(Author's Note: Just a small warning that the end of this chapter has some angsty action. Reader discretion is advised.)
Before the morning rays of sunlight even touched the curtains in the window, Sam was blinking his eyes open to see the motel room again. His daughter's tiny hand was tangled in his shaggy hair and she was unknowingly tugging him awake little by little. Jessica was sound asleep, cuddled against Sam's chest with her bunny lodged under her arm. As Sam's eyes focused, he noticed that Dickie was laying on top of her; tossed over her side like a protective blanket. The dog was snoring quietly – and still wearing that ridiculous bow tie collar. Sam stared down at the company in his bed and silently took inventory. Jess and Dickie were both there – but where was Gabriel?
Sam carefully raised his head to look around the quiet motel room for his archangel. Dean, Cas, and Jude were all piled up on the bed near the door. Dean and Jude were most likely asleep, and Cas was probably meditating or something because his eyes were closed. Sam's sight wandered all over the large room, searching the table, the floor, the dark bathroom, and the archway of the kitchen, but there was no sign of a shaggy blonde head or golden eyes. Sam looked back to the empty spot on the bed beside him and swallowed harshly. Where did Gabe go? What was he doing? And why did he leave without telling Sam?
"Gabe?" Sam prayed in a whisper.
For a moment, everything remained quiet and still. Somehow the dim room felt even darker and smaller without Gabriel in it. Sam was honestly beginning to worry about him – when the archangel appeared out of thin air at the foot of the bed. His sudden arrival made Sam flinch in shock, which accidentally woke up Dickie. The man and the dog both turned their heads to look toward Gabriel, who was fully dressed and holding a few objects in his arms. The trickster smiled brightly as he glanced between the two of them.
"Mornin' guys," he whispered, stepping away, "Sammy-boy, meet me in the kitchen."
Sam wanted to ask Gabe where he had been and what on earth he was carrying, but by the time he found his voice, the archangel was already too far away. Sam laid there and watched Gabe disappear into the kitchen before looking back down at his daughter. Jess was still snoozing and tugging on her daddy's hair, holding onto him subconsciously, and he had to carefully pry her tiny hand away before he could get up. Thankfully, she only rolled over and snuggled up with her bunny to stay asleep. Sam gave her forehead a soft kiss before gently maneuvering out of bed. Dickie jumped into the floor and shook his head – straightening out the bow tie around his neck – before following Sam into the kitchen.
Gabriel was quietly bustling around near the refrigerator, arranging a bunch of things on the cleanest part of the counter. Sam yawned and scratched his head in the archway as he searched over Gabriel's work. There was a gigantic pad of paper propped up on a stand and a few plastic things that Sam couldn't quite identify. The man edged closer to his boyfriend in the kitchen, feeling more confused than ever.
"Gabe, what are you doing? Where have you been?" he asked.
"I've been getting answers, kiddo," the archangel said without turning around, "Answers for our little Rabbit."
"What are you talking about?" Sam whispered, feeling lost.
Gabriel took a step back from the counter and gestured forward to give Sam a clear view – of a plastic uterus and several pictures of embryos on the counter next to the giant notebook. It looked like Gabriel was getting ready to give a presentation on the reproductive system, and the thought made Sam realize -
"Oh my God," he breathed, shooting Gabriel a look of shock, "You're going to tell Jessica where babies come from?!"
"You're damn right I am," Gabriel grinned, "I planned it all out last night, moose. Even went and picked this stuff up from a clinic. This might be a pretty tough subject for her to understand, so I figured that visual aids might help."
"Gabriel, she's three," Sam reminded, voice hollow with disbelief.
"Yeah, but we both know she's more advanced than the average toddler, Sam. I mean, she got her intelligence from the smartest hunter in the world, after all," Gabriel mentioned, tossing Sam a wink.
Sam could feel his own heart picking up speed. He knew his daughter was smart and he was proud of her for being so fond of learning. But he didn't like the idea of telling his sweet little bunny about fornication...
"But this is sex," Sam pointed out, feeling terrified, "How the hell are we going to explain it to our little girl without traumatizing her? What if we mess up, Gabe? What if we tell her the wrong way and she ends up having nightmares about penises? Oh God, I can't handle penis nightmares!"
"Whoa, whoa, shhhh," Gabriel soothed, dashing over to pat Sam's arm, "Take a breath, Sammy. Don't worry so much. I've got a plan, remember? I've been up all night figuring it out. I promise the only person that might have penis nightmares is me. Because I miss yours so much I'm starting to have withdraws," he added with another wink.
Sam obeyed Gabriel's advice and took a few breaths as he looked back down at the make-shift presentation on the counter. None of this seemed very appropriate for little ears or eyes – but Gabriel had a point. Their baby bunny was smarter than most kids her age, and she was always so hungry to know about everything. Jessica was bound to learn about baby-making sometime. He just didn't think it would be this soon...
