Author's Note: This is the epilogue to go with the alternate ending. Enjoy!

Dean had never imagined his life would come around after Sam's death. He thought that his little brother's passing was game over, that he had nothing left to life for. But the incident with Castiel had shown him just how wrong he was.

Over the next few months, Dean made a steady recovery. Dr. Perri put him in intensive counseling sessions every day of the week, even coming in on her days off to work with him. He took up guitar and learned how to play out his frustrations and write away his grief. Castiel talked him down from his bad moments, even came over from St. Christian's at three in the morning once because Dean was so upset. He had bad days, and broke things, and screamed at people he shouldn't have, but he didn't hurt himself. He would never hurt himself again.

Having Castiel stand by him through all the screaming, and crying, and fighting made Dean realize just how much he needed him. Though he missed Sam every single day, and his very first thoughts were of his little brother, he could get through and even enjoy his life because Castiel was beside him. Without that man, Dean would have been dead.

Once he recovered enough, Dean joined Castiel at St. Christian's. They decorated their room, they painted, they got jobs. They did everything they said they were going to. With time, Dean healed and learned to live with his loss. He turned it into fuel for his lyrics, for his music. He turned it into hope. That hope is what kept Dean going for the rest of his life. The hope that Sam, and Cas, and Dr. Perri all gave him. It was the hope that he was strong enough. It was the hope that things would get better. It was the hope that love would last.

And it did. That love did last.