Chapter 13-Pop Goes My Heart

The light sparkled down from the skylight in the musty attic. Jessica sat Indian style across from her sister. She had tried to clean out the attic by herself, but it was as if her sister had some kind of radar, because she called and immediately came over as soon as she thought she was doing anything she considered taxing or stressing. Why had she thought to start this project in the first place? Oh yeah, it was nesting, or a form of it anyway.

Jess wrinkled her nose as the dust settled around them; it had been weeks since the dinner from hell as she called it. Her dad had been kind; almost too kind, and Jess knew he was the reason Buffy didn't attend. She hadn't needed Dean to ask about the relationship between them to know something had been off. What made her angry was that Buffy had always been there for her no matter what and she knew Buffy had wanted to be there for her announcement of the pregnancy. But despite her denials, she knew Hank had somehow convinced Buffy to find something else to do.

It was all her fault really. She had made the stupid mistake of calling her dad when she found out, and apparently, he had been keeping tabs on her and was pleased to know her husband was a fresh face at one of the most infamous, elite lawyer firms in the city. Hank had called numerous times, offering trips amongst other things. He hadn't even been put off by Sam apologizing for Dean not showing up to the dinner, especially when he told Hank about Dean's connoisseur of women ways. Hank seemed almost impressed. Sam had told Jess that he would go to any function she wanted to for her, but that something about her dad made him uncomfortable.

** Flashback…

Early in the morning Jess had called to check on Buffy, Dawn had mentioned that she had dropped her off, and she wasn't sure what her dad had said to her but she was sure it was something, because when she asked her dad about seeing Buffy, he just huffed, pursing his lips in that typical way he did when he wasn't happy with the conversation. Her sister answered on the second ring, and had a note of happy in her voice. Jess could usually tell in a hot second if her sister was sad or happy.

Jess anxiously spoke before she even heard her sister's greeting. "Hey sis, I just wanted to make sure you got home okay. I know this whole thing with Dad and him not wanting you there just sucks. I really missed you. I wanted to call you like a thousand times. It's just not fair the way he treats you. Anyway, I didn't get much of a word in with dad chatting Sam up the whole time. And Dawn kept texting on her phone. And then Dean didn't show up, so without you, I was dying for some company. So, were you okay last night?"

"Yeah as a matter of fact, I was with Dean. So, don't be mad at him okay." Buffy twisted the cord around her fingers nervously.

Jess gasped loudly. "Woah? What? Well, I guess you had a great night then, huh sis? Good for you!"

Buffy gasped, blushing profusely, "No! Not like 'with' as in 'with me'. He just kinda hung out till I was feeling better…Dad and I had words as per usual and I was upset ….so Dean kinda kept me company until I was feeling a little better. By the time he left, it was pretty late… so I guess he just headed home. But no, Jess I know what you're thinking, it was just Dean being nice to me - nothing more."

"Oh, wow, that is so sweet!" Jess roared. "I'm glad that Dean was there for you then if Dad was up to his usual sourness. So, he kept you company huh? What'd you do?"

"Mostly just took a walk around the block. He bought me a burger and a pretzel and just told me that I wasn't fat. So, I'm thinking he overheard Dad or can read lips really good, but the gist was he pretty much stuck around till I felt better. Afraid it's not the sordid den of love you might be picturing in your mind." Buffy giggled lightly, "Which on a happier note, have you and Sam figured out what you're getting him for his birthday? He sorta kinda invited me to his party. I guess you guys are having for him?"

"Oh, so not even a sweet goodbye kiss from those killer lips of his?" Jess asked teasingly. "And yeah, Sam knew right away what he was going to get for Dean - it's one of those recliners with magic fingers. Can you believe it? A total guy gift. Anyway, you are coming to the party, right? You have to be there."

"Must be a guy gift. A massage recliner… Does it have turbo fingers?" Buffy laughed with a smile, "and as for the kiss - no- we hugged and when he turned his head and looked like he might, I sorta kinda in a way… turned my head so he couldn't."

"But I thought you liked him Buffy. You definitely like his kisses. And it seems like he cares about you enough to make sure you weren't alone after Dad's rant. Maybe you should give this some real thought."

"I have," Buffy paused with a loud wisp of a sigh, "Remember when you and Dawnie went shopping a couple weeks ago? Well, I had the opportunity to talk to Sam … and to be honest, according to him, to be in Dean's life in anything other than a friend or family capacity… I would have to take a number. Besides, regardless of my HUGE crush on your brother-in-law, I think he's just being nice to me … and I think I might have just read too much into it."

