3:00 a.m. June 15th
"C'mon guys!" Dean called from the back of the Impala. "We gotta get going if we're gonna stay on schedule!"
"Screw the schedule! This is a spontaneous trip!" Charlie countered.
"A spontaneous trip with a very structured driving timeline." Cas insisted.
It was the summer after high school graduation, and Charlie, Dean, and Cas, a trio of best friends (well, it was more like a pair of boyfriends and their own personal fangirl) had decided to take an epic road trip all the way from Lawrence, Kansas to San Diego, California, where they would end the trip by going to Comic-con.
And since Dean and Cas were such nice older brothers, their younger siblings Sam and Gabriel were coming along for the trip. Partially because Chuck Novak didn't give a shit what his kids did, and partially because John Winchester trusted Dean enough to not get his little brother killed on a cross-country road trip.
It was currently three in the morning, and the five teens had met up at Dean's house in order to argue about how to place everyone's luggage in the car, who sat where in Dean's precious Impala, who was driving, what route they would take, and most importantly, when they would next be stopping to use the bathroom.
Cas, being the most responsible and organized of the group, had mapped out the whole route and programmed it into the GPS, and he had timing down to the minute they would reach each of their daily destinations, having calculated for weather, traffic, and bathroom/snack breaks as well.
It wasn't a big surprise to anyone that Cas was going to Harvard. And while Dean was a little worried that Cas would find some rich, super smart kid at the Ivy League school and completely ditch the small town, dirt poor, future mechanic Dean, he refused to let that bother him on this trip.
"It's too early for this shit," Gabriel whined.
"Language!" Charlie yelled out.
"He swears more when he's tired." Cas explained.
"That makes sense," Dean agreed. "Gabe, how about you go climb in the backseat and pass out with Sam?" The little moose was fast asleep in the backseat as they spoke. Gabriel's eyes lit up at the idea of snoozing next to Sam, and he ran to the backseat of the car.
"AAAAAaaaand THERE!" Charlie declared, slamming the trunk of the Impala shut. "Luggage is packed!"
"We need anything else?" Dean asked.
"Do we have everyone's stuff?" Cas asked.
"Yes."
"Gas?"
"Full tank."
"Phone chargers?"
"Yep."
"Phones?"
"Duh."
"Comic-con tickets?"
"NO SHIT SHERLOCK, THAT'D BE LIKE LOSING A GOLDEN TICKET TO CHARLIE'S CHOCOLATE FACTORY!" Charlie called out.
"But do you have a chocolate factory?" Dean questioned.
"Yes." Charlie insisted. "You're just not allowed there."
"Dammit.... I think we've got everything."
"Hotel reservations?" Cas probed.
"You were in charge of those."
"Then we obviously have them- music?"
"Twenty seven cassettes of sweet classic rock."
"Oh dear Dad, it's gonna be a long drive." Dean smacked him on the arm and Cas laughed.
"I think we've got everything, Cas." Dean insisted. "Let's get this show on the road!"
"We should totally write 'Comic-Con or bust' on the side of the car!" Charlie suggested.
"Charles, you harm one inch on my baby and I'll scalp you and make you a warning sign for others who even think about messing with my car." Charlie slowly backed away and climbed into the backseat.
"What would you do if somebody messed with me?" Cas asked curiously, seeing how protective Dean was with his car. Dean smiled and pulled Cas close to him.
"Angel," He began sweetly. "If anyone dared to mess with you, I would viciously torture them for several years before dismembering them and leaving them in a rotten ditch in which they could rot and die for the rest of eternity." Cas grinned.
"Awwww," he offered, giving Dean a quick kiss before they got in the car and started their drive.
******
5:00 a.m. June 15th
Dean was humming along to the Blue Oyster Cult as they drove through Kansas. Cas had fallen sleep, and his head was slowly sliding off the seat and onto Dean's shoulder.
Not that Dean minded that at all, of course.
Sam was pressed against the window of the backseat, sound asleep and drooling slightly. Gabriel was curled up next to him, his head resting on the moose's lap. Charlie had her head tilted back and she was snoring lightly, all of them out cold.
Dean fought the urge to laugh at them, and smiled instead. It was fun to take a road trip with friends.
Or at least while they were asleep.
