"You gonna tell Mom and Dad?" Nathan asked. He tore a piece of his doughnut off and popped it into his mouth.

Rachel sighed and stuck a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth. Dean and Sam were out dealing with the ghost they'd come take down. She and Nathan had been left behind under strict orders not to leave, not to let anyone in, and not to let anyone take them. And, by them, Dean had meant Rachel.

And the baby.

"I'm going to have to. I mean, I'm not good at keeping secrets. You're better than I am, but…" She sighed. Squeezed her eyes shut. "I don't want to go home."

"Just because you tell them doesn't mean you'll have to go home." He grabbed a spoon from the tray between them. Dipped it into her ice cream.

"Right. First born, Nathan. And a girl. Mom and Dad try, but when their daughter gets pregnant with a demon baby, they're going to be pretty insistent. And then there's Grandpa."

Nathan grimaced. "Right."

Rachel ate another spoonful of ice cream. "I wanna stay with Dean."

"Well, technically, you can do that and go back home. Grandma would probably let you have the apartment back, and whenever Dean is between jobs, he could go out to Hartford."

"They're not out there enough. It'd be too much of a drive. And I'm not saying I.. I want to stay married to Dean. I want to stay with him. On the road, hunting."

"Rachel. You know you're not going to be able to."

"Don't talk to me like I'm an idiot. I know that there's going to have to be adjustments and stuff. I get that. But I can still do this. I can." She dug her spoon into the carton, glaring at it.

She heard Nathan sigh. The bed shifted as he sat up. "What did the doctor say about being pregnant? I mean, I know you have to go to the doctor a lot and stuff."

"I only have to go once a month until I'm twenty-eight weeks pregnant. After that, it's twice a month. But that's not for a long time."

"That's about two months, Rach. And you don't even have a doctor. Unless you go home."

"I don't want to go home. I'm pregnant with a demon baby. I really don't want to go where people know me. It'd be too hard to explain."

"Rachel Adams, worried about what people from high school think about her? Is the world coming to an end?"

Rachel rolled her eyes. Smashed the spoon down into the ice cream again. "Dammit, Nathan. Think about it. I'm not exactly thrilled about this. If people find out I'm pregnant, and they don't know the circumstances? They're not going to get while I'm depressed and upset. They'd probably stage some kind… intervention, assuming Dean's abusing me or I'm suicidal or something. It's better if I just, I don't know. Start somewhere else."

"But you have to have a doctor. Like, one doctor that you keep going to. You have someone in Hartford…"

"No. God, how many times do I have to say that? I want to stay out here. With Dean."

Nathan threw up his hands. "Fine. What's your plan, genius?"

She shrugged. Picked up the spoonful of ice cream she'd been mangling. Threw it back into the carton. "I guess that… I'll have to decide where to set up base. I mean, you know. Choose a doctor somewhere, and between jobs, go back there. For these fucking pre-natal exams."

"I'm sure Ellen would let you move in with them. Jo would be thrilled."

"No. I mean, I love them, but I don't want to stay at the Roadhouse. Near the end, I'll have to stay in one place, and … it's too loud and it smells like smoke and beer and…"

"Okay, that's fine." He sighed. "You know Dean's excited about the baby."

"No he's not."

"Yeah. He is. It's totally obvious in the way he keeps looking at you. At your stomach. Want to talk about pregnancy glow, he's got it. You're having a baby, and he couldn't be happier."

Her eyes stung as tears welled in them for the billionth time that day. She was so tired of crying, but just couldn't seem to stop. She winced as she reached for a tissue, dabbing her eyes as lightly as possible. "I don't know why he's so happy. He's got to know it's not his."

"I don't think he cares as long as it's yours. I mean, you did tell me that Dean mostly cares about family, right? It's why he's not objecting to me sticking around. Just more family."

"He's not objecting to you because I told him I wanted you around. If it were up to him, he would have kicked you to the curb a long time ago for messing with his baby brother."

Nathan gave her a lascivious grin and wiggled his eyebrows. "But his baby brother loves being messed with. Doesn't Dean want to keep him happy?"

"Not if it means putting up with you." Rachel smirked at him, but the smirk fell away, replaced by more tears.

"What is it?"

She shook her head. "I'm just… I'm afraid. Dean wants family. He think he's fine with the baby…"

"He is."

