Hey folks!

So, this is my second Destiel one shot. It's pretty fluffy, don't mind me, I just have a lot of feelings. Of course I could've just baked a cake made out of sunshine and rainbows to let it all out, but instead I ended up writing this.

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters. If I did, it sure as hell wouldn't take me over five freaking seasons to get Dean and Cas to finally get together. I do however own a laptop, some imagination and a healthy dose of sarcasm. Lawyers are scary, please keep them away from me, I do not make any money out of writing this anyway.

The Gift

Silence, at last. Heavenly silence. Dean Winchester was staring into the ink black night, sitting on a small bench just outside the bunker that he and Sam had called their home for the past year. It had been rather warm inside, and so he involuntarily shivered as he tried to get accustomed to the cool air that was now surrounding him. He was brooding, contemplating. The way he always did, so much that Sammy often teased him about it. But overthinking was just one of Dean's many trademarks.

Faint sounds of music were escaping through one of the partly opened windows of the well-hidden building, which wasn't odd, considering that a party was going on in there. After all, a wedding usually came with a party. Dean frowned as he looked down at the black suit that he was wearing. A wedding… If anyone had told him five years ago that he was going to get married, he would've laughed them in the face. If they'd also informed him that the person he'd get married to was in fact an angel, he probably would've shot them as well. Perhaps because there was a time when he'd given up on this mushy thing called true love, or maybe because the hunter simply wasn't the kind of guy who felt a need to get married. 'No chick flick moments' had always been his motto. And why get married anyway? Because some unreachable, untouchable God said so?

Hell, Dean had never been the religious type. For the largest part of his life he hadn't believed in God, and most certainly not in angels… Even though he had easily accepted from the very start that there was something more out there, that there were monsters and demons, ghosts even; never had he given it a second thought that maybe there were also greater forces that weren't necessarily evil. Then again, he'd seen evil with his own eyes ever since he'd been a little kid. Angels on the other hand… Well, his mother always used to tell him that angels watched over him, but up until five years ago, he hadn't had any proof. And if there was one thing the oldest Winchester always required, it was proof.

But hey, this was the life of Dean Winchester. Therefore he shouldn't have been surprised when an actual angel of the lord had walked into his life. Or more like crashed into his life, and with that changing all of his beliefs. Of course it had been a long and rocky road since then… He and Cas had come a long way. A way with twists and turns, and countless complications. Needless to say, a lot of those complications were of the supernatural kind... The most recent obstacle being how they'd chased after Metatron, all the while with Crowley hot on their heels, in a quest to set things straight between heaven and hell. And most importantly; getting Castiel's grace back. But there had also been other difficulties, namely the confusion and denial between the two of them about what this so-called profound bond that they shared truly meant. Dean had been highly resistant to accepting what had been right in front of him all along…

He was forcefully pulled out of his thoughts when someone sat down beside him in a not very graceful manner, causing the bench to shake violently.

"Dean, dude, are you alright?" A rather tipsy Sam Winchester asked as he examined his big brother, his brown eyes scanning Dean's face.

Dean snorted at his brother's concern. "I'm fine, Sammy. Just thinking, you know."

Sam had learned to stop complaining about Dean calling him 'Sammy' years ago, and so he ignored the little nickname, instead continuing to interrogate his older brother.

"Okay… So, are you having second thoughts? Already tired of the married life?" He was partly kidding, but at the same time not sounding particularly pleased at the idea of Dean regretting this major step; Sam had never made it a secret that his brother and the angel had his full support. For the youngest Winchester it was all about seeing his brother happy for once.

"What? No!" Dean replied abruptly, seeing as this was the one thing that he was sure about; he did not regret this commitment. "Not at all, just needed a minute to breathe… You know, it's been a crazy year, man. And now this wedding, it all seems… I don't know, it's gonna take some time for me to get used to it. I mean come on, me, married…"

The younger Winchester smirked knowingly. "You only agreed because Cas thought it was necessary to get married." He was stating, not asking.

Dean groaned but didn't go against his brother's statement. "Yeah, well… All I know is that I feel the same way about him as he does about me, and if he wants to make it official… If it matters that freaking much to him, then why not huh?"

Sam chuckled as he gave Dean an encouraging slap on the shoulder. "You are so whipped, bro. I'm glad you are though, he makes you happier than I've seen you in… well ever."

