It's In Your Eyes

We're All Hiding Something

Castiel's POV -

I kick a stone along and it bounces along the muddy, weed-strewn ground, hitting a tree root and leaping up. I can feel Dean's eyes on me, watching me for a greater reason than just following me. But I ignore it and keep quiet, thinking back to that third day, how Charlie and I started to understand a little more about one another...

"She comes out here to feel in control, Dean. She needs to feel that control, so don't take it from her." We're almost at the clearing and I can hear the water already. He needs to understand he can't be overpowering. She confided in me. And she's struggling.

"Okay." He nods slowly. I stop dead in front of the clearing and turn to face him, looking him in the eyes and my heart stills under the weight in them... The fear, the need to be the one in control. But he can't be here. It's not his turn.

"No matter what."

Charlie's POV -

"Charlie?" A little voice, beside me.

I sniff and wipe my face hurriedly, desperately trying to hide some of the emotions that were spilling over. I recognise the voice to be Cas's, but when I turn I see Dean hovering at his shoulder.

"Dean?" He smiles carefully and I can't help but feel an overwhelming boom of comfort from them just being here. He nods, coming up behind me and wrapping me tightly in his arms, burying his face against my neck. I hang my hands off them, and silently we comfort each other. It takes me a second to register the warm tears leaking against my skin.

I know better than to say anything about them or move and risk exposing them, so I stay frozen till he steps away.

"You called by mistake... All I heard was... You were just-" he huffs a sigh. "I was just very worried. But Cas knew where to come."

"Thank you for coming..." I nod to him, and he nods back. We share this knowing gesture, a knowing look and a single, strong thought, so we both smile weakly and he looks down at his feet.

I realise all three of us are sitting here, struggling with something or other, completely lost on what to do. I bite back a sob and swallow hard, some time passing before I think my legs are strong enough to stand.

They're still wobbly, but they don't snap, they only just don't buckle. I hold onto Dean, feeling like we should head back now before it's dark and we're out past curfew, but I know, from how he's looking at me, he's searching for a reason for my tears.

"I'm having trouble finding a reason... I'm having trouble, with something difficult to explain..." I glance over to Cas, his knowing eyes reminding me of our conversation a few nights ago, when he found me here in a not too dissimilar state. I tug them away from the pool, holding onto both their hands, Cas's hoodie sleeves over his like mittens.

"You don't have to explain..." Dean starts and that's all he needs to say. He's there and he doesn't even need to know why. Godamn him. I break down, crouching against him and crying into his shoulder. Huge, gulping sobs that have me hiccuping around all the air I'm taking in. He just holds onto me so I don't fall and guides me on.

"Why are you such a good person, you dick!" I hit him on the arm and he laughs a mite.

"Why have you got to be such a sap?" And he tilts my head back, wiping under my eyes with the cuff of his shirt. "Ey? You silly girl. I'm always here. And I'm only good, as you say, because I learnt from the best." Pushes my hair back and kisses my forehead, humming something rocky against me.

"You're right. I suppose that is somewhat soothing..." I can feel him smirk when I say that, he pulls Castiel awkwardly into our mobile embrace, and we're okay, and dry eyed. Or at least a little dryer eyed as we walk up to the school doors, ignoring the impatient looking caretaker who watches the three of his stumble you the path, tangled and crazy-looking.

Inside we head towards the hall, it's reasonably quiet and we take some seats in one corner. Hot chocolate, and other hot beverages, are served here at this time, and I could do with one right about now.

"I'll get the drinks." Cas walks away, leaving Dean to just watch him, his pupils pulling in and out, eyes wide and face stitched up into something unreadable.

"You okay, Dean?" He jumps and looks at me.

"Yeah... Yeah, of course. What would be wrong?" He laughs, forced and, at any other time, a comically pathetic attempt to act okay and nonchalant. But not now.

"Okay... You sure?"

"Yeah, Charlie. Are you okay?" He doesn't look me in the eye and I give in, respect his wish for privacy.

"Oh. Yeah I'm okay. Honestly. Just a hard day full of stuff. And I just felt it all. I'll be fine." I some how stutter the whole thing out coherently, squeezing his hand affectionately.

"Charlie..."

He looks at me now, his eyebrows knitted together, and then I follow his gaze past me to Cas, starting to pour out the drinks. 'A safe distance away, if I whisper and talk fast...' I see him think. It's written all over his face as he thinks through this. "What is it?"

"What happened to Cas's hand before?"