Bryce's heart had stopped when he had seen Hattie carrying Cas out of the mall, and he had continuously worried all the way back to Alexandria. But Pete the resident surgeon/ doctor had taken out the bullet, which was in one piece luckily for cas, as it had just missed his kidney. Bryce was sat waiting for him to wake up.

Across the room, Tara also lay unconscious, their own scavenging mission had gone horribly wrong and rendered her unconscious. He'd never seen Cas injured before, and it scared him.

He knew that Cas had gone to find something he didn't need, which was highly unlike him, unless Peter had found him before then and he had run to try and get away from him. Bryce hadn't liked the way Peter had begged them to go with them. It had unnerved him, Cas had been already unconscious at that point and Bryce had struggled to stop the bleeding on the journey back.

Cas mumbled something, making Bryce almost jump out of his seat in surprise. "Hey, you're okay."

"Asshole shot me." Cas mumbled.

"Yeah, but we got the bullet out." Bryce assured him. "Cas what happened?"

Cas frowned, before his eyes finally rested on Bryce. "He shot me."

"Cas who was he?" Bryce knew that Hattie already knew this information and wouldn't tell him, which he didn't like.

"Doesn't matter." Cas replied.

"At least you're alive?" Bryce was trying to be positive, but it wasnt easy.

"Sure." Cas mumbled, he groaned. "I ain't ever been shot before."

"Well let's keep it to one shall we?" Beyce asked hesitantly, he didn't want to overwhelm Cas, but he had remembered what he had found in Cas' bag, along with food, he had found a book. And not just any book, but the very same book he had told him about on the journey to the mall. "Cas he caught you in the book shop, why did you go in for this book?" Bryce held up the book, it had been on the bedside table and he already knew who it was for.

"It's for you." Cas mumbled.

"I know, but why?"

"You're always reading the same three, and you saved my life and put up with me on the road here, I wanted to say thanks." Bryce was touched by what Cas had said, but he was also slightly upset.

"Cas you almost died!"

"Mmm, I'm still here aren't I?" He mumbled in return.

"Barely!"

"Bryce, you're my best friend." Cas told him, Bryce stared at him in shock. He'd counted Cas as his best friend, but never thought of the feeling being returned.

"I- I am?" He asked in shock.

"Yes." Cas rolled his eyes.

"Even so, stop being an idiot." Bryce reached his arms out to his friend. "Come on."

"Do we have to hug?" Cas sighed.

"Yes!" Bryce rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms tightly around his friend. He was so glad that Cas was okay.

"I hate you sometimes." Cas mumbled into his shoulder.

Bryce laughed, "no you don't."

^^^
Cas had been finally able to get up and walk around, although he had been unusually quiet after hearing about Noah's untimely death. Bryce assumed he was upset, the two had been friends after all and it was the most emotion Cas had displayed in a while, but now he was becoming distant in his grief and that terrified Bryce, he didn't want to lose his best friend.

Cas was taking a nap in their room when Bryce entered. He lay ontop of the sheets, the back of his hand covering his eyes as though he was deeply troubled. He wasn't holding a weapon though, Bryce couldn't remember a time when he had seen Cas sleep without a knife and he hoped maybe his friend was finally settling down.

"Cas!" Cas awoke at once.

"Who's died?" He asked.

"What? No one." Bryce frowned at him.

"Oh, what's up?" Cas sat up and rubbed his eyes. For a moment Bryce could see him look as young as he actually was. Because Cas was just a child, a child who grew up far too fast.

"Deanna was looking for you." Bryce told him, Cas nodded and got up, instantly putting his hand to his back, where his bullet wound was.

"I sure ain't getting shot again." Cas commented lightly.

Does it hurt?" Bryce asked as he followed Cas down the stairs.

"Little bit." The younger replied as he reached the living room.

"Ah Cas, glad to see you feeling better." Deanna said, getting up from where she was sat on one of the couches.

"Umm... thanks?" Cas was still wary of Deanna, but he still was polite to her.

"Now we understand you recognised the man who shot you." Rick said, it was like being in the principals office at school.

"Yeah." Cas nodded.

"Who was he?" Deanna asked.

Cas just shrugged.

"Do you know where he came from?" Rick asked.

"He has a camp somewhere." Cas replied. "Didn't tell me any more than that."

"Who was he?" Deanna asked again. Cas shrugged again. "Why won't you tell us?"

"You wanna tell me?" Rick coaxed. Cas nodded. Rick gently took him aside, and motioned Bryce to join them. "What's going on."

"It was my brother." Cas said. Bryce's eyes widened.

"What?"

"I don't even know how they got here, and seeing them again... I freaked." Cas replied.

"Are the dangerous?" Rick asked.

"I don't know, I haven't seen them since I was eight years old." Cas sighed. "I'm sorry Rick, I let my guard down."

"Hey, hey it's okay, do they know where we are?" Rick asked. Cas shook his head.

"Wait them?" Bryce asked.

"My siblings. They're all here." Cas sighed. "I spent half my life trying to get away from them, and now they're here."

"What do you want to do? You want to find them?" Rick asked. Cas shook his head.

"No, they don't know where we are, so we should be fine." He replied. "I need some air."

"Cas!" Bryce went to go after him, but Rick stopped him.

"Let him go."

"But-"

"Let him have his space." Rick replied. "He'll be alright."