Epilogue: Meet me by the water

March the 30th, 2059. Heaven.

After having breakfast with Karen and Bobby, Dean did a few chores. He mowed the lawn, folded some laundry and made the bed. When that was done, he steeled himself.

'Today could be the day,' he mumbled. Nervously, hopefully, he approached the river and waited on the pier. He cracked his knuckles. He kicked stones into the water. It looked like today wasn't the day. Dean sighed. The wooden boards behind him creaked and his heart skipped a beat. He turned.

'What took you so long?'

'It occurred to me that I'd only ever slept with one man, so I had some catching up to do.'

They smiled. It was weird. Neither looked the same as they did the last time they had seen each other. Both were in their prime. Also, Dean had expected more of a running-into-Castiel's-arms-in-slow-motion-while-an-awful-ballad-was-playing scenario.

They studied each other. Bobby had warned him that it would be like that. Karen and he hadn't reconnected immediately either. But Dean hadn't believed him. Because it was Cas.

After an awkward pause, Castiel averted his eyes and took in everything around them.

'It's different,' he commented. Dean nodded.

'Once I got here, I tried to pitch a few of our suggestions to the Powers That Be. They didn't listen. They don't like change. So, Bobby and I got in touch with Ash. We caused some trouble and forced them to listen.'

'You improved it. I knew you would,' Castiel boasted. He sounded proud. Dean smirked.

'And you managed to follow my instructions,' Dean remarked, pretending to be surprised.

'Well, it wasn't that difficult to remember. It was our jogging thing, after all. It really feels like home here.'

The house was an exact replica of their house. The deck chairs were the same. The Impala stood in the garage. Last week, Dean had found a chewed up striped drinking straw in the bushes. Yet, Dean didn't think it was as comfortable and familiar as home was supposed to be. The feeling just hadn't been there. Until now.

'Home is wherever I'm with you, Cas,' he confessed. Dean cringed involuntarily. Annoyed, he added, 'I sound like a Coca Cola commercial.'

'I've missed you,' Castiel said. He took Dean's hand and immediately it all felt a lot less awkward. Dean leaned against Castiel. Damn, he had missed this.

'Ready for one long Sunday afternoon?' he murmured into Castiel's ear, as he pulled Castiel into the water.

'I thought you didn't like those,' Castiel gasped. He wiped the wet hair out of his face. Dean pushed him against one of the wooden poles that were supporting the pier. The water wasn't that deep there; they could both stand. His breath came out in short, sharp bursts as Castiel's hands wandered over his body. After a lot of twisting and cursing, they managed to throw most of their clothes on the bank.

'I do,' Dean said, shivering as he slowly eased into his husband, 'if they last forever.'

(***)

True love stories never have endings - Richard Bach.