~ Chapter Nine ~
It was 8:30 that Sunday night and Castiel sat in the nursery's rocking chair cradling their baby boy, thankful that he and Dean had generous bosses at work that let them take time off for the new family member. All this had been arranged prior, but it was still bringing an even bigger smile to his face. He'd been sitting in the nursery with the infant for a while now, rocking him and watching as he slowly, very slowly started to drift off into restful sleep.
"Papa?"
Castiel looked up to find Jo and Dean in the doorway, both in their pajamas. "Yes, dear?"
She looked at him sheepishly, then up at Dean who nodded at her. "Can I say goodnight to the baby?"
"Of course."
Jo padded across the fluffy white carpet over to them, Dean shuffling along right behind her. He was probably going to take her to bed soon, too.
Castiel leaned forward a bit, lowering the baby to Jo's level as she climbed onto the armrest of the rocking chair, trying to get a better view of her new brother.
"Good night, baby, welcome to our family!" Jo cheered, the happiest little smile on her face. She then leaned forward and kissed the infant on its forehead.
"Good night, Jo." Castiel murmured, hugging his perfect little girl with his one free arm.
"Nighty night, Papa!"
She climbed down off the armrest only to be picked up once more by Dean, who inevitably carried her off to bed. Castiel felt a pinch of sadness within him that he couldn't properly say goodnight to Jo for the first time in a while, but he shrugged it off. Jo could fall asleep on her own; a three-month old baby would have a more difficult time.
The baby seemed to have woken up a bit more again once Jo had come in and kissed his head, but its eyelids were still getting droopy as Castiel resumed rocking him. He did realize, however, that the rocking chair probably needed to be fixed, because it squeaked so harshly with every sway that Castiel finally gave up on it and stood up. It was a little bit easier to lull the green-eyed baby to sleep this way, standing in front of the crib and rocking him gently.
Castiel was sure that the baby was halfway to falling asleep again when he felt Dean's warm presence embrace him, his comforting arms wrapping around his waist. Castiel let himself relax into his husband, still cradling the baby, who miraculously looked even drowsier in the warmth of another parent's arms.
"Dean?"
"Mm?"
"What are we going to name him?"
Dean didn't respond right away, instead he released his affectionate hold on Castiel and moved around to look at the baby; he placed one hand on its head and one hand on the back of Castiel's hand, making him feel as though the cradle was somehow stronger with Dean's hand a part of it.
"Well, I wanted you to name him." Dean confessed, his beautiful green eyes connecting with his husband's.
"And why would you want that?"
"Because I had a lot of say in naming Jo. This is fair." Dean looked a little embarrassed, if not a bit sheepish.
Castiel nodded his understanding, though he truly did wish that Dean would help him with this one.
He chewed on his cheek, staring down at their nameless baby boy for a few minutes, when it came to him.
"Alfie."
"Huh?"
"Alfie. Do you remember my younger brother, Dean?"
Dean nodded, a confused and saddened expression on his face. He clearly remembered what had happened to Castiel's younger brother so many years ago. "You want to name the baby after him?"
"Yes!"
"Why?" Dean looked marginally uncomfortable at his partner's enthusiasm.
"Well, we named Jo after someone important to us, didn't we?"
Dean nodded again, that same confusion all over his face.
"She died an honorable death that night, and so did my younger brother, Dean. I think we can honor him and this baby in that way, don't you?"
Dean was silent for a while. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out, and he looked down at the baby, running his fingers gently through its soft, dark hair.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, Dean." Castiel managed to contain the exasperated tone that wanted so badly to show itself. "I am as sure about naming the baby this as you were about naming Jo."
Dean chuckled and Castiel found himself hopelessly drawn to and made undeniably happy by the light in his green eyes when he did that.
"Okay, you got me, Cas." He grinned, pecking his husband's cheek. "Alfie, it is."
Castiel couldn't help but smile at this – the name felt right for their baby, just like Jo's had been when they named her.
Little Alfie had fallen asleep by the time their conversation had ended too, curled up, safe and sound between his parents; knowing that they had to go to bed as well being Castiel's only motivation to put him in his crib.
Dean had moved to the side to turn on the baby monitor while the baby was tucked in, but soon rejoined Castiel in beaming down at their sleeping baby.
"He'll still be here at three in the morning, Cas, c'mon." The context of what Dean was saying wasn't all that comforting, but the warm and loving tone he used as well as the way he wrapped an arm around Castiel's waist once more said otherwise.
Castiel nodded, and pulled up the bar on the crib, making sure it clicked at the top.
"Good night, Alfie."
He dropped his hand into the crib, and stroked the baby's soft head before pulling his hand away. Dean gently guided him out of the nursery and in the same manner shut the door so that Jo wouldn't have to wake up in the middle of the night when the baby would inevitably start crying.
Castiel climbed into bed after Dean once in their room, sliding over to his husband's side of the bed and draping an arm around his waist. Dean held his hand against his abdomen, clearly just as content to fall asleep with this contact and the promise of tomorrow with Jo and Alfie.
Author's Note: I bet you thought these chapters couldn't get any flufflier, huh? :D
As for the Alfie thing: I didn't know what they would've named their baby and my girlfriend insisted on Alfie many times because of reasons I'm still not fully understanding… I've barely made a dent in season seven, let alone started season eight.
Anyways, I hope you've all enjoyed these thus far and I promise that I will give anyone who gives me a review on this a virtual platter of fresh baked cookies. I really would love to know what you all are thinking about this right now.
