Chapter Two:

Ain't life Grand?

Morning found the newlyweds in their oversized king bed, still partially clothed in their hopelessly wrinkled wedding suits. They'd only managed to strip off their top halves and shoes before falling asleep on top of the covers. Too drained from the excitement of yesterday to consummate their blessed union. It wasn't like they'd never done it before or wont again. They were comfortable enough just being together to go one night without it. Having heard from other couples that they too just slept the night of their wedding for the same reasons. It certainly didn't make them love each other any less. In fact, it just shows that they have their Mate's best interests in mind. Despite what everyone thinks, getting married and having the long after parties, dinners, dancing, and everything is exhausting.

The sun blinded them both at about the same time and Cas was chivalrous enough to stumble from the bed to close the curtains with an annoyed huff. The growl in his tone sounding much lower then his normal gravel rough voice. Dean quirked a half grin and growled right back teasingly. Mission completed, Castiel fell into bed again and was immediately curled into a ball by Dean who was craving his deliciously warm hubby back. A kiss to his lips had Castiel nearly loose his stomach.

"Oh God, Dean! Yuck."

"Hmm?" Dean hummed, obliviously kissing Cas's neck next. Blissed out from just being here and warm and in love. Cas still looks amazing even if he's all rumpled up. Hair attempting to communicate by semaphore, waving about in Dean's sleepy breathy open mouthed kisses to every part of Cas he could reach.

"Brush. Teeth. Now." slapping at Dean's arm to loosen his octopus hug.

"Dragon breath?" Dean hummed amused at his joke before pouting at the stern look he's getting. A whine sneaking out of his throat. "But it's warm here."

"Brush." Cas demanded again with more force and shoved Dean off of him. He rolled his eyes when Dean merely used his discarded bow tie to rub at his teeth quickly, and grin gummily at him for inspection.

"I want a divorce." Cas grumbled and buried his face into the pillows.

"Too soon for that, Pumpkin, gotta wait for the papers to get into the system first." He grinned wickedly, "And that might take awhile since I'm still presumed dead according to the FBI and the world at large. Remember Honey? My untimely demise?"

Cas's voice was muffled under the blankets and pillows, "Yes. Shame it didn't stick." Sounding upset about that factoid. "Either time. How many is it? Three? Four? Like a bad penny." He lifted his head and brushed a hand through his hair, making it stick up even more. "Welp, looks like I'm just stuck with you." and gave him a quick, closed mouthed resigned kiss like he lost a bet.

Dean smirked again with his fingers peeked in classic villain pose as he rolled onto his back. Too tired to muster up the energy for a proper evil laugh, he merely said, "Muahahahaaa."

"You are just pure evil. Dean Novak." Castiel's grin widened a bit, kissing him a bit more warmly on his cheek, holding his breath much to Dean's amusement who blew rancid morning breath at him just to get punched in return.

They had struggled longer about who would take who's last name then it took discussing the rest of the wedding plans. Cas pointing out that his last name is less famous, or rather, infamous, then the Winchester surname, Dean had to concede for a half minute before going in for a rock, paper, scissors battle. Sam and Balth were the refs and they all cheered for Mr. and Mr. Novak.

In the Hunter community, only those on their side were told that Dean had lived through it at all, and that he was miraculously changed back into a human. However, they still weren't told his new name in case those that weren't on their side heard the stories of Dean coming back from the dead... again. The first being the evil shape-shifter case gone wrong, The second when Bobby announced his death to throw bad guys off his trail at the start of his Drauglin life, and the third was his viral video disappearance into the ocean. 'Never to be seen or heard from again.' Allegedly.

Sam was able to keep hold of his name at least, but they'd all still needed to watch their backs for fanatical Hunters that want to kill anything even remotely tainted with monster-dom. Thus far, a large number of Hunters still ended up hearing about Dean's return to humanity over the following months, and surprisingly sent their well wishes and questions about when they were returning to the hunt.

