Chapter 9 The plan
Viktor and Simon watched the younglings carefully. There were four total that had survived the transformation and Viktor knew they were hungry. "Find a pasture full of cattle Simon. We can't let them feed on humans yet. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves."
"Do you know where she is?" Simon asked.
"I have a good idea, but it is strongly warded against all kinds of creatures so we'll have to bide our time and wait."
"I wish you would rethink this plan. It can only end in…"
Viktor glared at Simon making him go silent. "Her father took my mate and so I will make a new one Simon. Now that I have tasted her I don't believe I can be without her."
Simon nodded. "It was brilliant to turn siblings this time. We will be stronger than ever before and I know we will be successful."
"Go find the cattle. It should be a herd of at least twenty. It will take that many to calm them down so that we can begin to teach them restraint. After they feed we'll find a toy they can play with to practice." Viktor grinned and licked his lips. He could taste Carrie Beth, he could smell Carrie Beth, and when he found Carrie Beth he was going to make her his, permanently.
XXXXXXXXXX
"Do you understand Carrie Beth?" Castiel asked.
She was staring at the top of the table in a daze and everyone else was staring at her. "Carrie Beth baby, are you ok?" Ellen asked with a motherly tone.
Dean reached for her hand and she snatched it away from him finally looking up at the group surrounding her. "Let me get this straight. You are telling me that in order to rid the world of… of vampires and witches and all this other nonsense Dean and I have to have a baby. That this… this baby, an infant with no skills but to eat, sleep, and shit mind you, will be the light that destroys all of these, these… What did you call them Sam?"
"Atrocities."
"Right, this infant is going to rid the world of them by being born? I'm sorry but have you all lost your damn minds?"
"It's in the books Carrie Beth," Sam said.
"Sam I have a book from the late 1800's that discussions child birth practices including stuffing cabbage into a woman's cervix to keep evil spirits out. I'm not believing a damn book. Anyone can write anything, it's called fiction."
Carrie Beth leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. "Can everybody give us a minute?" Dean asked.
He waited until the others had cleared out of the room before he spoke again. "What is it Carrie Beth? What's the problem?"
She stared at him with her eyes wide and angry. "Are you fucking kidding me right now? You guys want me to have a baby! I don't even know you! You could be some sicko cult that found out about my past and is trying to keep me pregnant to grow your ranks. I have seen crazier stuff in my time as a nurse!"
Dean smirked at her. "Do you really believe that Carrie Beth?"
She glared at him. "No I don't, but that doesn't change what I'm being asked to do. What you are asking me to do?"
Dean frowned. "Is… is it me?"
"What?"
Dean drug his hand over his face and sighed. "Is it because the baby has to be with me? That I have to be the father?"
She smiled gently at him. "No Dean. It's not because you would be the father. For some reason now, I'm sure this fate crap that we are mixed up in, I can only imagine having babies with you."
"Babies?" he asked leaning closer to her. "How many are we talking?"
"We'll start with a baker's dozen and then see how we feel."
He smiled warmly and kissed her. "So what now?" she asked leaning her forehead against his.
"We are going to get married for real. We'll drive into town and with Sam as a witness we'll go to the JP and get married. Then, I'm not sure. We need to do some more research and maybe send Cas to talk to the big man about all of this."
"You want to marry me before all of the research?"
Dean nodded and smiled warmly again. "I'm just marrying you so that I can have sex with you. Bobby and Ellen won't let me near you until its official…"
She punched him on the shoulder. "That is just great!" She yelled at him. "What if I don't want to marry you?"
He chuckled. "Oh but you want too. You want to be Mrs. Dean Winchester. We may have to draw up a prenuptial agreement though because I can't risk you taking my baby away from me, she means too much. Of course I'll split the thirty seven dollars and eighteen cents I have in my desk drawer with you."
"Well thank you sir. That is very gallant of you and don't worry I would never dream of touching your rust bucket of a car."
"Hey! Don't talk about her like that! She saved your ass from some hungry vampires."
"You saved me. You and Sam. She was just the mode of transportation."
He held her hand and kissed her knuckles. "Carrie Beth Stringer… I mean Singer, will you marry me?"
