Chapter 28

Grace

The scratching at the door put me on red alert, but I realized that it was Johnny in his morning routine of coming to greet me and play with Liberty after breakfast. I opened the slider and let him in. He bounded across the room and greeted her, licking her face and sending her into a fit of giggles. I poured her a bowl of dry Cheerios and she sat and ate happily, sharing with Johnny every chance she got.

Everett was in his highchair across from her, watching Johnny with fascination. He fumbled with Cheerios as well; sticking one in his mouth for every six he tried. Glory was on my hip for a change, pulling my shirt and begging for food. I plopped her in her high chair as well, across from her brother and bent to scoop Levi from the floor and laid him in the swing, near the bar. Johnny came to nuzzle him, getting a smile in response and took his place in the middle of the rug, among the chaos.

I survived successfully until naptime, sending Liberty to bed with Johnny, and then I made my rounds, putting the twins each in their own room and Levi took his place in the middle of our bed, surrounded by pillows. Around eleven that morning, I was finally able to sit and have a cup of coffee, listening to the baby monitors, wondering how my life ended up like this.

We used to be nomads, hunters; wandering from motel to motel, killing what needed to be killed, and now, here I was, living in my giant farm house that I owned with my husband, taking care of our three kids and my sister's as well. It was a culture shock, to say the least. I took a sip of coffee and made a face. I hated lukewarm coffee.

Standing to put my cup in the microwave, I caught a glimpse of something standing in the middle of our field. It was human, or at least it had been. I stared as it disappeared into the wheat, dancing in the wind. Throwing my senses as far as they could reach, I listened hard. It wasn't human, but I already knew that. I took a deep breath, debating what to do. Calmly, I walked over to each of the doors to double check that they were locked. Carrying the baby monitors with me, I did my rounds; closing the blinds and double-checking locked windows. The microwave beeped with my reheated coffee and I held my hand over my phone, debating on calling Dean.

Shaking my head, knowing I was overreacting, I decided against making the call just yet. We knew the wolves were watching us, and as long as I stayed put and didn't panic, they wouldn't attack the house. Or at least, normal werewolves wouldn't attack the house, especially in broad daylight. I couldn't help it though…there was something in the air.

"Cas, now would be a good time," I said quietly, closing my eyes.

"A good time for what?" he asked, staring at me with those blue eyes, piercing right into my soul.

I opened the microwave, pulling out my coffee and took a sip. "A good time for you to help me circle the wagons. They're out there."

"The werewolves? During the day?"

"I know. They're breaking all the rules." I took another sip. "I've had a bad feeling about this from the beginning. It's like they've got a vendetta against us or something. Almost like this is a deep-seeded revenge scheme." Cas stared at me, not knowing what I wanted him to say. "I don't want you to say anything," I replied to his thought. "I just feel better with you here."

Nodding, he walked to the window and peeked out through the curtain. "It is strange, knowing they're out there, but not being able to hear them."

"I know, right?" I sat down at the bar to finish my coffee. "I would never admit this to her, but I kinda wish we had just done what Serra wanted to do from the beginning. Just taken them out when we had the chance." I shook my head. "This waiting game is killing me."

"Is Dean still planning on attacking this week?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. Serra wants to go tomorrow night, but I feel like they should go in the afternoon." I shook my head again, not really understanding my own trepidation. "They need to strike when they don't know we're coming."

Cas was silent for a long time. I heard the conversation shift in his brain and he gestured upstairs. "How is Everett?"

I shrugged. "Fine, I guess. The Mark…"

"It's part of his genetic code, Grace. It's just going to be a part of his life. He'll need you and his sisters to get him through."

"Glory and Lib can help too?"

Tilting his head, Cas seemed to debate what to say. "Yes, Glory can help in small amounts mostly because they shared a womb. She can take some of his pain away. Liberty seems to have inherited your abilities, but Glory will be a minor contributing factor as Everett grows older in calming him." Castiel broke eye contact with me and stared at his hands. "Have you had any dreams lately?"

I shook my head. "No," I replied, confused. "I haven't in awhile. I think it's because I'm so tired. And I'm giving so much away—to Dean and to Everett both."

"Have you begun to age again?"

"I really don't know. I can't tell."

We were silent and I did my best not to pry, but I felt my senses extending towards Castiel's thoughts anyway. "What's up, Cas?"

He glanced up at me and made a face. "You and Dean have both made it perfectly clear that you do not desire anymore children."

"And?"

"And," he said, hesitating only momentarily, "I have had dreams…of a fourth."

"What?" I was on my feet and pacing around before I realized what was happening. "What the fuck, Castiel! We can't have any more kids! Three! I have three kids! And they're all under three years old! Then I've got my sister's! That's four! Four kids, Cas. I'm exhausted."

