And here we are, at the end of the road. I can't thank you all enough for sticking with me, and this story. I'm so grateful for all the reviews. I am sorry I didn't get to you all personally, but real life happened.
Anyway, I'm taking a month long break now to move, but I will be back with a set of 30 time stamps from this 'verse.
I chose Sept 18th for their wedding, since that's the day Cas pulled Dean out of hell, and oddly enough, in 2014 it's a Thursday! Weird, huh? Also, I know marriage equality hasn't hit Kansas yet, but I am forever hopeful. Call it creative license.
So here we are, the final chapter. Thanks again, and I hope you enjoy!
September 18, 2014
Dean fussed with his tie for the eight hundredth time, scowling at himself in the mirror. Finally, he yanked it off and tossed it across the bathroom.
"I'm not wearing the fucking tie!" he declared loudly, and Sam grinned at him from where he stood in the doorway.
"So don't wear the tie. I doubt anyone cares."
Checking his appearance in the mirror again, Dean sighed. "Who the hell picks out a tan linen suit? I look like a fucking Triscuit!"
"Dude. Calm down. You picked out that suit and you look great in it. You're just nervous." Sam picked up the offending piece of green silk and crossed the room towards his brother. "Let me help you with the tie."
"I don't want to wear the tie," Dean sulked.
"Yes you do. Cas picked it out, and I know you want to wear it. Come here."
Dean stood still and let Sam put the tie on him, then turned and looked in the mirror again. He let out a sigh, his shoulders finally relaxing. "That looks good. Thanks, Sammy." He shuffled his feet, examining his appearance in the mirror for the umpteenth time. "You sure I look ok?"
Sam clapped his big hand on Dean's shoulder and smiled at his brother in the mirror. "You look great. You look like a man about to get married."
"I'm getting married," Dean murmured to his own reflection, eyes wide. "I can't believe it."
"Believe it bro," Sam called as he made his way into Dean's kitchen. A second later, Dean heard the pop of a cork, and then Sam was back, pressing a champagne flute into his hand. "And it's about damn time." He raised his glass. "To you and Cas, and a long happy life."
Dean smiled and tapped his glass against Sam's. "Thanks baby bro."
Ellen appeared around the corner, brown hair styled into a soft bun. "Are you ready, sweetie? It's just about time."
Feeling his cheeks flush, Dean nodded. "Yeah. I think so."
"Better head out there then," Sam smiled, leaning over to give Dean a hug. "It's going to be fine. It's going to be great. Don't forget to put your jacket on, and don't forget that I have the rings and don't go nuts looking for them or something," he called, as he headed out the sliding glass door into the back yard.
Ellen found his jacket over the back of the couch. "Come here, baby," she said, holding the jacket out. Dean slid into it and stood still as Ellen fixed his collar and adjusted the spray of tiny roses on his lapel. "Oh, look at you. You look wonderful." She gave him a watery smile. Dean glared at her.
"Don't you start crying or I'll be done. I cry more than any man I know," he added grumpily.
"You say that like it's a bad thing." She stood on her tip toes to kiss his cheek. "Real men have no trouble expressing emotion. It's just more proof of how extraordinary you are."
Dean rolled his eyes, and Ellen slapped his arm. "Don't back sass me boy!"
"I didn't say anything!" She smiled at him again, and adjusted his tie and jacket one last time. Dean swept his eyes over her, taking in the carefully made up face and soft pink dress. "Hey, if nothing else, I got you in a dress for the day."
"Boy, I can still kick your ass, don't you forget that now."
"Are we ready in here?" Bobby asked, sticking his head in the door, his head looking naked without his trucker cap.
Dean nodded, feeling a rush of butterflies dance in his stomach.
"Then let's do this kid. Let's get you married off."
Ellen offers her arm and Dean takes it. Bobby takes the other as he steps out onto the deck.
His backyard is lined with rows of white wooden chairs, his and Cas's friends and family filling them all. Sam and Gabriel stand at the top, next to Tessa, the officiate, Sam on the right, Gabe on the left.
Bobby nudges him slightly, and the three of them walk down the steps and up the aisle formed by the chairs. There are flowers everywhere, soft classical music playing, a photographer is snapping pictures, and everyone is smiling at him as Bobby and Ellen escort him to the front.
Ellen kisses him, Bobby hugs him, then they take their seats.
This is it.
It's time to get married.
"Are you ready?" Anna asks him, reaching up again to straighten his cobalt silk tie.
Castiel swallows audibly, then smiles down at his sister. "I've been ready. Let's do this."
