Chapter Text
“Dean, you never told me why you wanted a nighttime wedding.” Charlie didn’t sound like she was complaining, so Dean didn’t get defensive.
He did look around the park, it was only six, but there were already people milling about and he didn’t want anyone to overhear what he said. “You tell anyone I said this and you’re fired. Got it?”
She gave him a baleful look. “Like I would.”
“Not even Cecilie,” Dean said, his face stern.
“Pinky swear.” The two friends entwined their pinkies and nodded at each other.
“I saw this picture once of a wedding at night, and I just knew if I ever found someone…if I ever got married…” Dean looked away because damn it, he sounded like a freakin’ girl “…I just wanted it to be just like…that picture.”
“Awww.” Charlie grabbed his hands, forcing him to look at her. “I hope Castiel knows how lucky he is.”
“Shut up.” Dean grinned at her.
Everything was a go. Dean waited in a tent set up behind the gazebo. Sam and Benny were with him, dressed in black tuxedos. Their bow ties were a royal blue. Charlie, who was outside waiting on Cas’ arrival, was dressed in a long gown in the same shade of blue.
Dean looked over his vows again and said them to himself for probably the hundredth time. “Brother, you need to calm down,” Benny said quietly. “You’re walking a hole in the ground.”
“What time is it?”
Sam grinned at Benny before answering, “Five minutes later than the last time you asked.”
Dean resumed his pacing. He had already given Sam the ring to hold. All the details had been seen to and in less than thirty minutes, he’d been marrying Cas. He’d be marrying Cas. His heartbeat increased. His hands were sweaty. “I need a drink.”
“You’ll be able to have a drink after the ceremony,” Sam said. He peeked out of the tent. Dean tried to look through the narrow slit too, but Sam batted him away.
“Is he here yet?”
“Charlie is still standing next to the gazebo, so probably not.”
“God…what if…”
Benny slapped a hand over Dean’s mouth. “Not a word about him not showing up. That man worships the ground you walk on. He will be here and you are getting married tonight.”
***
Castiel sat in the passenger seat of his Escalade, Michael was driving. Jimmy and Michael’s wife sat in the back. Behind them, in a rental, Gabriel and his girlfriend shared the car with Luc and his wife. Strangely enough, Castiel was calm. Jimmy had been excited enough for both of them. Every time he’d gotten nervous or his OCD reared its ugly head, a phone call from Dean soothed him.
As Michael approached the gate to the park, he slowed and pointed. There was a white sign stating Novak-Winchester Wedding with an arrow pointing towards the river. “I guess this is the place.”
The corners of Castiel’s mouth lifted in a slow smile. This was really going to happen. They came to a parking area and Castiel recognized the man who ran the paint booth at WMC directing them to a spot reserved for them. Michael turned off the SUV and they all got out. Castiel and his brothers were all dressed in tuxedos with deep red bowties. Jimmy was wearing his suit with a matching bowtie.
As they turned the corner on the stone path that led down to the gazebo and the river, Castiel stopped. The path was lit with hundreds of candles. Glass mason jars lined the path and hung from the trees. It looked like a magical fairyland.
The three women all let out a collective sigh. Kali, Gabriel’s girlfriend, nudged Castiel’s shoulder. “He did this all by himself?”
“I think he had help from his friends…” Castiel was stunned.
Jimmy grabbed onto his hand. “Come on, Daddy, we cants be late.”
Castiel let himself be dragged along by his son. As they got closer to the gazebo, Castiel saw it was lit with thousands of tiny twinkling lights. Chairs were set up in front of the steps of the structure and Charlie was suddenly standing in front of him.
“Hi-ya, Castiel.”
“You look beautiful, Charlie,” Castiel said sincerely.
“And you two look so handsome.” She handed each woman a boutonniere to pin on their men’s lapels and then she pinned on Castiel’s. Jimmy watched in wide eyed wonder as Charlie knelt down and pinned an identical one to his jacket. She kissed his cheek, causing the boy to blush and hid his face behind his father.
