Chapter 37:

Mother Nature's Son

Baby Boy Winchester.

That was the name written on Andie and Dean's sons' little ID bracelet, and on his hospital cot tag. They'd been under the care of doctors and nurses for two days now, and everyone was fine. Even though Baby Boy was a few weeks early; he was still perfectly healthy. The doctor's just wanted to keep him in for observation for one more night.

Andie was petrified that every single member of the hospital staff was a demon; so Dean demanded that Castiel be on constant guard, and follow the infant everywhere he was taken.

The baby had spent the night in Andie's hospital room with Dean keeping a watchful eye on him. Today he was in the nursery, Cas of course standing by, so Andie could get some proper rest without anyone bothering her. Dean stayed in her room, sitting by the window staring at her sleeping.

"Knock, knock," Cassidy announced herself quietly as she came into the room with two Styrofoam mugs in her hands. "Brought you this. I got it down the street; the coffee here tastes like someone pissed in it."

"Thanks, Cass," Dean took the cup and inhaled the scent before swallowed a warming mouthful of caffeine.

"Don't mention it." Cass said, curling up in a chair beside him. "Where's Sam?"

"Getting some sleep at the hotel," Dean replied. "Luka?"

"Same. Well, after he swept the apartment building for demons that is," She shook her head. "I can't believe I didn't know Mrs. Landers was possessed."

"I can't believe I left her alone." Dean said, rubbing his temples.

"I left her alone, too." Cassidy reminded him, feeling a sudden wave of relief. Things really could have been a lot worse. "In that apartment with no one but a demon waiting for her to pop? Some friend I am."

"You delivered my son." Dean reminded her. "No matter what you think you did wrong; you're forgiven a million times over."

Cassidy playfully punched his shoulder. "You're sweet when you wanna be." She sipped her coffee. "Any new name ideas for the little guy? I know Andie was pretty settled on Madeline."

Dean laughed. "Yeah, I don't think he'd forgive me for naming him that. We'll think of something."

Cassidy watched him carefully. "Ok," she said, turning away from Andie and speaking in a low enough voice so that, in case she was feigning sleep, she still wouldn't be able to hear them. "I need to know if you're back, Dean."

"What?"

"You said 'we'll' think of something. That implies that you're staying with them." Cassidy said sternly. "I've been taking care of her for a month now, doing what you should have been doing. And I'm not complaining, and I won't complain because I'll never leave her."

"Cass-"

"So, if you say WE," Cassidy cut in. "Mean it." She pointed to Andie. "That is your wife. You two have a son, now. You're a family. So no matter what crap you've waded through in the past; your baby boy is all that matters, do you understand me?"

Dean almost made a joke, but the look she was giving him told him to shut up. "I know, Cassidy. I understand." He assured her. "And I promise, I'm not going anywhere."

Cassidy's serious face broke into an easy smile. "Good." She took another sip of her coffee. "I still can't get my head around it... a boy?" She giggled. "I mean, Andie's entire family line is girls having girls. There's never been a son born, at least not one with her powers."

"You reckon he has them, then?"

"Well, yeah," Cass said. "He healed her when the Qeres almost killed her; he helped her find you when you were off the grid, y'know, mentally." She let out a low whistle. "Plus he's got demons on his tail already; I'd say your boy is pretty souped up." Dean didn't reply, making Cass glanced sideways at him. He was staring at a spot on the ground, his brow wrinkled in. "Oh, unclench," Cass nudged his knee with her sneaker. "Whatever he has in power he also has in protection. He's got angel in him now. Whatever comes after him would have to get past you and me and Andie and Ellie and Castiel and his own angelic protection. Trust me; that kid is safe."

Dean appreciated her confidence, it was hard not to be positive when Cassidy was around. "Thanks, Cass. For all of this. If Andie didn't have you..."

Cass shrugged. "Then she wouldn't be Andie." She said smugly. "Ok," She rose to her feet. "I'm gonna go stare at your little boy for awhile. Last time I was down at the nursery he was the cutest baby there, I wanna see if that's still true."

"Make sure Castiel's still there, will ya?" Dean called after her.

"You gave him an order," Cass said with a smirk. "Of course he's still there."

As Dean finished his coffee, he noticed Andie stirring. "Hey," He said quietly, shifting his chair closer to her bed. She was snuggled into a ball so he could easily brush her hair out of her eyes. "You look better." He said with relief, she'd seemed so exhausted when he'd carried her into the hospital; now she at least looked rested.

Andie gave him a tired smile. "The baby?"

"Both Cass's are watching him." Dean said with wry grin. "He's fine."

"Have you seen him, is he ok?"

"You don't remember?" Dean asked, resting his hand against her cheek. "I don't blame you; you were pretty out of it when we got here. They said you were bleeding internally." Dean shook his head; wishing the memory away. Andie's pale, washed-out skin, her red eyes, she had looked so damaged. "But they fixed you up; and while they did I had him." He smiled. "The whole time; I held him. He's beautiful, Andie."

Andie's lower lip trembled and she started to cry.

"Hey," Dean said softly, leaning in closer to her. "Everything's okay now."

"I know," Andie sniffled. "I just can't control it." She rolled her eyes through her tears. "The crying, emotions." She huffed. "I am over it."

"Well; you'll be outta here in a day or two." Dean promised.