The couple finally rolled out of bed at noon and ordered some breakfast in bed, and cozying up together to watch some terrible movie on the flat screen. Hardly even paying it any attention as they were debating if they wanted to make love, or keep eating, or both. Dean's idea won out and he dead-bolted both doors before attacking his husband with the strawberries from their breakfast, naked in no time flat.

Afterwards, they were both spent and dozed for another hour or so, making a mental note to ask for clean sheets if they were planning on staying another night.

Sam and Balthazar had left them alone the next day, texting back and forth every hour just to make sure the other halves of their party were still alive. Bobby and Ellen stayed at a motel just outside of town at their own impromptu vacation. While Meg and Missouri decided to hitch a ride with Rufus on back to normal civilization before they were sucked into the Vegas Void of debauchery and debt. Missouri just wasn't ready for that kind of crash course in the future's entertainment industry, and Rufus was, 'Just too damned old for that shit.'

Balth meanwhile had lost a grand at the blackjack tables but Sam was killing it at poker.

Dean rolled onto his back, stretching his muscles out and could still feel his food baby from that awesome breakfast in bed. His belly sticking out a bit. He saw that Cas was halfway zoned out watching the TV. "Forgot to mention this, Babe, but, the thing about Drauglin's is, is that both females and males can get pregnant." Dean placed his hand over his lower belly, making his stomach bow outward and rubbing it fondly. Soft smiles and caresses. Flexing some abs to make it jump a little. "Say hi to your Daddy, sweet pea." He excitedly pulled Castiel's hand over and placed it on his stomach. Fingers flat against his skin making him shiver at Cas's cold fingers. Blood draining from his face as well as his hands. Dean laced his fingers between Cas's and made him rub the belly as well. "I was thinking, Daniel. A mix of both our names. Or Cassen for a girl. You like it?"

Cas's jaw dropped and worked silently as it flopped about, before stammering out half syllables. "Wu...Wha... what? WHAT?!" other hand pushing Dean's hands away to clear the area, searching for the telltale signs of baby belly with his own probing fingers and palms. Fingertips digging into Dean's stomach and making him giggle and laugh hysterically from the tickles.

"Sss-stop! Cas! It's-s no- not go-good for the ba-baby!" he pushed at the intruding fingers and just watched Cas with glee as he waited for his husband to catch up. Milking it for all it's worth. "I figure I'm due to deliver in another four weeks, since that's the middle ground from Drauglin births and human births. I've been carrying this bad boy around for a little while. Just wanted to make sure he's got all his 20 fingers and 8 toes."

Cas was just staring blankly at Dean's stomach then up to his eyes. Now that he was really looking he could tell that he was so very pranked. "You assbutt!" he shrieked and punched Dean's chest repeatedly, pissed for sure, but even more embarrassed that he fell for it. "Who does that?"

"You should have seen your face!" Dean laughed and tried to sober up a bit. This was probably the completely wrong way of asking about kids, but he couldn't pass up this opportunity. Dean knew there was no one telling the couple that they had a time limit to discuss having kids, so this was all in fun. "When we get, if we get, a kid, I promise I'll let you in on it."

"Oh well, thanks so much for that. Assbutt." Cas growled at him and punched him again on his shoulder.

"Man I wish I had a picture of that reaction." Dean sighed and got kicked in the nuts for that comment by Cas's heel. Once he recovered enough to speak, he pinched out, "So mean!"

Castiel had been kind of regretting that last blow but at that accusation he snarked right back, "Yes, you are." and got up off the bed. Putting things back into their bags to give himself some time to cool off. It was a prank. Nothing more. He didn't want to make it into something it wasn't.

Dean watched him clean up and worried if he struck a chord. Maybe he did go too far. His boys still hurt like hell but he was able to shove it aside for the moment. He deserved the retaliation, probably more. "So, do we... do we need to... talk about it?"

Cas spun around, confusion in his eyes, brow pinched. "About what?"