*****
9:50 a.m. June 15th
It was about time somebody woke up, Dean thought. Everyone else in the car was still fast asleep, and frankly, Dean was bored. He needed entertainment, and no matter how much he gently nudged Cas, his boyfriend stubbornly wouldn't wake up.
Dean assumed it was because he really wasn't trying that hard to wake Cas up- he didn't want to disturb his little angel. But since he had to do that to wake p the rest of the car.....
Smirking, Dean switched the cassette on the radio, cranked the volume of the speakers, and pressed play.
Van Halen's Eruption exploded through the car, and Cas, Charlie, Sam, and Gabriel jolted awake.
"GAY PORN!" Charlie screamed, jumping awake.
"FUCKING MARIO KART!" Gabriel yelped, launching up.
"SEXY BRITISH SATAN!" Cas screeched.
"Morning," Sam said calmly, rubbing his eyes. Dean burst out laughing.
"Oooooh, you bitch," Charlie scowled at him.
"That was awesome!" Dean cackled. "I should've recorded that!"
"What- Charlie waking up screaming Gay porn?" Gabriel asked.
"Cas, since when is Satan British?" Sam questioned. Cas looked confused.
"Should I be jealous?" Dean asked.
"I have no idea what I said." Cas admitted. "Gabe- why did you say fucking Mario Kart?"
"....Reasons..." Gabe said ominously. "So! What's for breakfast?"
"There's a Cracker Barrel at the next exit," Dean offered. "That'll work." They all fell silent.
"Dean?" Charlie asked as they got off the exit.
"Yeah?"
"The fuck is a Cracker Barrel?"
*****
10:30 a.m. June 15th
Plates of warm breakfast foods were set in front of the teens, and they dug into their food hungrily.
"Look at these!" Cas commented, holding up a tiny glass bottle. Syrup at Cracker Barrel came in tiny glass bottles, and the people there honestly didn't care if you stole them. "They're so cute!"
"Anything else I can get you?" The waitress asked.
"Yeah, more syrup." Gabriel insisted. With Sam's pancakes, Gabriel's waffles, and Charlie's french toast, they had eight tiny bottles of syrup already. They stared at Gabriel, who shrugged. "I like syrup."
So the waitress brought them more, and the group dug into their food.
Except for Gabriel, who decided his breakfast needed a sugary touch.
Sam paused in eating and watched as Gabe hummed slightly and took a packet of Skittles out of his pocket and carefully placed the candy on his waffles. Then he poured syrup over the concoction, and finally emptied a Pixy Stick full of sugar over the plate.
"How you don't have diabetes," Cas began.
"I'm immune to diabetes." Gabriel declared, taking a big bite of his food.
"Just looking at this is giving me diabetes." Sam commented.
"Hey moose," Charlie began. "For safety's sake, I don't think you should kiss Gabe anytime soon. You could get secondhand diabetes through all the sugar that's in his mouth."
"What about Sam kissing Gabriel?" Dean questioned, his eyebrows raised.
"Eat your food," Cas instructed. Dean narrowed his eyes, but continued eating.
After finishing their food and stuffing their pockets full of syrup bottles, the group headed back to the car.
"Shotgun!" Gabriel yelled out.
"NO," Dean rejected.
"Shotgun?" Sam asked. Dean hesitated and glanced over at Cas, who shrugged.
"I'll sit in the back," He agreed, climbing in the backseat with Gabe and Charlie. Sam grinned and dove for the passenger seat.
And they were on the road again.
******
2:45 p.m. June 15th
"Deano," Gabriel began, leaning forward into the front seat. "We get that you love classic rock. But that doesn't mean we all want to listen to it for the next twenty four hours."
"Too bad," Dean declared. "Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole."
"But I'm not shotgun- you forbade it."
"Snooze you lose." Gabriel scowled and turned to the moose.
"Sammich, would you please change the music?" He asked. Sam looked terrified at the thought.
"No thanks- I value my life." Sam retorted.
"Good choice." Dean agreed. Cas rolled his eyes, shoved his brother aside and leaned forward, his head resting near Dean's ear.
"Dean," He said sweetly, whispering into his boyfriend's ear. "Surely you have a cassette that isn't completely classic rock that you could put on."
"You're a cute little angel, Cas, but no."
