Okay, I am really sorry about the huge gap in updates, I am so, so sorry as the Doctor may say. Yeah, but this is the last chapter. So, enjoy thyselves.

TW: Self-Abuse and thoughts of sucide

Chapter 13: As Long as We Both Shall Live.

A year and a half later...

"Castiel Novak, graduating with a scholarship in football to Kansas State University and honors." The principal announced, and Castiel smiled broadly as he marched up the stage and retrieved his diploma. He shook the man's hand and turned to the crowd so his family and friends could cheer and take pictures, then he left the stage and went to sit back down. Castiel was sitting in alphabetical order, so he couldn't sit next to his boyfriend, but Dean had a Valedictorian speech to give at the end anyway, so he wouldn't have been sitting with hi for very long. Though it seemed that every moment he had, Castiel spent it either with Dean or thinking about Dean.

Ever since Dean had woken up from the coma Castiel had caused the year before, Castiel and Dean had just grown closer, inseparable in their senior year together. They were in love, and everyone in their entire city knew it when they saw Dean at Castiel's football games, or Castiel at Dean's different academic award ceremonies or events. They were more successful as a couple than they ever were as individuals, and that baffled some, and amazed others. To them, they were just happy.

"Dean Winchester, Valedictorian and graduating with a scholarship to Kansas State University for his unprecedented SAT score of 2400." The principal announced proudly, and Dean walked up, his face nervous as he took his diploma and forced a smile on his face for any cameras. Then he swallowed hard and made his way to the podium at the front of the stage, putting down some note cards that he had pulled from his pocket under his robe.

"Uh, hi everyone. I'm Dean Winchester. I got to do the Valedictorian speech this year, woohoo." Dean said sarcastically, causing a few laughs to be elicited from the crowd. That made Dean stand up a bit straighter. "So, the academic council told me that I had to focus on this year's theme for the graduating class of 2015, change. Well that's a pretty broad topic." Dean mumbled into the microphone, rubbing the back of his neck. "You can ask my boyfriend or my brother about how much I've thought about this speech over the past month or two. It's been a lot. But, I think I know what to talk about." Dean closed his eyes as he readied himself to talk about this.

"I never had...too many friends. I mean, the few friends I had were wonderful, yeah I'm talking about Charlie Bradbury and Benny Lafayette. But...I didn't have that little friend making drive that I really needed, so I buried myself in books. Which sucked. And it got me noticed by the more...popular students. Bad noticed. For two and a half years, I was brutally tortured psychologically by a specific group of people in the school, and they know who they are, though I will not say any names. And frankly, it made me hate myself. I looked in the mirror and I hated who I saw. I saw the circles under my eyes, the bruises left on my skin from occasional physical hits, I saw myself as someone who didn't deserve good things, like friends. So...I hurt myself so that those people couldn't any worse than I could." Dean took a shaky breath as he heard people mutter things in the audience.

"On January 24, 2013, I decided that...I didn't deserve anything at all. My dad was away a lot, which wasn't his fault, my friends were expanding, my friend Jo had to move away, and I just felt...broken. So, I planned on taking my life when I got home." Dean heard loud gasps, though none were louder than Castiel's, who had stood up and was trying to make his way through the crowd to get to the stage, but he was in the very middle of the crowd, and his eyes were blurring with tears, which made it even harder.

"But then I ran into this jock. Like, literally." Dean laughed a little, looking down and wiping his face which had become wet. "Castiel Novak. This guy that I thought to be this total d-bag, which didn't stop me from having a major...a major crush on him." Dean's breath hitched as he struggled to keep himself together. "And...I thought that he was going to hurt me like all his friends always did, going to pummel me into the ground and leave me bloody. Instead...he asked me why I looked so scared." Dean whispered into the microphone. "Here this guy was, bigger and more powerful than me, with every right to just start wailing on me, yet he stops to ask about me." Dean said, his voice sort of loud and confused, as though he still didn't know why Castiel did what he did that fateful day.

"I definitely rethought my life at that. If...if some random guy who I thought didn't care about anything but himself could care about me even enough to ask if I was okay, then why shouldn't I?" Dean shrugged a little, and Castiel had made his way out and was sprinting to the front, but was stopped by a teacher, who he was arguing heatedly with. Dean glanced at Castiel and smiled. "He changed my life. And that is what high school change is about. These things that can change your life for the good or for the worst. And they effect you forever. Right now, I'd like to make my first change of being a high school gradate. C-Cas? Can you...come over here?" Dean asked as he nervously fidgeted with his pocket.

Castiel almost threw the teacher off him and he ran across the stage and gather his nearly sobbing boyfriend in his arms, holding him tightly and calming him down with words of love and concern. Dean finally pulled away and he cupped Castiel's cheek, smiling through his tears.

"Castiel Novak, my beautiful, wonderful boyfriend who saved me from my own personal Hell. And I've decided I don't want you to be my boyfriend anymore." Dean chuckled, and as Castiel gaped at Dean in shock, Dean knelt to the ground and pulled a small box from his pocket. "I want you to be my husband." Dean grinned.

"D-Dean?" Castiel stammered, his eyes drawn to the beautiful silver ring resting in the black velvet box. "Oh god fucking yes!" Castiel shouted after a moment of surprise. He fell to his knees and threw his arms around Dean and kissed him, and it was unlike anything either of them had ever experienced. The applauding crowd faded from their ears, their surroundings become blurred and unimportant, their bodies molding perfectly together in the exact position needed to fit together.

By the time they had to break for air, the entire crowd was in a frenzy, crying and cheering for the couple still on their knees on the stage. Dean smiled and put Castiel's ring on his finger, right over his knuckles to rest on his left ring finger, which looked like it had always belonged there.

Dean took a second more before standing again and leaning into the microphone.

"Change. It sucks, but sometimes...you get a smoking hot boyfriend out of it." Dean grinned like a fool at the crowd. "Congratulations class of 2015, may there me much change in your lives, hopefully for the best." Dean announced, and he threw his cap into the air. He sank back to the ground as caps littered the air and he met Castiel's lips with his once more.

"Why-didn't-you-tell-me-about-that?" Castiel asked, each word punctuated with a kiss to Dean's face.

"I never really saw a reason to." Dean shrugged, holding Castiel close while the crowd milled around. They didn't care that they were still on the stage, just sitting behind the podium and talking and kissing. "It didn't seem necessary to worry you with things like that." Castiel frowned a bit.

"What? No, Dean, I always want to know what is bothering you and what id happening with your life. Every bit of your life. Do you understand me?" Castiel said, drawing Dean's chin up to face him. Dean nodded and kissed Castiel's nose.

"I understand. I love you so much Cas. I really do. And someday soon, we're gonna be married." Dean reminded Castiel excitedly, and Castiel nodded and grinned.

"You're right. We are going to be married. I love you too Dean. With all my heart." Castiel assured him.

They weren't sure how long they stayed there, just holding each other and talking, but it didn't matter.

They did have the rest of their lives.