She leaned in to Castiel and whispered. “You ready?”
“Yes. Very much so.”
Charlie smiled up at him. “Good. Dean is nervous as all get out.”
“Daddy, is it time?” Jimmy interrupted any reply Castiel planned to make.
The redhead laughed. “Just about. Ladies, if you will find a seat. Men, you follow me.”
Castiel, his brothers and his son were led up to the steps of the gazebo. Rufus was standing there in a black suit and he nodded at the men, but he gave Jimmy a warm smile.
“Jimmy, go sit with your aunts.”
Charlie laid a hand on Jimmy’s shoulder. “No, Jimmy.” To Castiel, she said, “Dean insists that Jimmy be a part of this ceremony. He’s not just marrying you, Castiel.”
Castiel was touched. He felt his eyes burn with unshed tears. He would not cry. No matter how sappy his future husband was.
Castiel stood on the top step of the gazebo, with Michael next to him, one step down. Then came Gabriel and Luc. Jimmy stood at his side. Castiel noted the small table behind Rufus, there was a large white candle and two long tapers, a smaller taper was next to them. Understanding dawned on Castiel. It was a unity candle. The smaller candle was for Jimmy. Dean really thought of everything to make his son a part of their wedding. He could not love him anymore than he did at that moment.
There was a rustling sound and then the guests quieted. Dean, followed by Sam, Charlie and Benny came to stand on the opposite side of the gazebo steps from Castiel. Their eyes met and Castiel smiled. He hoped his smile conveyed everything he was feeling.
Rufus cleared his throat.
“Friends and family of Castiel and Dean, welcome. Tonight, these two men will be joined in holy matrimony. Dean and Castiel will be saying vows they’ve written themselves. Castiel.” Rufus nodded to Castiel.
Castiel took a deep breath and concentrated on keeping his voice from breaking.
"Dean, I marry you with my eyes wide open. You have helped me let go of the past and embrace the future. Thank you for making me laugh again. Bless you for taking my hand as we begin our lives together."
"I offer myself to you as a partner in life. I vow to love you in sickness and health. I commit myself to encourage you in good times and in bad. I will cherish and respect you all the days of our life together. Starting anew once again, I give thanks that I have found you. May our marriage be a gift to the world and our families as your love is a gift to me."
“I come today to give you my love, to give you my heart and my hope for our future together. I promise to bring you joy, to be at home with your spirit and to learn to love you more each day, through all the days of our lives. My love for you is endless and eternal.”
"Because of you, I laugh, I smile, I dare to dream again. I look forward with great joy to spending the rest of my life with you, caring for you, nurturing you, being there for you in all life has for us, and I vow to be true and faithful for as long as we both shall live."
Castiel fitted the ring onto Dean’s finger. Dean looked down at it and Castiel knew he was fighting for composure. Rufus stepped forward, “Dean, you may now say your vows.”
Dean, his body visibly trembling, looked right into Cas’ eyes. “Cas, I promise to love you with all my heart, mind and strength. I promise to be faithful, now and forever. I also promise to respect James Michael and treat him as if he were my own. I gladly accept the obligations that go along with this pledge. I love Jimmy and want him to be a part of my life.”
“As the two of us are joined on this day, we become part of each other. Your feelings become my feelings. Your sorrows become my sorrows. Your joys become my joys. Your cares become my cares. And your child becomes my child. I promise to be a true and faithful husband and father, always there to comfort you, rejoice with you and endure all the complexities of life that we will face together as a family over the years to come. My love for you and this child is pure and unshakable, and I hereby commit myself to both of you from this day forward.”
“With continued love, friendship, trust and communication, I am committing my life to yours. Cas, when you need me I will be there and when your strength fails you, mine will always be there for you. Side by side, step by step, let our great journey together begin, here and now.”
