Work Text:
The Thunder Rolls
Dean Winchester / Castiel Novak / Mary Winchester / John Winchester
Fall October/November 1995
Patsy Cline “Crazy” / The Beatles “Here Comes the Sun”
Novak Residence / Winchester Residence / Lawrence, Kansas
The room was dark, Castiel laid in bed staring up at the ceiling. The slow motion of the ceiling fan had him in a trance. Looking over to his right, the clock blinked 1 am. He hasn’t slept all night. Castiel was excited about tomorrow and was nervous, because he had invited Dean out with him and his family. Aunt Amara had surprised Castiel for his birthday to a beekeeping farm, and he wanted Dean to come with him. Among that excitement were his nerves. It was almost the end of the semester and he had to worry about all the finales that were coming up before the holiday. Castiel was smart. He excelled at school, years of private school and homeschooling, made him one of the smartest kids at Lawrence High School, so he had a lot of advance placement classes. They were not easy.
Castiel was lost in his thoughts. He was jolted out of it, by the lighting crashing outside. He turned to look out the window, He could see the trees moving faster. He knew a storm was coming. Lawrence had strange weather. The rain storms that would roll through, would often turn into thunder and lightning storms.
The sound was soothing. Cas started to drift asleep until he heard taping coming from outside. He laid there for a moment, trying to listen. The tapping wasn’t in rhythm with the sounds of the rain droplets hitting the window. Cas got up and walked over to the window, at first, he didn’t see anything but darkness. As the lighting flashed in the sky, it lite up the yard. Cas could see a shadow climbing up the tree. He opened up the window.
“Dammit Winchester, what are you doing?” Cas made sure his voice was low enough not to wake any up anyone but loud enough for Dean to hear. Before he could get an answer, Dean was already at the window. The thunder hit again, this time Cas could see Dean’s face illuminated in the light. He could tell something wasn’t right with him.
“Dean? Are you okay, get in here.”
As Dean started to wiggle his way through the window. He threw his duffel in first. As Dean climbed in he lost his balance and fell and knocked Cas over, causing both of them to tumble to the floor causing aloud thud.
Cas and Dean didn’t make a move or sound, they laid there for a moment. Once they realized they didn’t disturb anyone, Cas let Dean know it was okay to get up. They silently rose to their feet. Dean just stood there.
“Dean? What’s wrong?”
Silence from Dean, he just stood there looking down at the floor. Cas could hear soft sobs coming from his friend. Cas quickly moved over to his night stand to turn the light on, as the light brighten up the room, Dean turned his back toward Cas.
“Dean?” Cas said softly again.
“Dean?” this time with worry and panic in his voice.
Cas, slowly approached Dean, and gently placed his hand on his shoulder, causing him to flinch in pain.
“Dean, talk to me. What’s wrong?” Cas, said as he slowly turned to face Dean.
With Dean facing away from the light, his face was cast in shadow, Cas couldn’t make out his face. The thunder hit again, lighting up the darkness in the room.
Cas saw it. He could see the fear, the pain, the agony in Dean’s face. He’s eyes were blood shot red, his face was full of dry and wet tears. Cas turned him toward the light to get a better look.
Dean tried to turn his face away from Cas, but just as fast, he grabbed his face and turned it back. Cas ‘s breathing start to get heavier, he could feel his anger to rise.
Dean still didn’t make eye contact. His face was beaten and battered. Cas could see the left side of his lip spit open, he right eye, looked to be red, and starting to bruise.
Cas started to get emotional, his eyes started to fill up with tears, the sight of seeing his friend. No one should have to see or be part of whatever happened. Cas pulled Dean into an embrace, and whispered calming things into Dean’s ear, he needed him to calm down, if Dean wasn’t calm he wouldn’t deal with the situation, and just lash out. By the looks of it, he may already have.
The boys stood there in the middle of the room. Cas embraced Dean tighter, he still wasn’t getting anything from Dean. He pulled away from Dean and placed his hand gently on his face, and looked into his Dean eyes. There was nothing.