"Alright," Sam eventually mumbled, meeting Gabriel's honey eyes, "Just... Don't go into detail about the sex part, okay?"
"Trust me, kid. I'm going to explain it in a totally 'PG rated' way. Nothing graphic," Gabe reassured.
"Thank you," Sam sighed.
"By the way, I forgot to tell you good morning," Gabriel purred.
The archangel hooked a hand around Sam's neck and pulled him down into a kiss. Sam's eyelids fluttered shut as he tasted Gabriel's sweet tongue again. He could tell that there was a subtle hint of lust in the suction of Gabe's lips, and the sensation made a flicker of arousal shoot straight to his own dick. Sam hummed as he carefully pulled away to look into Gabe's golden eyes.
"Were you planning to give Jessica a lecture, or are you going to turn it into 'show and tell'?" Sam whispered, arching a playful eyebrow.
"Don't tempt me, moosie. I'm already on the verge of dry-humping your leg like a dog," Gabriel hissed back with a smirk.
Dickie gave a quiet bark from the floor, which caught Sam and Gabe's attention. The Jack Russel Terrier was clearly offended by Gabriel's rude comment because his tail had stopped wagging and his ears were down. Gabe huffed a dramatic breath as he stared down at his faithful companion.
"Oh, come on. You know you're a horn-dog, Dickster. Don't deny it," the archangel grumbled.
On the floor, Dickie's tail slowly started to wag again. The little guy loved getting attention from his owner – almost as much as Sam did. While Gabriel and Sam gazed down at the handsomely dressed dog on the floor, the sound of a soft voice echoed from the main motel room.
"Daddy?"
Sam's heart nearly skipped a beat as he met Gabriel's eyes with equal anxiousness. Uh-oh. Their little girl was awake...
"Go get her and bring her in, Sammy," Gabe whispered, sounding excited.
"What? Right now? Are you sure?" Sam squeaked, still worried.
Instead of replying, Gabriel just turned Sam around and shoved him back into the motel room, putting him directly in Jessica's view. Their daughter was sitting up in bed with her bunny cradled close, seeming confused about waking up alone. As soon as she saw her daddy, Jessie crawled toward the end of the bed and climbed off to get to him. Sam slowly knelt down and watched her come closer, feeling his own face drain of blood. Oh, man. He was so not ready to tell her where babies came from...
"H – Hey, Jess," Sam whispered, smiling as he held his arms out.
Jessica softly collided with Sam's chest and let out a tiny yawn while he picked her up. Her body was so small; like a life-size baby doll compared to Sam's ridiculous height. Jessica may have been three, but she could easily pass for two. And her smallness only made Sam even less enthusiastic about bringing her into the kitchen.
"Where's Papa?" Jess asked, her voice so tiny and sweet.
"He's... here," Sam said carefully.
The man swayed around with his baby girl for a second and simply admired how cute her blonde hair and little dimples were, before hesitantly inching his way back into the kitchen. Gabriel was standing by the counter of course, looking all too eager to start his presentation. His golden eyes lit up with playful energy when Jessie turned her head to look at him.
"There's my lil' Jessica-Rabbit," Gabe hummed, reaching up to gently pluck her out of Sam's arms and shower her face with kisses, "How are you this morning, beautiful?"
Jessica was barely paying attention to her papa, because she was craning her neck over his shoulder to steal a peek at the stuff on the counter.
"What's that, Papa?" she asked.
Sam could feel his guts churning with discomfort. Ugh, he wasn't ready for this conversation. But it seemed like Gabriel was. The archangel gave Jess's cheek one last peck before stepping over to place her on a stool.
"That's all for you, sunshine," he answered with a smile, "'Cause today, I'm gonna teach you about where babies come from."
At first, it seemed like Jessica had forgotten all about asking the question from the night before. But her emerald-copper eyes slowly filled with realization and hopefulness as she glanced between her two fathers.
"Okay," she said, sounding kind of excited.
"Okay," Gabe repeated cheerfully.
The archangel raised up and stepped back to linger in front of the counter, before reaching over to flip open the big notepad. There was a doodle of two stick people – a girl and a boy – on the first page; clearly drawn by Gabriel himself. Sam resisted the urge to cringe as he stepped over to prop himself up against the wall beside Jessica's stool. He could barely look down at his daughter out of sheer embarrassment.
"Well, there are two different ways to make a baby," Gabe began, "There's the normal way, which is how most babies are made. And then there is the special way, which is how you were made."
Jessica blinked up at her papa with large eyes, soaking in his every word and action. Sam stayed silent as Gabriel went on, waiting to see exactly how the archangel would explain this topic.
"The normal way starts out with a daddy and a mommy," Gabriel continued, turning to point toward the terrible drawing on the paper, "You see, daddies have a, um, 'stick' on their bodies called a 'penis.' And mommies have a little 'pocket' called a 'vagina.'"