She laughed at him. "Dean Winchester… uh, what's your middle name?"
"Matthew."
"Ok, Dean Matthew Winchester I will happily marry you and your rust bucket of a car."
"Keep talking about my baby like that and we aren't getting married."
"I just hope you can love me like you love that car."
"I already do," Dean said before pulling her to him for a kiss.
XXXXXXXXXX
Castiel clapped his hands together and grinned at the group standing before him. "What the hell has got you so happy?" Ellen asked with a grown.
"She has accepted Dean's ludicrous proposal," Cas said continuing his scary grin.
Sam glared at Cas. "You really are a dick you know that Cas. It's not ludicrous and that… that proposal is a big step for all of us."
"All of you?" Cas asked with a frown. "How does this impact any of you? It was Dean that proposed and Carrie Beth that accepted."
"You jackass," Bobby said crossing his arms over his chest. "If this works… if the lore is right then neither Sam nor Dean will have to be a hunter. They can both have a life outside of this madness. Dean and Carrie Beth can have a marriage and a family. Sam… well Sam can go back to law school. It will make a difference for a lot of people."
Sam glanced up at Bobby. "I wonder if it will all go back."
"What?"
"If we manage to do this… will our lives start over or do we pick up from here? I mean do we go back in time or what."
"The lore is not specific," Cas said. "What I have garnered indicates a change in time but not how much. It could go back to when you first became hunters or when the hunting first impacted your life. Of course time could also go back to when the atrocities were released."
Sam eyed Cas with concern. "We need to research this more."
"Why?"
"Because… Because if Dean and Carrie Beth have found each other and making a baby will send us back to the dark ages… they may not want to go through with this whole thing."
"They don't have a choice," Cas said sternly. "This is for the good of humanity. For the good of angels. They cannot choose themselves over the rest of existence."
"Let's just look into it a little more before they run off and get married, ok. I just want Dean to have all the information before he jumps into any decisions."
"Information about what?" Dean asked walking into the room holding Carrie Beth's hand.
"Nothing," Cas replied quickly.
"Cas," Sam said angrily. "I'm telling him."
Dean glared at both of them. "What the hell is going on between you two? Tell me what?"
Cas growled before staring at the floor and Sam moved to stand in front of Dean and Carrie Beth. "We aren't entirely sure what will happen if you two produce a child of the light."
"It will get rid of all the scary shit and we can live happily ever after, right?" Carrie Beth asked.
"Maybe," Sam said, "but there is also the possibility that it will throw us back in time."
"That may not be so bad. How far back?" Dean asked.
"It could be from the time we became hunters or the time hunting changed our lives."
"Well hell, I say let's do it now! That would be freaking awesome!"
"Or," Sam said with a deep frown, "it could send the world back to before the gate was open and all of the atrocities were set loose."
Dean's mouth fell open and he stared at Sam. "Well… shit."
Carrie Beth squeezed Dean's hand. "Do you know anything for certain?"
Sam shook his head. "I need to dig through some more texts and Cas needs to have a conversation with some friends from that time period before we know anything for sure."
"We can wait," Carrie Beth said softly. "I mean I don't really guess it changes anything because if we were made for each other then we will find each other eventually. I don't think we can chose a personal relationship over the greater good for humanity."
"Hell yes we can," Dean said loudly. "I just found you and I am not giving you up."
"Do the research Sam. Get all the information you can and then we'll make a decision."
Dean grunted at Carrie Beth's reasoning but didn't make a comment.
XXXXXXXXXX
"What will convince you this is the right course of action?"
Dean leaned back in his chair and stared at Cas. "And what course of action would that be Cas? The one where I knock Carrie Beth up and go through the entire pregnancy with her just to lose both her and my baby as quick as the kid is born. Is that the course of action you are referring too?"
"Well, yes."
"See that's why you are a dickhead with wings and I am a human being. A man who sees the wrong in that whole scenario."
"It is the greater good Dean."
"Screw the greater good Cas! Sam and I have been looking out for the greater good all our lives and now that one of us finally has a chance to be happy the greater good comes along again to screw it all up! You can't ask that of me Cas. You can't ask that of us."
