Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Dark Angel or Supernatural characters. For this fic I changed the DA time line. The pulse has already hit and Alec is out of Manticore in 2009. The characters of Lexi, Jake and Jackie are from a Supernatural AU Verse that I write. I hope you like this chapter. Thanks to everyone that has been reading this story and thanks for the reviews. Reviews would be great!

December 22nd

Dean was determined to stay by Lexi's side until the doctor gave his okay for her to go home. He didn't care how much Lexi or Sam told him to go back home and get some sleep. It wasn't happening. His ass was not moving out of this horrible vinyl chair for nothing, not even pie would make him move. Sam loomed over Dean with concerned eyes attempting to convince him that the world would not implode if he went home. Dean quirked his eyebrow at his little brother and snorted, "The world might not implode but some big nasty could show up here and try to take Lex out in her weakened state. And that Sammy is NOT gonna happen on my watch."

"Dean, you're being ridiculous. A monster is not gonna walk up into recovery and give your wife a Columbian Necktie."

"Well, for one, Sammy, it's not gonna be an obvious monster. It'd probably be a wraith or a shifter or a vamp...something that looks human."

"Oh for Christ's sake! Let's say something does show up Dean, you have no weapons on you."

"You think I walked in here naked? I don't think so Sammy."

"You're...you're INSANE."

"I'm not insane. Semper Fi, brother."

Sam stared down at Dean for a second before huffing and throwing up his hands. He couldn't believe what a stubborn ass he was being. "Fine stay but I'm staying too. First, I'm gonna go get us some dinner."

"Don't forget the pie this time!"

Dean watched his brother leave the room before turning his attention back to his wife. She was still sleeping to his relief. He moved his chair closer to her bed and took her hand in his. He was exhausted but there was no way he was leaving her side. He had lost too much and if something happened when he was gone...well, he just wasn't going to take that chance.

Dean's life has always been filled with death. He has lived the majority of his adult life in darkness with brief moments in light. He accepted living in the darkness with the things he hunted. It came with the job, just like he knew when he died it was gonna be bloody and he'd be holding a gun in his hand. He had been trying to move out of that darkness since Lexi told him that she was pregnant with Jake , he had even managed it for a few months. Somehow though, it always came back to pull him back in. As he watched Lexi sleep, part of him thought it'd be better if he just walked away from the life, but he knew it didn't matter, he was still gonna die bloody.

Royal Street

New Orleans, LA

Two years ago

Dean brought the last box marked 'Living Room' up to the third floor apartment. He looked around noting not much had changed except for a fresh coat of paint since he last lived here with Lexi. Dean was hesitant at first when she had said she wanted to move back to New Orleans but when she told him she had rented their old apartment, well, he thought his wife was out of her mind. This was supposed to be a fresh start for their little family but now that he was standing in the living room he knew this was the apartment for them. He smiled to himself as he headed into the kitchen, they had some good times here.

Dean found Lexi in the kitchen unpacking the dishes while Jake played in an empty box. He watched her for a moment before making his presence known. She turned throwing him one of those big smiles that showed off her dimples, "You got everything up here already?"

"Yeah, well, it's not like we have much." She nodded as Dean leaned against the counter sighing. He knew he had to bring up hunting, more specifically, him hunting. He had been avoiding this conversation for way too long now. He crossed his arms because he didn't know what to do with his hands and started speaking. "Lex, I don't know what I'm supposed to do here. I'm supposed to be roasting on a spit right now, this wasn't part of my plan but you got me out of my deal..."

"You going to hell wasn't part of my plan. This is about you hunting right?"

"Yeah. If I stop it doesn't mean something won't come after us. Something always comes. If I knew what the safest thing for me to do was then I'd do it but, Lex, I have no fucking clue."

Lexi nodded putting the last dish in the cabinet. She walked over to where he stood placing her hand over his as she looked up at him."I don't have the answer but what I do know is that you're a hunter. It's what you're meant to do and we'll make it work."

"I can't lose you...I never wanted this life for you."

"Dean, I love you and you're not loosing me or Jake. You have to know now that I would be in this life whether or not we ever met. My birth mom was a hunter. Her family was hunting back in the 1700's. You read her journal, Dean. Hell, you used the binding spell she found to get rid of my powers. I was in this life the moment I was born just like you were. Where's the rule that says that we can't have a family and hunt?"

"Lexi, I don't want you hunting too."

"Tough shit Dean Winchester. There are demons still gunning for me because I chose not to become one of them. I chose you."

"You really think we can pull it off?"

"It's worth fighting for, right?"

Dean stepped away from the counter pulling Lexi into a tight hug. It was definitely worth fighting for but that didn't mean he liked the idea of her hunting. Even with him and Sam out there with her, Dean was still concerned. He knew if he flat out told her no she would do it anyway. He supposed it was better that she was hunting with him than out there on her own. He could keep an eye on her that way and at least he could train her properly. She already got the research part down pact and he could start off with simple salt and burns. On the plus side, having a doctor with them on a hunt would be a good thing and not just for patching them up. She could go interview The Coroner and ask all the right medical questions with out raising any eyebrows.

Dean leaned back in his chair turning the television on low. There was no need to think of old arguments now. Neither one of them was dying anytime soon. He patted the side of his jacket feeling the weight of his reliable Colt 1911 and relaxed. He also had his silver knife tucked into his left boot, just in case. Sam could make fun of him all he wanted to but Dean was not going to be caught off guard.