Sam's face flared so hot with heat that he had to cover it with his hand. Oh, God. Penis and vagina? Did Gabriel seriously have to say those words out loud? The discomfort made Sam want to crawl out of his own skin...
"The 'stick' has seeds in it and the 'pocket' has an egg. And when a daddy and a mommy decide that they want to have a baby, the daddy puts their 'stick' inside the mommy's 'pocket' and they do a magic dance," Gabriel explained.
He reached over to turn the page again, revealing another badly drawn cartoon. This time, it was of what looked like sperm swimming toward an egg.
"Then, the seeds – these little tadpole things – swim out of the daddy's 'stick' and go into the 'pocket,' which leads to a place called a 'uterus' inside the mommy's body."
Gabriel paused again to grab the big plastic uterus from the counter before kneeling down in front of Jessica's chair. He presented the fake body part to her and pointed toward the inside.
"The seeds swim all the way up one of these tubes until one of them finds the egg. Then, the egg and the seed fuse together and slide down to stick to one of these walls. And then, a baby starts to grow inside the mommy's uterus. Like this," Gabriel said.
He hopped up to exchange the fake uterus with the chart of embryos before kneeling back down to show it to Jessica. Their little girl drank in the sight of all the pictures, scanning the whole thing with curiosity while she hugged her stuffed bunny.
"See? The baby gets bigger and bigger," Gabriel explained, pointing to various stages, "Then, when the baby is big enough, the mommy pushes it out through her 'pocket,' and the baby is born... That's the normal way babies are made."
Gabriel put the embryo chart on the floor before staring down at Jessica with a softer look. Even Sam could see that his golden eyes were twinkling with pride and joy.
"But you, Jessie-Rabbit, were made the special way," he smiled, "You see, when Daddy put his seeds inside Papa, they didn't find an egg. They found his grace."
Gabriel cupped his hands together in front of Jessica and they started to glow. Bright golden light shined from his palms, making Jess's eyes sparkle with amazement. She reached up to cling to his glowing thumbs with her tiny hands, seeming intrigued by the stunning color.
"You were made inside Papa's belly with this light. And it made you grow really fast," Gabe went on with a smile, "Then, when you were ready, Daddy and uncle Cassie helped you come out. And now you're here."
Sam felt a smile lift across his own face as he recalled Jessica's creation from his own memory. Gabriel was so cute when he was pregnant; so round and golden. The pregnancy and the birth were both extremely difficult, but holding Jessica for the first time was the proudest moment of Sam's entire life...
Once his presentation seemed to be over, Gabriel carefully let his grace fizzle out. The golden light disappeared from his hands and he brought his full attention to Jess's face.
"Do you have any questions for me and Daddy?" he asked.
Jessica timidly glanced between Gabriel in front of her and Sam above her as she hugged her bunny again. Sam could see a hint of curiosity hidden in her eyes. She was definitely thinking of a question, but seemed afraid to ask it. Gabe and Sam wore comforting smiles and waited patiently for her to gain the courage to speak.
"... What's a mommy?" Jessica finally asked.
The sheer innocence and confusion in his daughter's voice made Sam's heart drop. What's a mommy? Did Jessica seriously not know what a mommy was? Sam instantly met eyes with Gabriel, where he saw the same surprise and utter disbelief. Somehow, hearing that question made Sam feel like a failure. Every single toddler in the world probably knew what the word 'mommy' meant, and it broke his heart to think that his daughter would be an exception. Would other children make fun of her for not having a mommy? Would she be an outcast because she wasn't raised like the rest of the world? Would Jessica have to grow up the same way her father and uncle did? Shunned and friendless just because she didn't have a mother?
Gabriel cleared his throat a little, obviously feeling some of the same terrible emotions that Sam was. But he played it off in classic trickster fashion. Gabe smiled warmly at their little girl before giving her an honest answer.
"A mommy is like a daddy, only she's a girl instead of a boy," he mumbled kindly, "and most babies have both. But you're very lucky, honeydew. 'Cause you've got two daddies instead of one. And they both love you with all of their hearts."
Sam watched a smile spread across his daughter's beautiful face as she slid forward to wrap both of her small arms around Gabriel's neck. Gabe circled his own arms around her torso and took the time to share another sad look with Sam while Jess couldn't see them. Sam really wished that he could say something that would make them both feel better, but what could be said? They always knew their angelic little girl would have to grow up differently than other children her age... But Sam never realized how much of an impact it would have on her, and how difficult it would be for them to answer such simple questions...
It took Dean almost half an hour to get dressed when he woke up.