He shrugged, wincing as he swung his legs around to cross them gingerly at the heel, now he was facing him more fully. "I don't know..." hand going up to ruffle the back of his head. "I just, I didn't really think... it was a dumb ass prank."

He could tell instantly that Dean was trying to find a delicate way of apologizing as well as asking seriously about their potential future children. Castiel put down the dirty shirt he was folding and strode back to the bed, sitting down next to his husband who flinched back for a split second. Cas noticing Dean chastise himself for the reaction. Cas would never hurt him like that, when there was absolutely no reason for it. Dean had stopped his teasing but still reacted as if he was going to be struck again. Now it was Castiel's turn to feel a bit ashamed for his violent reactions to the prank. Hoping that he didn't hurt Dean too bad with the pulled punches. He planned on making up for the nut kick though, for a long time into the future.

Dean took and released a steadying breath and leaned towards his husband again. Showing that he's not scared of him, that it was just some artifact from his time with Azazel popping up unwanted. Dealing with his rough abused past.

Cas shushed his worries with a gentle hand carded through Dean's hair before the hands went low and pulled Dean's fretting hands into his lap, rubbing along the fingers soothingly. "I know it was a prank. And we will talk about it, but it doesn't have to be today. We only just got married." he pulled his hand up to kiss at Dean's fingers sweetly. Aiming for the titanium ring next to kiss tenderly, making sure Dean noted the gesture. "There's no reason to rush it. And no, you did not hurt my feelings."

Dean let out a rush of air from his lungs. Not realizing how tense he'd gotten from worry. His relief clear as day as he squeezed his fingers back. They had time. He didn't just ruin their married life before it even started.

"I know what you're thinking Mr. Novak." Cas's lips curled upwards around the name, no small amount of pride in his voice. Being pretty good at reading his freckled features every day. Cataloging Dean's expressions for later use in reading his thoughts and feelings. "Don't worry, it will take more then a good joke to scare me off."

Dean had a flippant remark on the tip of his tongue but swallowed it back. No need for it. They're being honest here and it's just the two of them in the quiet room. "I'm glad." he finally croaked out of his dry throat, eyes twinkling. Swallowing several times to loosen up his throat and relieve the dryness. Congratulating himself on handling this like an adult instead of his old methods of making fun of the situation to make it seem less important to him.

He leaned into Cas's side, enjoying the warmth as an idea struck him. A perfect way to turn that bad prank into an awesome one. With an accomplice. Before he could speak, his fucking awesome husband beat him to the punch.

"Think they will fall for it too?" Castiel mumbled his thoughts out-loud, and motioned to the door to Sam and Balth's room.

"Fucking love you so damned much. Get in my mouth. Now." Dean growled and mashed his lips onto his husband's. The lingering traces of unease was kissed away. A surprised squeak escaping out the side of their lips before being swallowed up by Dean's mouth. When he came up to breath he said, "But this time, we gotta get the camera rolling on that shit!"

Cas panted, "Agreed. It is imperative." and thrust forward again to recapture Dean's tongue.

The rest of the day was a pleasant blur. They finally joined Sam and Balth, made and lost money, and took in all of the sights, and made general nuisances of themselves. They just had to stay long enough for the pictures and short video of the ceremony to be ready for pick-up at 8 that night so it wouldn't have to be mailed anywhere. Risking outsider eyes viewing it before it's secured in their possession. Sam and Dean were still wanted by the FBI and countless others. It wouldn't be a good idea to risk their private moments and Dean's new identity just because they wanted to leave earlier then 8. Everyone wanted a copy and no one had the means to make them at the moment. They emailed the digital copy of the photos taken to Bobby for him to print off more copies along with other personal photos of their trip that couldn't wait for the slide show later. Knowing that they probably wont all get together again anytime soon after this, they made sure to send the best ones first.

