Vrskaandrea: Sam missed his birthday, but then again he has already had one this story. Lets just say they celebrated 'off screen'. They do celebrate Kaylas and lets just say Sam makes up for it then! I had to give Caleb something and first steps is a pretty big one. She was looking right at him so she knew who she wanted to go to.

Bingos-gal: There is always a little silver amongst all those dark clouds. The scary part is over and now they just have to get Dean back. A small amount of drama in this chapter but mostly fluff! A certain girl turns one...

Blondie 20000: I wanted Caleb to have something just for him because he missed out on everything else. Thats not to say he would have appreciated any of it if Dean had stuck around but I'm sure he would have warmed up to it when Deans tummy got bigger and Kayla started kicking. Kayla walling directly to Caleb shows everyone that she trusts him and Dean can see that there is already a bond growing there.

Franki3Winchester: They make up but there is no kissing involved 😉

Wolfgirl2013: Thanks 😊

VallyGirl: Thanks for your honesty and thanks for hanging in there. You have some very valid points. I love that you like Calebs character so much. I think that the fact Caleb was willing to die to protect the daughter he has only known for a few days shows that everyone, including Caleb himself, has underestimated his ability to willingly accept responsibility for someone other than himself. If you check out the stories I told you about it shows his reluctance for relationships much more deeply than this one, although there is a valid underlying reason in those stories that I chose to omit here.

VegasGranny: You can relax now. Most of the scary parts are past. Thank you for saying I got Castiel right. One of the reasons he doesn't appear in this story is that I just cant write him as the watered down version he has become on the show. Unless it is a serious angst/hurt piece about him...I jist cant do it!

****Phew! So many reviews! Thank you all so much! ❤️ But lets get back to the story...now did someone mention Angels...****

CHAPTER 68

After Caleb's capture and torture it became apparent that demons were after Kayla, though no one could understand why, so it was decided that Dean and Kayla would go nowhere unaccompanied. Dean protested this vociferously, but that was mostly for show. She was glad to have the extra man power to protect the child.

Three days after they returned from Caleb's rescue, Sam was accompanying Dean on her morning run. With Kayla tucked comfortably in her pram they began the walk down Bobby's drive, it being too bumpy to run with Kayla.

"Crap, I need to get something from the Impala." Dean said as they started walking. "You keep going with Kayla while I run back and get it."

Dean stepped away from the pusher and started walking back towards the vehicle.

"You want us to wait here?" Sam asked.

"No, keep going, I'll catch up." Dean called back over her shoulder as she picked up to a slow jog. Sam just shrugged and resumed pushing his niece down the drive.

"Looks like it's just you and me Miss Prickle." He said smiling down at the girl.

Just as he rounded the small bend that lead behind the workshop and blocked them from the view of anyone in the house three people suddenly appeared in his path. His protective nature kicked in immediately and he pulled out his demon knife. He pulled the pram and Kayla back a few feet and stepped in front of it. Two of the assailants advanced on Sam, a slim man shorter than Sam, wearing a pair of slacks and button down shirt, and a young girl who looked like she belonged in high school, wearing a knee length pencil skirt, matching knitted sweater and pearls. A huge African American man, dressed in jeans and a loose fitting leather jacket just stood to the side and watched.

Sam managed to knock down the man and turned on the girl, slashing with his knife her caught her across the forearm. She flinched then shook her head.

"Naughty, naughty."

Sam went in for a second go but the girl dodged and caught his arm with one of her own, twisting as she circled around to Sams back. The fallen man had recovered and got a hold of Sams other arm and twisted it painfully as he kicked at Sams knees bringing him to the ground. He knelt with both arms held twisted out, resembling Christ on the crucifix.

"Well that was disappointing." The larger man said as he walked toward Kaylas pram.

"No! Don't!" Sam said as be began to struggle, not stopping even as he felt his muscles and tendons strain painfully.

"Shut up!" The man by his side said, managing to connect a fist with Sams face while still holding him in place.

The dark skinned man leaned into the pram.

"Hello little one." He said in his deep, rumbling voice.

Kayla reached out to the man.

"Ta?" She said.

