Thank you so much Jenjoremy for all you have done for me and this story. You have made it so much better than I could have hoped. Thank you Gredelina1 for supporting me through another project. I really appreciate you giving your time for this and me. Lastly, thank you all that have come on this journey with me. I have loved hearing from you all xxx

Epilogue

"Is it straight?" Dean asked, examining his reflection in the mirror and turning his head from side to side to get the best angle to check his bowtie.

"Let me see," John said.

Dean turned and tried to stay still as his father adjusted his tie.

"Now it's perfect," he said. "How does it feel?"

"Like it's choking me," Dean replied.

John laughed. "You've worn a tie before hundreds of times, Dean."

"Not a bowtie," Dean argued. "It's different."

"How?" Sam asked.

"It just is!"

Sam and John laughed and Dean turned back to the mirror and smoothed his hands down the front of his tuxedo jacket, searching for lint. He was nervous as hell. He was facing something he never had before, and there was going to be an audience to it. What if he lost Jessica's ring? He patted his pocket and felt the small bulge of the ring box. John had Sam's. Dean was glad. He was nervous enough holding one. Two rings would have been twice as bad.

"Look at you," John said with a laugh. "I thought it was supposed to be the groom that was nervous, not the best man. I bet even Jess is primping less than you."

Sam grinned at the mention of his beloved and a little shiver passed through him.

"Sam looks nervous, too," Dean defended.

"This isn't nerves, Dean," Sam said. "This is excitement."

John clapped Dean on the shoulder. "You look fine. You'll be fine. It's nowhere near as scary when you're actually out there."

Dean nodded, finding vague comfort in his father's words. He would be fine. He had to be. This was Sam and Jessica's day, and he had a job to do.

There was a knock on the door and Jessica's mother asked, "Can I come in?"

"Come on in, Elizabeth," Sam said.

She opened the door and clapped her hands as she caught sight of them. "Look at you all," she said happily. "So handsome."

Dean brought hand up to his bowtie and John pushed it down again as Sam laughed.

"Now, the pastor would like a word," she said. "Is that okay?"

"Sure," Sam said with a wide smile.

She peered around the door and said, "You can come in."

She stepped back and Jim Murphy entered, dressed in full pastoral outfit.

Dean's mouth dropped open. "Jim? Are you…?"

Jim nodded. "Sam and Jessica swore me to secrecy."

"You're marrying them?" John asked.

"I have been honored enough to be asked, yes."

Sam grinned. "Seemed kinda perfect to have someone from before and now to do it."

"It is perfect," John said. "Really."

"Now, Sam," Jim said. "I've been informed that your intended is almost ready. Are you?"

"More than ready," Sam said excitedly.

John put a hand on his shoulder and steered him to the door. "Let's get you married then."

Dean checked the mirror one last time and then went out after them to watch Sam and Jessica get married. Nerves aside, he was happy.

Life was good.

Sam legs were shaking, not from weakness or pain but excitement. It was finally time.

The music started and his heart leapt. He saw movement at the back of the room and Jessica and her father appeared at the end of the aisle. His breath caught in his throat and tears burned his eyes. He fixed his gaze on her face and saw her wide smile.

It seemed to take forever for her to reach him, but eventually her father had placed her hand in Sam's. She held him with surprising strength. Sam took comfort in her grip and stared in her eyes. She was beautiful, impossibly even more than she always was. Her hair was swept back from her face and covered with a sheer veil. The dress blossomed out from her waist and the gems on the skirt glinted in the lights.

He had never been as proud as he was in that moment. Saving lives and protecting the others in Cold Oak was nothing compared to this. She had chosen him, somehow found a way to love him as much as he did her, and now they were starting their forever.

Jim greeted the congregation and Sam let the words of the service rush over him. The room seemed empty of all but the three of them. Sam was consumed by Jessica.

Only when Jim addressed him directly did Sam come back to the room. "Do you, Sam, take this woman to be your wedded wife?"

Sam spoke powerfully into the silence of the room. "I do."

"And do you, Jessica, take this man to be your wedded husband?"

"I do," Jessica said tearfully.

Her tears made Sam's spill down his own cheeks. He never imagined he would be so happy.

"Now it this time for you to exchange to vows you have written for each other," Jim said. "Sam?"

Sam blinked the tears out of his eyes and said. "Jessica, on this day, I give you my heart, my promise, that I will walk with you, hand in hand, wherever our journey leads us, living, learning, loving. Together. Forever."

Jessica sniffled and at Jim's prompt said, "Sam, I promise to encourage your compassion, because that is what makes you unique and wonderful. I promise to nurture your dreams, because through them your soul shines. I promise to help shoulder our challenges, for there is nothing we cannot face if we stand together. I promise to be your partner in all things. Lastly, I promise to you perfect love and perfect trust, for one lifetime with you could never be enough."

Sam rubbed a thumb over the back of Jessica's palm. He hadn't heard her vows before now as they'd written them as a surprise for each other, but he knew now that she couldn't have said anything more perfect to him.

"May I have the rings, please?" Jim asked. Dean and John stepped forward and placed them in his open palm. He handed one to Sam and said, "Please repeat after me. I give you this ring, as a daily reminder of my love for you."

Sam swallowed hard and spoke the vow as he slid the find onto her finger.

"And Jessica?"

