Chapter Text
Once the paperwork was signed and Dean had gotten several official copies, he called Gabriel.
“Deano!” Gabriel greeted him. “Didn’t expect to be hearing from you yet. Everything okay?”
“Yeah, Cas has been amazing, no sign of any Godwins or goons, he’s coming back with some new skills,” Dean said. “I haven’t told them yet, but I just signed paperwork giving me custody of Sam.”
“Offer’s still good, Anna’s moved out, you and Sam come back here and you’ve got a place to live,” Gabriel said immediately.
That was a relief. “Okay. Thanks, Gabriel. We were coming back either way, just wanted to check in first.”
That evening, Dean called John over for the big Family Meeting. “Summer’s coming to an end, boys. I know we're all trying not to, but we need to talk about what’s going to happen in September,” Dean said.
Castiel swallowed. “My school starts the day after Labor Day. I’d like to stay with you as long as possible, but I understand that you’ll need to get Sam wherever he’s going and enrolled.”
“Well, keeping you and Sam together as long as possible is a pretty high priority for me,” Dean said. “Sam, where would you like to go?”
Sam couldn’t have sounded less interested. “Am I gonna be there longer than a month? If not, it really doesn’t matter.”
“Well, that kinda depends on you,” Dean said. “See, I’m thinking you’ll pick a town, we’ll get you set up in school, and you’ll let me know when you’re ready to move on.”
Sam snorted. “You realize by that logic I’m going with Cas and staying till June.”
“Yeah? That’s what you want?” Dean asked, quashing the smirk.
“That’s what I want.” Sam looked between John and Dean. “Look, this is about Cas, yeah, I’ll admit that much. But I really liked the school. The teachers are good, I like some of my classmates, I can play soccer, the track coaches…”
John cut him off. “Sam. You don’t have to convince me. You have to convince Dean, and I think you had him at Cas.”
“You had me at this being what you want,” Dean corrected. “I knew your reasons – they’re the ones I was planning to use on Dad. But then Dad… I’m an adult, I can do what I want. Well, I think we all know what I want to do. So… Dad gave you to me. Again. Wherever I go, I can take you. So if we’re free, and we both wanna stay with Cas…”
Sam stared. “What?”
Dean let the smirk out now. “You’re already enrolled, registered for classes, hell you already tried out for the soccer team and made it. So we say goodbye to Dad a couple days before school starts so we can get you school stuff, and the three of us settle in until June. Now, I’m gonna take off on occasion for hunts, but I’ll be focusing on stuff nearby. No more than overnight trips.”
“Dean…” Sam started, but he shook his head.
Cas was shaking a little as he reached for Sam’s hand. “Do you realize what this means, Sam?”
Sam shook his head. “I’m still wrapping my head around this being real. What’s this mean?”
“It means we have another year,” Cas said. “A whole year.”
“You’re thinking too small, Cas,” John said. “You may have to do the dorm thing your first year of college, but there’s no reason Sam and Dean can’t be nearby. Two years later Sam turns eighteen, graduates, and can do whatever he wants. This basically boils down to the only time limit on you and Sam is how long you can keep putting in the work to stay happier together than you are apart. Love isn’t enough for the long run. I did this because from what I’ve seen this summer, you know that and have a real chance.”
All three boys were staring at John now. Dean hadn’t thought that far ahead himself. Hell, Cas had gone farther, Dean had only been thinking till June. Sam was the one to break the silence. “Dad… thank you. I… I don’t even know how to thank you for this.”
John clapped a hand on Sam’s shoulder with a proud smile. “Keep your grades up and don’t get into a stupid fight with Cas that ruins everything.”
“Yes, sir,” Sam said. “I think I can do that.”
“One other thing,” Dean said. “I thought Gabriel would want to know about this, and he reiterated an offer he made back when we were talking about summer plans. Anna’s moved out, left for college, so he’s got an extra room no one’s using. He’s offered to let me use it.”
“What about me?” Sam asked.
“Anna had friends over a lot, Gabriel got a second bed for her room when I moved in and took over the spare room,” Castiel said. “Or… we’ve been sharing most of the summer, you could share with me. Gabriel won’t care.”
“And I think that’s our cue to bail, Dad,” Dean said.