Not because he took a shower or carefully picked out what to wear. No, those were the kind of luxuries he couldn't afford now that he was a parent. The reason it took him so long was because he had to climb out of bed, maneuver around a room full of junk, pick up a few toys along the way, actually find his duffel bag, and dig out a set of clothing that didn't smell horrible. Then came the ever-so-difficult task of trying to find a place to change. It seemed like the bathroom always had someone in it, so he had to wait on Sam, Jessica, and Jude to get finished before he could actually change. Needless to say, Dean was craving the comforts of his own room the whole time he was putting his clothes on.
But once he was dressed, Dean headed straight into the kitchen for coffee. The heavenly aroma of ground coffee beans was already thick in the air, so he naturally assumed that someone had made a pot. The older Winchester walked in to find the younger leaning against the counter with a steaming mug in his hand. There was a look on Sam's face that Dean had a hard time deciphering. The kid was just standing there like a statue with his lips tucked together and his eyes on the floor. Sammy looked vacant, like he was lost in his own head. Dean searched over his brother as he poured himself a cup of Joe, wondering what was wrong with him.
"Hey," Dean mumbled, taking a small sip, "You okay?"
Sam seemed to snap out of a trance before glancing at Dean. The guy cleared his throat and gave a small shrug before stealing a drink from his own cup.
"We, uh... We told Jessica where babies come from this morning," Sam mumbled.
Dean almost choked on his own coffee. He struggled to keep the hot liquid down as he raised his eyebrows in shock. Sam and Gabe told Jessica about the birds and the bees? Already? But she was only three! Sam must have seen the surprise on Dean's face, because he went on.
"She asked about it last night, so Gabriel explained it to her," the kid breathed, "But after hearing about everything, do you know what she asked?"
"Uh... 'How did Daddy end up with an idiot like Papa'?" Dean replied sarcastically, trying to get Sam to smile.
But Sam didn't smile. His expression turned sadder and his eyes were filled with regret.
"No. She asked what a mommy was," Sammy answered, sounding defeated, "It was like she had no idea that mothers existed. Like she thought that everyone had daddies and papas. Does – does that make us bad parents, Dean? Are our kids too sheltered?"
"Too sheltered?" Dean repeated, finding it odd, "No, Sammy. Our kids are fine. Hell, I think they're more than fine, considering everything they've been through. I'm sure lots of same-sex couples get asked the same kind of question. You, me, Cas, Gabe – we're all Jude and Jess have ever known. Seems kinda fitting that they would find everyone else different."
Sam leaned back against the counter and gave Dean a strange look. His eyes seemed full of surprise and admiration all of the sudden, like he thought it was weird that Dean would give such a genuine reply.
"What?" Dean asked.
"Nothing," Sam said, letting a smile flicker on his mouth, "I... I guess you're right."
"'Course I'm right," Dean smirked, winking as he took another sip of bitter coffee, "So, what's the plan for today? Did you get Gabe to look at that paper Bobby gave us, yet?"
"Not yet," Sam sighed, "We've been too busy with baby talk. I think we should all look at it together. Maybe we could take the kids to the park later and let them play while we figure it out. You know, let them hang out with norm -" Sam stopped himself and coughed, "I mean, other kids..."
Dean gave his brother a weary look. 'Normal' kids? Really?
"Normal is just a setting on the dryer, Sammy," Dean muttered, standing up straight, "I need to make a quick trip to the gas station first. Baby's getting low on fuel and oil. What do you say we set up the park visit for two o'clock?"
"Sounds good," Sam replied, "Be careful, Dean."
"Always am," Dean promised.
The older Winchester gave a slight wave to the younger before heading back out into the main part of the motel room. Cas, Gabe, Jessica, and Jude were all sitting at the cluttered table by the wall with Dickie nearby. Gabriel and Jude were leaning far across the table to watch Jessica, who was holding Cas's hand down in her lap. Dean stepped closer to see what was happening, and realized that Jess was painting the poor guy's nails. Cas's entire left hand was covered in blue, pink, and green nail polish, and his right hand was currently being done up in purple. The angel just sat there with his head tilted while his niece dolled him up.
"Is it supposed to feel sticky?" he asked, turning to look at Gabriel.
"Eh, it dries eventually," Gabe replied, holding up his hand to wiggle his own colorful fingers.
Dean only shook his head and smiled. Apart from Cas and Gabriel, there probably weren't any other angels that would actually sit down and let a little girl paint their nails.
"Hold still, uncle Cassie," Jessie requested.
"M – my apologies," Cas replied, turning back around.
Dean noticed that while everyone else was staring at Jessica, Jude's eyes were on him. The little boy was watching his daddy come closer to the table, seeming to study his every move. It was like Jude already knew that Dean was planning to leave. Dean gave his son a tiny wink as he reached over to casually swipe the keys off the table.
"I've gotta go to the gas station real quick," he announced, causing everyone to look at him, "Shouldn't take me very long -"
"Can I come, Daddy?" Jude interrupted.