"I'll make it worth your while," Cas sang softly.
"How?"
"You'll see,"
"Too vague. No deal."
"Just change the music!" Gabriel cried out. "This song sucks!"
"It does not suck!" Dean shot back.
"If you change the music, I know something else that can suck," Cas whispered to Dean, whose eyes widened.
Sam glanced at his brother, frowning at the speechless expression on his face as Cas sat back in his seat, triumphant.
"Cas, what the hell did you say to him?" He asked.
"Nothing," Cas smirked.
"Whatever it was, I approve," Charlie declared.
"Sammy," Dean started, his eyes not moving from the road. "There's a cassette labeled 'Road Trip' in there somewhere. Could you please put that on?"
"Sure," Gabriel whipped towards his brother.
"Cassie, whatever the hell you said, please remember it so we can use it to bend Dean to our will later."
"Oh, I'll remember," Cas agreed. "Although I don't think Dean will bend much." Dean's face went red, and Sam put the new cassette on.
"ANYWAYS!" Dean proclaimed. "This is full of songs that I think you'll all enjoy, and if you don't know them, then I may have to throw you out of the car."
"Because what's a road trip without light threatening?" Charlie asked. But as the music started and the song was recognized, the off key singing began too.
****
3:00 p.m. June 15th
"MAMAAAAAA, OOOOOOOOOOOO," They all screeched out. "DIDN'T MEAN TO MAKE YOU CRRRRYYYYY, IF I'M NOT BACK AGAIN THIS TIME TOMORROW!"
*****
8:00 p.m. June 15th
The Impala rolled to a stop outside a small hotel in Denver, Colorado. Cas hopped out to check them into the hotel, seeing as he was the most responsible.
While they waited, Charlie, Gabriel, and Sam poked and prodded at each other in the backseat, and Dean leaned on the steering wheel, generally exhausted. But then Cas climbed back into the passenger side and Dean turned to look at him.
"All set?" He asked.
"Yeah," Cas offered. "But I swore I booked two rooms- the registration says we have a suite."
"Cas- does it have beds?"
"Yes."
"Does it have a working bathroom?"
"Yes."
"Then it's perfect. Let's go."
They grabbed their bags from the trunk and headed up to the room. The five teens stopped as they walked in.
The room had two queen sized beds, and a couch. A decent suite, but....
There were five of them. And three sleeping options.
"The couch pulls out," Cas offered.
"Dibs!" Charlie called, plunking her bag down on the couch.
Dean half consciously trudged across the room, dropped his duffel bag, and faceplanted on one of the beds with a groan. Cas turned to Sam and Gabe.
"Would you rather share a bed with your brother or each other?" He asked. They exchanged a glance.
"We can share with each other," Gabriel offered, acting casual.
"Okay," Cas set his bed down, and Sam and Gabriel bolted to the other Queen, climbing up on it and jumping on the bed.
"Hey!" Cas scolded them. The stopped jumping. "Shoes." The boys tossed their shoes off, and went back to jumping.
Cas took off Dean's shoes, knowing his boyfriend was already half asleep on the bed.
"Tired?" He asked, sitting down on the other side of the bed. Dean grunted in response and flopped one of his arms around Cas, tugging him closer.
"Dude! This place has a pool!" Charlie called out. Sam and Gabriel paused mid pillow fight.
"Can we go swimming, Cassie?" Gabriel pleaded.
"Sure," Cas offered. "Don't drown. Take a room key."
"YES!" The boys scrambled for their swim suits.
"Aren't you coming too, Cas?" Charlie questioned. Cas glanced at Dean, sleeping and half wrapped around him already.
"I'm good here," Cas smiled. "I've got a book to read anyways." Charlie shrugged and went to the pool with Sam and Gabriel.
Cas grabbed his book, and snuggled down on the bed, wrapping an arm around Dean as he started to read.
The others didn't return until eleven, which is apparently when the pool closed. Sam passed out on the bed, curled up in a ball in the corner. Gabriel was sprawled out on the bed in the opposite direction, his head dangling off the end of the bed as he snored. Charlie fell asleep watching Games of Thrones, and Cas swore he heard her mumble 'stab them, Dorothy, stab them' in her sleep.
