Dean peered down into the crib, still almost unable to comprehend what he was seeing.
Twins.
Whatever had possessed him and Sam to adopt twins?
They lay in the salt-blessed iron crib, a mobile of crosses and amulets dangling above their heads and a demon repelling symbol carved and painted into the floor under the crib. Him and Sam hadn't taken any precautions.
"They asleep, Dean?" Sam's voice came from the next room.
"Yeah." Dean replied, allowing one of his callused hands to slip down into the crib to touch the baby girl's hand that wasn't by her brothers. She reflexively curled her tiny fingers around him, and Dean felt his heart melt.
Oh yeah. They were too cute to resist.
Dean heard his brother's soft footsteps on the landing, and he turned to look at him. Sam saw that there were tears in his brother's eyes.
"Dean...?"
"Why'd we do this, Sam?" Dean asked, turning back to the crib where their daughter was still holding onto his finger.
"Because we decided we were ready for a different life." Sam answered, coming to place a reassuring hand at the small of his brother's back. Dean sighed thickly, and Sam moved his arm up around Dean's shoulder and pulled him close.
The little boy fussed, and Sam reached into the crib to stroke his soft cheek. He calmed instantly.
"What should we name them?" Dean asked. "The social worker said it was up to us."
"Yeah, well, I've been thinking about it. Have you thought of anything?" Sam said.
"Brantley." Dean found himself saying.
"What?"
"Brantley Stean. For him."
Sam and Dean looked down into the crib at their son.
"Hope?" Sam said after a little while.
"You hope what?" Dean asked, teasing Sam.
"I think we should name her Hope." Sam said, replying with a playful elbow into Dean's ribs.
"Okay. Hope what?" Dean asked.
"Dean." Sam said.
"Nah, I was actually serious that time. I think we should name her Hope." Sam thought for a moment, letting his hand drift over to the little girl's cheek, brushing his hand against Dean's.
"I like it. Hope Mary Winchester." Sam said.
"I know you want to name her after mom, but that sounds like she hopes to marry a Winchester. And she already is one." Dean said.
"Didn't think of that." Sam said. "I guess we didn't name one after Dad either."
"There's an idea." Dean said. "What about Johanna?" Sam frowned, thinking.
"Well, if we put Johanna in there, then Mary will sound okay. Hope Johanna Mary Winchester."
"I like that." Dean said, smiling down into the crib. "Named after grandma and grandpa. She'll be a kick-ass hunter someday."
"Dean..." Sam said seriously. "I want to keep them away from that."
"Sam, we've talked about this. They will need to know eventually. And what if a demon shows up on their six month birthday?"
"Not gonna happen. We've made precautions. Killing that demon being one of them."
Dean sighed, then turned and left the room. Sam switched on the baby monitor and then followed Dean into their room.
"Dean..." He said. Dean turned to him.
"Sammy, we have one job now. One. We have to keep those two safe, and I am prepared to do whatever the hell it takes. We won't be around forever, and they need to know what's out there and how to protect themselves. Otherwise..." Dean trailed off and turned away.
Sam moved into the room and wrapped his arms around his brother's waist, settling his cheek into Dean's collarbone.
"Listen to you, you sound like you birthed those two yourself." He teased gently. Dean chuckled, then grew serious.
"No matter what, we can't let them know that we're brothers. It's wrong enough that we are, but we don't need other people to know."
"Yeah, that might become problematic when you try to explain how we managed to get a marriage license."
"Hey, I did not drug that guy, contrary to what you seem to think."
"Okay, whatever you say."
Dean leaned into Sam's embrace.
"Those poor kids."
"Hmm?"
"They've got two gay dads, who are really brothers, who are the best demon hunter team around and secretly get a rush out of kicking demon ass."
"Well, when you put it like that..." Sam laughed.
A little wail came from the baby monitor by their bed, quickly followed by a second.
"Here we go." Dean said with a smirk. Sam smiled.