They'd called an ambulance immediately, rushing him to the emergency room. The EMT's said that everything seemed fine, but he'd just fucking fallen down and now he's unconscious. Obviously, they needed to up their training programs in Portland if they actually thought people slipped into comas all willy-nilly.

Dean scrubbed his hands down his face, he was in hell.

The next seven hours were torture. Nearly everyone had cleared the area, not wanting to be anywhere near the festering blister that was Dean Winchester. His emotions were all over the place, one minute he'd be furious, the next he'd break down and, well his allergies were in overdrive okay?

The only person left was Sammy, sitting in the corner. Dean knew he was probably researching something in hopes of figuring out what was going on with Cas. His brother; the giant nerd, doing anything and everything he could to make Dean happy again. He'd verbally decapitated him ten times over, but Sam refused to leave.

"I care about him too, Dean. I know he's not my soulmate, but next to you, he's my best friend. I will not leave this room," he'd said, and that had been that.

There wasn't anything left for Dean to do but try to focus on Cas. He watched the in and outs of his breathing and prayed to anyone that would listen to bring his boyfriend back to him. He was just about to send Sam on a coffee run when someone opened the door.

Immediately, Dean glared in their direction assuming it was one of the nearly twenty people from the waiting room. Instead it was a stranger, dressed in scrubs with a labcoat nestled on their shoulders. He had short, dark blonde hair and a wide grin. A silver necklace glinted in the light and Dean's eyes were drawn to a small arrow laid out against the guy's chest. Dude seriously needed a different job if he couldn't stop smiling when there was someone who was fucking unconscious laying right beside him.

"Can I help you?" Dean asked sarcastically, he'd been casually polite to the staff but there was something about seeing the guy smile that made his skin crawl. He looked evil, smelled like ozone and radiated power..

"Oh, sorry. How rude of me, I didn't even introduce myself. I'm Dr. Bo Archer, and I specialize in bond illnesses."

Dean looked him over skeptically, there was something off about the guy. Not to mention his name was Bo Archer. The dude might as well have screamed "I have an alias." He was just about to start his interrogation, when he noticed that Sam was already clambering onto his feet shaking the asshole's hand. Damn traitor.

"What do you want?" Dean barked, not wanting to extend the visit any longer than necessary.

"Well aren't you... fiery, he said, flipping open the chart from beside the bed. "I'll skip the pleasantries then, shall I?" He instantly dropped the smile and finally had a normal damn expression on, considering the circumstances.

Dean watched his features closely as he read over the forms. It was a barely there movement but he'd caught the glimpse of surprise, confusion, and then resignation before the man looked up.

"This says, the patient's name is Castiel Winchester?' he asked, no sign of a teasing voice but Dean felt his entire body flush.

'No, no it's James. Castiel James. I was just... our bond ceremony was scheduled for tomorrow and I wasn't thinking," he said, scratching the back of his head. Dean prepared himself for the smirk his brother would give him, but when his gaze darted over to Sam; there was pain etched into his eyes and on his face. Honestly, Dean would have prefered the smirk.

"I see. It also says that you were part of an instant bond, is that correct?" he asked. Dean nodded in reply, opting to keep his mouth shut while the doctor was standing so close to his soulmate.

"Well, before I give you any kind of hope, I want to make sure you realize something. Your bond is very sick. It's one of the reasons he's lying unconscious in that bed right now," he said, his voice was hard and stern.

If Dean closed his eyes he would have sworn John Winchester was in the room, albeit with a much lower pitched voice, but the severity was the same.

"We tri-" Dean's own voice gave out as despair climbed into his heart.

"I know, I've been informed that you were doing the best you could with the information available to you, but I'm afraid it wasn't enough," he paused sliding a hand through his hair with a twinge of frustration.

"When a bond is damaged like this, its capacity to accommodate your emotions; good and bad, is also weakened. If too much is pushed through, there can be consequences. Usually, for the person bearing the smaller half of the soul."

