36

They pulled up into Bobby's drive, late that night. "Wake up Abs, we're back." Dean told her, rousing her from her sleep.

"You could've carried her in, you know." Sam chided him, "Or I could've, you didn't have to wake her."

"I'm fine to walk, Sam." Abbie laughed, climbing out of the car.

"You heard the lady, Sam, quit whining." Dean opened the trunk, handing Sam his bag, Abbie her bag and grabbing his own.

"I'll grab that." Sam went to take her bag.

"I can manage." Abbie walked slowly towards the house, following Dean who'd opened the front door. "Hey Bobby." She greeted the older hunter who was sitting looking over some old books.

"Hey kids." Bobby smiled at them, "How'd it go?"

"Wild goose chase." Dean answered, grabbing a beer from the refigerator.

"Turned out to be nothing." Sam explained, sinking down on the sofa.

"I guess it happens sometimes." Bobby told them.

"Especially when there's an ulterior motive, huh Sam?" Dean bitched.

"Dean, just drop it, huh?" Abbie sighed, "You're pissed, we get it, give it a rest."

"You guys should've been the ones giving it a rest." Dean argued, "I told you at the roadhouse I'd fix this, it wasn't your problem. Did you listen? No. You just offered our child to a demon on a silver freaking platter!"

"For the millionth time, Dean, I did not attempt to trade the baby's soul."

"You still went demon hunting, hardly the safest activity. Were you hoping she'd hurt you, you'd lose it, huh? Then you wouldn't need to deal with this?! With me?!"

"Don't be so stupid."

"Oh I'm stupid?!" Dean yelled back.

"Is it so wrong for me to want you here, with me, with our baby?! Huh?!"

"Sam, I think you need to update me." Bobby told him, although he had guessed Dean and Abbie's news.

"You think I want to die?!"

"I think you'd much rather die than stay with us." Abbie stated, "Scared you won't match up to the great John Winchester, is that it, huh?"

"Abbie..." Sam warned.

"No, Sam. He really did a number on you guys. So now you think you have to go and save the freaking world!" Abbie was furious. "You want to die just like him, don't you Dean?"

"Dad died to save me." Dean lowered his voice.

"It's a shame that your kid won't have his dad around to do that." She finished, walking back outside to sit on the swinging seat on Bobby's porch.

"Dean, she's upset, she didn't mean it." Sam told him, "Hormones and stuff probably."

"She thinks I'd much rather die than stay here and be a father." Dean mumbled, "That's not true. She had no right to say those things about dad."

"Sometimes the truth hurts." Sam answered.

Dean stormed back through to the kitchen pouring himself a whiskey and downing it. "You need to calm down." Bobby told him.

"I am calm." Dean stated, pouring another whiskey. "Dad did the best he could."

"Dean, you and I both know John could've made things easier for you if he wasn't so hell bent on revenge, how many times did he leave you to look after Sammy? How many times did you go hungry so Sammy could have dinner? I'm not saying he was a bad father, he thought he was doing the right thing, but he was so blinded. All he had to do was ask for help, I know Pastor Jim would have taken you boys in, gave you a proper home."

"Pastor Jim wasn't our dad."

"I know, Dean. Abbie's anger, it's a cover for her fear. She's lashing out. Kinda like a live vengeful spirit."

"Well, the fact she's alive makes it hard to salt and burn her."

"So, you do the next best thing. You get your ass outside and apologise-"

"Apologise? Bobby, she and Sam killed the crossroads demon, after I told them not to."

"Because she thought it'd keep you here." Bobby pointed out. "As I was saying, you apologise, even if you don't mean it 100%, because it's what she needs to hear. You tell her that things are gonna be ok, even if they're not." Dean looked towards the front door where he could hear Sam comforting Abbie, then walked towards them, "And Dean." He turned around, "Congratulations, boy."

"Thanks Bobby." Dean walked to the door, and quietly opened it, watching Sam and Abbie for a moment.

"I shouldn't have said what I did." She was telling Sam, "I know he doesn't want to d-d- , leave. I know that, I know." She was shaking her head, "I'm sorry I said those things about your dad, I mean, I never even met the man."

"I know for a fact, Dean would much rather be here with you. He told me, that if he gets out of the deal somehow, he wants to quit hunting, and if he doesn't, he made me promise to make you quit. He knows Dad messed up, and he doesn't want that for you guys." Sam pulled Abbie to him.

"He said that?"

"Pretty much." Sam smiled.

"You know, when we went out there that night, I didn't think about the danger to the baby, I just wanted Dean to be ok. I would never ever do anything to hurt..." Sobs prevented her continuing.

"Dean knows that, sweetie, he knows."

"Course I know." Dean mumbled, tears in his eyes. He sunk down beside Sam, who stood up, letting Dean hold Abbie. "It's gonna be ok." Dean held her until her sobs subsided, then carried her inside to bed.

"So, there's gonna be a new Winchester, huh?" Bobby asked Sam, once he'd come back inside.

"Yeah. May 17th."

"Damn." Bobby sighed, "And the Colt didn't work."

"Nope."

"Not looking good, is it Sam?"

"I should've stayed dead." Sam told Bobby, "Dean'd have gotten over it, now he'd be happy, planning his future."

"Son, you shouldn't have been dead in the first place, Dean should never have had to even consider doing what he did." Bobby silently cursed John for giving Dean the idea.

"But I was and he did."

"Sam, you stop blaming yourself this instant." Bobby got up, "This is not your fault, it's not Dean's, it's not Abbie's. It's bigger than any of us. Now I'm off to bed, I want to see three well rested kids in the morning, you get me boy?"

"Yeah, Bobby." Sam sat for a moment, then quietly wandered upstairs, knocking gently on the bedroom door.

"Yeah?" Dean answered quietly, Sam opened the door. "Hey Sam."

"You guys ok?" Sam asked, seeing Abbie asleep.

"I think so. I shouldn't have accused her of trying to lose the baby. I know she would never...I've screwed up."

"No you haven't. She's still here, isn't she? Every couple argues, not every couple has to deal with what you guys do. You're solid." Sam smiled, "Get some sleep, I'll see you in the morning." Sam turned to walk back out. "Night Dean."

"Night Sam."

Sam walked back downstairs, and settled on the couch to try and grab some sleep. "Ruby, I dunno if you can hear me, but I hope you're gonna help Dean soon."

"Every thing in it's own time." He could hear her saying as he drifted off to sleep.