Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Charlie’s POV:

Cracking open the door to the haunted bathroom, she lit up excitedly, glancing around the room. The light flickered overhead, which earned the accompanying girls' giggles. They smiled at each other as fourteen-year-old Charlie pushed open the door completely.

“This is your plan?” Nineteen-year-old Krissy asked as Charlie beamed innocently.

“Look, Halloween is the one time a year we get to host a school festival and actually not wear our school uniforms.” Charlie ushered to the plaid black and red skirt and black blazer. “I somehow convinced Miss. Amara to allow me to do a haunted house, and I plan to make it scary as shit, especially since Krissy is going to college and Alicia is graduating, and I’ll be all alone!” 

“Bad word.” Her eight-year-old little sister Claire spoke, making Alicia and Krissy look at Charlie.

“What’s she doing here?” Seventeen-year-old Alicia asked. “She doesn’t even go here.”

“I will one day, and I’m the cool sister. So I can go with her places.” Claire stuck out her tongue before Alicia stuck her tongue back at her in response.

“She’s the cock block, I was my brother Jack’s, and now she’s mine, so wherever I go, she goes,” Charlie explained simply. “Since you know, we are at that age.” 

“You only just got your status,” Alicia reminded her. Charlie and Alicia were omegas, which wasn’t that odd since women tended to be omegas more. Krissy being a beta was a bit of a toss-up from Norm, though. Alicia turned to Krissy. “And why are you here? You don’t go here anymore.”

“How do you think she got the permission after she set fire to the auditorium?” Krissy asked, making Alicia blink. 

“It was one time.” Charlie groaned, but was ignored.

“Me. I’m Miss. Amara’s teaching assistant this year, since I’m taking a break before starting college, she just let me sign stuff for her, so I authorized this,” Krissy hummed, leaning against the wall. “When do you graduate again?” 

“I graduate in June,” Alicia said. “Afterwards, I’m going to run the bar with Daddy Bats. Max wants to follow in Daddy Lee’s footsteps and be the boss's second.” 

“So weird to hear my brother be referred to as the Boss,” Charlie mumbled. “Especially since I fought him over the last bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios this morning.” This made the girls giggle.

“Who won?” Krissy asked.

“My biggie ordered me DoorDash.” Charlie finger gunned. “So he could have them.” 

“I want a fairy godmother.” Krissy breathed.

“You're a daddy’s girl. He literally bought you a car because you mentioned you liked the color.” Alicia spoke as Krissy sucked in air, going back to glance at her phone.

“Oh, yeah.” She breathed. 

“Eat the rich!” Claire declared happily, making everyone chuckle.

“Stop listening to daddy.” Charlie tickled her, making her squeal. “You’re one of the rich.” 

“If I must be eaten, I request it with mustard.” She sniffed, wiping her nose on the back of her hand.

“...So what’s the plan with this, and why are we in the bathroom?” Krissy changed the subject, making Charlie turn to her. 

“You heard the creepy ghost story from like the 1700s hundreds or whatever?” Charlie stated.

“The box cutter ghost?” Krissy asked. 

“Box cutters aren’t that old.” Alicia reminded everyone. 

“Ghost?” Claire asked, confused.

“Once upon a time, an omega got attacked in here, and he took out the alpha’s eye who attacked him with a box cutter.” Charlie let out some spooky ghost noises. “Now he’s said to haunt the bathroom looking for his eye!”

“He died?” Claire gasped.

“...Well, he is a ghost, so…yes?” Charlie reasoned. Krissy raised an eyebrow.

“Still not understanding the plan,” Krissy spoke in a sing-song voice, texting on her phone.

“I’m going to turn this bathroom into a haunted house,” Charlie explained. “Based on the legend, I already got all the stuff from Big Charlie, she understands my vision.” 

“Aren’t you scared someone’s going to actually have to use the restroom?” Alicia questioned.

“No one uses this bathroom.” She frowned. “No one wants to be haunted.”

“But we are using this bathroom to mock a ghost,” Krissy stated. “Isn’t what we are doing… worse ?”

“Eh, it will be fine!” Charlie reasoned. “... probably.” 

“How exactly do you plan to do a haunted house in a bathroom?” Alicia asked.

“I got every class on the ground floor to let me borrow it to make this haunted house!” Charlie explained. “So now it's a whole thing.” 

“How did you convince Miss. Amara to allow us to use her classroom?” Alicia asked. 

“Oh, shit!!” Krissy laughed. “I forgot she’s three doors down and she’s strict as fuck.” 

“She wanted me to give my dad her number after my parents' divorce.” Charlie breathed innocently, putting her hands behind her back. Everyone quietly blinked at her.

“Mama and Daddy aren’t divorcing.” Claire giggled like it was the silliest thing she had heard, and well…it was.

“She doesn’t know that,” Charlie mumbled. 

“Why does she think they are?” Alicia asked. 

“I might have implied they were.” She admitted. 

“...She’s going to make your life a living hell when she realizes you lied.” Krissy chuckled.

“It’s going to have to be worth it!” Charlie stated. “I’m staking my life for the next three years on it. It HAS to be the best haunted house ever!”

“Why?” Alicia stated. “It’s not just for our sake. No way.” Charlie laughed nervously, waving off their comment.

“It’s for you.” Charlie lied, smiling at Krissy, and Alicia, who exchanged looks.

“It’s because Charlie’s online boyfriend is coming,” Claire stated, making kissing faces as Charlie turned to her with a growl. Charlie moved to kill her when Claire screamed, bolting around the bathroom till she got behind Krissy. “KRISSY! SAVE ME!” 

“ What boyfriend?” Alicia gasped, making Charlie glare at her cousin, though she was remembering that there was a once-removed in that title. Making her wish, she kept it that way. 

“Ugh.” Charlie blushed, looking away, crossing her arms. “It’s not like that.”

“You’re not talking to creepers on the internet, are you? Don’t make me have to be a nark.” Krissy stated.

“No. No.” She waved her arms around, trying to calm the panic. “It’s Kosher. I swear. My dad helped me set this up.”

“Set up what exactly?” Krissy asked.

“So you know how badly I want to get into the movie business and make visual effects for horror movies.” Charlie breathed, embarrassed. 

“Yeah. Which explains the fire.” Alicia stated. 

“It was controlled !” Charlie scoffed, crossing her arms. “If Headmaster Turner didn't freak out, the auditorium wouldn’t have caught fire.”

“Who is this guy coming?” Krissy elbowed her. “Get to the good bits.”

“Look, so there was this kid prodigy named Dorian. A kid of my favorite horror movie director. They made their first horror short in their home, called ‘Don’t Look’ at like ten, and it got awards and stuff.” Charlie started. “I was inspired. They apparently made it all by themselves with their parents' old junk phone, wrote it, and starred in it. Their dad saw it and published it for them.”

“It was love at first blood smear, wasn’t it?” Alicia teased. 

“I’m ignoring that comment.” She waved her off. “I told my dad about them—in a professional way, of course. From one horror fanatic to another,” Charlie said, making Krissy, Alicia, and Claire all exchange skeptical looks. “And he reached out to their dad, and somehow they exchanged our emails. We’ve been talking ever since.” She breathed. “But I got too excited because I’m lame and I lied about this cool Halloween haunted house I was doing, and now they want to come, especially since their dad was shooting down here for his newest movie.”