She grins, links their arms, and they walk out of Jo's backyard and into Castiel and Dean's. The way is lined with flowers, and he blinks in the light of a photographer's flash. He looks back down at Anna, glorious in her emerald green dress, red hair tumbling over her creamy shoulders, brown eyes full of love, and his heart swells. "I'm getting married," he whispers happily, and she grins.
"Not unless we actually get you to the front. Come on, Dean's waiting for you."
Dean.
And there he is, smiling at him from the front, Sam grinning behind him. He's wearing a khaki colored linen suit, a white shirt, and the green silk tie that Castiel bought him for Christmas, for the sole reason that it matched his eyes.
Which is the same reason Dean sited when he gave Castiel the blue one he's currently wearing, and Castiel is pleased when Dean notices and smiles.
Their friends and family smile happily at him as he passes on Anna's arm. There's Bobby and Stephanie, Guy and Lori, Mike and Liz, Ted and Barry, Giada and Todd, Kali with her own huge diamond sparkler, Michael and the girls, Benny and Andrea and their girls, Jess, eight month old Mari on her lap, wrapped in a poofy pink dress, giggling and smiling, Rufus, Bobby and Ellen and Jo, Madison and Adam, sitting together and holding hands, when did that happen?, Lisa, Vic, and Ben, Balthazar, Charlie and Gilda, Ash, Garth, and so many others.
And they're all smiling, all of them so happy for him and Dean.
He reaches the front, and Anna leans up and kisses him, then goes to sit with Michael. Castiel smiles at Gabe, who smiles back, then turns to smile at Dean.
Dean is beaming, his face lit up and happy, and he reaches for Castiel's hand.
"You look amazing," he whispers.
"You do too," Castiel whispers back.
Tessa clears her throat, and opens the leather folder she's holding. "Are we ready?"
They both nod.
"Good. Friends and family, we have gathered in this place to bear witness to the joining of two souls. Castiel and Dean have pledged their commitment to each other, mind, soul, and body. Marriage is not a commitment that should be entered into lightly, it should be done with great consideration and care.
"Marriage consists of entrusting our deepest selves into the loving care of another. It is an emotional and spiritual act. The spiritual aspect of marriage should be embraced openly, seriously, and completely, as marriage is a conscious act of will.
"Dean and Castiel stand before you today, ready to pledge themselves to each other for eternity."
Dean smiles at him again, and squeezes his hand.
"Dean and Castiel have chosen to write their own vows. Castiel?"
Clearing his throat, Castiel pulls the folded piece of paper from the pocket of his black suit jacket. This is it. He takes a deep breath, and begins to read.
"Dean. More than a year ago, when we first met, the first thing I really noticed about you was your eyes. At first, it was the color, greener than any I had ever seen. I was transfixed. I've read that eyes are the windows to the soul, and in your case, that's very true. I can tell when you're happy, sad, angry, or turned-on," he says with a wink, and there's a chuckle from the crowd as Dean blushes furiously but keeps smiling, "just by looking in your eyes. Some wear their hearts on their sleeves, your heart is hidden in the depths of your eyes.
"In this past year and a half, I've seen so many emotions there. Love, joy, pain, sorrow, and untold heartbreak. I want to spend the rest of my life doing my best to keep the love and joy in there, and minimize the sadness and the pain. I love you with every cell of my being, and I'm going to spend the rest of my life proving it.
"So, I commit myself to you, everything I am, and everything I hope to be, yours through any trials that come our way, yours until the end of time. I love you Dean Winchester. I'll love you forever."
Dean sniffles loudly, bites his bottom lip and swipes at the tear rolling down his cheek. Castiel smiles and squeezes his hand. "Love you."
"Love you too," Dean whispers back.
"Dean? It's your turn," Tessa tells them pleasantly.
Oh boy this is it. Shit. He's not ready. He's so not ready for this.
Dean takes a deep breath and studies Cas for a second. He looks amazing in his perfectly cut black suit, crisp white shirt, and the bright blue tie Dean bought him. It was funny, they'd both bought each other ties for Christmas, claiming they matched the other's eyes, and they both chose to wear them today, the most important day of their lives.
His hands are shaking, but Cas squeezes again, and he feels himself start to calm down. He can do this.
"So, um, I tried to write something down, but I'm not good at that kind of thing, so I thought I'd just, I'd just say what I was thinking, if that's ok?" He looks to Tessa for confirmation, and she smiles kindly at him. "Ok. Ok." Deep breath, in, out, let's do this Winchester. "Cas, I'd um, I'd given up on the love thing, you know? I'd gotten to the point where I had accepted that it wasn't going to happen for me. And I wasn't happy about it, but I was ok. And then you walked in.