Dean smiled again. He loved hearing the excitement in his child's voice, especially when it was for something as simple as just getting to hang out together for a ride in the Impala.
"Yep. Go and get your coat, son," Dean replied.
While Jude dashed off with a happy smile, Cas shifted around in his seat to get up too – but Jessica wouldn't let go of his hand.
"No, Cassie! I gotta finish your nails," she pleaded, sounding so sweet.
Cas glanced between Dean and their blonde niece, looking torn. The angel obviously wanted to ride with them to the gas station, but he was literally being held back with Jessica's highly persuasive puppy-dog stare. Dean lifted a hand and gave Cas a reassuring look.
"It's okay, baby," he breathed, pushing gently on Cas's shoulder to sit him back in the chair, "I'll be back in a few minutes."
"Please, Dean... Please be careful," Cas said, his blue eyes intense and full of seriousness.
"I will," Dean replied.
Before Cas could get too caught up in his own worry, Dean leaned over to capture his open mouth. He gave his angel the kind of kiss that he usually gave him in private, with unrestrained tongue and sloppy lips. He curled his fingertips against the back of Cas's head too, tangling his hand in the angel's soft hair. By the time it was over, Jessica was giggling with a red face and Gabriel was tossing crayons at them and telling them to get a room. It was good enough to transform the concern in Cas's eyes into dopy bliss.
"I love you, Cas," Dean breathed.
"I – I love you, too, Dean," Cas stuttered.
After feeling Jude tug on the end of his jacket, Dean stood up and let his three-year-old tell Cas goodbye. Jude gave his papa's waist a quick hug and yanked on Dean's hand. Dean only had time to give Cas's shoulder one last squeeze before their son pulled him away. The kid was obviously excited to hit the road.
"Please pray if you need me," Cas called.
Dean waved the rest of his family off as he followed his eager little boy outside. He smiled down at the top of Jude's head, watching the sunlight shine on his spiky chestnut hair. It was amazing how much of himself Dean could see in his son. The kid was always wanting to take a ride in the Impala, talk about superheros, and eat pie. There was no denying that Jude was Dean's child.
"We're just going to get gas, Jude," Dean reminded with a smile.
"I know," Jude said happily.
The little guy opened the car door and climbed inside to get into his seat all by himself. Dean helped Jude strap in and gave his forehead a quick kiss before sitting down in the front seat to start the car. He reached up and adjusted the rear-view mirror so that he could see the smile on Jude's face behind him as he backed out of the parking lot. They were both quiet for a few minutes while Dean drove, and he thought about turning on the radio. But before he even reached for the dial -
"Let's play the question game, Daddy," Jude blurted.
Dean glanced at him in the mirror and smiled. Whenever they were on road trips or just laying around before bed, Dean and Cas always played the 'question game' with Jude. One person would say two things and the other person would have to pick their favorite of the two. Dean quickly tried to think of a pair of things as he stared at the road in front of him.
"Okay. Uh... Red or blue?" he asked.
"Blue," Jude replied instantly.
Dean silently agreed with his son's answer, mostly because he could see Jude's blue eyes in the mirror. The man glanced around as he drove, trying to think of more things.
"Cars or trucks?" Dean asked.
"Um... both?" Jude answered carefully.
Dean gave a chuckle and nodded. That was a pretty good answer. When it came to vehicles, anything that could run was a good option – apart from the Impala, of course. Baby always came first. Dean glanced around to get more ideas for another question, and noticed one of Jude's blankets laying across the backseat. It was covered in superheros, but two of the logos caught Dean's immediate attention.
"Batman or Superman?" he asked.
Dean eyed his son in the mirror, watching him smile brightly.
"Superman!" Jude rejoiced.
Genuine surprise flashed across Dean's face. Superman? Really? Dean wasn't expecting to hear that answer. He honestly thought that Jude was going to say Batman, because whenever they talked about superheros, Batman always came up. Plus, Jude tended to choose things that Dean liked because they were so similar. But Superman? Superman was a total nerd compared to Batman...
"You – you like Superman better than Batman?" Dean asked, wanting to make sure that he heard it correctly.
"Uh-huh," Jude nodded.
"Why?" Dean asked, curious.
"'Cause Superman can fly," Jude answered, briefly meeting Dean's eyes in the mirror.
A new smile slowly spread across Dean's lips as he glanced between the road in front of him and his son in the backseat. Somehow, that answer made perfect sense. Of course Jude would like a superhero that could fly. It probably reminded him of his Papa Cas. But, didn't Jude realize that he had the ability to do the same thing? That he could fly, just like Superman?
"Jude, buddy," Dean said softly, giving his child a gentle smile, "You can fly, too."
Even though Dean's words were meant to be comforting, the happiness fled Jude's face and his sapphire eyes flickered downward. He fiddled with the straps on his car seat and kicked his little feet, seeming too shy to look back up.
