They're sitting up on a dune near the house, watching everyone on the beach below. Jimmy playing with Billie, Jess holding baby Mary on her lap while Lexie clambers up into the chair next to them and stares in undisguised love at his cousin, taking her hand and grinning ear-to-ear, and Sam is tending to the barbecue on the decking at the house. It's early March, the weather is warming up slowly, the evenings growing just a bit longer and the nights aren't quite as cold as they were a couple of weeks ago. Winter is thawing out to make way for spring, for new beginnings, and Dean feels a rush of excitement so strong he simply has to reach out and wrap his arm around Cas' shoulders.

"So. You and Sam seem to be getting along better."

Cas shrugs, nods, then shrugs again. "I guess we are. He's not so bad. I guess."

Dean grins and presses a kiss to his temple. "No. He ain't. And I know it's not easy for you, Cas, so thanks. For making the effort. I really appreciate it."

"He's not horrible." Cas smirks up at Dean. "That's probably the best you're going to get out of me."

"Then it'll do." Dean watches as Sam expertly flips burgers and turns sausages, knowing Cas will gripe about them being burned, or unhealthy, or too raw, or something just because Sam is making them. But after having a moan for a minute or two he'll sit down and eat quietly, because that's what he does. Gives Sam a hard time then shuts up. And Sam has come to accept it and even warm to it. It's their uneasy truce, and that's just how it is; Dean can't ask for more, not in his opinion. Not with so much water under the bridge. They all just need time.

"It's such a shame Bobby couldn't make it," Cas muses, watching Billie hand a colouring book to Jimmy. "I so want to meet him."

"I know. I want you to meet him too." Dean sighs. "I guess he just wasn't ready yet. Maybe next time."

"I hope so. Or we could go to him…?" It's a tentative suggestion, one Dean can't agree to yet because that would mean going home, and going home would mean seeing all the people from his old life that made it so hellish. It would mean Cas seeing all those people. He shudders at the thought. Not yet.

They both watch Lexie lean over and stroke Mary's hair, grinning widely when she flashes him a gummy smile, and he feels Cas grin in turn and pulls him in a little closer. Then that grin slowly fades, and he knows his lover is thinking the same thing he is. He swallows, not wanting to bring the subject up. But he asks anyway.

"When do we get Lexie's next set of test results back?"

Cas leans his head on Dean's shoulder and sighs. "Couple days. They'll probably run another set of bloods after that, that's what Dr Bradbury said over the phone."

"And what if they…"

"Don't. Don't, Dean. I can't. I can't think about what it could all mean." Cas snuffles a little and a wave of guilt pulses through him at upsetting his boyfriend. Damn. He shouldn't have said anything. "I've been Googling things I shouldn't and Dr Bradbury seems pretty optimistic but…" He lifts his head and turns wide, scared eyes on Dean. "What if something is wrong with our baby?"

"There won't be. He'll be just fine." Dean pulls Cas close again, viciously shoving down the creeping feeling of anxiety as it tries to climb his spine. Lexie will be just fine. It's just a bad virus, Dr Bradbury had said at the start. Just the flu, it's just hitting him hard. But his blood results in January hadn't been great, and now they're waiting on a second set after Lexie got sick again two weeks ago and it looked like whooping cough. It wasn't, but Dr Bradbury was concerned and that has Dean nervous and on-edge. Lexie hasn't been himself, has been eating less, has been napping more and falling asleep earlier than usual, and has been complaining off and on about soreness in random parts of his body. A few weeks ago he had a nosebleed that didn't want to stop and while that in itself was nothing to worry about it seemed to prompt Dr Bradbury to run more tests. He knows their boy will be fine, he knows it somewhere deep inside himself. They just need it proven to them by the doctors, then they can all move on and stop worrying so much. He kisses Cas slowly, gently, feels him sigh into his mouth then he kisses back.

"I know. I know he will. I mean, look at him."