Dean slipped the ring onto Castiel’s finger. Castiel turned back to Rufus so he could pronounce them as married, but Rufus knelt in front of Jimmy.
"And now, James Michael do you promise to love and respect your father's new husband? Do you promise to support their marriage and your new family? Do you promise to accept the responsibility of being their child, and to encourage them and support them in your new life together?"
“Uh huh.”
The guest snickered. And Rufus stood up to address them. "The lighting of the center candle represents not only the union of Castiel and Dean in marriage, but the unity formed in this new family in which your lives will now shine as one."
Dean took Jimmy’s hand and led him up to the table. Castiel followed close behind. Dean took out his father’s old Zippo lighter and lit his candle. He picked up Castiel’s and lit his before handing it to his new husband. Then he picked up the smaller taper and lit it as well. As one, they lit the larger candle.
“By the powers granted to me by the State of Kansas, I now pronounce you as husbands, married before God and by the laws of the state. You may now kiss your husband.”
Dean met Castiel eyes and held them. “I love you, Cas.”
“I love you, Dean. More than you could ever imagine.”
The kiss brought a collective sigh from the guests. Dean and Cas each took one of Jimmy’s hands and led the way down the steps, their bridal party following behind.
***
It was over. He was married. Dean looked down at his ring. He’d had Cas’ ring engraved. Had Castiel done the same? He hadn’t mentioned it. Dean looked over at his husband, standing with Rufus and his Uncle Bobby. His head was tilted and he looked focused on the story Bobby seemed to be telling. Seeing his husband occupied, Dean slipped off his ring and looked at it. He saw the engraving, but couldn’t make out the words in the dim light. He slipped over to the tent and in the light of the kerosene lantern, he looked.
“1 + 2 = Family”
Dean rubbed his finger over the words. Family.
“What are you doing in here?” Castiel asked, slipping his arms around Dean’s waist from behind and resting his chin on Dean’s shoulder.
Dean held up the ring. “Family.” Dean put the ring back on his finger. His throat was suddenly thick and the light from the lantern blurred.
“You’ve given me something that I never knew I was even missing, Dean.” Cas’ lips trailed along his neck.
As far as he knew, Cas didn’t get a chance to look at his ring until later that night. He was in the bathroom of the hotel suite they’d reserved for their honeymoon. Dean was lying in bed, sated after making love. He saw Cas’ reflection in the large mirror. He saw his husband take off his ring, read the words and smile.
‘I believe in us,’ were the words Dean chose. Since his husband was brushing at his eyes, Dean figured he’d done good.
The hotel had left them a silver bucket with a bottle of champagne. Tonight was just the prelude to the real honeymoon. Tomorrow morning they would be flying to Key West, Florida, for three days. Jimmy would be staying with his Uncle Sam and Aunt Jess.
Cas’ house was on the market and when they got back, Cas and Jimmy would be moving into Dean’s house. The next few weeks would be busy and stressful, but they were family and they could count on each other.
***Ten Years Later***
Dean stood in the kitchen frosting the last of the six dozen cupcakes. The twins’ birthday was tomorrow and they would be taking them to school. Claire and Emma would be turning eight. Dean couldn’t believe how fast time flew. He looked around the kitchen, counters covered in flour and kitchen utensils. It was times like these when he missed Miss Tran the most. Her son, Kevin, was married now and had his own son. Miss Tran moved to California to be near them, leaving a hole in the Novak-Winchester family.
He and Cas had been married for ten years, well eleven in August. Speaking of the kids, they should be getting home from school soon. He put the last of the cupcakes in the plastic containers and stacked them on the counter. On a piece of paper, in red marker, Dean wrote – DO NOT EAT. He adhered it to the top container. If Cas or Jimmy ate one, he’d have to hurt someone.
The front door slammed open and Dean winced. Kids were so freakin’ loud.
“Jimmy got into a fight!” One of the twins shouted loudly. Dean frowned.