"... but Superman's not scared to fly," Jude mumbled under his breath.
Dean's heart ached painfully behind his ribs. There was nothing he hated more than hearing that tiny hint of fear in his son's voice. He wished that he could help Jude somehow; that he could say or do something that would make flying less scary for him. But he couldn't. Cas wasn't even able to convince Jude that flying was okay. How could Dean possibly do what an angel couldn't? Instead of pressuring Jude to keep talking about it, Dean shifted his toddler's attention back to something happier.
"Maybe its because Superman wears his underwear on the outside," Dean mentioned, giving a subtle wink.
Jude giggled a little at Dean's suggestion, thankfully regaining his smile. It only took them a few more minutes to get to the gas station. Dean pulled into the lot and guided the Impala to a pump before shutting her off. Afterward, he got out and stepped to the back to help Jude unbuckle his car seat. Dean scooped his child up and gave him a tiny kiss as he started for the convenience store to pay. While he walked, Dean noticed that there weren't any other cars in the parking lot. For a moment, he thought that the store might be closed. But he caught sight of a person standing at the counter inside, so he kept going.
The small store was playing Christmas music on the radio when Dean walked in. The hunter took note that there was one person behind the counter and another roaming the aisles. It was in his nature to be aware of his surroundings at all times. Jude, on the other hand, seemed more interested in the food display than he did in anything else.
"Look, Daddy," he said, pointing toward it, "Jessie likes apples. Can we get her one?"
As Dean moved closer to the barrels of fruit with his son in his arms, the hairs on the back of his neck slowly stood up. A familiar chill inched down his spine, one that he knew all too well. It felt like there were eyes on his back; like someone was watching him – and moving closer.
Just as Dean turned around to confront whatever was behind him, he felt a wire wrap around his neck.
The man instantly slid his toddler to the floor and raised both hands up to his throat. Someone was behind him, trying to choke him with a thin metal wire. Dean's airway was cutoff and he couldn't breathe, so his instincts took over. He quickly dug both of his thumbs under the wire to keep it from slicing into his skin as he tried to fight the person off. In the meantime, Dean caught a glimpse of Jude kneeling near the barrels of fruit with a pale face. The poor kid just crouched there with a hand over his mouth, looking paralyzed with shock. Dean wanted to tell Jude to run; to flee, to fly. But he couldn't even suck in enough air to breathe.
Though his vision was already starting to blur, Dean forced himself to lunge backward; smashing his captor against the counter. The guy let out a loud shout – filling the air with the smell of sulfur and brimstone – before wrestling Dean to the floor. The two of them landed on their sides and the wire tightened even more around Dean's neck; digging into the flesh on his fingers. Dean stared sideways at his son as he tried to gasp for breath. Dammit! Why wouldn't Jude fly away?! Dean knew that if he let go of the wire, it would slice all the way through his neck like a thin blade. The person behind him was obviously trying to kill him.
While Dean fought with the person on the floor, he caught sight of someone else rounding the aisle behind Jude. The man was walking up to the toddler with a scowl on his face – and his eyes were jet black. The terrifying sight of a demon coming near his child made Dean's body react without him. The hunter let go of the wire, letting it partially slice into his neck, so that he could retrieve the gun from his waist band. Dean instantly unloaded his pistol on the demon behind Jude, filling the store with loud gunfire and making the creature stumble back into the glass beer case. Afterward, he pointed the gun directly behind him and shot his captor, causing them to finally let go.
Once the wire was freed from his neck, Dean sucked in a huge gasp of air and rolled away. The man with the wire – another demon – was the same man that had been behind the counter. Dean quickly dug the demon knife out of his pocket and stabbed him in the chest, making the life flicker out of his body. Afterward, Dean spun around to see that the other demon was trying to climb out of the beer case. The hunter instantly ripped the knife out of the corpse in front of him and threw it at the demon behind him; burying the sharp end directly into his stomach. The creature only had time to let out a single yelp before it fell back inside the broken glass, limp and lifeless.
Dean instantly scanned the store for more demons as he panted and crawled toward his son. Jude was covering his ears with both hands and holding his head between his knees. The kid was squeezing his eyes shut and visibly trembling, shaking so hard that his spiky hair was moving. Dean could feel warm blood running down his own neck but he didn't want Jude to see it, so he slapped one hand over his wound before reaching out to touch his child with the other.
"Jude," Dean breathed, voice hoarse.
The moment Jude raised his head and looked up to find Dean, tears swelled in his blue eyes. He let out a loud sob and fell apart, letting himself cry like any toddler would. Dean scooped up his sobbing child with one hand and held him close to his chest, wanting to shield him from the destruction. But it was too late. For the first time ever, Jude had witnessed his father kill someone. And the sound of his tears made Dean feel like total shit. He slumped against the barrels beside them and tried to gulp down his own emotions as he felt his son trembling in his arms.