“So now you have to come up with the coolest Halloween haunted house.” Krissy chuckled.

“...Can you please help me?” Charlie begged as they exchanged looks. 

“I’ll help you for twenty bucks!” Claire was the first to volunteer, raising her hand. 

“Twenty?” Charlie scoffed. “You have to help me, I’m your sister. We are blood.” 

“Blood doesn’t taste like Snickers ice cream.” Claire reasoned, crossing her arms.

“...” Charlie raised an eyebrow. “...Five bucks.” 

“Six. I want the five-pack.” Claire stated.

“...Fine.” She sighed.

“Sucker, I would have helped you for one Snickers Ice cream.” Claire beamed with pride, making Charlie shake her head. 

“We’ll help you with this, Dorian.” Krissy beamed. “I think we can pull together a very twisted Halloween haunt in three weeks.”

“Really?!” Charlie beamed.

“What are friends for?” Alicia agreed, and they all hugged each other. 

“Let me in!” Claire tried to join, but Charlie playfully shoved her away. 

"No way! You extortionist," Charlie scoffed as Claire's eyes welled up with tears. Charlie quickly relented, ending her teasing to let Claire into the hug.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Castiel’s POV - Halloween:

Castiel stepped into his old school, his gaze sweeping over the familiar buildings he’d almost forgotten. He smiled fondly, memories of the three of them flooding his mind. It was here he’d met Alfie, and there they’d eaten lunch. And oh, that’s where he first saw Dean.

“What are you thinking about, cupcake?” Dean’s voice made him turn. Castiel couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Austin in Dean’s arms, who looked adorable in their little dragon Halloween costume. Castiel let out a loving laugh. He pouted at Austin’s cuteness, then placed a hand on his heart as he took the little dragon from Dean.

“You look so cute, baby!” Castiel peppered Austin’s face with kisses as the child giggled. Castiel’s eyes then moved to Dean, who was dressed as a knight. “Hello, my Knight.” 

“My king.” Dean bowed his head before scooping Castiel close and kissing him.

“I’m not a—” Castiel started when Dean plopped a crown on his head. “I stand corrected.” Dean walked around to tie a cape around his neck. “And here I thought I was going to miss out on our matching outfits.”

“And have you miss out?” Dean scoffed. “We have been matching since the sixth grade, when you used to get the same type of Halloween costume as me, despite me trying not to make us match. I won’t let you miss one. It’s tradition.” 

“You guys are adorable!” Crowley’s voice made them turn to see Crowley being wheeled by Jack towards them. 

“How are you feeling, Dad?” Castiel asked. 

“I ain’t dead yet,” Crowley stated. Castiel shook his head affectionately. His father had a big fall after visiting Gadreel’s grave and slipped down the stone stairs, breaking his hip. It might not have helped that they were plastered for Gadreel’s birthday get-together. Though John and Crowley were laughing their asses off, Castiel had to get up and scold them the whole time they were loading him into the private ambulance like he was a silly teenager. “Excited about Charlotte’s haunted house?” 

“She’s been really, really dedicated to it,” Dean admitted. “She’s been working through the night.”

“I’m so excited to see what she was able to do.” Castiel laughed. “I’m sure it will be great.” 

“Hello, loves!” Balthazar’s voice announced, drawing their attention to Lee, Max, and a teenage girl he didn’t recognize. She appeared to be about fourteen, with long, wavy black hair pulled back by a headband. Her outfit—a skirt, a long sweater, knee-high socks, and sneakers—looked remarkably well put together for someone seeing a haunted house.

“Bats!” Castiel hummed happily as they kissed each other’s cheeks, everyone exchanging their happy hellos. Though admittedly, they saw each other often, seeing as Lee was his right-hand man and Max was soon to be Jack’s once he graduated. “And who is this?”

“This is Dorothy. She was hanging around the entrance, trying to find the haunted house.” Lee breathed softly, patting her shoulder. “We lead the way.” 

“I got a…little lost. My dad dropped me here to enjoy?” Dorothy admitted awkwardly, not used to English. She had a strong French accent, which made Castiel tilt his head in intrigue. However, Dean didn’t skip a beat, speaking to her in French. She lit up and started to speak back. If Dean had a tail, it would have been wagging. He loved speaking in foreign languages. He introduced everyone and made her feel more comfortable. 

“Ah, I see. Well. Let’s get you to that haunted house!” He chuckled. “She’s going to accompany us into the haunted house.” Dean hummed to everyone. “Come with us, sweetheart.” She moved to follow him. “If we hurry, we can be first in line.”

“Am I missing something?” Castiel asked, holding Austin close. “You got that smirk of yours that spells trouble.”

“I’ll explain later,” Dean stated. 

“I’m so excited.” Balthazar beamed at Lee. “This is going to be so much fun!”

“My love, you hate scary and gory stuff.” Lee reminded him.

“This is a kid’s haunted house. How bad can it be?” Balthazar scoffed. 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Castiel’s POV:

Castiel’s hand covered his mouth in stunned silence, his mouth hanging open at the intense, realistic gore— and the production value was incredible. Every room looked like a cute, normal haunted house, each classroom did, so the sudden shift to this bloodbath of horrors was almost a slap in the face. He wasn’t sure if he should be impressed or horrified watching a deadlier, more horrifying version of when he took out Roman’s eye. Dean quietly chewed on popcorn, shaking his head slightly and laughing as he watched Alicia fight Charlie with a fake box cutter until she slammed the blade into ‘Charlie’s eye,’ turning to the crowd and covering her eye as blood poured from the wound. Balthazar couldn’t take it, happily leading Austin away after the blood splashed during the fight scene got all over them, because he was about to be sick. 

“Where did she get the blood?” Dean questioned.

“Big Charlie.” Castiel sighed. “She’s been getting tons of orders lately from Big Charlie, and I was wondering why.”

“She is so getting suspended.” Dean chuckled with his mouth full of food. Watching Charlie fall to the floor, blood squirting from her eye, as she flailed. 

“She is surely getting expelled,” Castiel whispered. “...This is going to cost us so much money to keep her in school after this.” When he noticed Dean was recording it. “What are you doing? We can’t have evidence on this!”

“Just sending this to Roman.” Dean chuckled. 

“Twenty bucks says we are the first and last tour till it's shut down,” Castiel mumbled.

“Twenty bucks says we don’t even finish the tour.” Dean countered. 

“WHERE IS MY EYE?!” Charlie proclaimed loudly when Claire walked out of the stall in a bloody eye outfit, giggling as she walked over to Alicia, who took her hand. 

“YOUR EYE IS MINE!” Alicia screamed. “I SHALL TAKE IT WITH ME AND CURSE YOU TO FOREVER LOOK FOR YOUR EYE!” She pulled Claire away into a stall. 

