Cas had been picturing this moment for the past few months. How she would look walking down the aisle towards him. He wondered how she would do her hair and her makeup. Would she smile when she walked down or would she carry that solemn look she normally had. People always told her that she looked mean but Cas new differently. She did not have the best life and while her face was not always smiling, she was, for the most part, happy. But he hoped that she would smile as she walked towards him.
She smiled. Cas was glad that she was smiling as she walked towards him. She was wearing a tight-fitting dress that stopped just above her knees and a veil that covered half of her face. She had decided to wear her hair down in curls. It was not often that she wore her hair down. He had always told her that he liked it best that way. And now, her she was, looking stunning, a smile on her face, walking toward him down the aisle and he … he was not as happy as he should be.
Cas chalked it up to nerves and pushed it aside as she finally stood in front of him.
"Good morning and welcome. Naomi and Castiel are so glad to have you here on this beautiful summer day." The officiant, Father Alistare, from Naomi's church, began. "Before we begin I'd like to ask you all to make sure your cell phones, beepers, handheld gaming devices, and iPads are all on silent."
There was a soft fit of laughter from the crowd. Father Alistare smiled out at them all, showing that he, in fact, knew it was a joke but that he was also completely serious. Once the laughter had died back down to silence, he turned his attention back to Cas and Naomi.
"Love is a miraculous gift, and a wedding is a celebration of that magic, and that is why we are here today." Father Alistare began what Castiel knew was going to be a long and drawn out speech. It was what Naomi asked for and she never failed to get the things that she wanted in life. "We are gathered together to be overjoyed for, and with, Castiel and Naomi, who are so wonderfully suited to one another that it is a pure delight for the rest of us to see how happy two people can be. They are the example of the love that in its light-heartedness dissolves the notion of love as hard work. They are the promise of possibility, the expectation of joyful surprise. We are here to celebrate, witness, honor, dance, laugh, sing, eat, and be glad because these two kids have found their bashert."
Castiel was not even sure where these words had come from. Were they normal for a wedding? Was it something special for them or were they just words used over and over again at every wedding that he performed? Castiel hoped that it was just the same old thing because he did not feel that they were completely fitting words for them. They were not wrong but he did not see them as words that someone would just write about them like that.
"Divine light that illuminated our hearts and gives life to each cell of our being, we give thanks for the love that has gathered us together in this place, and especially for the beautiful, heartwarming love that Naomi and Castiel have chosen this day to consecrate in marriage." Castiel almost rolled his eyes at the Father's words. Why did weddings have to be so damn boring? "For all the beauty that you have bestowed upon them we give great thanks, for their open hearts and loving spirits, for their wisdom in choosing to love, for their willingness to walk on the path of true love, with all its joys and burdens and lessons. Bless them now with your joyful abundant radiance, so that the words they say, the feelings that beautifully transform them in these moments, and the dreams that they dare to dream can be lived out in their marriage."
There were crickets from the guests for the most part. Castiel felt bad for boring them with long speeches. He would have turned around to say something but why apologize now, especially when he had a feeling that there was more to come. If he knew Naomi right, which he was sure he did, she was going to make sure to go above and beyond what was really needed.
"Now," Father Alastare began to speak once more. "Should there be anyone who has cause why this couple should not be united in marriage? Speak now, or forever hold your peace."
There was a silence as Castiel and Naomi looked over the guests. Castiel had never actually been a to a wedding where someone said something. He was not sure why this was even a part of a wedding cere…
"I, um," Castiel turned when he heard Dean, his best man, start to speak behind him.
"You what?" Naomi narrowed her eyes and glared at Dean. Castiel simply stared at him in confusion.
"I'm sorry," Dean fidgeted on his feet and looked back and forth between Naomi and Castiel. "I just can't do this."
"Dean?" Castiel questioned, but Dean was already making his way down the aisle and away from the ceremony.
Part of Castiel wanted to run after his best friend, find out why he was doing this. This was a big day for Castiel and Dean couldn't what? This was not about Dean. This was supposed to be about Castiel. Now he did not even have his best friend standing beside him. Castiel was sure he was going to be sick.
"Of course," Naomi groaned, turning back to Castiel. "Everything always has to be about Dean. I don't understand how a man like that could be your friend."
"Dean is a remarkable man," Castiel defended his best friend, even in light of all that was currently happening. "I am sure he has a good reason for what just happened."
"You going to run after him and find out?" Naomi asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "You always run to him, so this shouldn't be any different right? Should we just stand here and wait for you two to work out whatever problem Dean is having?"
"Why are you doing this?" Castiel asked, looking over his fiancé, that sickness in his stomach turning.
"Because it is always about Dean with you," Naomi all but screamed it. "Well not anymore. I am done with Dean being the center of your world. I am about to be your wife, not him. So, you need to choose now Castiel."
"Choose what?" Castiel shook his head in confusion.
"Me or him," Naomi moved his hand to his hips. "It is me, your fiancé or Dean, the man who can't even stand beside you at your own wedding."
"Dean," Castiel said without giving it a second thought.
"Excuse me?"
"I said Dean," Castiel said it a little louder to clarify.
"Maybe you two should take a moment to go talk," the Father suggested.
"There is nothing to talk about," Castiel shook his head at the Father and then back to Naomi. "You asked me to choose and I choose Dean."
"I can't believe you," Naomi actually looked in shock. It was probably because something was not going her way for once. "You are going to let him end us?"
"I think that is what I said," Castiel nodded at her.
There was chatter amongst the guests as Naomi quickly stormed off. Castiel was still in shock over the situation that had just occurred. In a matter of minutes, Castiel went from being completely bored out of his mind to … what was he? Relieved? He felt a sense of relief wash over him.
"I am outraged," someone from Naomi's side stood up. "You are a real piece of work."
"I am going to have to ask all of you to leave," Castiel looked over the guests on her side. "Since there is no wedding today, there really is no reason for any of you to be here."
People began to stand, most of them mumbling things to other guests. Castiel did not care what her people had to say, he did not know the majority of them anyways.
"Can my guests please stick around for a few minutes," Castiel requested and they all sat down. It took a while, but soon, all of Naomi's guests had cleared out. Not, of course, before going over and removing the gifts that they had purchased for them. Castiel was oh so saddened to be losing a gravy boat he did not need.
"Thank god," Gabriel, Castiel's brother and one of his groomsmen, finally spoke. "I was so horrified that you were marrying that woman."
"Yeah," the word echoed throughout the majority of his guests.
"What?" He looked around them all, each other them with the same look of relief that Castiel was feeling. "You didn't want me to marry her?"
"Duh little brother," Gabriel walked up and put his hand on Castiel's back. "We hated that woman. She was no good for you."
"Why didn't anyone tell me?" Castiel questioned.
"Would you have listened?" Gabriel asked back.
Castiel did not have an answer. Would he have listened if people had told him they did not like Naomi? He probably would have defended her and gone about it sooner. He was known for doing the things people did not want him to do, just to make a point.
"Besides little brother," Gabriel leaned in to Castiel but did not whisper, as Castiel imagined he was going to, just judging by the closeness. "We all know that there is someone else who should have been standing up there with you?"
"You do?" Castiel was now more confused than ever. Before Naomi, it had been years since he had been with another person. That person was Meg, his high school sweetheart, and people hated her just as much as they apparently hated Naomi. "Who?"
"You should know," Castiel's mother Becky stood up from her seat. "You let him just walk out of here."
"Dean?" Castiel turned to look at Gabriel who was confirming what Castiel had just discovered. "You all expected me to marry Dean? But wh…."
"Go to him," Gabriel did not even let Castiel finish his sentence. "I'll walk everyone out."
"No," Castiel shook his head. "I paid for a reception. There is food and an open bar and music."
"Castiel," Gabriel tried to speak again but this time Castiel cut him off.
"I will go talk to Dean," Castiel looked around his guests. "But all of you need to stay. Eat, drink and dance. Don't let all this hard work, food and alcohol go to waste."
There was an uproar from his guests who cheered and stood to pat him on the back as he made his way back down the aisle. He wished that he would have known all of this before, though part of him knew that he did. He knew there was a reason he was unsettled earlier. It was not nerves about the wedding, it was because, deep down, he knew he was marrying the wrong person.