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Dean never like birthdays.
His was never a joyous occasion. He remembers one birthday before Mary died.
He was woken up to his parents singing happy birthday, Mary holding a cupcake with a single candle and John had a small box with a green ribbon. New army men.
Mom has made her apple pie pancakes, with cinnamon syrup glaze.
He didn’t want a party, just him and mom and dad. They ate pancakes, built a fort out of every pillow, chair and blanket in the house. He and John played with his new army guys for hours in there.
For lunch it was Mary’s infamous cheeseburgers with fresh cut fries, then they went outside and built snowmen, and had a snowball fight.
Dean loved watching his mom play in the snow, her cheeks got rosy and the snowflakes stuck to her lashes.
She smiled wide as she scooped a large handful of snow packing it in her hands she winked to Dean and ducked behind the large pine in their yard. Dean smirked and hollered for his Dad, when John came outside Mary popped out and nailed him right in the head, snow exploding over him.
He laughed as he tugged his boots and coat on, and ran after them. They played for a few hours until the gloves were soaking through and deans’ tiny teeth were chattering.
Then came his favorite part, the Hot chocolate.
They never drank the powdered stuff; she only used real cocoa and hot milk, with sweet cream on top. Dean had fallen asleep in his mothers’ lap, while she stroked his hair and sung to him.
He never had a nice day after that.
His fifth birthday was spent in a rundown hotel, while John slept off his latest bender and he tried for hours to console a gassy baby Sam. The crying had stirred John and Dean scampered out of the room clutching his brother tight, afraid John might wake up. He was walking Sammy up and down the halls singing the same song his mother used to sing to him. If it wasn’t for a sweet old lady a few doors down, he was sure Sam would have never stopped. She was the one who taught him a few tricks to help him burp.
His sixth birthday he got a present, shooting lessons.
His seventh was his first real beating. Sam was just learning how to walk and had managed to grab ahold of Johns weapons bag. Dean was watching He-man and didn’t notice until commercial that Sammy had waddled over there. He had got to him before he hurt himself, But John had walked in smelling of the gross brown stuff he kept in the glove box. Seeing his infant son with his mouth on the barrel of a sawed off shotgun. It took weeks for the marks to go away.
His ninth was when he came back from the gas station with food to find Sam alone. Crying so hard he could hardly breathe. Dad had hit him.
By the time he was 16 he had forgotten that he even had a birthday, he had begun focusing all his attention on Sammy’s. So when John told him he learning to drive it was a shock.
Eighteen was cool. His dad had dropped Sam off to Bobby and took Dean to a strip club and bought him a lap dance.
After that it was back to just another day.
Sam tried to make it special for Dean like he always had done for him. But Dean didn’t want it, he would still smile and thank his brother for whatever he had made him.
Now here they were His 35th and for once there was nothing going on to distract him, nothing to Hunt, No apocalypse to stop, Nothing.
And he couldn’t be more miserable, so when Sam told him they were leaving the bunker for a few hours he grumbled and groaned.
Sam had forced him out to some cheesy chain place, where the servers wear fake smiles and everything had some tacky sports theme name to it. When he heard the birthday chant he froze his eyes growing wide as he shook his head.
“Dude. No” He glared at Sam who had a huge smile on his face and was nodding “yup”
The large group of servers got closer and he saw them holding an entire pie, with vanilla ice-cream on top and two sparklers one in each scoop.
“Happy Happy Birthday! From all of us to you!” they began singing loudly and off-key, a few tables around them joining in with clapping and wide smiles.
Dean buried his face in his hands mumbling “I fucking hate you”
Sam smirked as the server placed the pie in front if Dean.
He groaned, and grabbed the sparklers and dunked them in his water and glared daggers at the servers.
“I’m going to the car, get that in a box” he snatched his jacket of the chair and stormed outside, Sam apologized to the waitress and had her get the box and the check. He made sure to leave her a good tip and went outside to meet his brother who was sulking in the impala.
“Dude, what the fuck?” he snapped as Sam got in.
“Dean, calm down. What the hell is your deal with your birthday anyways? You’ve always been like the birthday Grinch” Sam looked at him with confusion and slight hurt
“Never mind” Dean barked as he started up Baby and they headed back.
Earlier that Day
Castiel paced a bit, he was panicking. Dean’s birthday had come up to fast, and he still had not gotten him a gift. He knew what Dean liked, but he wanted to do something special, something that would mean something to Dean.
