Author's Note: Finally, an angst-free chapter! Yea, well...you readers deserve it.

"On the four counts of child abuse, how do you find the defendant?" The judge asked the jury, causing everyone in the courtroom to suck in an uneasy breath.

The jury paused, letting a painful silence hang over the courtroom that threatened to tear Dean apart, before answering, "We find the defendant guilty." Cas let out a quiet sigh and squeezed Dean's hand, body wracked with tension and fear as he hung on the judge's every word.

"On the sole count of murder in the first degree, how do you find the defendant?"

"We find the defendant guilty."

Castiel gritted his teeth together and buried his face in the material of Dean's jacket, waiting anxiously for the last and final count.

"And for the sole count of attempted murder in the first degree, how do you find the defendant?"

Everyone stared at the juror with wide eyes, forgetting the need to even breathe as they waited for the last moment of truth.

"We find the defendant guilty."

Dean let out a choked sigh and wrapped his arms around Castiel, grinning wildly into his hair. He glanced around and found everyone's body limp with utter relief, the amount of joy and freedom displayed on their faces enough to make Dean's heart soar with joy. He was close enough to hear Gabriel when he leaned in and scooped Anna up into a hug, murmuring lowly in her ear, "We're free, Anna. We're finally free."

Dean pretended not to hear them and looked down at the boy in his arms, whose bright blue eyes were brimming with unshed tears, "It's okay, Cas. It's over."

"It's over," He agreed with a hysterical chuckle, planting a sloppy kiss on Dean's lips, "And it's all thanks to you."

Dean didn't feel like arguing with him—to point out that it was Cas who made all of this happen; Dean was just the one that had enough sense to believe in him and give him enough strength to overcome the horrible demons that plagued his life—and just traced the boy's lips with the pad of his thumb, absently thinking how beautiful Castiel was when he didn't have such a broken heart and hopeless glint in his eyes.

Michael received life in prison without parole while Naomi received only thirty-five years (though everyone knew she was going to most likely die before her parole hearing, so no one was too upset over the sentencing). It was when they were walking out of the courthouse after the sentencing did Dean finally deem it appropriate to ask, "So with Naomi in the slammer, who's gonna be the principal?"

"Mrs. Eve." Gabriel answered with a wicked grin, causing Dean's eyes to widen in surprise.

"No way, really?" Dean said, feeling a rush of excitement flush through him, "But I thought she was fired for making students into sex slaves."

"Naomi made that all up just to snag her position," Anna informed him with a shrug, her smile burning brighter than the sun, "She made Cas, Gabriel, and Crowley lie and say she forced them all to have sex with her for good grades just so she would get fired and Naomi would just have to take her place."

"But why?" Dean asked with a perplexed expression, "I mean, wasn't she in a higher position on the school board before? Why would she go that far just to demote herself?"

"After Cassie's first overdose, she wanted to tighten the leash on us," Gabriel said with a shrug, "That meant 'sacrificing her career just for the sake of looking after us.'" He rolled his eyes in utter disgust, and Dean had to admit the short dude was starting to grow on him a little bit. Not that he'd ever admit that aloud, of course...

Dean was confused when he suddenly saw Anna's face suddenly light up, but with one look casted over his shoulder, he discovered it was only Garth standing in the parking lot with a goofy grin on his face.

"I'll be back later tonight, okay?" Anna told Gabriel and Castiel, giving them both a quick kiss on the cheek before running over to her boyfriend. She threw herself into his arms and murmured something in his ear—something that made Garth's eyes widen and jaw go slack. Only Anna could make Garth speechless for the first time in his life, Dean thought with a humored smirk, entwining his fingers through Castiel's as they continued to walk to the Impala.

When they reached the Impala in the parking lot, Gabriel suddenly pulled Castiel into his arms and gave him a long, meaningful hug, whispering apologies and reassurances in his ears as he clutched his little brother like his life depended on it.

Cas smiled and shook his head, "You have nothing to be sorry about, Gabriel. We all have our faults. I'm just glad you have corrected your mistake and learned from it." His fingers brushed against Gabriel's cheek as he added lowly, "I love you, Gabriel. You're one of the only people who had made me last so long in this cruel, damnable existence." Gabriel smiled softly at him and ruffled his hair, laughing as Castiel suddenly scowled in annoyance.

