A/N- Thank you for being patient everyone. Sometimes real life gets in the way of my fun.

From the end of Chapter 35. Little Gypsy Boy

"John!"

He dropped everything and sat down next to her holding Cassie under the arms, "Someone help!"

Jo dashed in and saw the puddle around the pregnant girl and John holding her, "Oh my god, hang on!" She ran out of the kitchen to get help.

John pushed the teen's sweaty dark hair off her face, "Don't worry little gypsy boy…I got you."

Cassie burst out crying.

…

Sam burst into the kitchen getting there before Dean who hurried as fast as his legs would allow him.

Sam didn't say a word. He grabbed Cassie under the arms and lifted her up like a bride and carried her to the master bedroom downstairs where the newlyweds hoped to sleep in nightly someday soon.

John grabbed a stack of bedding and layered on two blankets and a quilt in an effort to protect the mattress and make a nest for Cassie to rest on. He knew the buttons from the tufting were uncomfortable on the back.

Sam laid her down as carefully as he could. Cassie cried out for her husband. Dean burst in just then and sat at her side.

"Sorry Angel, I don't move so fast anymore."

He bent down and peppered his wife's tear stained cheeks with kisses, "It's going to be ok. They taught us everything; I did your stretching every night and gave you the herb teas and we practiced our breathing."

Cassie was wide eyed and looking scared and lost. Dean started the breathing techniques both Josie and Ellie showed them, "Come on Angel breathe with me."

Ellie entered with a large leather satchel. Josie had water boiling on the stove for sterilizing.

John went unnoticed until he touched his son's shoulder, "Dean I can help. I was a medic and I haven't forgotten any of my training."

This wasn't the time or place for argument. Dean was torn between accepting his father's help and having Cassie's most intimate secrets exposed in the flesh or sending John away. Dean came up with a compromise on the fly.

"Dad, sit outside the door and if I need you I'll call."

John hesitated then looked down at Cassie, "I'll be right outside."

The grandfather pulled up a chair right outside the door and waited. Sam grabbed a chair and joined him.

…..

Ellie was no nonsense; she had Charlie and Josie strip Cassie of all clothing. Josie held back the male genitalia as Charlie got the teen's legs in a bent position. She had sent Meg to bring back all the supplies they had squirrel away just for this event.

Meg stole almost all of it. Because of the war penicillin and painkillers, among other things were supplies in demand and not always available to doctors on the home front let alone a country veterinarian. Meg had her ways of getting what they needed and helping out her sister was worth any risk involved.

Josie left the room hurrying past the men sitting like bookends at the door. Josie rushed back a few minutes later with a large mug of something. John was going to ask what was happening but decided not to stop her. Dell pulled himself up on John's knee and the man lifted up the baby setting Dell on his lap.

Dell heard Cassie crying so he burst out crying in commiseration.

John carried him into the living room and sat on the floor next to Molly, "It's alright big boy. Cassie will be ok. She's having a baby you know."

Dell rubbed his snotty nose then looked up at John with sad blue eyes, "Bee bee?"

"Yup, a baby."

Molly stopped her childish singing and smiled at Dell, "We get a brudder or a sister."

John didn't dash her dreams of being a sibling and replace it with being an auntie. The whole situation was odd and in the end who cared what the little girl's title was. The Winchester family tree was now riddled with little branches of mysterious origins but that didn't make them any less important.

…

Four hours later found Cassie still in labor and crying softly with her head on Dean's lap. Dean felt every sob and shiver every tear and moan his wife made. It was devastating to see her like this.

He blamed himself for not being smarter, for thinking with his dick and not his brain. When Cassie tensed Dean rubbed her back in slow circles, "I'm sorry Angel."

"W-what do you mean?"

"I'm sorry you hurt so much Cas."

Dean turned to look out the window so those pain filled blue eyes couldn't see the worry on his face. He roughly wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt.

He toyed with her long, silky dark hair fanned out on his lap then tweaked Cassie's nose, "I love you babe…everything will be ok."

"Dean I have to pee so bad can you help me?"

Cassie-Cas' plumbing was still a mystery to Dean. "Um…where is it coming from?"

She held up her pointer finger and wiggled it. Dean fetched a milk bottle and helped his lady out while the woman gave them a moment of privacy.

…..

A beat up Nash Rambler pulled up to the farm house and a hawk faced little man in an ill fitting suit got out of the vehicle. John watched him from the porch blocking entrance to the home.

The stranger stopped at the bottom of the stairs, "Are you Dean Winchester?"

John folded his arms and stared down at the man like he was a rat in a gutter, "Who the hell are you?"

"Are you Dean Winchester?"

"Depends on what you want."

The weird little man climbed the stairs and stopped directly in front of John; he fished a formal looking envelope out of his overcoat and handed it to John. The elder Winchester frowned deeply as he rubbed his thumb against the envelope seal.

"What is this?"

"Open it and find out."