He allowed me to yell and enunciate with my hands, flinging them all over the room, almost spilling coffee twice. I came to stop in front of him, feeling almost like I was about to cry. "Hear me out, Grace." I took a deep breath, willing myself to calm down and listen. He took a deep breath, steadying himself for the discussion we were about to have. "Everett is going to be very difficult for you to handle alone. He will be the only son you produce, but your daughters…they hold the key to keeping him under control…to not losing him to The Mark the way Sam lost Dean for a time. Glory has the ability to keep Everett at bay, and Liberty's powers will help as well." He paused, licking his lips and leaning forward. "Your third daughter will have the ability to take The Mark from him as you do with Dean. She will be the only one with that power besides you."

"Cas, you're talking like it's already written. Like I'm pregnant again."

"You're not, but it has been."

I closed my eyes and moved away from him, steadying myself on the counter. "What if I say no? No more kids. What happens to Rhett?"

Cas' eyes were filled with sadness as he stared up at me from his place at the table. "Then he will follow the same path as Dean did before he met you. He will rebel. He will take off on his own, away from you, Glory and Liberty." Cas took a breath, folding his hands in front of himself on the breakfast table. "He will not find refuge, because you are the only nephilim in existence." I closed my eyes again, in pain as the angel continued. "The sister he chooses to confide in does not exist."

"Why? Why doesn't he choose Glory? Or Lib?"

"Because they are too much like Dean. They will try to control him, not to guide him." Cas stared at me as I pulled out the chair next to him and sat down, shock hitting me in a way that I wasn't prepared for. "Your fourth child will be your legacy, just as Everett is Dean's."

"She'll be a nephilim?"

He stared at me, closing his eyes, extending with his own senses. "There is no word for a child of a nephilim, because there has never been the opportunity to name one, but yes. She will inherit all of your angelic abilities and then some." He took a deep breath, reaching out to touch my arm as I laid my head on the table. "She will be the one to pull him back."

I looked up, resting my chin on the table as I stared at Castiel. "I can't lose my son."

"You don't have to."

…

"There's a man there now," Cade said over his phone behind the Small House. "I can smell him. He smells like her," he said, glancing back towards the Big House through the trees. "All of the cubs are there."

"Tomorrow morning, then," Cecelia's voice came over the speaker. "They follow the same routine each day. I heard them talking late last night…they think they're coming for us tomorrow afternoon." She laughed. "Let's take them before they have the chance."

…

"Hey, gorgeous," Dean greeted when I answered the phone.

Automatically, I smiled and replied, "Hey there, stranger."

"How's it going?" he asked, chewing on something. It was his lunchtime, after all. "Any sign of the wolves?"

I shook my head, wiping my face. Castiel had gone about an hour before, and I had spent the time in between Cas' visit and Dean's phone call with my goddammed face leaking because I couldn't get a grip that my son had a genetic Mark of Cain that could only be sated by a fourth child…I shook my head, willing my mouth to stay shut. We had enough to deal with right now. I didn't need Dean to have a coronary over the phone because we were destined to have another child to fix the last one we had.

"No," I finally answered, wiping my face again. "No wolves. Although, I thought I saw one in the field this morning, but I called Cas to come and hang out with me, just to be safe."

"He still there?" he asked, taking a drink.

"Just left." I wandered towards the kitchen and pulled out a soda. I still hadn't gotten enough caffeine and I wasn't handling the latest angelic news well enough to pull off a conversation with my hyper-observant husband. "What are you doing right now?"

"Eating lunch. Doug brought me a sandwich," Dean replied, his mouth full. "Got the Buick done this morning and I was able to start on your sister's Wagoneer. Needs a name."

"How's it looking?" I asked, staring off into space.

"Good," he began. As he described the Wagoneer to me, I drifted off, listening to my children's thoughts as they slept. As usual, Liberty's thoughts were full of happiness: butterflies and flowers. Following Johnny through the house and playing with her dolls. Glory continued the happy streak with bright colors and her siblings' faces, including Levi's. I moved on to Everett's and I saw only my own face in a sea of gray and confusion. He was already so conflicted on how he should feel and he wasn't even seven months old yet. I was in pain for my son, knowing that he was going through the same desperation that Dean experienced as an adult. I closed my eyes as I made my decision. We had to save Everett. Dean would understand.

"She should have it by tomorrow afternoon," Dean finished, taking another bite of his sandwich. I didn't answer immediately, still immersed in my own thoughts, so Dean continued. "Gracie?"

"Yeah, that's great, babe," I said shaking my head. "Really great. She'll be excited."

"You okay?"

