It didn't escape Dean's attention that Danielle avoided directly taking care of the baby for the rest of the day. She made all the meals for her and the guys, cleaned around the bunker, and even made a few bottles, but she never touched the baby. Not until after that night when Sam practically dropped the baby in her lap.

"We've had him all day," he said. "Your turn."

"Fine."

She held the baby sitting in her lap, and she bounced him a little. The baby smiled and Danielle couldn't help but smile back. Dean watched her as she made funny faces and blew on the baby's belly. Her mood seemed completely changed.

The next few days were much the same. She avoided the baby all day, then acted like a devoted mother. Dean couldn't get a handle on it, and she still wouldn't talk about it.

The final straw came four days later. It was Dean's turn to feed the baby. Danielle sat close by, cooing and talking, trying to make the baby smile. Sam watched from a distance.

"You know," Sam said, "when you're not avoiding the kid you're pretty good with him. You'd be a good mom, Dani."

Dean's eyes flew to her face, and he saw what he expected. The smile she had was gone, and her eyes filled with unshed tears. She stood and quickly left the room. Sam started to go after her, but turned back to Dean.

"What did I say?"

Dean stood and handed the baby to Sam.

"Take the kid. She's gonna talk to me."

Dean found her door locked when he tried to open it. He knocked, but got no response.

"Dani, come on. Open up."

"Go away."

"I'm not kidding. Let me in."

"No!"

"Danielle, so help me, I will kick this door in."

He heard the door unlock, but she didn't open it. He entered the room to find her lying on her bed, facing away from the door.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Oh, bullshit! We're not leaving this room until you tell me what's wrong."

Dean sat on the edge of the bed behind her.

"Dean... Can't I just have this one thing to keep to myself?"

"No. Not when that one thing puts a look on your face like someone just ripped your heart out through your chest. Talk to me."

Dean reached out and touched her shoulder, but Danielle sat up and moved away.

"Come on, Dani. You've got me worried, here."

"I'll be fine."

"When? When the baby's gone? What is it about this baby that has you so messed up?"

"That baby..." She paused, wishing that Dean would just let it alone. She knew better. "It's a reminder of a life I'll never have."

"Crap, Dani. Is that all?"

"Is that all?"

"Look, I'm not saying it doesn't suck, or that it doesn't get to us, but don't you think Sam and I have gone down that road before? No, this life isn't good for a family. It isn't good for raising a baby. It's a choice we make."

"That's nice. Except I didn't make the choice, you ass."

She got up and walked toward the door.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm done talking."

Dean stood and cut off her escape in two long strides.

"No, you're not."

She tried to reach around him for the door, but he caught her wrist and held her balled fist against his chest.

"Neither of us is leaving until I know what's going on with you," he said.

Danielle pulled her hand away and slouched into the chair on the other side of the small room. If she sat on the bed she knew Dean would sit next to her, and she just didn't want him that close. His presence would soothe her to the point that her tears would flow freely, but she didn't want to cry in front of him. Not this time. Sure enough, Dean sat on the bed. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, and he waited. The silence stretched on, and Dean shook his head.

"I'll stay here all night, Danielle."

She glared at him, but finally gave in.

"I was nineteen... still fairly new to the hunting world. I hooked up with this guy who was going after the same werewolf as I was." She took a deep breath, but continued. "It was my first, and I was relying on his experience."

She fell silent. Her eyes stared at the floor, but Dean could see the moisture building in them.

"What happened?"

"The jerk used me as bait," she said. Her voice cracked.

Dean muttered a son-of-a-bitch under his breath. His shut his eyes and squeezed a tight fist.

"The thing got in a few good swipes before he killed it. He dropped me on the steps of a nearby hospital and left."

"Who? Give me name."

"It doesn't matter, Dean."

"The hell it doesn't!"

"He's dead, okay! He was killed about three years ago."

"Viciously, I hope," Dean said through clenched teeth.

"The doctors patched me up, but my abdomen was ripped up pretty good. They went through a lot of blood to keep me alive. When I woke up, the doctor told me that my uterus was damaged to the point that me getting pregnant would result in a definite miscarriage, or possibly me bleeding to death internally. So, he removed it."

"They can do that?"