“Dean, come sit on the bed.”
Dean just nodded in response, and Cas placed him gently sitting on the edge of the bed. Cas stood up and left the room, leaving Dean soaked and wet and broken on his bed.
After a few moments, Cas came back into the room, with towels and a medical kit from the bathroom. He knelled on the floor in front of Dean. He opened up the kit and thought for a moment.
“Dean, I need to take you clothes off, so we can get you dry.”
Once again, Dean just nodded in response. Cas did the same, and started to gently pull off his jacket, as he pulled Dean’s right arm out, he noticed how cut up and red his knuckles were. He sighed in pain for him.
Cas knew Dean’s emotional state, at this moment he knew he wouldn’t get anything from him, so he just did all he knew how to do. Show comfort to his friend. He gently rubbed his thumb over the wounds, causing Dean to flinch back and covering it up with his good hand.
“Sorry.” Cas said softly as he placed his hand on Dean’s knee and looked up at him. He could see in Dean’s eyes, that he was scared, that he that he was also sorry.
“Dean, I have to look at your hand, please.”
Fresh tears started to form in Dean’s eyes. Cas knew this was the second wave of whatever Dean was feeling.
“I… I… Sorry.” Dean mumbled out.
“Dean, sorry for what?” Cas tiled his head in confusion.
“Sor…. Sorry… for showing up like this…” Dean started to sob.
Cas lifted himself up and pulled his into an embrace. Dean’s head was resting on Cas’s chest, and he rubbed soothing circles along Dean’s back and head.
“I don’t understand Dean.”
“I just didn’t know where else to go.”
Cas, let out a sympathy smirk, “Dean, you can crawl through window anytime.”
He could feel a little chuckle from Dean. He was starting to calm down a little, not much ,but a little.
“Dean, if you don’t want to tell him what happened, I can accept that, but I do need to attend to your cuts at least, and get you dried off.”
Dean started to stand up with the help of Cas or course. Cas kept quiet and focused on the wounds that Dean currently carried, well the physical ones at least, the emotional wounds, he knew they would come out sooner or later.
Cas lifted Dean’s Bon Jovi shirt up slowly, as Dean raised his arms, he flinched in more pain, Cas stopped. Dean’s face was riddled with pain and guilt, and embarrassment, and he could still see the ‘sorry’ in those dark green eyes. Cas looked down at Dean’s chest, he could see numerous bruises and cuts, but it was the dark disgusting bruises on his ribs. Tears started flowing down his face.
“Dean… I… I…” Cas went silent.
His mind started to race. He didn’t know what to do anymore, a few cuts and bruises, he knew were nothing, but this, this was more. Cas immediately let go of Dean’s shirt and started toward the bedroom door.
“Cas… DON’T!!!!” Dean yelled out.
His voice was emotional, tired, ragged from whatever just happened. Cas turned around and saw the fear in his eyes.
“Dean Winchester, you tell me what is going on right now!!! Or I swear, I will get Amara and she can deal with this. Because cuts and bruises are one thing, but….”
Buy this time Cas was in tears and becoming hysterical.
“I… I… Can’t with your ribs, I don’t know what to do.”
Dean stood up and rushed over to Castiel’s side. He grabbed Cas by the waist and pulled him close.
“Hey, Hey… Angel, I’m okay, I’m okay.”
“No, you’re not Dean, and I would appreciate if you wouldn’t lie to me.”
Dean moved his arm up, around Castiel’s back and pulled him tighter. He buried his face in the cress of Cas’s neck.
“I… I…”
“Okay, Dean, you don’t have to tell me everything, but I need some clarity on what’s going on.”
Dean starting sobbing again.
“my… my Dad, it was my dad.”
Cas broke off from Dean and cupped his face in both is hands, and just stared into his eyes.
“What do you mean, it was your dad?”
Dean knew this was a losing battle. He knew how persistent Castiel could be when he felt he needed to protect Dean. Cas pulled Dean back toward the bed and they both sat down on the edge. Cas interlocked his hand into to Dean for comfort.
