Author's Note: Here it is, Ladies and Gentlemen, the ending you've obsessed, despaired, and cried both happy and sorrowful tears over has finally arrived. This story - with its lengthy plot and heartfelt narration - has surpassed every goal I had set for it over a year ago and now holds a special place in my heart, as I hope it does in yours. Your support, love, and devotion has touched me and made this story what it is today. This will be the last update for this fic, and I hope you savor it. I'm so lucky to have all of you guys, and trust me when I say I will NEVER take that for granted.

–Twenty Years Later–

Dean stood in front of the gravestone with tears welling up in his eyes, staring at the words engraved into the stone that practically mocked him with their permanence and certainty.

"I'm sorry," He blurted out after staring at it for a long pause of silence, "I knew you weren't really better. I knew that you needed more help than I could ever give you." Dean laughed almost hysterically, bitterness and emptiness in his tone as the tears started to fall, "I guess I just wanted to keep up the illusion that you were going to be okay, you know?"

His throat constricted against him as he raised his hand hesitantly to brush against the cool surface of the tombstone, saying in a quiet, almost inaudible voice that sounded like thunder in the empty graveyard, "I failed you. No matter how much everyone else tells me otherwise, I know that maybe if I did something different, you would still be here with me." He scoffed bitterly, saying with a wry, forced smile, "But too little, too late, eh?

"I'm married now with three beautiful kids." He informed the grave, sighing as he wiped the tears from his face with his sleeves, "You would love them, you know." He chuckled humorlessly, adding, "Sometimes, they remind me so much of you, I think that maybe they could be yours.

"I loved you." Dean told the decayed corpse hidden underneath the ground with honest sincerity, rubbing a hand over his face, "God, I loved you. I didn't say it often, but I did. I still do..."

"Please, Daddy, don't cry," A little five year old girl with golden blonde hair and shining green eyes came running up behind him and wrapped her arms around Dean, "It's okay." The little girl then looked back at the person that was walking towards them from behind, "Papa, Daddy's sad. Make him feel better like you do to us when we cry."

"Johnny, take Mari to the car, okay?" Said the low gravelly male voice. A twelve year old boy appeared and took the little girl's hand, leading her out of the cemetery and back to the black Impala.

Suddenly, Dean felt a warm hand on his shoulder and a concerned voice ask, "Dean, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Dean sighed out as his lips curled into a hesitant smile as he stood up and turned to see the love of his life, "Hey, Handsome. Come here often?"

"I don't usually make a habit of it," Castiel said with a matching smile as he slowly took a step towards him and brought his hands up to trace his husband's jawline with his thumb, "Seriously, Dean. Are you sure you're alright?"

Dean chuckled, "It's funny, you know. Usually I was the one asking you that question twenty-four/seven."

"Yes, but that was a time when I was in a dark place," Cas said gently as he leaned in and gave Dean a light kiss on his lips, "But now I'm in the light and it's all thanks to you."

"It was my fault he died, Cas," Dean said softly as his voice become a little more hoarse, "If I had done something—"

"You didn't know he would relapse, Dean," Castiel said sternly, "He looked like he was doing so well, none of us thought that he could ever touch that poison ever again." Dean didn't respond and looked back at the gravestone:

John Winchester

Before he could slip back into his reverie, he felt Cas tug at his arm insistently, slowly leading him away from the grave and towards the Impala that was parked in the cemetery drive-way, "Come on. We gotta pick up Jamie from Sam and Jess' house so we can make it to dinner on time. Jo and Charlie will kill us if we're late again."

"God, they're almost as bad as us." Dean groaned, allowing his husband to pull him away from his grief and despair with his radiance and love.

"I don't know," Cas mocked, rolling his eyes, "We're pretty pathetic."

At his true words, Dean stopped and turned to face him, kissing the dopey smile etched into his true love's face.

"I love you, Cas." Dean said easily because he could say it now without a hint of doubt or fear.

Castiel smiled, his blue eyes still shining as bright and eternal as their love, "I love you, too."

With an adoring smile, Dean remembered when he first caught sight of those blue eyes, the many years feeling like mere days as he thought back to the memory with affection. He had remembered thinking he lost his luck that day, and a part of Dean still believed that. After all, it wasn't luck that brought him and Castiel Novak together. It was destiny.

And for once, as Castiel slipped his hand in his and they walked towards their two beautiful children that were already squabbling in the backseat of their car, Dean was okay with the supposed pre-destined plan God had laid out for him.

After all, only God would give over his own angel to make Dean the happiest man to ever live.

Author's Note: My warmest gratitude to all who reviewed, followed, favorited, and even just read. Special thanks to CoolestCatEva, who looked over the last ten or so chapters and dealt with all my silly errors and questions. This may be the end of my first fanfiction, but it is not the end of my writing. I will continue writing fanfiction (mostly in the Supernatural fandom with Destiel, but I also have a few Sherlock/Johnlock fanfics in the making as we speak). Again, I cannot thank you enough for sticking with me until the very end, even when certain plot twists threatened to sway your loyalty.

For the end of "The Things I Can't Say Are The Things You Need to Hear," please review, follow, or favorite.

-PandoraTheFox