Lexie is running about on the beach now, chasing Billie in a game of tag, and they're both shrieking with laughter as Jimmy joins in and tags them both at once. Dean can't help but smile, and a quick glance to his left confirms that Cas is grinning too. They snuggle closer as a chilly breeze sweeps past them, and Dean nuzzles his face into Cas' hair. He smells of coconut oil and hemp, thanks to some expensive new products Sam got him for Christmas; Cas likes them immensely, in spite of himself, and Dean has grown to love the new scents on him. They watch their family laugh, chatter and play contentedly for a while, happy to sit quietly with each other and not speak, both lost in thought.

Dean has it all planned out. Later, when the sun is setting and they've all eaten and drunk their fill and the kids are sleepy and ready for bed, he's going to ask Cas to go for a walk with him. Probably right down to the rocks he remembers the kids playing on, the day he told Cas how he ended up at the little beach house on the road that leads down to the ocean, and when they get there he's going to do it. He's going to ask Cas to marry him. Down on one knee and everything. He's got the ring stashed in his pocket, in a little black box, and keeps reaching for it in paranoid worry that it's fallen out and he's lost it. He's caught Cas giving him funny looks for doing it, and passed it off as the cold getting to him, hence shoving his hands in his pockets. Ever trusting, Cas just nodded and thought no more of it.

Jimmy knows. Obviously. And so does Sam, which means Jess knows by extension. He told the children only an hour ago that he was going to ask Cas something very special, and that they had to keep it a very big secret. They had grinned, pressed their fingers to their lips, and Dean had messed their hair up and sent them off to play. He had already gently broached the subject of him marrying Cas to them over Christmas, to see how they would react. The most comforting thing about it was the way Billie just grinned at him, and Lexie saying, "Does that mean you'll have the same surname as us? Because you should. Dean Novak sounds nice and then we would all match. Please can I have the last oatmeal cookie?" They had promised to keep it a secret and, to their credit, they had done. Or they'd forgotten entirely, one of the two. The only one completely oblivious to his plan is Cas, and Dean is desperate to keep it that way. He keeps almost tripping himself up and letting the secret out, and he's consoling himself in the knowledge that he only has a few more hours to go. He's already freaked out three times today, twice to Sam and once to Jimmy, paranoid that Cas will say no. Sam had laughed his concerns off in his typical brotherly style, but Jimmy had been more serious. He had taken Dean by the shoulder and told him that if Cas said no he would be utterly pole-axed.

"He loves you, Dean. And when Cas loves someone, that's it. He's in it for the long-haul. He'll say yes, I promise you. Try not to freak out, try and enjoy the moment if you can."

If he can. Ha. Fat chance, he's getting more freaked out now just thinking about it. It isn't the commitment thing, absolutely not. It's what he'll do if Cas does prove their brothers wrong and says no. What then?

Before he can get thinking too deeply, Cas shifts next to him and gazes up, his blue eyes tired and content, sparkling in the early spring sun. "You were gone for a minute. What were you thinking about?"

"Us." It's the truth. Mostly. "You. The boys." Other stuff. Something he had found in a pile of papers that Cas had clearly scooped up and forgotten about. Something that had made his eyes mist over with happiness and he had to turn quickly away before Cas caught him smiling and on the verge of tears. He thinks of it now, of what he found, and finds himself smiling as he gazes at Cas.

"We have a pretty awesome family, huh?" Cas nudges him then leans in a bit closer, cuddling, seeking body heat. "Me, you, the boys… and we didn't even know each other this time last year. Isn't that crazy? And now the boys have another father and me… well," Cas breaks off for a second. "I have you."

"And I have you, too." Dean's arm tightens protectively as he thinks about the leaflet and printout that had fallen out from between two drawings of Billie's. The printout had some hand-written notes in the margins, and Dean's breath had caught in his chest as he'd read them. "You saved me, Cas. You know that, right? I was nothing before you. I had nothing."