“MY EYE!” Charlie called, moving a hand towards them. It was dramatic, blood pouring everywhere, it made her slightly slip trying to get up before collapsing into the blood, playing dead. Her face fell, facing them. “Have you seen my eye?” She called just as eyeballs came pouring out from the stall, rolling on the floor. Castiel stopped one with his foot, realizing they were made with plastic, red blood, and paint. Impressive. People screamed in horror, leaving quickly as the Headmaster Turner came in, flicking on the lights, making Charlie groan. 

“CHAROLETTE SARAH ANASTASIA NOVAK!” The Headmaster Turner stormed in. Making Castiel hand Dean a twenty. Charlie sat up from the floor just as the Headmaster Turner slipped on some blood. Dean reached a hand out, catching him with one hand before his mate owed him more money. Krissy and Miss. Amara came in right behind him.

“Krissy.” Charlie groaned as Krissy poked her head in. 

“I distracted him as long as I could.” Krissy laughed nervously as Miss. Amara glared at Krissy. 

“You’re—” Miss. Amara hissed. 

“—fired, I know.” Krissy breathed, and she shrugged like she expected it. “But for love? It was worth it.” Miss. Amara’s eyes fell onto Dean, who cleared her throat and smiled at him.

“Mr. Novak. Pleasure to see you here.” Miss. Amara hummed, lighting up, and Dean smiled politely. 

“Nice seeing you as well, Miss. Amara.” Dean turned away, not paying her much attention. 

“I-I’m sorry to hear about your separation. Please let me know if you need a delicate hand at this time. I can see what I can do for Charlotte’s punishment. It’s most likely just because of everything going on." Miss. Amara breathed as Castiel blinked, taken aback, slowly leaning out from Dean’s side so she could see him. “O-Oh, M-Mr. Novak.”

“Hi, Miss. Amara.” Castiel breathed before leaning back. “Honey, I didn’t know we were separating.” 

“News to me, too, cupcake,” Dean spoke with a sigh.

“Miss. Amara.” He chuckled. “How about you’ll be the first person we break our divorce to. He might need a delicate hand at the time; we’ll let you know.” Miss. Amara blushed, quietly turning to leave.

“ENOUGH! THE HAUNTED HOUSE IS CANCELLED!” The Headmaster Turner hissed. “I THOUGHT YOUR MOTHER WOULD BE THE DEATH OF ME WITH ALMOST BUTCHERING ROMAN AND HIS FRIENDS, BUT HE MIGHT HAVE COMPETITION NOW!” Castiel wince, realizing he was right, but HEY, at least this was fake violence.

“B-But wait! Y-You can’t cancel it!” Charlie choked getting up. “I-I’m waiting for someone I-I really care about to see it. Please don’t cancel it!” Tears filled her eyes as Dorothy blinked, smiling and blushing at the declaration.

“Rufus, old friend,” Crowley spoke, wheeling himself over as Charlie and Castiel turned to look at him. 

“Crowley.” Headmaster Turner turned. “Your bloodline is why I have high blood pressure.” 

“Why don’t we have a talk in your office while they clear everyone out? I’ll have professional cleaners come and clean this all up before the weekend ends.” Crowley spoke as Jack moved to push his grandfather. “Jack, when you are done helping me, can you run to the limo and get me my special bottle?” 

“Of course,” Jack nodded his head, helping him out of the room. 

“But—” Charlie tried to stop them, but Dean stepped in the way. 

“Charlie,” Dean spoke, holding Dorothy’s arms gently, bringing her closer. “I think I have someone to introduce you to.” Charlie blinked, taken aback, her eyes falling on dark brown eyes. “This is Dorothy Ann Baum.” Charlie stopped at the name. 

“Baum?” Charlie mumbled, taking in the teen in front of her. “....Dorian.” She took a step towards her. “ Dorothy Ann .” Dorothy smiled. 

“Charlotte.” Dorothy beamed with a loving smile. “ Charlie.” Castiel smiled fondly, seeing the girls blush. 

“D-Did you like…?” Charlie blushed, ushering to the blood. 

“No...” Dorothy blushed. “ ...I as you say… loved it.” The girls giggled happily. 

“Can we come out now?” Claire called from the stall. 

“Yes, baby,” Castiel called as his bloody eyeball, Claire, came out of the stall. “Careful, Claire…” He breathed, taking her hand. 

“Alicia, that was perfect!” Lee chuckled as his daughter followed her out. “Daddy Bats will be so proud of you…once he’s done throwing up.”

“Come on, girls. Let’s go shut down the haunted house, and then we can go home and order you guys a pizza, a horror movie, and root beer floats. How does that sound?” Dean offered as all the girls nodded happily. “Come on.” Castiel turned to his mate as they all walked out of the bathroom. 

“So you knew this whole time?” Castiel hummed. “That Dorian was Dorothy?” 

“I did,” Dean chuckled. “Luckily, we are incredibly wealthy, and I was able to get in touch with her father and arrange everything. He wanted his daughter to learn English from me, and naturally, through Charlie, I wanted Charlie to have a friend. So it worked out.” Dean shrugged. “He said he would drop her off at the front so she could spend the night, but when I realized he meant the south entrance, I went to find her and ran into you,” Dean added. “I thought I’d find her a friend.” Castiel glanced back at the two teens shyly talking and blushing. 

“I think you found her more than that,” Castiel whispered playfully, elbowing him before moving to collect Austin from Balthazar. “How are you feeling?” 

“Like shit,” Balthazar mumbled. 

“I was talking to the baby,” Castiel stated.

“He was fine. He laughed at my agony.” Balthazar mumbled as Lee pulled him close.

“The Novaks are taking the girls for a sleepover, so why don’t I take you out on a date?” Lee hummed. 

“To that Bistro, I like?” Balthazar whined. 

“You can still eat?” Lee chuckled as Balthazar buried his face into his neck. 

“Always.” He breathed. 

“We can bring back Max a pizza, let’s go.” Lee hummed. 

“You did so well, Alicia!” Balthazar moved to her, seeing the bloody plastic eyeballs still attached to her, he turned away. “Air kisses, bye!!!” The girls giggled. 

“Bye, dads!” Alicia called. 

“Come on, girls. Last one to the car is a rotten egg!” Dean playfully growled, making the girls laugh. Charlie happily took on the challenge; she took Dorothy’s hand and bolted out to the car. Alicia shook her head when Claire started to tug her to run with her. Krissy sighed softly, walking with Dean and Castiel, watching them go. “Come on, Krissy, you too.”

“I would love to, but I should get home,” Krissy stated. “Plus, I drove here, and my parents are expecting me back.” 

“Oh, bummer,” Castiel stated. “Charlie would have loved one last sleepover with you before you head off to college.”

“It’s okay, I think she’s too busy making googly eyes at Dorothy to notice one short.” Krissy teased.

“Oh well, can you give this to your dad for me?” Dean snickered when he plopped a toy eyeball in her hand. Krissy shrugged, laughing. 

“Will do, Mr. Novak.” Krissy saluted, walking towards her car when Castiel slapped his arm, making Dean crack up.

“You’re terrible.” Castiel scolded him. 

“I’m just giving it back.” Dean snickered when he got slapped again, earning a loud giggle from Austin. “Your mom is so violent.” 

