Author's Note: Well, guys, this is it. The final chapter! (: I always get really sad when I finish a fic, and I'll miss uploading this every Tuesday and Friday!

Okay, well before I start my mini speech, it's time for the last ever WALL OF FAME! All of my love and hugs to these absolutely beautiful people: candybracelets, Rarrrrd (thank you~! Yes, I had heaps of fun writing this, haha), BekaForEver, becca65d, UkeyBear85, MadWithMusic (I'm glad!), LoryLily, BananaPudding (sorry, but it must end! I'm glad this is your first Destiel fic, though!), sofia-sama (aw, thank you!), Netflix-6-6-6, steelvenommum, Emlii, missiontothestars, a guest (yes, definitely!), Hell-homeofintegrity (thank you very much!), MissMarie27 (aww, thanks!), fortheloveofOTPs, NCISRoTGPJTMNTGRRATAT39CGAFAN, thesassytardis, FreeSpirit18, xBeautifullyxxShatteredx, CanadaLover008764, Kaili Hardman, ElkeCQuinn, Chazza92, fluffy-CrazyCatLady-whovian, xToastedZelda, Gustin azza, tii-chan17, MarilynNovak (aw, thanks so much!), soulfert (maybe, if I ever write a sequel!), more-profound-bond (thanks! I'm glad you liked it!), another guest, Laurel Waller (thank you!), WingsStarsAndSky (maybe one day!), The Miss America, Lili Lina, Ninaxoxo, Toki Asamia (I'm not, don't worry!), MusicChannySkyscraper, and Bakeddd Alaska!

Thank you guys, for all your support throughout the thirty nine chapters. I never expected that you guys would react like you did, and I'm really glad that you have enjoyed it. (: I really loved writing this, and all of your lovely words made it so much better. I'd also like to just say a HUGE thanks to those of your who have supported me right from the beginning, and I do recognise all of your usernames, haha, so I know who you are. (:

I am planning on writing more Destiel fics, and maybe even a cute Christmas one-shot, if I get the time. So, yeah, keep an eye out, if you want. (: HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you all, and, hopefully, I'll see you all again! Enjoy this chapter, you lovely people you!

~Rainbow Fruit Loop xxx

~Praying for Redemption~
Chapter Thirty Nine.

"You're so beautiful, Cas." Dean whispered quietly, pressing soft kisses up Cas's shoulders, his neck, the side of his face. "So beautiful. I missed you so much. I can't believe that you're here again, after all this time."

Cas kept his eyes closed, feigning slumber. It was eight o'clock in the morning, and Cas could honestly say that he had never had a better night's sleep. Sure, his shoulders were a little stiff from not moving all night, but that was a small sacrifice to pay for the happiness he felt to be warm in Dean's arms.

Dean had woken up a few minutes before Cas, it seemed, and his gentle kisses had brought Cas from his vibrant dream world - no longer nightmares coloured in all the dreary sepia tones of grief. But Cas hadn't let Dean know that he was awake, not yet. It seemed as though people poured their hearts out when they thought their partners were asleep, and Cas wanted to hear what Dean had to say to him.

"Life wasn't worth living without you here. It sounds kind of dumb, I know, but you make my life so much happier. It's strange, though… When you left, we'd only been together for little over a month." Dean stopped talking for a second, pondering, and Cas focused on the feeling of his rough fingers grazing against his skin.

"A month isn't long at all, Cas. But I fell in love with you so quickly. I know that you probably wouldn't ever believe me, because I didn't say it back when you said it for the first time, but… I don't know. I was just scared. Scared, I suppose, that I had fallen in love with you so quickly, because that's not what I do."

Cas felt Dean's lips press softly to his temple, and then felt the whisper of his content exhale ghosting against his cheeks. Cas knew that Dean would be too shy to say all of this now if he knew Cas was awake, and so Cas cherished the moment, storing all of the emotions up inside him until he thought he would burst with happiness.