December 23rd

Lexi woke to the sound of Dean's light snoring. She wasn't surprised to see her husband camped out by her bedside even though she had insisted he go home and get some sleep. She knew it wasn't going to happen. Dean was way too over protective to leave her alone in a hospital. She snuck a glance at Dean, who was sitting on the right side of her bed, his head tilted at an odd angle. He had his boots kicked off, the silver knife he carried in his left boot peeking out the top. Lexi had the urge to wake him but figured he probably only fell asleep a few hours ago. Most likely, he had stayed up all night watching over her, which made her wonder if he had sent Sam home once she had fallen asleep.

She stretched before reaching for the remote to turn the television on. She glanced over at Dean who had shifted in the chair when the television came on but didn't wake up. She really wanted to wake him up and send him to get her some food. She was starving. She'd do anything for a donut right about now, she was that hungry. She flipped through the channels finally settling on 'Good Morning America' to watch the news. It was all about the broken world they lived in now. They didn't talk about anything new until after the commercial break. Lexi sat up straight in her hospital bed as she watched the grainy surveillance video. The quote on quote mutant that was spotted in Oregon was not a mutant at all. She knew that was a fact. It came from Manticore whatever it was. She clearly saw a bar code on it's neck. Manticore making the national news was not a good thing. If they broke the story, there would be wide spread panic and with the state of things now, no one would be safe. About forty minutes later all thoughts of mutants and Manticore disappeared from Lexi's mind. Sam had just walked through the door carrying a tray with cups of coffee and a brown paper bag. Lexi's eyes lit up as she smiled at Sam, "Hmmm coffee!"

"That's not for you." Sam smiled apologetically while pulling out a bottle of water from his pocket and handing it to her, "I know you're not supposed to have caffeine."

She pulled a face put didn't protest. It just wasn't worth it, plus Dean would have a stroke if he caught her drinking coffee after what happened yesterday. She eyed the bag Sam was holding ravenously before she snatched it from his hands. "Oooooh donuts!"

"Hey, that's for all of us."

"Donuts?" Dean mumbled his voice rough with sleep, "Gimmie...starving."

Lexi handed Dean the bag once she had picked the one she wanted. Dean mumbled a thanks as he looked through the brown paper bag. Once he had settled on a donut he heard Sam let out at huff that caused him to look at his younger brother, "What?"

"I got that one for me Dean."

"This one?" Dean questioned holding up the sugar coated jelly donut to show his brother, "Are you sure, man? There's four other donuts in here."

"Yes, I'm sure Dean." Dean smiled up at Sam before he took a huge bite of donut. He chewed slowly making exaggerated happy noises to annoy his little brother, "You're a jerk."

"Bitch." Sam huffed snatching the bag away from Dean. He stalked across the room sitting in the other chair and attempted to ignore his brother. "Aw don't be like that, Sammy."

Two Hours Later

The three boys had been on pins and needles for the last hour since their uncle had arrived home. They had stationed themselves at the library window watching and waiting for their parents to come home. They heard the unmistakable rumble of their dad's Impala before they saw it. The three of them wanted to leap off the couch and run out the front door but stayed where they were when they heard the low growl of Bobby's voice say, "Stay put, ya idjits."

Dean helped Lexi out of the car and up the front steps without one protest from her. He glanced down at her half surprised she wasn't fighting him. He shrugged, figuring he shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth since she was bound to start arguing about staying in bed in a few days. He opened the front door letting Lexi enter first and before he knew what was happening, she had three blonde boys clutching at her. "HEY!" he shouted while he closed the door behind him, "Give your mom some room. You boys can come up and see her once she's settled."

Lexi looked around the bedroom she shared with Dean sighing. This was going to suck. Dean had told her on the way here that they weren't going to go to the safe house in two weeks, they were staying here. Four months stuck in this room and tomorrow was Christmas Eve. She felt Dean's hands on her shoulders before he began to gently massage them. "Lex, what's wrong?"

"Everything. All I wanted was to give Ben and Alec a great Christmas. I can't even...I was supposed to bake sugar cookies for them and I was going to let them decorate them and..."

"Shhh. We can still do all that, let's get you into bed first."

She didn't feel like arguing with him at the moment, in fact, she didn't feel like doing anything. She sat down on the bed taking note that someone had changed the bedding before she kicked off her shoes. When the doctor told her in the hospital that she was going to be on strict bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy she thought it wasn't going to be that bad. But now, sitting in her bedroom, she knew this wasn't going to be as easy as she thought. She was going to be stuck in this room, in this bed, for at least sixteen weeks. She bit down on her bottom lip willing herself not to cry. She had to do this, she didn't have a choice.

The reality of what has happened hits her, overwhelming her and the tears come hot and fast. Before she knows what's happening, Dean is next to her pulling her against his chest. She presses her face into his t-shirt taking a shaky breath. His sturdy arms tighten around her making her feel warm and secure. She doesn't want him to pull away. She clutches any part of him she can grab on to. She's sobbing now, taking big gulps of air. Dean runs one hand slowly up and down her back in an effort to calm her. His mouth brushes against her ear whispering soothing words, his breath warm against her skin. Once her breathing evens out he loosens his grip on her and lifts her chin making her meet his eyes. "Lex, what's wrong?"

"I...it's my..."

"It's not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. You heard the doctor, there could've been damage when you had Jake or when you miscarried. Neither of those things are your fault."

"But..."

"Stop blaming yourself, please, Lex."

She nodded biting down on her bottom lip as she looked at Dean. She was a doctor, she knew what contributed to her condition but she still felt guilty. She couldn't help it. She still felt like she was partly to blame, like she was being punished. "Who's going to take care of you and the boys if I'm stuck in this bed?"

Dean pushed a strand of hair off her cheek tucking it behind her ear before leaning forward to brush his lips against hers, "I will. I'm going to take care of you and the boys. You, Lex, are gonna stay off your feet and let me. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes."