Chapter 16.

"I'm glad you're a hunter." said Sam, looking across the table to Eileen in the golden glow of the candles.

"You say the weirdest things." she said, smiling.

"It's not weird," he said, "It's true, because you are so beautiful that if people regularly saw you dressed up like this, I'd have far too many rivals, but most days, you're dressed in flannel with mud and blood all over it and twigs in your hair."

"Are you trying to be romantic?" she said.

He grinned. "I'm bad at it, huh?"

She nodded. "Yeah, but I'm glad you are, because if you were smooth and charming and looked like that, I'd have to fight a lot of other people for you. You're dorky, but you're mine."

He laughed. "We are so perfect for each other."

"And perfect parents for the little huntling."

"Huntling? I like that." he said, "On the subject of the huntling, how are you feeling about it? Any concerns you'd like to share?"

"You're sweet." she said, "But I think, after death, Hell and being a spirit, pregnancy and birth shouldn't be a problem."

"You have a point." he said.

"And I know, if I struggle with anything, you'll be right there to help."

"Of course." he said.

"Don't get me wrong. I'm awesome on my own, but as a team ... "

"We kick ass." he said.

She took his hand. "This kid is gonna be so happy when he or she finds out what a great dad you are."

"We don't know yet if I am." he said.

"I know and I think we know I'm never wrong." She released his hand, but her hand stayed close.

He thought about arguing, but even when he considered her to be wrong, disagreeing with her rarely felt like the right move. Graceful capitulation came with a lot of perks. "Wrong? You? Nah!" he said, "Maybe sometimes right in a different direction ... "

"I need you to be honest with me." she said.

"Okay, sometimes a little bit wrong."

"Not about that." she said, trying not to grin and failing adorably. "Pregnancy is a long haul and I know it's gonna kick off all kinds of issues for you. When things start getting to you, you need to talk to me, okay?"

"As a signatory to the Pact, I have to." he said.

"You don't always talk to Dean and Cas." she said.

"I'm fallible." he said.

"Just infallible in another direction." she said, "This idea you have that you may not be good with kids, because your father wasn't always great, you need to tell me or Sarah or somebody when that comes up, because we can see it for what it is."

"However you slice it, my father ... "

"Your father didn't raise you and the guy who did is amazing with kids and so are you. You think I'd even consider having a baby with someone who wasn't? Because, Sam, that comes close to saying I might be wrong."

"You have to be honest with me too." he said, "Because I know you worry that you won't be great with a kid because you were raised by a hunter and never really got to be one."

She nodded. "You may know me better than I'd like."

"Well enough to know that you're gonna be the best mom ever. Hey, you think I'd have a kid with anyone who wasn't?"

"We both missed out on a lot." she said.

"Yeah, but that ends as soon as the huntling is born. We can go to zoos and water parks and anything we want and pretend it's just for the kid."

"Not circuses, though." she said.

"Ideally not." he said.

"Or anything with big dogs."

"You know what toys Dean and I had, growing up? Whatever we could fit in one battered old duffle in the trunk. We packed well, but even so, we couldn't fit much. I didn't notice at the time, but when Dean's toys broke or he outgrew them, the space got filled with stuff for me. He gave up his whole childhood for me."

"That packing skill will be useful for all our daytrips."

"Yeah, because our kid is gonna have so much stupid crap, so many toys, stuffed animals everywhere, things that rattle and whistle and beep. I wanna trip over balls and step on legos and wonder how one tiny toddler can make so much mess."

"Me too." she said, "And babies need more equipment than a platoon. So what we need to do is take Uncle Dean with us, when we relive the childhood we never had. He can help us pack and test out the rides to make sure they're fun enough and maybe we can give him back a little of the stuff he gave up for you."

"Just when I thought I couldn't love you more, you go and say something like that."

"Jules says we women of the bunker are Team Happy Ending."

"Dean would approve of that." he said, "I don't suggest we share that information with him."

"Our baby can be a new beginning for everyone." said Eileen, "Things will be different now. Dean can stop making all those sacrifices."

"But that's the question. Can he? It's a habit for him now. It's automatic. I keep asking him and he just says he doesn't want anything for himself."

"Which is why we make it about helping us with the baby, because you ask him for help and he helps without a second thought."

"True." said Sam.

"and if we happen to invite Anael along too ... "

"I don't think we should interfere there. If there is something between them, it's gonna be difficult. When it comes to women, he has this thing about them being human."

"Which she will be, soon." said Eileen.

"I'm not sure that'll make a difference to him."

She smiled at him. "I know you're scared I'll get too involved and ruin everything, but I promise, I won't. I love Dean and Anael. I won't do anything that could hurt them."

"No, I know you won't." said Sam, "I'm sorry. I can't stop worrying about him."

"Have to say, under the circumstances, I'm glad you care so deeply about Winchesters."

"You and the huntling more than anyone else." he said.

"We love you too." she said, "Remember the song Dean chose for us? 'And we can build this dream together, standing strong forever, nothings gonna stop us now.' The dream we're building is to see everyone happy, especially Dean, because without him, you'd never have lived long enough to find me."

"Maybe we should wait until Anael is human. So much easier."

"Yes, but as you said, it may not change anything for Dean."

"Are you starting to doubt your instincts?"

"No. They like each other, a lot, but Dean and Cas are brothers and the angel thing still causes trouble."

"He has his reasons." said Sam.

"If it seemed like a criticism, it wasn't." said Eileen.

He believed her. She never criticised Dean, even when she had every right to. She understood how much he had lost, how much he had endured and she was willing to overlook his minor and very understandable flaws.

Sam looked into her eyes and smiled. "You're gonna be great with our baby." he said.