The man looked around then picked a dandelion from the side of the track. He held it up in front of Kayla and Sams eyes widened as the mans finger glowed blue with grace, turning the dandelion stem silver, the small spores at the top changed into delicate silver stalks with crystal tops. He shook it gentle and the sound of soft tinkling filled the air. Kayla laughed in delight and reached out.

"Ta?"

The man smiled and handed the flower to her. She waved it enthusiastically making it tinkle.

"Angels?" Sam said as he watched, still held on his knees.

"You're spoiling her again Sabrathan." Dean said as she jogged up behind them.

"Apologies Dean." The tall angel said, bowing his head. "But she said 'ta' and you said that was her learning to use manners. Shouldn't she be rewarded for using good manners? Also isn't the anniversary of her birth soon? Do humans not celebrate that with the giving of gifts?"

"Dang, you've got me there." Dean said. She looked to the angels holding Sam. "Orphiel."

The male angel nodded in greeting.

"You, however, I don't know." She said looking at the girl and slowly reaching for the angel blade secured to her back.

"Apologies Dean, new vessel."

"Diniel?"

"Yes."

"What happened to Steve the fireman?" Dean asked.

"He was unavailable for this particular visit." Diniel was what Dean called a 'catch and release' angel. Preferring to only take vessels while he was on Earth, returning them to their families while he was in Heaven. "This is Gwendolyn, she is a senior who runs the schools Glee Club and bake sales and helps with the church Sunday school. She is quite devout."

"Nice, now do you think you could let my brother go?" Dean asked.

"Of course." Orphiel replied and both angels stepped away from Sam.

Picking himself up from the ground Sam retrieved his knife and walked over to Dean.

"You know these winged dicks?" He asked.

"I do. This is Orphiel and Diniel." Both angels nodded in Sams direction. "And this scary looking softy is Sabrathan."

Sam looked over to where the largest angel stood, pulling faces at Kayla. When he realised he was being watched he straightened his face and stood to attention.

"They're all part of Castiels posse." Dean explained.

"Garrison." Orphiel corrected.

"Whatever. So what brings you all down to Earth to walk amongst us mud monkeys?" Dean directed the question to Sabrathan.

"Our commander sent us to inform you that in light of the attack on the child's...Godfather, he sent a party to investigate."

All the angels knew the truth of Kaylas parentage but had been instructed not to reveal it.

"Godfather?" Sam asked looking at Dean.

"Yeah, when I had her baptised I named him Godfather by proxy." Dean said, not entirely lying. "So what did your commander find?"

"It was a small rebel faction of demons. They had heard there was a new Winchester and had thought to try and restart the apocalypse. They had hoped to raise their positions in Hell. "

"But how? I mean, wouldn't there need to be two vessels for that to work." Sam asked as he massaged his shoulder.

Sabrathan was about to talk when he suddenly winced and moved slightly sideways.

"Every time Sabrathan!" Diniel huffed and walked over to the pram.

Sam and Dean looked in that direction and saw Kayla giggling with her hand clenched in mid air. It looked as though she was pulling on something but neither Sam nor Dean could see what.

"Gings!" Kayla squealed.

"What?" Sam asked confused as the female angel crouched down in front of the pram.

"Kayla can see their wings." Dean explained.

"I thought you said she was clear of any supernatural power." Sam said.

"She is." Sabrathan said as he winced again. "It's because she's a child. Her soul is still pure. It will wear off as she ages."

Diniel finally freed the feathers from Kaylas hands and stood.

"Keep you wings away from children!" She chastised.

A roll of Sabrathans shoulder indicated that he had tucked his wings behind him well out of Kaylas reach.

"Any way." Dean said rolling her hand in the air. "You were saying...rebel faction..."

"Yes. Castiel believes we have rounded up all the demons involved. Most were dealt with and will cause no further trouble. Some he has kept to extract information from."

"Extract how, exactly?" Sam asked.

"Forcefully." Orphiel interjected.

"Do you need me to..." Dean began, her hand tightening into a fist.

"No. I have been told, despite your talent in this particular field, you are to be kept well away from this." Sabrathan said.

"Okay." Dean agreed.

