Trish was right. People were willing to trade labor for their demon hunting skills. Within her two month time frame they had two good cabins built complete with electricity and plumbing.
Dean relished his role as father and husband. He worked his four hour shifts as guard while Sam and Bobby helped the women planting crops and build shelves for the cellars. When he got back he took over. Jo and Ellen had to take lots of rests since they were new to that type of work. Trish worked the six hours straight. Her mom took care of Jake.
She cooked, cleaned and washed for him. Dean was in awe of how much she got done before he was even awake. Ironically the world was shit and he was sleeping better than he ever had. He was happier. He felt a part of something good that didn't involve killing every day. He had his family, his brother, a woman who wanted only him, and he had a son.
He started calling Dean "dada" that month. The new father strutted around like a peacock proud of what he had.
The hunter hated to admit it, but he liked her ex, Rod. He didn't like the choices he made, but this new world was about survival.
Dean arrived home late that night. He spent the afternoon helping Jack empty one of the storage lockers. He was beat when he came home. She was standing at the stove removing a loaf of bread.
"Hey, sorry I'm late." He hugged her from behind. "Where did you get the flour from?"
"I traded Celeste some strawberry preserves for a bag." She cut a thick slice and buttered it for him.
"Ummm, that's incredible." Dean sat in the large leather chair, a gift from Jack, and removed his boots. He sighed. Their next run was in a week. He couldn't wait. His boots were coming apart at the seams, literally.
"I've got a surprise." She tied a piece of clothe around his eyes. It dimmed his vision but allowed him the ability to see large objects.
"I like this." Dean smirked.
"O.k. come with me." She took his hand and led him into the cellar. "Take your time."
Dean could see the candles burning around the room. She took off the blind fold.
"Oh sexy," He laughed. Looking around the room filled with mason jars and her sewing supplies.
"Not that." She turned him towards the far corner. A large copper tub filled with steaming hot water.
"How did you get this down here?" He fingered it.
"Sam and Bobby, I agreed to give them access for two hours twice a week each." She took off his shirt.
"If you want me naked all you need to do is ask." He laughed.
"Shut up." He let her slid the pants off of him.
"Did you carry the water down?" He stopped stripping off his underwear and socks.
"Look." She pulled a rope from the wall. A large tube lowered from the ceiling. "We are lucky to be closest to the hot water springs. The main plumbing was already here. I had Bobby and Sam extend it to the house. Dad was in real-estate. He bought this land before the attack. I think they were going to build a resort."
"You're a freaking genius." He slipped into the hot tub.
"I've had more experience living this way. I was born for this. Dad made sure we could survive if something like this happened and we didn't have him around." She took a thick sponge and lathered it. "If we had met ten years ago then, well I'd be eight, but you'd be doing this for me. You would be protecting me. So live it up and let someone else take charge for a while."
"O.k. already." Dean laid his head on the back of the tub while Trish washed him.
He wanted this. He loved this. He liked the feel of her hands on his body kneading the tensions of the day away. She rubbed his sore feet.
"You need new shoes." She frowned. "Oh that reminds me dad brought you something."
"What?" Dean didn't open his eyes.
"It's a box I put it in the loft." Jake began to cry. "Your son knows you're here."
She hurried up the stairs. He angry boy shook the bars on his crib.
"Impatient?" She lifted him into her arms.
"Like his father." Dean stood wrapped in a towel.
"You're supposed to be relaxing." She licked her lips. He had only a towel wrapped low around his waist. "Nice."
"Hey only pure thoughts when you're holding my boy." He took the crying child. Jake sighed and snuggled up to his dad. "See kindred spirits."
"Thanks, I know this is hard for you, but you've been great with him."
"I wanted kids, but with what we do… we did I couldn't have them." He snuggled the baby to his chest. "Now I have a son."
Jake looked up at Dean and smiled.
"Can I open the box dad sent?"
"Yeah." Dean sat on the bed and bounced the baby.
She pulled out a shiny new pair of boots, several pairs of jeans and shirts. There was a stack of papers at the bottom.
"Dean, do you know what this means?" She lifted the folders. "He chose you to replace him when he dies. You're going to succeed him."
"He doesn't even know me." He was astonished.
"Dad has always been a great judge of character. You are a good man Dean and a great leader. Bobby and Sam told me how you handled the Lucifer thing. You did everything a great leader would have done. You admitted your faults, you fought for your family and you stood aside and allowed them to do what they needed to and you saved us."
Dean shook his head.
"Look, think about it later. You need to get dressed the family is coming over and I have to check on the roast."
She kissed his cheek.
"What do you think kid? You think I could be the grand Pulbah of this place?" Jake cooed. "I guess that settles it."
Dean sat him on the floor and quickly dressed. Something about what Trish said bothered him. He was just too tired to think about it.
Dean enjoyed the evening with his family it passed by too quickly. Jo and Ellen promised to invite them over for dinner. Dean made a face because he knew from experience that they couldn't cook. Three years of practicing didn't help.
Dean lay wrapped around Trish. He had almost fallen asleep when it hit him. Trish was eighteen. He had never asked her age. He assumed because she survived she was in her twenties. He hadn't met many children under sixteen who lived. When they did it was because their parent's made a deal.
"Damn it Jack." He muttered. He quietly untangled himself and dressed. He didn't bother closing the door when he ran across the way to the cabin Bobby and Sam shared. He pounded on the locked door.
"Alright?" Sam stood shirtless rubbing his eye. "Dean? What?"
He pushed past his younger brother and ran his hand over his face. He couldn't speak.
"She died Sam." He forced out his eyes filled with tears. "She had died and her parents made a deal to bring her back."
"What the hell are you talking about." Ellen followed Bobby out of their bedroom.
"Trish is eighteen. She just had a birthday right before we arrived." Ellen sank into the chair nearest her. Her hands trembled at the implication.
"Her parents made a deal?" Jo asked.
"I'm guessing her father." He croaked out.
"What does it matter?" Sam asked. "You're happy. We're happy."
Dean looked at him.
"He's right, Dean. You of all people know that you can't worm your way out of a deal like that."
"I don't want to worm my way out of it. I love my children." Jack stood in the door way. "Or I should say Jack wouldn't."
Jacks eyes turned black. They were all too shocked to move.
"Who are you?" Dean grated out.
"You're best friend. I led you to the devil." He smiled.
"Crowley?" Bobby asked.
"Sit down I'm going to tell you how the deal went down and why I stayed." He waited. They didn't move. "Sit!"
"Is she?" Dean asked.
"A demon? No. She is a little girl who happened to intrigue me. She and her brother, Ryan is his name by the way. They were two of the last to succumb to the virus. Jack moved them up here hoping to protect them. Jillian had already made the deal for the boy."
"So you just hung around and watched?" Dean was clutching his jeans.
"Yes, I mean who can blame me? The kid is a fighter. This virus took two three days to incubate? She held on for three months. Three whole months she used every ounce of her spirit fighting something that she couldn't bet, January the 15th at 12:03 a.m. she died. Her heart gave out. I didn't even wait for Jack to summon me." He looked at Dean. "I love her. I know you don't want to believe me but it's true."
"You're a demon! You can't love anyone." Dean shouted.
"I love her as much as if she was my own child!" He snatched Dean up by his shoulders. "She was still weak when Jack had his stroke. Who do you think healed him? From the inside out. His death would have done her in. That was why I took this body. The way she looks at me. Those eyes. Have you noticed how they worship everything he does. Do you know how powerful that makes a man feel?"
"You're not a man." Jo whispered.
"I have every memory of her, from her first breath to her last. How do you feel about Jake? If you had a chance to save him would you?" He stalked around the living room. "I waited for you. I knew that if I dropped enough feelers you would come. You are the perfect husband for her. You know about loss and sacrifice. Her father agrees. Most of the time Jack is still awake and in control. When he needs a boost I give it to him."
"You're keeping him alive?" Dean asked.
"Yes."
"Did you choose me to lead the compound?" Dean asked.
"What?" Sam stood up.
"No, Jack did that himself." Crowley stated.
"How do I know you're not lying?" Dean asked.
"Dean, you can't believe him?" Jo shouted.
"I don't want Trish hurt anymore than you do." Crowley said.
"How long does he have?" He sighed.
"Two years."
"What happened to the ten year deal?"
