"Dean thought we should let Johnny be free of clothing because he's a free spirit," Sam told Jo as they got ready for bed.
"Really?" Jo replied. "He can let his own kids run around naked. I don't need Johnny getting a cold or getting sent home from school for inappropriate attire."
"Dean's kids would be hell on wheels," Sam laughed. "Can you imagine all they would get away with just because their dad got away with it at some point.
"I wonder if Grace has thought that far ahead," Jo slid into bed.
"Don't know," Sam slid in behind her. " Do you think they are serious?"
"Could be," Jo replied. "Grace is the first one Dean's brought home. That has to mean something."
"For Grace's sake, I hope she's a headstrong gal. She's gonna need to be."
"She's a hunter," Jo reminded him. "I think she can stand her ground.
Sam was quiet for a moment. "Do you ever regret not hunting?"
"No," Jo said. "I like the home life. I could use a little adventure every now and then."
"So you're in need of some adventure?" Sam grinned. "Did I hear you correctly?"
Jo smiled and Sam started to cover her neck with hungry kisses. Jo giggled and Sam took it as encouragement and continued to love his wife.
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"Mama," Johnny had wandered into their room, "Mama."
Jo lifted herself up on one elbow. "Hey, Honey. What's wrong?"
Johnny just rubbed his teary eyes.
"Oh, come here, baby," Jo picked him up and put him in bed by her.
Sam woke up. "What's wrong, Johnny?" Johnny reached over Jo for his dad. Sam picked him up and cuddled him into his chest. "It's okay, Johnny. You can just rest with Mommy and Daddy tonight."
Johnny settled back down. His bad dream or whatever had him crying was already gone. Sam kissed his hair and then kissed Jo. "Guess this is what being parents is all about."
"You got it."
"Ever think we should have another?" Sam looked up to see Jo's reaction.
"We could," Jo was considering it. "We'd have to wait until Johnny is old enough. What age difference do you think would be good?"
"Dean and I are four years apart," Sam thought for a moment. "Maybe 3 years apart would be good."
"So start trying when Johnny is two?"
"Something like that. We could always practice before then," he whispered.
"Umm. I like practicing," Jo replied.
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The next morning, Johnny entertained four adults at the table. His antics however funny made each meal a long endeavor.
Dean looked like his usual self, like he was ready to go out on a hunt. Grace was dressed better than for a hunt and even had red lipstick on. Jo and Sam looked like they just rolled out of bed. Jo couldn't remember the last time she'd had the time or energy to put makeup on. She wondered if Sam noticed.
Grace and Jo cleaned up the kitchen and Sam and Dean took Johnny outside to run off some of that never-ending toddler energy. Grace and Jo heard the three of them laughing in the backyard and it was music to Jo's ears.
"Did you sleep alright?" Jo asked Grace
"We slept great," Grace replied. "We're not putting you out, are we?"
"Oh, no," Jo was quick to answer. "We have plenty of room. This has always been Dean's home. Nothing will change that. You'll always be welcome here."
"Thanks," Grace replied. "I don't have any family. Dean's all I have."
"Well, Dean is a good man. We're all he has, too. Sam and Dean's folks are gone so it's just the two of them." Jo was silent for a moment. "Did Dean ever tell you that I was married before?"
Grace shook her head.
"Let's sit down at the table," Jo suggested. "I'll tell you our story. I hope it doesn't make you think we're weird."
"I wouldn't think that," Grace insisted.
"I'll remember you said that," Jo smiled. "I met John, Sam and Dean's father when I was living and working at the Road House with my mom. John had been a hunter for many years, and I had known him from before at the Road House.
One night, he got enough guts to ask me out, we didn't date very long before we decided to get married. Sam and Dean were really happy for us. We bought this house and told the boys they'd always have a home here.
I got pregnant with Johnny and Sam and Dean were home more between hunts to help John take care of me.
Dean and John left to hunt the demon. Sam stayed behind with me. He got to deal with all my crazy hormones. Dean and John killed the demon but John was gravely injured. Dean drove through the night to get us and bring us to John.
Pastor Jim did a legal wedding in the ICU. It was simple and all we needed. I went into labor and Sam was by my side when Johnny was born. Dean stayed up with John.
John was able to see his son, Johnny, and we got pictures of the three of us before John passed away. At least we were able to say goodbye.
Sam and Dean stayed with me in the hospital because neither of them wanted to leave me alone. They didn't want to be away from each other, either.
We placed a headstone for their mother, Mary, next to John's. Sam stayed on with me at this house. Here a romance bloomed. I don't know exactly when it started.
It was over a year after death that we got married. Johnny has always called Sam 'Dad'.
So what do you think of our family history?"
"I think you have survived," Grace stated. "Even better than surviving, you found love. That's the best thing that could have happened."
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Dean was laughing at Sam when they came back inside. "Gardening?" Dean could hardly force the word out. "You took up gardening?"
"Jo did," Sam replied sheepishly, "and I kind of help her out."
"I saw a hoe in your garage, Sam. That isn't a weapon and it isn't a tool of hunting."
"It's a tool of gardening, Dean," Jo came to her man's defense. "We're growing our own vegetables, saving money, eating better. You should stay here and eat healthy for awhile. You'll feel better."
