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Bobby Singer was there since the beginning.
He was there when Dean and Castiel became best friends; a six year old Dean chattering about the young boy with the funny name.
He was there when Dean came out to him as bisexual and that he deep down liked Castiel.
He was there when John kicked Dean out. He remembers Dean showing up at his doorstop with a black eye and a crying Sam at his side. How Dean mumbled that John didn’t take the news well and Castiels own family kicked him out too. He remembers the two boys lying in bed together, holding each other and trying to muffle their sobs. Bobby pretended not to hear them.
He was there when the boys went to college.
He was there when they graduated.
He was there when Sam and Jess got married, with Jess already having a bun in her oven.
He was there when gay marriage became legal in Kansas and Dean and Castiel quickly went to City Hall, with him and the others as witnesses.
He was there when they adopted their son; he will never admit as long as he is alive that he cried when they named their son after him.
He was there when Castiel was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer.
He was there when Dean came knocking at his door at midnight and then stumbled in white as a sheet.
“Dean, what’s the matter?”
“Cas…oh god, Bobby…its Cas.” Dean mumbled. Now Bobby was scared himself.
Dean just kept mumbling, so Bobby finally sat him down and poured a shot of whisky for each. Dean drank it with gusto and spilled everything.
How Castiel has been sick lately.
How they went to a doctor and he said that Castiel had terminal lung cancer and at most, has a year to live. How Castiel refuses to have chemotherapy, saying it will only delay the inevitable.
“Bobby, what am I supposed to do? How am I gonna live without him?”
Bobby didn’t know how to answer that, but all he did was hugged him.
They next few months were brutal with appointments, tears and family. Bobby cried openly with they all said goodbye to Castiel. He remembers the drive back with Ellen, a somber silence between them.
“It isn’t right, Ellen.” He said, “It ain’t right.”
“It sure isn’t.” She said with a nod.
“I love Castiel as my own. He is like a son to me.” Bobby said, “He wasn’t supposed to go first, I was. Not one of my boys was supposed to go first.”
That was when Ellen pulled the car over and they hugged each other tightly.
He was there at the funeral, everyone somber and too grieved to even cry.
He was there when John Winchester wanted to come back into his son’s lives. Bobby was tempted to stand guard on the boy porches with his shotgun ready. But Dean calmed him and John promised to behave, so far he has.
Bobby was there when Dean wanted to talk him after a year Castiel died. They were on the porch, drinking a beer.
“Hey, Bobby.” Dean said, “How do you do it?”
“Do what, boy?”
“How did you move on from Karen? How did you later move on to Ellen?”
Bobby stopped drinking and stared at Dean.
“Where is this coming from?”
“Jess thinks maybe I should start dating again.”
“Do you want to?”
“I…don’t know. Maybe yes. Maybe no.” Dean shrugged, “I still feel…feel like I’m betraying Cas.”
Bobby nodded, understanding now.
“Look, Dean you date when you are ready. I didn’t meet Ellen until years after Karen’s death. Ellen is not Karen, but she would always hold a special part of me. Moving on is not betraying their memory.”
Dean nodded, looking deep in thought. Bobby hoped he gave sound advice.
But he will be there for Dean.