“It’s over Cas, it’s actually over.”
“What is over, Dean.”
“My parent’s marriage.”
“Is that the reasoning behind what John did to you?”
“yes…. He… he…”
Dean started to get choked up, Cas tried to comfort him a little more. In order for Dean to talk about anything deeper than that macho surface, he need to feel safe.
“What did he do?”
Dean sat there in silence for a moment. Cas could feel Dean’s body start to weaken. He warped his left arm around Dean and placed his right hand on Dean’s arm and gently pulled them down on the bed. Cas pulled Dean into him, kissed him on the temple for reassurance, and started to hum a Beatles tune.
Dean pulled the impala into the driveway. He sat there and closed his eyes. It was been one hell of a long day. Wrestling practice was grueling to say the least. He was ready for the day to be over. He was ready to settle in for the night. Usually Friday nights, Dean was already running inside the house to get ready for TGIF.
However, tonight was gonna be a relaxing night. Tomorrow was the day he was going to hang out with Cas and his family at Cain’s Bee Farm. The thought of Cas and his obsession with bees, brought a smile to his face. Dean opened his eyes, reached over and grabbed his duffel and got out of the car.
Dean walked around the house to the back door. When he walked in the house, and could hear music playing from the living room, the music was old, and he could tell it was one of his mom’s old records playing.
“And I’m crazy for loving you, Crazy for thinking that my love could hold you, I’m crazy for trying and crazy for crying, and I’m crazy for loving you”
Dean cautiously walked out of the kitchen toward the music, he was startled by Mary sitting at the dining room table. Mary was sitting side ways on the chair, leaning partly in it, with one arm rested on the back of the chair, with a whiskey in her hand and other resting on the table holding a cigarette in it. Dean’s presence also startled Mary.
Wiping tears from her eyes.
“Dean, honey. What are you doing home so early?”
“Um... it’s 6:00 mom, Are you okay.” Dean said with worry in his voice.
Mary looked toward the clock above the fire place mantel.
“Oh, I guess you’re right. I need to start dinner. Winchester surprise okay?”
“MOM.”
Mary stopped in her tracks.
“Are you okay?”
‘Dean, I am fine, nothing to worry you about, if you can please go to your room and do your homework.”
Mary shuffled off into the kitchen. Dean knew that he shouldn’t ask any further questions. As he started toward the stairs up toward his room, he could hear the banging of cabinets and pans in the kitchen. Dean knew or had an idea of what was happening. His mom never just smoked and drank whiskey with Patsy Cline, unless there was a problem. Usually the problem was John Winchester.
After walked in his room, he just fell right on the bed. He was not in the mood to do homework, but he knew if he didn’t do it know, he would regret it come Sunday night. He sat up and started to unlace his boots, and take off his jacket. Before anything Dean needed a shower. The shower felt good, the hot water washed over his sore muscles. He stood with a sigh of relive.
Once Dean was done in the shower, he threw on his very comfortable pair of jeans, and a black Bon Jovi t-shirt. He sat down at his desk, and just looked at his algebra homework. To be entirely honest, Dean just didn’t have the brain power or strength to do the homework. Dean knew Cas would help him or end up finishing it for Dean anyway. Cas was awesome like that.
Dean got up and laid face down on his bed, wrapping a pillow around his arms and pulling it under his head. He figured he would take a quick nap before dinner, Mary would come wake him up when it was time.
The sound startled Dean awake. He heard the sound again. Dean jolted out of bed, he looked at his watch, and the time was 12:00 am. Dean had ended up sleeping well past dinner, so much for a nap. The thought accord to him, that it was strange for his mom to let him skip dinner. He heard a loud crash again, along with yelling. Dean stared at his door wide eyed. Was someone breaking in? Dean slowly approached the bedroom door and cracked it open. The yelling was much clearer. Mary and John were at it again, but…. Usually Dean never heard them fight like this, it’s mostly much quieter as for the boy’s sake.