The newlywed's eventually found a nice spot away from the main hub of Vegas to consummate their marriage, again. There was a beautiful but sandy hill overlooking the lights, with just the Impala and a few thick blankets under the new stars. They would have stayed there all night but there were a few too many coyotes out yipping and yowling for their liking. If it was just one, it wasn't a problem, but they brought their whole family to perv on the intimate moment. Dean tried to muster up a growl but it just ended up hurting his throat so he fired off a single shot into the air to scare them off. It worked, but now they had to split for a different more urgent reason as red and blue lights started to flash along the hill and got brighter by the second. Awesome.

They got back to the hotel, packed up with the speed that comes from a life of ditching motels before the 5-0 show up, and left the city lights in the rear view. Balth weeping in the backseat for his lost gold necklaces, and Sam holding back a few, 'I told you so's for not mailing them to his house when he could. Balth was a bit more reckless with his money when the dice were hot and liquor was pouring. He slipped off to dreamland before they even left Nevada.

Dean took them on a path back home that would skirt the grand canyon, peering over at the wonder but not seeing nearly as much because it was so dark that night. Debating if he should pull over for a few hours to take a look at it with the others now, or come back to it later.

His younger brother in the backseat looked up from his cell, wondering why they hadn't hit the right highway yet and seeing his brother looking out of the window every few minutes. Going quietly to GPS on his phone to confirm that the Grand Canyon was just a hop and a skip away. Less then five miles to their left. He knew that Dean didn't want to hold everyone up on their way home on his account so he sat up straighter. Cleared his throat and said, "Hey, are we nearly at the Grand Canyon yet? I wanted to try out the night setting on this camera."

Dean startled at the voice, realizing that he hadn't even had the radio on. Any sounds were amplified in the quiet so it took him a second to parse what was said. "Hmm? Oh. Is it nearby?" Feigning ignorance.

Sam could read him like a book but innocently played along. "Yeah. I think it'd be a cool way to end the trip right?"

"Sure, I mean, if you want. We can make a pit stop." Dean shrugged but readily pulled off the first chance he got. Following signs for a lookout point and gift shop. And if the Impala's speed jumped up a few miles per hour, that was just coincidence.

Castiel leaned closer to Dean's side, eyes scanning the horizon that seemed to drop off into a black void into the earth. A giddy feeling in his chest at seeing something so huge and marvelous. Dean found a good spot close to the tiny shop that had a few other cars parked around it. Glad it was open and that they weren't the only crazy ones trying to see it at night.

Sam tapped on Balth's shoulder, waking him up and gesturing to the store. "Gonna wanna see this, Dude."

Balth frowned, squinting at the harsh light of the store before getting up and out of the car. Heading for the bathroom but stopping in mid stride to look up. A gasp at the sight above.

Castiel went around the car to Dean's side and put his arm around his waist. "My God it's beautiful." He whispered breathlessly. The stars and milky way were amazing. The canyon itself was partially illuminated by the brightness of the half moon overhead. Their eyes able to make out a fair number of details below but the view above had them all standing and staring like literal starstruck lovers. It was nearly 20 minutes later that Sam remembered he had a camera and took some pics of everyone, setting the timer and jumping into the group shot. A few more for 'safety' that degraded into schoolboy humor. A tour was starting for the few tourists at the shop, several other cars showing up for it and they thought it was damned lucky that they were at the right place and right time for it. Joining in the back of the group so they could take their time hiking since none of them had proper shoes or clothes for it.

All of them would look back at that impromptu stop with fond memories and a couple of lewd pictures scattered amid works of celestial art. Sam and Dean's knowledge of stars was so very limited compared to the other tourists, but they enjoyed seeing the ones they never get to see outside of books and photo's other people had snapped. It was all very surreal and Dean found himself wondering at the fact that Dane and Cricket and all the other Drauglin's on their island could see this every single night. It made him homesick in a strange way for a place he could never go to now that he's human again.