Cas plucks a few blades of grass from the ground beside him and winds them through his fingers. "I thought I was happy before you. I thought I was content, just me and the boys. That I wouldn't ever want anyone again, that I didn't have room for someone else. But I wasn't content, Dean. I was lonely, and using the boys as a shield to hide behind. But you… You say I saved you, and I guess that's true. But…" Cas blinks a few times, hurriedly. "I saved myself through saving you. The life I have now, I owe it all to you. I owe my happiness to you. I just hope…" He blinks again, his breath hitching a little. "I hope it lasts. Forever. I'm sure it will, but I just worry, you know? I don't know what the future holds and neither do you, and things are so different for you now. You have your brother, your niece… I can't help it, Dean, I just get scared sometimes. Is that OK?"

He turns large, clear eyes on Dean and no, it isn't OK. It isn't all right that Cas still has these doubts, that nothing Dean says seems to assuage them at all. He isn't upset with Cas for having these worries, but he's upset that he can't seem to wipe them away. He's aware that a silence is stretching between them and that the longer he says nothing at all the more worried Cas is going to be. Already doubt is creeping into the blue eyes he knows so well and Cas' brows are furrowing. Dean's right hand finds its way into his pocket and he gently fingers the small box, heart pounding. He's supposed to wait. According to his plan, he's supposed to wait until the evening, until sunset…

Cas sighs and drops his head onto Dean's shoulder, suddenly seeming downcast. He continues to play with the blades of grass, winding them round his ring finger and Dean watches, mesmerised. It's an unconscious move on Cas' part; there's no way he can know what Dean is thinking, but if that isn't some sort of sign then what is?

"I know you can't predict anything either. And I know you want forever too." Cas exhales, a low sigh. "Ignore me, I don't know what's gotten into me. Maybe I'm just tired or something. I was up so late last night writing and then couldn't sleep… I'm sorry, Dean. Ignore me."

But Dean doesn't ignore him. He nudges Cas to sit up and releases his arm from around his shoulders, trying to ignore the puzzled frown that has descended onto his lover's face. He's thought about more than just proposing. He's thought about their wedding, about the vows, and in them he plans to promise to look after Cas and to protect him, and in his mind that includes quelling his fears and making him feel as safe and secure as he possibly can. And right now, it seems like Cas feels far from secure, and that means Dean needs to do something about it. His heart is in his throat and his palms are sweating, and when he reaches for Cas' hand to unwind the grass from his fingers he receives an extremely bemused look in response.

"Dean, is everything OK? You look… what's wrong?"

"I'm fine, Cas." The wind blows a lock of dark hair across Cas' forehead and Dean brushes it away, his hand dropping to linger at his lover's jaw. "I've been fine for a while now, and it's all thanks to you." Cas smiles in spite of himself, his true, bright smile that reaches his eyes and shows all his teeth with a small amount of gum. His nose wrinkles too, and the corner of his eyes, and fuck Dean loves him so much. "I don't know what to say to convince you I'm not going anywhere. I don't feel like there's much I can say, nothing that I haven't said already." His left hand finds Cas' and squeezes as his lover opens his mouth to protest. The sun is peeking out from the cloud it had hidden behind and Cas' skin glows in the warm light. "Please. Just let me say this. I…"

Oh, god. This is it. He's really going to do it. His right hand comes to his pocket and he retrieves the box, heart pounding so hard he feels like he might be sick. Cas is tilting his head in question, still smiling but a curious frown playing across his handsome face. He grips the box in his hand tightly; Cas hasn't noticed it yet. Inside it is a simple band made of palladium, a metal rare but adequately priced. He knows Cas wouldn't want an expensive ring and the little jewellers in town had been more than happy to help him choose. The owners know Cas through kindergarten and had been overjoyed when Dean told them of his plan to propose. The ring he has finally chosen, after two hours of deliberating, is a thick band with a delicate pattern etched into it. Then he'd had it personalised, engraved, with the constellations of both their star signs, remembering their conversation out on the decking many months ago. That night sticks out so starkly in his mind, when Cas had smiled at him and said his favourite pastime is to count Dean's freckles. It had seemed fitting, and the finished piece is gorgeous. He only hopes Cas thinks so, too.

