Come in With the Rain

Mabel was going out to shop a bit. After picking up some helpful shopping tips from her Auntie Ana she decided it was necessary. Castiel needed to poke into the office for a bit before they enjoy some time together. He was going to treat her for her first A on a test.

She stopped in front of a music store. It was a red brick building with bars on the window of the door. A neon sign lit up the window and there were band posters decorating the inside. Judging by the low rumble of the music coming from inside, it was the type of music that Dean listened to. Maybe she should pick up a gift for him for how nice he's been to her.

The music was blaring and it startled her. The people in there looked scary and she was having a hard time moving around.

“Can I help you?” The clerk asked her from behind his counter.

Mabel walks over to the man, “Um, I'm looking for some music for my friend.”

“What kind of music? We've got loads,” The man sighed.

“I don't really know his taste,” She mentions “All I know is that it's really loud.”

The guy breathes and moves away from his counter to help her. He guides her to the back of the store where there are sets that play the music. He'll put in CD's and tapes into the players and Mabel would choose the ones similar to the ones she would hear in Dean's car or when they hang out in his room.

Pleased with her choices, Mabel buys the tapes and CD's for Dean and leaves the store.

As she walks out she bumps into a man dropping her bag.

“Oh, I'm so sorry.”

Mabel goes down to pick up the scattered gifts, “It's fine. I didn't look where I was walking.” The man got down too and helped her pick up her stuff.

“Metallica?” He questions. Mabel looks up at the man shaking some hair from her eyes. The man had really shaggy black hair and needed to shave badly. He had a very kind face but the way he stood or held himself looked very intimidating compared to Mabel. “You don't look like the Metallica type miss.”

Mabel smiles, “Oh, it's not for me. I'm getting it for my friend.” She and the man stood up. He was way taller than her. And the way he dressed concerned her. “Would you like to get something to eat?” Sure she had to meet Castiel for lunch later that day but this man looked as if he hadn't eaten in months.

“No,” The man chuckles. “It's fine. I'll be fine.”

Mabel stands next to him, “It's okay. I don't mind buying a stranger lunch.”

There was a Paradise Bakery around the corner and a street away from the music store. She didn't mind when the man ordered two sandwiches, a bread bowl tomato soup, and three cookies. She had saved up her allowance just so she could have a day to herself. They found a table to sit at.

“Thank you,” The man says after taking a bit of one of the sandwiches. “For buying this old man some food.”

Mabel smiles, “You're welcome. I'm Mabel.”

“John.”

Mabel drinks her hot chocolate she ordered and asked, “Are you homeless, John?”

He shakes his head, “Oh no. I have a house. I'm just here to visit someone.”

“Who?”

“My sons,” He replied. “I haven't seen them since my eldest graduated high school.”

“And when was that?” Mabel asks.

“Eleven years ago.”

Mabel frowns, “That's horrible. Why haven't you gone to visit them after so many years?”

“I had my own problems I needed to fix before I could see them,” He sighed. “My eldest is angry with me for how I acted before he left.”

Mabel says, “I'm sure he's just worried about you.”

“I hope so,” John huffs. “My wife died when he was only a senior in high school. It really tore me up when she was gone. I drank a lot and didn't pay attention to my kids. I missed his own graduation because I was too out of it from drinking. And just when I became sober, they were gone.”

“I'm sorry for your loss,” She says sadly. “Hopefully you're better than you were then.”

“I am,” He said. “Checked myself into rehab. Went to AA meetings. Got a decent paying job and saved up just so I could come out here.”

“I hope your sons will be happy to see you,” Mabel encourages.

“Thank you Mabel.”

Mabel checks her watch after her little lunch session with John.

“I need to head home,” She says. “I'm supposed to meet my dad at home after I went shopping.” John nods and lets her walk off. What she wasn't expecting was him following her. “John?”

“My boys live in this direction,” He points in the direction she walked.

“Oh,” She gasps. “Let's walk together then.”

John was a real gentleman. He'd talk calmly to her about his family.

“I think my youngest would actually like you,” He laughs. “Maybe I should put you two together.”

Mabel giggles and waves a hand, “Oh no. That's okay.”

“Why? You got someone you like?”

Does she? Romance had completely slipped her mind up till now.

“How do you know when you like someone?” She asks looking up to the man.

He puts a hand to his chin, “Well, when ever you're near them, you just want to make them laugh and smile. Make them feel as happy and loved as possible.”