Dean rolled his eyes, but there was humor in his tone when he replied. "Yeah, he does… Damn, I can always count on you for a deep, serious talk."

His little brother gave him one of his whatever-shrugs, then got up from the bench. "I'm going back inside. Charlie, Kevin and Garth were planning on doing karaoke to eighties songs, this I've gotta see."

Dean laughed quietly as he saw his brother stroll back in the general direction of the bunker, swaying a little as he did, evidently under the influence of too much liquor.

Before he even had a chance to slip back into his maze of thoughts, he was interrupted again. Only this time the person that occupied the empty space next to him seemed to have popped up out of thin air.

Which made that Dean couldn't stop a goofy smile from spreading on his face as he turned to meet the admiring gaze of Cas. His Cas. Damn, that sounded weird. Weird, but good. The angel was wearing a blue suit that was a few shades darker than the familiar blue tie that he always used to wear. It stood in a nice contrast with Dean's own black ensemble. Also, it matched those bright blue eyes that Dean loved so much.

"Hello, Dean." Cas grinned at him as he said this. "The party wasn't much fun without you, so I decided I might as well join you here."

It had sort of become their thing; that trademark greeting that his angel had always used on him whenever he showed up at random moments.

Dean laughed quietly, immediately getting the joke. "Want me to give you a speech about personal space?" He teased as he leaned into Cas, lightly resting his head on the angel's shoulder.

Castiel playfully nuzzled his hair before planting a gentle kiss to his temple. "No need. I think I've got that speech memorized by now." He breathed against Deans ear, sounding amused.

Thanks to about six months of being human, Cas had learned a lot regarding jokes and sarcasm, and by now there was an ever-growing list of references that he did in fact understand.

There was a lazy grin on Dean's face as he looked up to take in the most gorgeous angel in the garrison. The very angel that was now his, and only his. The messy hear, the pretty pale face, and the most spectacular blue eyes to ever exist, eyes that seemed to read Dean's mind whenever they were directed at him… It all belonged to Dean now.

After all they'd been through, this felt so incredible. Because what a horrible year it had been… There had been pain, fear, and heartbreak… Several times they had been on the brink of losing everything, the way they had so many times before. At some point Dean had almost given up, but finally, here they were, every crisis averted. Castiel being back to his normal self; He was an angel again.

"Alright, I figure we are both done with the party?" Cas asked casually, slightly tilting his head to gauge Dean's reaction.

"More than done." Dean grumbled as he was reminded of the chaos that was going on back in the bunker. If he were to be completely honest, he would very much prefer to go back there only when all of his drunk friends had left the building. Which was not likely to happen anytime soon.

"Good." His angel said unexpectedly.

Dean gazed up at him again, giving him a puzzled look. "Good?"

"Yes, there's somewhere I've been planning to take you." Cas informed him, a serene smile forming around his lips.

"The zapping thing?" Dean guessed, narrowing his eyes as he remembered all his previous unpleasant zapping experiences. "No, Cas! You know how I feel about that."

"I will be gentle, Dean." Cas assured him, softly stroking a hand through his favorite human's sand-colored hair to put him at ease.

Dean pulled a face, but didn't argue. The angel did keep his promise though. Usually when he zapped the Winchester brothers to a different location, he just pressed his fingers to their foreheads. But this time, he wrapped his arms around the oldest Winchester in a warm embrace, and before Dean even knew what was happening, they had travelled across space and time.

When Dean opened his eyes again, he flinched a little. They had gone from dark night to sunny skies, and his eyes needed a second to adjust. He curiously took in his surroundings.

They were standing in the middle of what looked to be an endless field. All he could see was exceptionally green grass and a few large, magnificent trees. Wildflowers were peacefully swaying in a light breeze. There was the sound of water flowing somewhere not too far away… Dean registered the faint smell of something sweet, something he couldn't quite place, but it was pleasant all the same. The sight was exquisite. From what he could tell, this was what most people would envision when thinking about paradise.

"Cas, where are we?" He questioned suspiciously as he freed himself from the angel's firm grip and took a step back.

Castiel smiled at him, a brilliant smile that touched his eyes. "This is heaven, Dean."

Dean could only gape at his angel. "What? You mean like… Heaven-heaven?" He checked after a long silence, his brow furrowed.

