Bruises {Destiel}

Reunion

,,Dean? Jack wanted to talk to me and- well, look for yourself."
The older Winchester got up from the table and walked towards the entrance of the bunker, when he suddenly froze in his step. Cas stood there, right beside Sam, at the end of the stairs slightly smiling at him.
Dean couldn't trust his eyes, this wasn't real, was it? He closed his eyes, thinking the angel would be gone again as soon as he opens them. While they were closed the last image of him and Cas popped up in his mind, he clenched his jaw as he remembered.

,,Goodbye, Dean."

When Dean opened his eyes again, Cas was still there standing beside Sam.
,,Hello Dean."
The angel's voice was quiet, he noticed how bad Dean looked and with the things Sam had told him, it was clear to see that these last weeks were like hell for Dean. The fire inside the older Winchester's green eyes was burned out, the will and the hope inside of him was gone. If he only didn't had left him alone, but he had to.
Dean tried to stay steady on his legs- they got weaker and weaker. There were thousands of thoughts inside his head, all about if this really was real.
,,Jack finally could reach the empty. Talked to it and made a good deal. He is here, Dean. Cas is back."
Sam nodded towards him talking completely calm and patiently, not knowing how his brother was going to take this situation which was going on.
,,Cas-?"
Dean's voice broke down, not steady and not loud enough. The light inside his eyes suddenly started to spark again which Cas noticed.
,,I'm real, Dean. I am."
The angel walked towards Dean taking him into his arms, waiting for his reaction. And Cas expected everything right now; anger, sadness, despair, being pushed away- no matter what, he had Dean tight in his arms.
Dean, on the other hand, was sure that the angel was real now and so, he hugged him back desperately, closing his eyes. He was so angry. Not at Cas, but at himself. For not trying enough, for not being enough in trying to get him back. After all this time, thinking he really wouldn't get him back- now Cas was right here in his arms. Once again Cas came to save him, this time from himself. Dean wouldn't have made it through another week. One more flashback, one more nightmare and he would have gotten up, into the Impala and off a cliff.
His will to live was back, right here in his arms. It was incredible to finally feel Cas in his arms again. For the first time in two months, Dean wanted to live and to experience everything in life again.
Another flashback popped up.

,,I love you."

It hit the older Winchester out of nowhere: he hadn't reciprocated until now, he hadn't told the angel what he felt for him. How Cas always brightened up his darkest days, how beautiful his ocean eyes were and this smile on his lips. How good it felt to be hugged by him, the warmth Dean felt everytime he was near Cas and how Dean didn't want to live without the angel ever again.
,,I love you."
Cas let go with a light smile, but the older Winchester looked at him with teary and determined eyes. This anger was still inside of him, but fading. The anger of all these past weeks, the rage he had felt every single night.
,,I love you, Cas! Of course I do! You're my best friend! I always cared about you more than someone would care about his best friend and I am so sorry for everything! For every time I didn't realize you were doing bad and every time I couldn't help you. For every time I let this angry feeling inside of me out on you. I'm sorry for not trying enough to save you from the empty- I'm so sorry, Cas, so sorry."
The angel stopped the older Winchester by lying one hand on Dean's cheek, where a tear made its way down.
,,I know, Dean. I know."
Cas looked back at him slightly smiling with tears in his eyes, totally blending Sam out who himself had to fight holding his tears back.
,,W-What?"
,,In purgatory, when you said your prayer, I felt what you felt and I knew what you were going to tell me. That's why I had to silence you. It would have been my happiness-"
,,And the emptiness would have taken you."
Cas nodded at Dean's whispered conclusion, before the angel went on.
,,The one thing I can't have wasn't you loving me back, it was us being together because I knew I would sacrafice myself."
Dean lied both hands on Cas' cheeks and leaned his forehead against the angel one's, pulling him into a long meaningful kiss. Cas reciprocated pulling Dean closer. This feeling they both experienced right now was the best they had ever felt. Pure happiness flooded through their bodies. They had both lost each other a few times, but now? Now they were sure they wouldn't lose the other one ever again. As they moved apart, Cas gazed into Dean's green eyes, who gazed into his blue one's.
,,Don't leave me again, Cas. Never. I can't do this without you. Even though I expected you to leave sooner or later- I expected everyone to leave."
,,Believe me, I will never leave you. It's what I told you some time ago: Everyone except me. I love you so much, Dean. And yes, I have never felt so much pain as I did since I met you. I never went through so much physical and emotional pain- ever. And I've been alive for several billions of years. But I don't regret it, not a single second. I'd even go through all of it again, just to know that you are save, Dean. But I didn't only feel pain- I felt love and happiness, felt save and wanted because of you. And that's the most important thing for me."
Before Cas could even finish the last sentence, Dean already pulled him into another hug. Sam joined them now, holding each one of them so tight, being so thankful that Cas was back and that the angel saved his brother once again.

Team free will was back again, starting a new book, writing a new story- writing their own story.
And Sam knew for sure that it would have an happy ending. He had the feeling that everything would be alright, it would be fine for the first time in their lives.
They all would be carrying on, on a beach drinking cocktails like Dean always wanted them to.

For me, the show ended like this- or something along the lines of this.

Hope you enjoyed reading :)
You can find other Destiel short stories on my page :)