The little man scurried away before the angry looking bear took a swipe at him.

….

Sam stuck his head in the door of the bedroom where he found Cassie spread open like a set of saloon doors and Dean holding her dick in a milk bottle. Poor Sam slapped a hand over his eyes, "Geez sorry!"

Dean barked, "What the hell Sam!"

"I uh…I'm going to head out to the barn unless you need me for something." Sam couldn't help it, he peeked through his fingers. Cassie's boobs were showing and everything below the equator. It was all much too interesting not to give a second look.

"Sam!"

"Sorry."

Sam left before he got a bottle of pee thrown at him.

…

Sam counted the beams, "We left off at this one."

Molly danced in a circle, "I just know we are gonna find treasure!" She held her arms up and Sam hoisted her on his shoulder as if Molly was a feather.

She craned her neck trying to see as she worked her little hand toward the crook of the beams. "Sam I feel something…a metal box."

"Can you reach it?"

"I'm tryin'…almost got it."

The box went tumbling off the beam and onto the barn floor below. Sam carried Molly down and the amateur ghost hunters and detectives ran over to the box. Sam lifted it up and found it was heavy. There was also a solid looking padlock holding it shut.

On the lid was the name, "Castiel"

Molly looked up at Sam, "Who is Cas..ti..el?"

He smiled when he saw the name. Obviously Tasaria hid this important box for her child. "Castiel is Cassie…or Cas."

Molly didn't question the name, "Oh ok. Can we open it?"

Sam tucked the box under his arm and took Molly by the hand, "No, this belongs to Cassie. When the she feels better then we can cut the lock off. I think right now Cassie is a little busy."

….

John sat in the parlor with chubby little Dell on his lap. The man stared down at the envelope wanting so badly to open it up but it wasn't for him. It was from the Prosper County Court and though John didn't know what was inside he imagined it wasn't anything good.

It was addressed to Dean and Cassandra Winchester. "Cassandra…Cassie…Cas…Castiel. So fucking weird and confusing…well too late you love her as family…no going back now."

John's head snapped up when he heard her screaming from the bedroom and he so badly wanted to help but with Dean and three very capable women at her side he knew he wasn't needed. They promised to call if they did.

Dell pointed to the door, "Bee bee."

"Don't worry buddy, the bee bee with be ok and so will Cassie."

….

Meg couldn't sit still. She was one that needed to be active in times of trouble either helping or working on a project. She took over the fixing up of the chicken coop when Sam and Molly left to search the barn for, as Molly put it, treasures.

She worked inside putting together nesting boxes and after a bit Meg just sat down and cried. She wasn't exactly sure why.

It could have been worry over her new found sister having such a difficult time of it with the baby, the disrepair of the farm with little money to do anything about it or maybe it was because she was on Lawrence Novak's former farm and her father couldn't have cared less about his children.

Meg decided it was all three. She had a good cry then in true Meg fashion sucked it up and got back to work.

Jo joined her and the two young women worked silently determined to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

….

The three women had a private conference. Josie, Charlie and Mama Lafitte discussed the pros and cons of what they should do next. Cut Cassie open, give her an episiotomy or hope that all of Dean's and the ladies hard work of stretching and working Cassie's little vagina was enough.

The teenager wasn't very big during any point in her pregnancy. Charlie thought the infant would be small. She voted to not cut. The conversation went on until Dean yelled, "I see something!"

The decision was made. The baby took its sweet time through the birth canal keeping them on pins and needles for hours and exhausting the mother but when the baby decided to make an entrance it was quick.

Dean was on his knees between his wife's legs at the end of the bed. He was holding out his hands and looked scared as hell.

"What do I do? There's something coming out… what is that?!"

Cassie was taking shallow breaths going into a panic attack. Josie sat next to her and coached the girl's breathing as they practiced.

Charlie stood by with a hand on her bundle of supplies at the ready.

Ellie nudged Dean aside, "It's the baby's head Dean. Settle down this is good." She called to Cassie, "Hang in there darlin', Mama is here for you."

Dean clasped a hand around his wife's hairy ankle and gave it a squeeze, "You're doin' great Angel. Holy crap…I see…wow!"

She groaned and twisted on the sweat soaked sheets. The room went silent except for the young mother's sounds.

Ellie murmured instructions to Dean and they worked efficiently together both driven toward a common goal.

Cassie was spent, too tired to sit all the way up and see what was happening. She felt extreme pressure and worried her body would be torn in two. Then something wonderful happened, she felt the baby slip out completely along with fluid and she didn't really want to know what else.

She reached out to her husband, "I wanna see my baby."

"Hold on Angel."

Dean held a bundle wrapped in an afghan and the teen dad and former soldier was grinning from ear to ear. Josie moved out of the way and Dean sat next to Cassie placing the baby on her chest.

She looked up at Dean with a silent question. He knew what it was.

"We have a daughter Cas, one hundred percent female."

Cassie cried tears of relief when she heard that, "So she's…normal."