XXXXXXXXXX

Sam had been furious. Yes, Dean had a habit of bowing out at the last minute and yes, he knew it was most probably a girl, but dammit- he was going to be an uncle! He could have, for once, bitten the bullet and showed up or at least called.

He dialed Dean's number or more accurately pressed 2 for Dean. He was met with a gruff voice.

"You know Dean, you have done some messed-up stuff and usually it's not a big deal when you don't come when you say, or call to let me know. But dammit Dean, this was important."

Uh-oh Sammie was pissed…usually Dean could win over his brother with a joke, a wink, or a nod, but he hadn't even made it to bed yet and Sam was blasting him. "Hey, something came up and I just couldn't get away."

"Was she blonde or brunette?" Sam huffed.

Dean smiled internally, she was definitely blonde, but no way was he telling his brother he was hanging out with a sugary blonde that he had more than a vague interest in, especially when she was Sam's sister-in-law, the one that Sam had strictly forbidden to pursue in any shape or manner. Not that it would stop him, or had before, but this was something a little bit different… What was different? Oh yeah, the blonde in question had been tugging on something that was not his Johnson. That in itself was different, at least for him.

"Don't worry Sammy, I'll charm my way back into the good graces of your beautiful wife. By the way, what was so important?"

Sam resigned himself, Dean really couldn't help it- it was just the way he was, "You're gonna be an uncle." Sam couldn't keep the smile from his lips.

Back to present…

Jess had been surprised when Dean showed up a few days later. She had been doing a little rearranging in her kitchen when Dean entered with a balloon and daisies in one hand and a small teddy bear in the other. She looked up to spot him and gave him a warm Summers smile.

All the girls in that family had smiles that could melt the coldest hearts. "Hey" he pulled the flowers and bear from around his back, "These are for you, for yanno, not being able to make it to the dinner last week."

Jessica observed her brother-in-law for a moment, and then graciously accepted his gifts with a big hug.

"That's okay, Buffy told me what happened, and I just wanted to say thank you. It meant a lot that you were there for her."

Dean pulled back his immense intrigue at Jess' telling statement. He gave a casual look. "Well, after your dad made a scene, I couldn't help but get involved. If there's one thing I hate with a passion, it's when someone ruffles the feathers of my gang. Your sister was really in no condition to drive off right away. Is your dad always like that with her?"

"Unfortunately, yeah. Ever since the divorce…I mean there's a huge back story to it, which I won't bore you with, but suffice it to say - he blames Buffy for their divorce and everything else that goes wrong."

"Well, that sucks big time," Dean moaned. "What your dad is doing is on the same line of cuffing the wrong man for a crime. You know what they say, you can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family. So, I'm sorry."

Jess sighed with a slight smile, "I've tried to talk to him about it, but he won't listen to me. He just changes the subject…So, we did miss you at the dinner, but being there for Buffy was more important. Let's just say, you have like huge brownie points with me …So, if Sam ever gives you a hard time, let me know. I'll whip him into shape." Jess gave a smile her dimples were showing as she gave a fake punch to the air.

Dean cracked a smile. "Careful there Jess, you're really tempting me into trying to steal you away from Sammy."

That had more than made up for it, which she wasn't mad anyway…Dean had completely won her over already, but when he stayed with Buffy when she was upset it already had won beaucoup brownie points in her book. Not to mention, Jess had scolded Sam when he called Dean to yell about him not coming. Sam had no clue that Jess had already spoken to Buffy and knew the reason Dean had been MIA, but she had kept that nugget to herself off Buffy's pleading.

She smiled over the memory of Dean's attempt to make it up to her. She turned her head and spotted a large brown box.

Jess coughed and she brought out a box marked WTF, Buffy laughed heartily, "Wait Sam has a box labeled WTF, what is that about?"

Jess leaned over, opening the box and seeing a small blue record player with a scratched up, partially broken record still on the turntable.

Buffy leaned in beside her sister, waving away the dust. She picked up the small record player turning it from side to side when she noticed the name 'Dean' scratched on the right side in shaky handwriting. She suddenly got a smile on her face, "Jess do you think Sam would let me have this …I have an idea. Since I've been so clueless what to get Dean for his birthday, do you think Sam would let me borrow it for awhile at least?"

"I don't see why not…" Jess continued to hold her nose against the dust.

Buffy gave her a raised eyebrow, "You sure all this dust is not bad for the baby?"

Jess just gave Buffy the same look back, "Buffy, dust doesn't hurt you, otherwise I would have died from all the dust bunnies under your bed when I hid there as a kid."

She gave her sister a wry look, "Funny Jess…I think you missed your calling as a comedian."