"Arrogant and obnoxious, trying to buy my car and all I could think was, who does this jerk think he is? But then I found out. You weren't a jerk at all. You were amazing, and wonderful, and I think, hell, I think I've been waiting for you my whole life. Maybe that's the reason none of the other relationships worked out. I was waiting for you."
Dean blinks, aware of the tears that are snaking down his face, but he doesn't care.
"You've put up with so much from me. So much stupid shi…stuff, and every time I thought you were going to leave, you didn't. You stayed. You held my hand when I was falling apart. You took me through one of the worst times of my life. You've been my rock, my anchor, my everything. I love you, Cas. I love you more than I can even begin to put into words.
"I thank whoever's looking out for me every day for sending you to me. Every friggin' day. Because I don't know…I don't…" Dean's words falter, and he stares down at the ground, trying to compose his thoughts into something useful.
Cas reaches out and takes his other hand, and pulls both of his hands to his mouth and kisses them.
"I love you, Dean," he murmurs softly, and Dean looks up, finding all the love Cas has for him sparkling back through bright blue eyes. It grounds him, and he smiles, his heart pounding.
"I love you, too, Cas. And I swear I'll never stop. Never."
Cas reaches out and thumbs the tears off of Dean's cheeks. They stare at each other a moment, then Tessa turns to Sam. "Do you have the rings?"
Sam hands the bands to her, and she sets them on her folder.
"Dean and Castiel have chosen to exchange rings as a sign of their commitment. The ring symbolizes the infinite love they have for each other." She hands one band to Dean. "Place this on Castiel's finger and repeat these words. With this ring, I pledge my love, commitment and fidelity."
Dean curses his shaking hands as he takes the platinum band and slides it onto Cas's finger, but his voice is steady and clear, "with this ring, I pledge my love, commitment and fidelity."
Cas beams brilliantly at him, as he takes the other ring, and slides it onto Dean's hand, bringing it to rest against the thin engagement ring. His voice is also clear and steady as he intones, "with this ring, I pledge my love, commitment and fidelity."
"And by the power vested in me by the state of Kansas, and in the witness of your family and friends, it is my joy and my honor to pronounce you husbands. You may seal your commitment with a kiss."
If Dean grins any wider, he's pretty damn sure his face is going to split. Cas looks to be in the same predicament, so what's a guy to do? Hooking a hand around Cas's neck, Dean pulls him in for their first ever married kiss, sweet and deep and long, and there's cheers, applause, and catcalls from the crowd surrounding them.
They're laughing when they separate, and Tessa claps them both on the shoulders.
"It's my pleasure to introduce to you, for the first time anywhere, Mr. and Mr. Winchester!"
And that had been a surprise, Cas announcing last week that he would be taking Dean's last name, and a rush of pride fills him, as Cas takes his arm and leads him down the aisle.
Without a doubt, this is the best day of his life.
The Pearly Gates BBQ wasn't open for business yet, wouldn't be for another three weeks, mainly because the owners would be off on their honeymoon, but it was a perfect space to use for a wedding reception.
The building had many things to recommend it, large skylights in the roof, exposed brick walls, and a prime time spot directly across from a well-known classic car restoration joint.
Castiel had been thrilled when the building across from Winchester and Sons went up for sale. It was exactly what he was looking for, and he purchased it immediately with the money Gabe had given him to buy out his portion of the steakhouse. Blue Heaven was Gabe's completely now, and Castiel was glad. It would give him fewer reasons to go to New York and more time at home with his new husband.
The same new husband who was currently sitting at a table, smiling at Sam, who's just about to give his toast as Dean's best man.
The room grows quiet, and Dean snakes his hand under the tablecloth and finds Castiel's, squeezing it firmly.
"So, I wrote something down, and it was funny, and poked a little fun at my big brother over there, but I just read it again and decided not to use it." Sam clears his throat and tightens his grip on the champagne flute in his hand. He's nervous, Castiel realizes, and it's not an emotion he normally associates with the unflappable Sam Winchester, but it's there just the same. This moment means a lot to him, he can tell.
"Dean, I've always been proud to have you as my brother. You were always the coolest guy in school, with the awesome car and the leather jacket, but more importantly, you were my big brother. You've done so much for me over the years, I don't even know how I could ever begin to repay you. You're always the strong one, the center of this family, you make sure everyone around you is loved and taken care of, and you never ask for anything for yourself. You never let anyone know if you need something. You're the most, the most," Sam's voice falters, and Castiel can see the tears forming in his eyes, and he doesn't have to look to know that Dean's tearing up too.
