Forty-Four Years and a Thirty Minute Drive
2021
When Castiel was 44 he was laying in the park. His daughter sleeping on him. They had been cloud watching, when she had fallen asleep. Now her breath was a steady rhythm on his cheek, lulling him into his own nap. He realized he was being asked a question.
"Pardon?" he asked sitting up gently not to wake his daughter.
"I recognize that look of exhaustion," said Ellen with a knowing smile. "So is there anything else you'll need for tomorrow?"
"Anna and Gabriel are flying in later but Bobby and Karen are picking them up. So maybe have a drink ready for Bobby when he gets to dinner."
"I think your brother is the Dennis the Menace to Bobby's Mr. Wilson," said Ellen.
"Truer words have never been spoken," he said watching as Dean and their son Jimmy kicked a soccer ball with Sam, his eldest JJ and Grandpappy John, as he was now know, while Bill and Mary played goalies.
"You, do know those moon eyed lovey dovey looks disappear after you seal this deal," teased Jo holding Sam and her's three-year-old son David.
In a fortuitous moment Sam lifted his shirt to wipe his face and showed off his still in shape physique. Jo made an appreciative noise in the back of her throat.
"Yeah, uh huh," said Castiel.
"What?" Jo said. "That was not lovey dovey, that was good old lust."
Ellen and Castiel started laughing.
The next day they stood in front of friends and family and got legally married in the state of Kansas. The day the law, legalizing their marriage, had passed Dean and Castiel, or that nice Winchester couple as they were known by their elderly neighbor Ms. McGee, at the courthouse getting everything in order. Now a few months later they were at their reception.
Sam was at the microphone telling a story about how he knew Dean was in love because he attempted to cook, not just grill a dinner.
Castiel knew it ended with them having to use a fire extinguisher and looked as his husband got a shade of pink.
"And now for the first dance…"
Castiel heard the tell tale first strains.
"Sammy this is not really dancing music."
"Like you know how to dance. Besides I think this is what started it all."
Castiel saw his husband mouth, 'bitch' to his brother and Sammy mouth, 'jerk' back at him.
"Thanks for not saying bitch aloud, kids might pick it up," Cas, as Dean called him, teased.
"No idea what you're talking about."
"Uh huh, how about a dance Mr. Wincherster?"
"Don't mind if I do Mr. Winchester."
They moved on the dance floor the song playing loudly when Dean leaned forward and sang the lyrics in his ear.
"All you need is love, all you need is love, love is all you need."
His breath warm still sent a shiver down his back. Castiel pulled back to look at the man he loved and sang along with him.
"Love is all you need."
Looking at him he could see the faint freckles and his hazel eyes. He rubbed his palm against his cheek, he leaned forward kissing his husband feeling his jaw as he slowly opened his mouth to make it a little dirtier. Castiel knew he needed to pull back.
"Not in public, we got tonight."
"Thank god for that," said Dean.
"Oh my eyes!" wailed Jimmy as the song changed over to some upbeat pop ditty; Castiel could see Rufus and Adam were standing next to him cracking up. Sam invited people onto the dance floor.
"And your parents for taking them," added Castiel, looking at Mary dancing with her namesake and John.
They moved to the song for a few moments.
"Who is this?" asked Castiel.
"I have no idea," admitted Dean.
Mary must have run away from her two dancing partners because Castiel felt a tug on his pants, he looked down to see her.
"Up Poppa?"
"Of course my beautiful girl," he said and lifted her up.
Jimmy then ran out onto the dance floor and tugged on Dean's pant leg, a moment later he was eye level with him.
"Oh you're almost getting to big for this buddy," said Dean.
"Play it again Uncle Sam!" shouted Jimmy.
"Yeah," nodded Mary in agreement.
Sam smiled, and looked at the couple from the DJ booth, both nodded. The kids were right.
The trumpets and guitar blared as the family danced, surrounded by people they loved and sang along with them.