“Shut up.” Castiel snorted. 

“You know, we are going to have to tell them the truth about that urban legend,” Dean whispered. 

“Let’s let the past be.” Castiel waved him off. “Besides, I think we’ll have wedding bells in our future to worry about.” 

“Love at first eyeball.” Dean breathed, earning a loving laugh as they walked towards the car.

The End.

Chapter Text

Castiel’s POV:

It was late, the sun dipping below the mountain pass. He had arrived a week early for work and was now preparing their second home for his family's visit. He rarely used the isolated mountain house; it was too large for one person and amplified his longing for his family. However, this visit was different. They were coming to support Claire's decision to return to ice skating.

Four winters ago, a nearly fatal fall through thin ice while ice skating with her friends had left the family shaken. Claire had been terrified to go back on the ice, having almost drowned. Her trauma was profound; she couldn't shower for a while and woke up crying every night. They had considered selling the house, in hopes of erasing the painful memories by keeping her away from lakes, but Claire had clung to a desperate hope to find the courage to return to the ice. 

After countless hours of therapy and the unwavering family’s support, Claire had finally asked to go to their winter home. Their goal, now, was to make this transition as smooth as possible for their little girl and support her in any way they could. And so, Castiel had come early to make the house a sanctuary, a place of hope, and to be there, ready to catch his little girl, should her courage leave her.

Castiel glanced over Claire’s room, which he had set up with balloons, all her favorite snacks, a whole new ice skating winter outfit, and fresh ice skates. He was debating whether it was helpful to hide her ice skating trophies and medals so there was no pressure, or better to show them for encouragement. 

He decided to move them to be safe after panicking over his choices for a moment, but a laugh made him turn. 

“You can leave them, Mom,” Claire spoke, making Castiel turn, hiding the medal in his hand. 

“Claire bear!” Castiel laughed nervously. “I didn’t realize you got here!” 

“I noticed.” She shook her head, amused, before walking over to her mom and hugging him. “Thanks, Mom. I appreciate the effort. I’m okay, though. I promise. I’m ready.” Castiel sighed tenderly, moving to hug her back. The only child of his that wasn’t a mountain. They were about the same height. Funnily enough, Claire was slightly shorter. This made Castiel always prefer to stand next to her in photos because his behemoth of a mate's height difference was comical. Standing next to the kids made Castiel look normal-sized compared to Dean. “Thanks, mom.” She smiled, giving him another hug in thanks for her gifts and love.

“Shit, Claire.” Dean’s voice made Castiel and Claire turn to look at him as he peeked in. “I forgot to tell your mother we’re here. Pretend you didn’t see anything...” He smiled shyly, realizing he’d blown it by spotting his mate. “Hey…Cupcake…we…we’re here.”

“Are you?” Castiel shook his head, crossing his arms.

“You… told me to let you know.” He smiled bigger, hoping to avoid a death sentence. When Dean was in trouble, his voice got a little higher, and he sounded much more sing-songy.

“Hmm.” The omega nodded slowly, playfully squinting at him. “I could have sworn I told you to tell me before you came in.”

“I-...I…um.” Dean cleared his throat before pulling flowers out from behind his back and showing them to Castiel. “I…got distracted with my gift for you.” Castiel smiled fondly at him. He moved to him happily, taking the flowers as his mate leaned down and kissed him. “Is this enough to earn your reprieve?”

“Only till dinner.” Castiel teased, earning a smirk as Dean buried his face in Castiel’s neck, wrapping his arms around him.

“Is that a promise?” Dean playfully growled into his ear, making Castiel laugh.

“Gross.” Claire made a face, throwing a pillow at her dad. “Enough PDA!”

“Hey.” Dean chuckled.

"Dad…wait, Mom!" Austin's voice, full of happiness realizing Castiel was there, made Castiel turn as his son bolted in. Castiel gasped, pulling him into a hug. At twelve years old, Austin was already taking after his massively tall father, surpassing both Castiel and his sister in height. He cupped his son’s face; he looked so much like his daddy, almost his spitting image. Castiel joked he had no part in Austin despite the long ass two-day labor for him. He had the same mannerisms and habits as Dean that made Castiel laugh, even down to the peacock hair and sweatpants. “I missed you!”

“I missed you too, baba.” Castiel nuzzled him. “Have you both been good for daddy?” 

“Yeah.” Austin sniffed, wiping his nose on his sleeve. 

“Come on, Auzzy,” Dean spoke. “Why don’t we get started on dinner?”

“And um…” Claire spoke shyly.  “I wanted to try to get some ice skating in.” She put her hand behind her back nervously. 

“Um.” Castiel hesitated, looking out the window.

They still had some sun left. 

But it was sunset.

Maybe an hour or so till night overcame them.

Dean must have noticed the fear and hesitancy in Castiel’s face as he froze because he softly placed his hands on Castiel’s arms.

“You had the ice checked, right? All thick and completely frozen for our little ice princess?” Dean asked soothingly, rubbing his arms as Castiel nodded. “Yeah, why don’t you and your mom head to the lake? We’ll call you when dinner is ready or before the sun completely sets. Whatever happens first.”

“Okay.” Claire nodded nervously.

“Come on, Claire.” Castiel gave Dean a thankful smile since he froze. Though he knew it was Claire who was the one going to have to overcome being back on the lake, it was Castiel, too. Almost losing his baby like that, he was also scared to let her out of his sight. He thought he would be okay when she was ready…but what if he wasn’t?

______________________________________________________________________________

Claire’s POV:

Ba-dump.

Ba-dump.

Ba-dump.

Ba-dump.

Claire stared down at the ice, sitting on the pier, looking down at the water. She was in the shallow end, her mother stood a bit away, wanting to give her a moment but still protectively there in case she needed him. Seeing as this was her big jump, and she was the one to ask to come. 

She had to do it. 

She would look so stupid bringing her family all the way to their winter home in Russia to do this. 

Especially since Daddy Dean took a month off his literal charity work to come here to support her.

Even Daddy Castiel left Jack in charge with Uncle Lee, Uncle Ash, and Grandpa, despite a very important family meeting coming up.

But what if she can’t?

She was shaking, she realized. 

Her nails were digging into the wood of the pier. 

She felt dizzy. 

Was she going to pass out?

Upon hearing a Russian voice call out to her mom, Claire turned to see a rusty 1977 red Ford F-150 truck, its engine rumbling softly, pull up to the worn wooden dock. Her gaze landed on a teenage girl, roughly her age, with bronze skin and her black windswept hair, in the back of the open truck bed. She was accompanied by what Claire presumed were her siblings—twin boys, possibly older or her age, their expressions mirroring a mixture of boredom and curiosity. They lounged casually in the truck bed, their limbs splayed out, and the teen met Claire's eyes with an unnervingly direct stare and a tender smile. She held something small and black, raising it slowly to point directly at Claire. The distinct click that followed made her realize it was a camera, and the girl had just taken her picture.

Claire blushed, turning her face away shyly. 

“Hello, Mr. Novak! Long time no see!” The woman driving spoke. 

