A/N: Sorry! Have been busy! Here's the next installment. Enjoy, and please review!

10. In Sickness and in Health, they Vowed

It's a beautiful evening when Dean gets married to Cas. The sun throws orange and purple and gold into the horizon, and the weather is just perfect; not too cold or warm and just a little breezy. Birds are starting to move back into their nests; a pall of calmness falling everywhere and Dean holds on to Castiel's hand while they walk up the stairs and outside the cabin with Sam following them closely.

They're dressed in the best they have; Dean with his least bloody shirt on and his best pair of jeans and Cas with that trenchcoat over the suit he was wearing when they'd escaped Hell. Dean had thought that Cas's outfit would bring back bad memories, but he's wrong. When he looks at his boyfriend–fiancé–soon-to-be-husband, all he remembers is freedom, and getting Sammy back. Family.

The view from the guardrail is exquisite today; trees and shrubs dancing in the breeze and the wind singing in their ears. Dean and Cas stand with their sides facing the rail while Sam leans back against it, grinning ear to ear. "You guys ready?"

Dean bites the inside of his cheek, trying to quell the nervousness. "Yeah," he says. "Cas?"

The blue from Cas's eyes bleeds into the green of Dean's as he nods, the smile and the eye-crinkles appearing together and making Dean want to take him then and there.

Sam clears his throat. "Okay. You guys got some vows or something?"

"Yes," Cas replies softly. "I believe I want to say something."

"Okay." Sam straightens up.

Dean's heart begins to thump as Cas, eyes never leaving Dean's, reaches to take both of Dean's hands in his. His grip is comfortable and strong, and Dean feels his own clammy hands start to get warmer with each second.

"Dean Winchester," Cas breathes at long last, Dean's name a prayer and a song in his gravelly voice. "I was created to fight and to protect, but I find myself paling in your comparison. Never have I met anyone; anyone like you, so capable of loving and sacrificing. You taught me what happiness is and you taught me how to be human. You amaze me every day and you never cease to do so, and no matter how much I know you, I can never stop wanting to discover you more." He pauses to take a breath, swallow, and Dean's still looking into Cas's eyes and at the tears that are forming there. "Dean, you…" Cas pauses again, and nods. "You are extraordinary. You remind me every day of what it is to love. What it is to live. You told me what family is, and then you gave me one. I believe I am indebted to you; forever, and I also believe that I can never quite love anything, or anyone as much as I love you.

"You're hope and happiness. You're my light and the best part of me. And," Cas's smile grows wider, "I don't believe I can ever say this enough, but I really love you. I love you, Dean. Very, very much."

By now Dean will be surprised if his jaw touches the floor. Cas lets out a shaky exhale. "This day to me is like a dream. My life, ever since I met you, has been nothing less than beautiful. I want to stay with you, be faithful to you and spend my life with you. My eternity is your life, and every moment of me is you." Tears stream out of his eyes, lips trembling. "I love you," he repeats simply.

Dean's mouth is still open when he's done and he can't even turn to look at Sam because all he can see, all he can focus on right now are Cas's watery eyes, and his touch. He's never seen Cas cry; never even knew Cas could cry, and everything he heard just now, it's so, so true because he feels the same for his Cas; for his angel, but he was never good with his words. What can he say, really, without sounding like a complete idiot?

"Dean?" Sam's voice is barely a whisper, as though he's struggling to speak. Dean feels a lump in his throat, hands squeezing Cas's when a few more tears break free from Cas's eye.

"Cas…" he begins, throat working as he tries to swallow. "Cas, I feel the same, man. And… maybe I can't… I… you're just…" warmth creeps up his cheeks, "you're fucking hot and sometimes I just wanna kiss you while you're giving me one of those stupid-head-tilting looks and I wanna be able to think that and do that my whole life, okay?" He raises a hand, palming the tears that have fallen on Cas's cheek. "So don't change. You're fucking sexy, and you're fucking mine, and I wanna be with you and make the other chicks and the dudes jealous."

Sam laughs and Cas is sniffing, nodding like an idiot while their hands find each other's again, his skin still incredibly awesome and toasty against Dean's. In the meantime, Sam clears his throat. "Okay, so you two are… man and man. Husbands. You may now kiss. Without grossing me out, of course, and—"

He breaks into a chuckle when Dean flips him off and grabs Cas's waist to draw him closer. He catches Cas's lower lip between his, kissing tenderly and feeling his well, fucking husband wrap his arms around his neck. Cas's tongue comes to tease the side of Dean's mouth and then peeks inside, brushing with Dean's own tongue and Dean pulls him closer still as he begins to work his own lips faster. Cas tilts his head to one side and invites Dean's tongue further inside and Dean slows his pace for a moment before picking up again.

Sam clears his throat loudly. "I'm going inside," he declares, and Dean pulls away from Cas to grin at his brother.

"Thanks, Sammy," he says, looking at his brother sincerely. "Thanks for doing this."

Sam snorts and shrugs. "You're welcome, jerk. Now do your thing and I'll get my ass out of here."

"By 'doing my thing', you mean kissing Cas?"

"Yeah." Sam's dimples are showing and Dean can feel his brother's happiness radiate from him. "Whatever you guys do, because I'm not watching that." There is a hint of something else along with all that joy, though, and Dean can sense it.

He removes his hands from Cas's waist, takes two steps towards Sam and tugs at his shirt. "C'mere."

Sam doesn't move for a moment and then yields, letting Dean pull him into his arms the next moment. He laughs when Dean hugs him tight and returns the embrace with equal fervour. "You're such a bitch," Dean murmurs fondly as he cups the back of Sam's head. He can feel Sam melt some more, his face resting on the crook of Dean's neck and Dean thinks he knows what this is. He'd anticipated it ever since he'd told Sam that he and Cas were getting married.

Sam doesn't reply, doesn't say anything, and Dean rubs the back of his head. "I'm sorry, Sam. I really am." Sam has never told him this but the way he talks about Jess, Dean knows that if Sam had had the chance, he'd have married Jess too. And he knows from the fact that Sam woke up in the middle of last night with a panic attack, that he'd had a nightmare about Jess. Sam hadn't said it but Dean knows.

God knows, Sam's had his own troubles, his own set of broken dreams and a life Dean wouldn't wish upon anyone, and Dean knows he's recounting everything he could have had. However, Sam's so selfless, so fucking selfless and good, that he's up with the brightest of smiles and the happiest of intentions when Dean ends up getting everything that Sam had wanted.

Dean can understand Sam's yearning for something like this. Dean had never even thought of it until Cas came along, but Sam had thought of it plenty, even before Madison or Jess. Hell, Dean had never even thought of all this until yesterday. It just happened… fell into place. But that doesn't make things any different between him and Sam, or erase the fact that Sam's still Dean's priority and pretty much the most important part of his life. It doesn't change that it matters to Dean very much that Sam's happy too.

He waits, holding Sam and watching Cas giving them both an expression of extreme love and adoration, turning Dean's cheeks pink. A moment later Sam pulls away and looks into his brother's eyes, guilty and happy and sad all the same. "I'm – I'm sorry," he whispers. "I shouldn't—you guys go on. I'm inside, working on dinner."

"Whatever you want, okay?" Dean says to him tenderly. "And hey, me and Cas are always gonna be here, for you. You know that, right?"

Sam is sheepish when he looks at his shoes. "'M not your fucking son."

"Yeah, but you're my little brother," Dean tells him seriously.

"I know that, Dean," Sam tells him exasperatedly. "Can I go now? Before you two start again?"

Dean rolls his eyes. "We're not that—"

"—yes you are. You two are very gross."

Sam doesn't let Dean talk further. He just waves goodbye and opens the trapdoor to take the stairs back down. Dean watches him disappear and turns to Cas, who looks disgustingly stupid in the way he's watching Dean right now. If this were a cartoon, Cas's eyes would actually be in the shape of those disgusting hearts, and this is embarrassing Dean more and more by the minute.

"Stop that," Dean tells him as he walks towards him.

"I can't stop marvelling," Cas replies.

"About what?"

"About the fact that you're my husband now."

"Yeah, well, guess we gotta get used to it. Although," Dean glances at the trap door, "I didn't think I'd ever be married, let alone have a husband."

"Good things do happen, Dean. And sometimes, those good things come in the most unexpected ways."

"I guess they do." Dean steps forward and winks at Cas. "So. Where were we?"

"We were kissing."

"Right. I love it when you're candid."

"And I love you."

"You done saying that for today?"

"I love you."

"Oh my God, shut up and kiss me now and stop saying that!"

"Okay."

Dean leans his face closer and pauses. "Hey, Cas?"

"Yes?"

"I kinda love you too, man."

"I always knew that."

Dean tilts his head and kisses Cas again, beginning faster this time and brushing his lower lip with his tongue. Cas takes Dean in, Dean's hands are on his back, going down to grab his ass and Cas gasps against him as his fingers tangle in Dean's hair. They pull apart quicker, though, and Cas smiles wide at Dean when Dean takes his hand and guide them over to the guardrail.

~o~

Sam fishes out a knife and starts working on the chicken, feeling shitty about all the thoughts in his head. He can't believe he's thinking about Jess; about what it would be to lead a life like Dean and Cas and get married to someone he loves, but fuck, he wishes, he wishes he could have that. It's not like he's jealous for Dean, because in all honesty, he's actually never been happier all his life. This is something he'd never ever have imagined in his right mind, Dean getting married, but what Dean and Cas have—Sam's glad they have it, because he can't think of anyone more deserving than Dean to be loved so fiercely and eternally.

Sam is glad that Cas is there for his brother. So, so fucking glad.

He puts the vegetables and the chicken in the pot, adds water, and sets it to boil. Then he makes his way towards the window, drawing peace from the scenery outside. To this day, it freaks Dean out to look out of this window because of the height (and this is the guy who sits at the fucking guardrail all the time so Sam reckons he'll never truly understand his brother). However Sam loves looking down at the gorge, at the distant sparkle of water. It grounds him, and it makes him think of how the universe is so much bigger, how nature in itself is so vast as compared to a single person, and how there are things out there that you cannot even know about, no matter how much knowledge you accumulate in your lifetime. Sam knows that Dean will call him a geek or a nerd for it, but this is the secret place in his head that he likes to be in.

He goes back to check on the soup, hoping that Dean and Cas are having a good time out there. At night, Sam thinks he'll vacate the cabin and sleep in the small makeshift Impala shed to give them some privacy. He'll talk to them when they return.

He smiles. He's just really, really fucking happy for his brother and his friend and he hopes this happiness will last in all aspects of their lives, although he knows he's expecting too much. But tomorrow, they'll start training. Truth be told, Sam isn't sure he wants to go through the motions again. Of sparring and fighting and listening to someone bark orders to him. However, he reckons it's Dean so it should be way better than Hell. At least… he shudders, at least Dean won't beat him up or cut him if he doesn't do as per his orders. Because, Sam is home. He is home and away from all those people.

He takes a deep breath and keeps reminding himself of this until Dean and Cas return. Keeps reminding himself about his family.

~o~

Dean wakes up in the middle of the night to Sam's whimpering moans. He opens his eyes, blinks at the dark ceiling for a while and turns to look at Cas pressed against him underneath their blankets, one leg poking out with the pyjamas drawn up to the calf. Dean's own arm is cramped from being under Cas as he's been holding his husband (fucking husband, and he still can't believe it) to himself all this while.

He sighs. They need a bigger bed.