"All I ever wanted was for someone to come along and take care of you the way you take care of us. And Cas does that. So thank you Cas, for loving my brother, and making him happy. I love you guys." He sniffles, then raises his glass. "To Dean and Cas, my brothers. To a happy life together."
"Hear, hear," Bobby seconds, and the crowd raises their glasses.
Dean stands and hugs Sam. "Love you lil bro," Castiel hears him say, and Sam nods, eyes still filed with tears, as he goes to sit with Jess.
"So, I don't know if it's tradition or not, but I have something to say as well." Dean smiles at Castiel. "I love you. I'm grateful every day that you came into my life. You saved me in ways you can't even imagine. I'm looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you. So here's to us." He raises his glass, and tilts it towards Castiel. "Here's to you. I love you, Cas." He smiles, and Castiel smiles back.
"Kiss him!" someone yells, and Dean laughs. He pulls Castiel to his feet, and presses their lips together, the crowd around them cheering.
So this is what it feels like to float.
The music starts then, La Vie en Rose, and Dean smiles. "Our first dance?" he asks, and Castiel nods happily, taking his hand and leading him out to the dance floor. Dean wraps his arm around his waist and pulls him close.
"Dude, we're married," he whispers in Castiel ear.
"Yup. We are indeed."
"I'm so happy. I feel like such a girl, but I'm so damn happy." Dean lays his head on Castiel's shoulder.
"And we're going to stay happy. Because we love each other, and there's nothing we can't survive, nothing we can't work out. I will love you until the end of time, Dean. Always and forever."
"Back at you baby. Forever."
Hale'iwa, O'ahu, Hawai'i
Dean stood at the edge of the water, watching the gorgeous blue wash over his feet. The sun was setting far out on the horizon, and he could still see a few random surfers out on the beach.
The house they were staying in was gorgeous, two stories, open floor plan, large backyard, palm trees all around, and through a gate was the beach. It was beautiful here, and the perfect place to spend a honeymoon. Dean smiled as he looked at the rings on his left hand. Holy hell, I'm a married man, he thought, smile turning into a big grin.
"What are you grinning about?" Cas asked, walking out onto the beach and handing him a Mai Tai.
Dean held up his left hand. "Dude, I'm married. I'm friggin' married."
Cas held up his hand. "Me too," he replied with a smile. He stepped closer and wrapped his arm around Dean's waist. "I love you," he murmured, leaning up to kiss him.
"I love you, too."
They stood there for a while, warm ocean water washing over their feet, watching the sun go down, arms around each other while they sipped their drinks.
"There's a hammock with our names on it," Cas said, "would be a shame to let it go to waste."
A moment later, they're settled in, the hammock swaying gently with their movements. It's big enough that they can lie side by side, although Dean is on his side, face buried in Cas's shoulder, arm around his waist and their legs tangled together. It's his favorite place to be, has been since they met. Their hands are intertwined, and Cas keeps leaving little kisses on his forehead.
"You know," Cas whispers, "I haven't given you your wedding present yet. And since the one you gave me was so amazing…" Dean smiles, pleased that Cas loved the fire engine red '69 Corvette Stingray he'd built him, "…I knew mine would have to be good, too. Luckily, I bought yours months ago."
Cas squirms slightly, digging in the pocket of his khaki shorts, the movement causing the Stones tee he keeps stealing from Dean to ride up his belly, and Dean can't resist, leaning over to pepper Cas's abs with kisses.
"Here you go," Cas tosses a set of keys at him, with a tiny surfboard keychain attached. Dean picks them up and stares at them quizzically.
"What are these for?"
Cas grins. "This house."
"This house? The one we're staying in?"
"Yup. I saved the money from selling the loft and the Mercedes and bought us a house in Hawaii."
Dean's speechless. He stares at the keys in his hand, then stares at Cas.
"Really?" he croaks.
"Yup," Cas grins again, "welcome to our second home."
"Holy shit!"
"So you like it then?"
"Like it? I love it!" Dean rolls over on top of Cas, the hammock swaying dangerously. "Just like I love you." He kisses Cas, long and sweet, both of them breathless when he finally pulls away, a smirk on his face.
"Hey, Cas, think we can have sex in a hammock?"
Cas grins, wraps his legs around Dean and flips him onto his back, the hammock swaying even more unsteadily.
"I think we're going to find out," he growls, leaning forward and sinking his tongue into Dean's mouth.
They're breathless again when Cas pulls away, dropping his head to attack Dean's neck, hands wandering down his torso.
Dean sighs happily. "Oh, yeah. Now we're cooking with gas."