Book 17 - Location Shoot

by GailDunn2

WARNING: ADULT THEMES AND SITUATIONS. The quests for the Tablets continue. Some relationships are examined more closely, some bonds are strengthened, and other acquaintances are made which will have repercussions in the future. More mysteries lay in store for the Angels, while Lucifer decides on a course of action to achieve his goal.

2. Visions Of Angels

Chapter 2 - Visions Of Angels

The wedding day had finally arrived, and Gail was a nervous wreck.

She was in the bunker, pacing up and down the floor in the library area. Every time she stopped and then started walking the opposite way, she would catch the train of her dress on a chair, or a bookshelf, and she would yank it free, but then she would walk some more, and then she would do it again.

"Would you quit that, already?" Jody said to her. "You're gonna rip that thing, before Cas even sees it."

"I was nuts to let him talk me into a dress like this," Gail wailed. "This dress is way too fancy for me. I'm going to take two steps down the aisle and then fall flat on my face."

"No, you aren't," Jody said sternly. "I'm going to grab that thing and throw it behind you, and you and Frank and I are going to just walk forward down the aisle. It's as simple as that."

Gail smiled at her sister-in-law. She did make it sound so simple. Gail had been crazy to buy this dress; she knew that now. She was only going to wear it the once, and even though they'd had plenty of jackpot money left over after they'd paid for the house and furnishings, it had felt like a real indulgence. She'd tried it on just for the hell of it, but when she'd called Cas on his cell phone and described it to him, he'd been so excited that she'd relented and bought it. She had to admit it was a really beautiful dress, but Gail was starting to feel a little overwhelmed now. Was she really going to walk down the aisle in a cathedral in Vatican City and marry God's favourite Son in a formal ceremony, officiated by the Pope? Whose life was this, anyway?

Frank came out of the hallway, dusting off the lapels of his suit jacket. He saw Gail and he stopped short, letting out a low whistle.

"Shit just got real," Frank quipped, and Gail laughed out loud.

"Thank you for that," she said, letting out a breath. "Hey you, come here and hug me. I'd come there, but if I snag this train one more time, I'm saying the hell with it and getting married in my bathrobe."

Frank went over to hug her, and she kissed him on the cheek and said, "I love you, but if you say anything remotely like that when we get to the cathedral, or in front of the Pope, I'm going to have to kill you, you know that, right? Actually, maybe I'll have Sam and Dean do it. I think they're getting rusty. The only thing I've seen them kill in days is a spider that was in the garage, and that was only because it was trying to spin a web on Dean's Baby."

They laughed, and Frank said, "Once we get this romantic crap out of the way, we're going to have to resume our training sessions. Maybe you can ask your good buddy Crowley if there are some of his guys he hates that we can take out, just for the practice."

"Let's not say that name either, especially today, of all days," Gail groaned.

Frank smirked. "Yeah, Cas is going to be a basket case today as it is. I'd better go see how he's doing. Make sure he hasn't run for the hills. He looked a little green at the bachelor party when I told him what you were like to live with, all those years."

"He looked a little green because you and Sam and Dean poured all that alcohol down his throat," Gail retorted.

"Hey, he didn't have to drink it," Frank said, not unreasonably.

Gail shrugged. That was true enough. But it had been Cas's bachelor party, after all. And by all accounts, the men had had a good time. She herself had only seen Cas for a minute that night, and she hadn't seen him since. He had come back to the bunker for a quick, soggy kiss that night, and then informed her that he was moving to Rome until the wedding.

"What? Why?" she had asked him.

"Because we're not supposed to be together before the wedding," he'd told her, swaying slightly on his feet.

Gail had been amused. "Are you drunk?" she'd asked him.

"No, of course not," he'd said quickly, but he'd continued to sway as he stood there, looking at her with a goofy smile on his face. He put his hands on her shoulders. "It's customary for the bride and groom to be apart before the wedding. It makes their coming together all that much more special, once they are married."

Gail thought that was very sweet. "Okay," she told him. "Off you go, then."

"Are you asking me to leave?" Cas had asked her, looking hurt. "Dean said you might be angry if I drank too much, but he kept refreshing my glass, anyway."

"Didn't you just say - ?" Gail rolled her eyes. "Never mind. Do whatever you want, Cas," she said, exasperated.

"I can't do what I really want to do," he'd told her, smiling charmingly. "That's why I have to go to Rome, right now."

Gail had looked at him and laughed. Damn, he was good. Even when he was far drunker than an Angel should ever be, he was still cute. So she'd helped him pack, and he had hugged and kissed her, and then he began to cry.

"The next time I see you, we'll be getting married," Cas had told her, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, and her lips.

"That's right," she'd agreed, smiling. Boy, was he drunk.

"Let's go, Cas," Bobby had said, grabbing Cas by the arm. Cas picked up his suitcase, smiling at Gail. "I'm escorting this drunken idjit to Rome," Bobby had told her. "I'll see you at the wedding, dear." Then he had winked himself and Cas out of there.

"Are you and Jody gonna be OK here until Bobby comes back?" Frank asked his sister now.

"Are you gonna behave yourself until I get there?" Jody countered. "Remember: Angel wedding, Pope, cathedral? Act like a civilized human being, for a change." But she smiled and kissed Frank on the cheek.

"Ready, Frank?" Bobby asked Gail's brother.

Frank gave Gail another squeeze, and a peck on the cheek. "See you in a minute, kiddo. I'll try to keep Cas from climbing the walls until you get there." Then Bobby took Frank's arm, and they winked out.

Cas was climbing the walls. Sam and Dean had been trying to keep him calm, or at least, keep him standing in one spot for two seconds. But he was too nervous and excited to stay still. When Bobby showed up with Frank, Cas rushed over to them.

"How is she? Is she ready? Is she nervous? Excited?" Cas asked Frank anxiously.

"Whoa, slow down, Cas," Frank said, putting his arm around Cas's shoulders. "Take a breath, buddy. She's fine. She's trying to get used to walking in that fancy dress you wanted her to buy. It's kind of funny, really."

Cas stopped his pacing for a minute to picture Gail in the dress as she had described it to him. He was so excited. He couldn't wait to see her in it. She would look so beautiful. He had tried to make himself as handsome for her as he could. He'd shaved very close, rearranged his hair several times, and dressed in her favourite suit on him, the one he'd been wearing when they'd had their first date. Then he'd made flower boutonnieres for himself and Sam and Dean, and he made one for Frank now. Frank stood as patiently as he could while Cas pinned it on him.

"But, yeah, she was all ready, Cas," Frank continued. "After Bobby brought me here, he was going back for Gail and Jody. Then she's gonna spend a couple of minutes here, doing whatever it is that women do, and then we should be good to go. She's excited, she's nervous, she's acting pretty much like you are right now."

Cas finished pinning the flower on Frank's lapel and smiled. She was nervous and excited, too? She was acting like he was? How wonderful.

But then he frowned. "How nervous is she, Frank?" It had suddenly occurred to Cas that maybe it wasn't so cute that she was nervous, after all. If she was that nervous, did it mean that she was having second thoughts?

For a split second, Frank considered telling Cas that she was, just for a laugh. If he'd thought the guy could take it, he might have joked that she'd been talking about backing out. But even Frank couldn't bring himself to be that mean. He did like to mess around with Cas sometimes, but Frank had quickly found out at the bachelor party that there were certain jokes that just wouldn't work on Cas.

"She'll try to be the boss, if you let her," Frank had told Cas at the bachelor party, when they'd both had quite a bit to drink. "You might have to put your foot down once in a while." He was joking, of course. Well, mostly.

"I've tried that," Cas had told Frank earnestly. "She just gets angry with me. Besides, it seems to me that the man is traditionally supposed to be the boss, but in practice, it seems to be the woman who is really in charge. Is that not the way it is with you and Jody?"

"We're not talking about my relationship, we're talking about yours," Frank had said hastily. Then the two men had looked at each other and burst out laughing, putting their arms around each others' shoulders.

Cas felt very close to Frank now, as close as he felt to Sam and Dean, and he felt very privileged to have all three men stand up with him today. He checked his appearance in the mirror again, and then he resumed his pacing.

The guests were all assembled now, waiting for the ceremony to begin. There was an interesting mix of humans and Angels there, but everyone assembled knew that it was something very special that they were going to witness today. It wasn't every day that humans got to witness a wedding between two exalted Angels, being officiated by the Pope himself.

Barry was thinking about the bachelor party, too. The poker tournament had been a lot of fun. It had come down to Barry, Cas, and Chuck in the end, and Barry had ended up winning the whole thing. Barry had crowed about it at the time, enjoying his moment. Sam and Dean had said they'd never known Cas to lose before, and neither had Barry, except for that one time that Gail had beaten them all. So Barry had had his fun, but he had the poker winnings in an envelope in his pocket now, and he was going to give the envelope to Gail and Cas at the reception. Gail might want the money to buy something for the house. Although what she might be lacking was beyond Barry. He and Tommy had worked very hard in the past couple of weeks, and they had also pressed Sam and Dean and Jody and Frank into service. And a couple of times Bobby had "lent" them a few Angels, as well. As a result, Cas and Gail's house was all ready for them to move in. It was fully furnished, and it had every amenity that Barry could think of. He'd even bought them an artificial Christmas tree, and a bunch of decorations for it. Dean had argued that Cas and Gail might want a real tree, but Barry had countered that after the wedding, their Angel friends would probably dive right back into the Tablet search, and who knew where they'd all be in December? Dean had to concede to his logic.

And they wouldn't even need the money for their wedding, as it seemed like everything had been magically bought and paid for. For the past two weeks, Cas and Barry had been walking around Rome making wedding arrangements, and every time they had decided on a particular thing, their money was suddenly no good. The food, the DJ, and the venue were all just given to them. Both men had been mystified, but no matter how much Castiel had tried to insist on paying, no one would take his money.

When they'd walked out of the bakery, having just picked out the wedding cake, Barry had touched Cas's arm. "I think we'd better make sure there's a bride and groom on the top of the cake when it's ready. I think that guy might have thought there should be two grooms on top of the cake, instead."

Cas was puzzled for just a moment, and then he smiled. "That's because you've been as excited as I have about all of these things," he told Barry.

"Well, as much as I hate to conform to a stereotype, I love making wedding plans," Barry had told Cas. "Maybe I should make that my new career. I think it's great of Gail to let me do all of this stuff with you."

Cas was still smiling. "I didn't really give her much of a choice. And she doesn't conform to the stereotype, either. Once I told her that I needed to have things to do to keep me busy, she told me a couple of preferences that she had and then gave me the green light."

Barry was looking at Cas curiously. "Not that I'm complaining, but why aren't you doing all these things with her?"

"Because the ancient rules state that the bride and groom cannot look upon each other from now until the ceremony," Cas told him. "I should not have even seen her the night of the bachelor party."

"Oh." Barry didn't know what else to say to that, really. Ancient rules? From what he had been able to understand, this wedding was going to be mostly modern, with only a few nods to tradition thrown in. He already knew that Cas and Gail hadn't been together in the same bed since they'd spent their engagement night in Barry's former hotel in Vancouver. All of their friends had been pretty sure that that was the case with the couple, but Cas had tipsily confirmed that as a fact at the bachelor party. So Barry supposed he could understand Cas's need to keep busy. Barry and Tommy had sometimes spent weeks without being intimate when Tommy had been on the road for the newspaper, and Barry knew how difficult it was to be without your other half, when you were truly in love.

"Well, I think it's kind of neat that he thought that you and I were the ones who were getting married," Barry said to Cas. "I have to admit, just for a second there, I fantasized about it. I hope that doesn't bother you."

Cas smiled. "Well, I'm extremely flattered, but I think both Tommy and Gail might have an objection to that."

Both men laughed, and then they had carried on making the arrangements.

Jody knocked on the door of the room where the men were. "Everybody decent?" she called out, and then she let herself in the room anyway.

Cas was very excited to see Jody, because her presence signified that Gail would also be here now. Jody smiled at him, but then she said, "Gail wants to see Sam and Dean for a minute."

Oh. Well, all right. They were like brothers to Gail; perhaps she just wanted a hug and a kiss from each of them before the ceremony, Cas thought. And maybe she wanted to ask them how he was doing.

"I need to make her bouquet," Cas told them. "You can take it to her, please." But now he was indecisive. He'd thought about it before, of course, but now that it was time to actually do it, Cas suddenly didn't know what colour her flowers should be.

Unexpectedly, Sam said, "Why don't you just give her red and white roses? It's simple, it's classic, and she likes roses the best. Especially when they come from you."

He and Cas made eye contact, and a moment of understanding passed between the two men. Sam had loved Gail for as long as Cas had, but Cas was marrying her today, and now Sam would move on.

Cas conjured the bouquet and handed it to Dean. Dean grabbed the flowers, rolling his eyes. "Only for you, Cas. We'll see you in a couple of minutes."

"Actually, could you all please leave the room now?" Cas said to everyone. "I need to pray and spend a couple of moments in quiet contemplation."

They all looked at each other and shrugged. Castiel was an Angel, after all, so they supposed that was to be expected. "We'll be back in a few," Dean said, and they all left Cas alone.

Sam and Dean knocked on Gail's door. "You wanted to see us?" Sam asked her through the door.

Gail rushed to the door to open it. "Yeah, Sam. Can I talk to you alone for a minute?"

Sam grinned at Dean. "She wants to talk to me alone."

"Yes, and then I'm going to talk to Dean alone for a minute," she said. "Can you wait outside just a moment, Dean?"

