Another story written by me and my friend based on a Tumblr request for Destiel Mpreg. Enjoy! x

Dean stared at the ghost in the mirror for what felt like hours. Deep down ,though, he knew that it couldn't be true. He was pretty sure that angels couldn't become ghosts, and he had hunted down many of the deadly creatures before and none of them had looked so real. This could only mean one thing then.

That Castiel – his angel who he had failed to save – was stood just inches behind him. Now that he thought about it he could actually feel the soft and reassuring breath against his neck. Sure, the angel looked worse for wear – clothes dirty and torn, peach fuzz now even more unruly – but he was there. He wasn't stuck in that dark and perilous place that Dean never wanted to think about again.

"Hello, Dean."

The angel greeted him as if nothing horrific had ever happened. It almost made Dean laugh – whether it was out of relief, hysterics, or confusion wasn't clear. The hunter didn't think it possible for Castiel's voice to sound any gruffer than it did, but he was proved wrong in an instant.

Dean finally brought himself to turn around, his sharp green eyes piercing into dulled and exhausted blue.

"Cas?" he asked almost breathlessly.

The angel opened his mouth as if to reply, but then Dean watched with horror as Cas' eyes rolled into the back of his head and he started to fall limply to the ground. The hunter's reflexes kicked in and he caught him without a second thought; he was surprised the vessel didn't weigh more.

"Sam!" he called his brother's name urgently.

The younger Winchester burst into the room. He froze when he saw Castiel, and looked at Dean as if for conformation they were both seeing the same thing.

"Oh my God."

"Help me get him to a bed."

Sam broke out of his stupor to help Dean haul the now unconscious Cas through into the main room of the motel, and they deposited him gently onto the mattress. From his positioning the angel's t-shirt rose up slightly showing off his bruised skin, but there was something else. Sam was the first to notice it.

"What is that?" he asked with a frown, lifting Castiel's shirt up further.

"What!?" Dean asked concernedly. Sam didn't say anything about how he was sat by the angel's side, holding his hand as if he feared he might lose him again.

"It's some kind of…bump?" The younger Winchester stepped back. "What if he's swallowed them again?"

"Swallowed what again?" Dean responded impatiently.

"Lev-" The younger brother was interrupted by Castiel's voice as he groaned in discomfort, gripping Dean's hand tighter.

"Cas?" Dean's voice was urgent and demanding, not as comforting as it should have been.

"It's because of you..." he tried to explain. "It's yours..."

"What the hell are you talking about, Cas?"

"I'm gunna call Garth." Sam decided, swooping round with a sense of motion that suggested more grace than someone his size should possess.

"Talk to me, Cas." Dean encouraged, trying not to stare at his distended midriff.

"When we were in purgatory together..." He rasped. He was breathless and in pain. "You... did this..."

As always his words were harsher than the general implication he wanted to suggest, but he wasn't really in a position to regard his tone right now as he tried to squirm away from his own pain.

"You're gunna have to be more clear, Cas. What exactly is...'this'?"

"Fledgling…" Castiel whispered, looking like he was about to fall asleep again. "Our baby."

Dean's eyes widened and he felt himself go stiff with shock. Now his gaze couldn't be drawn to anything but Castiel's slightly protruding stomach. There was something in there that they had created – something half-human, half-angel. The hunter was overwhelmed; in fact he couldn't be sure he wouldn't throw up.

"Y-you mean…when w-we…"

"Yes."

"Y-you're male."

"My vessel is. I am genderless."

"Wh…Why the hell didn't you tell me this could happen!?"

Dean jumped off the bed in what appeared to be a sudden fit of rage at Castiel, but was actually aimed towards himself as usual.

"I didn't think it was possible anymore" Castiel explained looking at him through half-closed eyes. "Not with my father gone. He usually controls these things."

Dean let out something almost like a growl as he started to pace the room, running his hands through his hair.

"Dammit!"

"I understand why you're angry."

"No, you don't!"

"Dean-"

"Cas, I could barely stomach the fact that I had left the man I love to be ripped to shreds by those things, and now you're telling me I failed to save my child too…our child." He sat down on the other bed and clutched his head in his hands. "Why didn't I try harder to save you? I should have been able to protect you. Both of you."

"I appreciate your concern but I really don't think-" Castiel was cut off again by another groan, and Dean calmed himself quickly in order to comfort him.

"Okay, okay, this is okay I mean... It's okay, right?"

"No." Castiel groaned, shaking his head and grimacing.

"Yeah, no, you're right, this is bad."

"But I have to have the baby." Cas winced, trying to talk through the pain. "No one can do anything about it now- now that it's happened... Maybe before but... Now it's too late, Dean." He panted.

The hunter nodded. He didn't really think he minded that it had to happen, but he was definitely terrified at the prospect of parenthood.

"What do you need me to do?" he asked determinedly.

"Bath…would be nice" Castiel as he rubbed a hand absentmindedly over the bump.

"Okay, yeah, sure" Dean said. He still sounded flustered but he hurried off to the bathroom and started to fill the tub with water.

He went back to Castiel and scooped him up into his arms. The angel let out a hiss of pain and it made Dean's chest clench. Castiel was amazing for keeping the baby alive when his body was in this state.

He deposited the angel on the closed toilet lid and started to undress him slowly and carefully. He didn't miss how Castiel's t-shirt now slipped off scrawny shoulders, and once said garment was removed Dean was sure he could see almost every rib. All of the angel's weight and any nourishment he may have now rested with their child.

"You need to eat now?" Dean asked. "Sleep?"

Castiel nodded weakly. "The child is…consuming a lot of my grace."

"Okay, well, let's get you cleaned up and then I'll get you some food."

"Yes that…that would be lovely."

The angel's head dipped to the side and Dean had to shake him a little to keep him awake. Castiel gave a grunt of protest, but his bleary eyes opened fully once more.

Dean made sure the water was a safe temperature before picking up Cas and lowering him in. He was pleased when the angel gave a soft moan of satisfaction.

"I'm going to take care of both of you now, Cas" Dean said as he knelt down beside the angel, his lips lightly brushing against the side of smaller man's hair as he passed. "I promise."