"I can't preserve this body much longer than that. It was considered a double deal." He sat across from Dean.
"When I deal with it's with Jack."
"Are you making a deal with him?" Sam yelled.
"I don't want her hurt Sam. She has done everything she could to make us comfortable." He defended.
"You have yourself a deal." Crowley smiled.
"What deal?" Trish stood in the door way holding Jake. "He was fussy and you left."
"Yeah, your dad and I were going over things." He walked over to her and took the baby.
"This late? Dad, mom is going to kick your tail for being up this late." She frowned at the group.
"I'm going home now. I'm glad we could come to an understanding." He kissed Trish on the cheek and left.
"Are you alright?" She touched Dean's cheek.
"Yeah, let's go home."
"Wait." She looked at all of them. "I know you're lying to me. I'm not going to ask what about, but if it is something that can hurt Jake you need to tell me now." No one said anything. "Fine."
Dean followed her out of the cabin. She put Jake back in his crib and lay silently next to him. Neither said a word.
The next month passed quickly. The lie was forgotten and life molded itself back into what Dean needed. He had breakfast in the morning with his family. Lunch with Rod, his watch partner, on the post. He would spend a couple of hours with Jack going over inventory and plans for the compound. He met with the other leaders near them.
Dean refused to trade with two smaller groups because everything that came out of their camps was filthy or damaged. Jack backed his decision. Within the month people were bringing their minor problems to Dean with Jack's blessing.
Trish hadn't gotten her period that month. Dean was excited. She asked him to keep it quiet until they knew for sure. Rod figured it out.
"You got that look man." He slapped him on the back and laughed. They never talked about Trish or Jake, they were unofficially off limits.
"Yeah well don't tell anyone." He nodded.
A movement in the distance caught his attention.
"Hey," He lifted the rifle and looked through the scope. "Got a kid. About six or seven."
He dropped the rifle and sighed.
"There aren't any six year old kids just babies." Rod lifted the rifle the rounds had been filled with salt and holy water. He took aim and pulled the trigger. The child's head exploded. They sat there with silent tears falling. "They just keep fucking with us."
"They're trying to wear us down." Dean passed him a handkerchief that Trish had given him.
"Man you're whipped." They laughed. Dean didn't mind because he had never had anyone to fight for like Trish and Jake.
Killing demons wearing kid meat was difficult, but it didn't eat at them the way it had before. Jack said having children changed how you saw life. He said he would destroy the world to save his. Dean understood because he would end the world to save Jake.
Their shift ended an hour later. Dean said goodbye to his friend and took the jeep to his field.
Trish stood with Jake on her hip talking with Ellen and Jo. Bobby and Sam were using the plow to turn more of the land.
"What? Getting lazy." He slapped her butt.
"Jo and Ellen are pregnant." Dean looked over at the two blushing women.
"You had sex with my brother? Now that's just disturbing." He kissed Trish and went over to the men. The playboy turned family man slapped Bobby on the back. "It's about time you got laid."
"Shut up you idget." He handed Dean a shovel. "Your woman is a slave driver."
The dust from another car caught their attention. Trish frowned.
"Cally Peterson." She growled.
"Who is she?" Ellen asked.
"The bitch that wants Dean." Jo crossed her arm over her chest. "You should gank her."
"It's up to Dean to decide where he wants to be." She wanted back to the cabin. Jo and Ellen glared at the petite blonde as she passed them.
"Dean," she called out breathlessly.
"Crap." He muttered.
"Who's that?" Sam asked as the woman stumbled across the field.
"The reason I won't be getting laid tonight." He frowned. "Every since it got out that Jack chose me as his successor these crazy bitches won't leave me alone."
"I heard you love pie. So I baked you one." She showed him the dish. Dean looked at it then her. "It's apple from your very own apple tree."
"Hey, honey?" He yelled as he ran to the cabin. "Do we have an apple tree?"
"Dean!" Cally cried and stamped her foot.
"Looks like you're not wanted here girlie." Bobby glared at her.
They watched her hurry back to the jeep and speed off.
Dean opened the door. Trish sat on the floor playing with Jake.
"Dada."
"Hey buddy. I don't want her." He started.
"I know. You just needed to let her know. Watch this." She held Jakes little hands in hers. "Jake, go to daddy."