"So, what can we do now?" Sam asked, Dean wasn't really in any shape to form questions, so he guessed that was fair. The Winchester brothers were so close that they were practically clairvoyant to each other's thoughts. He was grateful, knowing if nothing else, at least Sammy would get all the answers he wanted.

"Well no guarantees, but I think he'll make a full recovery. I've administered a treatment that should temporarily heal the damage and as long as they aren't going to do something foolish and separate themselves, it should be fine," he said, causing visible relief of both Dean and Sam. He felt his own heart slow down and watched the stiff rigidness of Sam's shoulders begin to slump.

"You are getting bound together tomorrow, right?" the doctor asked, after turning his gaze over to Dean.

"As soon as he wakes up," Dean answered, half wanting to pick Cas up bridal style and carry him to an overnight place. Screw consciousness, screw it sideways. Nothing was gonna stop him from marrying Cas.

Dr Archer nodded in agreement and turned toward the door. Just before he slipped out, he pivoted back in Dean's direction, catching his eye.

"Out of curiosity, given the choice, would you switch places with him?" the doctor asked, causing Sam's head to jerk back and a bitchface to pull at his mouth.

Dean thought about it, imagined what it would be like if the roles were reversed. He hoped things were peaceful for Cas, hoped that he wasn't struggling in any way. It probably wasn't that bad being him at the moment, Dean's the one freaking out, his soulmate is practically asleep.

'He's not feeling any kind of pain or distress in any way, right?" he asked, because… well, because he had to know. Dean could feel his hands shaking, unsure and uncertain without Cas's comforting grip on his hand.

The physician's mouth instantly turned down but he still answered. "No, he's just sleeping," he said, inching further into the room.

"Then, the answer is no. I wouldn't. I would never want him to have to be the one sitting in here staring at me feeling like his whole world is about to fall apart. Not when the other option is a takin' a friggin' nap," he said, not realizing that he was moving closer and closer toward the man. "Don't get me wrong, man. It sucks balls on this side, but if it had to happen and there was no changing it, well, I'm glad it went down like it did.

When he was just a foot away from the doctor he saw his lips split into a wide grin. "Good answer, Dean." he said, before backing away and strolling out the door.

It didn't occur to him that he hadn't given his name until nearly a full minute later. Huh, that's weird. He remembered the guy said he'd already talked to his family or whatever, one of them probably said something. Otherwise it was just too friggin creepy and Dean didn't have it in him to deal with any more shit hitting the fan.

Less than five minutes after the good doctor left the room, Castiel jackknifed in the bed and called out for him. "DEAN!"

"Cas? Sweetheart?" he choked out, barely able to believe that his mate was actually awake. Dean leapt toward the bed moving as close as he could possibly get without crawling under the covers with Cas.

When he started muttering his apologies over and over again, Dean's heart was simultaneously flipping at the sound of his voice, and the memory of when their bond was formed, while shattering into a million pieces because Castiel still felt like he needed to apologize in the first place.

Feeling a waterfall of emotions pouring into him Dean did the same thing as before. He ducked his head in and kissed the perfect, chapped lips of his mate. Again, a thousand shocks of electric fire sparked beneath his skin making him feel as if it was their first. The biggest difference being that Castiel was kissing him back. His mouth pliant and willing under the force of Dean's passionate gratitude.

The longer they held the kiss, the hotter it burned. There was an underlying desire for more pushing at the seams of their connection. The original curiosity and nervousness when they'd first met was replaced by an unbelievable amount of love and warmth flooding in their bond.

Castiel pulled away, Dean was gasping for breath but he would have drowned in his mate's kiss if he'd been allowed. When oxygen finally made it back into his brain, he turned to see that the chair where Sam had been sitting was empty. He'd probably gone to tell everyone Cas was awake. They'd all pile in soon enough.

"Dean, I, I don't know how to say this but there's something you should know," Castiel said, biting his lip causing every hair on Dean's body to stand at attention.

"What is it, Cas?" he asked, not really sure if he wanted to know by the panicked expression bore into the features of his boyfriend's face. He had a sinking feeling moving into the pit of his stomach and it didn't seem to be willing to relocate anytime soon.

Castiel felt an extreme amount of anxiousness swoop over him, but it didn't sway his decision. He would not stand for a dishonest start to his journey with his mate. He took a deep breath, and relaxed the best he could before he continued.

"Dean, I'm not human or...well, not fully." he paused, letting out a loud sigh.

"I'm an Angel." he said. Truthful and to the point; he was minutely pleased with himself as he awaited his response.

"I know you are, sweetheart."

Castiel's head tipped sideways and he stared into Dean's eyes waiting for some kind of sign, he wasn't sure what but he expected a larger reaction, at least a little surprise. Maybe he didn't understand him properly.

"No, Dean. I meant to say that I am now an Angel, with wings... An actual Angel, not just an endearment suggestion and not just because I'm coincidentally named after one."

"Yeah, Cas, I know. Wings, mojo, halo, and all that jazz. Mom always told me that Angels were watching over me. I guess now it'll be a little more hands-on, huh?" he said, wiggling his eyebrows playfully. "Was that what you wanted to tell me?"

Castiel blinked owlishly at his boyfriend. Maybe he was still dreaming, maybe Eros decided instead of sending him straight back to Dean, he'd setup an elaborate ploy first. Castiel pinched into his the flesh of his own arm, ouch. So, not asleep then.

"It's okay, sweetheart. I promise I've had this theory that there was something different about you since the moment we met. It didn't hurt that when I called you Angel the first time, something inside me started doing somersaults and it just… felt right," Dean answered, grinning in his direction. He shrugged his shoulders and his mouth pulled up into a smirk. "It also helped that Rachel and Mom were talking about heritages and blah blah blah, but I happened to catch the gist of it once they'd figured everything out."

He sat up in his bed to once again try to explain to Dean what he'd been talking about when a long black feather fell off of his pillow. Floating gently onto the floor beside the dark brown heel of Dean's boot.

Immediately, his boyfriend reached over to pick it up. Gently gripping the hard stem and lifting it off the ground. Castiel could see the care with which Dean was handling it and it made him smile. Was it really so far fetched that his mate had figured it out? Eros had even mentioned that he believed an explanation wasn't necessary for that precise reason.

"It's mine, probably a parting gift."

"It felt like yours. Could we, I mean, do you think it would be okay if we used it… for the ceremony?" Dean asked, a pink tinge warming his cheeks.

"Yes, I think that would be lovely, Dean."

"You, you still wanna get mar- I mean soul married right?"

Castiel couldn't help himself from shaking his head fondly at his boyfriend. It was a surprising amount of doubt housed within one course he knew better than to bring it up given his own issues.

"I would marry you an infinite number of times on an infinite number of days if I could."

With that said, Dean's face cracked open in a wide grin, making Castiel's heart pump a little faster. "I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too, Dean."

They kind of got lost in the moment, staring at one another until they were jerked harshly back to reality by a loud knock against the door.

Castiel looked around the room, silently cursing himself having just noticed he was in a hospital. What Dean must have gone through while he was unconcious. It probably felt like a nightmare. Immediately, he felt guilty, but it wasn't as if he'd chosen to take the coma journey himself. That was all on Eros, and if his instincts were to be trusted, someone else might have had a hand in it as well.

Before he knew it everyone was piling into his small room. First it was his parents, and then Charlie managed to squeeze in alongside John and Mary, leaving the rest of them to push in afterward. When Nathaniel pulled him into a hug, Castiel realized that his father looked much more healthy. Suspiciously so, in fact.

"Why aren't you sick anymore?" he asked, everyone seemed to stare at him like it was the least important thing in the world, but Castiel wouldn't be deterred.

Eventually, his father realized he wasn't going to let it go and answered him. "The doctor that was watching over you gave me something, said it would help… it did," Nathaniel huffed out, clearly not wanting to be the center of attention.

"What did he give you? How are you back at full health when just a few days ago the same doctors here told you that it would take weeks and maybe even minor physical therapy for you to recover?" he asked, the whole room went quiet as everyone seemed to think about it too.

"It was medicine from a doctor, Castiel, not the Spanish Inquisition. I didn't ask."

"Oh," he paused. "Well it's good to know you're feeling better," he replied, resisting the urge to continue his line of questioning. There was a look of tiredness in his father's eyes, probably from worrying over him, and he didn't want to make it worse.

The room erupted in happy smiles and relief as they took turns doting on him and jokingly asking that he never do anything like that again. It was warm and comforting to know that the entire room of people genuinely cared about him when he'd always felt as if no one could. Dean changed that, Dean changed everything.

The morning of the ceremony they all went out for breakfast, despite Dean's insistence that he enjoyed cooking for large crowds. He blushed when Rachel replied that the food would probably be more enjoyable but that she wasn't sure there was enough room for everyone to be comfortably seated in their backyard.

It was almost noon before they made it inside the small diner. The spirits of the room were clearly high, everyone laughing and sharing in familiar tales of their own bonds, relationships, and offering up occasional tidbits about him and Cas.

It was nice, but the best part was easily the feel of his mate against his side. Dean felt like he'd searched his whole life for something… an easy sort of comfort. He'd found nothing that made him as happy as the steady weight of Castiel's body against his, even the slightest brush was enough to have his insides humming in contentment.

From there, they went back to The Ribbon Store, this time Cas seemed much more confident as he strolled inside. Dean went with him, not wanting to chance that the douche from the previous night was working the front. Instead, there was a beautiful, caramel skinned girl sitting behind the desk.

"Oh, you're back! Wonderful," she said, not even a hint at sarcasm in her voice which pleased Dean beyond belief.

"Yes, Dani. I was curious. Has anyone ever substituted their ribbon for something else? Something like this?" Cas asked, pulling the feather from his the plastic sleeve they'd stored it in.

The girl at the counter gasped, her eyes wide in amazement. "I-I don't know we've never had anyone that didn't match with a ribbon, but if you feel a connection to it, then I think the binding should still work the same way."

"Thank you, and I am very connected to it. It's one of my most treasured possessions."

"It's beautiful," she paused, her grin widening as she moved around the small barricade between them. The girl pulled Castiel into a hug making him chuckle.

"Hey, hey… hands off, he's mine." Dean teased her, playfully tugging Cas back to his side. They both just laughed at him.

As soon as they left there Dean maneuvered the Impala toward Lakeside Gardens. It was still early, but he had a surprise for his Cas.

He'd told Castiel that he just wanted to give the place a once-over before they started getting the whole thing ready. The officiate would be there around four and they'd have an hour or two before that would probably be spent running around like chickens with their heads cut off. So he decided that he wanted them both to just be able to kick back a little and enjoy some of the day before things got hectic.

The smile permanently etched onto his mate's face as they strolled through the open garden was enough to satisfy him for the rest of his life, he thought. They even took part in a tour until they got sidetracked because Castiel was in awe of a bee's nest swinging from one of the trees. It's occupants buzzing and wisping around their home. By the time Cas had finished spouting off at least twenty unknown facts about bees, they'd lost sight of the group.

Dean shrugged, saying he didn't mind that they followed their own path.

Just when they were rounding the bend he smiled. He really needed to do something good for his kid brother. Stretched out on the ground were flowers and fresh honey. His guitar from home was leaned up against the tree. On a small wooden table Sam had put out a nice picnic basket and some chilled wine. Dean even saw Jo's big camera sitting on the side.

Sure, he'd made some plans and asked Sammy to bring some stuff from the apartment, but he'd never imagined anything like this. It was a pretty sweet setup and the surprise and shock on Castiel's face when Dean pulled him over to it was priceless. He'd almost wished he'd had access to the camera just a few minutes sooner.

"C'mon, we've got some time to kill," he said, tugging Castiel to the ground beside him. Reaching out for the familiar wooden neck of his guitar and pulling it close. He strummed it nervously. Dean had never really played for anyone else, but Cas deserved everything he could offer, even if it was just a cheesy cliche'.

Just as he suspected, Cas smiled like a damn sap all the way through the song and pride poured through him because of it. Eat your heart out, Jewell.

They sat together enjoying the cool Autumn breeze rush over them as they cuddled up together on the blanket. Dean made sure he had an extra one in the Impala in case it was too cold, but thankfully it was really nice.

They snacked on the fresh food he'd packed in the middle of the night after he was sure that Cas was asleep. His soulmate had scared the hell out of him, but the plans were already in place and he wanted to give them both the gift of some damn peace and quiet before everything started.

They talked quietly. Whispered their hopes, dreams, wishes into each other's skin. Dean wasn't sure he'd ever felt so at ease. Their bond comforted him but it was more than just that. The anticipation of his next surprise was enough to keep him a little on edge, but for the most part everything just felt calm and settled.

Dean dug into the bottom of the basket looking for something special and when he felt the familiar shape he pulled it out. His eyes widened and it seemed Castiel wasn't the only one in for a surprise. He looked it over again, swallowing hard and not even knowing who to thank for the beautiful gift.

He'd crafted the shape of a book out of some spare wood before he'd left. The original plan had been to stain, and maybe cover it with something, but he'd not had enough time. And yet, staring at it he couldn't be more grateful that he hadn't. Someone had used the same oak colored gloss that he'd used on Castiel's bookshelf to paint over the smooth texture, but the most surprising part was that their names were engraved as Author and Illustrator and in beautiful scripted font it said "Firecracker."

The title must have been Sammy's doin', and Dean couldn't have picked a better one himself. He smiled even brighter as he pulled the box behind his back and snagged the dessert tray, passing it onto his mate.

"If you keep spoiling me like this, you'll never get rid of me."

Dean just grinned and bit his lip, "My evil schemes are off to a good start then," he said, waiting for Castiel to inhale a bite of his favorite cheesecake. As soon as Cas' mouth was crammed full, he brought the hand around to his side, letting the gift rest comfortably on the blanket beside him.

"I've got a question for ya, well technically you've already answered it, but that was cheating so I call do-over," he said, and just as he predicted Castiel's head fell to the side as if he didn't understand.

Dean waited until Cas finished chewing before he handed over the box. He watched the long, deft fingers go over every detail, making him light up with joy.

Cas didn't try to open it immediately, he took his time tracing over the small black letters. Dean smiled as he tried to figure out why Dean's last name was scrawled across the author title and his was just plainly, Castiel.

When he finally lifted the lid, Cas gasped. The small silver band was nestled in tissue paper with a ribbon suspending it in place. Dean just stared in amazement of the handsome features of the person he was going to spend the rest of his life with. When his mate looked up at him, eyes shimmering and on the brink of tears he just smiled.

"Marry me," he said. Dean meant to form it in a question but it hadn't come out that way. He knew that Cas wouldn't refuse him, wouldn't deny him this, he'd already said as much.

"Yes."

When the scheduled chaos began Castiel just smiled, remembering the fact that this was to be the day that he'd seal his life with the most wonderful human in existence. It might have been biased of him to think that way, but it wasn't far from the truth.

When he'd first woken up in the hospital, Castiel had seen the part of their soul that Dean had inside him and it was so bright he'd had to shield his eyes from it.

It was almost time for them to be bound, and Castiel's excitement was growing every minute. To know that their connection suffered so much, but that after the ceremony it would never be put through anything like that again was enough to keep his skin humming.

Rachel was tearing up, and he'd caught Mary crying into a tissue at a few points throughout the day as well. He had a feeling the men wouldn't be far behind them once the music began playing and the traditional procedures started.

He checked his phone for the hundredth time and smiled, only a few more minutes till he would meet Dean in the middle of the bridge and they'd be tied together for life.

The music floated through the air. The sound of a solitary acoustic guitar strumming out a soft melody. He smiled and began his walk, enjoying the bright, wide smile of his mate. They met in the center where the officiant, Sam and Anna were waiting for them.

They took their seats, leaning against one another in case, heeding Rachel's warning about the bond recreating the moment they met.

The officiate was a short mostly bald man who spoke multiple verses of Latin as they anxiously awaited their turns, staring into the brilliant turquoise of one another's eyes.

Dean took his turn to say the six verses of latin he'd had to memorize. It might be a mostly dead language but it was still a huge part of binding ceremonies. It sounded foreign on his tongue but it was properly pronounced. Castiel couldn't help the small tear gathered in the corner of his eye as he watched his mate pledge himself to him.

Ego alligo me ad vos.

In hac vita et post eius de manu tua .

Si oblitus fuero usque ad cutem concursu nostrarum animarum vel tactu .

Ego nee, omnia quae .

Meus es in aeternum.

Meus es semper .

When he began speaking, Castiel took Dean's hand in his. He altered the text just a little, but he knew with everything inside of him, that it would still work. Castiel's mouth moved over the familiar language and he said exactly what was in his heart.

Ego alligo me ad vos.

In hac vita et post eius de manu tua .

Si oblitus fuero usque ad cutem concursu nostrarum animarum vel tactu .

Ego nee, omnia quae .

Sum et custodiam te , quocumque sumptus.

Tu es dilectus meus .

Meus es in aeternum.

Meus es semper .

Meus es tu.

Dean's eyes went wide with the sound of Latin rolling from his boyfriend's tongue. He recognized a couple phrases that weren't in the one he learned and he was curious, but he refused to stop the ceremony and ask. The last thing he wanted to do was delay their binding. He trusted Cas, whatever it was.

When the official guy took back over, Dean eased up a little. After the part he was anxious about was done with, he could just enjoy the view of his beautiful mate.

He drank in the sight of Cas' dark spiky hair, ruffled to chaotic perfection. The borderline sinful cupid's bow of his tempting mouth. The stubbled hair trailing down his chiseled jawline. Everything, it was all breathtaking.

"Do you have your ribbons?" the man asked, pulling Dean out of his trance.

"Y-yeah," he answered, fumbling in search of the deep blue ribbon in the back pocket of his best slacks. He handed it over to the man, eagerly awaiting the next step as Cas did the same with his feather.

There was a brief glint of curiosity that flashed on the man's face but he continued on as if nothing were different and began to wrap the dark strand around the feather. He started at the top and wound it down like garland on a Christmas tree stopping at the bottom to wrap around the stem. He held it there as he performed the final Latin infused composition.

Sparks flickered beneath Dean's skin and if the look on Cas' face was to be trusted, it was mutual. They surged forward, their bodies slotting perfectly together as he finished the final verses. Dean's gaze drifted down to his soulmate and he smiled even wider. He brushed a finger against the damp track down his cheek. His mouth moved over the words I love you without letting the sound spill from his throat. Castiel just smiled back and that was all he needed.

"You may proceed to the completion of binding."

Dean decided there was no time like the present. So with that thought, he leaned in and claimed his mated's mouth. Euphoric pleasure spread throughout both of their bodies as the fractals of their soul tied together. They kissed as if they could do it forever and the way he saw it, there were worse ways to spend his life, that's for sure.