Cas frowned at Dean for a moment. "What if I could show you that you can be happy no matter the outcome?"
"Screw you Cas."
"Dean, I'm serious. What if I could show you a future where you and Carrie Beth are together and happy? What if I could get permission to take you into that version of the future? Would that help you make the right choice?"
Dean frowned. "You… you're saying that there is a version… where we can be happy?"
"You and Sam both."
"I don't believe you. You would say anything to get me to make this choice! You have manipulated me since we first met and I can't deal with this anymore."
Dean got up from the chair and left the room leaving Cas to apparate out of the bunker. He landed in a park where he was definitely out of place. "What year is it?" he asked a black man sitting on a park bench.
"1922 Castiel but don't worry no one can see us."
"Why here Ezekiel?"
"Watch the park for a moment."
It was nearing dusk and Castiel noticed a pretty little black girl swinging on the swings. Her parents were reclining on a blanket nearby watching her play. Castiel noticed the men before they did and he knew what they were as they approached the playground. He watched in horror as Viktor and Simon along with two women captured the small family and feasted on them. No one heard their screams. Castiel glanced back at Ezekiel. "This would end?" he asked.
"All of it."
"Dean, he wants an answer."
"It will start time over Castiel. Back to before the gate to purgatory was opened."
"He won't do it then. He won't lose Carrie Beth. His feelings for her are… strong. Stronger than I have ever sensed from him before."
"It is because they are the one true pairing, but that does not change just because the past does."
"Could I show him the future? Show him what could be if he follows the plan?"
"You may, but in order to convince him you will need to include Carrie Beth. Go to her and explain what is happening and grant her the ability to remember it in the future you will show Dean. It's the only way he will believe any of this is true."
"What if he still won't consent?"
"Show him Sam's future too. Sam is his weakness always and he will be willing to risk his happiness if he knows Sam can be happy."
Castiel was suddenly back in the bunker standing in the kitchen door. He watched Carrie Beth as she methodically cleaned the kitchen. "Carrie Beth," he said drawing her attention.
"Dean doesn't want me talking to you Cas."
"Don't talk just listen."
Carrie Beth stopped what she was doing and turned to face him. She gave him an expectant face and he took a deep breath. "I am going to show Dean the future. I am going to show him how things will be if he makes the choice to create the child of light with you. I need you to remember that when he and I arrive in your future that we had this conversation and that everything has turned out alright. You will have to help me convince him in the future that the appropriate course of action is to allow time to reset."
"When… how will I…"
"He and I will appear in your home. The home you share with Dean as your husband and father of your children. You will speak to him earnestly. You may even include the future Dean in the conversation if you wish."
"Won't that… I don't know screw up the timeline or something?"
"This is not a movie Carrie Beth."
She rolled her eyes. "No I thought it was a corny television show that has been around for years Cas. I think you must be the comic relief."
"Be serious Carrie Beth."
"Fine."
"When we arrive in the future you will need to contact Sam and his wife Jessica. Dean will need to see that they are happy as well in order for him to believe."
"Why would he believe any of this Castiel?"
"He has too. It's the only way."
"So I guess your research determined that the Earth will go back to the fifteenth century. That all of this time will have to pass again before we find each other."
"The Earth will reset but I do not know how long it will take you to find each other. You'll both have to be born of course."
"Whatever Castiel, you do whatever you feel you need to and don't worry I'll remember this crazy conversation even though I'll be trying my best to forget we ever spoke."
"Good enough," Cas said before he apparated again.
XXXXXXXXXX
"Dean."
"What now Cas?" Dean asked from under the hood of the Impala.
"We are taking a trip. I approved it with Ezekiel."
Dean slammed the hood of the Impala closed. "What the hell are you talking about Cas? I'm not going anywhere with you. Especially somewhere that another dick with wings approved."
"I don't need your consent Dean."
In the next moment Dean was standing next to Cas in a cozy living room. The couch was a pretty floral print and the well-worn recliner faced a large screen television hanging above the fireplace. There were kid's toys on the rug and a stack of car magazines on the table next to the recliner. "Cas," Dean whispered, "where the hell are we? Did you just take us to someone's house? We better get the hell out of here before we get shot!"
"Give it a minute Dean."
Dean thought the room felt familiar and he briefly realized that if he had a home this is what the living room would look like. "I'll be out in just a minute with the burgers," came a female voice from somewhere in the house.
"Cas," Dean whispered. "We have got to get out of here. There are people here!"
"Just hang on a minute Dean. Carrie Beth?" CAS called out causing Dean's eyes to grow wide.
"Cas?" came the female voice.
A head popped through a swinging door. "We weren't expecting… you."
Carrie Beth went quiet when she spotted Dean. "This… this is the time huh? The time you told me about."
CAS nodded. "Are they outside?"
Carrie Beth swallowed, but she never took her eyes off Dean. "Stay put," She said breaking the trance. "I… I have to call Sam and Jess before we do anything."
She disappeared behind the door again and Dean took a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. "She's… she's here. She's alive and she… she looks… happy."
CAS nodded. "She is happy."
"Wait… did she just say… Sam and Jess?"
"She did, but I think we should stay put for a minute Dean."
The door swung open with who Dean assumed was Carrie Beth, but he was shocked to find a different version of himself. "Holy shit," the other Dean replied. "She told me it was going to happen one day… she always told me and Sam both… but I never… holy shit."
"What… what year is it?" Dean asked his mouth dry.
"It's 2017. What… what year are you from?"
"2017."
"Yeah… well… this is a very different 2017 that what you know. I mean. This whole life is different than what you know."
Carrie Beth walked back through the door and touched the other Dean on the shoulder. "Sam and Jess are on their way."
Dean focused on Carrie Beth's rotund abdomen. "You're pregnant," he whispered.
Carrie Beth smiled. "Number three," she said. "We didn't find out this time since we have one of each we wanted this one to be a surprise."
"You wanted it to be a surprise. I want to know what the little bugger is so that we can have a name ready."
"Dean, we agreed and we have a boy name and girl name narrowed down."
"Excuse me," Dean asked with a concerned look on his face. "Did you say number three?"
"You want to meet your son and daughter?" Carrie Beth asked.
Dean's eyes went wide again. "Can… can I? Won't that confuse them?"
"I'll erase the memory Dean," Cas said quietly.
The front door suddenly flew open and Sam came to a sudden halt. "Holy shit," he said staring at the group gathered in the living room. "You told me, but I never thought it was possible!"
"Sam!" A female voice yelled breathlessly. "What the hell are you thinking? I'm too short to keep up with your giant legs."
"Oh God Jess, I'm sorry. I didn't think."
A very pregnant and very much alive Jessica walked in behind Sam. "Holy shit," she said breathlessly, "Carrie Beth said this would happen, but we just thought it was hormones or something."
"I have been telling you jackasses for years. I have not been pregnant the whole time I have known you guys you just thought I was crazy and didn't want to admit it to me."
Jessica grinned. "I need to sit down," she said and plopped down on the end of the couch.
"I'll get the kids," said Carrie Beth.
Dean's eyes flitted back and forth between Sam, Jessica, and the other version of himself. "Do you need to sit down?" the other Dean asked.
Dean nodded but he wasn't sure where to sit and when that became apparent Sam helped him over to a comfortable chair. "What year are you from?" Sam asked.
Dean stared at him and couldn't believe what he was seeing. "You don't look like a hippie."
Sam drew back from Dean. "What?"
"Your hair. It's short."
Sam stared at him waiting for further explanation. "In my 2017," Dean said swallowing hard, "you have long hair. It's kind of a rebellious thing I think but I have never really asked you about it. I keep thinking one day you are going to cut it, so it's weird seeing you with short tamed hair."
"Long hair huh," Jessica said from the couch, "I think I could dig that Sam."
"Yeah well the firm won't dig it Jess. I can hear Mr. Blaylock now complaining about finding hair in his Danish and of course it will have to be mine."
"Wait, did you say firm?" Dean asked. "As in law firm? Are you a lawyer Sammy?"
Sam grinned at him. "Yeah I am."
Dean grinned from ear to ear. "I… I can't believe it." Dean thought for a moment and he frowned. "I actually don't believe it."