Cas just kept reading. His book was good, Dean was snuggled in beside him like a blanket, and everyone else was asleep. It was perfect for reading.
*****
2:37 a.m. June 16th
Gabriel woke up, sitting up and blinking as all the blood rushed out of his head. He blinked sleepily at Cas, who was still intently reading, his arm closely wrapped around Dean as he stared at the pages.
"Cassie?" Gabe started, his voice hoarse and sleepy. Cas glanced up.
"Hey," He offered.
"Why're you awake?"
"I was reading."
"It's like 2 something in the morning- you should go to sleep." Cas thought for a moment.
"Yeah, you're probably right." He agreed, bookmarking his page and setting the book down. Gabriel crawled over to the other side of the bed, noting the small ball of moose that was tucked in the corner of the bed. Gabriel got up on his knees, facing the sleeping Sam.
"G'night, Cassie." He offered.
"Good night Gabriel." Gabe spread out his arms and belly-flopped onto the bed, landing half on Sam, and half on the bed itself. Sam grunted in his sleep, but didn't wake up.
Cas burrowed further into the bed, curling into Dean like a cat seeking warmth. Dean's arms wrapped around him in response, and he fell asleep.
*****
10:00 a.m. June 16th
Charlie snickered and tried not to fangirl as she snapped pictures of her sleeping friends. It was just too cute!
Cas, ever the little spoon, was curled up with his head resting on Dean's chest. Dean, in return, had his arms protectively wrapped around the teenager.
Sam had sprawled out, half dangling off the bed. Gabriel had one arm carelessly flopped over the moose, and he was spread out, taking up as much space on the bed as he possibly could for such a small person.
Charlie squeaked at the fluffiness of it. Oh, how she loved her ships.
Dean opened his eyes, frowning at the funny smile on Charlie's face as she stood before the beds.
"Hey," He whispered, not wanting to disturb Cas.
"Hi!" She squeaked.
"What's up?"
"My ships are sleeping fluffy!" She insisted. "It's like an OTP writing prompt that makes you melt inside."
"You're so weird."
"Can't spell weird without red," She pointed to her hair. "Now, I'll leave you to coax your boyfriend out of bed because the complimentary breakfast ends in an hour."
"Breakfast?"
*****
11:45 a.m. June 16th
"You're sure you're okay to drive?" Cas questioned. Dean nodded. Sure, it was a little hard sometimes driving such long hours, but he didn't mind.
"Okaaay," Cas offered. "But if you ever get tired of it, I'll drive."
"Noted," Dean insisted.
"I'll drive!" Charlie declared.
"Hell no," Dean didn't trust Charlie in the passenger seat, let alone behind the wheel of his baby.
"I can drive," Sam offered.
"That's not legal, Sammy."
"But-"
"I don't want to get arrested in Nevada- no driving."
"Fine," Sam huffed, shoving Gabe and climbing into the backseat.
*****
3:30 p.m. June 16th
"What do you guys wanna do?" Charlie asked. They had been in the car for hours, and frankly, the teens were a little bored.
"We could play I Spy," Cas offered.
"I sppppyyyyyyy something green." Gabriel said boredly.
"Is it a tree?" Sam guessed.
"Ding ding, we have a winner."
"I spy something.....brown."
"Tree?"
"Yup."
"I spy-"
"Tree."
"Dang."
"Look what you've started," Charlie hissed.
*****
4:15 p.m. June 16th
"Tree."
"Yep."
"I spy something with needles."
"Tree. I spy something with branches."
"Tree. I spy something with sap."
"I spy something with bark."
"I spy something with leaves."
"I spy something with roots."
"I spy something tall."
"I spy something green."
"I spy something forest green."
"I spy something lime green-"
"Oh my god, they've started Fifty Shades of Green." Charlie complained.
"I spy something bronze."
"I spy something burgundy."
"I spy something raw umber."
"Son of a bitch," Dean started singing, trying to drown them out. "Gimme a drink, one more night, just can't be beat!"
"I spy something beaver colored."
"I spy something sepia."
"Son of a bitch, if I can't get clean, I'm gonna drink my life away!"
"Everybody just shut up!!!!" Charlie yelled. They ignored her.
"I SPY SOMETHING-" Gabriel started. Cas whipped around and glared at them.
