This was a request by ModernMoon on Wattpad: "I would like to request a Dean x Cas fic where Dean is much older and he has retired from being a hunter and has married another woman. Cas comes back for Dean and asks his wife where he is but Dean has already died and Cas visits deans grave, puts a piece of apple pie next to his headstone and says some sweet stuff. THE MORE ANGST THE BETTER!"
After defeating Amara, the Winchester brother's decided it was time to hang up their coats and stop hunting, for good. Both men called it an early retirement. They couldn't handle the strain of trying to save the world again for the umpteenth time.
Sam went on to marry Eileen, the deaf hunter the brothers had met a year or so prior. They had two children, a girl named Shoshana and a boy named Eric. Sam went back to law school and became a lawyer, a rather good one too.
Dean, however, took longer to settle down. He and Castiel roamed the country together for a while, Dean looking for odd jobs and Cas having nothing better to do as the Winchester's were his only family. Eventually, Dean found a girl. He was working as a mechanic in a small town in Indiana when a beautiful woman named Willow walked into the shop, needing help with her car that had just broken down outside. Cas had been at the shop with Dean, keeping him company, when she had come in. He could tell immediately that this was going to be the woman for Dean. They got married two years later and had three girls. The eldest was named Natalee, then came Désirée, and finally Mary.
Cas was on his own after that. He visited both Winchesters frequently and their children called him Uncle Cas. He lived in the bunker and had taken it upon himself to continue hunting. He ditched his trench coat and tie for the typical Winchester attire, deciding that it made it much easier to hunt. He became a revered hunter himself after a while, becoming known as the "Angel Gone Rogue" among his brethren but still being referred to as the "Winchester's Pet Angel" by hunters.
He happened to be in Indiana on a hunt when he decides he hasn't paid the elder Winchester and his family a visit in a while. Willow and Dean were grandparents, they had been for a few years. Both of them were in their early 70's at this point. It was a good thing that Dean had told his wife and children about his hunting past, which allowed Cas to still be around even though he didn't look a day past 35.
Cas rolls up to the Winchester house on a motorcycle from the bunker at 2 in the afternoon. He frowned as he pulled off his helmet. There was a for sale sign in Baby's window. Dean would never sell her and even if he didn't want her anymore, he would give it to Sam or him. Cas then realizes that he had changed his number recently and had forgotten to give it to the Winchesters. He would tell Willow and Dean when he went in and have them pass it on to their children as well as to Sam and his children. He places his helmet on the bike and runs his hands through his mused up hair before walking up the driveway and up to the front door. He rings the doorbell and waits patiently for one of the Winchester's to open to door.
Finally, Willow opens the door. She looks worn out and as though she had been crying recently. She takes one look at Cas before she bursts out sobbing. He frowns before stepping into the premise and closing the door behind him. He pulls Willow into a hug and holds her until she pulls away. She mops at her face while Cas looks around, where was Dean? If his wife was upset, Dean would surely be the one comforting her, not him.
Willow leads Cas into the living room and gestures for him to sit down. They sit in silence for a long period of time before she speaks, "We didn't know how to get ahold of you. Sam said you must've changed your number recently and that's why. But I know you're good at telling us when you've changed it. Oh, we didn't know what to do so we went ahead and did the funeral and…"
"Funeral?" Cas questions. Had someone of Willow's side of the family died? Or was it one of the kids?
Willow sniffs and looks at Cas, "Yes, funeral," she takes a deep, shuddering breath before speaking, "Dean died last week, Castiel. He had a stroke at work and he died right before the ambulance got there. They said it was because of bad eating habits. We all tried to reach out to you, Sam, me, Nat, Shosie, everyone."
Castiel leans back in his chair, not knowing what to think, let alone what to say. Dean Winchester was dead and he would stay dead this time. Sam wouldn't make a deal, he wouldn't come back as a demon, and Cas wouldn't, no, couldn't go save him.
"I…I changed my number about two weeks ago, I forgot to tell you. I was on the trail of a pack and the Feds caught my number so I had to change it and it…it slipped my mind." He looks down at his calloused hands before whispering, "I'm so sorry, Willow," he looks up at her, "I should have been here, I could have saved him…I…" Castiel does something he never did, he cries, no, he sobs. Dean Winchester, the man he had pulled from hell all those years ago to be the righteous man, was dead. Dean Winchester, his best friend, who he had been through thick and thin with, was dead. Dean Winchester was dead, and there was nothing he could do.
Time Skip: 3 Hours
Cas rolls the motorcycle to a stop and gets off. He opens the bag he has on the back of the motorcycle and pulls out two pieces of apple pie. He looks around at the graves until his eyes land on one. He walks over to it, kneeling next to it. He sniffles, wiping his eyes as reads the inscription;
Dean Winchester
Brother, Friend, Husband, Father
January 24th, 1979 – July 10th, 2052
Cas opens up one of the pie boxes and starts eating it with his fork. He sits in silence as he eats, staring at the grave. There was no denying it now, he was dead, he was really dead. Castiel finishes his slice and closes the empty box. He places the box that still has a slice in it, in front of the grave. He stands and prepares to walk away but thinks better of it. He places his hand on the grave and speaks for the first time:
"Dean Winchester. You are the bravest man I have ever met and will ever have the fortune of meeting. You saved the world on many occasions and didn't ask for anything in return. The years I've had the fortune of knowing you have been the best in my existence. I never expected to veer from God's plan, but you, Dean, you helped me see that my brothers and sisters weren't doing the right thing. You made me the being I am today and I wouldn't have it any other way. Your wife and children were very lucky to have you, as was your brother. But why did you have to die? You…you still had time, but you were a stubborn man and you didn't call for me. I would have come, I always come when you call. I'll look out for Sam, Eileen, Willow, the kids, and the grandkids, I know you want me to. Next time I won't forget to give them my new number. Dean Winchester, you were destined to be the Righteous Man and you did that, just not in the way it was written. Thank you for the journey you took me on, I'll never forget everything you taught me." Cas wipes away the tears rolling down his cheeks before saying one last thing, "I love you, Dean Winchester and don't you ever forget it."
Castiel turns away from the grave, empty pie box in hand. He was going to go back to the house and get the Impala. Sam didn't want it and the kids couldn't take it because it was their dad's and they wouldn't be able to drive it without breaking down. Cas couldn't bear to see it being sold to someone else, so he would take it. He climbs on his motorcycle looking over at the grave one last time before kicking off and whispering, "Good-bye Dean."
I hope y'all liked it! I'm so sorry I haven't been writing often, but I haven't really had the time or the inspiration to do it. Luckily my writer's block has disappeared and Spring Break is next week so I'll get at least one more thing posted. Thank you to ModernMoon for giving me this heartbreakingly wonderful request. Anyways, kudos, likes, comments, favorites, etc. are always appreciated. If you have a request, let me know and I'll add it to my list!. That's all for now!
Disclaimer: The only characters I own are Willow, the kids, and the grandkids. Sam, Dean, Castiel, Eileen, and Amara are all owned by the CW and by the creators of Supernatural. I got inspiration for the title from the song Life Without You by Stevie Ray Vaughan.