He stood up from the chair and turned to Cas. "How do I know this isn't some scene that you cooked up to get me to agree? How do I know this is a Gin who is messing with my head huh? This is a little too perfect."
Dean walked towards the fireplace. "I mean this is really detailed you know. Look at these pictures on the mantel… here's my wedding day! Yeah right. Carrie Beth and I are planning on going to the JP."
He moved on down the mantel. "And look at this huh? I'm in a cap and gown with Carrie Beth and Sam! What did I graduate from?"
"Business school," the other him said.
"Shut up Dean. These questions are not meant to be answered. And your answer only goes so far as to prove this is crap. Me? Business School? Yeah right. I've never been any good at anything but killing monsters and sleeping around."
"Dean," Carrie Beth said from the door. "Calm down. I know how to prove this is all real."
She stepped towards him but the other version of himself stepped in between them. "You are not getting close to him Carrie Beth. I know what he's thinking and he is going to lash out."
"I would never hurt her!" Dean yelled at the other version of himself.
Carrie Beth put her hands on her Dean's chest. "And you would never allow me to get hurt. Don't you see Dean," she said turning to stare at him. "If this wasn't real he wouldn't feel the need to protect me from you because you are basically the same person."
Dean stared at her skeptically. "Yeah well I call bullshit Carrie Beth. All of this is bull shit!"
She pushed away from her Dean and moved towards him. "Angels and Gin can create detailed illusions right?"
Dean glared at her. "Not helping."
"But neither Angels nor Gin know what it feels like to have a baby kick them."
"Carrie Beth," her Dean said warningly. "I don't want you getting that close to him."
"Dean Matthew Winchester, I'm not sure why you suddenly think you can tell me what to do, but I have to prove to him this is real. If I don't he won't make the right decision."
Dean laughed out loud. "You have got to be kidding me."
Carrie Beth stopped in front of him and smiled. "You look a lot rougher than I remember. But those memories are faded so I guess I could be wrong."
"If you are trying to prove something to me insulting me is not helping."
She grinned. "I'm not insulting you. It's just you are version that I have distant memories of and he," she said indicating the other Dean. "He's the one that I met and fell in love with and while you are both similar there are subtle differences. You are harder. Showing the life that you had to live to get to this point I guess."
She reached for his hand and placed it on her very pregnant belly. "Give it a minute I drank some lemonade earlier and the sugar should be waking the munchkin up."
She kept his hand on her belly and stared into his green eyes. "Your eyes are the same green but so different. Yours have a darkness. You may look alike but I don't think I would ever have a problem telling you apart."
Dean was staring back into her blue eyes when he felt a push against his hand. He glanced down at his hand and his mouth dropped open as he felt the push again. "You feel it?" she asked.
He looked up at her his eyes wide with amazement. "Is that… the baby?"
She smiled at him. "That is your third child Dean Winchester."
He felt a stronger push this time and Carrie Beth jumped. "Are you ok?" Dean basically yelled at her.
"I'm fine, the baby is just really strong and that kick caught me in the ribs."
Dean stared at her and then around the room. "This is real?"
It was a question more than anything. Carrie Beth nodded before placing her hand on the side of his face. "Do you want to meet your children?"
"Whoa! Why is there a guy that looks just like dad in our living room?"
Dean looked up from Carrie Beth's belly and saw a little boy and little girl standing behind the couch. The little girl could barely see over the top of the couch, but she had her mother's blue eyes. The boy's hair was longer than he would have liked but he was looking into his green eyes for sure. "Kids you know those bedtime stories that mom has always told you about Uncle Sam and I?"
They nodded. "Well there is some truth to them, but don't worry you won't remember anything about meeting this guy ok. This is another… edition? Version… of me. He's from… ah hell, just introduce yourselves to him already."
"Hey," the boy said. "I'm John Robert. I'm nine years old and this is the weirdest thing I have ever seen. Dad, I'm not sure how you think I am going to forget this shit."
"John Robert!" Carrie Beth yelled.
"Sorry mom," the kid mumbled.
The little girl had bolted to her daddy by this point in time and had her face tucked into Dean's neck. "Can you tell him your name sweetheart?"
