A Summer Song

*~Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Dark Angel or Supernatural characters. This is a one shot from my Horseshoes and Hand Grenade Verse. I hope you like it. Reviews would be great.~*

Winchester, CT

July 3rd

Dean stood at the back of the Impala with the trunk open. He was attempting to load the many bags of luggage that his wife insisted they needed to take with them. Why they need so much shit to take with them for a few days at the beach he had no damn clue. Then again, Dean was used to having to fit his entire life into one duffel bag. Lexi on the other hand, seemed to think they needed to pack the whole damn house to take on vacation with them. "Lex," he called waving her over, "you sure we need all this for Stella?"

Lexi walked over peered into the trunk and then back up to her husband, "Yes. We need the pack and play for her to sleep in and we need the stroller. Those two bags are hers. That has all her clothes, the other has diapers, wipes, bottles, my breast pump, baby powder..."

"Well, is there anything else we can leave behind or combine some of these bags? It's not all gonna fit sweetheart."

"Not really, Dean. We have four kids now." Lexi pointed to each bag rattling off who it belonged to and what was in it. "We pretty much need to bring it all. I already had Alec go through his things so he only has the essentials."

Sam walked over smacking his older brother on the shoulder. He peered down at the mountain of bags and smirked, "Not so fun having a child army, uh Dean?"

"Shut up, Sammy."

"Me and Jackie can take some of these bags. We have plenty of room in our truck. We can even take Ben and Alec if you want us to."

"Thanks Sammy. You take some of these bags and we'll keep the boys."

"Whatever you wanna do Dean. How long of a drive is it from here to Cape May?"

"About four and a half hours."

"You're gonna wish we took the boys once you hit the two hour mark."

"Sammy SHUT UP."

Cape May, NJ

Dean stared up at the pink and white Victorian mansion pulling a face. He should've known by the name of the bed and breakfast, Angel of the Sea, that it was an overpriced frilly hotel. He looked over at his wife eyebrow raised, "Really, Lex? Dontcha think this a little too I dunno stuffy for us?"

"No. It's fine. It's close to the beach and the price includes a gourmet breakfast, afternoon tea and sweets and evening wine and cheese."

Dean rubbed his chin trying hard not to pull a face. This place was so out of his comfort zone it wasn't funny. Last time he stayed at a place like this him and Sam were on a good old salt and burn. He would've much preferred staying at the motor lodge down the street. "Uh huh. And that doesn't sound like something little old ladies enjoy? Ya know that's what this place is gonna smell like, old lady. I betcha dollars to donuts its stuffed with prissy antique furniture."

"Well, I also read it's haunted..."

"There's a job here?"

"Potentially."

He looked up at the Victorian Mansion then back to his wife with a small grin, "Cool, love me some straight up haunted houses."

Dean grumbled as him and Sam carried the bags up to their rooms on the second floor. If they stayed at some cheap motel like they normally did they wouldn't have to maneuver their way up this narrow staircase. Dean had already banged his elbow into the wall several times. He grunted and cursed under his breath causing Sam to look back at him with a smirk on his face. "You okay Dean?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. What room numbers did Lex say we had?"

"Me and Jackie in six, the kids in seven and You and Lexi in eight."

"How'd I let her talk me into this?"

Sam couldn't help but smirk at his older brother. He had a pretty good idea how his sister in law talked Dean into this 'vacation'. "You really want me to answer that?"

Before Dean could come back with a snarky reply Jackie came bursting out of room six with a disgusted look on her face. She stopped in front of Sam and Dean her hands on her hips, "You won't believe what's in there."

"Did you find ectoplasm?"

"WORSE. White. Wicker. Furniture. All of it! And the bedspread is white with pink butterflies and pink flowers all over it. And the walls and carpet...all PINK flowers. Why are we staying here?"

Sam smirked and shook his head before steering his wife back into their room. "C'mon it can't be that bad. You were fine with staying here when you found out there's a job. So, there's still a salt and burn to be done."

Dean rolled his eyes, shifted the bags he was carrying and made his way into room seven. He dropped the kids bags on the queen sized bed as his eyes swept the room. Alec was sitting on the floor in front of the television with Jake while Ben was helping Lexi set up Stella's pack 'n play. He walked further into the room to inspect it. The room was small but had its own bathroom and a door that led out onto the balcony. Dean opened the door and stepped outside. He took a deep breath inhaling the salt air and smiled. He could see the dunes and beyond them, the ocean from here. It was a nice view he'd give 'em that but the place was still a little old fashioned for his taste. Dean stepped back inside announcing to the room, "I want you kids to keep this door locked. I don't want anyone or anything getting in here."

"Don't worry Dean," Lexi stated as she shifted Stella to her hip and grabbed her carrier and diaper bag, "only our three rooms have access to the balcony. I'm going to take her in our room to change her. Can you bring our bags next door?"

"Okay. I will after I lay some salt. Benny why don't you help me lay the salt lines."

A few minutes later Dean walked into room eight with a quirked eyebrow. The room wasn't that bad at least it wasn't pink like Sammy's room. It was larger than the one the kids had next to them. It had a king size canopy bed, fireplace, dresser and a velvet loveseat. He called it, it was chuck full of antique furniture. Even had a claw foot tub and one of those old fashioned sinks with two faucets. He dropped their bags on the floor and flopped onto the bed. He gave it a little bounce and grinned. 'Yeah, now this isn't half bad.' he thought, 'Me and Lex can have some fun in here.' Suddenly this vacation was looking better and better to Dean.

Alec stared at the ocean from the balcony of the hotel. As far as he could see was blue water and blue sky. He closed his eyes breathing in the salt air.

"It smells like salt here." Ben stated simply as he joined Alec. He leaned his arms on the railing of the balcony mirroring his brother.

"I like it."

"Me too." Ben smiled at Alec before pushing back off the railing. "Dad said after dinner we can go to the arcade and play skee ball. And MAYBE get ice cream if everyone behaves."

"What's skee ball?"

"Dunno but Dad said we're heading out in five."

Alec nodded and turned his attention back the ocean view. He didn't want to play skee ball. He wanted to go to the beach. Alec couldn't wait to run into the wide expanse of water but his dad said they weren't going to the beach today. He had to wait until tomorrow.

Skee ball wasn't so bad. It was actually kind of fun in Alec's opinion. It turned out to be some arcade game that was sort of like bowling except the balls were smaller and you had to get them into a hole with numbers printed on them. Dad and Uncle Sammy turned Skee ball into a competition. They had a bet going that which ever one of them had the least amount of tickets had to buy the winner a six pack. Alec wasn't too surprised to find out that Dad was really good at skee ball. He racked up more tickets than anyone as he kept reminding Uncle Sammy that he now owed him a six pack. Uncle Sammy huffed and insisted that Dad had somehow cheated.

"I cheated, uh? How the hell did I cheat? You think I rigged the machine or something, Sammy?"

"You could've." Sam stated with his bitch face firmly in place.

Dean laughs. Not a little snort or chuckle but one that makes him throw his head back and laugh hard and throaty. He looks at Sam still laughing and says, "OH, you got me Sammy. I came in here and right in front of ya jimmied open the ticket dispenser and rigged it. Man, you've always been a sore loser."

July 4th

Ben and Alec were antsy all through breakfast. Mom had promised them yesterday that they would go to the beach first thing in the morning. To them first thing in the morning meant sunrise but here they were sitting in the bed and breakfast's stuffy dining room at eight thirty. Alec huffed and drummed his fingers on the the table causing his father to look up from his newspaper. Normally a look like that from his father would stop Alec from whatever he was doing but not today. Him and Ben had important things to do like dig their toes in the sand for the first time. Dean gave him one last look before straightening out his newspaper and disappearing behind it. Alec huffed again while drumming his fingers more persistently. Dean put down his newspaper giving him THE look, "Alec what's your problem?"

"Mom said we were going to the beach FIRST thing in the morning. It's eight thirty and we're still HERE."

"Yeah, well, you gotta have breakfast first."

"But I DON'T want breakfast."

"Alec you keep bitching and you ain't going to the beach. You're gonna sit up in that room with me and you won't be watching tv either." Alec crossed his arms and huffed again making Dean smirk, "Relax Alec, we're heading out right after this. You know what you want to eat kiddo?"

"Waffles."

After breakfast they went back up to their rooms to change into their bathing suits. It made no sense to Ben and Alec. It would've been much more practical for them to wear their suits down to breakfast. Then, they could've headed straight to the beach afterwords. Alec chalked this up to one of the many things his mom made him do that didn't make a lick of sense. He shrugged, slipped his feet into his new flip flops and headed into his parents room to find them arguing over appropriate beach attire. Alec quirked his eyebrow and joined Ben on the couch as they watched their parents argument.

"Dean," Lexi huffs with her hands on her hips, "you can't wear jeans to the beach."

"Can to. You know I don't do shorts, Lex."

"And why don't you do shorts?"

"Cuz I'm not Sammy."

Ben leans his head in towards Alec whispering, "I betcha ten bucks Dad caves."

"Ok but there's no way Dad's gonna cave."

The boys watched while their mom tossed a pair of dark blue swim trunks to their dad. She had that look on her face that said, 'You do as I say or else.' Alec knew that look well but wasn't concerned that he was going to loose the bet. He was confident his dad would stick to his guns until he saw his mom switch to the other look. It was a look she saved only for their father. Her deep green eyes would become wide and innocent and always caused their father to fold like a cheap suit. Alec cursed under his breath as he watched her stare at his dad with wide innocent eyes saying softly, "I got these for you. You can't go in the water in jeans and you know the boys are gonna want you to go in with them at some point. I got you flip flops too."

