Author's Notes: Outside of baby girl Winchester, I don't own any of the other characters.

Chapter Inspiration: Dear Daughter by Halestorm

Chapter 15

After a long day visiting with Hermione's friends at Hogwarts, the couple apparated back to Bobby's. Hermione was beginning to feel overtired, though that was a natural state for her now. Once their feet had hit the ground in the driveway, she pocketed her wand and leaned into Dean's arm. He was warm and solid next to her.

"You okay?" Dean asked gently, letting go of her hand so he could wrap an arm around her waist.

"Yeah, just tired." Hermione replied with a yawn.

"Good news, only two people left to tell, then you can go rest." Dean told her, kissing the top of her head.

"Hooray. Your daughter takes up a lot of my energy." Hermione quipped through a yawn.

"Well then, she's definitely a Winchester." Dean replied smiling. It was the first time he'd referred to the baby in a way that connected it to him. When he'd heard Hermione use the term 'baby Winchester' at Hogwarts, it'd actually made him happy.

Hermione tilted her head so she was looking Dean in the eyes. She smiled at his use of his last name in relation to the baby. It was a tangible declaration of the baby being his. Dean returned her tender smile. "Let's get this over with?" She asked giving him an out to the moment that was nearing chick flick proportions.

"Yes, let's." Dean replied, walking with her towards the house. The Impala and Bobby's Chevelle were parked in the driveway, so they knew neither Sam nor Bobby were out on a hunt. They entered the house and yelled out a hello in greeting.

"In the study!" Bobby called. Dean and Hermione shared another smile, before walking back towards the study.

"So what's the verdict?" Sam asked, turning in his chair to watch the couple's approach.

"Really?" Dean asked. "Could you geek out any harder?"

"Hey now, this is a big deal, Dean." Bobby defended the younger Winchester. Hermione just giggled.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine, baby Winchester is a…" Dean let the sentence trail off at the expectant expressions on both Bobby's and Sam's faces.

Hermione shot him an aggravated look. "If you don't tell them in the next 10 seconds, I will."

"I like her." Sam announced.

"Thank you, Sam." Hermione said, patting him on the shoulder gently.

"Are you done being an idjit?" Bobby asked Dean pointedly.

"It's a girl." Dean said finally.

Sam jumped up from the chair and embraced Hermione. He actually lifted her from the floor, and was about to spin her around, when Dean yelled at him to be careful with her. Sam gently set her back on her feet, blushing. Bobby however, surprised them both when he opened his desk drawer. A flash of pink material flew through the air, and Hermione caught it. She spread it out to reveal a little pink, plaid shirt.

"Bobby? How in the world?" Hermione asked, her eyes filling with happy tears.

"Yeah, how did you know?" Dean asked.

"I didn't, so I bought one in pink, and one in blue." Bobby replied.

Hermione walked around the desk to embrace the older, gruff hunter. "Thank you, you old softie." She whispered in his ear, so as not to embarrass him.

"It's a family necessity." Bobby whispered back.

While Hermione thanked Bobby, Sam congratulated Dean with a slap on the back.

"You realize this changes things?" Sam asked quietly.

"Yeah, I know." Dean replied.

"I know you know. Dean, this is not one of those things you blow off." Sam said softly, so Hermione wouldn't hear him.

"Sam…" Dean warned.

"I'm just trying to look out for you." Sam explained.

"I know. Things have changed for me. I just don't know what I'm going to do." It was all Dean was willing to tell his younger sibling.

"Okay." Sam replied, he knew what Dean had just told him was all the young father would share. He saw the way it was meant to shut down the conversation. Luckily for his brother, Hermione chose that moment to break away from Bobby to return to Dean's side.

"I think I'm going to go nap now." She told him softly.

"You do that. I'm going to stay here with Sam and Bobby." Dean replied.

"Okay." Hermione said, walking up to the bedroom. Once the bedroom door closed, Dean took a seat in the study.

"What's going on in the wonderful world of hunting?" Dean asked.

"Lots of mysterious deaths. Not sure what to make of them." Bobby replied, leaning back in his chair.

"So?" Dean asked.

"Bobby and I leave in the morning." Sam informed Dean.

"Excuse me?" The elder Winchester asked.

"You're staying, we're going." Bobby backed Sam up.

"Have you two lost your minds? Sam and I should be doing this!" Dean insisted.

"No, you're the one who's lost his mind. You're needed here." Sam replied heatedly.

"I'm needed here, and out there." Dean said.

"Yeah, it's bad out there. I ain't going to lie to you, idjit. However, you have two highly vulnerable females upstairs that have to be your priority now." Bobby lectured. "They need you here with them, more than the world needs you to be fighting monsters."

"But…" Dean started to protest.

"No, no buts. You protect your family, and let Sam and I handle the big bads in the world." Bobby cut him off.

"So, you're benching me?" Dean asked. He was already at war with himself, and this situation was not helping that. Half of him wanted to just let Bobby and Sam take off while he stayed, and the other half wasn't happy about staying out of the hunt.

