Epilogue

 

DEAN walked through the small house, pausing as he had years ago to lay his hand on the shoulder of his sister, to reach out to his nephew all grown up now with his youngest kid in his arms. The house was full, people coming and going, stopping to talk to the man propped up on the bed that had been brought out into the living room to sit by the bay windows.

The colors were so vivid now, not like when he’d left this world. Only now he understood that he’d really only been a hiccup, an echo of himself. Not anymore; moving on had helped Dean find himself again, all the scattered pieces had come together. And now, after so long, he would see Andrei again.

Sunlight gleamed on Andrei’s silver hair, and his nose had become even more crooked and battered over the years. His face was creased, his eyes were even more deep set than before, and his eyebrows had become entirely unmanageable, standing out like hedgerows on his forehead. He looked older than his years, the energy he’d lost by touching him and Ileana had never been fully recovered. Still, he had the power to make Dean’s heart flutter, and anticipation coiled in his stomach. Andrei’s eyes were closed, his breathing deep and even. Dean wanted to run to him and at the same time nerves held him back.

What if Andrei didn’t still feel the same way about him?

It had been so long, and Andrei had filled his life up more than Dean could have imagined. He might not have fallen in love again, not like he had with Dean, but he kept his promise and lived life. The evidence of that stood with all the people in the room. All those kids he’d rescued and who had become part of his makeshift family. It was patently clear how much Andrei was loved.

A woman had her chair pulled up beside Andrei’s bed, and she twisted around as Dean moved closer. Her gray eyes widened in recognition as she looked right at him instead of through him like everyone else in the room had.

“Oh my God, it’s you,” she whispered, her hand coming to her mouth. “Mr. Dean.”

Dean looked closer at her—the short cap of dark brown curls over a well-shaped head, the smooth light brown skin that crinkled at the corners of her eyes—and he couldn’t place her until he looked into her eyes again. “Inez.” He grinned and came closer, stopping by her chair. She had a pretty plumpness about her, and her stomach was gently rounded with her unborn baby.

Inez looked between him and Andrei, her eyes darkened with tears. “I never had a chance to thank you.”

“They were never needed.” Dean touched her shoulder, and she brushed her trembling fingertips over his hand. “You look good, Inez. Seeing you all grown up wow, it’s unbelievable. I’m glad Andrei stuck around with you.”

Inez bit her lip and leaned toward the bed. “He’s been so tired, and he still wouldn’t stop fighting. If it’s not one thing plaguing him, it’s another.”

Dean looked at Andrei, who started to stir with a sigh, and Dean’s heart and stomach began flipping again. “I don’t think he knows how. He’s not a quitter.”

“You’ve come for him, haven’t you?” Tears spilled out of her eyes as Dean nodded. “Well you take good care of him, then, promise me.”

“I will.”

Inez stood, leaned over, and kissed Andrei’s brow before gently tucking the blankets around him. She looked one last time at Dean, searching his face before moving off. He swallowed hard and came to stand by the bed as Andrei stirred again. His eyes opened and he looked around in confusion before focusing on Dean.

Their gazes met and a jolt zipped through Dean. Nope, his feelings for Andrei had not faded. All sense of sound and movement about the room disappeared, and Dean’s heart stopped as he waited for a response from Andrei.

“Oh how I’ve missed you, iubito,” Andrei breathed, his dark eyes lighting up as he stared at Dean in wonder.

Dean’s eyes stung, though he didn’t bother trying to blink it away, not when there was a similar wetness to Andrei’s eyes. He sat on the edge of the bed, cupped Andrei’s cheek, and leaned forward, touching his forehead to his partner’s.

“You’re looking good there, babe.”

Andrei’s body jolted with a wracked, suppressed laugh. “Beautiful liar.”

“You were wrong about not being a good father. I knew it. Just look at all these kids grown up and safe,” Dean whispered and brushed his lips over Andrei’s. His chest ached and his throat tightened at his Andrei’s nearness. So long, but they didn’t have to be apart anymore.

“I did pretty okay, didn’t I?” Andrei stirred and struggled to lift his head enough to look around at them. Dean sat on the bed and supported him. “They’re not mine, at least not that way. You could say we all unofficially adopted each other. I just listened to them when they needed it.” He stared up intently at Dean and slid his fingers into Dean’s hair.

“You know, every time you talked about a case, I heard, I listened,” Dean whispered.

“And I felt you,” Andrei said. “It kept me going during the times when it seemed like there were more monsters than angels. I looked at the stars and thought of you. How’s Ileana?”

“She’s waiting with Cougar to say hi.” Dean pressed another kiss to Andrei’s lips and then rose. Andrei’s eyes closed and his breath came out in a sigh of surrender. Dean held out his hand to Andrei and a tremor raced through his body as his heart started flipping. “Are you ready?”

A younger hand reached out to his and laced their fingers together as Andrei’s spirit rose. A brilliant smile crossed his lips as he turned toward the doorway. “Always, iubito.”