"You mean more to me than anything in the world. I can't-" Steady breath out. "I don't think I'll ever be able to convince you just how much I love you. I don't even know how to try. And that… well, it terrifies me, Cas. But you're worth all the fear and uncertainty. Because you make me feel just… right. You make me feel right."

Cas could feel his heart clenching painfully in his chest at Dean's affectionate words. He'd never had anyone in his life talk to him like Dean did; with such fondness and joy and love. Dean was one in a million, and Cas was never letting him go again.

Dean's fingers traced down Cas's face, brushing across his temples and down his cheeks, before resting lightly across his parted lips. "What am I going to do with you, huh?" There was laughter in Dean's careful murmurs, and Cas decided that it was time to wake up.

Cas made a low mumbling sound, and snuggled into Dean a little bit further; alerting him off his awakened state. After a few more seconds, he opened his eyes slowly; blinking at the subdued golden sunlight streaming though the crack in the curtains.

"Oh, hey there, sleepyhead." Dean smiled brightly, his eyes all crinkly and warm and gorgeous. "You sleep well?"

Cas smiled back, blinking heavily, his eyes not yet adapted to the intense light. He reached across the bed to press a kiss to Dean's scratchy, stubble-covered jaw. "Good morning, Dean. I did sleep well, thank you. Did you?"

Dean grinned, his face all boyish and cute, and Cas couldn't help but to kiss him again; on the nose, this time. "Yeah, I did. I was very warm. Life was, uh, it was very cold and empty without you."

"I know. It was just as hard without you. But I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere, I promise." Cas said sincerely. He wouldn't be going anywhere for the rest of his life, if he had a say in it.

After a few minutes of quiet thoughts, Cas sat up; running a hand through his hair and stretching extravagantly. "What are you making for breakfast?"

Dean raised an amused eyebrow, and chuckled under his breath. "Oh, what am I making, you ask? What are you making? I think you need a bit more practise with the waffle-maker, or perhaps even the toaster. The one here has four different settings, and you're out of practise."

Cas smirked, and leant forwards to press his lips against Dean's, lingering there for a second. "I can assure you, Dean, that, in my time away from this apartment, I did not lose my knowledge of basic kitchen equipment. I am still perfectly capable of using a toaster." he murmured, his voice husky. "Even the waffle-maker holds no threat."

"Well, you're sure cocky, aren't you?" Dean replied in an equally throaty voice - a voice that did nothing but send pleasant shivers down Cas's spine. And, god, it had been so long since he had simply exulted in the deep baritones of Dean's heavenly voice. "We'll have to see just how good you are."

"We will, yes." Cas agreed, completely enchanted by the way Dean's pretty pink lips were moving so close to his own. "But not now. I want to do something else now."

And then Dean's lips were on his own, rough and hot and desperate, and Cas was kissing back with every ounce of strength he had, because it had been far too long since they had kissed like this; violent and hot-blooded and carnal, like animals during mating season.

Dean's rough hands were tracing the lines of his body, curving around his hipbones and pressing against his stomach, his long fingers full of teasing promise. His lips were leaving hot, heady trails down Cas's long neck, across the hard ridges of his collarbones, up to his jaw line. The feel of Dean moving against him was a sensation that Cas had been dreaming about too much in their time apart, and the touch was making his toes curl with a potent desire.

Cas's hands were tightly fisted in Dean's mussed-up hair; holding on with all of his strength because he never wanted to let go. Dean was licking trails up his chest that made him dizzy with hunger, and Cas couldn't believe that he had forgotten just how good it all felt.

Eventually, Dean's lips made it back up to Cas's, and Cas connected them eagerly; sighing in content as Dean's tongue licked across his lips; asking for entry in the gentle way that only he could manage. Cas parted his lips willingly, and their tongues tangled instinctively; dancing and fighting in a mess of quiet murmurs and soft moans.

"I love you, Cas." Dean murmured in between light kisses. "So much." His voice was hoarse and broken; like he was overcome with the sort of happiness that made him want to cry.

"I love you too," Cas promised, stroking his fingers down the side of Dean's face and across his jaw until they settled at the base of his throat. "And I will never stop."