"I feel fine already," Dean replied.
"Just wait until those bags of grease that you call a meals catch up with you," Sam said. "You'll come back begging for some real food."
"So Jo's finally learned how to cook?" Dean earned himself a punch in the arm for that one.
"I don't need any of your crap," Jo shot back at Dean. "I know how well you cook, and it is nothing to brag about."
"I thought you said you were some master chef," Grace said to Dean.
"Well I - uh - might have embellished just a little," Dean replied.
"Unless you count Spaghetti-Os as gourmet cuisine."
That comment got laughs.
Johnny was in the living room and turned on the television. He had 'Little Einsteins' on.
Dean listened for a moment and he said, "That show doesn't sound half bad. You still don't allow Barney, right?"
"No Barney or Teletubbies," Sam assured him.
"Do they have Bugs Bunny on anymore?"
"Nope," Jo broke in. "They decided it was too violent with Elmer Fudd hunting Bugs and Wylie E. Coyote getting after the Roadrunner. Now then have aliens and imaginary monsters. Some of the cartoons seem more violent to me."
"Jo's starting to insist that we start buying the shows we like for Johnny and just play those," Sam stated. "That's her way of shielding her baby from the world."
"You can't protect him from everything, Jo," Dean's voice was gentle.
"I know. I just want to protect him from all that I can."
"That's what moms do, Dean," Sam told him. "It's their job to baby proof the world."
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When Jo left to work at the Road House, Johnny was asleep for his nap. Jo hated having to work but with her job at the Road House she was able to spend most of the day with Johnny and Sam was home to stay with him while she was gone. The hours she was gone, she was counting the time until she could see Johnny again.
The remaining adults hung around the house, idly looking for hunting information but not really looking for a hunt.
When Johnny made the smallest noise from his room, Sam shot up to go get him.
"Man you have hyperactive daddy hearing," Dean stopped him. "Let me go get him."
Sam sat back down by the computer and watched Dean walk down the hall.
"Deenie!"
Grace laughed at Johnny's enthusiasm. "Now Dean will be disappointed that I'm not that excited out loud when I see him."
Sam laughed. "Johnny never gets used to Dean. He's always this happy. It doesn't matter how long he's been around."
"You have an amazing family," Grace told Sam. "Jo explained how you guys came to be a couple. I think it's so sweet."
"It's just how it happened to work out," Sam replied. "We were lucky."
"So was Johnny," Grace said. "He's got two loving parents and his Deenie. How did Dean take to getting called that in the first place?"
"He could have taken it as a blow to his manhood when Johnny made his name girly, but he didn't. You would have thought he called Dean 'Mr. President' by how proud Dean was."
"I never want to be president," Dean said as he carried Johnny into the living room. "I'd much rather be Deenie."
"See?" Sam looked at Grace, who laughed.
"So should I start calling you Deenie?" Grace asked.
"Only if you yell it like he does," Dean winked at her and Grace turned beet red.
Sam shook his head. Some things he just didn't need to know.
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They had supper and Dean wore Johnny out just a little past his bedtime.
As Sam picked up the tired little boy, he asked Dean, "So, did he wear you out, too?"
"No way," Dean smiled. "I'm still raring to go."
"I could stay with Johnny if you two want to go out," Grace offered.
Sam was hesitant. He'd never left Johnny with anyone besides Ellen.
"We have cell phones, Dude," Dean prodded Sam. "It's not like we're that far away."
Sam was torn. "Come see how I lay him down," Sam motioned to Grace with his head. "I'll show you where everything is." Sam heard Dean give a "Yes!" as they walked to Johnny's room.
Johnny laid down easily and seemed to be down for the count. Sam showed her where the supplies were and wrote his cell number down on a note on the table.
"She's memorized my number, Sam," Dean laughed at his brother's need to leave an overkill of information. "Who do you think you are going to be with anyway?"
Sam tried to relax a little and took a breath. "Okay, Grace. Call if you have any questions-" Dean grabbed his arm and started to drag him out the door.
In no time, they were at the Road House.
"Is Johnny okay?" Jo ran up to the guys, clearly panicked.
"Don't you two ever go out?" Dean asked as he slipped past them. "I'm getting a drink."
"Johnny's asleep and Grace is watching him," Sam told Jo. "He's fine. I showed her where everything was and left my cell number. He'll be fine."
"We hardly know her," Jo wasn't calming down like Sam had hoped.
"But Dean does," Sam reasoned.
Jo shot him a look.
"Do you think dean would trust Johnny with just anyone? Especially if he didn't think they were capable of taking great care of him?
Jo couldn't say that Dean would, but she didn't want to let Sam think he was off the hook that easily. She couldn't think of a good point to make, so she turned on her heel and huffed off.
"Did I get you in trouble, Sammy?" Dean asked after a drink of his beer.
"I don't think so," Sam replied. "Jo just hates it when she can't prove that she's right."
"You gonna be on the couch tonight?"
"No. It'll have blown over by then," Sam sat down and started on the beer Dean had ordered for him. "I'll just have to do some sweet talking to make it better."
Dean rolled his eyes. He said, "I would rather just duke it out, if it was me."