The little girl shook her head and Dean the dad grinned at her. "This is Charlie Beth and she's a little shy. Can you show him how old you are?"
The little girl held up a hand with five fingers. "She just turned five," Dean said. "She's starting school in August."
He kissed the little girl on the forehead. "Cas, why don't you take the kids outside to play and give us a few minutes to talk?"
"Long time no see Uncle Cas!" John Robert shouted. "Where have you been anyways?"
Dean watched Cas walk the kids out of the living room and he glanced around the room. Carrie Beth had moved to the worn recliner and propped her feet up. "My feet swell a little in the afternoons," she explained when he met her eyes.
"You need anything baby? A drink or snack?" her Dean asked.
She shook her head no and rubbed the spot on her belly where just moments before his hand had been. "This is real," he said softly. "This is really a possibility."
"It's what we have always known," Sam said. "I mean we have the memories of what your existence has been like but it's almost like a movie we watched when we were kids."
"Is everything different?" Dean asked.
"We can't tell you everything," Sam said. "But everything that you know is different. Monsters are just stories that kids tell each other to scare themselves. Vampires are romance novel characters that some women find attractive."
Jessica hit his shoulder. "Those were good books," she said.
"Those books produced our little souvenir here," Carrie Beth said patting her belly.
"I produced that souvenir," Dean said with a grin.
"Sure babe, especially after I spent some time reading about a Vampire named Viktor."
Dean's smile left at that name. "What?"
"What?"
"The vampires name… what is it?"
"Viktor."
"Where are these books?" Dean asked with a growl.
"They're in the kitchen. Look on the bottom shelf of the book shelf Sam."
Sam disappeared for a minute and came back with two brown books. "What does that mean to you Dean?"
Dean took the books and flipped to the back cover. "Son of a bitch."
"What is it?" Carrie Beth asked. "We are supposed to be the ones pulling surprises on you not the other way around."
"The author… Carver Edlund."
"Yeah, he's got a bunch of supernatural books. These are the only ones Jess and I have read. He's actually a really popular author."
"How do you get in touch with him?"
Carrie Beth laughed. "I mean I guess you can contact his fan site Dean, but why?"
"Because in my 2017 my Carrie Beth is being hunted by a vampire named Viktor and his brother Simon."
The room went silent. "Do you… do you have those books in your 2017?" Jessica asked.
Dean glared at her. "No Jessica, but even if we did I would not be reading this garbage. I'm too busy reading lore about how to kill these sons of bitches."
"Take it down a notch Dean," Sam said warningly.
"I've suddenly found what's wrong with this 2017," Dean said with a chuckle. "You guys have never dealt with the nastiness out there and are just living your picture perfect lives!"
"Hey!" shouted the other Dean. "Like Sam said, take it down a notch. Our lives aren't perfect but compared to the shit your version has been we do have it pretty good. Now what the hell is wrong with you? Vampires don't really exist in this timeline. We aren't in any danger."
"Dean," Jessica said softly as he glanced back at her. "The thing is…" She looked over at Carrie Beth who was suddenly pale. "In the books, Viktor… he uh… he has a brother… named Simon."
"Carver Edlund, contact information now," Dean growled. "His real name is Chuck Shurley and in my time he is both a prophet of the Lord and the physical embodiment of God."
XXXXXXXXXX
"You can't go by yourself," Carrie Beth yelled at him grabbing his arm.
He turned on her quickly and met her gaze. It was so clear to him how much he loved this woman, no matter what time line. It didn't even register that technically this Carrie Beth was not his when he captured her mouth with his. The kiss was passionate and she gave as much as he did. "Excuse me," came Dean's voice from behind them. "I'm trying really hard not to get pissed because I know technically we are the same person but GET YOUR DAMN HANDS OFF MY WIFE!"
Dean grinned at him. "Sorry man, I just reacted."
Carrie Beth smiled and walked slowly towards her husband. "It's really weird because it was just like kissing you babe. He tastes like you and he put his hands exactly where you put yours. If I couldn't see you I would say you are the same person. I wonder if sex would be the same."