Sam moans from the living room again and Dean presses a kiss to Cas's forehead before slowly releasing himself from underneath Cas. He sits up, straightens his t-shirt, and hauls ass to his brother. "Sammy?"

Sam doesn't respond, just moans again, and Dean crouches before his sofa-bed, putting a hand on Sam's blanketed shoulder. "Hey," he whispers. "Wake up."

"N-No," Sam mumbles. "'M s'rry. I'm s-srry…"

"Shut up." Dean tries to sound as exasperated as he can. "What the fuck do you even apologise for these days, Sammy?"

"P-Pl's don'," Sam responds, as though he never heard Dean, which he probably didn't. "D-Don'… pl's. I din' mean… I din'…"

"Man, whatever you think I'm doing to you…"

"D'n," Sam sobs, body beginning to tremble. "Deeeeeaaan." It's a miserable, keening moan, and there are goosebumps on Dean's arms.

"H'lp… wh'r you? D'n pl's…"

"I'm right here, I'm right here." Dean puts his hand on Sam's head, rubbing in circles, but Sam's body arches.

"D'n pl's ge-gemme out'a… p-pppl's…"

"You're out, Sammy. We got you out."

"Pl's…"

"Yeah." Dean runs his hand down Sam's head, fingers raking through floppy, sweaty hair to massage at his scalp. Sam gasps, eyes rolling beneath their lids, and falls quiet at long last when he turns around, letting Dean continue with his ministrations. Dean sits there for a while, watching his brother and hoping the nightmares have ended. He's still running his hands through Sam's messy hair, thinking maybe it's high time the kid gets a haircut.

He stands up from his place and is about to leave to his own room when he hears soft footsteps padding towards him. A pair of arms wind themselves around his waist.

Dean takes a deep breath and leans back, letting Cas's stubble tickle his neck and feeling the joyful little tingle that tumbles down his spine. He palms Cas's arms, stroking his thumb over warm skin as Cas's mouth presses against his neck.

"You want to come back to bed?" Castiel asks him slowly, between soft kisses.

"'M not sleepy anymore," Dean replies. "I think I'll have a coffee and take baby out for a drive."

"In your t-shirt and boxers?"

"Hell yeah." Dean turns around. "You coming?"

"What about Sam?"

"He'll be fine now," Dean replies in a soft voice. "He had a nightmare but he came out of it. Stupid bitch wanted to sleep in the shed tonight—thank God I said no."

Cas starts to walk towards the coffeemaker, fingers interlacing with Dean's as he pulls him along. He finds a filter and some powder and they sit at the table in silence, waiting for the coffee to percolate. Dean finds Cas's leg with his toe and runs it up and down his shin while absently eyeing Sam now and again.

The room is dark, moonlight streaming in from the window and colouring Cas white and grey. His eyes are only and only on Dean the whole time. Once coffee is ready Dean grabs their mugs and pours it black. "Come on."

They take each other's hands again and head up into the chilly night. The breeze is strong now, Dean's boxers fluttering and sticking to his thigh as he navigates himself and Cas into their little garage for the Impala. She's right there waiting for them, her black exterior gleaming in the moonlight and Dean runs his hand over the hood once before opening the door for him and Cas.

There is more silence while they drain their mugs. The caffeine opens up and activates a few more of Dean's brain cells and warms him all over. He turns around to put the empty cup in the backseat and Cas does the same as Dean fishes his glove compartment for the Glock. He doesn't want to drive without being prepared and if they get caught, as Sam will be in danger.

"Shit," he mutters when he can't find it. "Shit, fuck, don't tell me I fucking forgot—"

It's not there. Dean lets out a frustrated sigh as he finds the door handle. "I'm sorry, Cas, if we're gonna drive, I think I should go get the gun—" He's opening the door when Castiel pulls him back with a hand on his shoulder. The car door falls shut again and Dean turns, only to have Cas dash their lips together.

