Shortly before noon the next day a truck pulled up to the house. Elena watched as a man stepped out and Bobby went out to greet him, gesturing toward the garage bay. The man moved the truck closer and unloaded something. She decided to head out and see what was going on, with Cas following closely behind her. It was a little uncomfortable, having him right there every second of the day, and it hadn't even been a full 24 hours. By the time she got outside, the man was getting back in the truck and leaving. Bobby had some sort of machine on wheels and was looking at it with complete confusion.

"What's this?" she inquired.

Bobby looked at her with uncertainty.

"Well, uh, this here is supposed to be the ultrasound machine."

"Wow, Bobby, that was quick!"

"A lotta people owe me a lotta favors, but damned if they coulda just left an instruction manual or somethin'," he said, shaking his head. "All these buttons and knobs and I just don't even know where to start."

Elena laughed a little.

"Maybe we should wait until Sam and Dean get back. I bet Sam could figure it out, or at least get the manual somehow."

Bobby raised an eyebrow, feigning insult.

"Like I couldn't get one myself? You think I gotta wait until Sam gets back?"

Elena grinned back at him, enjoying the back and forth.

"Either way we'll be keeping an eye on you and the little one," he said. "Between this here and Cas, she's not going to have much privacy."

"I know how that feels," Elena replied dryly.

Cas shifted uncomfortably, dropping his gaze to the ground. She immediately felt bad, not intending to hurt his feelings with the offhand comment. Bobby noticed the exchange and cleared his throat, attention back on the machine.

"Well, I'm gonna try to get this thing figured out."

Elena took that as her cue to leave, knowing he liked to work without distraction sometimes. Her presence alone wouldn't have been too distracting, but now she had an angelic shadow.

"I'm going to do some yoga," she said, and Bobby grunted in response.

Cas followed her to a spot in the woods, taking a seat on the ground as she set up to practice. She knew from asking that it was something she did before she lost her memories, and Cas told her she found it helpful and relaxing. She had only been practicing a few days, but her body was strong and limber, her muscles, tendons, and ligaments having retained the work she had put in prior to the accident.

Elena had removed her shoes and socks to help ground herself further. She focused on her breathing as she moved through different positions. After a few Sun Salutations, she moved into Warrior I, to Warrior II, then turned her hips and adjusted her feet to go into Side Angle. Back to Warrior II, to Warrior I, down to Plank, into Downward Dog. Each movement felt like a part of a gentle dance, and she felt her mind calming down.

She found herself sympathizing with Cas and the difficult position he was now in. Things had been tough for them before when he was giving her space. Now he had no space from her, and she recalled how heartbroken he sounded when speaking with Bobby. She stretched back into Child's Pose, wondering what she could do to make it easier for him.

It would probably help if I remembered.

Elena breathed out through her mouth, trying to force the unhelpful thought from her mind. Cas watched her as she continued through her movements, but for once she didn't mind his staring. When she finished, she sat down next to him, her shoulder brushing against his. He shifted a little to give her space, but she moved closer so that their shoulders were touching again.

"How are you?" she asked, noting the surprise on his face.

"I'm fine," he answered quickly.

"Just like I'm fine."

Cas studied her for a minute before looking away.

"I'm sad," he admitted.

"Yeah."

"And scared."

"Terrified," she agreed.

"Helpless."

"Vulnerable."

"Mad."

"Frustrated."

Cas looked at her again, and she felt her heart race, her breath catching in her throat as his eyes locked on hers. She felt warm all over, realizing how much she enjoyed when he looked at her like that. They were so close, only a few inches separating their faces. She leaned a little closer, shifting more of her weight against him.

"Excited," he whispered.

Elena's heart stopped and her eyes widened in fear as she pulled away, not expecting him to make such a bold statement. It was one thing to be preparing to kiss him, but hearing that felt like too much, too soon. He immediately noticed the change, tilting his head in confusion.

"Aren't you?" he asked.

"What?" she responded hoarsely, shocked he was being so invasive.

"Aren't you excited? Even just a little?"

Elena's cheeks felt like they were on fire as they flushed with embarrassment.

"I don't think that's any of your business," she managed to say, scrambling to her feet.

She grabbed her socks and shoes, not bothering to waste time putting them on as she stormed off in the direction of the house.

"Elena, wait!" Cas called behind her, but she continued.

He caught up with her quickly, stepping in front of her to block her path.

"I don't understand what happened," he said.

"You don't? Don't you think that was a little much?"

He looked down, clearly ashamed.

"I know there are many difficult things we're dealing with right now, I just thought…"

"What, you thought you'd capitalize on me being vulnerable and pounce?"

He tilted his head in confusion, squinting at her.

"What?"

"I mean, just because I'm, you know, just because you're…it doesn't mean that I'm just going to give it up!"

"Give what up? What would you have to give up?"

"Maybe you don't think about it that way because you've had it before, but to me it's all new. Back to square one. Actually, because of that comment, forget the square! The square isn't even on the board!"

Cas was tilting his head so much it looked like it was going to fall off.

"Elena, I have no idea what you're talking about. What did I have? What square, and where is this board?"