"Sure, we've got all day," he said sarcastically. Gail opened the door wider to admit Sam, then closed it again.

Sam stared at her. "You look gorgeous," he told her.

Gail smiled warmly. "Thanks, Sam. I hope Cas thinks so, too."

"Are you kidding?" Sam said. "If he didn't think so, he'd have to be blind."

They looked at each other for a moment, and then Gail said, "I just wanted to thank both you and Dean for everything. Thanks for rescuing me that night, and thanks for opening up your home to me. And most of all, thanks for deciding to call Cas to help, that night. I owe you guys everything."

"You don't owe us anything, Gail. We love you," Sam said earnestly.

"I love you too, Sam. I always have." She put her hand on his arm. "But I've been in love with Cas since the very first moment I saw him, and ever since that first day, I knew there could never be anybody else for me."

Sam nodded. He got what she was trying to say. "I get that, Gail," he told her. "Here, give me a hug, and let's go get the two of you married, okay?" He opened his arms, and she walked into them. They hugged tightly for a moment, and then Gail sniffled and said, "Can you ask Dean to come in for a second?"

Sam left the room, and Dean came in a moment later. He thrust the bouquet at her. "Here you go," he said. "Courtesy of hubby-to-be."

Gail smelled the flowers, smiling. Roses were her favourite, and the bouquet was simple but beautiful.

"What did you want to say, Gail?" Dean asked her. "We'd better get this show on the road."

"I just wanted to say thank you," she told him. "Thank you for taking me in, and for treating me like a member of the family." Then she smiled. "And thank you for taking out your cell phone and calling a certain Angel that night." Gail's eyes started to fill with tears. "I will never be able to thank you enough, Dean. I owe you my happiness."

"Aw, come on, Gail," he said. Cas had done this very same thing to him a short while ago, and Cas had been crying, too. Dean loved the both of them, but they were driving him nuts, and they were making his suit wet. Still, it was their wedding day, and Dean guessed he could take a second to tell Gail how he truly felt, since they were alone. "You know what?" he said to her. "I'm glad I called him that night, too. I seriously couldn't have picked a better woman for him than you, Gail. Look, I know I give you a hard time, and I'm gonna keep on giving you a hard time for the rest of my life. But that's just because you're the sister I never got to have, Gail. The one I didn't even know I wanted."

Gail launched herself into his arms, and Dean gave her a big hug, and a kiss on the cheek. He held her tightly for a moment, and then he said, "OK, OK, let's go, already. Cas'll be hyperventilating. He's gonna have kittens in a minute." He smiled at her. "Sure you don't want me to pull Baby up to the side door? Last chance to make a run for it."

She laughed, sniffling back the tears. "I don't think so, Dean. Thanks, anyway. In fact, I agree with you. Let's get this show on the road."

Cas had been praying quietly for a couple of minutes now. He was thanking his Father profusely for all of the blessings he had received in recent years. Suddenly, Castiel felt a hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and there was no one standing there. But then Castiel felt his Father's soft kiss on his forehead, and he smiled.

God had wanted to give His Son His blessing, but He was electing to remain hidden from sight. This was His Son's and Daughter's day, and He didn't want to steal their thunder.

God had been the one to make sure that none of the vendors that his Son had engaged would take any money from him. He had chuckled at Castiel's naivete when it came to such matters. Catering companies and reception venues usually had to be booked well ahead of time, and Castiel had just shown up at those places, expecting to be able to avail himself of their services immediately. But God could cut his Son some slack in this instance. His children were in the middle of their mission to defeat Lucifer, after all. They were only taking a quick break now to fit the wedding in because Gail had arbitrarily picked the date prior to the reverse ritual. Their Father knew that there would be tough times ahead for the group, and that some sacrifices and hard decisions would have to be made. So the very least He could do was to make sure that they had a smooth ceremony and reception today.

In keeping with that thought, God had made sure to put every protection in place on every venue that the Angels and their friends would be at today. Just on the off chance that any of Castiel's enemies got it into their heads to try and get cute today, God would ensure that the couple had their day and night of romance, undisturbed.

There was one exception He did make, though. Once all the guests were assembled, God had let the protection on the cathedral slip just long enough to admit Castiel's brother. The King of Hell stood in the shadows in the rear of the cathedral. He just hadn't been able to resist the chance to see this for himself.

Cas came out of a door to the side of the altar, with Dean and Sam right behind him. At the same time, the Pope came out to the altar, and the guests all rose. Then the music began to play, and Gail appeared in the centre aisle. Jody had spread the train of Gail's dress flat behind her, and then Jody took her place on one side of her sister-in-law, with Frank on the other side. When they had discussed the traditional way of coming down the aisle, Gail had expressed that she didn't like the idea of being "handed over" from one man to the other, like so much chattel. But she did like the idea of family accompanying her down the aisle, if for no other reason than for moral support. So she had asked both Frank and Jody to walk down the aisle with her, and then Frank would go over and stand with Cas, Sam and Dean. In another break from tradition, Gail did not have any bridesmaids, or even a Maid of Honour. Cas had not wanted to choose a Best Man from the three that were going to be standing with him, not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings. That debate had gone on for a while until Sam had pointed out, quite logically, that the Best Man and the Maid of Honour titles were generally assigned to the witnesses who signed the marriage license along with the bride and groom. As this ceremony was more of a spiritual matter, and not bound by Earth's laws, those designations were really a moot point.

As Gail, Frank and Jody began to walk down the aisle, God nudged Crowley and whispered, "If you had conducted yourself differently, it could have been you standing down there with your Brother today."

Crowley was startled for a moment, but then he gave a small shrug. Of course their Father would have come here to witness this. Castiel had always been His favourite. And yes, if things had gone another way, perhaps Crowley could have been there, standing up with Castiel. But the fact remained that it was still Castiel who was receiving the prize, wasn't it? So did it really matter, in the end?

Gail's face was completely covered by the veil. She had acquiesced to tradition in this respect, partly because she'd wanted to pick her battles, and partly because it was comforting to her to have her face hidden right now. Everyone was staring at her coming down the aisle, and although they were all friendly faces, she wasn't used to having that many eyes on her all at once.

But there was only one set of eyes that mattered to her right now, and they were bright blue, and shining with tears. Now she wished that her face wasn't covered, because she could see his, but he couldn't see hers. He looked so happy and excited. Cas had always looked good in a suit, and he was wearing the same suit he'd worn on the night of their first date. She couldn't believe it. This was actually happening.

When they reached the altar, Frank and Jody sat down in the front pew beside Sam and Dean. Gail had handed her bouquet to Jody to hold, and now she and Cas moved forward to kneel in front of the Pope. Gail was thoroughly intimidated now. She was kneeling in front of the Pope in a grand cathedral in the Vatican, about to take sacred vows. She began to quiver.

"Are you all right?" Cas asked her softly.

"I don't know," Gail answered. "Suddenly, I'm really nervous."

"Please don't be," he told her. "You'll be fine. You'll see." How he wished that he could see her face or take her hand. But it was too soon in the ceremony for that.

"Family and friends, we are gathered here today for a very solemn, but also a very joyous occasion," Pope Francis announced. "The union of two Angels is always a cause for great celebration, and it is also something that we don't get a chance to see here on Earth. I feel privileged that they have asked me to be here today, to officiate and witness their marriage. And I am happy to see so many of their friends and family here today, to celebrate this day with them."

He looked out at the guests and smiled, and the human guests smiled back, realizing what a special experience this was.

"The couple wishes to express their own vows," the Pope continued. He gestured to Cas and Gail. "Please, proceed."

Cas stood, but Gail remained kneeling. Cas reached down to lift the veil from her face, and both Crowley and God gasped when Gail remained on her knees. This was the moment in the traditional ceremony when the bride would vow obedience and subservience to her husband, and she would signify her intention to do so by remaining on her knees in front of him. Surely Gail hadn't agreed to that, had she?

Once Castiel had removed the veil, he and Gail exchanged a look, and then they smiled at each other. Suddenly, Cas got down on his knees with Gail and faced her, taking her hands in his.

"I vow obedience and subservience to you," Cas said to Gail, and she touched his face, smiling again. The guests exchanged glances, bemused. None of their friends or family realized what a shocking departure this was from tradition, but God broke into a wide smile. How wonderfully refreshing. That could actually be the best thing ever for His Son. No one knew Castiel's flaws better than his own Father did, and God thought it might benefit His Son immensely to be subservient to his wife.

Crowley couldn't believe what he was hearing. He threw up his hands and rolled his eyes. It had taken millennia, but Castiel had finally lost it. But, deep down, Crowley was glad that Gail had not agreed to the ancient way. He also thought it would be good for Castiel to be the obedient one in the relationship, and he also knew that Gail was not the sort of woman who would ever take advantage.

Cas and Gail rose to their feet together now, and they were still smiling at each other. When they had first discussed the possibility of turning the traditional vow completely inside out, Cas had pretty much been half-joking. But the more he'd thought about it, the more the idea had appealed to him. As far as he was concerned, he belonged to Gail, heart, mind, body and soul. What better way to promise his utter devotion to her than to vow his obedience and subservience to her, as well? He didn't want there to be the slightest concern left in her mind that he might ever be overbearing with her again. So he had pledged to her that he would make the vow. Now it was time for them to declare how they really felt about each other in front of their family and friends.

Cas turned to face the guests. "When Gail and I decided to speak our own vows, we wanted to say words of love to each other." His lips twitched. "Most of you are used to us talking to each other this way, but if you will bear with us, we'd like to make it a matter of record."

He faced Gail again, clearing his throat. "I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride. So I love you because I know of no other way than this: Where I do not exist, nor you, so close that your hand on my chest is my hand, so close that your eyes close when mine do."

Gail could feel her eyes starting to mist over already, but she replied, "For it was not into my ear that you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul."

Cas smiled. "You are all I need. For you, I give my soul to keep. For you, I am a better man. You are the reason for everything that I do. I would be completely lost without you."

Then Gail said, "You are every reason, every hope, and every dream I've ever had. And no matter what happens to us in the future, every day that we are together is the greatest day of my life."

Cas's voice was starting to grow thick with emotion, but he was determined to finish. "I have loved no one but you. And I never will."

Gail answered, "And I vow the same. There is nothing you could ever do to lose my love."

They joined hands and turned to look at the Pope, signaling to him that they were done. He was beaming. He'd never heard such romantic and beautifully poetic words spoken at a marriage ceremony before.

"Have you got rings for each other?" Pope Francis asked them.

Bobby stepped forward and handed them the rings. Cas slipped Gail's on her finger and Gail put Cas's on his. Then the Pope put his hands on top of theirs, blessing the rings, and said, "Therefore, what God had joined together, let not man or woman ever separate."

And with that, the ceremony was over. Pope Francis smiled. "I think we would all be very pleased to see you kiss your wife, Castiel," he said.

Cas took a deep breath, then another. He and Gail were married! He put his arms around her waist and kissed her on the mouth, and she kissed him back. It was their first kiss as husband and wife, and it was glorious.

When they broke the kiss, smiling at each other, their guests broke into spontaneous applause, and Pope Francis joined in.

"Go with my love and blessings," he said to the couple. Then he lowered his voice. "And good luck with Lucifer. I know you will do your utmost to rid the Earth of him, and I am sure you will prevail."

They thanked him, then joined hands again and began to walk down the aisle, towards the back of the cathedral. God continued to watch the happy couple, but He remained invisible. Crowley snapped his fingers and disappeared. He'd seen what he'd come here to see.

Once everyone was outside the church, they all milled around on the front steps, talking. A few of their friends were taking pictures, and now that the formality of the ceremony was over, everyone seemed a lot more relaxed, especially the bride and groom themselves.

"So, what's the plan now?" Dean said to Cas. "How much longer are you going to make me wait until I can have my first drink?"

"Actually, it was in deference to you that we planned an afternoon ceremony, rather than an evening one," Cas said to him. And it was true. When he had first broached the idea to Gail about having a candlelit evening service, she'd said, "Cas, that sounds lovely, but I think Dean might start foaming at the mouth if we make him wait that long for a drink." Cas told Dean this now, adding, "I certainly hope you appreciate that."

"Yeah, Dean," Gail chimed in, laughing.

"What are you serving at the reception?" Richard asked. He had walked up to the couple, Zoey and Nicole trailing behind him.

"Loaves and fishes," Cas deadpanned.

Frank clapped his hand on Cas's shoulder. "That is officially the funniest thing you have ever said. Ladies and gentlemen, my brand new brother-in-law." Frank put his hand out for Richard to shake, introducing himself.

"Well, if Bobby can change water into wine, it's gonna be one hell of a party," Chuck quipped.

"That DJ had better have some classic rock," Dean said to Gail.

"Sorry, Dean," she teased. "Strictly pop music, and disco."

He groaned. "You're killing me, Gail. You are officially killing me."

"Maybe they'll have a couple of Christian rock songs for you," Ethan joked, and Dean did a double-take, trying to decide if that had been funny or not.

Tommy patted Cas on the back. "We did have to alter the suit to accommodate his Angel wings, though," he said, trying to get in on the joking. Cas smiled broadly. If his friend only knew how humorous that really was. But that was a private matter for later, between him and his new bride.

His bride. Cas looked at Gail now. The two of them had been physically separated for the moment by the group of well-wishers, and she was currently being hugged by Barry, who was helping her to untangle herself from the train of her dress, yet again. It was a beautiful dress, but Cas could see now that it wasn't very practical to move around in. He pushed his way through their friends to go to her side.

"Would you like to change into something a little more comfortable for the reception, like Jody did?" Cas asked her, putting his arm around her waist.

Gail smiled at him. "Becky informed me that this section with the train comes right off. I guess I should be embarrassed that I didn't know that."

Becky smiled when they looked her way and waved at the couple. She was over the moon, not only because their wedding had been the most romantic thing she had ever seen, but because Gail was now officially off the market. Not that Becky had ever been genuinely worried about Gail getting together with Sam, she told herself. Still, it was good to know that it would now be entirely out of the question.

"Just a few more pictures, and then we'll go over to the reception hall," Barry said. He asked Cas and Gail to pose on the top step of the cathedral. It really was a beautiful building. If this picture turned out well, Barry and Tommy were going to frame it and give it to their Angel friends to put on the mantel at their new home.

Cas put his arms around Gail's waist and smiled for the picture. "How are you now?" he asked her.

"Now?" she said. "Happy, giddy, ecstatic, relaxed. How about you?"

"The same," he replied. "I still can't believe it, though."

"What? That I'm your wife, and you're my husband?" she said, smiling.

"Please say that again," Cas said, his arms tightening around her waist.

"I'm your wife, and you're my husband," Gail repeated. "Even the Pope said so."

Cas couldn't take it anymore. He spun her around and kissed her deeply. Her mouth opened, and his tongue found hers. "I love you," he told her. "And we're married."

"I know," she replied. It was surreal to her, too. "We're husband and wife, Cas."

"You need to stop saying that, or there'll be no reception," he quipped. "I'll just take you straight back to the hotel, instead." Then he kissed her on the mouth again.

Their friends clapped and cheered, and Barry snapped a few more pictures of them kissing. Maybe they'd want a couple of those as well for their private album, he thought, amused.

"OK, let's go party, already!" Dean exclaimed, and they all headed to the reception hall.

Cas had given himself and Gail appetites for the reception, and they had filled their plates with food at the buffet. Gail had had the idea to have an Italian buffet, and the food was delicious. She'd argued, quite logically she had thought, that they would be in the very place where spaghetti and meatballs had originated, and she'd wanted to have some of both at her wedding. Sam could probably have debated with her about the place of origin of the dish, but he knew that had been one of her favourite foods when she'd been a human, and he had persuaded Cas that a buffet would be the best thing, even though Barry had been pushing for a sit-down dinner.

After everyone ate, the toasts began. Champagne was poured all around, and all of their friends took turns toasting the couple. Finally, Cas got up and thanked everyone, raising his glass to all of them. "I am the happiest, and the luckiest, man in this or any other world," Cas told them. He looked at Gail, and the huge lump that had been hovering there all day formed in his throat now. "I will do anything for you. I would give you anything, if you would so much as ask me for it." Then his throat closed, and he choked up.

Cas was losing it. Frank stood up, raising his glass. "I would advise my sister to get that in writing," he quipped.

"Yeah. Cas is the only guy I know who actually could get her the moon and stars if she wanted them," Dean joked. He lifted his glass too, and he and Frank finished the toast that Cas had been unable to.

Cas sat down and Gail touched his face. "I know, sweetie," she said. "I feel overcome with emotion, too. That's why I didn't get up to speak. I don't think I could, right now."

Then she kissed him on the cheek, and then on the lips, and Cas smiled at her gratefully. She understood him, and she didn't mind that his emotions overtook him sometimes. He truly was very lucky to have her as a mate.

Then it was time for the first dance, and Cas led Gail to the floor. He had learned how to waltz centuries ago, and he still remembered how. He led Gail around the floor, and his arm tightened around her waist when she faltered.

"I've never danced like this before, Cas," she said nervously. "I guess we should have practiced."

"That's all right, just let me lead you. In a moment, it'll feel like our feet aren't even on the ground," Cas assured her. Then he held her again, and then they were twirling around on the floor. Gail was looking into Cas's eyes, which were bright blue, and twinkling. "See?" he said to her, and she realized that he was right. She couldn't even feel her feet right now. They were moving so naturally together that she didn't even feel awkward any more.

Then the dance was over, and they moved around the room, visiting with their guests. Frank and Jody were dancing now, and so were Dean and Nicole. Barry and Tommy were talking to Robbie, who was dressed in a suit and acting very grown-up. He had matured quite a bit in the last few months. Maybe it was the type of environment he was growing up in, with so many adult male role models, but Robbie seemed to have put some of his childish things away. He didn't really play much anymore, nor did he yell and jump around. In a way, it was a shame, really.

Richard and Zoey were talking to Chuck and Becky, and Bobby and Patricia were sipping on a quiet glass of champagne.

"Congratulations," Patricia said to the couple. "I was glad to see some nods to the old ways in your ceremony today. Although, I thought it was a little too irreverent when you included that little joke about obeying your wife, Castiel," she added a little stiffly. "But, each to their own, I suppose."

Cas smiled at her. "It wasn't a joke."

Patricia had been taking another small sip of champagne, and she sputtered now. "You can't be serious," she said incredulously.

"I can, and I am," Cas told her, squeezing Gail's hand. "I meant what I said."

"But, the man isn't supposed to be subservient to the woman," Patricia protested. "That isn't what God intended."

"Are you telling us you think that the woman should be subservient to the man?" Gail asked her, astonished. She'd known that Patricia was an old-school, old-fasioned Angel, but she was also a woman, and she was on the board in Heaven. And, Patricia had been one of the first to join the group of Angels who had rebelled against Xavier during the tribunal.

"Yes. In the final analysis, I do believe that is the way that things should naturally be," Patricia replied. "I may feel free to express my opinion, but if Bobby were to disagree, I would have to defer to him."

Gail restrained herself from rolling her eyes by taking another sip of champagne. Wow. Now, Gail was suddenly wondering if Patricia was going to be a problem for her in the future. Once the situation with Lucifer was resolved, Gail had been planning to take womens' rights even further in Heaven, and now she was worried that she might face some opposition from Patricia.

But that was a thought for another day. Today was Gail's wedding day, and she was going to focus on that.

"Are you two going to cut the cake soon?" Frank asked them. "I think we need to shove a piece of cake into Robbie's face and then get him to bed."

"Yeah, he's been amazingly well-behaved, but he's still on American time, and I think we have to get him back to our room before he blows that all to hell," Jody said, smiling.

"We can take him, if you like," Barry offered.

"No, you guys haven't even danced yet," Jody said. "We'll feed him the cake, we'll take him, and then we'll come back."

Cas and Gail cut the wedding cake and started passing it out, and she noticed there was a wrapped present sitting on the table beside the cake. It had no card with it.

"Where do you suppose this came from?" Gail asked Cas. He gave her a half-shrug. He had no idea.

"We'll take it over to the house for you, if you want," Barry offered.

"Thanks, that would be great," Gail told him. "Cas and I are staying in a hotel here in Rome tonight, and then we'll be going to the house in the morning." She squeezed Cas's hand. And then, they would have to go back and talk to Linda, to see if she had the location of the next Tablet. But they had mutually agreed not to bring that up today. Today was a day for joy, and for love.

They had one more drink together, then Gail danced with a few of the men, and then she threw her bouquet, and Barry caught it. There was some good-natured joking about that. Then, when Cas removed the garter from Gail's thigh and tossed it, Dean caught it. He walked up to Tommy and stuffed it into the breast pocket of Tommy's jacket, and everyone laughed.

Then the night was winding down, and Cas and Gail were looking at each other.

"This has been a lot of fun, but I want to be alone with you now," Cas told her softly. "Do you mind?"

"Do I mind?" she repeated, smiling. "I've been trying to figure out how we could sneak out of here for about an hour now."

He laughed and took her by the hand. They walked around the room, saying goodnight to all of their friends, and then they winked to their hotel room.

"I've missed you these past couple of weeks," Cas said, trying to keep his voice steady. "How have you been?" He took off his suit jacket and draped it on the chair in front of the desk.

Gail stood there looking at him. Her lips twitched. "That's your opening line? How have I been? Really?"

Cas turned his head to look at her, and he smiled, too. "I thought for once I could try to act cool," he told her. "But I guess that's not going to work."

"I don't want you to be cool. I want you to be you," Gail said to him. "The guy I married wouldn't be cool at all. He would be losing it."

Cas rushed to her, putting his arms around her. "I am losing it," he confirmed. "I'm extremely excited."

"I can tell," Gail quipped.

Cas was so excited he was actually trembling. "It's our wedding night," he breathed. He kissed her on the forehead, the cheek, and the neck. He took a deep breath. "I'm going to try very hard not to cry again," he murmured, and she laughed. "Now, that's the Cas I love," Gail said, holding his head against her neck.

Then he was kissing her on the lips, and his tongue was in her mouth, and he unzipped her dress. She stepped out of it, and Cas picked it up, draping it lovingly over his jacket on the chair. Then he came back to Gail and scooped her up, laying her down on the bed. He kissed and caressed her, slowly taking off her underwear. But when she reached down for him, he shook his head.

"I beg your indulgence," Cas said to her. He took off his shirt and his pants, but he avoided her touch.

"Please allow me to make love to you as my wife for the first time," Cas said to her. "Please lay back for me, my love."

He began to kiss her all over, and then he gently pulled her down to the end of the bed. Then he got down on his knees on the floor and said, "Can you please close your eyes, Gail? Then, when you start to get the feeling, grab on tight to my hands. Please, trust me."

He bent to her and began to lick her delicately, and she held his head, whimpering. Because they hadn't been intimate in a while, Gail started to get excited immediately, and she closed her eyes as he had requested.

Cas was watching her closely. He hadn't wanted to put any pressure on her, or make her feel uneasy in any way, but now he was looking eagerly, to see if they would appear.

"Cas, I feel funny," she told him. "My back..."

"It's all right, Gail," he said excitedly. "Hold on to my hands and feel me making love to you. Please, trust me."

So she grabbed on to his hands, and he continued to make love to her with his tongue. "Please, just concentrate on me, and how I make you feel," Cas murmured. "I love you more than anything in the world. Please, Gail, let them come."

Gail felt the warm rush between her legs and as she cried out, she heard a sound behind her.

Cas murmured, "Open your eyes." She did, and she looked in the mirror that was above the bureau across from the bed. Her mouth dropped open in shock. The strange sensation she'd felt in her back had been her Angel wings, coming out.

Cas rose from his knees and took her by the hands, leading her over to the mirror. "They're beautiful," he said softly. She stared at herself. Her wings were fluffy, and bright white. "They're perfect," Cas told her, smiling. "Just as you are."

He embraced her, and then he began to gently caress her wings. It was a strange sensation, but it felt extremely intimate. Cas kissed her, using his tongue, and continued to caress her wings. Gail shuddered. "How do you feel?" he asked her softly. "Loved," she answered simply, and he smiled.

"What about yours?" Gail asked him, and his hands froze for a moment.

"We'll have to find out," he told her. "I hope you won't be disappointed. After everything I've done, I hope that they are still in good enough condition."

"I'm sure they'll be beautiful," she insisted. "Please, Cas, I want to see them."

He was nervous. Her wings were so pristine, and he was afraid that his would be so damaged that they wouldn't measure up. Gail could see the look of trepidation on his face.

"Please, Cas," she said again. "I want to see them. Whatever happens, we'll deal with it together. Okay?"

He smiled down at her. He had to admit, he was really curious to see, as well. "Okay," he said. He led her back to the bed and now he was the one to sit on the edge.

"If you don't mind doing the same thing with me that I just did with you, we'll find out," Cas said to Gail. She nodded, kneeling down and taking him in her mouth. Cas had been very nervous, but as soon as she did that, he began to get very excited. He could feel her lips and her tongue, and as he looked down at her, Cas could see Gail's wings rippling, and then they began to caress his legs. He closed his eyes and moaned. She was so wonderful, so good to him.

Then he opened his eyes and looked down at her again, and the nerves returned. "You're so perfect," he told her. "I don't deserve you."

Gail stopped what she was doing immediately and looked up at him. "No," she said sternly. "I don't want to hear you talk like that again, ever. We've worked too long and too hard on ourselves to think like that anymore, Cas. We're married now, Cas, and I married you because I love you, and because you ARE perfect. Perfect for me. So, just think of how much I love you. You and I are married now, and we'll never be apart again. Please watch me making love to you, Cas, and please, touch my wings. I love it when you do that."

She resumed what she'd been doing, and Cas reached down and touched her head, tentatively. Then he stroked her wings, and she made a sound in her throat. The vibration from that sound coupled with what she was doing excited Cas, and he began to cry out. He could feel his wings come in, and he opened his eyes and looked in the mirror. He called out Gail's name as his wings spread out. They were soft, and black in colour, and they were intact. Cas started to cry.

Gail lifted her body up to embrace him, and she was astonished when he saw his wings. "Cas, they're magnificent," she said softly, and she kissed the tears from his cheeks. Cas wrapped his arms around her waist, and his wings enfolded her. They caressed her wings softly, and her wings rippled again.

"Cas," she said. Her body shuddered again.

"Yes?" he said, smiling. Now his wings were caressing her face, and her body.

"That feels..." she started to say, and he kissed her. Now his tongue was dancing with hers, his hands were touching her, and his wings were caressing hers, and stroking her bare skin. This was a whole new level of love and intimacy, and she gave up trying to put it into words.

Cas kissed her neck, and she moaned. Then his wings stroked her softly, and she giggled. He kissed her on the mouth again, using his tongue, and said, "Now, we'll make love for the first time together, as husband and wife, and when our wings start to interlace, you will be able to see my true appearance, if you so choose."

Gail looked at him. "Your true appearance?" she repeated.