"Even if he is, what's going to happen? I mean, the demon must have some plan, something he wanted this baby for. I don't know what it wants. I don't know…" A sob tightens her throat.

Nathan scooted over on the bed. Put his arms around her and held her tightly. "Rachel?"

"I don't want to think about it," she sobbed against his shoulder. "I don't want care about it. I don't want to love it. I don't want to get attached because I really don't think it's going to let me keep it." She wiped her eyes on his shoulder. Tightened her grip on his shirt. "And I really don't want to be the one to break Dean's heart. So, please, tell me, what am I supposed to do?"

He pulled her closer. Stroked her hair and rocked her slowly. But, he didn't say anything and Rachel knew that he didn't have an answer.

It didn't happen often, but every once in awhile, a hunt went exactly the way it was supposed to. The ghost was identified, the grave was found, and nothing stopped them from digging up the grave and salting and burning the bones. This was one of those nights. Dean didn't know if it was just luck or if something was watching out for them or what. Didn't care, either. He was just glad to be done with this so he could concentrate on more important matters.

"That was fast," Sam said, slamming the trunk closed. "Easy."

"After the day we had, I think we deserve an easy one." He knew that he should jump into the car, tear back to the motel and Rachel, but something was keeping him here.

Sam was quiet for a minute. Then he said, "Wanna get a beer?"

He nodded, grateful for his brother's intuition for once.

They jumped into the car and took off. Instead of going to a bar, they hit a liquor store. Got a six pack, then drove until they got to the motel. The parking lot in the back ran up against an empty field, so Dean pulled into the spot furthest from the motel and cut the engine. Together, they got out of the car and climbed onto the hood of the car.

Sam had his phone out, texting, as Dean cracked open his first beer.

"Just letting Nathan know where we are. You know. Just in case." He snapped the phone shut and shoved it back into his pocket.

"So, what's this bull about you two not being together? Nathan said something like that." Easier to talk about his brother's sex life than Dean's wife, even if he still wasn't totally comfortable with the gay thing. Although, it was adorable watching how turned on Rachel got the few times she'd made Dean watch gay porn, just to prove it wasn't gross.

No, scratch that. Not adorable. Fucking hot as hell.

Sam shook his head and opened his beer. "We're just… I don't know. We're just messing around."

"Just messing around?"

"And talking. He's really smart. And funny. He knows… God, there's hardly anything he doesn't know. He's a good kisser and I like being with him." He shrugged. "But it doesn't feel like anything deeper than that. " He took a drink. "We haven't slept together."

"No?"

"When I say we're just fooling around, I mean it in the most basic sense of the word. It's like we're in junior high and necking." He glanced at Dean. "It's not like you didn't take it slow with Rachel."

"Are you saying you want me to lock you and Nathan in a room together?" Dean asked dryly.

Sam laughed. "Naw. We're getting wherever we're getting just fine." He licked his lips. "I don't know. I'm happy with whatever it is he and I are doing. I mean really happy. That part of me that hasn't been happy since…" He stopped talking. Sighed.

Dean lifted his beer to his mouth. Tipped it back. "It's funny," he said after swallowing. "There's like this… space in you. Or something. I never noticed it until after I woke up thinking I was married to Rachel. I was just happy. I was content or something. Same way I felt with Cassie, but I didn't get it at the time. Being with someone you trust. That you make part of your family. It fills something in you."

"Exactly." He smiled. "You know, Dean, we're skirting dangerously close to chick flick territory."

"Well, anything to avoid reality." He sighed. Tilted his beer back, draining the can. "Sam. You think I'd be a good father?"

He heard Sam exhale and he winced, because Dean knew that he shouldn't be worried about this. He should be worried about the fact his wife was carrying a half-demon baby and figure out what that meant. If it was going to hurt her. If it was going to be evil. If Rachel was going to survive this.

That's what he should be worried about. But it was too hard to think about that right now, so he focused on the part that worried him on a different level. Just like he was still worried that he wasn't the right kind of man to be a husband. He drank and ran credit card scams and flirted with pretty waitresses in diners. Sometimes he did it in front of Rachel, because it was such a habit. She never seemed to care, not much, and she said it was because she knew that she would always come first to him. And she did.

But Dean wasn't so sure.