"We will take our leave now." Sabrathan said.

Kaylas squeal brought everyone's attention to her. She pointed at Sam who was still rubbing his shoulder.

"Ammy, ssss, ow!" She said.

"Oh, very well."

The angel stepped forward and raised two fingers. Sam stepped back.

"The child said you had an ow, I must fix it." He said putting his fingers to Sams forehead.

A warmth flowed through him and he felt all the pain from his body leave. The angel stepped back.

"Happy?" Sabrathan asked Kayla.

She squealed happily and waved her new gift in the air enthusiastically.

The angels disappeared as quickly as they had appeared.

"What the hell was that?" Sam turned on Dean. "You seemed pretty comfortable with them."

"I've met them once or twice." Dean shrugged. "How's the shoulder?"

"It's fine." Sam snapped. "And don't try and change the subject."

"What?" Dean said as she began to push Kayla down the driveway again. "Castiel is back in charge of the troops of Heaven and maybe a garrison has been assigned to watch over Kayla."

"A whole garrison? Why?" Sam asked.

"That Sam, I don't know."

Dean turned onto the road and took off at a jog.

By Kaylas first birthday she had graduated from 'Eh' to 'Eb', which made Caleb happy, she was running around everywhere, which made none of them happy but everyone had mostly relaxed about the demons but were now concerned about the fact Kayla had a Heavenly garrison watching over her. Bobby, Sam and Caleb had all tried praying to Castiel but each time Dean would warn them.

"He won't come, he rarely comes." She would say with a shrug and then walk away.

Kaylas birthday was celebrated with a minimum of fanfare but a maximum of love with cake and ice cream and stupid party hats all around. And presents, lots of present.

Bobby gave her a bracelet that had as many types of protective charms on it as he could find. It wrapped twice around her wrist but Dean decided she wouldn't leave the property with out it. He also gave her an antique porcelain doll that once belonged to his mother. It gave Dean the heebie jeebies but Kayla seemed to like it.

From Sam she got a stuffed shaggy dog and several thick cardboard book which she chewed on straight away. Of course Sam would give her books. There was also a set of Dr. Seuss stories which gave hours of entertainment when one drunken night they challenged each other to see who could read them fastest.

Caleb presented her with a cute little dress, not really practical for playing around in a junk yard but it was adorable. She also received a pair of sturdy boots, a few sizes too big but she would probably fit them by winter, and the most adorable leather jacket and an ornate silver stiletto knife. He also slipped Dean a small engraved wooden box, worn by time and handling. Dean opened it and saw a small silver locket on a delicate chain.

"It was my grandmothers." He explained quietly. Dean smiled and slipped it into her pocket. If Caleb wanted the others to see it he would have put it on the table with the rest of the gifts.

"So what did you get her?" Sam asked Dean.

"The gift of life." Dean said with a shrug as she dug into her slice of cake.

"That's a bit cheap!" Sam responded.

"Well look at all this crap she got from you three. You are going to spoil her." Dean said waving a hand at the pile of presents on the table. "Besides, she doesn't understand any of this."

"You seriously didn't get your daughter anything for her first birthday?" Caleb asked.

Dean rolled her eyes.

"No, of course I got her something." Dean said. "It's upstairs. I got her a musical carousel. It plays 'Dream a Little Dream'."

The rest of the day was spent chasing the birthday girl around, trying to run off the sugar rush. One minute she was giggling and scurrying around the table, next minute she stopped and curled up on the floor, fast asleep.

Dean picked her up and carried her to their room. She held Kayla out slightly so Sam and Caleb could each kiss her on the head then laid her in her crib.

"Lepo spavaj, moje najmilije." She whispered and placed a kiss on Kaylas forehead.

"She's kinda dirty, shouldn't you wash her or something?" Sam said.

"Nah, I'll bath that her in the morning." Dean said.

"She has ice cream in her hair." Sam complained.

"Okay, tell you what." Dean said fixing her brother with a stare. "I'll wake her up and bath her so she's squeaky clean and then you two peanuts can stay up all night and play with her."

"Okay, bath her tomorrow." Sam said, nodding before he walked out the door.