It begins slowly at first, like it always does. There's no real desperation yet, and Dean just enjoys the feel of Cas's lips on his, the taste of Cas on him as he shuts his eyes and lets himself be drawn deeper and deeper into the kiss. He can feel the rest of him wake up—the parts that had been asleep despite the coffee, and his body is full and bursting with little electrical impulses as they race along from one end of him to the other. He realises how much he wants Cas; how much he desires to entangle himself and bury himself in the warmth and comfort of his husband, and suddenly, the need and urgency increases fourfold.

Dean flicks his tongue over soft lips and then lets Cas in, licking and sucking at him. He can feel Cas's hands on his neck and he moves his own to the hem of Cas's tee. He lets them slide in and runs them over Cas's belly, circling his navel and touching the light flutter of his abs. Cas deepens the kiss, pulls Dean closer, and Dean traces his hand over Cas's waist and back, dragging fingernails over skin. Cas's breaths stutter, muscles quiver, and they pull back a moment for Dean to take off Cas's t-shirt. Cas reciprocates the gesture before they kiss again.

Cas starts to lean back against the window, draws Dean down with him, and lets Dean climb over and straddle him. He palms the base of his Dean's back and Dean moves over to hook a finger in Cas's own waistband. He traces circles with the other finger, lower and lower and Cas bucks against him with each stroke, growing hard.

Cas's hands reach down to Dean's ass. Fingers clench into his cheeks and before he knows it Dean is hard too. He pulls away a moment, reaches to undress them both.

They're naked and Dean lets Cas grab his face, gasping at each feather-light kiss that lands on the corner of his mouth, jaw and neck. Cas's teeth scrape against skin; he mouths Dean's shoulder, sucking, sending a rush of frenzy like Dean's never experienced before. Dean gasps, shudders, reaches for the glove compartment and throws it open to fumble for condoms and lube.

He tears the pack with his teeth, puts on the condom with shaky hands, and dabs lube over his fingers and inside Cas. He scissors, Cas's boner prodding against his stomach as he arches and moans beneath him. With another breath, a moment later, Dean enters him.

Cas shudders, eyes screwing shut and mouth opening as Dean thrusts into him. "D-Dean…" it's a whisper, and Dean grips Cas's thighs and pushes in harder, getting Cas to gasp again.

Cas's legs are around his waist, arms around his neck, eyes half-mast and face sweaty as Dean thrusts. The electric impulses are back, running along Dean's spine, his hips and his legs and fucking everywhere, and he bites his lip in ecstasy. "Oh God, oh God, Cas…"

"D-Dean…"

Dean's toes curl, body clenches up, and he thrusts again and again, bursting in the pleasure and ecstasy of it. He comes, gasping, and he's holding on to Cas like a lifeline, eyes shut and sweat dribbling down his face and back.

"Cas," he whispers, grabbing at Cas and stroking him, thumbs rubbing circles. Soon Cas reaches his peak, shuddering everywhere and saying Dean's name like a prayer, and Dean lets him bask in it, hands still on Cas, before finally pulling away when he's done. He bends over to kiss Cas slowly and softly before managing to disentangle their legs and lowering himself into Cas's waiting arms, listening to a burst of thunder outside.

It starts to rain, the sounds muffled inside the shed, but little droplets still enter from the open window of the Impala and land on them, the breeze bringing them getting chillier. Dean listens to the raindrops pounding and chuckles deeply, lips on Cas's chest. "Looks like someone's celebrating our wedding, Cas."

"I should think so," Cas mutters. "It is quite the marriage; between a human and an angel." He lets silence take over for a while and Dean complies, listening to the sound of their breaths and feeling the rise and fall of their chests for a few moments.

"You're worried about something," Cas says at long last.

Dean cuddles in come more. "I'm just worried about Sam, man."

"Why?"

He looks up, and into Cas's half-mast eyes. "He wanted this, you know. And I never even thought of anything like this. But now I have it—have you, and Sam…" The love of Sam's life burned to death.