"I SPY A BLUNT OBJECT I'M GONNA SHOVE UP YOUR ASS IF YOU DON'T STOP SAYING I SPY!!!!" Gabriel and Sam shut up instantly, staring at Cas with wide eyes and fearful expressions. Cas never yelled.
Cas spun back around and sat down with a huff. Dean gaped at him with a stupid grin on his face.
"What?" Cas snapped at him.
"That was awesome."
"Shut up, assbutt."
"Love you too, asshole."
"Love you more asshat."
"I love your ass."
"Dear Dad, kill me now," Gabriel declared, covering his ears in disgust. Sam wrinkled his nose and went looking for a book.
*****
7:30 p.m. June 16th
The group had stopped at a rest stop, and Dean was reluctantly surrendering the driver's seat to Cas.
"Don't scratch her," He warned.
"I won't." Cas promised.
"And don't-"
"Dean, I swear your car will be in the same pristine perfect condition six hours from now."
"Six hours? Hell no- I'm taking a cat nap, and we're switching back."
"Uh huh." Cas snagged the keys and the climbed back in the car. Dean looked wary, watching Cas start the car.
"Don't worry, Deano." Gabriel insisted. "Cassie's only totaled one car before."
"You've totaled a car before?" Dean questioned, looking worried.
"Once," Cas admitted. "I was like fifteen and I smashed it into a tree."
"Oh my god."
"I was fine- the car was just wrecked." Dean looked horrified, and Sam wasn't sure what he was more afraid of- the prospect of Cas being in a car crash, or the thought of the Impala getting wrapped around a tree."
"Speaking of trees," Gabriel began.
"NO!" They all shouted.
*****
9:45 p.m. June 16th
"Hey guys, guess what?" Cas announced. It was late, and Charlie, Sam, and Gabriel were sleeping in the backseat. Dean was zoning in and out of sleep, trying his best to stay awake so that Cas would have some company, but to little avail.
"What?" Dean asked sleepily.
"We are officially in Las Vegas." Dean shot up, fully awake.
"VEGAS!" He shouted, causing Charlie, Gabe, and Sam to jump awake.
"What?" Charlie asked.
"We're in Las Vegas." Cas explained. They lunged for the windows.
"Woooooah," Gabe whispered, his face pressed again the glass.
"Can we go to a casino?" Sam questioned.
"Tomorrow," Dean promised.
"Dean, I don't think it's legal for-"
"Screw legal, this is VEGAS."
******
1:00 p.m. June 17th
The group had decided to save Vegas for later that night, and had taken a drive out to visit the Grand Canyon.
"This is amazing," Sam declared, staring at the canyon.
"Yep." Gabriel agreed, eating a Twizzler. He had a belt of about fifty Twizzlers wrapped around his waist, and he was slowly eating through all the candy. "Hey Sammoose, wanna Twizzler?" Sam glanced at the belt.
"Sure?" He guessed. Gabriel smirked.
"Then you gotta come eat one off the belt." He winked.
"In that case, sorry, not hungry."
"Aww, you're no fun."
"This is pretty cool," Dean admitted.
"Did you know it's still debated how old the Canyon is?" Cas insisted. "The Colorado river has been carving through it for six million years, but some suspect that the Canyon itself may be seventy million years old." Dean blinked.
"And you know that how?" Cas shrugged.
"I dunno. I just do." Dean shook his head.
"See this is why you're going to Harvard."
"True." He agreed, nudging Dean. "You'll be okay though while I'm gone, right?"
"Sure," Dean forced a smile. "Just as long as you don't find some rich, smart lawyer that can take you to Paris at the drop of hat." Cas grinned.
"Oh, I'm sure there'll be plenty of those."
"Yeah...." Cas's smile faded as he noted the worried look on Dean's face.
"Hey," He started, getting Dean to look at him. "You know I'm not gonna leave you for some Harvard guy, right?"
"Well, how do you know? You say that now, but when some hot rich guy is asking you out, you might change your mind." Cas fought back a laugh.
"No I won't." He declared. "I don't want some preppy rich Harvard guy anyway."
"Why not?" Cas smiled.
"Aw, those Harvard guys are so preppy and boring. They have political debates for fun. I don't want to be stuck with somebody like that."