Jake took four short steps before falling.
"Oh man." He cheered and lifted him into his arms. Trish watched as he rushed outside to their friend's. "Hey dude, watch this."
Once, every other month, everyone in the compound came together to catch up on news and trade. Dean, Sam, and Bobby carried pies, canned goods, and a few quilts to the Hunters' table. The women agreed Trish would do the cooking since she could. They carried fresh green beans, stewed tomatoes, and fried chicken. Jack shook Dean's hand and congratulated him on the upcoming addition. It was easy to forget a demon was residing in him. He considered telling Trish the truth, but he remembered how he felt when his dad made the deal for his life. He wasn't going to put her through that hell.
Jillian, Trish's mother, gave them a baby blanket.
Dean sat at the table with the men holding Jake in his arms and discussing patrols. He would catch Rod staring at the boy, regret rest in his eyes. After almost two years his wife Stacy still hadn't conceived.
"I want to take a moment and thank our ladies who spent so much time preparing this meal. We are excited to announce that Jo and Sam, Ellen and Bobby, and Dean and Trish are all expecting sometime in the early spring." There was a round of applause to Jillian's announcement. "We will eat before we trade. That way everyone is in a pleasant mood."
Dean stood to follow Bobby and Sam back to their table when Cally cut him off.
"Why isn't he just a precious baby? Dean you haven't met my daughter Susan." She held up the fugliest kid Dean had ever seen. "You should hold her."
She tried to push the baby in his arms. Dean could feel the tension in the air.
"Cally I really need to get back to my wife." He tried to move past her.
"Oh, hun, there aren't any husbands and wives here. It keeps everything free." Her phony southern accent was aggravating him.
"Really?" He marched over to Jack. "Can I marry Trish?"
The entire encampment went quiet. Jack looked at him and thought for a moment.
"If you do this then there's no divorce. Your wife is your wife, forever."
"Fine. Can you do it today?" The twinkle in his eye told him he was talking to Crowley. He didn't care as long as he got what he wanted.
"Don't you think we should ask Trish if she wants this?" Dean didn't take his eyes off the older man.
"Hey Trish?" He called out.
"Yes, Dean."
"You want to get married?" Jack admired the audacity of the younger man.
"Yes, Dean." She grinned.
"So?" He shifted the baby in his arms.
"Looks like we're having a wedding." The compound remained silent as Dean made his way to his table.
"That ought to keep the bitches off my back." He muttered.
Dean stood in front of their small community and said his vows loudly. Trish had changed from her usual jeans to a fitted blue print dress. He thought she was the most beautiful woman on the planet.
"Kiss the girl." Jack whispered. Dean cupped her face and pressed his lips to hers. "Good job boy."
There wasn't much time to celebrate. They still had to trade for wheat and flour. They didn't have butter or a lot of the things she stayed up late at night working on. She traded that for a special surprise for Dean a few days ago.
Her father and some men had left and come back with a covered truck. They put it in the hanger no one was allowed in it.
At the end of the night their table was empty. Dean took his shot gun out of the jeep and rode with Rod for their watch.
"Way to put pressure on a man." He hit Dean on the shoulder. "Now every woman is going to want to get married."
"Sorry man, but I needed to get that crazy chick off my back." He scanned the horizon. "Trish never says anything, but I don't want her to think I'm leaving her."
"You're a good man." Rod looked ashamed.
"Why did you leave her?" He didn't stop his patrol.
"We grew up together…were best friends when all this happened. We just ended up together. It didn't feel right. Stacy came along and I ran. I didn't know Trish was pregnant until it was too late."
Dean nodded and let the subject drop. Their shift passed slowly. He was restless. By the time Rod dropped him off at his cabin he was a mess of nerves. Dean threw the door open.
"Bobby and Ellen have Jack." She toyed with the white lace gown she had on. "I've been saving it."
"You look really nice." He placed the rifle on the mantle. "I should take a shower."
"I like how you smell when you come home from work." Dean smoothed his wrinkled shirt self-consciously.
"Can't believe I'm blushing. I did this all the time before…"
"You never did it with your wife." He smiled. "Maybe I can do this."
She slipped the gown off.
"Yeah that's defiantly better."