A/N: Set after the events of 12x12, Stuck in the Middle (With You)

Dean, Sam, Cas, and Mary stormed back into the bunker.

It was shortly after the hunt that had gotten Wally killed, and had nearly gotten Cas killed too, if Crowley hadn't stepped in.

The ride back to the bunker had been deathly silent. Mary knew she had messed up, but she got the feeling that Dean didn't really want to hear an apology. Sam stayed quiet, knowing that his brother was furious, and extremely conflicted at the moment, and he knew better then to send him over the edge. Cas had just settled into the backseat and shut his eyes. Sure, he was fine now, but nearly dying took a toll on anyone, and the angel needed some rest. He couldn't sleep, but he could relax in silence. Dean just focused on driving, his hands clenching the steering wheel hard enough that his knuckles went white. Occasionally, he'd glance at the backseat, just to make sure Cas was alright. He exchanged a quick glance with Sam, but didn't once look anywhere near Mary.

No music, no talking, nothing. Just the sound of the old car and the road for long hours until they got back to the bunker and everyone filed out.

Sam sighed as they walked in. 

"Well that was.... something," He concluded. 

"That's one way to put it," Cas offered, trying to smile. Dean eyed the angel, worry lingering in his eyes. The angel had almost died in front of them, and Cas was positive no one had forgotten his little speech, either. 

"Cas-" Dean started.

"I'm fine," Cas retorted, already knowing what the Winchester was going to say.

"You should rest, though. Take it easy." Dean insisted. Cas never stopped to rest, and it was about damn time he did in Dean's opinion.

"I'm fine." Cas repeated. Dean sighed.

"Come on," He took the angel by the arm and led him out of the room, leaving Sam and Mary alone.

".....Was it worth it?" Sam questioned.

"What?" Mary asked.

"Was it worth it?" He repeated. "Whatever you stole. Was it worth the fact that we all nearly died, and one good hunter did?"

"Sam-"

"Just answer the question."

"...Yes." Mary admitted. "I believe it was worth it. I have to." Sam studied his mother's face.

"Yeah, well, I don't think everybody's going to share that opinion." He warned.

"You're not seriously going to blame ME for this, are you?"

"I'm not blaming you for anything." Sam retorted. "I'm just warning you."

"Warning me of what?" Sam stared.

"Cas nearly died, Mom. Now, that may not seem like a big deal to you, but it is to us. And I may be able to overlook that and just walk away from all this without a word because frankly, I don't care. But Dean? He's not going to let this go so easily."

"Why not?"

"Because it's CAS."

"He's just an angel, Sam." The moose fought back a laugh.

"Not to Dean, he's not." He declared. "And not to me either."

As if to prove him wrong, Mary turned and headed for Dean's room. Sam sighed and followed, knowing that this probably wasn't going to end well.

******

Dean had taken Cas into his room, and he forced the angel to lay down and rest, despite Cas's protests.

"Dean, I'm-"

"You're fine, yeah, I know. But you're still going to sit here and rest up until I deem you well enough to leave." Cas scowled.

"You're very demanding when you're being overprotective."

"This is not me being overprotective," Dean retorted. "This is me being a caring person. Me being overprotective is what's gonna happen when I go talk to my mother."

"Don't kill her."

"I spent over thirty years wishing she was alive. I'm not going to kill her now."

"Maybe I should make sure of that." Cas insisted.

"Cas, you are going to stay on that bed and rest or I will give you a real reason to be laying there. Understood?"

"Understood," Cas rolled his eyes, but stayed on the bed. Dean offered him a half smile and stepped closer.

"All those things you said back there," Dean began. "Did you really mean them?"

"Of course I did." Cas confirmed. Dean smiled softly.

"Well, just so you know," He offered. "We love you too." Cas smirked.

"I know, Dean."

"And 'we' meaning me and Sam. Can't vouch for Mom, but I think you're growing on her."

"Sure."

Dean left shortly after, before he could say anything else that would make things awkward. Mary and Sam greeted him the hallway, and the caring Dean that had spoken to Cas disappeared. 

He was replaced with overprotective Dean, who was not a happy camper.

"Dean, I-" Mary started.

"You what?" Dean snapped, not in the mood. "Because I doubt there is anything you could possible say that could make this any better."

"I'm sorry," Mary insisted.

"Too bad. That means nothing." Dean declared. "We're done." Mary paused.