"See ya when you get home, okay, Cassie?" Gabriel said before his gaze found Dean, "And Winchester? You break my brother's heart again, I'll break every bone in your body. Deal?"

Dean nodded and agreed without even a pause of hesitation, "Deal." With one last sly grin, Gabriel continued his trek to his own car where his girlfriend Kali was patiently awaiting with a soft, adoring smile on her lips. They watched as Gabriel scooped her up in his arms and spun her around in joy and celebration, despite how much she loudly protested in a fit of barely contained laughter.

Dean glanced back over to Castiel and threaded his fingers through the boy's hair, "So, where's Peter Pan, Tinkerbelle, and Captain Hook?"

Cas gave him a scolding look at the nicknames but for once didn't reprimand him, instead just answering, "Meg and Balthazar are already waiting for me at the house, and Crowley..." He frowned and added with a hint of hesitation and sorrow, "Well, I don't blame him for not coming. After all, it would be very difficult for him to endure the verdict, due to his unorthodox relationship with Naomi."

Dean made a face, "Yea, how long has that been goin' on?"

"Ever since Crowley was fourteen," Castiel replied, guilt echoing on his expression, "She manipulated him at such a young age, just like she manipulated all of us." He let out a bitter scoff, "Everyone she insisted she loved, she manipulated to do her bidding. It was miracle we all broke free of her control."

"Michael didn't." Dean pointed out, and he could have sworn some form of pity flickered across Castiel's face at the reminder.

"Michael was first child she raised," Cas said, "I don't blame him. Being so starved for love...He never really had a chance."

Dean nodded and sighed, "So...now that Naomi and Michael are out of the picture, who's gonna raise you guys? What about the third oldest brother—oh, what's his name? It's a teenage mutant ninja turtle..."

"No, it's one of the most powerful archangels, Raphael," Cas corrected before his face sobered up, "And no, he's made it clear that since Michael can no longer keep him prisoner in that house, he's going to go to med school across the country." He sighed with relief and added, "Thankfully."

Dean stared at him in confusion, "Then if he's out of the picture and Daddy Milton sure as hell ain't comin' back any time soon, who else is left? Gabriel?" He didn't know whether to be amused at that notion or horrified (perhaps a healthy mixture of both...).

Cas rolled his eyes, smiling faintly, "No, of course not. Gabriel would burn the house down in a week. In fact..." And then he smiled widely and brightly, adding in a softer voice, "Missouri has offered to take custody of us. She's actually making arrangements with Mr. Milton to become our legal guardian as we speak."

Dean's eyebrows shot up to his hairline, a grin of joy highlighting his face, "Cas, that's amazing!"

"I know," Cas said, glancing down at his shoes as he added bashfully, "At first, I was shocked at her offer. I mean, I didn't think anyone would ever want to babysit a bunch of disturbed, broken kids, but that's the thing about Missouri," His smile softened, and even after all this time, the sight took Dean's breath away, "She's always there when you need her."

"I'll always be there, too," Dean declared sternly, not a trace of doubt in his voice and heart, "I'll never leave you again, Cas. I promise."

Cas sighed and glanced up at him, and finally Dean could decipher the once unreadable emotion that plagued his gaze whenever he looked at Dean. It was a mixture of all the things that used to terrify Dean: affection, devotion, adoration...

But most of all, it was pure, blissful love. And for once, that didn't scare Dean. Not one bit.

Dean caressed Castiel's cheek tenderly and watched as the boy sighed in content and closed his eyes, subconsciously leaning into the touch. Unable to stand it, Dean leaned in and kissed him, slipping his tongue inside the other's mouth lazily without any serious technique as it felt like they had all the time in the world to do this. When they finally had to breathe, Dean disconnected their lips but didn't pull away, instead leaning their foreheads together and sharing each other's gasping breaths of air.

"Hey Cas?" Dean whispered against his lips once he fully regained his breath.

Even though his lips were off of him, he could feel Cas smile, "Yes, Dean?"

Dean sucked in a shaky breath as he moved his mouth up to Castiel's ear, saying in a hushed yet tender voice, "I love you."

Author's Note: The next and final chapter - the epilogue, set twenty years in the future - will be posted tomorrow, so be on the look out.

Please review and tell me what you think of this ending. It might not technically be the ending, but it's still the resolution and that's just as important.