"Dean," Sam finally said. "You're going to make a fantastic father."

"Don't jerk me around, Sammy."

"No, I'm serious. You're surprisingly good with kids. I've seen you with them, and you manage to connect with them in a way that's just… amazing. And it's not because you have the mentality of a ten year old. You're just good with them. So, yeah, I really do think you'll be a good father." He nudged Dean with his shoulder. "You can't be any worse than Dad."

"Hey, we turned out all right."

"I know. And your kid will too."

Dean reached for another beer. "Except it's probably not my kid."

"Does that really matter?"

"Well, the father might have some problems with me raising its kid." He sighed. "It's not fair. It took our mom. Our dad. Now it's fucking with my wife. Literally."

"Dean…"

"Shut up, Sam." He took a drink, anger coursing through him. The can dented under his fist, hand shaking. "What the fuck does it want?"

"I don't…"

But Dean wasn't listening. He jumped off the car. "What do you want?" he shouted at the sky. "Why the fuck are you messing with us? Why?"

There was no answer.

"Dammit!" Dean threw his beer at the moon. Watched as it arced through the sky, beer spilling out as it spun.

Silence. Just… fucking silence.

Then a buzz.

"Nathan says they can hear you inside."

"Well, fuck."

Another buzz.

"Huh."

"What?" He turned back to his brother.

Sam was shaking his head. "He says that Rachel is trying to ignore everything that happened to her by making it all about you. And she's not convinced that the demon is going to let her keep it. And she doesn't want it."

"She doesn't want it, or she doesn't want to want it?"

"I don't know. You'll have to talk to her." He looked up at Dean. "We need help."

"Who? Who do we go to in this situation?"

"Well. Bobby has the library. It's a good place to start with research. For the rest, I don't know. Her parents. Or maybe Ellen or Missouri."

Dean winced.

"What?"

"I'd really rather not see Missouri. She'll never let me forgive myself."

"Is there any chance of that happening, anyway?"

Dean glared at his brother. "I'm going inside. We'll leave tomorrow as soon as you can drag Nathan to the car."

"Please. Like Rachel's any better. And, don't forget. She's not supposed to drink caffeine anymore."

"Ha! Doctor said that one cup would be okay," he said as he walked backwards toward the motel. "She'll be manageable. I dare you to cut Nathan down to one cup."

"I'm not suicidal." He caught up with Dean. "So. We heading to Bobby's?"

"I don't have a better idea. We can talk about it more tomorrow. For all I know, Rachel will want to head back to her parents'."

"True."

Dean pulled his key out of his pocket when they reached the room. Unlocked the door.

Nathan and Rachel were lying on the bed. Rachel looked like she was asleep; Nathan was watching comedy news and reading a book. He was also wearing his glasses, which he only did late at night.

Dean heard Sam's sharp intake of breath. Obviously, Nathan did, too, because he smiled a slow, lustful smile at Sam and licked his lips.

"Dude, get off my bed when you flirt with my brother," Dean grumbled. He crossed the room and sat next to Rachel. Tucked hair behind her ear. "Everything okay?"

"Depends on your definition of okay," Nathan said. He slid off the bed, taking his book with him.

"Any demons or nightmares or… I don't know. Bad stuff?"

"Nope. Just junk food and crying." Nathan leaned over Rachel and kissed her on the cheek. "Night, sis."

Rachel mumbled something. Rolled over, hand coming up to wipe the corner of her mouth.

"Night, Dean."

"Night. Later, Sam." He kept his eyes on Rachel, stroking her forehead.

The door connecting their rooms opened and closed. A half second later, Dean heard the sound of a body being slammed against the door.

"We have got to stop getting connecting rooms," he mumbled. He leaned over and quickly unlaced his boots. Kicked them off, then stripped off his jacket and jeans.

Rachel opened her eyes as Dean climbed into bed.

"Didn't mean to wake you," he said.

"I've been awake. Sort of." She yawned. Snuggled into him. "Ghost down?"

"Yeah. It won't be bothering anyone anymore." He kissed her forehead, then lips. "How are you doing?" He let his hand slip between them. Pressed against her stomach.

She shrugged. "I'm okay. Still reeling."