"It was a judgement call. He pulled two other surgeons in to consult. They both agreed. It was too dangerous to leave it and risk pregnancy."

"So... when you say you can't have a baby..."

"I literally cannot have a baby, Dean. I never have that choice."

Dean seemed to take it all in. "And you want one?"

"When I was growing up, I was the girl who dreamed of getting married and being a mom. I love kids, Dean. Getting that news when I woke up..."

Danielle pulled her bottom lip between her teeth to try to stop it from quivering. Dean dropped to his knees in front of her and rubbed his hands over her thighs. As soon as he touched her, Danielle broke. She let out a sob and the tears poured down her cheeks. He pushed his way between her legs and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight.

"Why didn't you tell us? We could have worked out something else with the kid."

"I didn't think it would be so bad," she said between sobs. "And it's such a stupid thing to cry over, knowing what we know."

"Hey," Dean said as he pulled back, "no it's not. We all want that normal life. We all wish we could have it."

"Even you?"

"Especially me. I even had it for a while, but it didn't work. It doesn't work for us, and that's okay. It doesn't mean we won't keep wishing for it, though."

Danielle wiped at her eyes. "You sound like you've come to terms with it."

"As best as I can."

"But it's different for me."

"I know, sweetheart. I know."

Dean held her face in his hands and wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. She let out a breath and shut her eyes.

He hesitated just once before leaning in and pressing his lips to hers. Danielle reacted almost instantly, pushing him away.

"What are you doing," she asked.

"I can't do anything about giving you a baby," he said, "and I can't really do the whole marriage thing you dreamed of, either." He rubbed his hand along her thigh. "But I can give you everything up to that."

Danielle went stiff, and she pushed Dean's hand from her leg.

"Are you really trying to have sex with me right now? Are you kidding me!"

"Is that what you think?"

"What am I supposed to think?"

"You really don't realize..."

"Realize, what?"

Dean looked down and shook his head.

"Realize, what, Dean?"

"How much I care about you."

"Of course I know you care about me."

"No," Dean said. He put his hands back on her face and leaned in so that he felt her breath. "I care about you, Danielle."

He pressed a soft kiss to her lips, and this time she didn't fight it. Her hands rested on his arms and she clutched his shirt sleeves as she parted her lips, allowing him to deepen the kiss. Dean's arms wrapped around her: one hand behind her head, and the other at the small of her back.

After a moment, Danielle pulled out of the kiss. She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against Dean's.

"I care about you, too," she said. "A lot."

"That's good to hear, otherwise this whole thing would have been really awkward."

Danielle laughed, for maybe the first time in days, and Dean felt a swell of pride run through him.

"I'll bring the baby in my room tonight," Dean said.

"No... I want to keep him in here."

"Dani, it's tearing you up."

"It is, but I want to do this, Dean. It may be as close as I get to ever being a mother. It's when I get hit with that realization... that's when it hurts. Not being around the baby. I actually enjoy that."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure. Especially if you stay with us tonight."

Dean ran a hand through her hair. "Whatever you need, sweetheart."

That night, they got the baby settled. Dean stood behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist. He kissed her neck, and she took a deep breath.

"You okay," he asked.

"Yeah, I just... I don't know if I'm used to you kissing me that way."

"You don't like it?"

"No, I love it. It's just a change for us, you know?"

"It's really not."

"No?"

"Nope," he said as he turned her to face him. "I'm still me. You're still you. You're still my best friend... but now, I get to do this."

He kissed her and she let out a quiet moan. He pulled her toward the bed, and down on top of him as he lay down. His hands found the hem of her shirt and slipped underneath. She felt his fingertips trace along her sides until his hands found her breasts and cupped them through her bra. Danielle pulled her lips from his and kissed along his jaw to his neck. He gave a grunt of pleasure as his arms wrapped around her to hold her to him.

That was when they heard the gurgled laugh, and froze.

"I almost forgot he was in the room," Dean whispered.

"Me, too."

"We should probably just go to sleep."

"That might be a good idea."

Danielle moved off of Dean and they both stood. She pulled the covers back and they got into bed. Dean held his arms out as he lay on his side, and Danielle snuggled against his chest and buried her face in his neck.

"Dean..."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for being a pain in the ass."

Dean smiled into her hair. "You're welcome."