Forty five minutes later, the two men finally managed to drag themselves away from their bed in order to start making some sort of long-deserved breakfast-come-lunch.

"What do you feel like?" Dean asked, rummaging through the pantry. "Sweet or savoury? We can make pancakes - chocolate chip pancakes," Dean sent Cas a knowing smile, and Cas returned it easily, "or French toast, or… scrambled eggs. Whatever you want."

Cas considered his answer for a second, and was just about to reply, when the rattling of the door handle and the faint jingling sound of keys at the door alerted both boys that someone was coming into the apartment.

"Oh, that'll be Sam!" Dean enthused, his eyes bright and excited. "He went out last night, obviously, but I completely forgot about him. He'll be so surprised to see you here!"

Cas smiled knowingly to himself, and watched as Sam hesitantly pushed the door open, probably scared that he would see something mind-scarring.

"Oh, hey guys." Sam said casually, walking over to throw his keys down on the kitchen bench. "Making breakfast?" he indicated to the wide-open pantry and the frying pan that Dean had got out. "Can you make some for me too? I'm starving."

"Hello, Sam." Cas greeted, smiling at his friend. "We haven't decided what to make yet, do you have any preferences?"

"Uh, I don't know. Waffles?" Sam suggested, shrugging. "I-"

"No, wait just a second." Dean interjected, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He looked at Sam suspiciously. "Sam, it's Cas! Cas. He's come back home! Why are you not more surprised? Why are you not confused as hell?" he demanded, narrowing his eyes as Cas smirked.

Sam chuckled, his eyes amused. "Oh, you didn't tell him, Cas?"

Cas shook his head, and Dean jumped to interrupt again. "Tell me what? Why do you two know something I don't?"

"I bumped into Sam yesterday afternoon." Cas explained, unable to keep the smile off his face. "Seeing him kind of… made me realise how pointless it was to be away from you, when I was so sad, and being with you made me so happy. He made me realise that you were hurting just as much as I was, and that… well, that convinced me that coming back was the right thing to do."

"Son of a bitch." Dean cursed lightly, his eyes soft. "I bet you had it all planned, didn't you, Sammy? I don't think I'll ever be able to complain about you again." he joked, casting Sam a thankful look.

Sam laughed. "What, you didn't think it was weird when I told you I was going out last night? You didn't suspect anything at all? You know I never left you alone in the evenings."

Dean shrugged, suddenly self-conscious and awkward. "I don't know, I just thought you were moving on, you know, getting sick of hanging out with me; the sad, drunken brother."

Sam's eyes turned soft, and Cas felt uncomfortable; like he was intruding on a personal, brotherly moment that he had no place in. But then he remembered that these two men were his family now, and the thought made him burst with happiness.

"I would never get sick of you, Dean. You will always come first." Sam said, his face soft. "Don't you worry. Cas and I will always be here for you, won't we, Cas?"

Cas nodded, because there was nothing that could come between him and Dean anymore. He and Dean might not be able to drown their demons on their own, but together? They were unstoppable.

Dean smiled. "Thank you. Now, how about we start making breakfast, hey? You're probably starving, right Cas? Or maybe not, since you're a famous novelist now, and can probably afford freaking caviar or something." He chuckled to himself, and Cas felt a flicker of pride swell out from him at the mention of his book.

"I'm hungry, yes." Cas said in confirmation. "It's been a long month, for everyone, I think."

Dean nodded. "Okay, cool. Well, Sam's chosen waffles, do we have anymore suggestions?" At Cas and Sam's silence, Dean shrugged. "Well, waffles it is then. You'll have to show off your fancy-ass skills, huh, Cas?"

Cas nodded.

And, after much teasing from all three men, the slightly-burnt waffles were soon produced, and it didn't matter that it was almost lunch time and Cas was still in his pyjamas, or that it was blowing a gale outside that surely promised a power cut, or that they had almost run out of milk and would have to go down to the shops in the rain, because Cas was just… happy.

Achingly, beautifully, terrifyingly happy, and he knew he would be for a very long time.

~The End~