"Yeah. Know what you mean." Now that he knew she was pregnant, he could feel the slightest difference. She was just a little bigger than she used to be, just a touch. Or, maybe it was his imagination and there was no change. He didn't know and didn't particularly care.

"Dean, what are we going to do?"

He looked up. Stroked his hand up her side to her face. "I don't know. It probably wouldn't hurt to, you know. Research this. Pregnancy and demons and stuff. Even though this demon isn't like any of the others we've come up against."

"Yeah, I know." A tear fell from her bottom lash, splashing onto his thumb. "He's made me forget so much. Why couldn't he have taken this away? I'd rather just believe this was our baby."

"Me, too." He kissed her. "We could pretend."

She gave him a sad half smile. "I'm not that good at pretending." Rachel sighed and snuggled closer to him. Slung one leg over his hip and rested her head on his chest. "Don't get too attached to it, Dean. I don't want you to get hurt."

He wrapped his arms around her. Held her, stroking her hair. "I'll try not to. But seriously, Rachel, what's a demon gonna do with a baby? And besides. We're expecting it to try something. We'll do the research. We'll figure out a way to keep it."

"Why would you even want it?" Her lips trembled. Eyes brimmed with tears.

She was breaking his heart. Her eyes were so red and swollen from crying they were painful to look at. Her nose was crusty and sore looking too. And she just looked so… heartbroken.

Dean sighed. Closed his eyes and rested his forehead against her. "My whole life, I thought all there was was hunting. Me, Dad, Sammy on the road. That's all I thought I needed. Then Sam left and it was like my world was torn apart. Nothing was the same. And it got worse when Dad left. Everything my life was built on, everyone my life was built on. They just left. So, I went after them. Fought to put it back together. Got Sam. We went after Dad. But even when we got him back, it wasn't the same. Wasn't right. I thought it was because Sam and Dad kept fighting, both of them pulling in opposite directions. After the demon. But that wasn't it. And I didn't know that until Dad finally, finally, put it into words for me."

"What was it?" Rachel asked in a whisper.

"He said he wanted me to have a home." He stroked his thumb over her cheek. "Wanted Sam to go to school and me to have a home." Dean opened his eyes, pulling his head back. "I never realized I wanted any of that stuff. Not just a family, but a place. Somewhere to go after all this, after all the crap and the pain and stuff. It never occurred to me that it didn't have to be a twenty-four seven job. That sometimes, I could go home and just… rest." He offered her a tentative smile and stroked his thumb over his bottom lip. "Then there was you. And I know you're fine on the road, but Rachel. We could have a home. Together. And a kid."

Rachel raised her eyebrow. "So, I stay home and raise the kid while you go out and hunt the ghosts?"

He rolled his eyes. "We can figure out the details when we get there. But, I don't know. I never said anything before because this is the way I've always done this. Crappy motels and diner food and not having a permanent home. But there's no reason it has to be that way. Bobby's got a home. Ellen does. Why don't we?" He put his hand on her stomach again. "This is our baby, Rachel. That demon isn't getting it, you trust me on that. We're going to keep it and raise it. And we're going to love it."

"What if I can't?"

"You will. I know you will." He kissed her. "I know this isn't what we expected, but that's my whole life. You didn't think your only taste of it was gonna be learning you were married to me by a phone call, right?"

Finally, she laughed. Smiled. "No. No, you're right." She let out a slow breath. "All right. Just, you know. Give me some time to get used to this. It's growing in me, you know. I feel kind of like I've been taken hostage."

"I just think it's so cool," he admitted, giving her a grin. He slid down her body so he was under the covers. Pulled up her shirt and kissed her stomach. "I hope he has your eyes."

"Dean!" She reached down and pulled him back up. Kissed him, rolling onto her back and pulling him onto her. "Stop touching my stomach."

"I can't," he said, propping himself over her. "I'm just kind of in awe. You've got life in there."

"I'm not the first pregnant woman you've ever seen."

He kissed her neck. Up her jaw and sucked on her earlobe. "Yeah, but you're the only one I sleep with. And none of those other kids were going to be mine. This one will be."

"I may have to start slapping if you do it too much. And just you. No one else."

"You won't slap anyone else?"

She laughed. "No. No one else can touch me." She wrapped her legs around waist. Pulled him down to rest his weight on her.

"Well, that," he said, kissing her. "That we agree on."