"Hello, Jody," Castiel greeted in Russian. Her mother was becoming quite proficient in Russian, almost fluent, but still occasionally stumbled and resorted to runglish when he couldn’t. He then turned to Claire, a soft smile on his face. "Claire, this is Jody Mills, our groundskeeper. Jody and her family take care of the property when we're not here." Claire smiled and waved. "Those are her triplets: her boys, Knox and Koda, and her daughter, Kaia." Everyone gave Claire a friendly wave. "Everyone, this is my daughter, Claire." 

“Got yourself a little ice princess, do we?” Jody laughed affectionately, and Claire shyly blushed. “Is she just learning? Looks scared, poor little one.”

“No. No.” Castiel waved her off, continuing in Runglish. “She is a professional. Got the medals to prove it. She’s been competing since she was eight—!” 

“Mom,” Claire whispered, obviously embarrassed about her mother’s gushing. 

“Sorry, sorry.” He laughed. 

“We should be getting back.” Jody beamed. “It was nice meeting you, Claire.”

“Bye.” They both called as Kaia eyed her with a soft smile before glancing down at her camera when the car started, and they drove off. Claire’s eyes returned to the ice below her. It was only a slight drop; she could hop down…but she continued to stare at it. Her heart raced in her ear.

She could remember the sound of the ice breaking under her feet —the sudden loss of everything. She remembered her lungs burning, but the rest of her body was tingling numb from the cold. She remembered cursing when she fell in. She regretted screaming when it happened, losing all her oxygen so stupidly. Claire was only here because her dad had arrived to pick her up, and he saw the ice break under her. Diving straight after her with zero hesitation, he pulled her out. 

It's been four years since then.

Why was she still scared?!

She felt her mom touch her back with care, snapping her out of her thoughts.

“It’s not a race, Claire.” Castiel hummed tenderly. “Take your time. Even if we have to stay all night—.”

“—Mom, is it okay if we eat instead?” Claire asked as Castiel nodded. 

“Of course, Claire Bear. Let’s go.” Castiel spoke, helping her change her shoes and head inside. 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Claire’s POV - One week later: 

Claire sucked in a shaky breath, her gaze fixed on the lake. She had snuck out on her own to come and sit in this spot, her heart thumping a little faster than usual. It was early, too early, and she knew her mother had been hovering, desperate to be there for her. It wasn’t like she wasn’t grateful for the guardian angel; she just thought if she had just gotten a second to breathe, she would do it. She'd been here a week and hadn’t even touched the ice. She was starting to feel embarrassed, even if she had a good reason.

“Come on, Claire.” She whispered to herself, burying her face into her knees, trying to calm her panic. “Come on.”

"Can you do a flip, Snow Maiden?" A voice called out in Russian, making Claire turn. On the shore, in front of the pier, stood the teen girl from yesterday, holding her camera and gazing at Claire. Bundled up for winter, the girl smiled, pushing her hair out of her face. Claire blinked, taking a second to realize the girl was calling her Snegurochka, or Snow Maiden in English, the granddaughter of Grandfather Frost. Claire surmised this was due to her blonde hair and blue eyes, and that she was on ice. 

“Not the type you're thinking of,” Claire called back, making the girl laugh. “It’s not like a literal flip.”

“You uh…” The girl started in English. “Are…American? Right?” 

“Yeah.” She nodded as the girl walked over to her. 

“Do you ice skate in America?” She leaned on one of the support beams, sitting on it. 

“Used to.” Claire shrugged.

“In Russia, we actually…touch the ice with our skates. It must be different where you are from.” She teased.

“Ha ha.” Claire bit back, earning a giggle. “...You’re Kaia, right?” She nodded. “I’m Claire.”

“Claire the Snow Maiden…” She started. “...Tell me, Snow Maiden.” Kaia hummed. “I’ve been watching you for a bit over the last week…” 

“Stalker,” Claire mumbled, earning a laugh. 

“...and you never move from that spot.” She commented, making Claire’s smile fade. “What makes you so scared of your roots?” Claire chuckled sadly at the Snow Maiden jokes. Claire sat quietly, staring at her skates that dangled off the pier. Kaia was patient; she waited for an answer, and she never pushed. Claire almost felt she would have sat there forever if Claire needed her to.

“...I fell through the ice when I was twelve. Almost died.” Claire admitted, her voice barely a whisper. “It was a small birthday party on the lake. It was crowded. And…I didn’t really fit. The girls didn’t like me, but I didn’t really get that. I really wanted to believe they did. Little did I know she was forced to invite me to be fair... I went so happily. I regretted it almost instantly. They left me alone the majority of the night.” She licked her lips. “I just kept trying, though, hoping they eventually would include me.”

“Bitches.” Kaia breathed, making Claire laugh, holding her knees.

“...When we finally got to the lake, they completely ignored me and left to ice skate as a group.” Claire continued. “It really hit me then that they didn’t want me there. I went to the shore and called my dad to pick me up.” She rubbed her scalp with anxiety to mention it. “But I knew it was the last time we could skate till next winter. So I decided to just skate to keep my mind off things. I thought it would look less pathetic that way if I looked like I was just practicing.” 

“What did you tell your dad to pick you up?” Kaia asked.

“I don’t have to explain myself. My dad will pick me up drunk off my ass from a party I snuck off to just to make sure I got home safe.” Claire confessed. “I said, I want to go home and he said, ‘Say less.’ They both chuckled at that. “I don’t know if he ever realized why, maybe parents' intuition. I never told them. I just stopped hanging out with those girls.”

“If your dad came to pick you up, how did you fall in?” She asked softly.

“It was the last day of ice skating for the year. I wanted to lift my spirits and enjoy it. I totally missed the 'thin ice' warning sign,” Claire stated. “First, I was skating, practicing my layback spin… then…Suddenly, I wasn’t.” 

Claire tapped her fingers on her knees, trying to soothe herself. 

“I remember drowning. It felt like years until I lost consciousness, and it hurt the whole time…I remember waking up in the hospital next to my mom. He was a wreck…it was really bad for a while.” Claire cleared her throat. “I couldn’t shower for like six months. My mom eventually had me sit outside the tub and lean my head over while he sat in the tub washing my hair…” 

She sucked in air for a moment, feeling tears in her eyes. 

“I don’t know why I’m telling you this,” Claire admitted, sniffing into her sleeve. Kaia eyed her before showing her the camera in her hands. 

“This is my dad’s camera; he was a photographer.” Kaia started in Russian. “He died when I was about four. A drunk driver got him on his way home.” She glanced down tenderly at it. Claire could make out some damage to it; the button to click seemed to have been cracked at one point, missing some plastic. “I don’t really remember him, but…All I had was this camera. When I was younger, I stupidly dropped it down some stairs and cracked it. All the pictures have this weird discoloration like a bad filter job.” She eyed it. “...I could kick myself for not cherishing this better.” 

“You were a kid,” Claire reassured. “You didn’t know.”

“Yeah, I think you don’t realize things are really gone till you're older. Death isn’t…real till one day it hits you. That they won’t just walk in the door…even though you never realized you were waiting.”  Kaia mentioned. “My mom has offered to buy a better camera, but…this is all I have left, you know? My connection to him.”