"No, I didn't say normal I said she was all female. Cas there is no such thing as normal. You are what you are and that's normal for you. It's the same for everyone. Honey you know I think you are the most beautiful person in the world no matter what you wear or what you got between your legs."

Dean moved the baby to a nipple and the infant latched right on. Cassie gasped then frowned down at her daughter, "It feels strange."

"No weirder than me doing it."

Dean toyed with the swirls of dark hair covering her little head, "She has your hair and your eyes. Lucky kid, she's a beauty like her mama."

"Comoara you are beautiful and so is our girl."

The women had to ruin the tender moment cleaning up the afterbirth and fluids. Giving birth is indeed a miracle but the pain and mess is quite sobering. Ellie set a piece of the umbilical cord on the window sill because Cassie wanted to save it. Dean silently thought that was strange but whatever made his wife happy.

….

Later that night everyone else was allowed in to see the mother and child. John held the blue eyed baby girl with the pretty dark hair that reminded him of chick fluff. He couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"She's gorgeous and perfect but I don't know her name. Did you both decide?"

Dean did the talking for them both, "Dawn Rosemary Winchester."

Jo held out her arms and John handed the baby over. "I love it. How did you come up with that name?"

Cassie answered, "Tasaria is Romani for Dawn. Dean's nurse over in England was named Rose. He credits her for getting him to walking again and was so kind and helpful. Of course Mary was Dean's mother and it's a tribute to her."

Molly and Dell cooed and fussed over the baby. Dell kissed her on the forehead and said she was a good bee bee.

When Meg got her turn she was overcome with emotion. This child was a wee bit of her as well. Dawn was a healthy new branch on the battered Novak family tree. Meg felt this child would bring them all closer.

…..

Sam had set the box on the dresser in Cassie and Dean's makeshift bedroom. Cassie was asleep and Dean was busy watching over both his girls.

"What's in the box Sammy?"

"Molly and I found it in the barn. It's from Tasaria to Castiel."

Dean touched the lettering on the top, "How do you know it's from Tasaria?"

Sam placed a hand on his brother's shoulder and smiled softly, "Because she showed me…Tasaria I mean. I'll explain it in the morning. Get some sleep big brother."

…

At sunrise Cassie was awake resting in bed holding her daughter. She attempted to sing a song to Dawn. Tasaria sang to Castiel all the time and his fondest memories were of his mother waking him up with her beautiful voice. Although Castiel was far from a good singer it was Cassie that tried her best to sing to her Dawn.

Morning has broken
Like the first morning,
Black bird has spoken
Like the first bird.
Praise the singing
Praise for the morning
Praise for them springing
Fresh from the Word…..

Sweet the rain's new fall
Sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall
On the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness
Of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness
Where His feet pass….

That was when another voice joined in. A familiar voice that sounded far away, lost in another time. It was Castiel's mother's voice smoothing out the rough edges. Cassie stopped when she heard Tasaria and felt a hand on her shoulder.

She was afraid to turn around and lose the feeling of her mother's gentle hand. She felt a squeeze as if urging Cassie to continue.

Mine is the sunlight
Mine is the morning.
Born of the one light
Eden saw play
Praise with elation,
Praise ev'ry morning,
God's recreation
Of the newday….

It was two voices joined together. Dawn stared up at someone Cassie didn't see. The infant gave a gummy little smile to her grandmother.

Cassie was crying quietly wondering if she was crazy or this was wishful thinking. "Mama I miss you so much…it's been so hard." She tilted her head back and caught just a glimpse of Tasaria smiling down at her and then the spirit faded away.

TBC

A/N-

The hymn originally appeared in the second edition of SongsofPraise (published in 1931), to the tune "Bunessan", composed in the Scottish Islands. In Songs of Praise Discussed, the editor, Percy Dearmer, explains that as there was need for a hymn to give thanks for each day, English poet and children's author Eleanor Farjeon had been "asked to make a poem to fit the lovely Scottish tune". A slight variation on the original hymn, also written by Eleanor Farjeon, can be found in the form of a poem contributed to the anthology Children's Bells, under Farjeon's new title, "A Morning Song (For the First Day of Spring)", published by Oxford University Press in 1957.

A/N-

World War II was a historical turning point not only for the basis of political power and war tactics, but also for drugs and medical advances. Between 1939 and 1945, new medical techniques were developed as a direct response to new weaponry. One of the more profound advances was penicillin, discovered in 1928 by Scottish scientist Sir Alexander Fleming. During the war, the drug helped reduce the overall number of amputations and deaths.

Even though penicillin was discovered in 1928, before the war broke out, it took the devastation of the war to force governments to adopt it on a wide-scale basis and to force companies to produce it en masse. In 1941 and 1942, British and U.S. scientists respectively discovered that it could be used to treat wounds. Penicillin was so effective that production increased from 400 million units in early 1943 to more than 650 billion units per month by the end of the war in 1945.