He couldn't really express his feelings about it, so he kept it to himself. No sense pining the loss of something he never had. He pulled his husband closer and kissed his cheek. Standing back as the others walked ahead back to the Impala. Not willing to hike into the night with the tour who planned on going for several miles more.

"Thanks." Castiel whispered. "You always know how to wow a man."

"You too, Babe. I just..." shaking his head. Knowing that there just weren't words for what he wanted to say so he kissed him again, holding him close and tight. Sniffling a little before wiping off his nose before it got out of hand. "We'll come back here for our anniversary." Nodding and looking away and down at the flashlights bobbing about in a line. Like a happy dancing snake made of lights. Dean briefly thought about if he still had his wings, what it would be like to fly down into the canyon. Wondering if Cas would enjoy a ride like that or be berating him the whole time for being seen by everyone. Dean already thinking of the arguing sides, saying to his lover that he could do it naked and screaming and no one would be able to pinpoint him amid the vast walls. His old camouflage and the echos of sound helping him hide in plain sight. Then his Cas would roll his eyes and might place a bet on it and let him do the stupid thing anyway because he could never say no to Dean when he talked about being naked while doing it. The real reason Dean never asks to streak in public is the fact that Castiel had done it first and would be a hypocrite to say Dean couldn't. Balth had informed Dean of Cas's first time trying his special cocktail of pills and pot where he showed up naked on Balth's car, covered in bees. Not even Cas could remember where the hell he found the bees or where they went to after that.

Dean jolted back to the present from his imaginary conversation to Cas who was trying to have a real conversation with him.

"You haven't heard a word, have you." Castiel's head tilted to the side before he turned and just walked towards the car. Hearing Dean jog to catch up.

"What? Sorry! What were you saying?"

Cas leveled him with a stare that wasn't quite a glare. "I said, if you want, we don't have to wait a year to come back. But, you have to promise to learn how to horseback ride so we can take one of those tours." Castiel pointed at a sign on the side of the building they had passed by that was now too small to read from where they stood.

Dean's turn to stare. "Horseback?" shaking his head a bit in disbelief. "Wait, do you even know how to ride?"

"No. But I wish to learn, and you will to." said in a way like, 'that's that.'

Dean chuckled, hastening his steps to the Impala and handing Sam the keys when he saw his brother in the driver's seat. Grateful for the change this time so he could be with Cas in the back. Balth was already passed out again in the front passenger side. Knowing that that's just how the seating was going to go or else he'd have to deal with one or the other husband leaning forward every few seconds to swap spit over the bench seat. Save the lover's necks and keep them seatbelted in place. Safety first.

Cas settled in and got a lapful of freckled head and shoulders, green eyes looking up all doe eyed at him. He carded his fingers through the spiky hair and hummed softly. "Mira if it's a girl."

"Mira?" Dean had drifted a little but that woke him up and he heard his brother shift in his seat. The prank had worked like a charm with Castiel's addition of sciency sounding bullshit to corroborate the story. No doubt Sam was wondering if they were trying to get him again.

"Mira is the name of a star that I heard a woman say on the hike. She said it was Latin for 'wonderful' or 'astonishing' and I think that would fit nicely with our girl." Cas hummed and continued to stroke Dean's short spiky hairs. Scratching roughly for the hooded eyes to drift closed with a pleased hum. "For future consideration." Castiel added after a bit. Reiterating silently that he wasn't pushing for anything, just like they'd agreed.

"Yeah. Just in case." Dean wiggled his head a bit closer to Cas's stomach, kissing where he could reach. Finding himself so clingy lately. But, it couldn't be helped, he was in love and that's what newlyweds do. Mark their Mate every chance they get, right? Castiel watched Dean drift off into a happy doze. "Or we could call her Artemis." Cas mused aloud and grinning softly at the tired chuckle for that suggestion. It would fit if she went into the family business.