"Yes. My true self, as I really am. My vessel will fade, and you will see only me. If you become frightened, just focus on my eyes," he told her.

Now he wished he hadn't added that. She really did want to see his true self, but she looked at him, wide-eyed. "Why would I be frightened, Cas?" she asked him.

He gave her a gentle smile. "Perhaps that was a poor choice of words. Maybe I should have said...overwhelmed. Anyway, just focus on the blue of my eyes. You don't have to look upon me if you don't want to."

But now, she was more curious than anything else, and she was excited, too. He was truly opening himself up to her now, showing her his ultimate trust. They were already so close and so intimate now, and this sounded like an opportunity for them to take it one step further. She was anxious to see him as no one had ever seen him before, except for God, maybe. Of course she wanted to see the real him. So she said, "Please, show me yourself, Cas."

He kissed her slowly, entering her at the same time. He moved in and out of her, and then she could feel his wings interlacing with hers. After a few minutes, Gail began to whimper. Cas's face and body began to vanish from her sight. She could still feel him making love to her, but now it had become just as much of an intellectual and spiritual experience as it was a physical one. Gail's mind and heart and heart started to fill with love for Castiel, and the room began to glow bright blue and gold, a mixture of their essences.

Cas's vessel had disappeared now, and Gail knew she was about to see his real self. She was a little afraid, but she just had to see. She looked beyond the blue of his eyes, and the feeling that came over her when she did was so intense that she started to cry. He was ancient, and he was new. He was all of history, infinite and forever. He was awesome. He was everything.

"You're beautiful, Castiel!" she cried out. Tears were flowing from her eyes now, and Castiel smiled. His essence glowed, so bright that they both had to close their eyes for a moment.

Castiel took her hand and drew it to his true being. Now she was touching his real heart, and his real soul. She moved her fingers, gently stroking him, and then she leaned forward, kissing him there. That took him by surprise, and he cried out her name in total ecstasy. Then he began to weep, but his tears were tears of pure joy now.

Gail was still crying too, and then they lay spent, crying in each others' arms.

As the Angels lay in their wedding bed, having consummated their union, several things happened simultaneously.

The moment that Castiel called out his bride's name, all of the church bells and clocks in the world chimed at the same time, just for an instant.

Metatron was still in Egypt, and he had been sitting out on the terrace enjoying a nightcap. He lifted his glass in a silent toast. Good for them. Good for them.

Crowley was passed out on the couch in his office in Hell. He had attempted to bind her to him in a couple of different ways, but in the end, Castiel had been the victor, as he always was. Once Crowley had seen them take their vows, he had come straight here and locked himself in, drinking until he finally passed out. His dreams were uneasy, alternating between fantasies of love and hatred, revenge and redemption.

Lucifer was angry, and a little bit scared, too. The Angels were wed now, and they had two Tablets already. He had no idea where they were going or what they would be doing next, but he knew that their resolve would be even stronger now, as well as their bond. He would have to step up his efforts to intimidate and frighten their group. If he could get them to fragment, perhaps the Angels would lose focus.

And Heaven suddenly burst into colour. The Angels all stopped whatever they happened to be doing and looked around, open-mouthed, as the pure white changed into everyday colours, everywhere they looked. Chuck sat in the library, and when he saw it, he began to laugh. He may not know the particulars exactly, but he didn't need to be a Prophet to have an idea of what might have caused it. And for the first time in a long time, Chuck did not feel any jealousy or resentment towards the couple.

It truly was a magical night.

Gail was looking at Cas, who was wiping the tears away from her cheeks with his thumbs, even as he was sniffling back his own.

"I had no idea," she was saying dazedly. "I had no idea that was who you really were. I knew I loved you, and I knew that you were beautiful. But you're so special, Cas, so unique, so wonderful..." She ran out of superlatives.

Cas was smiling. "No one who has ever seen my true visage before has ever called me beautiful," he said shyly.

"Well, they're obviously blind, then," Gail said firmly.

Their wings were disengaging slowly from their interlacing now, and once Cas's wings were free, he used them to brush the hair gently from her forehead, and then he tickled her cheek with them. Gail laughed softly, and she kissed him gently on the lips.

"Thank you for showing me your true self, and for loving me enough to trust me to touch you there," Gail said to him. "I have never felt so loved, and so loving, in my entire existence."

"I told you our wedding night would be special, did I not?" Cas said, pleased by what she was saying.

"Yes, you did, Cas," she agreed softly. "And you were certainly right about that."

Castiel pulled her close to him. He felt sorry for their human friends, in a way. They could make love all they wanted, but they could never achieve this type of intimacy and closeness with one another. Well, not as humans, anyway. Now that the ancient laws had been revised, Angels could enjoy being intimate with each other in the bedroom if they so chose. But his and Gail's experience had been even more special because they shared the sacred bond of matrimony now. He was so glad that she had discovered her wings, and he was overjoyed that not only did he still have his, but they were in the best condition he had ever seen them. He was sure that was directly due to Gail's love.

Castiel closed his eyes and kissed Gail softly on the forehead. His wings were still caressing hers, and she was sighing contentedly. Her eyes were closed too, and she was enjoying the sensation. What a sweet, strange feeling. Then his wings started to caress her bare skin, and then they touched her intimately. "Is this all right?" Cas asked her, and she nodded, wide-eyed. "It feels nice, Cas," she told him. Nice? he thought. "How about now?" he said, smiling, as his wings began to gently stroke her. Gail gasped. "Cas," she breathed. "I can't..."

His mouth came down on hers, and his tongue sought her tongue. He continued to stroke her with his wings, faster and faster, and he licked her tongue. Her body jerked, and she clung to him, crying out in joy. Cas smiled. "I love you with everything I have, and everything I am," he told her.

Gail reached out for him and began to stroke him lightly with her fingertips. Then she rose and guided him into her, moving up and down on top of him. His hands caressed her body and her wings, and they moved their bodies faster, together.

"I love you, my husband," Gail said, smiling down at his face.

"What did you say?" he asked her, returning her smile.

"You're my husband, and I'm your wife, and I love you more than anything," Gail told him.

Cas wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her down to kiss him. When their tongues came together, he moaned, pushing deeply into her. She stroked his wings and contracted her muscles at the same time. Cas whimpered and pushed once more, and then he was still.

He wrapped his wings around her body as she lay on top of him, and he sighed in contentment. "Just when I think that I could not possibly love you any more, I very happily discover that I was wrong," Cas said, kissing Gail on her forehead. She lay her head on his chest and smiled.

Cas opened his eyes and looked around the room. He wished they could just stay here for days. If they did not have their mission, they actually could. But he thought he'd seen a bit of light creeping into the night sky when he looked out the window, and Cas realized that their wedding night would be over soon. Already. How fleeting time was, even for otherworldly beings. Maybe even especially for otherworldly beings, in a strange sort of way.