"Dean?" Cas prompts and he snaps back to the present, gazing down into Cas' eyes and suddenly all his panic and fear melts away. His heart rate slows, the band of anxiety around his chest releases, and the blue of Cas' irises draws him in and grounds him. Reminds him, reminds him of all their months together and how much he loves Cas. Promises him, promises him that he'll be OK and Cas will be there for him, like he's been there all along. He flicks the ring box open with his thumb, his left hand still holding Cas' right, and the other man drops his gaze to see what he's doing. When he glances up again his eyes are wide and his face is a shade paler; his fingers tighten on Dean's and suddenly it's just them, nobody else, alone on the dunes where Dean found his happiness, and nothing else matters.

"Marry me, Cas." The words come so easily, so naturally, and he's never meant anything more. "Marry me. Let me make you the happiest man alive. There's nothing I can say to convince you that I'm yours but this, this is something I can do. That I want to do. That I can't imagine not doing." He takes a deep breath; Cas is gripping his fingers so tightly that it hurts, his short nails are digging in painfully and will surely leave crescent moon indents in their wake but he doesn't care. "I was going to wait. Was gonna ask you tonight. But…" He lifts the ring box up to show Cas properly and hears a choked little whine in response. "I couldn't wait. Not after hearing you say what you did. You mean everything to me, Cas, everything."

He promised himself he wouldn't cry. But as one single tear escapes and tracks down his cheek he figures he gets a pass for breaking that promise. Because Cas' eyes are tear-filled too and he looks more shocked than Dean has ever seen him. He's staring at the ring in awed silence, and Dean wants to give him time. Time to process it all and think about his answer. But patience isn't one of his strong points.

"Baby, say something. Anything. Tell me what you're thinking, please. If you hate the ring I'll get you another. If you don't want to then I… I'll understand. If you…"

"Dean…" Cas' hand comes up and he goes to touch the ring but doesn't seem to dare. "You… you mean this? You really want to get married to me?"

"Yes, Cas, more than anything. More than I want to draw breath. More than I want to wake up tomorrow. I love you. I need you."

"But I'm awful," Cas has silvery tears cutting lines down his cheeks now but he's laughing and God it's a beautiful sound. "I'm messy and opinionated and I'm a control-freak. I yell at you, I sulk when things don't go my way, I fight with you…"

"And I love you for it all." Dean is smiling now too, through his emotion, and he lifts their joined hands to place them on his own chest. "And I'm all those things and more. I'm a mess, Cas. I'm anxious and paranoid and I worry too much about everything. And everyone. And I still get scared sometimes."

"So do I," Cas can't seem to stop smiling and it's a smile of pure joy, one Dean revels in and wants to look at forever, but it's tinged with… something. "Dean, when I'm with you… nothing seems quite so scary. But…"

But. But. Dean goes suddenly light-headed with fear. He had been so sure, so certain Cas would be overjoyed and would say yes. But he's just said but, and that can mean nothing good. He takes a breath and tries not to let his impending heartbreak show on his face.

"Dean, I…" Cas is struggling with his words, swallowing hard and clearly trying to regulate his breathing. He looks anxious, excited, panicky and hopeful all in one go. "I've already been married you know?" Oh. God. Dean swallows a knot of pain as it forms in his throat. "And… it ended so badly. He left us in such an awful way, and I've never stopped wondering if I did that. If I ruined everything somehow. What if…" Cas turns big, worried blue eyes on Dean. "What if I do it again? What if I wreck everything again? I couldn't take losing you, it would destroy me, and-"

"Stop." Dean's voice is thick with emotion. "Cas, I promise you. I will never leave you. I will never abandon you. I will never push you away or make you feel like it's your fault if we argue. I will never, ever leave you and the boys alone. That I can promise you, I really can."