"And where are we going?" She asked with raised eyebrows. "We don't have a house. We don't have a crib or a car seat or-"

"Sam bought us a crib." Dean cut in. "Well, it's one of those playpen things that can double as a crib. And Luka found car seat that actually fits in the back of Impala." He smiled. "Yeah, we don't have a house but..." He bit his lip. "It's not that bad, is it? Living on the road? My dad did it with us... and yeah; sometimes it sucked... but I'd rather us be together, y'know." He realized that Andie was stroking the side of his face with her fingertips.

"I know." Andie agreed with a smile. "It'll suck... but I don't do anything else." She sighed. "Staying with Cass? I mean, it was great... but I was so pregnant I couldn't move so I didn't mind. But now, I can't think of anything worse than that."

"Are we being selfish?"

"Probably." Andie said with a laugh, grimacing as the action made her tender body shudder slightly. "But we're parents now, right? We make the call."

"Yeah..." Dean thought about that fact for a moment. "Parents..." he carefully climbed up onto the bed and wrapped his arm around Andie's shoulders, sighing contentedly as she rested her head against his chest. "It's weird, right?"

Andie chuckled. "It's totally weird."

"We have to name the boy, y'know." Dean reminded her. "Can't go through life as Bug."

"It's a good name," Andie argued. "And it suits him; when he came out he was all... bug-like."

"Excuse me?" There was a knock at the door, a nurse was standing there with a baby cradle in front of her, and Castiel over her shoulder. "Would you like to try feeding him?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," Andie said, more because she felt she had to.

The nurse seemed perturbed that Castiel followed barely two steps behind her the whole way, but she didn't say anything. Instead she lifted the baby boy from the cradle and placed him in between Andie and Dean's bodies. "I'll come check on you soon, just buzz if you need a Nursing Coach," She said kindly. "And don't feel worried if he doesn't latch right away; it's new for the both of you. Just stay calm."

"Thanks." Andie smiled tersely as her son wiggled to break free of his tight blanket.

"Ah, Cas?" Dean said to the angel who was still staring at the baby. "Why don't you take five, hm? This ain't a peep show."

"I don't need rest." Castiel assured him.

"Just give us some privacy." Dean told him. "Pop back in like an hour, okay?"

"Very well." He nodded and disappeared in a blink.

The baby starting whimpering; he couldn't get his hands free of his blanket. "Hey, buddy," Dean pulled back the sheet slightly. "It's ok," He rubbed the baby's tummy. "We're your folks." He could lift the boy up with one hand; he was so light. "How are ya?"

Andie giggled, leaning against Dean's shoulder as he held the baby out in front of them. He was a much more content baby now, settled. His hair was still as dark as it had been when it was born, it reminded Andie of her natural hair colour, dark chocolate brown. And those eyes of his; perfect, ocean blue. His skin was still pink, but less puffy and speckled with redness than it had been. "He is so cute." Andie commented, playing with the baby's little fingers, each one had a perfect little nail. "I didn't expect him to be so cute."

"Are you kidding? He's made from us; of course he's cute." Dean brought the baby down on Andie's chest, resting him in the crook of her arm. "Now we gotta name you."

"Ok..." Andie sighed, unbuttoning the front of her hospital gown, settling the baby just in front of her left breast. "I have no idea how to do this."

Dean, just as clueless, frowned. "Can't you just shove it in there?"

Andie tried. "He doesn't want it."

"That's cause he needs a name first."

Andie groaned. "Fine, what do you propose we name him – and don't say Dean. The world does not need two Dean Winchesters."

"Well... I still think Zeppelin is a good name." Dean said with a smirk.

"No." Andie said immediately.

"Why? You sang Blackbird when he was being born; you're totally into the Beatles so much that you wanted that to be the first thing he heard when he came out."

"And do you know why?"

"Why?"

"Let it be." She said with a smile.

Dean gave her a weird look. "The song?"

Andie nodded. "Paul McCartney wrote it for his mother, Mary, who died when he was fourteen. The Beatles were in a rough patch recording and stuff. And Paul, after a bender one night, he passed out and saw a vision of his mother. And she said to him 'It will be alright... just let it be.' And he woke up, and wrote that song, and the Beatles went on to record The White Album."

"So; what you wanna call him Paul?" Dean scrunched up his nose.

"No, no." Andie said. "It's just... their music is more than music. Or at least it always was to me. And it always stemmed from this other place, like they were connected to something else..." She shook her head. "I dunno, maybe they were just always baked; but I love them. Especially John. And then there's Bob Dylan-"

Dean held up a hand. "Ok! I get it, you adore the aging hippie rock; I'm with you." He thought for a moment. "Can't be coincidental that your dad's name is Dylan and mine's John."

Andie considered this. "Dylan John?"

"John Dylan?" Dean looked down at his baby.

"JD." Andie shortened it, and immediately it clicked in her mind. That was his name. "JD!" She looked at Dean; who wore the same expression that she did.

"That's his name," Dean said with a grin, reaching out and playing with his sons fingers. "JD Winchester."

As if on cue, little JD latched right on to Andie's nipple with such a shock she gasped. "Oh!" She almost lurched forwards and dropped him, but she caught herself in time and he managed to stay attached to her. "Oh, he's doing it!" Andie whispered excitedly. "Oh, wow, it feels so weird..."

"JD, don't hurt your momma!" Dean pretended to scold him. "Oh yeah; that's totally his name."

xxx