"What do you mean, we're done?"

"I mean, we're DONE. All of your hunts, all of your sneaking around and stealing stuff just to hand in over to somebody else- Done. Do it yourself, because I'm not helping you anymore, and neither are Cas and Sam."

"I'm right here," Sam offered.

"I know," Dean replied, turning to his brother. "And you know how you're usually okay with me keeping you away from things because they'll just end with you getting killed? Well this is one of those things."

"Understood." Sam offered.

"So that's it?" Mary questioned. "That's it. I could be dying on a hunt, but you won't bother to help me. Real nice, Dean." Dean froze, and Sam's eyes widened.

Too far.

"Dean-" Sam started, but his brother ignored him.  Dean whipped around and shoved Mary against the wall of the bunker, fury in his eyes.

"You didn't care when CAS was dying," He declared. "So why should we care if you die? You were just going to sit back and watch us all get slaughtered, and you could have prevented all of it. You just didn't care, because apparently, our lives mean nothing to you."

"That is NOT true." Mary retorted. "If I had prevented it and returned what I took, then the whole mission would've been for nothing."

"But everyone would have lived!"

"Castiel is alive- I don't see why you're complaining."

"It's not the fact that he was saved, it's the fact that you were just going to let him DIE."

"He's just some angel, Dean!"

"No he's not!" Dean yelled back fiercely. "Cas is family! Didn't you hear a word he said in there? Cas means just as much as Sam or I do, and you were willing to sit back and watch him die before our very eyes!" 

"Because I had a mission to complete, and sometimes missions have casualties, Dean!"

"You think I don't know that?!" Dean shot back. "You think I haven't watched people die for a mission before? Sam and I have lost more people then you could ever begin to understand, but sometimes, you have to sacrifice the mission for the sake of the people you love. That's how it works- that's what you do for FAMILY. But apparently, that means nothing to you. So I am done. Sam is done. We are DONE working with you, Mary, and until you figure out what's more important- your family or your stupid mission- I don't want to see your face." 

Dean backed off after that, storming away down the hall. Sam and Mary watched him go, but neither made a move to follow.

"I did warn you," Sam offered.

"Why does he even care so much about Castiel?" Mary questioned. "What makes him so special- why is he even here?" 

"Because," Sam insisted. "He's family."

"But WHY is he family?" Sam sighed.

"Because he's Cas." Sam walked off in the direction of his brother, leaving Mary to sit in her thoughts.

****

Later that night, Mary barged into the room Cas was in. The angel glanced up at her.

"Hello," He offered.

"Castiel," She nodded. 

"Can I help you with something?" The angel said innocently.

"Why are you here?" Mary demanded. Cas blinked.

"Dean told me to rest-"

"No, I mean why are you HERE?" Mary questioned. "Why are they family? What is your purpose here?" Cas thought for a minute.

"When I was in heaven," Cas explained. "My brothers and sisters were family. They were the only example I had for the word. But then I met Dean, and I saw the relationship he had with his brother, and my opinion on family changed. My brothers and sisters in heaven have tried to kill me more times then I can count. I've killed them, so I suppose we're even. They never cared about me. Not the way Sam and Dean care about each other. But Dean... He stuck by me. Even when I made mistakes, he would help me fix them. He cared about me. If I needed him, he'd be there in a second, and I'd be there for him too. That's why we're family. And I stick around here because Sam and Dean are the only people who have ever made me feel welcome." Mary paused.

"It really upset Dean," She insisted. "Seeing you the way you were." 

"I think it upset him more when he realized you could have stopped it, and chose not to."

"Well, Dean has to understand that sometimes there are things more important then saving someone." She turned to leave.

"Mary," Cas began. She stopped, waiting. "As awful as a parent John Winchester was, if returning what he stole saved his sons, John would have done it. He did it. You didn't."

"That-" Mary started.

"John was the parent Sam and Dean hated, and yet he sacrificed the mission for them. You were the parent they loved, but you chose the mission over them. How do you think that makes Sam and Dean feel?" 

Mary didn't know what to say to that one.

A/N: And so I raise the question to you. Who is the better parent- John or Mary?

p.s. I am working on a full story related to the events of G.I. Winchester, since so many people asked for it. It's turning into more of Cas and his siblings being raised by Chuck, but I think it's still good. There'll be more info when I'm closer to publishing it.