She glared at him silently, studying his expression. He seemed so confused that she started to doubt he meant what she thought.

"When you said you were excited, what were you talking about?"

She couldn't help the sharp tone she asked the question in, and Cas looked down again, reticent to answer. She took a deep breath and tried again.

"Cas, what did you mean?" she asked again, her voice softer.

"I realize I probably shouldn't be excited," he began. "I can't help it, though. Even with everything going wrong, I'm excited about our daughter. Her existence feels like a miracle."

Elena felt like kicking herself. Cas noticed the change in her demeanor again and questioned it.

"I just…I thought you were talking about something else," she tried to explain, not wanting to embarrass herself further.

"What else would I have been referring to?"

"Um, well, we were kind of close together, and having sort of a moment. I mean, not a romantic moment exactly, but maybe, a little…and then…"

Cas stared at her in disbelief as realization kicked in.

"Elena, I would never proposition you while you're in this state," he insisted.

"Yeah, I think I'm starting to get that. Sorry."

"Your outburst makes much more sense now. My apologies if my behavior led you to believe my intentions were less than respectable."

"No, it wasn't your fault, I was the one who sat close and then I leaned forward to kiss you, it wasn't anything you did."

He stared at her with wide eyes, and she realized her mistake. She watched as he swallowed hard.

"You were going to kiss me?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I just, I'm sorry, I can't do this. I can't…I need to eat something," she finished, stepping around him and continuing to Bobby's house.

Cas followed silently a few steps behind her. She was grateful he didn't try talking to her as she prepared and ate her lunch. Their silence was back to being uncomfortable, but at least it was less uncomfortable than their last conversation. Cas seemed to be deep in thought. Elena felt embarrassed by the entire incident. Bobby noticed the awkwardness between them but didn't comment on it, just frowned and sighed.

Another week went by without much activity. Bobby was doing what he usually did, helping hunters by phone in between working on cars. Elena had gotten used to Cas following her everywhere except the bathroom, which he stood directly outside of anytime she went in. She turned on the shower no matter what, desperate for at least a little privacy. Her dreams each night had been normal, at least normal in the sense that Cas didn't share them, and they had nothing to do with their daughter being born. Elena had been using Bobby's cell phone to talk with Sam each evening. She always said hi to Dean, but she really enjoyed her chats with Sam.

"I need some privacy while I make this call," she insisted one night.

Cas looked displeased with her declaration.

"I don't believe that's safe," he replied.

"You better believe if you don't leave me alone right now that you're going to find out exactly how unsafe this phone call can be," she replied tersely.

Bobby's head shot up from the book he was reading.

"Jesus, Elena, calm down. Cas, I think you'd better listen to her even if she's soundin' crazy. Must be hormones," he commented, shaking his head.

Once she was convinced Cas wouldn't follow her down the hall and into her bedroom, she closed her door and called Sam.

"Hey, Elena," he greeted.

"Sammy! How are you?"

Sam chuckled, and she could picture the exact expression on his face, smiling at the image in her head.

"I'm pretty good. How are you feeling?"

Elena sighed, feeling conflicted. She enjoyed keeping their conversations light, but she had concerns she wanted to discuss with him. They had decided not to tell Sam and Dean about the vision dream she had unless something else happened.

"That good, huh?"

"Is that your girlfriend?" she heard Dean ask, followed by a scuffling noise and Dean grunting.

"Shut up, Dean," she heard Sam say, muffled, as though he were covering the phone.

"Don't push me, man. I don't care if you're ten feet tall, I can still kick your ass," Dean replied.

"Hey, sorry. My brother is being an idiot," Sam said, his voice clear again.

"Must be a day that ends in 'y'," she quipped, and he laughed again.

"Seriously. But really, how are you doing? Everything okay over there?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. I have some questions, but I don't know how to ask, exactly."

Elena could imagine the thoughtful frown on Sam's face, his kind eyes and sympathetic expression.

"Just do your best. I'll help however I can."

"When you helped me work on the stuff with my energy and chakras, were we able to find out what caused them? I mean, where they each come from?"

"Uh, give me a second to find my notes," he told her, and she heard more scuffling. "Okay, I've got them. Do you want me to just go through everything, or was there something specific?"

"I guess it would be good to know everything that I did before, in case it happens again," she said.

Sam listed the different abilities he'd recorded, and which color and chakra they were associated with.

"My eyes turned yellow?"

"Yeah," Sam said, chuckling a little. "Scared the hell outta Dean, too."

"What did you say about me, Sammy?" she heard Dean yell.

"Nothing," she heard Sam say, muffled. "Sorry," he said, his voice clear again.

"So, what was that from?"

"You were pissed at him. To your credit, he was being a jerk."

"I know you're talking about me, Sammy, knock it off!" she heard Dean yell again.

Sam sighed, and Elena heard movement, including a door opening and closing.

"Okay, I'm outside, no more interruptions."

Elena smiled.

"It's okay. What other emotions made things happen, or was it all just from anger?"

"No, only the solar plexus seemed to come from anger from what we worked on. A lot of it stemmed from love," he explained.

"Love?"

"Yeah, like healing me and Cas, those were both from love."

"I love you?"

