"He was here? In the bunker? Making muffins?" Sam breathed in shock.
Gabriel made a face and shrugged his shoulders with a nod. The archangel had plopped himself on the end of their bed, still wearing one of Sam's shirts from the night before. Sam, however, was standing near the dresser and putting on a suit as they talked. The man couldn't believe that God had showed up at the Winchester's doorstep again without him knowing it. Why was Sam always preoccupied when God decided to swing by and talk to his family?
"Well, what did he say?" Sam pressed as he slipped his pants on, "Did he talk to you? Does he still look like Chuck?"
"Oh yeah. He had the whole hipster-prophet thing going on. Not sure why he chose to look like that. Must be going through a midlife crisis or something," Gabe answered.
Sam smiled. God? Going through a midlife crisis? Why did that sound so funny? Sammy finished buckling the belt around his waist before slipping on a white shirt and starting to button it up his torso.
"Why was he making muffins though?" he asked, giving his archangel a strange look.
"He said he wanted to spend time with his grandkids while they were still young or something like that," Gabe shrugged again.
"His grandkids?" Sam repeated, "Wait, Jude and Jessica saw him too?"
"Yep. All three of them were laughing together in the kitchen by the time Cas and I walked in," Gabe sighed and shook his head, "He wouldn't tell me what they were talking about, though. Said it was a secret. Why is my old man keeping secrets with our kid?"
Sam studied Gabriel's face from a few feet away and could tell that the guy was genuinely put off by the idea of their daughter sharing secrets with someone. Sam could understand where it might be a little weird, especially when they had no idea what it was about. But Gabe's father was God. If Jessica was going to keep a secret with anyone, Sam would want it to be him. Who else could they put their trust in if not the creator of the universe?
"It's probably no big deal," Sam replied casually, hoping to ease Gabe's mind.
"I still don't like it," Gabe huffed, crossing his arms and glancing up and down Sam's body, "Why are you putting on a suit, anyway? Do we have a case to solve or something?"
The smile briefly returned to Sam's face. He secretly loved the fact that Gabe said 'we' when referring to hunting...
"Uh, no. Actually, I was thinking that you and I could go over to Lebanon Elementary today and see about enrolling Jess and Jude. You know, ask some questions and get information for the fall," he admitted.
Sam half expected Gabe to complain about having to deal with people or make a fuss about dressing up in nice clothes. But surprisingly, the archangel simply took a deep breath, dragged himself up from the bed to stand, and snapped his fingers together. With a bit of his grace, his night clothes disappeared and were replaced with a suit. Sam blinked at the sudden change, glancing over Gabe's attire with fondness. The guy chose to wear the steel gray suit and golden tie that Sam loved so much. It made him look so suave and handsome, like an art appraiser or a rich yacht owner. Though his outfit changed, Gabriel's unsatisfied expression remained. The late night visit from his dad had obviously ruffled his angelic feathers.
"It's killing me, Sam," Gabe huffed, "I want to know what they were talking about!"
"Then ask her," Sam suggested.
Gabriel blinked at Sam for a minute as the man grabbed one of his red ties and hooked it around his own neck. There was an argument written in Gabe's honey eyes, as if he thought that simply asking Jessica would be too easy. But the archangel eventually walked over to open their bedroom door and lean out into the hallway.
"Jessica-rabbit!" Gabe called, "Come here for a second!"
After calling for their daughter, Gabriel walked back over to sit on the end of the bed and wait for her. Sam watched the door as he finished straightening up his tie, waiting to see Jess drag her bunny inside with a head full of messy morning hair. Her Daddy knew that she was bound to be exhausted after the exciting night she had with 'Grandpa.' But surprisingly, the sound of fast-paced footsteps came rushing down the hall. Jessica popped into the room carrying Dickie – who was completely wrapped in toilet paper. The poor dog looked like a makeshift mummy with stray wrappings and all. Jessica was wearing a gleeful smile when she pranced inside and held him up.
"Look, Papa! I made Dickie look like an Egypt-yum," she giggled.
Sam and Gabriel both smiled down at the pitiful dog in their daughter's tiny arms. Aw, the poor guy wasn't even wagging his tail. He clearly didn't like being covered in toilet paper.
"That's great, baby bunny. But Papa wants to talk to you for a second," Gabe said.
The archangel carefully plucked Dickie out of Jessica's arms and put him on the floor – after which, the dog instantly started shaking all the tissue off – before pulling her into his lap. Jess's tiny frame balanced on her Papa's knee and she looked up at him with wonder. Gabe stared back at her the same gentle way a mother looked at her child. Which, Sam realized, made perfect sense. Because Gabriel basically was her mother, in a way.
"Did you have fun with Grandpa last night, sunshine?" Gabe asked.
"Yeah-huh. He's funny," Jessica giggled.
Sam loved seeing the delight on Jess's pretty face. She looked so much like Gabe when she smiled like that. Gabriel, on the other hand, seemed determined to find out about what happened between her and God the night before.
"What did you guys talk about?" he pressed, sounding anxious.