"Not even if they're super hot and a millionaire that could take you anywhere and let you do anything?"
"Dean, I don't care if they're the next Bill Gates- I'd rather have someone who would barge into my room, hand me a water pistol, and then have a giant water fight with me. I want someone who can make me laugh and isn't afraid to off key belt out the lyrics to their favorite song. I want someone who makes life fun, Dean. I want you." Cas smiled. "And I wouldn't trade you for a million rich Harvard graduates." Dean grinned.
"Thanks, Cas."
"Love you."
"Love you too." Cas leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. Dean smirked and turned, pulling Cas in for a proper kiss.
Boredly, because Charlie forced him too, Gabriel was snapping pictures of the couple.
"Why can't you take the pictures?" He questioned, glancing over, and seeing the answer to his own question. The second Dean and Cas had kissed, Charlie had clasped a hand over her heart and squeaked.
"Hold me, Samantha," She called out, falling back and making Sam rush to catch her.
*****
1:30 p.m. June 17th
There was a glass walkway at the Grand Canyon called the Skywalk. It was just a horseshoe shaped walkway that went out over the Canyon, but Charlie forced them all to go on it.
Which was something Dean definitely did NOT want to do.
Cas wasn't too keen on it either.
But next thing they knew, both of them were stepped onto it.
"This is SO COOL!!" Gabriel declared. "Sam- look! You can see all the way to the ground!"
"Awesome," The boys stared at the floor below them. "It's like we're floating!"
"Dean, come on," Charlie insisted. "Let go of the guardrail, you're fine."
"NO." Dean snapped back, clutching the guardrail for dear life, as if the glass was going to shatter out from under him. Cas was fine until he made the mistake of looking down, and then he yelped and clung to Dean like a small child.
"I wanna get off." Cas squeaked.
"Me too." Dean agreed, on the verge of a panic attack. He hated heights. Cas shook his head.
"I don't wanna fall. Not again." He cried out.
"Then just walk to the exit," Charlie rolled her eyes. The boys looked even more terrified at the prospect of moving.
"Deaaaaaan," Sam called out. "There is a freshly baked cherry pie waited for you just off the walkway."
"Pie?" Dean questioned, glancing over at his brother.
"A whole pie. Just for you."
"Promise?"
"Sure. But you gotta walk over to get it." Dean looked hesitant, but then he stepped forward, still clinging to the handle on the side.
"Don't leave me!" Cas shrieked, following him until they made it off the glass and onto solid ground. Once safe again, they took off, screaming.
Sam, Gabe, and Charlie just rolled their eyes.
*****
2:00 p.m. June 17th
Not all parts of the canyon were covered by a railing. Sometimes there was just rock, followed by a sharp drop down to the bottom of the canyon.
It was on these unguarded rocks that Sam and Gabriel thought it would be a good idea to play.
Cas and Dean did not approve of that, naturally.
"Sammy!" Dean yelled at his brother. "Get away from the cliff- I don't want you to fall to your death."
"I'm not gonna fall." Sam insisted.
"Yes you are," Gabriel smirked. "You're gonna fall in love- with ME."
"Am not!" Sam wrinkled his nose.
"Are too! It's already happening."
"You're weird."
"You love me."
"Well....you love me!"
"That I do, moosie."
"Shut up."
"Make me." Gabriel was smirking deviously, but all Sam did was shove him. Not hard enough for him to fall back, but enough to irritate the smaller boy, who narrowed his eyes. "Oh, it's on."
It is never a good idea to have a wrestling match on the top of a cliff. NEVER.
"Guys, stop it!" Cas called out. "Somebody's gonna get hurt!"
"The only thing getting hurt is the moose's hair!" Gabriel yelled back. Sam shoved Gabe away, and he stumbled back, his shoe catching on a rock.
And then Gabriel fell off the side of the cliff.
No one was sure who screamed louder- Sam or Cas. The four of them bolted for the side of the cliff in horror.
"GABRIEL!!!!" Sam screamed in terror, running for the very edge of the cliff. Dean grabbed his brother, half certain Sam would pitch himself off the cliff after Gabe.
"GABE!!" Cas yelled out. They leaned over the side of the cliff, expecting to see a Gabe sized dot way down at the bottom of the canyon. But instead, they got a smirking face staring up at them.