She took the ring from him and spoke her vow in a voice constricted with emotion as she put it on his finger.

"Sam and Jessica, by the power of your love and commitment, and the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Sam, you may kiss your bride."

Sam bent to kiss her, feeling the wetness of her tears on her lips. When he pulled back, he heard the loud applause of the room and he stroked a hand over her cheek. "Thank you, Jess."

"I love you," she answered simply.

And that was it. They were married.

Life was good.

John was dancing with Jessica in his arms in the middle of the room. Bill and Ellen danced beside them, and Caleb and Sarah swayed at a much slower pace than the music allowed. John thought perhaps there was something more there than Caleb had confessed already. Daryll, Scott, Ava and Laura were talking with Dean at a table. Only Andy was missing from their number. He hadn't been able to come. John thought it would be a long time before Andy could allow himself to enjoy anything like this level of joy in a place.

John's eyes drifted to his youngest son and saw he was dancing with Sarah's daughter, Sophie. She was standing on his toes and he was making slow circular moments. John thought he looked tired. He should be resting as he was still healing, but John could not interrupt his perfect day to advise him.

Jessica saw where his eyes were and she said, "He knows his limits. You don't need to worry. He'll be fine."

"I know," John said. "I should have believed you before."

"Yes, you should," she agreed, her smile taking any edge from her words. "I know my husband."

"Husband," John said wonderingly.

"Yes," she said happily. "And you're a father-in-law."

John huffed a laugh. "Wow. I never thought I would be that to anyone. I have a daughter."

"I'll do my best to live up to the title."

"You already have," John said. "I could have chosen no one better to join our family than you. You're everything he needs and everything Mary and I could have hoped for him to have."

Jessica blushed. "Thank you, John."

"I mean it," he said. "I know she would have loved you, too."

Jessica glanced at Sam and Sophie and asked, "What are you and Dean going to do now that it's over?"

"Keep hunting," he said. "Dean would never be able to rest doing anything else, knowing there are people needing to be saved out there. I don't think I can stop now either. There is still evil out there and people need to be protected. Don't worry, though, we'll be sure to make it to California as often as we can."

"We'll hold you to that," Jessica said. "Sam needs you both in his life as much as he can have."

"He's been through a lot," John agreed.

"He has, but that's not what I mean. He lived a lie for eighteen years and he has found his real family again. He loves you both enough to die for you, to let himself die to save you making a deal." She nodded. "Ava told me. I agree with his choice. I never want to lose him, and I am so happy that he is healing, but I know he wouldn't have been able to live with himself if either of you had made a deal for him. That would have destroyed him more totally than his own death."

John swallowed hard as she stretched up and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you though," she said.

John held her against him. "Thank you, Jess," he whispered.

When she pulled back John noticed that Dean was beside them. "Do I get a dance with my little sister?" he asked.

John was sure that he did want to dance, but more than that he thought Dean was seeing that he needed a break, too. He was feeling overwhelmed and needed just a moment to gather himself.

John held Jessica's hand out to Dean and said, "Go ahead."

Dean swept Jessica off and John watched her laugh as he said something.

His eyes moved from them to Sam and Sophie, and he saw the little girl's delight as Sam moved her across the room.

His family was safe, the demon and Shtriga were dead, their family was complete and happy together.

Life was good.

Jessica and Sam were in the back of their wedding car, on the way to the hotel her parents had arranged for them. Sam seemed pensive, running a hand up and down her arm as she sat curled against him.

"It's been a good day," she said.

Sam kissed her hair. "It's been perfect. Oh!" He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a glossy piece of paper. "I forgot to give you this."

Jessica sat up and took the proffered paper. She turned it over and looked at the photograph. It was a car, a Mustang, and it looked in serious disrepair.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Your wedding present, Mrs. Winchester. It's a wreck right now, but Dean and John are helping me restore it." He chuckled. "Well, I say helping. I pretty much pass them tools and try to keep up. We're going to move it closer to home so we can work on it when they're in town."

She looked at the picture again and her eyes widened. "Sam! That's a Mach 1!"

"Yep. A '69 model. That's good, right?"

"It's incredible," she said. "How did you find it?"

"A lot of searching on Bobby's part. He really came through for us. I wanted it ready before the wedding, but… you know."

"You got stabbed," she said.

"I got stabbed," he agreed.

"I love it," she said. "And I love you. More than anything."

"I love you, too." Sam pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I always will."

Jessica curled into his side again and smiled against his chest. She didn't think she had ever been so happy and at peace. She had the man she loved, she would soon have law school, she had a future to share and adventures to be explored.

Life was perfect.

So… This is where it ends. If this had been edited on paper, it would have been tear stained. Luckily, I did it at the computer with a handy box of Kleenex.

This story has been a journey that challenged me immensely. The original idea of Sam being kidnapped came from a random show I was watching on TV. I went to Gredelina1 with the idea, and she encouraged me—as she always does—and the outline for these stories were born. I was lucky that canon gave me the perfect point for the story to start with the Shtriga's appearance.

Thank you all for coming on this journey me. I am sad that it's over, as I have immense love for the Sam and Dean, Jessica and John that I created for this story. It is over though. To continue in any form would be to take away what I have given them with this ending. It feels complete to me, and I hope it does to you, too.

Until the next story…

Clowns or Midgets xxx