He knew Dean hated it when he read into his thoughts, which is why he had never had. But he made an exception today. He cloaked himself and took a calming breath before entering Dean’s room. He was still sleeping and Castiel smiled as he watched him.
He seemed peaceful, there was a tiny smile on the edges of his lips and Cas was intrigued as to was brought it there, he got closer and knelt down next to the hunter.
He carefully touched the side of Deans face and closed his eyes.
Dean was dreaming about his mother, she was curled up on a couch with his tiny frame in her lap as she softy sang to him.
Cas’s eyes popped open and he knew exactly what to get Dean.
Now
“Dean, can you just wait” Sam grabbed his arm as he tried to get out of the car
Dean glared “What?”
“I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have made you go out. I just wish I understood why you act like such a jerk on your birthday”
Dean turned to face his younger brother “You want to know why Sammy? Because every year since Mom died my birthday was hell. Dad was either too drunk to care, or just gone. By the time you were old enough to understand birthdays I had gotten 3 beatings for presents. You know what Dad gave me for my 8th birthday? A fucking black eye and dislocated shoulder.”
He clenched his eyes shut forcing away the tears “That’s why I always made sure you had something nice. Even if I had to boost it, you Always had something. Now if you don’t mind I’d like to go inside and forget because it’s not important anyways. It’s just another day”
He whipped the door open and got out, slamming it shut as he walked away.
Sam sat there for a moment trying to process what Dean had said, and he realized that every year John was passed out drunk or away. He shook off the anger and guilt and got out of the car, Dean had just heading inside when Sam heard him shout.
He bolted across the garage bursting through the door demon knife in hand.
“Dean?!!” he yelled frantic eyes scanning for his brother.
“Sammy! In here!”
Sam furrowed his brow and hesitantly walked down the hall towards the main sitting room.
There were tiny bits of confetti on the floor leading through the doorway.
When he entered the room he was shocked, there were Balloons, streamers, and decorations filled every corner. A large banner hung from the ceiling ‘Happy Day of Birth Dean’ and he smiled as he knew exactly who did this.
Sam walked over to Dean who was just standing in the middle of the room. Eyes filled with delight, he elbowed Sam
“Dude, streamers and everything”
There was a slight flutter behind them, they jumped slightly when Cas placed his hands on their shoulders.
“Damnit Cas. We really need to get you a bell”
“Close your eyes Dean, and please No peeking”
Dean grumbled and closed them muttering cuss words under his breath.
Suddenly there was a soft hand on his face and in a soft voice he heard “Happy Birthday baby”
He opened his eyes and there she stood.
“M…mo…mom?”
“Hey handsome” she smiled and pulled him into a hug.
He blinked a few times before it registered that she was real.
He wrapped his arms around her tight and picked her up off her feet burying his face into her hair.
Sam’s mouth was agape as he watched them, after a moment Dean had set her down and she turned to him.
“Oh, Sammy. Sweetheart, come here”
She wrapped her arms around him and he fell into her tears flowing from his eyes, as she shushed him and ran her hand through his hair. “Oh baby, shhhh. It’s ok”
“Come sit with me” she grabbed Deans hand and they went and sat on the oversized sofa.
“Look at my Boys” she smiled pulling them tight “I miss you so much”
Sam was still trying to find his voice, as he wiped his tears away.
Dean spoke first “Mom, how? I mean last time I saw you….”
She cradled his head in her arm and laid it on her chest caressing his cheek “Castiel” she hummed “He is a lovely man. He cares for you a great deal sweetheart.”
Sam had curled up and laid his head in her lap, she absently played with his hair “He said the only thing he could give you for your birthday was the one thing you loved the most” She kissed his head, “I can’t stay long though.”
“Mom” Sam turned slightly and looked up at her, the golden waves of hair cascaded down her shoulders, her faced was warm, and filled with a loving glow. “I love you”
Dean felt his eyes growing heavy and he shook himself awake. “How long can you stay?” his voice becoming shaky
“Well Cas still has to get the rest of your party guests, so I’m not leaving anytime soon.”
Dean sat up a quizzical look on his face “other guests?”
A deep gravelly voice cut through the silence
“I did my best to find everyone”
Dean looked to Cas and he was surrounded by the fallen friends and family they had lost.
Bobby, Ellen and Jo, Ash and even Kevin, who of course had momma Tran attached to his hip.
Dean smiled wide and rushed to Cas pulling him tight against him, he whispered “Thank you. You have no idea. Just thank you.”
Cas fell into the hug “anything for you” he spoke softly “Happy birthday Dean”