Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Dark Angel or Supernatural characters. The characters of Lexi, Jake and Jackie are from a Supernatural AU Verse that I write. I hope you like it. Thanks to everyone that has been reading this story and thanks for the reviews. Reviews would be great!

May 2nd

Sioux Falls Hospital

1PM

Dean was exhausted. He figured he only got around two hours of sleep. Once he had put Stella in her crib he had dozed off himself. Of course, when he had finally gotten somewhat comfortable, the parade of nurses began. Dean tolerated the first few nurses but by the time the nurse that wanted to discuss breastfeeding came in he excused himself to call the handful of family and friends to give them the news. He had called Sam first, who had put him on speaker, so that his three boys could hear the news. Then, he called Lexi's parents. He always dreaded talking to her father Joe. There was no love lost between the two of them. No matter what Dean did he was always the bad guy in Joe Brennan's eyes. To be fair, Dean figured it probably had something to do with the fact that on their first official date he had taken his teenager daughter to a bar and got her drunk. Although, who lets their sixteen year old daughter date a twenty one year old? Dean would never let that happen with Stella.

Once his phone calls were made, he went back to Bobby's for a bite to eat, a quick nap and a shower. Now, he was making his way through the lobby with his three boys to bring them up to see their mom and introduce them to their baby sister. Dean stopped in front of the gift shop with his three boys. He pulled out his wallet handing Ben some bills, "Here get something for your mom and sister, k?"

"Why does Ben get to hold the money?" Alec demanded.

"Cuz you'd waste it on junk food."

"That's not true Dad!"

"Really? You saying if I gave you twenty bucks you wouldn't blow it on candy, chips and soda?"

Alec shifted from foot to foot thinking over what he would do with twenty bucks. He looked up at his Dad cheekily, "Nah, you're right. I'd totally blow it on junk."

Dean chuckled carding his fingers through Alec's hair. "Your brother handles the money but here's another ten, get some snacks for every one Alec."

"Ya know I could just steal it and keep the ten bucks."

"Alec! I expect a receipt and change."

"I'm just trying to hone my skills!"

"You try and hone your skills here and I will put my foot so far up your..."

Ben grabbed Alec by the arm and started dragging him away, "Don't worry, Dad. I'll keep an eye on him."

Dean left the twins in the gift shop while he took Jake to see his mom and new baby sister. Jake chattered the whole way up to the fifth floor as he bounced in his father's arms. Dean really hoped his excitement would last when Jake finally met Stella. After all, Jake did take to Ben and Alec quickly enough but he still continued to get the majority of his parent's attention. This was a different situation all together, Jake was no longer going to be the main focus. Dean had already sat Jake down explaining this to his young son and hoped there wouldn't be too much sibling rivalry on his part. All the concerns Dean had over Jake accepting his little sister went out the door the moment Dean brought Jake into Lexi's hospital room. Jake's whole face broke out into a smile as he squirmed in his father's arms, "S'ELLA! Down Daddy! I wanna say Hi to S'ella!"

Dean put Jake down on the floor and laughed as he watched his little boy scramble over to the bed where Lexi was holding Stella. She smiled at Jake, shifted Stella in her arms and pushed back Jake's hair, "This is your little sister Jake. Say hi."

"Hi, S'ella. Mommy can I hold her? Please. I be careful."

Lexi and Dean exchanged a look before Dean lifted Jake on to the bed. "Here buddy, sit next to your mom and you can hold her."

Lexi helped Jake get situated and then placed Stella in his arms. Jake beamed down at his little sister and then up at his parents. He turned his attention back to Stella, "Hi S'ella 'm your big brother. Daddy say I have to share my toys and stuff. I will cuz 'm gonna be a good big brother and we're gonna play and..." Jake looked up at his father his little face scrunching up, "What else you say I do wit her Daddy?"

Dean smiled at his young son carding his fingers through his spiky blonde hair, "That you're gonna watch out for her and protect her always cuz that's what big brothers do."

Jake nodded before turning back to his baby sister, "Yeah, S'ella 'm gonna do all that too."

Gift Shop

Sioux Falls Hospital

Alec picked up a card shoving it towards his older twin. He was already bored and had his eye on the bags of candy that were on the far wall. Ben was taking Dad's orders far too seriously for Alec's liking. He wouldn't let him get more than a foot away from him before Ben would be right by his side. "Really, Ben? C'mon I ain't gonna steal anything."

"You better not, Dad'll kick your butt."

Alec snorted, rolled his eyes and headed towards the wall of candy. He grabbed a bag of Gummi bears for his mom. He then grabbed some chips, a bag of pork rinds and a couple of sodas. Ben was hot on his heels holding a stuffed giraffe, the card and a small bouquet of pink flowers. He watched Alec carefully making sure he put everything on the counter. Alec huffed in annoyance, he really had to do something to break Ben of his blind obedience. Sometimes you had to break the rules, it was fun.

The boys made their way up to room 518 with Alec chattering the whole way. Ben did his best to tune out his twin but that only made him talk louder. By the time they reached their mom's room Ben had had enough. He whirled around pushing Alec against the wall and poking his finger into his twin's chest. "Will you just shut up already!" Alec opened and closed his mouth like a fish, he was shocked. Ben smirked at his brother in triumph before going to their mom's room.

The twins gathered around the plastic crib looking down at their little sister while she slept. Neither one was quite sure what to make of her since they've never actually seen a baby before. She was small, pink and defenseless. Ben and Alec now understood why their father had set them down and explained the importance of being a big brother. It was a job both boys were ready to take on.

A Few Hours Later

After dropping the boys off at Bobby's, Dean stopped at the florist to pick something up for Lexi. He walked around aimlessly for a good fifteen minutes before he admitted defeat and walked up to the register.

"Can I help you, sir?"

He flashed his most charming smile at the older woman that was behind the counter, "I'm looking for something for my wife. We had a baby girl this morning and I want to..." Dean sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck, "get her something special but I'm totally lost here. All I know for sure is she doesn't like red roses. Oh and her favorite color is purple."

"Hmm let's see. How about an arrangement of purple roses, different shades of purple stock and wax flowers with green mini hydrangea?"

"Um...sure."

Dean walked into Lexi's hospital room twenty minutes later carrying the bouquet of purple and green flowers in one hand and a bag of take out in the other. His eyes swept the room for anything unusual but only found his two girls to be sleeping soundly. He smiled to himself while placing the flowers on the stand next to his wife's bed before settling down in the chair on the other side where Stella's crib is.

He peers down at his sleeping daughter still amazed at the sight of her. She's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen with her patch of dark hair, little button nose and perfect little bow mouth. Dean reaches a hand into her crib, his index finger gently brushing over her small hand. "Hey, Stella," he whispers, "Daddy's back." He smiles in surprise when she responds to his voice opening her small hand to grip his finger tight.

"Dean?" Lexi says softly, her voice thick with sleep, "Thought you were going home..."

"I did. I brought you some thing."

Lexi looks to her right and sees the bouquet, "They're gorgeous. Thank you but you don't need to camp out here with us."

"I know but I'm not leaving my girls."

She smiles knowing full well nothing was going to make her husband give up his post at the side of her bed. His over protectiveness could drive her crazy most days but at the moment it made her heart melt. Lexi grabbed his other hand squeezing it gently. Dean looked at her, his gold flecked green eyes soft and happy as he squeezed her hand in return. She couldn't help smiling even wider. This is all she ever wanted for them; Dean relaxed and happy with the family he's always yearned for.

She knew since the day their eyes locked on each others in Pete and Elda's Diner that he was the one. She had this deep seeded feeling before they ever spoke to each other. Lexi can't explain how she knew, maybe it was some kind of whisper of her psychic powers that had yet to make themselves known, she doesn't know. It's the same feeling she has right now. She just knows that no matter what Lydecker tries to do to them, they're going to win because they have something worth fighting for.

May 4th

2AM

Sam couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned, fluffed his pillows but try as he may, sleep would not come. Insomnia wasn't anything new to Sam, he was well versed in being sleep deprived but this was different. He was all wound up about Manticore. He knew deep in his bones that the proverbial shit was about to hit the fan. He sighed, figured that if he couldn't sleep he might as well get some research done. He made his way down to the kitchen to make himself some coffee to find Dean standing in front of the microwave in his boxer briefs with Stella in the crook of his arm.

"What are you doing up Dean?"

"I could ask you the same thing little brother. I'm heating up a bottle, see it's feeding time for my lil cutie pie here."

"I thought Lexi was...ya know, breastfeeding."

"She is. It's called a breast pump Sam, so don't use the milk that's in the glass pitcher."

Sam made a face while pouring himself the last cup of coffee. He joined Dean at the kitchen table watching his brother feed Stella before asking, "Don't you...I dunno man find the whole thing sorta weird?"

"No, Sammy. It's a beautiful and natural thing. You're a prude, you know that." Sam pulled a face huffing causing Dean to smirk in his direction, "What' really on your mind little brother?"

"Manticore. The unbinding ritual. I know you don't want both of us to do it. So, I won't. Besides, Lexi's a lot more powerful than I ever was. When are you planning for all this to go down?"

Dean nodded, placed the now empty bottle on the table and shifted Stella to burp her. He sat there for a moment patting his daughter's back while whispering words of encouragement before answering his brother. "Victor's swinging by tomorrow night to discuss the plan."

May 5th

Victor showed up at Bobby's an hour before dinner carrying a thick manila folder. Sam greeted him with a slap to the shoulder and an offer of whiskey and holy water. Victor rolled his eyes but downed the drink to prove he wasn't possessed. He handed the now empty glass back to Sam his eyebrow quirked, "Where's Bonnie and Clyde?"

"Well, Bonnie's getting dinner ready and Clyde's upstairs getting Stella." Sam gestured to the folder Victor was holding, "What's that?"

"Intel on Manticore's dummy corp and it's share holders."

Dean came downstairs a few moments later with Stella resting against his chest while singing softly to her. He walked into the library still singing to his little girl when he stopped short seeing his brother and Victor smirking at him. Dean felt his face burn with embarrassment. He ducked his head scratching with his free hand, "Hey, Victor."

"Hey, Dean. So, this is Stella?" Victor stood up and walked across the room. Dean shifted Stella in his arms so he could see her. Victor peered down at the baby in his friend's arms whistling before looking back up at Dean. "She's beautiful, