So. This is the last chapter. It's almost hard to believe it. This has been so much fun. To the 81 reviewers, the 53 followers, and 28 people who favorited this, I love you guys so much! I'll miss this story, but everything has to come to an end.

Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.

The silence that fills the entire abandoned barn is almost tangible. Dean breaks it first.

"We should go," he says, picking up his now-bloody machete. "If someone saw your lightshow, they'll come to see what's going on, and we really don't need to be seen with a bunch of bodies."

"I don't think I can fly yet," Castiel replies, shifting his shoulders in the way that Dean's learned means he's messing with his wings. The angel winces slightly. "I flew very quickly to get here and my wings are still sore."

"That's fine," Dean replies, going over to Castiel's side. "You're coming with me in the Impala anyway."

"Dean, I do not wish to be a nuisance," Castiel replies, looking down. "I was useless enough before, and I do not wish to force you to protect me again."

"You're not forcing me," Dean replies, putting an arm under Castiel's so the angel can use him for support. "I'm doing it because I want to. Now let's go out to the car. Do you think you can make it?"

"I am not a helpless child, Dean," Castiel replies as he pulls away, and he sounds a bit angrier than his passive tone before. Dean's glad that there's a bit more life in Castiel's voice.

"Never said you were," Dean replies. "The question still stands. Can you get to the car?"

"Yes," Castiel replies, his voice slightly stiff. He tries to take a step and almost falls as his legs refuse to support his weight. Dean grabs at him and holds him up.

"Whoa now. Why don't you let me help?" Castiel looks annoyed with having to ask for aid, but he does allow Dean to support some of his weight. Together, they make their way back to the Impala. Dean opens Castiel's door for him and the angel practically falls into his seat while Dean goes back around and gets into the driver's seat. Once they're both in the car, the tension that was already there in the barn seems to be ten times stronger.

"Sam and I have a motel room, if you want to stay with us," Dean offers after a minute of silence.

"If you would let me, I would like to recuperate there. I will be on my way as soon as I can fly," Castiel promises. Dean frowns slightly; that's not what he wants. But he doesn't say anything and just turns the keys in the ignition.

"Why did you go after six vampires without Sam?" Castiel asks after they've been driving for a minute or two. Dean grins slightly.

"To get your attention. You weren't answering either Sam or me."

"I apologize," Castiel replies, looking down. "I was busy."

"Busy where?" Dean asks, smoothly pulling onto the main road. Castiel's lip quirks in a tiny hint of a smile.

"The better question would be busy when," he corrects. "I was hopping through time to try and avoid my brethren. They kept following me, though. I was in sixteenth century England when I felt that you were in danger."

"No wonder you're drained," Dean says, shocked. "You came all the way from England in the fifteen hundreds just to save my sorry ass?"

"Of course," Castiel replies, looking confused as to why Dean would have trouble understanding that. "I would help you no matter where - or when - I was."

Dean shakes his head in disbelief. Castiel's loyalty will always astound him. "Well, when is your mojo going to recharge?" he asks. Apparently, it was the wrong thing to say. Castiel's expression turns stormy and he stares out the passenger window.

"Because that's the thing you care about, of course," Castiel says, his voice sharp. "Never mind anything else, you need to know when I will be able to continue helping you and Sam whenever either of you skin your knee."

"Cas, what-"

"Perhaps I should not return to your motel with you," Castiel interrupts, acting as if Dean hasn't even spoken. "If you only wish to use me for my 'mojo,' as you say, and I am currently unable to use it, why are you bothering with me?"

"Cas, where the hell is this coming from?" Dean demands. Castiel looks obstinately out the window and refuses to even glance over at Dean. "Damn it, Cas, you're acting as moody as a girl on her period."

"I believe I have reason to be angry," Castiel replies. His voice is tense and carefully emotionless. "I thought perhaps you actually saw me as a person, but now…"

"Cas, if this is about the kiss, that was-"

"This is not about the damn kiss, Dean!" Castiel yells, and Dean knows it's serious if Castiel's swearing. He pulls over and turns in his seat to look at Castiel better.

"Then what the hell is it about?" he demands. Castiel's tapping out a rhythm on his leg with his fingers, which looks like a remarkably human nervous habit. The angel's been showing more and more things that look like that recently and Dean wonders where they're coming from.

"Just continue driving, Dean. Or did you pull over to kick me out of the car?"

"Cas, stop with the 'Dean, you hate me so much' shit and explain to me why the hell you seem to think that I only care about you for your mojo," Dean snaps. Castiel grinds his teeth together.

"Because I have eyes, Dean," he replies in a very tense voice. "Because you only ever call me when you need something. Speaking of which, what is it that you need this time? You said you were trying to call me."

"I don't need anything, Cas," Dean replies. Castiel laughs bitterly.

"A social call. Your first one. Of course, it's a good four years too late, but it's the thought that counts, isn't that what they say?"

"Cas-"

"Dean, I know you only wish to have me as a friend so I can help you," Castiel interrupts. "While I wish it was different, I can deal with that. You don't have to worry that I won't aid you."

"Cas, I'm not worrying because you're not going to 'aid me' or whatever," Dean replies, finally able to get a full sentence in. "I'm worried because I don't know how you could have gotten such a completely wrong impression."

"Oh really?" Castiel demands. "Am I wrong? Then name one reason - just one - that you keep me as a part of the group, other than my abilities." When Dean doesn't immediately answer, Castiel's face twists into a mocking smile. "I thought so. You can't think of a reason because the only one is you needing my-"

"I have a reason," Dean blurts out, interrupting Castiel. The angel tips his head to the side, but somehow it doesn't look as sweet as it normally does.

"Really. What is it, pray tell?"

The words Because I love you are fighting to come out, but Dean pushes them away. "Because you're the smartest person I know," he says instead. Castiel looks at him with an unsatisfied expression.

"Wonderful. You're right, you don't just want me for my abilities; you also want me for my knowledge. So any other angel that could do what I did and knew what I know would be suitable? That's wonderful to know, Dean. I wonder why-"

"Because I'm freaking in love with you, you bastard!" Dean bursts out. Castiel stops mid-word, his jaw dropping and his face rapidly losing color. "Shit," Dean whispers.

"Dean…"

"I get it, Cas," Dean replies as Castiel's voice trails off. "You don't feel the same way. It's okay. I understand. I mean, I never thought you would. And you know, I wasn't going to tell you. Especially after the kiss. I thought you might have figured it out, but you didn't but I've gone and told you, so it doesn't matter." Dean's babble is completely mindless; he's not even entirely sure of what he's saying. It just keeps pouring out in a seemingly never-ending stream of words. "And I really hope you don't hate me because of this. I promise I won't be weird about it if you just stick around. If you want to stay away, I would get that, but I hope that you don't cause I'd really prefer if you were still my friend even if you don't feel the same way that I feel. And I totally get that. I never expected any differently. You don't have to pretend or anything. I'm fine with it. It's okay. It's-"

"Dean?" Castiel asks softly, but Dean just continues blabbing over him.

"-completely okay. I'm not, like, hurt or whatever. You don't have to lie or anything to make me feel better. It's really okay if you don't feel the way I do and-"

"Dean!" Castiel says again, this time in a firmer voice. Dean stops talking. "May I speak?"

"Oh, sure, Cas. Yeah, of course you can talk. I didn't mean to be stopping you from talking or whatever. If I was stopping you I'm really sorry. It wasn't what I was trying to do and-"

"Dean?" Castiel asks, this time with a slightly amused expression.

"Yeah?"

"If I am to speak, I must be allowed a moment to talk."

"Oh. Right." Dean makes a show out of closing his mouth and covering it with his hand. Castiel smiles slightly at it, but his expression quickly sobers.

"Dean, I am an angel and as such do not experience human emotion the way you do." Dean's very tempted to take his hand off his mouth and say Bullshit, but he doesn't. It seems Castiel can tell, for he amends the statement. "That is, I did not used to experience human emotion the way you do. And I have never truly experienced love. The closest thing would be what I feel for my father, but I assume the love you are speaking of is very different." Dean's heart sinks. This doesn't sound promising. As opposed to Dean's random babble, Castiel seems to be putting a good deal of thought into each word he uses, always sure to be using exactly the right one. The pause before he continues again is longer this time. "But I did feel an emotion that I had never felt before. And it confused me. And, after a good deal of reflection, I believe I know what I felt." Castiel closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "I believe I have felt love, Dean. And it is for you."

Dean's pretty sure his heart legitimately stops. "I wasn't going to say anything. I didn't think you felt the same way. But now…did you truly mean it?"

"Yes," Dean whispers. His voice is a little choked up, for God's sake, which is ridiculous, but true. "Oh…oh God. Oh wow. You feel the same way. Oh God."

"Don't blaspheme," Castiel scolds softly. Dean grins slightly.

"If you don't like it, then why don't you stop me?" he asks in a clear challenge. Castiel leans over and gently places his lips on Dean's. It's the most chaste kiss Dean's ever had, but somehow it's also the best by far in a million different ways. "I've been hoping we would do that again," Castiel admits shyly. Dean just grabs him by his trench coat and pulls him back in for another kiss.

Sam is ridiculously pleased by the fact that Dean and Castiel are now together and is bragging way too much about how he "always knew" and it was "so obvious." Dean wishes he would brag a little less about how he had basically been the one to get them together. Still, less than ten minutes after the happy couple comes back to the motel, Sam is very vocally wishing they would be a little less happy-couple-y.

"God, can you guys keep your hands off each other for five seconds?" Sam calls, pointedly not looking at his brother and the angel. Dean reluctantly takes his hand off Castiel's knee and pulls his lips away from Castiel's pale neck. The angel pulls his hand away from where he had it slipped up Dean's shirt.

"You were the one that kept trying to set us up," Dean replies. "As you've said about a million times." Sam groans.

"Well, I didn't think that getting you two together would make you immediately wish to…" Sam apparently can't figure out the word, so Castiel puts in a helpful suggestion.

"Consummate our relationship?"

Dean almost bursts out laughing at the horrified expression on Sam's face. "Are you two going to…tonight?" he asks awkwardly. Castiel looks surprised at the thought.

"Of course not. Not if you were in the room." Sam only looks a little relieved. Dean presses his fist against his mouth to keep from laughing. He's definitely going to let Castiel handle this conversation.

"Dean, can you-" Sam starts to ask, but Dean cuts him off.

"You two can handle this," Dean interrupts. "I'm gonna call Garth and tell him we've gotten rid of the vampires." Before either one can make a remark, Dean's holding his phone and steps out of the room to make the call. It's quick; he really has no desire to talk with Garth for an extended period of time. Garth gives them a job in Vermont that Dean assures him they'll take. Then he returns inside to find Sam, looking both embarrassed and horrified, and Castiel, looking confused and a little worried.

"Dean, thank God," Sam exclaims the instant he sees his brother. "I'm gonna, um, leave. You and Cas can do…whatever. Just not on my bed." With that, Sam practically runs out of the room. Dean looks over at Cas.

"Dude. What the hell did you say to him?"

"I am unaware of what caused Sam to react in this fashion," Castiel replies, looking puzzled. Dean shrugs.

"Well, whatever you said, it got us the room to ourselves." Castiel smiles as Dean goes over to him and kisses him hard on the lips. The angel allows himself to be pushed down on the bed, but he refuses to relinquish any control after that. Dean knows his angel - damn it feels good to think that! - is a pretty innocent (at least sexually) virgin, but he seems to be pretty good at knowing what he wants and getting it. His legs lock around Dean's waist and he pulls him in. Dean tries to pull away slightly, but Castiel won't allow it.

"No," he almost growls. "You can go when I say you can." For half a second, Dean's almost insulted and more than a little indignant, but then he realizes how hot this is and finds he doesn't really mind. He allows himself to be completely submissive to Castiel's roaming hands and, when the angel's fingers flicker over some more sensitive parts, he's very glad of his decision.

When Castiel hears the door open late that night, he looks up from his book - the copy of the Bible that Dean gave him with the beautiful images - to see Sam walk in. The younger Winchester looks a little tipsy, if not full-out drunk.

"Be quiet," he calls in a low voice. "Dean is sleeping." Sam looks in and grins fondly as he sees Dean snuggled up against Castiel on the bed.

"You two are so freaking cute," he replies, his voice slightly slurred. Castiel revises his earlier assessment; Sam seems to be more drunk than he thought he was.

"Hey, Cas," Sam says, walking over to his bed. Castiel looks at him.

"What?" he asks. Sam grins widely.

"Did you know that you and Dean could get married here? It's legal in New York." After his statement, Sam collapses onto his bed and falls asleep almost instantly, leaving Castiel sitting, shocked, with Dean on the other bed. His first, panicked thought is, Will Dean wish to get married? Then he pushes it aside; he can't imagine Dean ever wishing to get married. Then that in turn scares him, because Dean's not one for long, committed relationships and Castiel wants more than just a fling.

Then Dean snuggles in closer to Castiel on the bed and mumbles something in his sleep that sounds like the angel's name. And in that instant, Castiel knows that whatever happens, they can deal with it. He'll fight to keep Dean if he has to. He'll make this work.

After all, if he and Dean truly love each other, there's nothing they can't do.

And that's the end.

I have some other Supernatural fanfics in the works and I've left this one open for a potential sequel, but I don't know if that'll happen or not. At the moment, I'm working on a few different Destiel fics and a Samifer fic. I'm not sure when those will be published, but one of them (a season-6 Destiel fic called Have Faith) will probably be coming in the not-too-distant future. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did and I hope you'll stick around for some more things I write! Bye, everyone!