This is it guys, I'm calling it. It's been a great run, really. I know it's been two flippin years and I'm sorry for that, truly, but this is the last chapter I'm posting. (Oh who am I kidding, there'll most likely be an epilogue), but I'm posting this as complete. Please let me know what you guys thought of it. Also, you guys are amazing! Almost a hundred followers! Sixty some favorites, Twenty some reviews! I could not have asked for a better turnout for my first fic, and I love you guys almost as much as Castiel loves Dean. Almost. Thank you so much, keep it classy guys.

Dean sat on the warm grass of the cemetery where he had lost everything. The sharp pain in his face had dulled to a throb, and his legs had long since fallen asleep. He continued to stare at the four interlocking rings that lay in the overgrown field, not quite knowing what to do with himself, with his life, so he sat in the boneyard, watching the shadows grow longer with each passing moment. He felt at home in the cemetery among the dead as he lamented what he had lost. He'd never again be able to share a beer with the only real father figure he had ever had. He would never again go hunt some evil monster with his brother, never laugh with him over stupid pranks and childish jokes. He'd never be able to look at or touch Castiel the angel. He let out a sad choking sound, his throat constricting painfully as his heart clenched. His eyes, however, remained dry; he had long since dried his tears out. Cas, he thought to himself – although he knew his angel wouldn't hear him, what the hell am I going to do without you? I made a promise… Suddenly, he felt a warmth spread over his back, the hairs on the back of his neck stood at attention, and his skin erupted in goosebumps. Without really understanding how he knew, he could tell that he was not alone in the cemetery. He looked to his left, only barely able to make anything out of the blur due to his badly swollen eyes, but he would recognize that shade of tan anywhere.

"Cas?" He asked incredulously, looking skyward to try and see the face that matched the name. "You're alive?" He choked out, the pain of renewed tears blurring his vision more. He knew he must have lost it, he was crazy that was it, there was no way Cas was alive, he had just watched him get mulched. At the same time, he didn't care. Cas was back, even if it wasn't actually Cas, he got to look at him one last time, and amidst all the hopeless devastation Dean was going through, he knew it was something he needed, even though it wasn't possible.

"Better than that." The not-Castiel responded and Dean felt a light pressure on his forehead that spread behind his eyes and over every inch of bone under his face and he felt them snap back into the places they should never have been moved from in the span of a second, then it was gone. There was no pain, and his eyes were fully open. He drank in the sight of the disheveled angel, feeling a thrum of energy in the air as well as under his own skin, although the latter was fading quickly. He stood to meet the man before him at eye level as he felt the lingering pain in his face as well as his heart dissipate. He wasn't crazy, Castiel was back.

The renewed angel gave him a half smile and Dean couldn't handle it anymore, he had promised after all. Before he could think better of it he pulled the angel close, pressing their mouths together and earning a muffled 'oomf' from Cas. The kiss was soft, tender and warm. Dean drew in a shaky breath of relief, relishing the scent of his angel, something he could only describe as morning dew, aftershave, and the musty smell of concrete after the rain. He brought his hand up the cradle the back of Cas' head, tilting his head to the side to slot their mouths together more firmly. He circled his other hand around Cas' waist, pulling them flush together. He could feel his own heartbeat accelerate, only barely matched by Cas's; that thrum of energy he had felt escalated until he could practically hear crackling static in the air around them. Cas brought his hands down to rest on Dean's upper arms from where they had been hovering uncertainly in the air at either side of the hunter. His right hand fitting perfectly against the scar on Dean's left shoulder, causing something undiscernible to flare deep in Dean's belly and he shuddered, taking a deep breath and finally pulling away from the kiss.

After a moment he opened his eyes to look at Castiel, who was regarding him with an expression Dean could only describe as guarded confusion, his pink lips parted slightly, his eyes wide, and his head tilted as though he was asking a silent question. Dean smiled at the shorter man, staring into that deep celestial blue he had seen so often in his dreams, that dark shade of power that he had come to memorize.

"Dean..?" Cas tilted his head to the side, finally going to ask the unspoken question, but Dean interrupted.

