Neon Lights

Chapter 62 - I'm Yours

•Castiel's POV•
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February 14, 1969
Valentine's Day
8:09 p.m.
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Dean pulled into a spot in the beach parking lot and led me down below the Carnival Pier. All the neon lights from the carnival flashed through the boards on the pier above our heads, and the waves crashed mightily against the shore. The sound was a nice mix with the fair march that came from the ferris wheel.

"Why are we below the carnival?" I asked quietly, "Shouldn't we be up there?"

"We'll go up there soon. I just wanna spend some quiet time first," he declared, "But I will go buy us cotton candy. Wait here."

Before I could protest, he was already gone. Whatever the Hell he's planning to do, he's doing a very good job of not revealing it. I sat down with a sigh, leaning against a giant support beam and watching the moon rise over the ocean.

It's funny - this beach is where our love began, and we keep coming back here again and again and again, like waves on the seashore.

I closed my eyes and just listened - the gentle slap of the waves, the distant cry of seagulls up in the air, the carnival music, the laughs and happy sounds of people enjoying themselves on rides above my head...it's all so big, so much going on at once.

And then there's me.

I'm still. Everything is calm, quiet, collected, in my world. The one sound I make is the gentle breaths I exhale into the cool night air.

I heard footsteps, and I turned to see Dean padding up to me holding two pink cotton candies. I stood up and took the one he handed to me.

As I went to take a bite, I noticed something: the neon lights from the carnival that shone down hit something shiny that was lodged in my cotton candy and reflected off it.

I brought up a hand and pulled the small rotund object out. "That's curious. It's a ring," I observed, not yet looking at Dean, "Maybe you should go back. The lady at the cotton candy stand must've accidentally dropped this...into..."

I trailed off as I looked up at Dean. My throat clamped shut. My knees felt weak. I dropped my cotton candy in the sand the moment I saw him...

On one knee.

Dean smiled up at me shyly, "I may have put New York tickets in it, but that ring box did have to come from somewhere."

I was frozen solid. I felt like a sculpture made out of metal. Is he...? He can't be! No. This isn't happening. Is it? Dear God if it is I'll faint.

"Cas, I know we're only 19. Hell, you're not even 19 yet, and I know it's not legal. I also know we've only really known each other for a little over a year," Dean continued, "But Cas, you are the most important person in my life and the best thing that has ever happened to me. I can't afford to lose you, so this is just to make sure you don't go prancing off to some other dapper young fellow before I have the chance to truly bind you to me."

I physically could not move a muscle. I couldn't blink, I couldn't swallow, I couldn't even breathe.

"I have faith that someday, somewhere, it'll be legal," Dean said defiantly, "So this is a promise that when that day comes, I'll ask you again. For real."

If he says one more goddamn word, I will faint. Guaranteed.

"So, Castiel Novak," Dean breathed in deeply before looking up at me, sure and steady, "Will you, someday, marry me?"

Am I supposed to respond? What do I do? I started to panic. I can't move, I can't speak...I'm so in shock I can't even change my facial expression. I can't even cry!