"I know," Cas is smiling again, shaking, nervous, but the hope in his eyes is now overshadowing every other emotion he's clearly flooded with. "I do know that. I know that if we do this it means forever. Oh, God… I want to do this so badly, I didn't know how much I wanted it until right now…"

"So, do it." Dean shifts so he's on his knees, takes both of Cas' hands in his and the ring box presses urgently between their palms. "Do it, Cas. If it's what you want, then I'll make it happen for us. I want it, I want it all with you. Two-point-four kids and a house, and a dog, and a white picket fence, and Sunday brunches… waking up next to you when we're in our sixties and complaining that our knees don't work like they used to. Being in our seventies and eighties and reminiscing about today, the boys coming to see us in the old folks home with their own families…"

Fuck. Now he's really going to cry, and Cas looks wrecked and desperate and so, so in love if the sparkle in his eyes is anything to go by

"So… will you? Will you marry me?" He bites the bullet and asks his question again, for the final time, thinks, hopes, prays he knows the answer. But his heart is in his mouth again and Cas is taking so long to answer, almost an entire second has passed and…

"Yes," Cas laughs again, letting go of Dean and wiping his cheeks with his fingers, pressing his other palm against Dean's chest and gripping his shirt tightly. "Yes, of course I will, Dean. I want everything you just said and more. Yes."

"Fuck. I love you, Cas," Dean almost bowls Cas over with the force of his embrace, and the pair of them collapse on their sides against the dune, laughing and kissing and Dean gropes for Cas' hand. "I hope it fits, please let it fit. Do you like it?"

Cas' hand trembles as Dean holds it and pushes the ring onto his finger, where it fits perfectly and they both stare at it with starry eyes.

"I love it. I love it so much, Dean. Thank you." They kiss again then Dean takes the ring off Cas' hand to show him the engravings and they both laugh and smile and lie in each other's arms as Cas says 'yes' over and over, louder each time, and Dean grins so hard his cheeks ache.

"Daddy!" An excited, happy voice comes from above them, near the house, and a second later Lexie is sliding down the dune on his backside to land in a heap between them, giggling and smiling. "What are you laughing about?" He addresses Dean, who grabs him in a pretend headlock and ruffles his hair as he squeals.

"We'll tell you back at the house. We have some exciting news to tell you all. Come on. Race you." He stands up with the kid under his arm, a little awkwardly as his knees remind him he isn't a spring chicken any more and extends a hand to Cas. To his future husband. Lexie runs ahead and they walk back across the dune holding hands, unable to wipe the grins from their faces.

Cas has never been hugged so much or so tightly, Dean is sure. Sam had pulled him close in an awkward, one-armed embrace but after a minute they had both relaxed against each other and Cas had lifted his arms to hug back. And when they pulled away they were both smiling.

"Seriously, so happy for you both." Sam smiles and Cas blushes and grins helplessly. "Thanks, Cas. For making my brother so happy."

"You're welcome," Cas nudges him with an elbow. "Thanks, too. For, you know. Pushing him away." Sam balks in shock but there's something warm in Cas' words and written on his face. "I would never have found him otherwise. And I'm glad we can be friends now. I think… I think we'll make a great family."

"I think you're right." Sam smiles, Cas smiles, and Dean huffs out a disbelieving laugh to which they both turn and stare at him. He's got Mary in his arms and Billie is trying to climb his leg to look at his baby cousin.

"You two are unreal. Sammy, stop hogging my fiancé. I think Jess wants a turn…"

"Daddy!" The word leaves Billie's mouth in exasperation, and every adult in the room turns to look at the kid in surprise. Billie is glaring up at Dean, tugging at his jeans and pouring. "I want to see Mary, daddy. Please can I? Please can I hold her? Please, daddy, please?"

Dean doesn't know what to say. Billie has never called him 'daddy' before. It's always Dean or Dee, never 'daddy'. But now it comes out so naturally, as though he's always been saying it, and Dean ruffles the kid's hair and pulls him close against his thigh, feeling like every piece of his life is falling into place.

"Of course you can, kiddo. Go sit on the couch, I'll give her to you."

As Dean arranges Billie and Mary on the sofa - along with Lexie who climbs up and cuddles up to his brother - Cas is dragged to one side by Jimmy, who wears a strange expression. It's a stilted mixture of excitement, exhaustion, and trepidation.

