinks or gotten into a fight with his girlfriend.
“Get out.”
“What?”
“Get out; I don’t want you in here.” Dean dragged Cas by his shoulder out of his room and onto the landing.
Cas fell and hit the carpet, scraping his side with carpet burn but Dean picked him up by his arms.
“Dean! Let go, you’re hurting me.” Cas squirmed.
“Aw poor little Cassie, am I hurting you? Such a baby.” Dean laughed.
“Let me go!” Cas yelled, unable to stop the tears, Dean’s grip only tightened, making Cas’ arms burn.
Dean smirked and threw Cas across the landing, towards the spare bedroom, Cas quickly reached for the handle but Dean kicked him.
“I MEANT GET OUT. OUT OF MY HOUSE. I DON’T WANT YOU IN HERE.”
“B-but I thought we were friends?”
“Friends?” Dean barked a laugh. “I was doing a little kid a favour, protecting you when your own parents were too busy to care about you. Even your brothers and sister didn’t look after you; they would rather go out and party than watch out for their baby brother. You’re pathetic, I'm DONE! YOU HEAR ME CAS?! DONE!” Dean roared and threw Cas down the stairs.
Cas covered his face as he saw Dean’s fist coming towards him but the blow never came, he peeked between his arms and saw that he was alone in the woods. Cas immediately stood up, barefoot and in nothing but his PJ pants and an old t-shirt. There was a growl from behind him, without stopping to think Cas ran, he ran as fast as he possibly could, screaming for someone to help him.
But no one came, maybe Dean was right and his parents really didn’t care. He was certainly right about Michael and Luc, he barely saw them growing up. He saw them at Christmas and he signed their birthday cards. Anna sometimes called him. But she never really showed an interest in being a sister. Dean was wrong about Gabriel, Gabriel cared. He was sure of it.
Cas found himself at the edge of a cliff; it was too dark to see what was over the edge, rocks or water. He couldn’t be sure; the large wolf came closer until Cas was wobbling over the edge.
He spotted Gabriel in the corner of his eye.
“GABE! HELP!” He managed to yell, which only made the wolf come closer.
“I'm coming Cassie, just wait. I gotta answer this.” Gabriel pulled his phone out.
“Oh hi, sugar plum, nah nothing serious. Baby bro is just gonna fall to his death. I know ironic right! Yeah, I’ll be over in five.” Gabriel put his phone away and the wolf stepped closer. “Sorry bro, see you up there.” Gabriel winked towards the sky then vanished into thin air.
Cas wobbled more and more, the wolf snarling and licking its lips.
“CAS!” Cas heard a familiar voice scream from far away, and that’s when he fell.
Cas fell right off the edge of the cliff and was screaming, but there was really no point in screaming. No one was around to hear it.
“CAS! DAMMIT!” Cas heard the voice again, very deep and closer.
He landed and it was warm, he felt safe.
Cas opened his eyes and found they were wet, his eyes were full of tears and it was dark where he was but he was still warm, very warm.
“Shhh shhhh, you’re okay.” The voice soothed and stroked his hair. “I'm here, Cas. You’re okay.”
Cas turned and buried his face in their chest, knowing that the voice was telling the truth.
When Cas woke up again it was light outside and he was still in the guest bedroom, covered in the blanket.
“Morning sleepy head.” He heard Dean chuckle. “Or afternoon.”
“Wake me up tomorrow.” Cas groaned and squeezed Dean’s hand, lying back down.
“Sure thing.” Dean grinned and squeezed Cas’ hand back.