“Shut your cakehole, Claire,” Jimmy said, sounding angry.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Dean asked, stepping out of the kitchen.
“Jimmy got into a fight,” Emma repeated what her sister said a minute earlier.
Dean looked at his oldest. At sixteen, Jimmy was almost as tall as he was. He made the football team this year and really filled out. His letter jacket was dirty, but what drew Dean’s attention was the bruise starting to show on the boy’s left eye.
“Want to tell me about it?” Dean asked, stepping closer to see if the bruise was his only injury.
“No,” Jimmy growled, not meeting Dean’s eyes.
“Girls, go to your room and start on your homework.”
“But Dee.” The girls whined in unison. When Jimmy turned twelve, he decided Daddy Dean was too babyish and he’d shortened it to Dee. The girls began to follow suit and now, three years later, it stuck.
“Now, girls.” Dean’s tone left no room for argument. Showing their displeasure, they stomped up the stairs.
“Sit.” Dean pointed to the couch.
“Dee, I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I don’t really care what you want. You got into a fight and you’re going to explain. Like, right damn now.”
Jimmy threw his backpack on the floor next to the couch and flopped down. He crossed his arms, glaring mutinously. Cas complained that Jimmy was more like Dean then his biological father and right now, Dean believed it. He definitely had Dean’s stubbornness.
“It wasn’t even on school grounds. You and Dad don’t have to worry, I won’t be suspended or some shit like that.”
“Language.” Dean felt like a hypocrite when he called Jimmy on his foul mouth, but if the girls started talking like Dean, there would be hell to pay from his husband.
Jimmy rolled his eyes. “Seriously, Dee?”
“Who did you have a fight with and what was it about.” Dean waited and Jimmy looked more miserable than angry now. “Start talking, Jimbo.”
“That asshat Gordon Walker. He wouldn’t shut his mouth.”
Dean knew the Walkers. Gordon used to play little league baseball with Jimmy, but was thrown off the team for his attitude. His parents were in the real estate business. “That kid’s a menace.”
“Yeah,” Jimmy said softly. All the fight was out of him now. He picked at the rip in his jeans. Dean didn’t remember if they were ripped before or after the fight. Jimmy had always been rough on his clothes.
Dean decided to stop interrogating his son. Jimmy was a great kid, made straight A’s and took care of his sisters. He’d talk when he was ready. Dean leaned back and waited.
“I stopped to pick up the girls after school and parked across the street at the MacDonalds like I normally do…” Dean and Cas bought the teenager a cherry ride for his sixteenth birthday. They paid the insurance on the ’80 Jeep CJ5 and gave him gas money in exchange for delivering the girls to and from school. “A few of the guys were there and we were talking about the game when Gordon and a few of his friends started jerking some poor kid’s chain. He was calling the kid names and he pushed him down. The kid was only like twelve or something. I told him to cut it out, but Gordon started up on me…talking shit…so, I belted him in the mouth. It went to hell from there. The team backed me up and we beat the holy crap out of them. Someone called the cops, but we got out of there before they showed up.”
Dean sat up, elbows on his knees. Defending a younger child put things in a different light. He wondered if Cas would be so forgiving. “What did he say to you, Jimbo?”
“Does it really matter?”
“Yeah, it kind of does.”
“He was calling the kid a faggot. He knocked the kid’s books out of his hands and I just had to step in, Dee.”
“If you didn’t step in, I’d be disappointed.”
“Yeah, well…he left the kid alone after I threatened to kick his ass, but then…then he said something about you and Dad. I wasn’t going to stand by…” Jimmy let his voice fade.
Dean looked away, lips in a tight line. Even after all this time, there were still bigots in the world…full of hatred for those that are different. “We’re going to have to tell you dad.”
“Yeah, I figured you’d say that. He’s going to freak.”