"Cas," Dean prayed over the sound of their child's sobs.
It only took one call of Cas's name for the angel to appear. He popped inside the store by the entrance – and his blue eyes instantly filled with shock. Cas flew over to the floor where Dean was sitting and knelt down, dismissing the dead demons and broken glass on the floor.
"Dean, what happened? Is he hurt? Are you hurt?" the angel breathed, his eyes radiating worry.
As soon as he heard Cas's voice, Jude leaped out of Dean's arms. The toddler instantly scrambled for Cas, reaching up to hook both arms around the angel's neck and hug him tight. Cas gently cradled his terrified son against him but his eyes remain locked on Dean, wanting answers.
"They... attacked me," Dean croaked over Jude's loud sobs, still holding pressure to his bleeding neck, "I had to... I had to kill them, Cas. They... were going after him."
Without saying a word, Cas reached up to remove Dean's hand from his throat. Dean flinched as his wound was being revealed, knowing that it probably looked terrible. Cas placed his own hand over it and shined a light, healing the deep cut with his grace. The blood disappeared and the wound closed almost instantly. Dean coughed and sat up afterward, feeling more concerned about Jude than anything.
But when Dean reached out to touch his son's back, Jude flinched away and buried his face into the collar of Cas's coat. He refused to even look at his father's face, and the thought made Dean cringe. Jude wasn't just afraid of the demons...
He was afraid of Dean, too.
(Author's Note: … Yeah. Lots of things happened in this chapter. I really hope that I was able to balance out the constant shift of funny and serious throughout. There was a lot of emotional ground to cover, starting with Jess's baby talk. I think I read somewhere that when it comes to telling children about sex, it's best to just explain the truth very carefully, and I tried to let Gabriel do that for his little girl. :) Yes, Jude favors Superman over Batman. Believe it or not, that will actually be a reoccurring theme in this story. And if you made it all the way to the end of this chapter without wanting to punch me for the hellacious gas station scene, (pun intended,) then you are officially one of my favorite people and I want to hug you. *hugs* :) Needless to say, everyone's going to have to work some things out in the next chapter.
And I know a lot of you hate the angst and are probably worried about the toddlers, so before you even ask, *Spoiler Alert* I solemnly swear – beyond any and all doubt – that nothing bad will happen to Jude or Jessica in this story. No one is going to die, or get kidnapped, or get seriously hurt, or anything remotely like that. All six – eight, if you count Dickie and Bobby – of our main characters will be perfectly safe and happy by the end of the story. That is a Snailhair guarantee. *End Spoiler Alert* With that in mind, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Thank you all so much for being so supportive and encouraging. Your words mean so much to me! They honestly keep me going! :) The next chapter will be out soon! :)
Classical E Centric, I'm so glad that you enjoyed all the Thanksgiving cuteness, darlin! :) Yeah, I think it's safe to admit that the only reason Bobby wants to go to hell is because Crowley is involved. But, Sam and Dean have no idea that Bobby and Crowley's relationship is more than slightly platonic. (Yet.) ;) As always, thank you so much for reading and reviewing, love! I'm so glad that you like it so far! :)
Deanstiel's Daughter, My thoughts exactly, love. I don't think Dean and Sam have ever had a Thanksgiving dinner; at least, not on the show. Lol! I think we all want to take Jude home with us. ;) I hope you enjoyed how Sam and Gabriel handled answering Jessica's question. I always thought that Gabriel would be a proactive parent; wanting to give his kid all the answers right away, you know? I'm sure if Jude asked that question, Castiel would give him an extensive and well-thought-out answer that would sail right over his little head. Lol. :) Hehe, it's clear to us why Bobby wants a portal to hell, but I think Dean and Sam are blind to it. But they'll figure it out eventually. ;) As always, thank you so much for reading and reviewing, darlin! I'm so glad you're enjoying the third installment! :)
Sammy's Rose, Awww, I know! Jude and Jessie are lethally cute! Lol. :D Ha, no. I don't think Sam ever got the chance to brush his teeth that day. Poor guy. Lol! :) Oh yeah, Jessie definitely gets her fashion sense from her Papa. It's a trickster thing, I suppose. ;) Yay! I'm so glad that you like dapper Dickie! :D He is going to be dapper throughout the rest of the story pretty much, especially at Jessica's tea party. ;) Our hell hound puppies might not be puppies anymore, but they all still act the same. I love Humphrey, too. ;D Bobby does know about Virginia – Crowley mentioned her in the very last chapter of 'Seeds' – but he's never seen her in person. (Yet.) There's a bit more to why Bobby needs a portal to hell, but all will be revealed later. ;) Hahaha! I'm so glad you laughed at Gabriel putting Jessica to sleep! I was afraid that some people might have viewed it as cruel, but I'm glad that's not the case! :D I really hope you enjoyed how he answered that question in this chapter, too. ;) As always, thank you so much for reading and reviewing, my favorite Ravenclaw! :) I'm so glad you like it! :)