"Jimmy, what's wrong?" Cas frowns, suddenly concerned. "You're happy for me, right?"

Jimmy stares, wide-eyed, then pulls Cas to him in a crushing hug. "You idiot. Of course I'm happy for you. I'm over the damn moon for you, and I'm glad he finally did it. I've been waiting for months!"

"You've… what?"

Jimmy grins, now impish. "He asked my permission, didn't he tell you that?"

"He did what?!" Cas punches Jimmy on the shoulder half-heartedly. "You're joking."

"I am not. A while back now. Before Christmas. You should ask him about it," Jimmy nods to Dean who is sitting on the couch next to the twins and Mary, grinning down at them all, totally smitten. Jimmy grins at his twin. "What would you have done if I'd say no, he wasn't allowed to ask you?"

"Drowned you in the ocean," Cas says easily. "I could pull off being you, we don't really need a spare, do we?"

Jimmy smirks, then tilts his head questioningly. "Have you talked to him about… you know, stuff yet? The thing we talked about last week?"

"Nope." Cas grins as he watches Dean. "Not yet."

"Well, are you gonna?"

"Of course. Tomorrow, maybe?"

"Tomorrow? But how about…"

"Jimmy. Tomorrow. Or the day after. Or whenever, it's not like I need to rush. We have our whole lives to look forward to now, this can wait a while, surely?"

Jimmy looks at his brother for a long while before answering. He and Cas have always been inseparable. Cas grew up fiercely independent of everyone but his twin and Jimmy was always right by his side. They looked like little carbon copies of each other all the way through kindergarten and right up to college. Even after, when they started dressing differently and really came into their own people still couldn't tell them apart. Even when Cas was with Cole he still looked and acted a lot like Jimmy - just a more muted version. But now, Cas really is in his own element and it suits him. He's branched out, away from Jimmy and towards Dean and happiness looks so good on him. It lends a flush to his cheeks, a sparkle to his eyes, and he even holds himself differently. He has more confidence in himself and his family, and he smiles so much more than Jimmy has ever seen him. He's leaving Jimmy on the sidelines to finally start a life of his own where he's lifted up by his partner instead of weighed down, and that realisation almost brings Jimmy to tears. Maybe, as it turns out, he's the one with the attachment issues. He's been so immersed in Cas' family for so long that he hasn't been interested in forming his own, and suddenly he feels like there isn't quite room for him any more. That the space they want him to take up is a little smaller. And it's a bitter pill to swallow, despite his happiness for Cas. He only hopes he hasn't missed his chance for a little family of his own.

"Jimmy?" Cas is frowning again. "You sure you're all right?"

"Yeah, Cas, I'm good. It's just… weird, you know? It's always been us. Well, apart from the little interlude with Cole." Jimmy slings an arm around his twin. "And now I have to let you go."

"You don't." Cas' voice is firm and matter-of-fact. "I'll always be right here, Jimmy. You and me, it's for life. You're stuck with me." He glances down at the ring gleaming on his left hand. "Only downside for you is I guess you're stuck with Dean now, too."

"Yeah. Guess you guys are the package deal." Jimmy doesn't mean it to come out so choked and berates himself viciously. This is Cas' night and he's spoiling it by being so selfish.

"You've got it backwards." Cas reaches up and takes Jimmy's hand where it's resting on his shoulder, his brother's arm warm and secure around him. "We're the package deal. It's Dean I feel sorry for. Stuck with us for the rest of his life."

Dean laughs, loudly, at something Billie is saying and the elder Novak twins break out into identical smiles.

"You know," Jimmy tilts his head. "I think he'll cope just fine."

Cas, panting, stretches out on his back and runs his hands through his sweat-drenched hair as Dean crawls up his body to kiss him. They embrace gently, kissing slowly, tongues exploring the hidden crevices of each other's mouths as Dean settles his weight comfortably on top of his lover's body. He cups Cas' face, pressing sweet kisses to his lips and cheeks, licking into his mouth and whispering words of love against his skin.