Cas nodded. "I've told you, Dean… After we set everything straight, the angels who survived started considering me their leader… Since I make most of the rules here now, I think that means I'm allowed to take visitors with me on special occasions." He gave Dean a small wink, to assure him that it was alright.

The hunter let out a deep breath. "And that means I can be here without being dead, I hope." He wanted to make sure.

His angel laughed a laugh that made his heart skip a beat. "As if I would ever let you die." He said mockingly.

"Then why are we here?" Dean asked, cutting right to the chase. "Not that this isn't a nice place." He added quickly, realizing that the peacefulness of heaven was way better than whatever orgy was probably going on at the bunker right now.

Castiel smiled another one of his cryptic smiles, taking a few steps back from Dean. Dean gave him a wary look, but then he was distracted when he saw something moving in the distance from the corner of his eye. Or, Dean realized when he took a better look, not something, but someone. Across the sea of green grass that was covered in yellow and purple flowers, there was the shape of a woman in a white dress, gradually walking in his direction.

"I sensed that there was one thing in particular that you were missing on this special day, Dean." Cas declared in his low, deep voice.

All Dean could do was stare when the figure was close enough for him to realize that it was his mother. Mary Winchester's curly blonde hair was swaying gracefully with each step. By now he was sure that Cas could actually read his every thought, because yes, the hunter had thought about her more than once today. About how she always wanted him to have a happy normal life. To experience love. About how ironic it had been that Dean was finally having all of that, yet she wasn't there anymore to witness it. And Cas had effortlessly picked up on all those thoughts that had been swirling through Dean's already preoccupied mind today.

"Mom…" The word was just above a whisper as it fell from Dean's trembling lips.

She smiled as she came to stand right in front of him. "Dean." Was all she said, placing both her hands on his face, staring into her son's now watery green eyes.

Dean swallowed noisily, feeling like something was stuck in the back of his throat. He wanted to say a million things, but came up blank.

"It's good to see you, sweetheart. I've missed you so much." Mary filled the silence easily.

"You have no idea how glad I am to see you, mom." Dean finally managed to choke out.

His mother's smile widened. "And on a day like this." She said, her head subtly nodding in Castiel's direction.

Dean briefly glanced over his shoulder, looking at where Cas was leaning against a large tree at the other end of the field, offering them some privacy. Even though he could probably still hear every word that was spoken, being an angel and all.

"Yeah, surprise… I married an angel." Dean dryly stated the obvious as he turned back to face Mary.

She slowly removed her hands from her son's cheeks, smiling as she grabbed his hands instead. "So I've noticed. An angel…. Only the best for my son." She replied, the expression on her kind face was nothing but encouraging.

Dean frowned. "Does that mean that…"

His mother helped him out when he failed to complete his sentence. "If you're asking for my approval, you have it, Dean."

A small nervous laugh escaped him as he squeezed his mother's hands a little tighter. "Yeah well, you always said angels were watching over me, but I wasn't sure you intended for me to marry one." He said sheepishly.

She laughed that carefree laugh that was one of the few things from Dean's childhood that he very clearly recalled. "All I ever intended was for you to be happy, Dean. Look at you now, I've never seen you smile this bright, and I've been watching you a lot."

And that was all Dean needed to hear. The only right response was to take her in his arms and hold her tight. "Thanks mom... Guess you were right all along, there was an angel watching over me…" He mumbled against her hair.

-xxx-

"Cas… I don't even know what to… Thank you…" Dean stumbled, voice shaking the tiniest bit.

After Dean had said his goodbyes and his mother had left in a bright flash of white light, Castiel had been beside him instantly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

The blue-eyed angel smiled at him. "You're ever so welcome, Dean."

Dean didn't think at all before pulling Cas in for a hug, holding him tightly to his chest, resting his cheek against the angel's shoulder.

"I'm just… I'd never thought I would see her again until, well you know, I died." Dean muttered. "Again." He added darkly, remembering all the times his life already had ended.

"I'm aware… Actually, that is my gift to you." Cas said tentatively. "You agreed to this marriage because I… well, insisted. I want to give you something in return."

Dean looked utterly confused. "Your gift to me? What are you talking about, Cas?"

All Castiel did was smile mysteriously, taking Dean's hand in his. Dean's left hand, to be more accurate, the one with the wedding ring. The ring was made out of white gold, but it also held a radiant blue stone. Until now it had not occurred to Dean that the shimmering blue maybe was a little bit too extraordinary to be natural.