Slowly Dean walked down the stairs, he could hear his parents yelling a little louder, music was still playing low from the living room. He heard a crash from the kitchen. Dean cautiously walked into the dining room, to make his way to kitchen. The dining room looked like it’s where the fight started, the table was set up for dinner, broken plates, knocked over glasses, a chair or two knocked over as well. Dean almost stepped in shattered glass on the floor, he could tell it belonged with the fresh flowers next to it. Towards the head of the table were papers and torn envelopes along with the tipped over bottle of whiskey Mary had been nursing earlier along with a half lite cigarette.
Dean quietly approached the table, he didn’t want to alert his parents about his little ‘spy’ tactics . He looked over the papers, picking up an envelope. There was no return address, however the stamp was marked with a Minnesota seal. Dean pulled the folded paper out of the envelope, doing a double take at the kitchen doorway. He unfolded the paper and started to read.
Dear, John
I can’t believe you!! It was such a wonderful surprise for Adam’s birthday. I can’t believe how big our little man is getting. He has talked about nothing else, but his time with you at the ballgame. I seriously had to bribe him off with pie to wash that jersey of his. He misses you and so do I. It’s hard not having you here more often, as much as you are involved, I wish for more though. He misses you so much, as do I.
Hope to see you for the holidays
Love, Kate
Dean scanned the letter again, who was Adam? Who the hell is Kate? Dean looked at the envelope again, it was addressed to auto shop. Dean dropped the letter and picked up another and another, he quickly scanned them, Seeing the name Adam pop up, the words I love you, and then he saw the sentence. It felt like he was shot. Dean stood there, the sounds of his surroundings fading away. He slowly lowered himself down to the closet chair and closed his eyes.
‘John has another family? Another Son?’ Dean thought. He really didn’t know what he was feeling. So many thoughts were racing through his mind, maybe this was a dream? It would explain way he slept past dinner. That’s it!!! It’s a dream.
“Fuck you John, I am done.” Mary yelled as she stomped toward the dinning room. John went to grab her arm to stop her. That’s when seeing Dean alone at the table stopped both of them in their tracks.
“DEAN” John and Mary said.
Looking up from the letter. “Who is Adam?”
John and Mary stood there like deer in head lights. They were both silent. Dean’s face started to show anger, he stood up, clutching the letter.
“WHO IS THE FUCK IS ADAM?” Dean got louder and more aggressive with his words.
John pushed past Mary, causing her to fall back into the kitchen as he stepped closer to Dean.
“I’m sorry, do you want to phrase that sentence young man?”
Dean could tell just how John slurred his sentence, that he was gone. Judging by the lack of whiskey left in the bottle, he figured his mom was drinking all night as well. Dean wasn’t stupid, he then realized what was wrong with is mother earlier. This must have been the reason she was so distant when he got home.
Dean just stared back at his father.
“John, drop it. Dean...” Mary started to approach, but was cut off by John.
“Shh, No Mary, I’m asking Dean one more time. DO YOU OR DO YOU NOT WANT TO REPHRASE THAT SENTENCE.” John tone was louder and harsher.
“I don’t know JOHN….” Dean blurted out. “Do you want to tell me who the FUCK is ADAM.” Dean felt the anger and the tone he was using in his words.
Dean has never in his life spoke to his father like that. John Winchester was ex-military, served in Vietnam, he ran a tight ship when it came to discipline and respect.
“Dean, go to your room… John…” Mary grabbed John’s arm to step between him and Dean. Placing her hand on John was a bad idea. She placed one palm on John’s chest and her others toward Dean.
“Dean, once again go to room.” Mary said in a tone.
“But…”
“Dean, PLEASE.”
“No, who is Adam.”
“Dean.” Mary had tears forming in her eyes, and with a pleading tone in her voice.
“Listen to your mother Dean.” John slurred out, not break eye contact with Dean. Dean stood there in silence. He was thinking.
“Forget it, I’m done.” Dean tossed the letter he had in his hand toward his parents, and turned to exist back towards the stairs.
