Work Text:
Heaven was gorgeous. It was...perfect. Dean finally got to see Sam after years of waiting. He got to talk to Bobby, who was now in a happy relationship with Ellen. Everything was perfect, he got to see all of his loved ones again, and now he doesn't have to worry about hunting supernatural creatures that want to harm humanity, he doesn't have to worry about anyone's survival. Sometimes, however, he missed two also very important people in his life, Jack and Castiel. Once he died and went to heaven, he was hoping to see those two. He wanted to tell Jack how proud he was and Cas...he wanted to tell him how much he loved him. But he knew he couldn't get everything he wanted, and that was okay. For now he'll just enjoy the present along with his brother.
_____________________________________________
Days have passed filled with pure happiness and drinks shared among everyone. However Dean felt off...he knows he should be happy, he is happy, or maybe that's just what he wanted to think, but he just pushed it off to the side, this was heaven! He's supposed to be happy! So why didn't he feel that way? One day his answer came to him. "Dean, dude, are you okay?" Sam asked concerned for his brother.
"Yeah, I'm fine, just probably too many beers, y'know?" Dean said knowing Sam would catch his lie. Sam raised his eyebrows, giving him the, 'Oh really?' Look. "I'm fine, Sam! I'm fine." Dean said matter of factly. "It's just..."
"It's just...what? I'm your brother, you can tell me anything." Sam sounded genuine, and Dean did not wanna argue. Of course hesitantly, he confessed and admitted his thoughts. Sam was surprised to hear Dean tell him everything but he stayed there and listened, wanting to take the chance to comfort his brother.
____________________________________________
A few more days have passed since then, Dean felt...lighter, once he told Sam everything. Maybe he should've done that more in his life. Maybe everything would've gone better if he just confessed his thoughts, maybe if he said them quicker, different, better, things would've happened. If he was faster...he could've....he could've, told Cas and professed his love for him that was buried deep under years of trauma. Then one day, he was able to do that.
Sam and Dean were talking out front, drinks in their hands and reminiscing over good memories of when they were alive. Suddenly, a bright golden rectangle of light appears onto the green lawn of Bobby's house. Sam and Dean sat up quickly, ready for anything. "Sam, do you know what the hell that thing is?"
"Nope, wait....doesn't that..." Sam steps closer to the strange rectangle. "Dean, doesn't that look like..." Sam trails off lost in thought. Dean steps closer, the view becoming more familiar. This was...this was Jack's powers at the work in front of them. Sam and Dean look to each other in disbelief and maybe...joy? Their focus is then turned back to the rectangle as someone steps out and onto the lawn.
"Hi." A gentle but clearly happy and familiar voice says to them. The moment changes and Sam runs over and gives the boy a tight hug. Dean's mouth hangs open in surprise, he snaps back and then runs over to them. Sam let's go and takes a step back to let Dean have the moment as well. Dean places his hands on the very real shoulders. He scans the boy's face remembering every moment that he shared with him and then pulls him in for a hug.
"Jack...we missed you so much kid." Dean says softly.
"I...missed you guys too." Dean lets Jack go and the three of them walk back to the porch and sit down to talk. It felt so surreal to see and even talk to Jack after so many years of him being gone.
"Jack, we're so happy to see you, but I thought you had to handle some things in heaven." Sam asks curious to know why he's here. Jack smiles proudly at the statement.
"That's just the thing, everything's done. Every soul in heaven can rest without worrying about heaven falling apart. I fixed it." Jack expresses confidently. He stops for a moment and looks to the sky and then to the portal as if he had heard something. "There's also something I should show you, well someone." Sam and Dean look to each other and back to Jack, confused. Jack waves them over as he walks to the portal, but his energy is different this time. It feels more...eccentric, elated. He was excited and happy earlier, but now it seems his energy has increased. Sam and Dean follow Jack to the front of the portal. Jack widens his eyes and softly says, "He's here." Sam and Dean look to the portal and see a familiar man stepping out.
_______________________________________________
Dean's heart in his soul skipped a beat once he saw him. The man he had wanting to talk to since he left. It felt like time slowed down, it felt like a fever dream that Chuck had perfectly designed so when Dean woke, he could grovel in what could've been. Except, this wasn't a dream, this was real. He was standing next to Sam, he was able to see Jack again, and now he will be able to see his best friend again.
Cas stepped out in that same trench coat, with the same suit under, his hair messy as always. He looked around at the group before him, a small genuine smile on his face. "Hello everyone." Came that same deep gravelly voice.
"Cas..." Dean muttered gently. Cas looked at him, his eyes softening.
"Hey, Jack, wanna meet Ellen and Jo?" Sam suggests while gently pushing Jack towards Bobby's house.
What was seconds, felt like minutes when Dean and Cas looked at each other. Eventually, tension started to form, the moment feeling awkward. "Dean..." Cas said softly, breaking the silence.
"We need to talk." Dean admitted. Cas nodded his head started to speak.
"Dean, everything I said was-"
"I love you." Dean says, cutting Cas off. Cas' eyes widen in surprise, clearly not expecting those words from Dean's mouth towards him.
"Dean...I-"
"No, I let you talk lastime, now it's my turn." Cas leaves his mouth closed, and instead listens. Dean takes a deep breath and starts to speak again. "Cas, I love you. I'm sorry it has taken me this long to tell you. You told me that I changed you, well that goes the same for me there too. You opened my eyes and replaced the lenses of black and white with shades of colors and in between. You helped change my perspective of the world as well as myself. Instead of saying goodbye, I will be saying hello, hello to the new life that I hope to make with you, if you'll take it. Castiel," Streams of tears came down his face and he took Cas' hand and held it tight, "I love you." Dean and Cas looked at each other, tears streaming down their faces. Dean steps closer, Cas steps closer. They lean foward until their lips meet in a soft, love filled kiss. Dean cups the back of Cas' head and Cas puts his hand on Dean's shoulder. Even though the kiss was slow, it was sweet and it felt like time itself had stopped around them. In a first time in a long time, they kissed someone they truly loved, and that was perfect.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~