"Well, don't I feel loved." Gabe commented. He was stuck on a small branch that was poking out of the side of the Canyon, held on, by all things, his Twizzler belt.
Cas put a hand over his heart and sighed with relief. Sam still looked horrified, and Dean glanced between them all, not knowing who to comfort first.
"Charlie, get a park ranger!" Dean declared, and the redhead took off looking for someone who could help.
"Forget the Skywalk," Gabriel commented. "This is how it really feels to be over the canyon." Sam squeaked in pure fear.
*****
2:45 p.m. June 17th
The group was safely back in the Impala. A couple park rangers had helped Gabriel up and gotten him safely back on solid ground. Cas and Sam had hugged him so tightly, Gabe swore they'd kill him.
Sam hadn't let go of the boy since, and he was still clinging to Gabe protectively in the back of the Impala. The car was quiet now, everyone still processing Gabriel's near death experience.
"So," Charlie said awkwardly. "Anybody else think we should send a thank you note to the Twizzlers company?" A moment passed, and then Cas burst out laughing.
He was shortly followed by Dean, Charlie, Gabriel, and finally Sam.
There was just something funny about it. All those rules and safety precautions, all these things that were supposed to keep you alive, and yet it was a belt of cherry licorice that had saved Gabe from falling to his death.
"I say we've earned a night out in Vegas," Gabriel declared. "Drinks are on Cas!"
"YOLO, right?" Charlie asked. Sam, Cas, and Dean glanced at her, confused.
"What's YOLO?" Dean questioned.
*****
7:00 p.m. June 17th
The gang was glad they had gotten separate hotel rooms for Vegas.
Well, they weren't really separate. It was just two adjoined rooms with two queens each in them. Sam and Gabriel got one room, and Cas, Dean, and Charlie split the other.
There was technically an extra bed, since Sam and Gabriel were sharing one. But Dean didn't quite know the extent of the sixteen years-olds relationship.
But regardless of their sleeping situation, all five of them got a little dressed up and went out for a night on the town in Vegas.
Sam, Gabriel, and Charlie went to go see a magic show while Dean and Cas broke into a casino.
"Hit me," Dean declared at the blackjack table. Cas had no idea how Dean had managed to gamble at the place, but then again, Cas also had an alcoholic drink in his hand, and neither of those things were quite legal.
But hey, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right?
"Hey Dean, wanna drink?" Cas asked.
"Sure," Dean replied, not looking up from the blackjack.
"What do you want?"
"Hit me,"
"Twenty one," The worker declared, and Dean let out a cry of triumph and looked at Cas with a smirk.
"One bourbon," he sang. "One scotch, and one beer."
"Are you really gonna George Thorogood me?" Cas questioned, sipping his daiquiri.
"Well, I ain't seen my baby since I don't know when. I've been drinking bourbon, whiskey, scotch and gin. Gonna get high man I'm gonna get loose. Need me a triple shot of that juice."
"You got it." Cas winked. He headed back to the bar and Dean spun back to the table.
"Hit me," He declared.
******
9:10 p.m. June 17th
"Oh my dad, Sam! Look! PIXY STICKS!!!!" Gabriel cried out. Sure enough, there was some vendor selling the straw filled sugar and other candy from the looks of it.
"Uhhhh, Gabe?" Sam offered. "I don't think those are Pixy Sticks-"
"Sure they are! They're in a straw!" Gabriel was already running for the vendor.
"Gabe wait!" Charlie watched them run off and then pulled out her phone.
Symptoms of cocaine overdose, she googled, figuring she might need that information later.
Especially as Gabriel downed what he thought was a Pixy Stick, and then convinced Sam to take the other one.
*****
1:00 a.m. June 18th
Charlie had found a cocktail waitress her age, and the two had spent three hours gabbing about which was better- Star Trek or Star Wars.
The two were currently making out in the back corner of some bar.
Cas and Dean were a little drunk, but they had cashed in Dean's blackjack winnings before the casino found out they were too young to be in there, and they were currently fumbling with the key to their hotel room, giggling like maniacs.
Sam and Gabriel were high as kites, and had somehow gotten on a Ferris wheel that they didn't know how to get off of.