"He will eventually find his own partner," says Cas, his voice gentle and sincere. "Sam is a good person, and as far as I know, human beings are capable of loving more than once."

"Yeah, but that's if we ever stop hiding, right? If we ever get to meet new people?"

"We will."

"How are you so confident?"

Cas's arms tighten around Dean. "You taught me to believe. I am doing nothing, but implementing a part of your personality."

Dean looks up, places a swift kiss on Cas's mouth. There is another flash of lightning, some more rumbles of thunder. Cas breathes in and out, deeply, while Dean stays content in listening to his heartbeat.

"Dean?"

"Mmmm?"

"This is the first time I've actually seen rain."

Dean raises his head. "Seriously?"

"Yes." Cas's eyes rove over to the window, wistful as he smiles. "I don't know about my human life, but as an angel, I've only heard it rain, and known it's raining. Never seen it."

"And how the fuck did that happen?"

Cas shrugs. "Just did. I suppose I never really had the luck."

"Dude, that's really weird." Dean starts to sit up and throws open the glove compartment, pulling out tissues. "Let's get cleaned up a bit then. I'm taking you out in the rain."

"Naked?"

"You don't think that's a nice idea?"

"Not really, Dean."

"Okay." Dean reaches for the floorboards and grabs their clothes, cleaning himself off as he watches Cas do the same. He reaches for his boxers and pulls his tee over his head. "Come on."

Cas finishes dressing and they exit the Impala, the rain drenching them the moment they're out of the shed. Dean grins, looks up and lets the raindrops fall on his face, the breeze making everything much colder as he hugs himself. Beside him, Cas is spreading his own arms and just enjoying it and Dean finds himself watching him for a long, long time.

He advances a few steps, tips Cas's chin up with his finger, pressing a small kiss to his mouth. He's pulling away when Cas's arms come to encircle around him, and Dean hugs him, wanting to feel all of Cas's warmth in the cold, wet night.

They hold on like that, Cas's face still tilted upwards and towards the rain and Dean's forehead buried into his new husband's shoulder. They don't talk. Dean feels safe, comfortable, because he has the two most important people around him right now, one right here and locked into an embrace with him, and the other sleeping soundly downstairs in the cabin. Dean thinks his life has been a big, huge mess, but it honestly has never been as good as this before.

Cas's hands come to cup Dean's face and their foreheads are pressed together, Cas holding them like that as he starts to rock slowly. Dean rocks with him, their bodies and feet moving in a gradual, synced-up rhythm. They hadn't had a wedding dance. There is no music—just the sound of the rain, the wind, and their breaths as they continue to move. Dean thinks of how his life just took a turn—just like that with his dad's death, and though he wishes his father had been here to see this, he can't be more thankful for being sent on that journey to find Sam. He can't be more thankful for Sam being alive, and for Cas to specifically have been Sam's guard.

This is one of those things, Dean realises, had he knows about before, it wouldn't have made sense at all. However, it has all fallen into place now, like the pieces of a puzzle. And before Dean can do anything about it, there are tears, falling out of his eyes burning through the cool rainwater. Cas notices and his arms are hugging Dean again, turning them slightly as they continue to rock. Dean's knees buckle the next moment and Cas lowers them to the floor, hand moving slowly over Dean's shuddering back.

There has been too much pain, too much loss, Dean thinks, as Cas raises his face to kiss him under the eyes, and his damp cheeks, and then reaches to bury Dean's face into his shoulder. There has been too much agony in their lives. But maybe this is the end of it all. Maybe this is the route to how they're all finally going to be happy—Sammy too.

Dean desperately wants to believe this, hold on to all these thoughts, even though he knows that it's bound to go to hell one day. Because, who out there would let him and his little family be happy even for a while? This time around, however, Dean will make sure he doesn't lose anyone. Not again, and not ever.