He growled at her and pulled her too him. "You will never find out, but if you are interested I will take you to our bedroom right now and make you forget there are two of me in our house right now."
Then his lips were on hers in a hunger she hadn't felt in a while. He was always so gentle when she was pregnant and sometimes she just wanted him to get a little rough. When she moaned against his mouth the other Dean cleared his throat. "Excuse me," he said "and pardon my language but while we are sharing this time line can you please not talk about fucking her or fuck her in my presence. I know in my head she is not mine, but the fact that you have your hands on her and are talking about the bedroom makes me want to kill you."
"Well at least I know you are possessive no matter what the time frame," Carrie Beth said with a laugh. "If I wasn't pregnant I'd say we could plan a bedroom adventure with the three of us…"
Both Deans growled. "Don't even think about it!" They shouted together and Carrie Beth fell to pieces with laughter.
When she had calmed down she wrapped her arm around Dean's waist. "I still say you can't go by yourself Dean. You have to take Castiel with you."
He nodded. "I'll grab him from the back yard. I'm not sure how long this will take or if I'll be able to come back here."
"Have you seen enough to help you make a decision?" She asked softly.
"Depending on what Chuck has to say I have."
"I won't ask what it is, but I hope we'll get our happily ever after."
Dean nodded before disappearing into the house to grab Cas.
XXXXXXXXXX
Chuck's address was easy enough to find because Dean knew his name instead of his pen name. The Dean of this timeline had the Impala tucked in a garage and he only drove her on special occasions. Dean had commented that it was nice to see her in this time line and he would take good care of her, she was his baby after all. Before Cas and Dean left he glanced around the comfortable living room and took a moment to study the family photos. There was one of he and Carrie Beth on their wedding day and a group shot of them with Sam and Jess. Other frames housed pictures of the kids as they had grown from babies to their current ages. Dean smiled at a snaggle tooth picture of John Robert and a photo of Charlie Beth covered in cake. A picture on the wall caught his attention then and he felt a tear slide down his cheek.
This photo was different from the others. It was a family photo from when he was young and while he didn't have any memories of John and Mary Winchester taking he and Sam to the Grand Canyon he was thrilled at the possibility. His parents were smiling in the photo and he had to have been eight or nine which meant that his mom had never been burned alive and his dad had not sold his soul for Dean to be healed.
"We didn't invite them over because they don't have the memories we do," he heard Carrie Beth say from behind him.
He wiped the dampness from his cheek but he didn't turn to face her. "They… they're alive?"
Carrie Beth wrapped an arm around this waist and tucked herself into his side. It felt right. She fit perfectly. "They're in Florida. They retired down there after your dad handed the shops down to you."
"Shops?"
"The repair shops, but I'm not going to give you too many details about that part of our lives."
"Are they good?"
"Yeah," she said softly, "they are good."
Dean put his hand on Carrie Beth's pregnant abdomen and waited for the child to move. He wasn't disappointed when a moment later he felt a push against his hand and he grinned. She moved to face him and ran her hand along the side of his face. "Whatever choice you make Dean it will be right. You have to do what you think is best for everyone."
He didn't think, he just reacted. He pulled her face up to his and kissed her and when she opened her mouth to protest he slid his tongue inside to mate with hers. Her belly pushed between them and it was the damn sexiest thing he had ever felt. This could all be his if he made a specific choice. "HEY!"
Dean pulled away from Carrie Beth to face the other version of himself. "Look man I'm trying to be understanding that we are the same person and all but if you touch my wife again I'm going to have to beat the shit out of you. Don't think that because I haven't spent my life toting a gun and killing monsters I can't take you down."
Dean glanced down at Carrie Beth who was touching her lips and grinning. "Trust me honey, he is just like you."
Dean grinned at her before he looked up at himself again. "Alright, I get it. If I was you, and I am, I would feel the same way. I'm going before you have to prove to me you can kick my ass."
Dean followed himself out to the driveway where Cas was already waiting in the Impala. "Take care of her," he said handing Dean the keys.
"You take care of her," Dean replied.
"I always have and I always will."