"Well, you did. I understand if you don't feel that way right now, and it's okay if it never comes back."

Elena was shocked by Sam's announcement. She wondered why none of them had said anything about it, and only told her about her involvement with Cas. Then she wondered if the relationship with Sam was secret, which would explain why no one said anything about it. It also could explain Sam getting upset at Dean teasing him, because he was too close to the truth.

"Do you love me?"

"Of course," he said. "We all do."

Relief flooded through her, his words finally making sense.

"Oh, thank goodness. I thought you meant—well, never mind, it doesn't matter."

Sam was quiet on the other end, and Elena wasn't sure if he was still there for a minute until he cleared his throat.

"What about the glowing thing?" she asked.

Sam laughed, though it sounded a little hollow to her ears.

"That seemed to be from love, too, but a different kind. You usually glowed when you were with Cas. And also when you were eating food sometimes," he acknowledged.

"We must've had a special relationship."

"You and food? Most definitely," he joked.

"Sam, I…"

Elena didn't know if she should continue her thought.

"What is it?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

"I think I might have feelings for him."

Sam was quiet again for a minute.

"Are you okay with that?" he asked her finally.

"I don't know. It's confusing."

"Yeah, I'm sure it's very confusing to have feelings for the father of your child," Sam remarked.

"That's not fair," she replied, confused and hurt by his comment.

She heard him sigh.

"You're right; I'm sorry. I'm just tired. I should probably go, we're in the middle of something here and I've got to get back to some research. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay. Be safe. Bye, Sam," she said, but he had already hung up.

Elena frowned as she looked at Bobby's phone in confusion.

Just what the hell was that about?

She did her best to brush the strange turn her call with Sam had taken from her mind. If there was a problem, Sam would tell her. She was sure of it. Cas looked relieved to see her when she walked back into the room, and she could tell from the way Bobby shook his head that Cas had been anxious the whole time she was out of his sight.

"I'm going to get some air," she said, and Bobby held up a hand indicating he heard her.

Cas was on her heels as she stepped out, and she stopped short, convinced he would walk right into her. He didn't, and she turned around to see how close he was. He looked adorable as he stared down at her, waiting, brow furrowed in confusion, squinting at her a little.

"Cas," she said, staring up at him, her body almost flush against his. "We've talked about this. Personal space."

Cas took a step back and nodded.

"My apologies."

Elena turned back around, heading off to the woods where it would be easier to see the stars. Cas followed a few steps behind her now, which she appreciated. She picked her way through the forest carefully. The moonlight was bright, but her eyesight wasn't good enough to spot everything. She tripped on a log and Cas grabbed her to keep her upright, maintaining contact as she continued to walk, ensuring she didn't fall.

"Thanks."

"Of course."

She stopped in a clearing, deciding that was as good a place as any to stargaze. She shivered involuntarily at the chill in the air. The sun was keeping the days warm, but fall was making for cold nights. Cas took his trench coat off and draped it over her immediately. She offered him a smile and sat down, and he sat beside her.

"It's nice out tonight," she commented.

"Yes."

"What's your favorite weather?"

Cas was silent for a minute, and Elena looked over at him, wondering why he was taking so long to answer.

"It's hard to narrow it down to just one. I have seen so much. A dry, hot day full of sun in the Sahara is nothing, but for an area experiencing flooding, a day like that would be a gift. Weather preferences are circumstantial."

"I guess I never considered that. Taking out the needs of the environment, though, do you have a favorite?"

He thought about it some more before turning to her, a shy smile on his face.

"I very much like snow," he admitted. "The way it floats down to the ground, gently, like a soft song. When everything is covered in a layer of snow, the sounds of the world are quieted. Everything has a fresh start. It's very peaceful."

Elena smiled at him.

"I like the way you describe it."

They continued to stare at each other until Elena felt her body growing warm all over. She shifted her gaze back to the sky, hoping to prevent herself from glowing around him. She could tell he was still watching her, but she did her best to ignore it. After a little while, he looked away.

Elena rested her head on the ground and stretched her legs out straight, the ground acting as her bed. Cas continued to sit, so she pushed his arm.

"You can lay down, you know."

He glanced at her before laying down beside her, continuing to remain silent.

"I am excited," she said softly.

"About our daughter?" he clarified, and Elena laughed.

"Yes, about our daughter. There's a lot of fear, but excitement, too."

"I feel that way, too. It's a strange juxtaposition."

"It sure is."

She could sense how close he was beside her without looking, but this time, it didn't bother her. Their hands were almost touching as they both lay there, watching the sky. After a few minutes, she reached for his hand, and he held hers without comment. She didn't fight the warm feeling this time as it spread through her body. In the darkness, she could see the purple surrounding her.

There was a lot that was wrong with her life. She'd lost her family and her home once already. She'd lost her lover once already back when she knew who she was. She'd lost herself in a large way with the loss of her memory, which felt like losing her family, home, and lover all over again. From what she'd seen in her vision, it was likely they were going to lose their daughter. Despite all of that, Elena was grateful. As she and Cas lay on the ground holding hands and watching the night sky, their daughter safe in her womb, the world felt perfect.