"I need you to just shut up and listen Cas, okay? Because there are some things I need to say, and I just need to say them." Cas nodded minutely, dropping his hands from Dean's shoulders to grab loosely at the fabric covering his forearms. Dean brushed his thumb slowly over the soft hairs at the base of Cas' skull. "I'm sorry, for everything. I used you and threw you away, and I'm sorry about the other night, and I'm sorry I never said it back because I…" He looked up at the darkening sky overhead. It was getting late. He breathed deeply and blinked the tears away before looking back into Cas' cautious eyes. "But look, you need to stop leaving okay? Because I've lost you too damn many times in the last month and I just can't take it anymore. I can't lose you again because I need you with me."

"Dean-"

"I'm not done. You drive me so crazy. I hate that stupid head tilt thing you do, I hate how you look at me like you're staring into my friggin' soul, I hate how you're as stupid and self-sacrificing as I am. Most of all I hate how you went and told me you loved me because that turned something simple into something so complicated it made me crazy. I was so scared of this – whatever - we have, and I'm so sorry for doing everything that I did to you. Truth is Cas, I lo-" He stopped and cleared his throat, his mouth pressing into a hard line and his brow furrowing. "I need you Castiel. A-a-and I care about you okay? Probably more than I should…" He trailed off, finally looking away from Cas's intense scrutiny.

"Dean, are you trying to tell me that you love me?" Castiel asked slowly, squinting his eyes at the hunter. Dean looked back up, opening his mouth and shutting it a few times like a fish out of water.

"I.." Dean trailed off, looking away for a moment before looking back up. His face pulled together in determination and he pulled Cas' head forward slightly, leaning forward to press their foreheads together. "Look for yourself." He said, his eyes sliding closed so he could concentrate. He thought of the time Castiel had shown up in his fishing dream, and how the scenery had brightened while the angel was there and darkened after he left. He thought of the moment he was brought back from the future, and the relief he felt at seeing that Cas was the same. He thought of all the times he had 'secretly' watched the angel, letting his gaze linger a bit longer than was necessary and maybe even acceptable. He thought of how scared and elated he was when Castiel had uttered those three little words that meant so much. He thought about how he had slowly begun to refer to the angel as his, if only in his head. He thought of how he had given himself to the angel in a way he had never thought he would. He thought of the pain of separation he felt, and how regretful he was for being such an ass. He thought of every touch, every word, every breath, every thought of unrelenting attraction, affection, adoration, and love he had ever felt for this man and he hoped the angel got the message. At first there was nothing, he only felt exhausted. Then, like a fire springing to life, the darkness behind his eyes lit up with a bright white light, flooding his head and all of his thoughts. The light resonated through his body, leaving behind what Dean could only think was happiness, warmth, love and such intense, desperate longing. Every emotion Dean had just sent to the angel, he reciprocated tenfold, leaving Dean gasping as his knees buckled. The light dimmed and Dean opened his eyes to see Castiel staring at him, smiling slightly, his eyes glowing bright blue before fading back to their natural color. "I-is that how you've been feeling?" He asked softly, his voice rough. Cas nodded and Dean leaned forward, pressing his lips once again against the chapped ones of his angel. He pulled back minutely. "I'm so sorry." He whispered, feeling slightly dismayed as Castiel took a step back, breaking the contact between them, causing Dean's arms to fall limply by his sides.

"I'll make you a deal." Castiel said, walking over to where Bobby's lifeless body lay. Dean nodded, watching his every move. "I'll stop leaving if you stop apologizing." He reached forward and placed two fingers on Bobby's forehead. The old hunter gasped and opened his eyes, bolting upright. Dean walked forward to the other two men, offering his hand down to Bobby and pulling him to his feet without looking away from Cas.

"Deal." Dean replied, a half smile pulling at his lips. Bobby looked between the two men he was standing in the middle of and shook his head before walking to the impala parked in the grass, mumbling something about 'idjits' and 'love-birds'. Dean took a step forward before turning around to look at the area of grass where his brother had disappeared into. I promised, didn't I? He thought sadly, a soft weight landed on his shoulder and he allowed himself to be maneuvered to the impala by his angel. I kept my promise.