***
Castiel let himself into the house he’d shared with Dean for almost ten years. Being married never got old. Dean was still his best friend. Castiel turned fifty a few weeks ago. He still ran just about every day and the kids kept him feeling young. Dean said he thought the hair graying at his temples was sexy and maybe it was true, because the silver streaks growing through Dean’s hair was hot as hell.
He smelled cake when he neared the kitchen. He made a beeline for whatever confection Dean may have made. He saw the stacked containers filled cupcakes and the note. One wouldn’t be missed. He took the lid of the container and was reaching in when Dean caught him.
“Castiel Novak-Winchester, you get your paws out of those.”
“Just one…come on, Sweetheart.” Castiel was not above playing dirty. He let his eyes travel up and down Dean’s body. “I’ll make it up to you later.”
“Gross. You guys get a room,” Jimmy muttered.
Castiel turned towards his oldest son and noticed how he was keeping his face averted. Dean was nodding to the boy and Castiel saw the silent communication between the two. The cupcake forgotten, he asked, “What’s going on?”
Dean finally took Jimmy’s shoulders and turned him to face Castiel. Castiel gasped in dismay. His son’s face had an enormous bruise covering his eyes and upper cheek. “What the hell happened?”
“Cas, Babe, let’s go sit down and Jimmy will explain.”
“Was this a fight?” Castiel’s questioning look went from Dean to Jimmy and back again. “Tell me.”
“Cas, just calm down.”
“Do. Not. Tell. Me. To. Calm. Down.”
“Great, now I’m fucked,” Jimmy muttered under his breath.
Castiel heard it and since Dean winced, he knew he heard too. “James Michael Novak-Winchester. Go to your room now. I will be up to deal with you shortly.”
Jimmy turned and a few seconds later, Castiel could hear his footsteps on the stairs, then the slam of a door. His eyes met Dean’s. Dean looked away first.
“Can you please explain why our son has a black eye?” Castiel knew how to pick his battles. The language issue could wait.
The girls picked that moment to come in from the back yard with Angel, their old Boxer. They looked at their fathers and then at each other. “We’ll just be up in our room…hiding out.” Angel didn’t follow them. She went to her water bowl and started lapping.
Dean took one of Castiel’s hands. “Come on, let’s go talk.”
They went to the office downstairs next to laundry room. Dean closed the door and waited until Castiel was seated at the desk. Dean took a sit on the loveseat. When he was finished explaining what happened to Jimmy, Castiel was quiet.
“Fighting, for whatever reason, doesn’t solve anything, Dean.”
“So, what, Cas? We going to punish him for defending a kid being bullied?”
“He shouldn’t be punished for that, but Dean, he could have walked away when the boy began to insult us. Did you even think to ask how the other boy is?”
“No…but honestly, I hope Jimmy beat the shit out of him.”
“Dean!” Cas shouted indignantly, “What if his parents file charges?”
“Let ‘em. I’d love to tell them what a fuckin’ bully they raised. Walker is a big kid and Jimmy said the other boy was only twelve.”
Castiel ran his hands over his face. “What do you suggest we do, Dean?”
“I’d say let it go this time, Cas.”
Castiel pinched the bridge of his noses. “Of course…and if it happens again? People say nasty things, Dean. You can’t throw a punch at every homophobic asshole on the planet.”
“Jimmy’s a good kid, Cas. He’s never been mixed up in a fight before.”
Castiel knew Dean was right. It didn’t make him feel better. They talked a few more minutes and then they headed upstairs. Dinner was going to be late tonight.
Jimmy listened to Castiel’s concerns and while he didn’t promise to walk away from altercations, he did say he would try. Castiel gave him a week without television or video games as punishment for his foul mouth. Castiel really couldn’t blame Jimmy’s colorful language after all, Dean Winchester was his father. Castiel was surprised the twins hadn’t developed mouths like sailors.