"Dean…" Sam's voice interjected. "Don't make the same mistakes dad made."

"Sam, not helpful." Dean warned.

"I'm just saying. How do you raise a child, being a hunter, without turning into dad?" Sam asked logically.

"This isn't about dad!" Dean growled.

"I'm not saying this is about dad, this is about you." Sam defended.

"So you're saying I'm going to turn into dad if I continue to hunt?" Dean was on the defensive.

"No! I'm saying you're better than our upbringing." Sam defended his position.

"Idjits, enough!" Bobby scolded both brothers. "Dean, you're not John. You have the opportunity to be the father he wasn't. That's all Sam is trying to say, even if he is doing a piss poor job of it." Bobby scowled at Sam.

"Exactly!" Sam exclaimed.

"I'm not done." Bobby went on, cutting Sam off with a sharp look in his direction. "Dean, giving up the hunt isn't easy, it's what you were raised to do. Have you considered that perhaps you are at the point now, where reassessing your priorities is a good idea? Maybe that's what you should be doing while Sam and I deal with this hunt."

"Fine, I'll stay, but I'm not happy about it." Dean sulked.

"Don't you dare take it out on that poor girl upstairs. You hear me? Any shit and I'll box your ears into next Sunday." Bobby warned, a finger jabbing the air between him and Dean.

"Wasn't planning on it." Dean crossed his arms over his chest.

"Good." Bobby replied.

Dean turned his head to look out the now replaced window. The sun was just starting to sink below the horizon, casting a deep golden glow across the salvage yard. He decided joining Hermione in the bedroom upstairs was preferable to continuing the tense exchange between him, his brother, and Bobby. Standing, he made his way up the stairs, the familiar weight of responsibility pressing in on him once again. Turning the knob, he swung the door open gently. He stopped in the doorway for a moment to take in the sight before him. Hermione was laying on her left side, arm draped protectively around her belly, sound asleep. Her brown hair fanned out behind her on the pillow, and her shoulders moving evenly with every breath.

Dean took a step into the room, then swung the door closed behind him. He then moved to the opposite side of the makeshift double bed, where he sat and removed his boots. Once he had done that, he positioned himself slowly behind Hermione, draping an arm around her. He pressed his hand flat over their daughter, and was rewarded with a swift kick that pressed against his palm. He gently pressed back, and a bevy of kicks to the same spot followed. Dean smiled, she was sure a feisty one, if her kicks were any indication. Feeling that Hermione's breathing was still deep, and even, Dean allowed himself the largest of chick flick moments.

"Hey sweetheart." He whispered. "You're really beating your momma up, aren't you?" It was completely irrational, he knew his daughter couldn't hear him, and Sam would be making fun of him if he knew what his older brother was doing, but he couldn't bring himself to care at the moment. "I can't imagine you kicking her is all that comfortable. At the risk of sounding super girly, no offense, I can't wait to meet you, and I know I'm not the only one. You've got your momma, Uncle Sam, Granddad Bobby, Uncle Harry, Aunt Ginny, Uncle Ron, Aunt Hannah, and Granny Minerva all excited to meet you too. Granddad Bobby even bought you a shirt so you'll immediately fit into the family. It's pink, but it's plaid, which is a Winchester necessity. Someday when you're old enough, you can call Uncle Sam, Sammy or Samantha. Don't worry, he won't get mad at you for it, he'll be mad at me for teaching you that. But you know something, sweetheart? It'll be worth it!"

Dean stopped himself thinking about Sam cornering him someday after being called Uncle Sammy or Uncle Samantha. He had to stifle a laugh picturing the situation. He laid behind Hermione, arm around her turning things over in his mind: the job offer from Minerva, the strong desire he felt to hunt, the horrifying possibility that he could become just like his father, and Bobby's reassurance from the beginning that he wasn't his father. Sam's question was also bouncing around inside his head: 'how do you raise a child, being a hunter, without turning into dad?' He had no answer for the question Sam had asked. In fact, the half of him that was encouraging him to take Hermione and his daughter to England, and take the job offer at Hogwarts, was screaming at him that if he did continue to hunt with a child, that he would turn into John Winchester. The thought sent a chill down Dean's spine. He'd seen where that kind of parenting could lead when Sam had walked away. That night was a more emotional event than he was still willing to admit to. The closest he'd ever come to revealing how much Sam had hurt him was when they'd died and had to escape heaven.

Hermione shifted a little in her sleep jerking Dean from his troubled thoughts. He was pretty sure he loved Hermione, but he couldn't say the words. He had been pretty sure six months prior too, not that he'd told her then either. Somehow, despite not knowing how he felt, she still turned down a bright future to take a chance on him. Guilt gnawed at him because he still wanted to hunt. The feeling of being stuck settled in on Dean, pressing around him on all sides.

Damned if I do, damned if I don't. Dean thought to himself.

Exhaling a large breath, Dean settled in and closed his eyes. He was hoping for a respite from the issues plaguing his mind. Unfortunately for him, a meddling angel by the name of Balthazar had other plans.