I was silent for more than a few seconds, seriously considering sharing my new information about Everett, but decided against it on a whim. I would hold this until we were done dealing with the werewolves. "I'm fine. I just miss you."

"Take care of my babies," Dean said, wrapping up the lunchtime phone call. "I'll see you tonight. Around five."

I nodded. "Okay, sounds good," I said, rubbing my face. "Five."

His thoughts poured into my head and I knew that my lie had not gone unnoticed. As I hung up the phone, I knew that he was already in full analyze mode, trying to figure out what I had lied about and why. That's one of the biggest problems I had, being married to a hunter. He didn't miss anything.

When Dean got home that evening, I did my best to avoid the conversation that we held over the phone earlier that day. Liberty was pouring water back and forth into different sized measuring cups, making a mess on the floor as I carried Everett around, stepping over the other two babies to greet him as he walked through the living room. "Hey gorgeous," he said, smiling lightly. I could hear him think as if he was speaking his thoughts aloud.

What happened, Grace?

What aren't you telling me?

It's still lying if you don't tell me.

I moved away from him, turning back to the kitchen as Liberty almost knocked me down, trying to get to Dean. "Hey, there, Meatloaf!" Dean greeted, picking her up and kissing her on the cheek. "Why are you so wet?"

"Makin' dinnoh," she declared happily, pointing back to her bowls and measuring cups.

Dean chuckled and put her down, walking towards the kitchen to see what she was pointing at. "Making dinner," he repeated, nodding. "Got it. What 'cha making?"

"Mac an' cheese," Libby answered. I walked towards the swing to finally put Everett down and scooped up Levi instead, who had begun to fuss. I glanced at the clock and opened a bottle, getting formula ready for his dinner.

"Grace," Dean's voice brought me out of my thoughts.

Inhaling sharply, I shook my head. "We'll talk about it after you guys take out the pack."

"No, we'll talk about it now," he said, his voice low. "It's not exactly fair that you're the only psychic around here. If I can't hide my feelings, then you aren't allowed to hide yours."

I stared at my husband, unwilling to open my mouth. Why the hell couldn't I lie to him?

"Words, Grace," he said, repeating the mantra he had learned over our years together. He leaned against the counter as he waited, folding his arms across his chest.

"Everett will get worse," I spat, my words coming out quickly and leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

Dean stood up to his full height and turned to face me. "Worse? Worse how?"

I watched as he shrugged out of his flannel and threw it on the chair behind him. Once again, he leaned against the counter top and waited for me to speak. "I mean that unchecked, he'll follow your path, or at least the one you would have taken if I hadn't found you and eventually self-destruct. He'll get angrier and violent, and when he's old enough to steal one of our cars, he'll take off."

Dean set his jaw, refusing to meet my gaze. I knew he blamed himself; but really, there was no reason to blame anyone. Genetics were weird. This is just how Everett turned out. "Did you dream this?"

"Cas did."

That was truth enough for Dean. He nodded and rubbed his face with both of his hands. I stared down at my nephew as he ate and I could feel tears forming in my eyes. Dean's emotions paired with my own were overwhelming. I really needed to get a grip on how to control my (and others') feelings. I had to stop being so sponge-like.

Finally, Dean spoke, his voice ragged. "What do we do?"

"The girls can help a little…but Liberty only took on a bit of my psychic abilities and Glory will have some control over him, but aside from me, no one can really take The Mark from him. I'm the only nephilim in existence. It's not like he'll stumble upon some Fated-Love like we did."

"Grace, what do we do?" he repeated himself, knowing that I was simply filling silence with any words that I could grasp.

I stared out the kitchen window and watched the birds fly from the field, unwilling to look at my husband. "Cas brought up a way to help."

"And?"

"Our next child would be another daughter. She would inherit every one of my traits. She would be my legacy the way Rhett is yours." I continued to gaze out onto our field, "She will be the only other one that would be able to take The Mark from Everett the way I can to you." Turning to face him, I took a deep, ragged breath. "She would be the one to pull him back."

Dean was silent for a long time, watching Everett sleep in the swing across the room. Levi was done with his bottle and I turned him up to my shoulder to burp him. He nuzzled into my neck and brought his tiny hands down to tuck them under his body as he did every time I held him this way. "Cas told you? He dreamed about another girl?"

"We can still control it. We haven't made a choice."

"But she would save Everett."

I nodded.

"Then why are we still talking about it?"

I shook my head, "Dean, we would have four kids. Four."

He took a step towards me and lowered his head, staring into my eyes. "We leave Rhett unchecked, we're gonna end up with two."

I stared into my husband's green eyes; eyes that I saw in Liberty and in Glory and I nodded. "We save Everett."

He nodded and took another step towards me. "We save Everett," he repeated, touching my face.