"Lex," Dean groaned, "you trying to turn me into Sammy?"

"No. You can't wear jeans and biker boots to the beach. We're on vacation, relax and have some fun."

Ben smirks at Alec informing him he expects his ten bucks when they return from the beach. Alec huffs in response.

Ben keeps up a steady stream of conversation about how he's going to spend his ten bucks all during the two block walk to the beach. Alec curls his hands into fists. He really wants to hit his brother but knows damn well if he does he's going to be banished back to the old lady hotel. He takes a deep breath, ignores Ben's rambling and focus on the blue water that's now in his line of sight.

It was ten o'clock by the time they finally got to the beach. They walked along wooden walk away then down onto the white sand while in search for a spot to set up. They finally found a large spot half way to the water. Alec and Ben watch their mom and Jackie spread out a sheet while Sam sets up the chairs and their father does the same with the umbrella. He places the carrier Stella is in under the umbrella and falls into one of the chairs. Their mom takes the chair next to him, pulls a bottle of something out of her bag and pulls Alec in front of her.

"Mom, what?" Alec squeaks when he feels the cold lotion hit his back.

"You're fair skinned, you have freckles and you're your father's clone. Which means you don't tan, you burn like he does. This will help keep you from getting burned."

She takes her time applying the cold lotion that smells like coconut making sure she gets every inch of his exposed skin even putting it on his face and ears. He quirks his eyebrow at her in annoyance when she applies more to his nose. "Mom, isn't that enough?"

"You're done." She smiled leaning in towards him, "Don't worry I'm going to torture your brothers and father too."

Alec smirked then swept his eyes across the beach. It was the fourth of July and the beach was packed. There was so many kids. Alec's never seen this many kids outside of Manticore and all he wanted to do was play. He bounced on the balls of his feet. He wanted to go in the water NOW but mom was taking forever with the sunblock. As soon as she finished applying the lotion to his brothers, Alec turned asking if they could go in the water now.

His dad nodded, quirked an eyebrow and leaned forward in his chair, "Yeah you can go but remember don't go in past your waist, don't talk to strangers, stay where we can see you, hold Jake's hand in the water and don't let your little brother wander off and don't get your neck wet or the make up your mom put on your bar code will come off."

"Okay Dad."

The three of them head off towards the water. Jake is in the middle with Alec and Ben both holding one of his hands. They match Jake's shorter strides careful not to leave their little brother behind. It takes them longer to get to the water but that's okay. The white sand is hot and the salt in the air is strong but the twins are savoring every step.

They step on to the wet sand, dig their toes in and watch the cool water pool around their feet. The three boys step forward and backward watching in amazement as the water erases their foot steps time and time again. Alec now understands why their mom fought dad so hard to come here. It makes him feel small and free but it's beautiful...amazing. He wonders how many of his Manticore brothers and sisters have seen the ocean. He figures not many. Him and Ben were lucky to stumble across Dean and Lexi Winchester, he knows that. Alec looks over his shoulder at his parents. He smiles and waves at them. Moments later, their dad comes bounding up to them smiling and reeking of coconut. Alec quirks his eyebrow and squints up at him, "Mom get you too, uh?"

"Yup. Think she used that whole bottle on the four of us." He scoops Jake up into his arms and wades into the water. "C'mon Ben...Alec, you boys just gonna stand there or what?"

After a day of playing in the water and attempting to build sand castles, they went to the boardwalk. They played arcade games and ate junk food. They discovered the wonder of cotton candy, marveling on how it melted on their tongues. Alec thought the boardwalk was wonderful with it's sights and sounds. The rides weren't half bad either but he liked the food better. That night they stood along the rails of the boardwalk. Ben and Alec stood on the rails between their parents. Jake was on their dad's shoulders and Stella was on their mom's hip. Alec thought the fireworks were cool but they did hurt his ears thanks to his enhanced hearing. He turned to look at Ben and knew immediately his brother didn't like them. He took Ben's hand giving it a squeeze, "It's okay, Ben. They're nothing to be scared of. They're just cardboard, gunpowder and Lithium to make them red. Or whatever other chemical to make them other colors."

"I know. I don't like the noise."

"Me either but they're kinda pretty."

Ben looked at Alec and nodded. His brother was right there was nothing scary about fireworks. They were just chemical compounds made to look pretty when they exploded in the air. He had faced much worse than that in his young life.

Three days later Alec made his way down to the parking lot. He looked towards the opposite end of the street and frowned. He didn't want to go. He liked it here. Alec placed his bag in the Impala's trunk then looked up at his father sighing, "Do we have to go Dad?"

"Yeah, I'm afraid so."

"But I like it here. I like the beach."

"I know you do, kiddo." Dean said as he carded his fingers through Alec's hair, "I like it too. We can't stay but we can come back next fourth of July."

"Really?"

"Yeah, we can make it a Winchester family tradition."