"Look at the stone, Dean."

Dean didn't have to do as he was told, since he was already staring at the mesmerizing piece of jewelry.

"What about it?" He asked, still in the dark.

Cas blinked slowly before enlightening him, the tip of his index finger caressing the stone. "It contains a tiny fragment of my grace… You've sacrificed so much for the greater good, yet you've lost so many people. People that you need, for guidance, and comfort. Especially with the life you're living… If you ever feel sad or lonely, Dean, or simply need advice… Just touch the ring, think about whoever it is you need to speak to, and you can return here, to heaven's neutral grounds. See them, talk to them... Without needing me as your babysitter." The corners of Castiel's mouth turned up slightly as he used the word 'babysitter'.

Dean's eyes grew impossibly wide.

"Come on, Cas! You can't be serious." He said after what felt like ages.

"I made a vow to you today, Dean. I will never lie to you again. This is what you deserve, after everything you did for me, and not giving up on me after everything I did to you, after every time I failed you..."

"We've all made mistakes, Cas. Besides, that's your grace! Don't you… need that?" Dean asked, astonished.

"Have you been paying attention at all? It's only a small piece, and I can function perfectly fine without it. Aside from that, I'm assuming that it will stay close to me from now on anyway." Castiel answered, directing a meaningful glance at the ring.

"So what, I can just, pay visits to heaven? Kinda like having my own wings?"

The angel grinned and nodded in confirmation at Dean's summary. "You married an angel, it comes with certain advantages."

"I don't even know what to say." Dean's voice was rough with emotions. "Damnit... I love you, Cas… You know that right?"

Castiel chuckled before responding in a low voice. "Just between the two of us; that is my very favorite part of all this… I taught Dean Winchester to say 'I love you'.

Normally, the hunter would've objected, or at least would've come back with some witty remark. But he had none, because Cas was absolutely, one hundred percent right.

And so instead of talking, he pulled his angel closer, eagerly crushing their lips together. If you asked Dean, talking was overrated anyway. Their lips moved slowly yet urgent at the same time. Cas let out a shaky sigh of pleasure against his human's lips, and Dean smiled into the kiss, loving that he could get those kind of reactions out of his now-husband.

Dean had never really known what home felt like. He'd never been able to truly define a place or an object as home… But now he had Castiel, and with him it felt like he was home. It didn't matter where he was, or why. As long as they were together, Dean felt safe, protected, and completely content. The kiss got more intense, and he tugged at Cas' hands as he let himself fall down into the soft grass, pulling the angel with him. From there on there was only the sound of lips hungrily battling with each other, until after a long while, they both needed to take a breath.

That's how they ended up both lying on their backs in companionable silence, gazing at the sky.

"So… This reject who's been to hell and back, basically married the king of heaven, huh?" Dean was the one who ended the comfortable silence, taking a peek at the angel lying in the warm grass beside him, their sides touching.

Cas snorted, rolling his impressive blue eyes before fixing them on Dean. "You, Dean Winchester, are not a reject. You have the purest, most beautiful soul that has ever existed. I would know."

There was another short silence, until the hunter let out a triumphant laugh of his own as another thought crossed his mind.

"Well I'm glad you see it that way, because think about it, buddy... You're a Winchester as well now, which means a Winchester is ruling heaven… Hell yeah." Dean got a little carried away as he reminded Cas of the fact that they shared the same last name now, smiling smugly.

"So it would seem..." Cas mused nonchalantly, also smiling. "Look at you. Forever committed to one of those 'freaking angels'."

The angel made a face as he used the term that Dean had often used to describe Cas' kind whenever he got frustrated with either Castiel or any of his brothers or sisters.

"Oh shut up." Dean groaned. "I think you could do something way, way more productive with that pretty mouth."

As he said this, he unceremoniously crawled on top of his angel, momentarily hovering over him, one of his large hands lovingly stroking Castiel's pale face. Dean's green eyes held Cas' blue ones for a long moment before he dipped his head, offering Cas a kiss that was also a promise. A promise to never let each other down again, and to forever honor that unusual yet amazing bond that they'd seemed to have from the very day when they had first met...

Thank you for reading, and if you want, let me know what you think. Or not, whatever floats your boat. ;) Also: I'm Dutch so English is not my first language, which sometimes causes annoying and/or hilarious grammatical errors. Feel free to point them out to me so I can fix them.