He unfolded his wings slowly from her body and said, "Let's enjoy each other's wings for a few more moments, and then we will put them away for now."

Gail lifted her head from his chest and kissed him on the lips as he gently caressed her wings. "I wish I could control mine, like you do yours," she said to him. "I would love to hug you and caress you with them, just like you did with me." She touched his wings with her fingers admiringly. "Your wings are beautiful, Cas. Just like you are."

He smiled, pleased by her compliment. "It's you who is beautiful," he said, stroking her wings once more. They rippled in response, and his smile widened. She may not be able to control them yet, but he didn't care. He loved to see that spontaneous reaction. He had never seen anything quite like it. But then again, there was no one like Gail, in this world or any other, so it was only appropriate.

"How DO we put our wings away, anyway?" Gail asked him. She smiled mischievously. "I'm really hoping you're going to tell me that the method is very similar to the one we used to make them appear."

Cas laughed, stroking her cheek with his hand. "I wish that I could," he replied. "When they appeared tonight, it was due to the fact that we are married now. But now that they have come out once, we can bring them out any time we like."

Gail raised an eyebrow. Interesting. Maybe they could bring their wings out once in a while, then, on special occasions. The extra layer of intimacy they'd experienced tonight had been truly amazing.

"Putting our wings away will be very easy," Cas continued. "Just visualize folding them up neatly and putting them away in a box."

"That's it?" Gail said, surprised.

"Yes, that's it," he replied. "Here. Let me show you." Cas closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment, and a moment later, his wings were gone.

Gail closed her eyes and did as he had instructed. It took a couple of minutes in her case, but her wings did eventually disappear.

"There," Cas said softly. "Now, come here, please." His arms tightened around her, and he pulled her gently up to kiss him.

"Hold that thought," Gail told him. "Believe it or not, I'm thirsty. I'm going to get a drink of water. Do you want any?" She rolled off the bed to walk to the bathroom as Cas said, "Gail, no..." But she had already taken a couple of steps away from the bed. Suddenly, the room went sideways, and Gail reeled. Cas leapt off the bed and caught her in his arms.

"After the intensity of what we've just experienced, I think you need to rest for a bit," he told her, carrying her back to the bed. He laid her down and drew the covers over her. "I'll get the water for you." He walked to the bathroom and she noted with some amusement that he was tottering a little, himself. Cas brought her back a glass of water and got back into bed with her. She sipped at it gratefully, then gave him back the glass. He took a small sip, then set the glass on the nightstand.

"Let's cuddle for a bit," Cas suggested. "I don't want to spoil the mood, but I think we do have to talk for a minute about the next step for the mission. Once morning is officially here, we must return to the States and resume our search for the Tablets." Then he frowned. "I'm very sorry that I won't be able to take you on a proper honeymoon right now. I'll make it up to you, Gail. I promise that I will."

But Gail was smiling. "Cas, we've been to Egypt, and now we're in Rome. We're pretty much on it, right now. How many women get to go to all these exotic locations, and have these kinds of adventures? Not to mention the most romantic wedding day and night anyone could ever ask for."

Cas gave her a squeeze. That was just another of the many reasons he loved and appreciated her so much. After all of the unpleasantness she had experienced in Egypt, she was making the whole thing sound like a romantic escapade now. "We'll take our things to our brand new home, and we'll open the wedding gift we received last night," he told her. "At least I can give you that much in the way of tradition, anyway. Oh, and Barry pressed an envelope into my hand last night that I'm pretty sure contains some money from all our guests. So we'll have to decide what we're going to do with that. Perhaps you'll want something for our home that Barry hasn't already provided. In any event, we'll pop in for a quick visit, and then we're going to have to go back to Quinn's and speak with Linda again."

"Well, at least we already have two out of the five Tablets," Gail remarked. She looked at Cas with a half-smile. "I don't suppose there's any use hoping that the next Tablet will be as easy to obtain as the Heaven Tablet was, is there?"

Castiel frowned briefly. "That would be nice, but I highly doubt it. The closer we get to our goal, the more agitated Lucifer is going to become. I'm sure he knows we have two of them already. He's always known things he has no business knowing." His arms tightened around Gail, as if to protect her.

"But until we have to leave our marriage bed, let us not talk of Lucifer any more. This is our wedding night, and I want the only words spoken here to be words of love," Cas told her softly. "If there need to be any words at all." He began to kiss her face and her neck, and then he brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed her wrist, then licked it. Gail drew in a breath. She couldn't remember him ever having done that before, and it was sexy. Cas smiled at her, and then he leaned forward and licked her neck slowly, up and down. Then, when he reached her chest, he gently licked her breasts. She started making her sounds, and Cas said, "Please come here with me, Gail." He lifted her body on top of his and positioned her in front of his mouth. Then she bent down to take him in her mouth. He pulled her down towards his lips and put his tongue inside of her. "Cas," she murmured. He smiled. He knew by now that that was her way of telling him that she liked what he was doing. He moved his tongue in and out of her as she made love to him with her lips and her tongue, and they both moved together, enjoying how they were making each other feel.

"I love you, my husband," Gail said, and Cas moaned. Between what she was saying and what she was doing to him, he wasn't sure which excited him more. He felt the warm rush as he pushed forward, and he cried out, "I love you, my wife!"

Gail felt the warm rush too, and when they were both still, she climbed off of him and he cradled her in his arms. "I wish we could just stay here, and lock the world away," she said, kissing his chest.

"So do I, my love," Cas replied softly, stroking her hair. The room was filling up with light now from the early morning sun, and he felt sad that their wedding night was already over. But they were husband and wife now, and that was incredibly exciting to Castiel. As far as he was concerned, the adventure was just beginning.

Gail saw the sunshine streaming in the window too, and she sighed. "I guess it's time for me to head to the shower," she said. She raised herself up on one elbow and touched Cas's face. "Yesterday was the best, most incredible day of my life," she told him.

"Every day will be just as wonderful, now that we're married," Cas said to her. He kissed her hand. "Even though we'll face lots of challenges, I'm sure, we'll face them together."

She leaned down and kissed him on the mouth, and Cas gave her his tongue immediately. For one crazy moment, he thought about rolling Gail onto her back and making love to her again, then again, all day long. He could keep her here with him, safe and warm in his arms, forever. If she even thought about getting out of this bed for any reason at all, he would just kiss her and lick her all over, making her cry out his name. And he would cry out hers, too. Why should they ever have to leave their marriage bed?

But of course, that wasn't who they were. They couldn't just think of themselves, not when the Devil himself was out there. So Cas kissed her one more time, and then he let her go.

Cas sat up in bed while Gail was in the shower. He looked over at the closed bathroom door, smiling warmly. He was thinking of the moment when Gail had touched and then kissed his true self, and of what she had said afterwards. "She thinks I'm beautiful," he said aloud, dazedly. "Me." Castiel had to be the luckiest entity in this or any other universe.