******
8:00 a.m. June 18th
"Rise and shine party people!" An entirely too cheerful Charlie announced as she stormed into the hotel room. Dean and Cas groaned in response.
"What's got your panties in a wad?" She questioned, walking over. She stopped at the sight of rumpled hotel sheets and a few discarded garments on the floor. "Ooooooh, you two totally had a drunk hook up, didn't you?"
"Who said we were drunk?" Cas asked, propping his head up on his hands with a silly little smile.
"Cas is still drunk," Dean offered, burying his head under his pillow.
"I am NOT DRUNK!"
"You screamed Twinkle Twinkle Little Star at the top of your lungs."
"And I seem to recall you laughed and went back to seeing how many different places on my neck you could kiss."
"Shut up, Cas."
"Make me, Assbutt."
"I did."
"Well do it again, it was nice."
"Ew." Charlie offered. "I mean, I totally approve, but ew."
"And where were YOU last night?" Dean demanded, glancing over at Charlie, who went red in the face.
"Nowhere." She replied sheepily.
"Uh huh." Cas insisted. "And what's Nowhere's name?"
"Sandy."
"She sounds nice."
"She was hot."
"Well no duh- her name is Sandy." Dean offered. He paused suddenly. "Hey, where are Sam and Gabriel?
They all stopped, thinking of the last time they had seen the pair.
".....SHIT." Charlie swore before bolting out of the room.
"That doesn't sound good," Worry crept into Dean's voice.
"Dean, my brother survived the Grand Canyon with a belt of Twizzlers. I'm sure they're fine."
*****
8:30 a.m. June 18th
A bell jangled over the entrance of the Las Vegas Candy Store as its owner walked in, ready to start the day.
"What the hell-" He started. Candy littered the floor, and there were two half dressed teenagers passed out on the floor. One of the boys sat up lazily and blinked at the owner.
"Hey," He said hoarsely. "You got any Pixy Sticks?"
*****
2:00 p.m. June 18th
After relocating Sam and Gabriel and carefully avoiding an encounter with the Las Vegas Police Department, the gang was back on the road, heading for their final destination- San Diego.
"What did you learn?" Dean asked.
"Don't buy Pixy Sticks from strange vendors." Gabriel declared.
"Don't trust Gabriel when it comes to candy," Sam went on.
"Don't drink six daiquiris in one night," Cas continued, rubbing his head.
"Always hook up with Sandy." Charlie proclaimed.
"And most importantly," Dean finished. "The phrase 'What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas' exists for a VERY good reason."
"Yes it does." Sam agreed. "What happened to you guys anyway?"
"Dean won ten thousand dollars in blackjack, and we got drunk, and then went back to the hotel room." Cas offered.
"And did what? Watch movies and order room service drunchies?" Gabriel questioned. "Boring." Dean and Cas exchanged a glance.
"No, we actually had better sex then you'll have in your entire life, and somebody complained to the front desk about us." Cas said bluntly. Sam looked mortified, and Gabe wisely shut up.
"So....."Charlie began. "Everybody ready for Comic-Con?"
"YES!" Was the unanimous response, which was promptly followed by everyone rambling about how awesome it was going to be.
******
9:00 a.m. June 19th
The doors to Comic-Con opened, and hundreds of people in very expensive cosplay costumes trampled through, screaming with excitement.
Among them was our familiar group.
Charlie was dressed like Ruby from the anime RWBY, and she rocked the outfit.
Sam was dressed as the eleventh doctor, fit with a fez and a sonic screwdriver.
Gabriel was rocking a Loki costume, seeing as it was most fitting for him.
Dean and Cas had gone together as Watson and Sherlock, mainly because Cas wanted an excuse to put on a black trenchcoat and act like Benedict Cumberbatch, and because Dean was obviously his tough gay sidekick.
And Comic-Con was everything they had hoped for. The ultimate convention for all fandoms, all geeks and nerds, fangirls and fanboys.
It had definitely been worth the trip.
And Charlie couldn't help but laugh when someone had run down the stairs screaming:
"OH MY GOD, EVERYONE!!!!!! JOHN AND SHERLOCK ARE MAKING OUT IN THE SECOND FLOOR MENS'S RESTROOM!!!! JOHNLOCK IS CANON!!!!"