"Mmm. That was so good, Dean." Cas smiles, laughs, wraps his arms around Dean's waist. "But I'm sticky. And now, so are you."

"Don't care. Could stay like this forever." Dean shifts then grimaces. "Actually, I couldn't. This is kinda gross."

Cas laughs gently. "Kinda."

"Be right back." Dean pads out of the room and Cas stretches out languidly on the bed, still riding the combined high of his orgasm and Dean's proposal earlier that evening. He holds his left hand up in the air and turns it from one side to the other, admiring the silvery glint of the band adoring his finger. It feels strange to wear a ring again, but it feels so right. He never thought this would happen for him again. He had been beyond shocked when Dean had asked him, and although he had been giddy with excitement at the time it's only really starting to sink in now. He's engaged. They're getting married. A bubble of joy rises up inside his chest and he laughs out loud, ecstatically happy. He doesn't have a clue what their wedding day will be like, but he already knows it will be the best day of his life.

"What are you grinning about?" Dean comes back in, naked, all tanned skin and firm lines of muscle in all the right places, and Cas watches him cross the room towards the bed. His softened cock hangs heavy between his legs and Dean follows his gaze. "Oh, ready to go again are we?"

"No." Cas smirks then groans as he sits up, the drying come on his stomach tacky and tugging at his skin. "I was thinking about us."

"Oh?" Dean flops down on the bed after cleaning Cas up and wraps his arm around his shoulders, tugging him close and pulling the sheets up. "What about us?"

"About this." He wriggles his hand in Dean's face, flashing his ring, and Dean grins happily. "I love it. I love you."

They share another kiss, then the bedroom door creaks and Lexie appears, dragging a sleepy Billie behind him.

"Daddy, can we sleep in here tonight? Please, daddy, please?"

"Yes, of course." Dean pushes the sheets back and the boys clamber on, Billie snuggling down at Dean's side, wrapped tightly in his arms, and Lexie lying down on Cas' chest.

"Are you staying forever, daddy? Are you getting married?" Lexie pillows his head on Cas' chest and addresses Dean, burrowing close and sighing.

"Yes, sweetheart. We are." Dean is almost asleep, exhaustion lacing his words. "Are you happy about that?"

"Yes." Lexie nods and smiles sleepily. "So you'll be husbands. Like daddy and Cole."

Cas' breath hitches in his chest at his son's words. Cole. Not father, not dad or daddy. Cole.

"Do you remember him, Lexie?" He brushes his son's hair off his face and feels sorrow in his heart when the boy shakes his head. "Do you remember Cole? He loved you very much."

"No. But you do, so it's OK." And those are words wiser than they kid's age, and Cas hugs him close.

"I do. I loved him a lot, you know that? And now I love Dean." Cas turns to look at his partner, his future husband, who has now closed his eyes and is resting his cheek on Billie's dark head. "And if possible, I love him even more."

"Good." Lexie snuggles closer and Cas wraps the blankets more snugly around them. "Miss Harvelle says that people who love each other should get married. Can I get married one day?"

"Yes, of course." Cas smiles, his heart full of love for his son.

"Good." Lexie yawns hugely and his small body slowly starts to relax into sleep. "I love you, daddy."

"Love you too. Sleep well."

Lexie is heavy on his chest and Cas wraps his arms around him protectively. His boys are growing up, and he doesn't much care for it. He wants them to stay young and carefree forever, Peter Pan-like, and never have to worry like adults do over silly things like bills and taxes. And over not-so-silly things like work, illness, or losing people. He watches Dean for a while, sleeping soundly next to him with an arm around Billie; they had both dozed off during his conversation with Lexie and he studied both their faces for a while. He traces his new ring with his thumb and takes in the freckles covering Dean's nose, the dark lashes lying on tanned cheeks, and the beautiful swell of his bottom lip. The man who is to be his husband. Castiel smiles. And he thinks back to something he said on the dune earlier, before he knew what Dean had planned for them.

I saved myself through saving you.

No truer words have ever left his lips.

Fin.