“You are a photographer like him?” She smiled. “I think it's neat…” Claire paused, holding a hand out. “Can I see?”

“Yeah.” Kaia shrugged, handing it over. 

“Wow!” Claire gasped, "Kaia, these are beautiful." Claire admired Kaia's spontaneous photos, including one of herself on the dock, contemplating her ice skates as she tried to summon the courage to get on the ice. Despite Kaia's comment about the discolored rainbow hue and ultra-brightness resembling a bad filter, Claire thought it gave the photo a vintage and ethereal quality. "Have you ever submitted your photos to anything?" she asked. “These are gorgeous.” 

“Been too scared to,” Kaia admitted. “These are like a piece of my soul. To open my chest and let everyone peer in…I don’t know.” 

“...How about this?” Claire offered it back delicately. “If I can skate again, without fear, before I go back to America, you have to submit these.”

“Where?” Kaia laughed, taking back her camera. 

“I don’t know, figure it out. Somewhere, millions of people have to see it.” She spoke, holding out her pinky, and they slowly wrapped theirs together. “Deal?” 

“Deal.” Kaia hummed as she paused, noticing something over her shoulder. “Don’t look now, but someone is watching us from the balcony of your house with binoculars.” Claire turned to see her mother watching protectively, most likely forced to stay there by Daddy Dean’s insistence since she was making friends.

“That would be my mother.” Claire laughed. “Smile or he’ll really come out here.” They waved, friendly, earning a shy wave back from Castiel, realizing he got caught. 

“How long is he going to sit there?” Kaia asked.

“Till I do something, I assume,” Claire mumbled. 

“Then let’s do something.” Kaia jumped down the small drop to the ice, and she slipped slightly, catching herself before holding her hand out to Claire. 

“What if I fall in?” Claire hesitated.

“My mom tests the ice every single morning for you,” Kaia stated, her voice full of earnest care. “And besides, if there is some freak accident and you fall in again, I’m going with you.” Claire smiled tenderly at her, a profound warmth spreading through her chest. “Come on, I won’t let you do this alone.”

“Promise?” She whispered, her gaze searching Kaia’s.

“...Promise.” Kaia beamed, her eyes sparkling with unwavering loyalty. “Besides, I can’t let Father Frost’s granddaughter, the Snow Maiden, down. I still want presents this year.” Claire let out the most heartfelt laugh with affection and relief, before she eyed her tenderly, slowly taking her hand with her shaking ones, and for the first time in so long, stepped down onto the ice.

The End.

Chapter Text

Austin’s POV - Twenty:

He sighed softly, staring out the window of the venue they were in, lost in thought. He slightly jumped when a hand touched his arm, making him turn to see his mother standing there affectionately. 

“What are you thinking about?” Castiel’s soft voice made Austin smile.

“That this is real…” Austin chuckled, running his fingers through his hair. “That I’m mating my best friend.” Though they had physically mated a couple of months ago, the ceremony was to celebrate their union, much like his parents did, but he did the bite before the mating ceremony, whereas his parents did the paperwork to be legally mated, but still technically mating before the bite. 

“Well, it’s not like we are all surprised.” He hummed, patting his son’s chest. His mother was significantly shorter than he was, who ended up being almost the same height as his father. The only one out of his siblings to be noticeably ‘giant’ like his mother always said. His other siblings were of average height. With only Claire being on the shorter end and him being the tallest. “You’ve been calling him love since you learned to talk.”

Austin’s first words were ‘My love’, and Castiel happily took the blame.

Whenever he talked to his mate, he would end it with love.

‘Can you help me with breakfast, my love?’

‘I missed you while I was away, my love.’

‘My love, I can’t find my phone.’

So when Austin started to talk. It stuck. He talked to anyone; he always ended it with ‘my love.’

‘Help with dis, my love.’

‘Can I have um ice ceam, my love?’

‘I gotted in trouble, my love.’

It was cute, but when he called even teachers and strangers 'my love,' Castiel had to sit down and explain that Mommy called Daddy that because he loved him very, very, very much, and that only special people you love the most should be called that. So after explaining that to him, Austin only ever called Asher that. It was incredibly charming, despite Castiel's attempts to steer him away from the word to use with Asher since they were at such a young age. Austin never stopped, only shortening it to 'love' instead. 

So when the boys told them they were boyfriends when they were eight, it wasn’t that surprising. Even when it was just cute little kids just being kids. They never broke up, continuing their relationship up to Asher’s twentieth birthday, where he used his celebration to surprise Austin by asking him to mate him. 

Now they were here.

A knock on the door made them turn to see Dean cradling a baby to his chest. The cute baby’s cheek was pressed against his chest in sleep, squished so adorably that Castiel melted.

“Our little flower girl Ava is all dressed up and ready to go.” Dean cooed in his softest little voice. Castiel pushed up on his tippy toes to look at her, but Dean still had to noticeably bend over for the interaction to watch Grandma gush all over her. 

“She’s so tiny,” Castiel spoke with a hum. “I forgot babies were this tiny. It’s been a bit since I’ve seen a newborn.”  

“It must be nice to finally stand face to face with someone for a change, huh, cupcake.” Dean breathed, making Castiel slowly turn to him, looking at Dean's shit-eating grin.

“...You’re sleeping on the couch.” Castiel spat playfully, making Dean pout. “Where’s our other flower girl, Jessica? ” 

“With Daddy Jesse,” Dean spoke, rubbing the baby in the wrap on his chest. “She’s being a bit difficult; she’s been crying about her shoes because she wants to wear her pink light-up ones.”

“She loves the shoes Lee bought her.” He sighed. 

“That’s your genes,” Dean stated, making Castiel raise an eyebrow. “She reminds me of that kid I knew in sixth grade. Brat must run in the heir’s bloodline. Starting with you, then Jack, and of course, Jack and your heir, little Jessica.” 

“You are just asking to get your ass beat, old man.” Castiel laughed when Dean lovingly kissed him.

“Old man?” Dean snorted. “I’m not even fifty yet.” Dean fixed his glasses, which were a bit thicker nowadays due to his poor eyesight. 

“Mom, aren’t you a month older than Dad?” Austin chuckled as Dean winced, ducking out of this conversation. Most likely in an attempt to save his life.

“...I’m young in spirit.” Castiel gasped, offended. “And you never ask a mother if they are old.” He playfully slapped his arm, making Austin laugh. “Besides, omegas give birth to you giants, which knocks years off to make up for it so we look younger longer.” He scolded him. “I am forty years younger because I had four.” Dean affectionately shook his head, but Castiel didn’t notice. “This is our omega facts, you’ll know that when you have your first.” 

“I guess we’ll know about that in six months,” Austin mumbled, turning to look at himself in the mirror, making Castiel and Dean turn to him, a small smile on his face.

“Shut up.” Castiel gasped, looking at his stomach. Austin beamed from ear to ear. “Shut up!” 

“I’m four months along.” He laughed. “We wanted to tell our parents before we announced it tonight to everyone.” Castiel went to hug his son, and Austin slightly hugged him back while his mother touched his stomach. Though it was obvious his attention was on the baby. 