masterjediratgrl31, Lol! I'm so glad that you laughed when Gabriel zapped her to sleep, darlin! :D I was afraid some people would be upset by it, but I'm glad that's not the case. :) I hope you enjoyed how Gabriel handled answering Jess's question at the beginning of this chapter. (Hopefully you won't have any penis nightmares. Lol!) :D Oh yes. A Winchester's dirty mind makes the world go round. And I think we are all thankful for that. ;) Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, love! I'm so glad you are enjoying the story! :)
Destiel-in-a-nutshell, Aww, darlin, you are so are so sweet! *hugs* Thank you so much for all those compliments! You seriously made me blush. :) I like Jessie's strange fashion sense as well. I think she gets a lot of her individuality from her papa. (Could you imagine Gabe in a tutu? Lol!) :D I'm so happy that this story makes you smile, darlin. You are the best! :) Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! I'm just so glad you love it! :)
Kats1997, lol! Excellent question, darlin! :) As much as I like the thought of Bobby and Crowley struggling with demonic diaper changes, I think they would be perfectly happy just raising four puppies together. Peter, Willy, Humphrey, and Virginia are their brood. ;) Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, love! I hope you're enjoy it so far. :)
, Omg! Lmao! XD If I was that momma, I would have died! Hahaha! :D That sounds like something that would happen to Dean, doesn't it? Maybe I could have it happen that way for him and Jude; have Dean spit and sputter his way through an explanation of sex, only to have Jude say, "I just wanna know which state I'm from, Daddy." Lmao! Too funny :D Thank you so much for making me laugh, darlin. I hope you liked the new chapter as well! :)
TARDIStime, Yaaaay! I'm so glad to hear from you again! *runs up and hugs you* :D I'm so glad that you like it so far! :) You're right, I think Bobby does want to open a portal so that he can shag his favorite demon. But that's not the only reason why. ;) Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, darlin! I'm so glad you like it! :)
whaleofataleteller, lol! I'm glad you liked Gabriel's reaction to Jessie's question, darlin. :D It freaked him out at first. Lol. But, I hope his answer at the beginning of this chapter was suitable. :) Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, as always. I'm so glad you're enjoying it. :)
LadyAnalyn, I figured that even though Bobby is basically Dean and Sam's dad, he wouldn't like being called 'Grandpa.' Makes him feel old. So, he prefers 'uncle.' ;) Yeah, Bobby wants to open a portal to hell to get to Crowley, but there's more to it than just a lack of communication. ;) And, no. Dean and Sam do not know about Bobby and Crowley's relationship yet. I like to think it's because Bobby wants to keep it as private as possible, even from his boys. ;) Thanks for reading and reviewing, love! I'm planning to read the new chapter of The Light Inside later today! :)
Elamina777, Yaaay! I LOVE WHEN PEOPLE COMMENT IN ALL CAPS! :D They are my favorite! Lol! :D Aww, I'm so glad you like Jessica and her weird sense of fashion. She gets it from Gabe. ;) Yes! I have successfully converted another person to the Crobby ship! Welcome aboard, darlin! Glad to have you! :D And I am so glad that I could make you laugh so hard! Lol! :D Gabriel was definitely caught off guard by his daughter's question, but hopefully he answered it correctly in this new chapter. Lol. As always, thank you so much for reading and reviewing! I'm so glad you like it! :)
princessg101, Aww, I'm so glad that you are enjoying the domestic themes, darlin. I like them too. :) And as for the protection of the babies, I promise they will be safe. (See the above spoiler for confirmation.) ;) I swear no harm will come to them. I love them too much! :D Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, love! :)
gothichic, Oh, my faithful gothichic. You make me smile every week! :D lol! I'm glad you liked how Gabe knocked poor Jessie out after that question. It totally caught him off guard, but I think he was able to answer it effectively in this new chapter. ;) Yeah, Jessie wanted to look good for her first Thanksgiving. I think Gabe liked the tutu the best. And the bow tie definitely makes Dickie feel more manly. Lol. :) The hell hounds did grow up really fast, but luckily they held onto their adorable personalities. And yes! Their little sister actually will be in this story later. :D You're right. Bobby does want to check up on his man. Sam and Dean just don't know it yet. ;) And Sam and Gabriel are definitely in the mood for some lovin'. Especially Gabe. He's practically acting like Dickie. Lol! I'm sure they'll get to have some 'alone time' by the end of the story. ;) I really hope that you get to go to a supernatural convention some day, darlin! You would absolutely love it! There is so much to do and see. It was really amazing. :) Thank you so much for all those wonderful compliments, love! I'm so glad that you are enjoying it so far! *hugs* Love ya, sweetheart! And thanks again! :)