***
That evening, after the kids were in bed, Cas was working on a file from work, his back to their headboard. Dean came in after locking up the house and stripped. Instead of the sleep pants he normally wore, he crawled in bed naked. Cas pretended he hadn’t been watching Dean getting ready for bed, but Dean caught Cas’ eyes on him. Yep, he could still make his husband horny.
Dean lay on his back, legs slightly spread and he let his hand rub over his growing erection. Cas still had his eyes on the file. Dean looked at Cas’ profile. Cas hadn’t shaved that morning and he knew Dean loved the look. And he had those sexy reading glasses on…who knew a pair of glasses could turn Dean on so much.
“Put the work away, Cas.”
“Is there something you need, Dean?” Oh, yeah, Cas was very aware his naked husband was horny.
“I need to be fucked…hard and dirty,” Dean said, purposefully making his voice low and husky.
Cas pretended to think about it. Dean snatched the file out of his husband’s hands and tossed it on the floor. He rolled over and straddled Cas’ hips. When Cas made a move to take off his glasses, Dean stopped him. “Leave ‘em on.”
He could feel Cas’ cock lengthening under him. He moaned and shifted his hips so their dicks rubbed together through the fabric of Cas’ flannel pajama bottoms. Every part of Dean’s body came alive. Cas was looking up at him through those fuckin’ glasses and the man’s hands were holding Dean’s hips, letting his thumb rub circles on Dean’s heated skin.
Cas let his hand move up over Dean’s chest, pausing to pinch his nipple before palming his neck. He dragged Dean down for a kiss. Cas tasted of the cinnamon toothpaste they preferred. The kiss deepened. They were in no hurry, content to taste and touch.
Then, without warning Cas flipped him onto his back, pinning his arms over his head. “Today, I was sitting at my desk and I thought about having your cock down my throat, while I fucked you with one of our toys…while you sucked me…”
Dean’s eyebrows rose and he moaned. Sixty-nine. They hadn’t done that in a long time. “So, you were thinking about sex at work, huh?”
“Does that surprise you, Dean?” Dean smirked. Cas had been working late one night the previous week and Dean dropped by. They wound up fucking on Cas’ desk. Since that first time, all those years ago, Dean still liked to surprise his husband with office sex.
“Turnabout is fair play, Babe.” He’d only done that after Cas had showed up at the garage on the Sunday before. Dean was there by himself doing an oil change on Cas’ Corvette. By the time they were done, both were naked and smeared with oil. Cas had taken him against the Corvette. Dean’s screams had echoed off the metal walls of the big building.
Cas stood up and stripped off his pants in one swift motion, his erection jutting out of the thick thatch of dark hair. Cas opened the nightstand and took out flavored lube and a vibrator…not their biggest, but not the smallest either. Dean was going to feel it. His dick twitched against his belly.
He walked around to the other side of the bed and lay on his back and Dean didn’t waste time. He maneuvered his knees to either side of Cas’ face and Cas swallowed him down. “God, Cas…” He bent forward and took Cas’ cock into his own mouth. Cas’ hands wrapped around his thighs and pulled his cheeks open. Dean’s ass tightened when he felt the cool gel.
Soon, Cas had one of his fingers deep inside Dean, fucking him. Dean was rocking against it, his cock sliding in and out of Cas’ talented mouth. Dean wanted Cas to fuck him, so he wasn’t putting his heart and soul into blowing Cas. He was licking and teasing him while his hands squeezed Cas’ sac and rubbed his day’s worth of stubble against Cas’ thighs.
By the time Cas had three fingers inside of Dean, Dean was panting and fucking Cas’ throat. “Yeah, Babe, so good.” When Cas pulled his fingers out, Dean whined, his hips continuing to rut. Dean heard the snap of the lid and then the tip of the vibrator was at his entrance. “Now, Cas, fuck me with it.”
