Hello my darlings. I would like to thank AngelisticSatan and tardis-impala-221b-merlin for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.
So, this is the last chapter. I know scary, it kinda sunk up on me too. There will be an epilogue, but I just want to take this chance to thank all you lovely people who have read and reviewed this story, it really helps motivate me to write more when I get feedback.
Anyway enough from me, here is the last chapter, it swings back and forth between Dean and Cas.
Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.
Castiel slept for 24 hours before he emerged from his bed feeling renewed and ready to take on the world, or at least ready to convince Dean to come back to him. Having a shower and dressing his good mood, or at least the determination he felt, continued. And when he went into the kitchen to find Charlie there cooking breakfast for dinner he gave a smile as he sat and waited for the food.
"So, umm tomorrows Dean's show." Charlie ventured to say as she placed the food in front of Castiel, not sure how to start the conversation about him going there in any other way. Though considering he was still smiling she hoped that meant it wouldn't require her forcefully dragging him to it.
"It is. Are you coming?" Castiel asked as he dung in with a hunger he had not felt for the last few days when he had thought he had lost Dean with no hope of ever getting him back.
"Err, sure." Charlie replied rather wrong-footed by that question. It was obvious Castiel was going to the show. Well that was good, and if he was going to be there to confront Dean, then there was no way she would stay behind. Nope, that was never going to happen. She would be at her best friend's side while he saw his ass of a husband. Oh she would be there, and she would give Dean a piece of her mind if he so much as looked at Castiel wrong. He would not be hurting him again if she could help it.
Dean sat back from the finished painting and looked at what he had spend the last week creating. It was without question his most powerful work, not hat he was thinking about that. He was too busy wondering what Cas would make of it. If he would understand what he was trying say with his paints. Oh god, he hoped so. He hoped that in deciding to finish this he hadn't lost his husband completely.
With a sigh, knowing he couldn't change the past Dean turned to the lumpy bed behind him and fell into it. The painting had to dry, that would give him a few hours to sleep. And he needed to sleep, he had spent too many restless nights of late, painting until the wee hours and then lying there staring up at the ceiling as he thought about Cas. No he needed sleep, he needed to be able to talk to Cas when he saw him, needed to look his best so he could get his husband back. That was his only goal for his show. To get Cas back.
Dean arrived at the gallery early and when he got there he used all his kudos as an extremely influential artist to insist on rearranging the whole display so that his painting for Cas was on the back wall, at the centre of the show. When it was positioned to his liking he pulled the sheet of stickers from the gallery owners pocket to put a red dot by the painting, telling everyone who came to see it that it was sold. The gallery owner was not too happy that the focal point of the show had been sold already but when he had ventured to say so to Dean, the artist had just glared at him in a way that said that he would remove all his painting if he didn't get his way. And the owner really didn't want that. They had been advertising this show for weeks, so he disgruntledly agreed to Dean's decision. There were plenty of paintings for him to sell and get commission of after all. Plus this new one was not Dean Winchesters usual style, who would want to buy that?
Castiel dressed with precision, he neglected his usual style of suits and ties instead going for tight jeans and the blue shirt Dean had brought him once telling him it matched his eyes. Of course on top of this he put his trusty trench coat. Taking one more look in the mirror and running his hand through his hair so it was completely disarrayed just as Dean liked it, Castiel nodded before moving to get Charlie and leaving the apartment. It was time to win back the man he loved.
Dean didn't have that much clothing with him, but he knew Cas didn't care what he was wearing. Still he went for the tightest stuff he had so it would show of his body and his ass, hopefully that would catch Cas' eye even if nothing else did. Spiking his hair with nervous hands Dean looked at himself in the mirror.
"You can do this Dean... you can get him back." He muttered giving himself a pep talk, of course then he realised what he was doing and decided he should probably stop. It was time to go anyway. So grabbing his leather jacket he walked out of the motel room with the hopes that he wouldn't have to come back for anything but his stuff. Hopefully he could get his Cas back tonight, that was of course if Crowley did as he said he would and got Cas there, but no. Dean couldn't think about the possibility that Cas wouldn't be there. He had promised him he would come, and surely he would give him a chance to make up for the stupid mistake he made when leaving, not to mention all the other crap he had done. Surely Cas would see he still loved him, of course that was very much dependant on whether Cas still loved him. He damn well hoped he did. If not, he had no idea where he was gonna go from here. No don't think of that. Cas loved him, he loved Cas, they could and they would sort this out.
Dean was at the show before anyone else, he was the artist after all. Walking through the door he grabbed one of the complimentary glasses of champagne downing it before he grabbed another. He would need some courage for what was to come. He just hoped his plan worked.