“Four months?!” He beamed. “Awe.” Castiel hummed tenderly, patting his stomach. “It’s too long a wait for Grandma to meet you!” He turned to Dean. “Dean, our baby is having a baby.” He moved to Dean, who softly hugged him. “We should—”

“No.” Dean hummed softly. “You have officially given over the empire to Jack; the last baby has left the nest. Now we can act like teenagers again. If we have another one, they won’t be out of the house till we are nearly seventy. Didn’t you want to retire and travel the world with me? Besides…” He leaned in, whispering. “Didn’t you want to see how well those foreign languages have trained my tongue?”

“...Yes, but…” Castiel chuckled, flirting back. “...Doesn’t mean we can’t try,” Dean smirked, playfully grabbing Castiel and nipping his ear, which made Castiel laugh. 

“Knock it off.” Austin playfully swatted his mom with a nearby pillow. “We aren’t going to be baby bump buddies! Off of him, hound dog.” He knew his parents were kidding, happy to enjoy the life of being grandparents. He swears they were tamer as parents, but now, with the last one out of the house, he had to spray them with a spray bottle to get them off each other.

A knock on the door made him turn to see Asher poking his head in before opening the door.

“What did I miss?” Asher hummed, moving to Austin, who kissed him. The height difference was apparent, though not as dramatic as his mom and dad; Asher was about 5’8” compared to Austin’s 6’2”. It was always a loop to say which one was the alpha and which one was the omega, just because they always assumed omegas were little, thin things. Though, like Castiel always says, never underestimate an omega. 

“I just told them the news.” Austin softly hugged his mate, who nuzzled into him. “You have the extra ultrasounds, right?” 

“Yeah, Dad cried seeing it.” Asher handed them to Castiel and Dean. 

“Which one?” Dean asked, glancing at the ultrasound.

“Aaron.” He stated when Castiel chuckled. 

“The family’s hitman crying wasn’t on my bingo card; I would have put my money on Alfie.” He cooed playfully. “I’m going to call him a little bitch.”

“You’re having twins?” Dean's deadpan mumbled voice in thought made Castiel’s eyes move towards the photo.

“No way!” He choked happily seeing two fetuses on the ultrasound. 

“They’re fraternal.” Austin hummed. Castiel lit up. “How many years do twins knock off my life?”

“You get one candle for your birthday this year.” Castiel gasped, moving to hug them both and kissing their cheeks. “How have you been hiding this?!”

“Baggier clothes and talking about how he stopped working out.” Asher laughed. “Luckily or unlucky for him, he had carpal tunnel surgery, so that was a good reason for him to stop.”

“When did you realize?!” He choked happily. “You must have seen signs! You literally suctioned to my hip last time you had a cold and were begging me to comfort you! How did you pull this off?!” 

“Well, it helped that we finally moved into our place.” Asher chuckled. “Now he just suctions to me, trying to infect me with the zombie virus.” 

“Shut up!” Austin snorted. “I’m sorry, I’m clingy when sick! I take after my mom, okay?” He laughed.

“I am so not clingy when sick.” Castiel gasped, offended, earning a raised eyebrow from his father.

“Might I counter—” Dean chuckled, but Castiel raised a finger.

“—counter that and you’ll permanently sleep on the couch.” He threatened playfully, earning Dean’s total support. 

“Castiel would never be clingy ever! Ever! That man doesn’t have a clingy bone in his body!” Dean caved, earning a laugh from Austin and Asher. “In fact, I’m offended for him—”

“I hate you.” Castiel shook his head, waving him off. Laughing his ass off at the possibly the worst delivery of a lie he has ever heard.

“What?” Dean laughed, holding his arms out like he didn’t understand. 

“You sell out,” Austin added. “You caved so easily.” 

“And I’d do it again, not because your mother is my sugar daddy,” Dean playfully threatened, earning a snort from Castiel. “Because somewhere in the world, there is someone who is getting closer to eating the rich, and I technically don’t qualify because I have no job, therefore I am poor.” 

“When I die, I’m leaving you everything.” Castiel hummed, putting his chin on his hand, making Dean gasp, offended. 

“Take that back!” Dean laughed. Castiel stuck out his tongue. 

“Congratulations, the guillotine will not spare you, my love!” He beamed from ear to ear. 

“No! My plan to be your sugar baby till the revolution made me fly too close to the Sun, and now you have fallen for me and left me everything?!” Dean snickered, shaking his fist. “Damn it, after all my efforts.” Austin shook his head affectionately. “Wasted.” Ava started to stir, stretching her arms as Castiel lovingly rubbed her back, trying to keep her calm. 

“Bad Grandpa, you woke up the baby,” Castiel whispered, scolding Dean, who stuck out his tongue. “Come on, my love. Let’s go check in on my heirs.” He turned to Asher. “Come on, you aren’t supposed to see your mate before the ceremony.”

“I’ll catch up.” Asher hummed. Castiel bowed his head, realizing they wanted a moment alone. Asher waited till they left the room before he turned to his mate. “Thank you.” 

“For what?” Austin asked innocently.

“I saw what you did with the seating arrangement.” Asher sighed affectionately. “My dad, Alfie, really appreciated the gesture, and I know our grandparents will too.” Austin smiled tenderly as he wrapped his arm around his shoulder, slightly leaning on him, nuzzling into him.

“I mean, how can I not honor the man you’re named after, especially since you’re taking my last name?” Austin laughed. “Asher Gadreel Angeles, soon to be Asher Gadreel Novak.” 

“Speaking of names,” Asher spoke, touching his stomach. “Have you decided on some girl names?”

“I want to name one of our children Sarah if they are a girl,” Austin stated. “In honor of my mom’s grandma, I never got to meet.”

“Funny, I was going to ask if you thought Amelia was a cute name.” He laughed.

“Your grandma?” Austin chuckled. “Man, we need to stay away from each other; we are too similar.” 

“I am mating my best friend, you can’t make me.” Asher scrunched his nose. “Now I’m going to go before I curse our bloodline by seeing you before the ceremony.” 

“Do you have to leave…so soon?” Austin hummed, pressing him into a loving, tempting kiss. “We’ll be quick about it.” 

“...God bless pregnancy lust,” Asher spoke happily, kissing him back.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Crowley’s POV:

“Is that the sorry sod John Winchester?” Crowley laughed as John turned his head, resting his weight on his walker. It was funny now to see them, older men, almost eighty. Mary held John’s arm tenderly, smiling as she saw Crowley. 

“You ain’t dead yet, old man?” John chuckled in Russian, his eyes shifting to Crowley, who was being wheeled in by Charlie.

“Last I checked,” Crowley snorted. “I’ll let you know if that changes.”

His eyes moved to Mary, who was slightly hunched with age and a slight shake in her hand, but despite that, she didn’t need help to get around and was still John’s primary caretaker, even though they lived in an in-law house on the Novak property not far from Crowley. Not too far from the cemetery either, since they still visited regularly.

Dean and Castiel had a selection of properties once they handed over the home to Jack, Jesse, and their growing family. They chose a large one next door to the cemetery, where most of The Family’s most cherished members were buried. That included people he loved like Gadreel and Sarah.

