Honey Apple Pie

Chapter Seven

 Cas continued to learn how to sign, and Sam and Dean visited him as often as they could. Sometimes during their lunch breaks, but mostly at the end of the day, when they would help Cas practice. It was slow going, but eventually, Cas was able to keep up a simple conversation.

Sam became busier at his new work, but Dean ended up reducing his work to part-time, telling Cas that he was meeting his targets at work so quickly, that he was spending a lot of his time doing nothing. He spent more time at the bakery, even teaching Alfie a few simple signs.

In return, Cas decided to offer to teach him to bake. {Nothing complicated.} he signed in response to Dean's doubtful expression. {If you have time after close.}

Dean nodded. {It couldn't hurt.}

Cas locked the door at close and led Dean into the kitchen. 'We'll start with something simple,' he said, flicking through one of his recipe books. 'How about peanut butter cookies?'

{S-a-m would like that,} Dean shrugged.

{Let's start.}

Cas rounded up the ingredients, a mixing bowl, a baking tray, a wooden spoon, and some measuring cups and spoons.

{You need all of this?} Dean asked.

{These are...} Cas stopped, then tried again. {This is...} But he didn't know the signs, so he said it out loud. 'This is the basic equipment you'll need for baking,' he explained.

Dean nodded and showed him the signs he had been trying to think of. Then Cas began directing him, watching closely, but not interfering too much, until it came to the eggs and Cas had to show him how to scoop bits of shell out of the mixture. Then he helped Dean roll the batter into little balls and place them on the baking tray, which Dean then put into the oven.

{Why are they round?} Dean asked.

'They'll flatten and spread as they cook,' Cas told him.

Dean bent down and watched them sink down and spread across the tray. Once they were ready, Cas handed Dean an oven glove and had him take the tray out of the oven. He carefully brought the cookies over to the plate Cas had put out for him and tipped them out.

{They look good} Cas smiled. {You can put that in the sink now}

Dean took the tray and went to cross over to the sink with it. Cas turned around to clear up the counter, but he heard the tray clang to the ground and a loud, 'Ouch!' Cas spun around and saw Dean wringing his hand.

'Dean!' Cas exclaimed, running over to him. He grabbed Dean's wrist and saw a red mark forming on the palm of his ungloved hand. He yanked Dean over to the sink, causing him to stumble slightly, and ran his hand under the cold water. 'Are you okay?'

Dean nodded and Cas sighed in relief.

'Tell me when it stops hurting,' said Cas.

Dean raised an eyebrow.

'Right, sorry. Just – hold that under there, I'll be right back.' Cas dug in one of the cabinets and pulled out his first aid box. He brought it over to the sink and flicked it open, pulling out a roll of bandages. 'Does it feel better?'

Dean nodded again, so Cas turned off the water and carefully dried Dean's hand with a clean hand towel. Dean winced as the fabric dragged over the burn. Then Cas gently wrapped the bandage around it. He sat Dean down, fastened the bandage, and made him hold his hand above his head. 'How is it feeling? Are you in shock?'

Dean gestured at his hand in the air and shook his head.

Cas squinted. 'I don't understand.'

Dean rolled his eyes and began to fingerspell instead. {I a-m f-i-n-e}