Just as Rachel had suspected their bond caused both of them to topple over just a little and close their eyes. Thankfully, Sam and Anna were there to make sure neither of them were hurt. They were still mostly coherent, but it did feel just as intense as it had the first time, maybe even more so.

Everyone celebrated with a huge meal that Rachel and Mary had set up in a different part of the park. Castiel found himself staring at Dean more often than he paid attention to the conversation. They spent over an hour enjoying the fresh smell of the park and the brisk cold drifting off the water.

When the festivities had died down, Dean pulled him to a secluded area. His mind briefly wondered if this would be the moment he found out that his boyfriend was an exhibitionist. Maybe his thought tracks hadn't been all that innocent, but after what they'd been through Castiel honestly just wanted to enjoy all the more intimate (read fun) aspects of their relationship.

Dean lead him to a dock and started peeling his shoes and socks off. Castiel was awestruck. He meant to tell his mated that he was pretty sure it was illegal to swim in the lake, but the idea of Dean undressing was enough to put him in a slight daze.

Unfortunately, or rather, fortunately, he stopped there and just rolled the legs of his slacks up to his rushed to sit down on the edge and dipped his bare toes beneath the surface.

Castiel followed suit, because it looked tempting once Dean had done it. Besides, if they got caught, it was better they both be punished. The water was cool against his legs and he leaned against Dean's side hoping to draw some warmth from his mated.

"I've dreamt of this day for so long it almost seems unreal," Dean said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Was it what you expected?"

"Not even a little"

"Oh," Castiel began but was quickly cut off,

"What I meant was, well, I could never have imagined someone like you. I had years to dream, to guess at what kind of person might be the perfect soulmate for me. In all that time I'd never put together anything as awesome as this," Dean said, pulling him in for a quick, but soft kiss.

"I could have lived a thousand lifetimes and never encountered a person more beautiful, more understanding, or more giving than you. I should be so lucky that you couldn't imagine better for yourself."

"I'm not a fan of saying things are impossible, but I've never heard anything that described the word better than that," Dean answered him, rolling his eyes slightly at the assumption that he could do better. It was comforting and flattering at the same time.

They sat there, holding one another on the small dock until both of them had wrinkles on their toes and the sun was almost completely gone. Dean was the first one to ease himself up, pulling Cas along behind him.

"Come on, we've got the rest of our lives waiting on us. I dunno about you, sweetheart, but I'm pretty damn excited about that," he said, grinning as he pulled his socks on over his wet feet. Castiel felt his heart speed up and he was grateful for it.

He slid his hand into Dean's grip once they'd redressed, smiling at the still small tingles sparking beneath their skin when they touched. Castiel could think of no better way to live and die than holding the hand of his mated. Regardless of the outrageous circumstances that had transpired over the last twenty four hours, Castiel no longer believed that a mistake had been made and Dean should have ended up with someone else. It was profound, unyielding, and kismet.

Castiel whispered a prayer to Eros, despite not knowing if or how it worked. He thanked his ancestor for the gift he'd given him. He would do his best to savor and enjoy every minute they shared together, because the moment his color shifted to turquoise was the first time he'd ever felt whole.

Latin Translations according to Google Translate:

Dean's: I will bind myself to you. I will hold you throughout this life and the next. I will never forget the collision of our souls or the touch of your skin. I will cherish everything you are. You are my forever. You are my always.

Castiel's: I will bind myself to you. I will hold you throughout this life and the next. I will never forget the collision of our souls or the touch of your skin. I will cherish everything you are. I will protect you, no matter the cost. You are my beloved. You are my forever. You are my always. You are mine.

I'm not adding a "The End" here because I'm not sure it is. For now though, I'll bid you farewell on this and hope we see one another again sometime. If you wanna chat with me or fangirl over this or anything else really you can check out my Tumblr. I'm pretty easy going so try not to be worried or anything. I promise, I am a treat to get to know! Thank you so much for showing this story all the love and making my heart full with your sweet comments and quick kudos!

Till we meet again.