Dean took the keys and started towards the car but he turned back when his other self shouted. "I know Carrie Beth told you to make your own decision, but I'm telling you man you can make a wrong one. This option… this life… it's fucking great. I have all your memories from what you have been through and there is nothing that I would give up to live that life. I've done my own saving of people when their cars broke down and hunting things when I had to find a specific part and I wouldn't trade this family business for anything."
Dean nodded before climbing behind the wheel and backing out of the driveway.
XXXXXXXXX
"I could have just apparated us there," Cas said with disgust. "You know I hate to travel by car. It's very… confining."
"Yeah well every time we do that apparate crap it takes me a week or better to take a dump and we've already done it with the time travel."
"Have you made a decision?"
Dean was thoughtful before he spoke. "I don't know yet. I want to talk to Chuck first and then I'll know."
"Do you think this version of Chuck is also the embodiment of God?"
"It wouldn't surprise me."
The drive to Chuck Shurley's address took them a little over eight hours. The house was not ostentatious but it wasn't small either. There wasn't a gate or any such nonsense like that, Dean guessed writing under a pen name kept most of the crazy's away.
"What are you going to say?" Cas asked.
"If he knows me when he opens the door then we'll have a lot to talk about, but if he doesn't… then I'll take that as there is nothing to this book business."
Cas nodded and followed Dean up the sidewalk and onto the wide porch of the home. Dean rang the doorbell and waited. A minute or so later Chuck opened the door wearing a t-shirt with a photo of the Impala on it and a pair of jeans. "Shit," he said stomping his foot on the floor, "I can't believe this."
Dean raised his eyebrows. "Can't believe what?"
"How the hell did you find me Dean?"
"Why the hell are you writing about vampires named Viktor Chuck?"
"Wait, have you read the books?"
"No dumbass, I haven't but I'm here to find out the truth behind them and whether or not there is something for me to take care of in this timeline."
"Should you call God a dumbass?" Cas asked quietly.
Chuck stared at him. "I'm not… I'm not him. Not here anyway. I know that he took my form in the other timeline because it was convenient for him and easy for you to understand, but I'm just Chuck here."
"So just Chuck, answer my questions."
Chuck sighed. "Come on in, do you guys want something to drink?"
Dean shook his head. "I don't drink," Cas said with a smirk.
"Did you just… did you just make a joke Castiel?" Chuck asked.
"I tried… was it funny?"
"No, no it wasn't really."
They followed Chuck into a sitting room. "Make yourselves comfortable. What year or time are you from Dean?"
"Same year, different timeline. One where all of the shit you have written in your books is real and I need to know if any of it exists here."
Chuck smiled softly. "Fortunately no. None of my book material exists in this timeline."
"Then where did the information come from?"
"Uh… my imagination?"
"The truth Chuck!"
"Alright… I have a connection with other Chuck's I guess you could say. In this timeline I used the same material but my books were successful. I write for a living, isn't that great! And I don't have to drink myself into oblivion to get the ideas."
"What about the names?"
"I changed the main characters because I knew there was a real Dean and Sam Winchester wandering around out there and I didn't want to have to deal with those repercussions. It still is a great story and it sells… it sells bucket loads."
"So do you know what decision I make?"
Chuck nodded. "You make up your mind the minute you met Carrie Beth… no matter what time line you are in Dean."
Dean frowned at him. "We are in more than just these time lines?"
"Uh… yeah… you are in all the time lines. But you can't think about that too hard or it will make your head hurt."
Dean frowned at him harder. "Look I didn't make this up. It's some kind of physics mumbo jumbo or something. All I know for sure is that as the one true pair you and Carrie Beth exist across all of existence."
"Because that isn't confusing or anything."
"I told you not to think about it because it would make your head hurt."
"Did you know about this?" Dean asked Cas.
"Sort of," Cas answered. "But my knowledge is forever and I cannot be responsible for more than one time line at a time. Don't make me think about it too hard, it will make my head hurt."
Dean glared at him. "Shut up Cas your head can't hurt."
"Chuck said it could."
Chuck glared at Cas. "Your decision is made Dean. You just have to go through with it now."
"I'm not the kind of guy that gets a happy ending Chuck."
"It's not an ending Dean. It's a beginning."