"Oh, I can't tell you, Papa. It's a secret," she whispered.
"Why is it a secret, Jessie? Did Grandpa say something about Papa and Daddy? Or uncle Dean and uncle Cas?" he urged.
"Uh-huh," she agreed with a smile, "but it's a surprise. I can't tell you. You has to find out later."
Gabriel released a frustrated sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. Sam could tell that the guy was getting upset with the lack of answers and their daughter's determination to keep a secret. Wanting to ease Gabe's distress, Sam stepped over and picked Jessica up from his lap.
"Jess," Sam smiled, holding her against his own chest to study her beautiful eyes, "Is it a happy secret or a sad secret?"
"Oh, it's a really really happy secret, Daddy," she sang with a grin.
"Then that's all we need to know," Sam replied.
He briefly glanced beyond the little girl in his arms to see Gabriel, who was now wearing a look of defeat, before planting a kiss on Jess's cheek.
"Papa and I have some stuff to do today, so you'll have to stay here with Jude and your uncles for a while, okay?" Sam explained.
"Okay," Jess nodded.
Sam smiled at his daughter for a second just to take in her innocent beauty before hugging her and lowering her back to the floor. She raced over to Gabriel with arms wide open and he scooped her up to give her a hug and kiss too.
"We love you, baby rabbit," he reminded softly.
"I love you too, Papa," she replied.
Once she got all the morning loving from her parents, Jessica rushed back out of the room in a blur of blonde curls and purple pajamas. She was probably hurrying out to search for Dickie and finish wrapping him up in toilet paper, but the dog had hidden underneath Sam and Gabe's bed. He only came out after she was gone, looking more frazzled than Sam had ever seen a dog look. In the meantime, Sam noticed that Gabriel had hung his head and was staring sadly at the floor. Man, he hated when Gabe was upset. Gabriel was Sam's main source of happiness! The guy should never be sad...
"What's really bothering you, Gabe?" Sam asked gently, as he came over to sit next to him on their bed.
Gabe took a deep breath.
"I... I guess I'm just worried that my old man might run out again. And if he does, it'll break Jessica's heart. Just like it broke mine," he finally admitted.
A dull ache throbbed in Sam's chest. He never knew how much Gabriel cared for his father. Sam just assumed that the passing of time since their argument had Gabriel numbed to the memories. But clearly, the guy was still upset and worried that history would repeat itself. Sam casually reached over to place a comforting hand on Gabriel's small knee.
"Gabe," he began, "I know how you feel. My dad was hardly ever around when I was growing up either. Our relationship was far from perfect. If he were alive today, I probably wouldn't like him hanging out with Jessica either... But our daughter has a right to know her family, no matter how unreliable some of the members of it are. Besides, at the end of the day, she's always gonna have us. And we're never gonna run out on her."
For a moment, Gabriel only stared up at Sam with giant golden eyes. The archangel seemed genuinely impressed and touched by the man's words, as if Sam had just given him the exact level of comfort he was looking for. He suddenly lurched up to capture Sam's mouth with his own, making Sam's eyes flicker shut. The subtle taste of cotton candy transferred from Gabe's tongue to Sam's and the man's mouth watered instantly. He could tell that this was an affectionate kiss, meant to symbolize Gabriel's love and gratitude. The archangel pulled away and smiled as he reached up to run a hand through Sam's lengthy hair.
"What would I do without you, kiddo?" he murmured.
"Probably eat too much candy," Sam answered, causing the smile to grow on Gabe's lips.
While the two of them shared a few chuckles, Dickie hopped up into Gabriel's lap. The dog seemed to want to be included in the conversation or something, because he barked once and glanced between his two humans with hopefulness. Gabriel grin simmered into a smirk as he reached down to pet his favorite canine.
"What say you, Dickster? Wanna go play 'Magic School Bus' with me and the moose today?" the archangel asked.
Dickie immediately barked and wagged his tail, eagerly agreeing with Gabriel's suggestion. He obviously needed a break from the kids and their constant need to put him in embarrassing situations. Gabe chuckled and patted his dog's back.
"Then let's go, furball," he grinned.
Lebanon Elementary School was a quaint little building planted on the west end of town. It was smaller than Sam thought it would be and seemed like it was in dire need of a renovation. Old brick walls, vintage school buses, aging playground equipment. The place was very outdated, but the kids playing outside didn't seem to mind. The school was still functional and appeared to be full of life. Sam actually liked the worn atmosphere of the setting. It gave the school a distinct feeling of elder knowledge, like an old library or the study in the bunker. Jessica would probably be comforted by the similarity it shared with her own home and it made Sam really happy.
The man took a deep breath of warm spring air as he stepped out of the car in the parking lot. The sound of children playing nearby made him smile. He was so excited for Jessica to start going to school. He knew that she would love riding the bus and meeting new friends and learning. On the other side of the Impala, Gabriel climbed out and stretched – which made Sam roll his eyes, because archangels didn't really need to stretch. Dickie hopped out after him and sniffed the breeze, seeming equally excited to explore the school.
"Not very big, is it?" Gabe mentioned.
Sam rounded the hood to get to his archangel, where he grabbed him by the hand and started walking him toward the entrance of the building.
"You of all people should know that size doesn't matter," Sam whispered with a grin, shooting Gabe a private wink.
"Ha!" Gabe scoffed, "Says the man who's currently smuggling a moose cock in his pants."
"Uh, maybe we should refrain from saying words like 'cock' until this is over," Sam hissed, even though he was on the verge of laughter.
"You hear that, Dickie? No sex stuff. If I can't be a perve here, then neither can you. Keep your furry cannoli in its casing, capisce?" the archangel warned, giving his dog a stern warning glance.
Dickie only looked up at Gabe with his head tilted and kept walking, seeming indifferent to the ban on sexual exploits. Sam felt the urge to point out that Dickie probably wouldn't be allowed to enter the building – but then he remembered that Gabriel didn't care about rules. If Gabe wanted to do something, he did it. Simple as that. So, Sam opened the doors to let his archangel and their dog inside.
Class must have been in session because the halls were empty. Luckily, the office was in direct line of the entrance of the building, so Sam and Gabriel only had to walk a few yards to get there. In the meantime, Sam took in the sight of all the colorful artwork displayed on the walls. Finger paintings and color pages were draped as far as the eye could see. And it made Sam wonder what it would be like to see Jessica's painting hanging there. Her little handmade rainbow would no doubt be the prettiest of them all...
Sam, Gabe, and Dickie all wandered into the school office where they were met at the front desk by a middle-aged woman with short hair and glasses. Her hands paused on her keyboard and she smiled kindly when they approached.
"Hello, gentlemen. What can I help you with?" she asked.
"Hi," Sam replied with a smile, "My partner and I are just trying to get some information about this school for our daughter. We're thinking about enrolling her in the fall and we just have a couple of questions about it."
Sam didn't miss that the lady's smile was slowly fading as he talked. Her eyes flickered back and forth between Sam and Gabe behind her glasses and she looked kind of surprised. There was a small space of silence after Sam's statement in which she just stared at them blankly.
"Y – your daughter?" she repeated, gesturing between them.
Sam and Gabriel stole a quick glance of equal confusion.
"Uh... Yes," Sam eventually answered.
Was there something weird about the way he phrased it? Did she not believe that Sam and Gabriel actually had a daughter? What was so strange about his inquiry? Though the woman was still wearing an odd expression, she stood up from the desk and gave a new fake smile.
"Just a moment," she gulped, "I'll go and get Principal Newman."
The hunter and his archangel watched as the secretary walked over to open a door and step inside a different room. Her absence left the two of them to look at each other in bewilderment.
"What the hell was that about?" Gabe asked under his breath.
"I have no idea," Sam replied.
A few seconds later, the lady returned with an older man at her back. He was balding, had a dark mustache, and reminded Sam of a man that might have coached a football team in his time. But seemed really friendly. He smiled at Sam and Gabe as he shuffled over to hold out his hand.
"Hello there. Welcome to Lebanon Elementary," he began, shaking their hands, "I'm Mark Newman, the principal. Veronica tells me that you're needing some information about enrollment?"
"Yes," Sam nodded, "We, um, have a four-year-old daughter and a five-year-old nephew that will probably start school in the fall and we just have a few questions about when and how -"
"Step into my office," Mr. Newman interrupted, "I'll write down everything you guys need to have."
Sam noticed that Gabriel was giving the poor secretary a subtle scowl, so he nudged the archangel forward to make him follow the principal. The two of them – and Dickie, who no one else had mentioned yet – walked into the office and pulled the door closed behind them. Mr. Newman was already sitting down at his desk and grabbing a pen and paper. The guy seemed almost unwilling to look up at them. His energy was very similar to the secretary outside; uncomfortable and eager to end the encounter with them. Why were they so disturbed by Sam and Gabe's presence?
"Your daughter is four, you say?" Mr. Newman politely asked, eyes never leaving his paper.
"Yes," Sam answered, stepping over to sit down in one of the vacant chairs in front of the desk, "Her name is Jessica and she's a very bright little girl."
"Well, assuming that her shots are all up to date," the principal sighed, "She can start in the fall. You'll need to fill out some paper work and bring her birth certificate and social security card with you for enrollment."
Sam's eyes flickered to Gabriel beside him and he could tell that the archangel was thinking the exact same thing. Up to date shots? Birth certificate? Social security card? Jessica didn't have any of that. They were going to have to fake some papers for her...
"The school usually holds an open house at the end of summer," Mr. Newman continued, "It's a small event where you can come and meet the teachers and take a tour around the building."
The man paused to hold out the paper to Sam, who took it and looked over the handwriting on the front.
"That's a list of everything Jessica will need to have done before she can be properly enrolled," he explained, "Once all that paperwork is out of the way, she can start."
"Sounds like a lot," Gabe casually mentioned, plucking the list out of Sam's hand to give it a glance.
"Yeah, it usually is," Mr. Newman nodded, "but it's like that with every new student."
Sam and Gabriel both nodded in unison as they read over the long list of things on the page. Man, Sam never realized how much a child had to have done before going to school. Was it always this much work? Sam could only imagine how hard it must have been for John to transfer him and Dean to all those different schools when they were growing up...
"Gentlemen," the principal said quietly.
Sam and Gabe instantly raised their heads to look at Mr. Newman again. His voice had changed to a more somber tone and his head tilted downward like a disappointed parent.
"I have to be frank with you," he muttered, folding his hands together on the desk, "While this school and our staff are welcoming of all sorts of lifestyles, I'm afraid your daughter might face certain obstacles in this community given your... particular situation."
Sam blinked and spaced out for a second to let his mind compute what he just heard. Obstacles? Particular situation? What was he talking about? Did he know that the Winchesters were hunters and angels or something?
"Um, situation?" Sam repeated, feeling worried.
Mr. Newman cleared his throat and repositioned his hands, seeming defensive and uncomfortable.
"Well, this area is very rural and old-fashioned," he explained, still refusing to make direct eye contact, "Other parents might not offer the same hospitality, since your daughter is not from a normal, traditionally nuclear family."
Sam's mouth fell open. A tiny spark of anger was trying to ignite in the bottom of his stomach as he stared at the man in front of him in shock. Not from a normal family? Suddenly, the strange encounter with the secretary made perfect sense. The way she said 'your daughter' with such disbelief haunted Sam's mind. She wasn't confused. She was offended. By the fact that Sam and Gabriel were both men. She didn't approve of their daughter having two fathers. Sam had become so used to the idea of being with Gabriel, he forgot that everyone else saw them as a gay couple. Everyone else saw them as not normal.
"Hold on. Lemme get this straight," Gabriel snapped, lunging forward to brace an elbow on the edge of the principal's desk, "Are you saying that our daughter is gonna face problems if she goes to this school just because she has two dads?"
By the severe tone of Gabriel's voice, Sam knew he was pissed. The archangel was suddenly crouched in front of Mr. Newman's desk like an angry animal ready to attack. And Mr. Newman, whose face had turned blood red, quickly cleared his throat and gave a shrug.
"Please understand that I mean no disrespect," he insisted, though his eyes were flat and emotionless, "I'm simply letting you know that -"
"That we're not gonna be welcome here, right?" Gabriel finished, his golden eyes narrowed and jaw fixed.
"Sir, your daughter will be most welcome here. What I'm saying is that the community is -"
"Oh, don't try to blame the community, pal," Gabe spat as he stood up from his chair to glare down at the principal. "You know we could sue your ass for even threatening this kind of prejudice, right?"
"I can assure you that I'm not threatening any kind of -"
"What is this? The land of the homophobic assholes?" Gabriel hissed, "Do you talk to all of your students' parents this way? You don't know anything about us, you hoity-toity prick!"
On the floor, Dickie crouched down and growled toward the principal, who finally seemed to notice the dog's presence and was shocked to see him there. Sam glanced from his archangel and their dog to the man sitting behind the desk. Sam understood Gabriel's outrage. Everything he said was true. But Sam knew that yelling insults wouldn't solve anything. It would only give them more grief. Hoping to ease the tension, Sam stood up and grabbed Gabriel by the shoulders.
"Come on, Gabe," Sam uttered, quickly pushing him toward the exit, "We're leaving."
"You're damn right we're leaving," Gabriel barked, still glaring at the principal as Sam guided him away, "Our daughter's not coming anywhere near this place!"
Mr. Newman was murmuring halfhearted apologies as Sam forcibly escorted Gabe out of the office. Sam's heart was throbbing with pain but the only thing on his mind was getting Gabriel out of the building as quickly as possible. He knew that the archangel had more than enough power – and reason – to completely demolish the whole school and Sam wanted to spare the lives of all the people inside. The secretary at the front desk watched in terrified shock as Sam, Gabriel, and their dog left in cluster of glares and barking. Sam walked Gabriel all the way back through the main entrance and into the sunlit parking lot, where Gabe eventually took a deep breath and started to calm down.
"Bastards," he huffed, shaking his head and glaring at the glass doors, "How dare they talk to us like that. Like we're some second-rate citizens. That guy was a total asshole."
Sam glanced down just in time to see Dickie prance back over to the glass doors and hike his leg. The Jack Russell Terrier happily emptied his bladder on the entrance of the building, seeming glad to share in his owner's dislike of the place. Sam rolled his eyes. Geez, Dickie and Gabe were so much alike...
"Good boy, Dickster," Gabe praised.
With the weight of discrimination, guilt, and offense resting heavily on his heart, Sam hung his head and started for the Impala. He honestly didn't care if people thought he was gay. Being labeled as gay didn't bother him. But learning that it would cause his daughter to be looked at differently by her teachers – and potentially bullied by other kids – made Sam feel so terrible. Of all the contingencies and problems he thought Jessica might encounter on the road to school, Sam never imagined that having two fathers would count as one of them. But after what just happened with Mr. Newman, he realized that it might be the biggest speed bump of them all...
Sam paused at the driver's side door and just stood there to stare blankly down at the handle. His mind was racing with painful thoughts, making his whole chest ache with physical pain. What if Jessica never fit in at school? What if she and Jude were bullied and made fun of, just like Sam and Dean were? What if this was all Sam's fault? What if his omen of bad luck was somehow passed down to his daughter?
"Hey."
Sam gulped and glanced sideways at the sound of Gabriel's soft voice. The archangel had wandered over to stand next to him in the parking lot. The anger had finally fled his golden eyes and worry had taken its place. Gabe reached up to affectionately clutch Sam's arm and give him a look of understanding.
"Don't worry, Sammy-boy," he breathed, "We're gonna get our baby bunny a good education at a better school. I promise."
The pure sincerity in Gabriel's voice almost broke Sam's heart. The man searched his archangel's beautiful amber eyes before bending down to wrap him into a fierce hug. The sweet scent of his soft blonde hair was like medicine to Sam's soul. Holding Gabe so close made Sam wonder how anyone could see their love as anything less than amazing. Why did it matter if they were both guys? Better yet, why did it matter if their daughter had two dads?
"You okay, kid?" Gabriel asked, running his hand up and down Sam's back.
Sam only hugged Gabe tighter and tried not to let his thoughts get the best of him. Because in that moment, all he wanted to do was march back into the school and beat the shit out of Mr. Newman.
Gabe kept one eye on his moose during the entire ride back to the Batcave. He knew the failed school interview had put a damper on Sammy's mood and he hated seeing the kid so damn upset. That bald, homophobic principal pissed Gabriel off, sure. But Gabe knew those demeaning slurs he said hurt Sam far more than they hurt him. Sammy tended to hang on to things like that for a long time. It was hard for him to let go of mindless insults. Still, Gabe couldn't stand watching Sam blink sadly at the road ahead. Those pitiful puppy eyes were going to be the death of him.
When they pulled into the bunker garage and got out of the car, Gabriel walked around to meet Sam and take him by the hand. Bad day or not, the archangel planned to show his moose twice as much affection to get his spirits up again.
"Hey sweetheart, do you think there's an angel scholarship out there?" Gabe quietly mused.
Sam only spared him a quick glance as they made their way further into the bunker.
"You know, for kids who are part angel?" Gabe continued, "I mean, we're gonna have to think about this stuff when we start helping Jess fill out applications for Yale and Harvard."
The archangel's silly ploy must have worked because a beautiful smile blossomed across Sammy's handsome face. The sight of it warmed Gabriel's insides. Ah! Finally! Sam was a happy moose again!
"Or Stanford," Sam mumbled under his breath.
"Go cardinal," Gabe replied with a wink.
The small laugh that escaped Sam's smiling lips made Gabriel's stomach flutter. Knowing that he was happy gave Gabe the best feeling in the world. There was only one other person that made Gabriel's heart sore like a kite. And that was their amazing daughter... Plus, he had Dickie. Gabe couldn't leave that little horn-dog off the list no matter what.
As the two of them – and Dickie – made their way through the map room to get to the rest of the bunker, they could hear small giggles and the voices of their brothers. It sounded like Dean and Cas had both kids rallied in the study, doing some kind of activity. Dickie bounded out in front of his owners to investigate the scene, leaving Sam and Gabe to wander in behind him.
The first thing Gabriel noticed when he walked into the study was that his nephew Jude was wearing a brand new helmet. The thing was metallic blue with Superman's logo airbrushed on the side and it looked totally kickass. The second thing Gabe realized was that his own daughter was popping back and forth between two lines painted on the floor. Jess was flying and floating around like a butterfly on a summer breeze, smiling brightly at her cousin each time she reappeared.
"See, Jude?" Jessica beamed, popping up next to him again, "It's easy!"
"Nuh-uh, Jessie. It's scary," Jude disagreed, burying himself inside Cas's coat to hug the angel's thigh.
"Son, there is nothing to be afraid of. You are surrounded by family in the safety of your own home," Cas assured softly, reaching down to pat the top of Jude's helmet, "Nothing can harm you here."
From what Gabe could see, it seemed like Dean and Cas were trying to get the poor kid to fly. Jude never did like flying, even when he was just an egg in the incubator. Gabriel remembered how sick Cas got when he flew while he was pregnant with the little tike. Never in his billions of years of existence had Gabriel ever seen an angel so afraid to fly. Even Gabe's own baby Jessica spread her wings wide open as soon as she got the chance. She was practically a songbird compared to her frightened cousin. And just as the prettiest songbird in the world crossed his mind...
"Papa! Daddy! You're back!"
Smiles burst across Gabriel and Sam's faces as their little girl flew across the room to meet them in the doorway. She jumped up and down in front of Sam with her arms stretched out and Sam instantly leaned down to pick her up. Watching the two of them hug – and seeing the peaceful bliss finally return to Sammy's soul – made Gabriel feel complete. His two most favorite people were happy. What more could he ask for?
"Hey, Jess," Sam hummed, stroking the back of her tiny golden head, "I missed you, honey. What are you guys doing?"
"Helping Jude learn to fly," their daughter replied, "He has a special new helmet and everything."
"I see it. It looks cool," Sam nodded.
While Sam and Gabe stood and talked with their baby bunny, Gabe noticed that Castiel had picked Jude up and started walking toward them. There was a serious look in the seraph's eyes, like he was getting desperate about his son's situation. And all his acute attention was directed toward his older brother.
"Gabriel," Castiel breathed, gently holding his own son in his arms, "Please. Will you teach Jude how to fly?"
"Uhh," Gabe hummed, feeling unsure, "Flying isn't really something that you teach, bro. You either do it or you don't. I didn't even teach Jessica. She figured it out on her own."
The desperation in Castiel's blue eyes only got worse. Gabe felt like he was staring into the face of a forlorn mother whose only wish was to see her baby succeed.
"Please, brother," he almost begged as he rubbed small circles against Jude's back, "You aided me when I was a fledgling. Perhaps you can do the same for my child."
Gabriel huffed an annoyed breath. Ugh, why did Cas always have to guilt him into stuff like that? With those sad eyes and that quivery lip? Geez, the guy could have won an Oscar by now...
"Fine. I'll see what I can do," Gabe eventually mumbled, holding his own hands out, "C'mere, lil sidekick. Uncle Gabe is gonna show you something."
Surprisingly, Jude raised his head and reached out for Gabriel with ease. The archangel took his nephew into his arms and gave a smile to help him relax. Jude looked absolutely adorable with the giant helmet on his head; like a cute little bobble head toy. Castiel and Dean were both watching Gabe like hawks as he walked over to one of the tables in the study and climbed on top of it.
"Something all of you should know about flying is that it's driven by emotion, not just wings," Gabriel explained, hoping to teach his family a thing or two, "You've gotta feel it to do it."
From the top of the table – and with the use of a little celestial magic – Gabriel leaped onto the top of one of the near by bookcases. He and Jude were now standing roughly ten feet above the floor, peering down at the tile below like giants. Gabe felt Jude's arms tighten around his neck.
"And nothing helps an angel fly more than a good ol' fashion dose of pure adrenaline," Gabriel explained to Dean and Cas, who were both watching with worry from below.
The archangel turned his attention back to the shivering little boy in his arms, who was looking back at him with Cas's signature sapphire eyes.
"Jude," Gabe began, "This is how I helped your Papa learn how to fly. I dropped him off of something really high and he flew before he hit the ground."
"What?!" Dean barked, "Hell no! Don't you dare drop him!"
Everyone looked toward the oldest Winchester, who was giving Gabriel a death glare. Cas placed a hand on the man's shoulder to chill him out.
"It's alright, Dean," Cas promised, "I will stand beneath them and catch Jude if he is unable to fly."
Although his human was clearly against the idea, Castiel got into position in front of the bookcase and held his arms open, ready to catch the kid if he failed to use his grace. In Gabe's arms, Jude wiggled around and locked a frantic grip around the archangel's neck.
"No," he breathed, sounding on the verge of panic, "No, uncle Gabe! Don't drop me!"
"Whoa there, kiddo, it's alright," Gabe promised, "Hey, Superman jumps off buildings all the time, remember? Don't you want to be like him?"
Jude was too scared to reply. He only buried his face into Gabe's shoulder and refused to look up. But Gabe knew that this was all normal behavior for someone who had never flown before. Even Castiel freaked out like this the first time Gabriel tossed him in the air. The memory of witnessing his little brother's first flight was fresh in Gabe's mind as he carefully plucked Jude from his body and held him out over the ten foot drop.
"Take a deep breath and open your wings, buddy," Gabe encouraged.
The archangel winked before releasing his grip and letting his nephew fall through the air. Jude closed his eyes and screamed so loud – and with so much raw power – that every single light bulb in the bunker exploded as he dropped, leaving the place eerily dark. Jude's scream stopped abruptly, and for a second or two, no one knew whether he had flown or Castiel caught him. In the dark, Gabe was starting to get a little worried. Shit, what if this was a bad idea? What if Jude was hurt or something? What if it was all Gabe's fault?
"Jude?!" Jessica's tiny worried voice echoed in the dark, "Jude, are you okay?!"
"He's alright," Cas's voice replied.
The seraph raised his hand and shined some grace from his palm, letting the light reveal that Jude had fallen safely into his arms. The small kid had buried himself inside Cas's trench coat and refused to look up, still shaking with fear and making the oversized helmet rattle on his head. Gabe inhaled a breath of relief. Phew! He was so grateful that Jude was okay.
Jessica and Dean both rushed to Castiel's side to inspect the frightened little boy. Jessie whispered his name and tugged on his arm, probably hoping to get him to look up at her. But when Dean made it close enough, he just pulled Jude completely out of Cas's arms and held him in his own.
"We're never gonna drop him like that again," the man warned in a severe tone, swiveling his head around to glare up at Gabe on the bookshelf, "You hear me?"
Gabe nodded and raised his hands in surrender. He didn't want to do that again, either. It wasn't worth seeing Jude upset. Not to mention the price of all the light bulbs they were going to have to replace. Dean's sight slowly returned to Castiel, who looked back at him with guilt.
"Never again," the angel agreed quietly.
Dean took a deep breath before walking away with their son. He was whispering soft comforts to Jude as he helped him take off his helmet, leaving Cas to slowly follow them with his head down. Before the light in Cas's hand dimmed, Gabriel was able to look back down at his own little family and see their faces. Jessica was staring sadly after her cousin, holding honest worry in her pretty eyes as she knelt down next to Dickie, who tried to console her by licking her hand. But Sam was already looking back at Gabriel. The archangel could see the pain hidden behind Sammy's fake smile.
Apparently, the bald principal had been right. Their family wasn't normal at all.
(Author's Note: First off, I want to start by saying that everything in this chapter about Lebanon Elementary School is totally made up. I have never been to Kansas, let alone a specific building in Lebanon, so I have no idea if people in the area discriminate against gay people. (They probably don't.) Mr. Newman and the secretary are completely fictional and the descriptions of the place came solely from my imagination. Second, I have no children of my own, so I'm honestly not sure how to properly go about enrolling a child for school. I asked a few of my relatives and did some research online to see what's required for a child to start school and came up with the list in this chapter. Would two men (and a dog) be able to simply walk into an elementary school in the middle of the day just to ask questions? Maybe not in this day and age. Too many school shootings. But for story's sake, let's roll with it. Lol. :) And third, I'm so sorry that this chapter was an emotional roller coaster. Please forgive me for the feels and keep in mind that I would never intentionally hurt you without planning to make up for it later. I love you guys too much to just leave your hearts in pain! ;) I really, truly hope that you all enjoyed this chapter, even with all the emotional stuff. Thank you all so much for following this story for so long and encouraging me every week to keep going. You guys help me so much without knowing it! I really appreciate you! :) The next chapter will be out soon! :)
Eleven75, Aww, no no, sweetheart! You are the amazing one! :D Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! :)
TARDIStime, *Screams back* AH! YAY! You're back too! :D I'm so glad to hear from you, love! I hope you are enjoying the story so far. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! :)
Classical E Centric, Oh yes, darlin. Grandpa God/Chuck is definitely back. It's gonna be a while before we see him again, but he is in this story for sure. ;) I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed Gabriel's venting session too. I figured that he needed a chance to get it all out and finally tell his dad everything he had been wanting to say for a long time. :) Yeah, Dean turned down sex this time. Poor guy's got a lot on his plate. But no worries. Destiel is going to have their fun time too. ;) Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, love! I hope you enjoyed the new chapter as well! :)
GeekGirlForLife, YAY! You're back too! *hugs tight* :D Aww, I missed hearing from you as well! And I'm so glad that you are enjoying the story so far! D'aw, I'm not sure if it'll be the best one yet, but I'll certainly try. Lol. *blushes* :) Thank you so so so so much for all the encouragement, darlin! And thanks for reading and reviewing! :)
Sammy's Rose, Aww, yay! I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter, darlin! :D Oh man, I think we all wish that Dean and Cas could have had some fun time when they came home. But no worries. They're going to have some fun time in this story eventually. (And it's gonna be awesome.) ;) Haha! I'm so glad that you like Jude's crash helmet! I figured that the best way to comfort him was to give him protection. And the Superman logo is just a plus. ;) Aww, I'm happy that you enjoy the way Cas sees Jude. The little guy is such a sweetheart, just like his Papa, and Cas is able to see it better than anyone. :) I know, poor Cas is tormented by the sight of his pretty human all strung out on the bed. Like I said, there are fun times ahead. (An entire chapter full of it is 'coming' soon.) ;D Oh yes, our good ol' Grandpa Chuck is back. And he has no regard for bedtimes or parental restrictions on sweets. Lol. :D He really is the best grandpa ever, huh? I'm glad you agree! :) You're right, darlin. Gabriel can definitely start healing his relationship with his dad. Especially with Sammy's help. ;) And I really hope that you enjoyed their discussion about it in this chapter, too. Along with all the other stuff. Lol. :) Thank you soooo much for reading and reviewing, love! I adore hearing from you every week! And I hope you're doing well! :) Have a great weekend, Ravenclaw! :)
Ashley Allen 46, Aww, I'm so glad that you are enjoying Chuck's loving role in this story, darlin! :D He's going to be a pretty good Grandpa to the kids. ;) Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, love! I hope you enjoyed this new chapter as well. :)
masterjediratgrl31, Oh, it's no problem, darlin! I'm just glad that you are enjoying the story so far! :D I'm so sorry that you are going through finals, sweetheart. But I have full confidence that you will ace all of your exams! Because you are brilliant! :) Aw, I'm so happy that you like Jude's cute mannerisms. He's sweet, isn't he? Just like his Papa Cas. ;) Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, love! I hope you enjoyed this one as well! :)
Elamina777, *leans back from computer and smiles at your unexpected entrance* Hey there, sweetheart! It's so good to see you again! *hugs* And I'm so happy that you're enjoying the story so far! :D Aww, you really like this a lot? That makes me so happy! You are too sweet! :) Thank you for all those compliments, and for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoyed the new chapter as well! :)
Deanstiel's Daughter, Hehe! Oh, I'm so glad you found it funny! :D I've never really been in any intimate moments myself *awkward cough* but I assume that a lot of people talk or make jokes during sex as well. It makes it more enjoyable, doesn't it? ;) Aww, I'm so glad that you enjoyed the last chapter, with Dean and Cas being gentle with Jude's dislike of flying. You would never skydive, darlin? I might give it a go, if I had the chance. Just pull out my inner Gabriel and go for it. ;D Oh, good! I'm glad that you like Chuck's different portrayal in this story. Aww, That's so sweet that his name is Jude in your story as well! The rest of their children in your rp sound really cute too. I love that they brought a daughter back from purgatory. That is very plausible even for canon! :) And I love that they named one Holly. Wasn't that supposed to be Jensen's name when he was born? Lol. Too cute! :D As always, thank you so much for reading and reviewing, love! I hope you enjoyed the new chapter as well! :)
Jawn Lennon Aid, Aww, good darlin! I'm so glad that you enjoyed it! :) You're right, Chuck is a very awesome character. I adore the fact that he is disguised as Rob Benedict. So chill and friendly-looking. A very comforting God. Lol. :) Oh, sweetheart, I really do hope that you can get some well-earned rest. You deserve it! :) Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, love! I hope you enjoyed the new chapter as well! :)
Leora Condour, Oh, I'm so glad to hear from you, darlin! I hope you're doing well. :) And I'm excited that you're excited for this story! :) Aww, you are too sweet! I'm so happy that you like the new installment for this universe. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! And I hope you enjoyed the new chapter as well! *hugs*
whaleofataleteller, ME TOO! :D I'm excited that you love it, darlin! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! :)
gothichic, Hello again, darlin! So good to hear from you! :D Aww, I'm glad that you like Jude's helmet, sweetheart! Oh, I don't think anyone likes that Jude is so afraid. Especially Dean. He is very much a momma bear when it comes to Jude. Lol. :) I'm glad that you enjoyed the way Cas sees Dean as well. After everything Dean has been through, I think it's nice that Cas still sees him as a beautiful creature. And you're absolutely right. Dean and Jude do tie for first place in the beauty department. Lol! :D Oh, I think that Cas will tell Jude all kinds of stories about what it was like being a fledgling! Most of them will probably have to wait until he's a little older to really understand them, but Papa Cas is full of good stories. Haha. :) Oh yes, Castiel definitely felt teased by his mate's body splayed across their bed. Omg! Haha! I bet Cas would go to the other side and kick that ghost's ass for ruining his night! (Cas: *shows up in afterlife/kicks the ghost in the nuts* Ghost: Ow! What the hell, man?! I've already crossed over! Cas: That is for exhausting my human and rendering him unable to perform intercourse with me tonight!) lmao! XD But don't worry, sweetheart. Dean and Cas will absolutely get some alone time soon. ;) Yeah, I think Jude and Jess were just as happy to see Chuck as we were! Haha! Aww, I'm so glad that you liked his silly apron too! :D Yeah, It's funny that Chuck drinks and messes up on Supernatural and stuff, but I figured that he probably shouldn't do that around his grandkids. More muffins, less alcohol. Lol! :) Aww, and I'm really happy that you enjoyed how Chuck was still able to help Gabe and Cas without touching their free will. I imagine that God really does help us all like that, silently guiding us toward what we need without us being aware of it. :) What did Chuck tell Jude and Jess, you ask? Well, as Jessica said in this chapter, it's a happy secret. So no worries. You're gonna love it! ;D Oh, I'm just so glad that you're enjoying this new installment, darlin! *extra tight hugs* Thank you so much for reading and reviewing every week! I really hope that you liked this new chapter as well. Bless you, hon! Lots of hugs and kisses! :)
Banana Theft, Hehe! Oh, lots of amusement indeed, darlin! :D Aww, I'm more than happy to melt your heart with all of this fluff. The best way to read things is with your heart in a puddle, right? ;D Oh yes, Chuck is actually going to be useful in this story! (Unlike on the show. Lol.) Don't worry, love. The secret is a good one, and we'll all find out about it soon enough. ;) Hahaha! Oh, you totally got me with those flying puns, darlin. Take fifteen points for your Hogwarts house for those! :D Awww, sweetheart, you are more than welcome for these stories! I'm just so glad that it's able to cheer you up so much! *gentle hugs* In the words of Castiel, "Thank you... for everything." ;) I hope that your day brightens, love! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing every week! And I hope this chapter made you happy as well. :)