Mabel thought about his definition. Dean smiles a lot around her. She can make him laugh. He's her precious friend and wouldn't want to upset him ever.

“Mabel?”

She looks up to see Sam and Dean walking up to the apartment building..

“Sam,” She waves. Then she looks to Dean. Lowering her eyes just so she wouldn't show the fact her heart was beating a bit. “Hi Dean.”

“Dad?” Sam calls out almost angrily.

Mabel looks to John as he walks out in front of her, “Sam. It's good to see you.”

“John?” She calls. John looks back to her. “You..you're their father?”

“Yeah,” He replies. “I'm John Winchester.” Mabel looks away surprised.

“What are you doing here dad?” Sam growls.

John folds his arms, “Can't a dad visit his sons?”

“Not unless he needs something,” Sam frowns.

Mabel buts in, “Sam, you should give him a chance.” Sam looked at her shocked. “I'm sure he's better now.” She smiles at their father who smiles and thanks her.

They all head up to the apartments. Mabel going to hers as the family needed their privacy. Castiel was sitting on the couch reading a magazine when he heard the door open and close.

“Hey,” He calls. Mabel took her coat off and hung it. She goes over to the couch and flops down with her dad. “Had fun?”

She nods, “I met Sam and Dean's dad today.”

“You met John?” Castiel asks surprised.

“Yeah,” Mabel replied. “I bumped into him and took him out to lunch.”

Castiel smiled at her, “You're such a good girl.”

They sit in the living room watching movies Castiel had in his collection of DVD's. Then Castiel gets up to make Mabel's favorite lunch when the a knock comes to the door.

“I'll get it,” Mabel calls standing up from the couch. She goes to the door and was greeted by an annoyed Dean with a back pack. “Dean?”

“Dad and Sam are arguing,” He states. “Can I chill here for a while?” Mabel nods and lets him in. He waves to Castiel in the kitchen then moves towards Mabel's room.

“Uh, ah...Dean,” Mabel calls shyly. He looks at her. “Um, wouldn't you want to relax in the living room? Castiel and I were watching movies.” Dean switches his gaze to the TV and sees the type of movie they were watching.

He shakes his head, “Nah, can't we just hang out in your room?” Before she could answer he was already walking straight towards it as if he knew where it was. Mabel catches up to him to show him the way.

“Um, I've never had a boy in my room before,” She mumbles opening the door to her room.

Mabel's room is nicely sized for just one girl. A big bed sat almost in the middle of her room. The bed had a side made up of drawers attached to the bed frame. It made he bed look like a make-shift couch with the ways her pillows were set up. He room looked very light and girlie. Paper lanterns hung from her ceiling along with white Christmas lights. Her desk was off to the corner of the room farthest from her window and a shelf for books had a flat screen TV sitting on top was set up in front of her bed.

“Wow,” Dean mutters. “Your room really screams you huh?” He walks in and dumps his bag on the side of her bed and flops down on top her comforter. Mabel goes over and sits with him. She hands him her remote. Immediately Dean turns it to one of the shows he watches.

“Do you know why Sam and your father are fighting?” Mabel finally asks.

Dean shrugs, “They always fight. Sam's mainly mad at him because he wasn't there to help raise us after mom died. That Sam had to grow up way to fast just for me.” He twitches his mouth. “I could hear my dad apologizing to him for doing that to him and for closing himself off when we needed him most. I mean our mom died.”

“Your dad feels awful for what he did,” Mabel states getting Dean's attention. “He told me that he felt terrible when he realized that he drove you and Sam away. That he wasn't there to watch Sam become the man he is and to watch you grow up.” She shifts a little closer. “I could tell that he misses your mother, his wife. Like he wished she'd be here now with him helping you become a man.”

Dean swallows the lump that formed in his throat. For a girl who didn't have a family, she sure can tell what a family is feeling and what they needed.

He smiles and pats her knee, “Thanks Mabel. I'm sure if Sam heard this, you'd actually be talking some sense into him.” Mabel laughs at his comment and relaxes. She only hopes that Sam and John can patch up the eleven year gap they've created for themselves. And hopefully, Dean can have his brother and his dad.

Castiel pokes his head into Mabel's room, “Mabel. Dean. Would you like to help with lunch?”

They nod and get off Mabel's bed to follow Castiel into the kitchen. He has little stations set up for lunch preparations. He has the two wash their hands and follow his lead.