“That’s right walk away your little bitch.” John yelled out.
Mary pushed John back, “Seriously John…”
Dean stomped back into the dining room. “GO TO HELL.” He yelled out with tears in his eyes.
That caused John to lose it. He pushed Mary out of the way causing her to hit the her back against the picture on the wall, causing her and the picture to fall to the ground. John came toward aggressively towards Dean. John grabbed Dean by the collar of his shirt. Dean tried out of his grip.
“Getting off of me.”
“What Dean, all talk!”
“Getting off of...” Dean pulled back and his right fist came into contact with the side of Johns face. John let go off Dean, causing him to land of his feet and fall on his ass. John smirked with anger.
Dean looked up at John in pure shock at what he just did. Never in his life has he ever had this type altercation with his father. Before Dean could get back on his feet John, leaned down and grab Dean by the shirt and back handed him.
Dean kicked John back with his foot and turned to crawled to get away from John, at least to gain his balance. John grabbed Dean by his ankle causing to lose by and hitting his face on the floor.
John came up behind Dean and put him in a choke hold.
“Come on Dean, I thought you were tough. Adam isn’t a pansy like you.”
That right there, is what Dean needed. His wrestling instincts kicked in. He could his entire body against the weight of John, and was back to push back off the table he was near, causing John to fall back with Dean neck still wrapped in his arms.
Dean rolled off of his father onto the ground, coughing and grasping for air. He then stood over John and started whaling on him. Dean was getting some good hits in too. However, that was over when something smashed into the side of his head, causing him to fall over.
John stood to his feet and kicked Dean in the stomach, hard.
Kneeling down. “You think you’re so tough Dean?” slugging him in the face one more time.
Mary came back from being disoriented from being slammed into the wall. She saw John standing over Dean, and Dean on the floor, grasping for air. She pushed herself off up off the wall. Running toward John, she tried to push him back, which just caused John to react from his drunken adrenaline and slapped her to the floor.
John pulled Dean up by this collar, causing him to flare his legs, as he tried to get a grip on his dad’s fists. Dean was then slammed up against the wall, a few feet off the ground. Dean was scared, he had fear and pain in his eyes. John could see this. He feed off this.
“You know? I glad I have Adam as a son, he won’t disappoint me like you do every single day.”
Those words hurt Dean. John could see. John could cut you down with his harsh words, especially when those were drunken words. Just like that Dean fell to the ground, all he heard was a loud ringing in his ears.
John turned toward the loud sound, covering his ears. Mary was standing behind John, with a shot gun pointed up in the air. She lowered the gun and pumped it. This time pointing it directly at John.
“That is enough!!!! I want you out of my house right now.” Mary said in a very stern tone.
Smirking, “Mary, honey… “
Another shot rang past John’s head. The shots hit the wall directly above Dean, causing dry wall to fall on him. He laid there covering his head from the debris.
“I am not going to ask again John, I want you out.”
John looked back at Mary, and then down at Dean. He just huffed and stomped toward the front door. As he grabbed the keys off the hook for his truck, he stole the Impala keys.
Mary stood in her place, with the gun pointed toward the door. She stood silently as she heard John’s truck roar to life in the driveway and squeal out onto the road and sped off.
Once the noise of John’s truck disappeared into the night. Mary lost her strong mama bear demeanor. She unloaded the gun and tossed it toward chair on her left. She stood there looking over the damage. Tears started run down her face.
Mary looked down at Dean who was in tears on the floor, hold his stomach where John had kicked him. She rushed to his side and lowered herself.
“Dean, Honey...”
Dean swapped her arm away. “Get away from me.” He was angry, she could tell in the tone of his voice.
Dean started to pull himself up, painfully and slowly.
“Dean.”
He used his hand to signal her to stop.
“No, just stay away from me.”
Dean, leaned on the wall and turned his way out of the dining room, and rush back up the stairs, missing a step here and there. Mary rushed after him, stopping at the bottom of the stairs.
“DEAN.” The slamming of the door stopped her.