Cas slid it home and Dean moaned loudly. Soon, Cas was fucking his ass hard and fast. With his hot mouth working him and the pounding his ass was getting, Dean was close. His balls were tight against his body. His breathing was raspy and erratic. He’d given up all pretext of sucking Cas. His elbows were locked and he found himself staring into their dresser mirror. His face was flushed. “Cas…” He reached behind him and put his hand over Cas’…the vibrator felt so fuckin’ good…just a little more…
“Ahahahahahahah.” He felt Cas swallowing his load, throat working… Then Cas was rolling him onto his back, vibrator still embedded in him. He looked down at Dean, cock hard and wet. Cas pulled the vibrator out and tossed it aside. Then he pushed inside. His hips thrusting before he was all the way in. Dean wrapped his legs around Cas’ waist, pulling him deeper. “That’s it, Babe. Fuck me. Fuck me hard.”
Cas took Dean’s mouth, biting and fucking Dean’s mouth with his tongue. Cas was grunting over him, pounding into him, fast and rough. Cas’ cock was hitting his prostate over and over again. Even though he was spent, the feeling made him cry out in pleasure.
“Dean…come…fill you up…” Dean felt the hot spurts of Cas’ cum deep within his body. There was no feeling like it. Cas had been the first man to ride him bareback. He’d been Cas’ first as well.
Cas rolled off, panting like he’d run a marathon. Dean felt raw and open and fuckin’ amazing.
They held each other up in the shower as they washed each other and later as they dried each other off.
***Three Years Later***
Castiel and Dean sat in the metal folding chairs, Claire and Emma sat beside Dean, Sam and Jess were on the other side of the twins. Castiel’s brothers and their wives, yes, Gabe finally married Kali, sat on the other side of Castiel. The Novak-Winchesters took up an entire row.
James Michael Novak-Winchester was seated with his class, dressed in a black cap and gown. His red tassel hung down in his face. Castiel could barely see him through the three hundred students graduating from Lawrence High School.
He was so proud of his…their son. Jimmy had graduated with honors and was recruited by Auburn University to play football. He received a full scholarship and would be a starting player next season.
“Girls, that’s enough.” Dean’s voice brought him out of his thoughts. He looked at his husband. Dean looked pissed.
“What’s going on?”
“They are still bitching because I wouldn’t let them wear makeup. Christ, they are only eleven. I’m not going to make it through their teenage years, Cas.”
Castiel held his husband’s hand and brought it to his mouth so he could kiss Dean’s knuckles. “We’ll be fine,” he whispered. “They’ll be fine…they take after their father after all.”
Dean gave him a dirty look. The twins were biologically Dean’s, well, Dean’s and a surrogate’s.
The crowd got quiet as the valedictorian took the microphone. Then one by one, the graduates walked across the stage. Castiel and Dean both wiped their tears as they watched their son accept his diploma. The twins rolled their eyes, but Castiel knew they looked up to Jimmy and were proud of him.
When the last graduating senior got his diploma, the class cheered and threw their caps in the air. It took several minutes before the family found their son. Castiel was snapping a picture of Jimmy and Dean when a couple approached him.
“Excuse us.”
Castiel tilted his head. “Yes?” He didn’t recognize them and wondered which graduate they belonged too.
“My name is Doug Braeden and this is my wife, Lisa. I…we just wanted to tell you what a wonderful son you have.”
Dean, hearing the man’s words, stepped forwards. He stuck out his hand. “I’m Dean Novak-Winchester and this is my husband, Castiel.”
The woman spoke, her smile warm. “You don’t know us, but three years ago, our son, Ben, was…was being bullied by an older boy. Your son stepped in and defused the situation. We…well, Ben told us what he did and how he got into a fight because of it. You have no idea what a difference it made in our son’s life. Ben told us that Jimmy continued to talk to him and mentor him. Next year, Ben will be a sophomore. He played on the junior varsity team last year. He will be playing varsity next season. You and your son paved the way for him to be accepted by the team and the coaching staff. We…we just wanted to say thank you.”