Castiel has Dean working on the spicy chicken wings and barbeque ribs while he guides Mabel into making the burger meat while he works on the homemade pizza.

Dean smiles hearing Mabel giggling as she mixes the beef with her hands. He thought it was smart of Castiel to have them do something like this.

Castiel asks, “So, Dean, how's school?”

Dean dips a rib into a bowl and swirls it around, “Oh you know. Boring.”

Castiel chuckles, “I hope Mabel's not having a hard time.”

Mabel buts in, “Of course I’m not! School is so much fun. I'm meeting so many new people.” She turns to look at her father. “There's this nice boy in my math and history class. His name's Adam.”

Dean whips around, “You're still talking to him?”

Mabel frowns, “Yes. He's very nice.”

“He's an ass,” He growls. “Pardon my french.” Castiel shrugs all too used to the colorful vocabulary that comes out of that boy's mouth.

“Dean, he's very kind to me. He's probably my only other friend besides you that I have at that school,” She huffs.

“You've got the guys at lunch.”

“Yeah but you introduced them to me first! I made friends with Adam on my own.”

Dean puts the meat down and turns, “You don't know Adam like I do!”

“Enlighten me then Dean!” Mabel shouts doing the same.

Not only was Dean surprised but so was Castiel when they heard Mabel shout. It had to be the first time she's ever raised her voice at either one of them.

Mabel looks down, “Sorry. I-I didn't mean to shout.” She turns back to her project and drops the conversation.

Castiel gives Dean, what he would call similar to Sam's bitch-face. Dean only rolls his eyes and turns back to the barbeque and spicy chicken. He was only trying to protect Mabel from Adam.

It was time to cook things. They put the pizza first since it just needed a few minutes to bake while the others needed to cook. They washed their hands and sat in the living room. Mabel sat next to Castiel while Dean sat on the comforter away from her.

Castiel makes a face, “Okay, there is an obvious question here that needs to be asked.” He looks at Dean. “What is wrong with Adam?”

Dean stares at the adult with wide eyes. If he explains, Mabel would lose the only other friend that she has.

“It's just I lost a lot of trust in the guy after freshman year,” He states rubbing his neck.

“That's not a proper answer Dean,” Mabel presses.

That's it. Mabel needs to know.

“He stole my girlfriend from me.”

Mabel looks at her friend surprised, “What?”

Dean nods, “Yeah. She was my girlfriend since eighth grade and then Adam comes in freshman year and just takes her from me.” Mabel slinks down her seat feeling guilty for snapping at Dean. “And that's how I just couldn't trust the guy.”

Castiel definitely felt awkward, not sure what to do with this teenage drama. He stood up to go check on the food escaping it. He was teenager once and didn't need to put up with it.

Mabel scooted closer to Dean, “If you'd like, I’ll stop talking to him like you told me to do.”

“No, no,” He interjects. “It's fine. I'm just telling you to be careful around him.”

Mabel nods understanding his wishes. If Adam acts the way he did towards Dean, she'll definitely be a grown up and handle it. Dean laughs when she tells him this.

Lunch was finished cooking and they three set up the table to enjoy. Then another knock comes to the door.

“My we are popular this evening,” Castiel jokes.

“I'll get it,” Mabel states leaving the table to answer the door. John and Sam stood there both looking calm and defeated.

“Hey Mabel,” Sam greets. “Is Dean here?”

She nods, “Yeah. He's about to join us for lunch. Would you like to join as well?”

“Oh no,” Sam shakes his head. “Wouldn't want to impose.”

“Please,” Mabel pleads. Sam smiles fondly at her and accepts. He walks past her and John did, patting her head along the way.

Castiel sees Sam and John, “Hello Sam. And you must be John Winchester?” John shakes his hand while nodding. Mabel gets more plates and sets them up for them.

“Wow, nice spread,” John smiles. Mabel sits next to Dean. “Haven't seen home cooking like this in a long time.”

Castiel doesn't have them do a prayer but lets them eat. Dean and John enjoying the burgers they made while Sam and Mabel enjoy the pizza and wings.

“What have you been up to John?” Castiel asks over the frenzy of chewing.

John wipes his mouth with a napkin, “I work at a garage up in Kansas. Been sober for three years now.”

“Good for you.”

John looks to Mabel, “And what have you been up to? You dating Dean?”

Dean coughs harshly like he was trying to get something that wasn't there out of his throat, “Dad!”

“Am I wrong?”