Castiel stood outside the filled gallery taking a deep breath. Charlie who was at his side didn't say a word, nor did she try to force him forwards, which he was grateful for. She gave him a chance to get up his courage before he moved towards the door and pushed it open only to be surrounded by sound. His first thought was to find Dean, but as he given a glass of champagne he found he couldn't see him anywhere, so his eyes turned instead to the art. It always amazed him that Dean could create such master pieces. Not because he did not think that man able, but more that Dean had such a depth Castiel knew he would never be able to touch. His work always left Castiel in awe of the man he loved, and as such he found his eyes drawn to the paintings. To seeing what his husband could do. The glimpse it gave him of how the man he loved saw the world.
Dean had seen Cas as soon as he walked through the door, but rather than approach him straight away he hid, wanting Cas to see his painting before they spoke. At least he was here, that had to mean something right?
Castiel moved round the room study painting after painting, but it was when he got to the back wall that he stopped. In fact he was so surprised by the picture in front of him the glass in his hand fell to break on the floor turning all eyes to him momentarily before everyone went back to their conversations, or at least most people did. Of course he noticed none of that. He was too busy looking at the painting which called to his soul. Which, to him at least, seemed to scream Dean's love⦠Dean's love for him. He could not take his eyes from the image which was a mixture of colours and at its centre were his eyes looking back at him. The painting invoked so many emotions, there was love and an almost worship, but there was also comfort and protection. It was a bold statement of love, but it also held a vulnerability as if the artist did not know if that love was returned. It made Castiel lose his breath and lose himself in the emotions he felt for the man he loved. He was so lost in the painting he didn't even hear someone approach him from behind.
"You like it?" came Dean's voice behind him, reflecting all that the painting did. It held love and devotion, but it also held uncertainty and fear. Something Castiel wanted nothing more than to remove from his husbands mind.
"I do. I love it." Castiel replied truing to look into the green eyes he had dreamed of seeing for what felt like an eternity.
"Good." Dean whispered in response, caught once more in the swirling blue he loved so much. The blue he had almost lost. Oh god he hoped he hadn't lost his Cas.
"Dean I-" Castiel started to say, looking away from Dean trying to find the words to apologise for all he had done to destroy them, for the pain he had caused them both.
"Shh Cas. No." Dean interrupted putting his finger across his husband's lips to silence him. He didn't want to hear recriminations or any of that shit. They had time for that later, right now he just wanted to know he was loved as he loved the man in front of him.
With Dean's actions Castiel turned his eyes back to Dean's to see the love shining through. He knew they had a lot to discuss, a lot to work through, but he also knew with that one look that they loved it each other, and that truly was the most important thing. Dean had declared his feelings through his work, it was up to Castiel to make the next move. As such he didn't hesitate to close the distance between him and man he loved, sealing his lips over Dean's and trying in that one simple kiss to show all he felt for the man before him.
And Dean feeling Cas' lips upon his knew that everything would be okay they would work at it, sort it all out. Because they had each other, they loved each, and in the end, nothing else really mattered.
The meeting of Dean and Cas was watched with varying emotions by three of the people there, the rest not really caring or understanding what was happening in their midst. But Sam, Charlie and Crowley knew just what was going on, and while all three of them were happy with the obvious reconnection of Dean and Castiel, they also all felt a that they had a long way to go before the repercussions of what had happened were finally put to rest. With that in mind Sam made his way to Crowley to discuss the legal aspects of all that had happened, and Charlie, well she turned back to the paintings and drank more champagne. It would take a while before she forgave Dean his behaviour, but as long as he made Castiel happy, she would try.
Dean and Castiel pulled apart from their kiss to stare into each other's eyes oblivious to all those around them. They saw only each other, and they both knew that that was all they wanted to see for the rest of their lives. They would work at it, they would not succumb to the complacencies that had held them before. Because if nothing else they had learnt that their love was not something they could take for granted. They needed each other, and they both pledged with their eyes that they would spend the rest of their life being there for the other.
With that decided Castiel turned back to the painting to notice for the first time the red dot by it, saying it was sold.
"Who brought it?" Castiel asked absently, not wanting anyone else to have Dean's declaration of love for him. He wanted to own it.
"I did, for you." Dean replied with smile which grew when Cas turned to him with love shining in his eyes.
Yes they would get through this and they would come out the other side stronger than they had ever been. No one else would ever be able to come between them, because they both now knew exactly what it was they had, and they knew that it was something they could never do without. It was strong and imperfect and messy, it was complete and utter love.