Castiel looked over at his son, who was holding hands with his girlfriend Kim. They were talking to other seniors. He felt so much pride in his son at that moment.
“Your kid is Ben Braeden?” Dean asked. “I’ve seen him play. He’s awesome.”
Castiel looked at his husband blankly. While he never missed one of Jimmy’s games. He had no idea, Dean went to see the JV team play.
The two couples made small talk and the Braedens congratulated Jimmy. Jimmy blushed under their praise. He might have been one of the popular kids, he may have been a star football player, and he cussed like a sailor, but for all that, he was warm and humble.
Dean drove the four of them home in the Impala. Jimmy was going to a big party for the graduating class and Castiel knew they would be in bed long before their son got home.
Castiel waited for Dean to come to bed later that night and when he failed to appear, Castiel got out of bed and padded downstairs in his bare feet. He found Dean in the living room. He was gazing up at the family portrait they’d had done last Christmas. He must have sensed Castiel standing at the bottom of the staircase because he turned. Castiel could see the tracks of tears on his face.
“Dean, are you okay?” It was a stupid question. Obviously, Dean wasn’t okay. He moved towards his husband.
“Yeah. Fine.” Dean wiped his eyes and walked into Castiel’s outstretched arms.
“You have always been a shitty liar, Dean.”
Dean’s snort of laughter sounded forced. “It’s just…Jimmy will be going off to college in the fall. The girls are…fuck…soon they’ll be wearing makeup and dating…our family isn’t going to be together much longer.”
“Dean, we will always be a family. Even after they are married…when the three of them have children of their own. Our family will just grow, Love, not disappear.”
“I know…it’s stupid.”
“No, it’s not stupid at all. Now, come to bed and let me show you how much I love you.”
***
Dean woke early. The house was quiet and he wrote a quick note to Cas. He needed some ‘me time’. The garage was empty, as he knew it would be on a Saturday morning. He pulled the Impala up on the rack and set about changing her oil.
He was just finishing when the sound of a car’s engine filled the garage. He rolled out from under his baby and saw his son’s Jeep pull into the bay beside his. He wiped his hands. Jimmy used to hang out at the garage a lot when he was younger. Most summers, he was a permanent figure around the place. Once he started playing football and discovered girls, those days were gone. No one ever knew how much Dean missed those days, not even Cas.
“Hey, Jimbo. I expected you to sleep until noon.”
“Nope. I have a few things to do today.” Jimmy got out of the Jeep and walked over to where Dean stood. “Hey, Dee, can I talk to you about something?”
“Sure.”
“I know you and Dad are proud of me…you show it all the time, but I just wanted you to know how proud I am of you guys.” Jimmy looked down at his feet. “Remember that trip to the Grand Canyon? Not the one two summers ago, but the one before you and Dad got married?”
Dean nodded.
“I may have only been five, but I know I wanted you to be my second father. Dad needed you and so did I. You made us a family and I will always be grateful for…”
Dean couldn’t see his son anymore…everything was a blur.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Dee, enough with the waterworks.”
Dean laughed and brushed the tears away. “Language.”
Jimmy brushed at his own eyes, but Dean didn’t call attention to it. “I love you, Jimbo.”
“I love you too, Dee.”
Dean just stood there, staring in amazement at the boy…the man…he and Cas had raised. Cas would have grabbed the boy and hugged him, but Dean wasn’t the touchy-feely type.
“Wanna help me change my spark plugs, Kid.”
“Sure, Dee.”
They spent the rest of the morning talking about football, girls and college. When the Impala was purring like a jungle cat again, Jimmy walked over to his Jeep. Before he got inside, he looked at Dean.
“Hey, you’ll take care of him, won’t you?”
“Always.”
“And try not to kill the twins while I’m away at school.”
“No promises there.”
They shared laughter and then Dean watched their son drive away. He had the summer to spend with Jimmy before he left for Alabama. A road trip to the Grand Canyon might be in order.
The End