Cas laid there in silence. Silent tears falling from his face as he listens to Dean slowly recount tonight’s events. All he could do was to hold Dean tighter and kiss his forehead for reassurance that he was okay, that he was safe. No matter how much shit Dean says or does, no one deserved to go through that. No one.
“Hey Cas?”
“Yes, Dean”
“I’m now really cold.” He said with a raspy chuckle.
“I’d imagine so, Dean. How about we get you cleaned up.”
“I guess you’re right.”
Cas pushed himself off the bed, and reached out to help Dean up. Cas reach over and picked up a towel to dry Dean off. He helped him pull off his t-shirt slowly, so he would cause more pain to Dean’s already fragile rib cage.
Cas gently placed his palm on Dean’s face, and gently grazed this black eye with his thumb.
“This is going to need ice, Dean.”
“Don’t worry about it okay.”
“Dean.”
“Cas… Look, I … I’m just really tired.”
“Okay, Let’s get you dry and to bed then.”
Dean stood there thinking for a moment.
“Do you think I could just take a quick shower?”
“Are you okay to Dean?”
Dean chuckled. Leaned down and picked up his towel off the bed. Patted Cas on the shoulder has he made his way around to the door.
“I’m not the baby in a trench coat.”
“Oh, Ya. make jokes Dean. Just take it easy.”
Dean gave his 'Fuck you' smile as he made his way into the dark hallway leaving Cas alone with himself.
Cas took a deep breath. So much was racing through his mind. This was a lot for him to handle, but he knew he had to be strong at least for Dean’s sake. Cas looked around the room, and started to pick up the little mess they had made.
He went to pick up Dean’s duffel. It was soaked. Cas opened it up and started to take out the clothes and whatever else Dean threw in it. Cas threw the clothes in his hamper and went to pick up Dean’s Bon Jovi shirt. Now getting a better look at it, the collar was stretched and torn, there was dried blood on it, the side of the shirt was torn was well. Cas sat down on the bed and started to cry. The events of tonight were just starting to settle in his mind.
Dean silently walked in the room, he stood in the doorway.
“Cas, Cas hey…”
Dean walked over and leaned down in front of Cas, causing him to look up from sobbing.
Wiping his tears away. “Dean, I…”
Dean pulled Cas into a hug. “Shh… it’s okay, it’s okay. Everything will be okay Cas.”
“Oh ya, how are you so sure?”
“Well… Okay, because
“Because what?” Cas pulled away and looked up at Dean.
Dean could see just how much this weighed on Cas, how much empathy Cas can have toward Dean, and how much he will take on his shoulders for Dean.
“Because Cas, I have you that is how I know everything will be okay.”
Cas pulled Dean’s face closer and kissed him on the lips, causing Dean to flinch back from the split in his lips.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, It’s just a sting.”
“Still, Dean.”
“Cas, seriously man it’s okay. Now I don’t know about you? But I feel like death.”
“You can be pretty exhausting" Cas said with a smirk.
Dean and Cas stood up and moved to their own side of the bed. Cas turned the light off and snuggled in, he pulled Dean in and embrace.
“Gessh Cas, I should be injured more often, I could get use to this snuggling up against you thing.”
“Dean” Cas tried to say it with a seriously tone. Dean heard right threw it. Dean snuggled into Cas, pulling the blanket tighter.
“Dean, we don’t have to go to the farm tomorrow, I can tell my aunt I’m sick and we can hide in this room all weekend, if you want.”
“You know, Cas. If it wasn’t due to your obsession with bees, I’d say okay to that any other time, but come man? I’m not gonna be the one to mess this up for you. You have talked nonstop about this place, I’m good seriously.”
“But your eye Dean, and your hand.”
“Nothing a pair of shades and a bandage can’t cover.”
Cas sat there in silence. He was in shock of how selfless Dean can be, even though he was going to hell, Dean always managed to stay strong, he always kept fighting through whatever he was okay through.
Cas kissed Dean on the top of his head.
“I love you Dean.”
“I know Cas.”
The End