However, it did not include Crowley’s own father, Azazel, who, much like Chuck, was now in a place they belonged. Cremated, placed into cement to preserve their memory forever, and laid to rest somewhere he knew they would cherish forever — in a local cow farm’s cement floor. So they can be shit on for the rest of their lives. Ha! 

Crowley still laughed, imagining his father stuck with his once most cherished prodigy, stuck together forever covered in shit. 

Sure, he could have taken the high road, but if he was meant to do that, God would have made him as tall as John.

“Mary, beautiful as always!” Crowley took her hand and kissed it. She bowed her head respectfully.

“You old flirt.” She hummed, Crowley offering his arm to her, and Mary happily took it. Charlie pushed her grandpa towards the pew, overtaking John.

“Crow, you stay away from my woman,” John called playfully, still moving towards his seat. “I’ll kick your ass.” 

“You’ll have to catch me first, old man!” Crowley chuckled.

“Hello, my little Autumn,” Mary whispered to Charlotte, who smiled. “Where’s your other half?”

“Hi, Grannie.” Charlie beamed, speaking Runglish. “She’s parking the car.” 

“Hey, Charlie.” Alfie’s voice made her stop. “Mind if I take over?” Charlie shrugged, leaning in to kiss her grandparents’ cheeks before moving to go wait for her partner at the door. “Hi, grandpa.” 

“Alfie! Is that you!” Crowley laughed as Alfie smiled. “What are you doing fussing over me when your son’s getting married?”

“Aaron and I wanted to help you to your seats,” Alfie stated as Aaron moved to help John move to his.

“Did you want a wheelchair? Dean made sure to bring one just in case.” Aaron spoke softly to John.

“I’m a little slow, but I’m catching up,” John called, making Crowley glance back. He had been having a harder time getting around, but he was too stubborn to actually do anything about it. The most he was able to accept was the walker, but soon he would actually have to give up and need to be wheeled around, which was why Crowley used his wheelchair around John, though he could most likely get around still very well with a cane or, worst case, a walker. He was doing this for John, so he couldn't see it as a defeat, but rather as a normal part of life. Especially with Crowley’s hip issues and John’s slight physical disabilities from being shot all those years ago. 

“John, if you get in the wheelchair, I can have Charlie roll us down the hills later,” Crowley called back.

“I don’t need a damn wheelchair, I’m not a hot wheel,” John grunted, already looking like he needed to sit down. He hid his pain, but it was always so obvious. A walker wasn’t cutting it anymore.

“It’s okay to admit you’re scared you’re too old to have fun.” Crowley hummed. 

“...” John glared at him slowly. “Get me that damn chair so I can hit him with it.” Aaron moved to get the chair, helping him into it. Mary gave Crowley a kind smile in thanks. Alfie and Aaron wheeled them towards their seats up front when Crowley’s eyes fell onto a picture of Gadreel smiling from one of their old photos with a loving sign that said ‘reserved for the Angeles family’. Crowley and John exchanged looks for a moment before they broke out in the loudest laughter. “What the shit?! Shut the fuck up, Abel. The Angeles family?! Please. Get that shit out of here! Fucking, Abel!” 

“Doesn’t he know they are taking my last name?! It should say ‘Novak Family’.” Crowley snorted before elbowing John. “Your bloodline already fell in line.”

“Hey, now. I tried to get Dean to change his mind, told him all Novaks have a height cap of 3 feet.” John chuckled. “Therefore, he needed to keep my last name.

“Eat me,” Crowley spoke. “I’m not that short!”

“You mean tall?” John snorted.

“You say that, but no one is carrying your family name,” he countered smugly.

“You forget my second, Sam,” he breathed, gesturing to Sam, who was talking to his mate, Gabriel, holding his toddler on the pew behind him. Though, as Mary wanted, Sam had stayed away from the Russian Mafia life as he grew up—the very opposite of his brother, who mated The Family Boss. Sam went to school and became a lawyer; only then did Sam tiptoe into the life. Much like Balthazar, who danced in it but never crossed it. He became an intern for The Family’s lawyer, and when The Family’s lawyer retired, he took over. Around the same time, Bobby’s nephew, a Beta Gabriel, was taking over as The Family doctor when Bobby did the same.

Now they had their son, Adam, via adoption.

Living their lives safely, toeing the line, and were able to keep close to their family.

“There’s no way that one is yours. He’s too smart.” Crow smirked. “Mary did that one all on her own.” Mary giggled at that, and John raised an eyebrow.

“...You’re right.” John sighed playfully.  “...and I’m mad about it.”

John and Crowley’s wheelchairs were parked next to each other beside the pew, both men laughing their asses off as Crowley grabbed for the photo of Gadreel. It was bittersweet that the men looked at their picture of their old friend. One that they would never get to see grow old, a time robbed from them that they both wished they could have. Though the older Alfie got, the more he looked so much like his father that Crowley could believe the universe was giving him Gadreel back. “An ego even in death that we’d all take his last name and we’d be the Angeles family.”

“He’s right about one thing,” John breathed, making Crowley turn. “We did become a family.” Crowley gave him a soft smile. 

“We always were.” He sighed sadly, glancing down at Gadreel, who was forever twenty-three. “Our grandkids just made the world realize it, too.” They exchanged tender looks before Crowley softly placed the photo on the armrest of John and his wheelchair so he could sit with them. Tears in their eyes as they held the photo together, wanting to live this moment together as three, like it was always supposed to be.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Austin’s POV:

Dean stood by the main doors, ready to walk his son down the aisle. He watched him for a minute, struggling with his tie, fiddling with it nervously. 

He felt it. 

His forever was beginning.

He was nauseous, he felt like he was going to throw up. Wondering if he should try to make himself throw up when his father softly took his hand, pressing against a small point in his wrist, making Austin stand up. 

“Your mom was really nauseous when he had you.” Dean breathed softly. “He always felt better when I did this.” Austin sighed in relief, almost feeling it instantly. 

“Thank you, Dad.” Austin breathed when his father kissed his forehead before they hugged. “As happy as I am, I’m so scared, I’m about to be a mother.” He smiled nervously. “How did you feel when mom said you were going to be a dad?”

“I was so happy,” Dean admitted. “Once the happiness wasn’t so in my face, I really sat in silence in our bedroom holding your mother just thinking if I would be a good one.”

“And how did you overcome it?” Austin asked. 

“I didn’t. I woke up every day deciding to be a good one.” He stated. “It’s always conscious choices. The fear never goes away; you just prove it wrong every morning you wake up till the moment you close your eyes at night. And hope it comes true. Even now, I hope I was a good one.”

“If it makes you feel better.” Austin sighed affectionately. “You were a great one.” Dean hugged him again for a moment. Tears in both their eyes as Dean pulled back, wiping his tears.

“You’ll be great, kid.” Dean breathed before squeezing him close again when the music started, saying their time had come to walk down the aisle. “Ready?” Dean offered Austin his arm as Austin sucked in air before nodding and taking it. The doors opened, and he walked towards his mate, happy to enjoy their future and their family.

The end.