He was a bit surprised when Dean rolled that name around his head for a moment before he mumble grunted just before falling asleep. "No child - mine - hunter." barely cognizant, Cas still got the message. Agreeing wholeheartedly.

Sam got them all home safely, nudging them awake so they can unpack everything, whilst he goes up to his room and promptly falls asleep after a much needed bathroom visit.

They just brought everything into the living room and dumped it on the floor. Grabbed some food that didn't yet go bad in the fridge and they too went nearly straight to bed.

The next few days were spent in peace, and while Sam was thrilled Dean was back and now happily married, looking back, it all seemed a bit rushed. It was clear to everyone that Dean and Cas would always love each other but from the time the big question was asked and their honeymoon, it had only been a week. Most of it was spent either in their bedroom or the garage where Dean was fixing up his baby for the big trip. Cas learned everything about fixing up the classic car, and during the resting breaks, he would tell Dean about his life as a cryptozoologist. Dean had a goofy grin on his face when his then betrothed would get into tangents about the real likelihood of there being a herd of unicorns out there. But, that it was probably a crossbreed of antelopes and mules.

Dean was sucker punched when he commented with the words, 'horny' and 'ass' in the same sentence.

Finishing up that day with a black eye wasn't fun but worth it to hear the new tirade Cas was going on about rainbow farts being totally illogical for unicorns no matter how much lore Dean insisted was out there. Dean's main argument being, "I had breathed fire, Cas. From my mouth. Who's to say that the farts didn't have water mist that would hit bio-luminescent light from the unicorns hindquarters." Dean never laughed so hard at the brief considerate look in Cas's face at the concept before it turned to incredulity and another fist to his other eye for symmetries' sake. It wasn't so much the blows that was startling, it was the fact that Cas made them as if he was finishing up a mundane chore. Like his mind was thinking, 'Dean said some stupid shit again. Ugh. Now I've gotta punch the idiot again.' Dean was amused by that idea and bet himself that he could get Cas to hit him with some feeling behind it, but not piss him off permanently.

Sam visited later that day to see his brother laying propped up on the sofa, with two bags of frozen peas on his face. "Whoa, what happened to you?"

Dean raised an eyebrow, dislodging the bag. "Don't piss off the nerds."

"I AM NOT A NERD." Castiel shouted from the other end of the house and trembling floorboards announced his approach before he rounded the corner. A finger jabbed in Dean's direction even as Dean's hands went up in surrender. "You listen to me Dean Winchester. If I hear you blaspheme like that in my house again, I will... will..." he floundered a little, not willing to hurt his lover further physically, not with the blue and purple marks that were blooming on his face. Another tactic was clearly needed. "I will deny you sex for a week."

Dean's look of shock was damn near audible. "You wouldn't." bags of peas falling to his lap as he sat upright, stiff and alert. His eyes narrowed incrementally. Figuring it was a bluff. "Like I say, you wouldn't last a day." and smirked at the crack in his lover's mask. "Check. Mate."

Castiel firmed up his posture and expression. "Want to bet on it?"

The staring match lasted for at least a minute. Which was one minute longer then Sam thought he would stand there and watch them stare each other. He had nothing better to do for that minute so he leaned against the wall and waited for Dean to give up. He knew his brother, and after the 90 second mark Dean slumped back into the sofa again and covered up his eyes with peas.

"Fine. But you better bottom tonight since I did this morning." His hips shifted on the sofa to point out his discomfort and Sam took that moment to exit stage left.

The couple just hoped that their married life wouldn't change from that week of hopeless romantic bliss sprinkled lightly with some playfully aggressive reminders of who their ass belonged truly belonged to for all eternity. In sickness, health, the occasional supernatural hiccup, and pranks. Cas was becoming very fond of using Dean's new full name on him when he is in trouble for minor offenses. At first, he sometimes tripped over his words, remembering the name change and forced the Novak name out like he was intending on reminding dean who owns his ass now. (In a much purer and loving way then before, of course.) and Dean loved it because he loved his Cas.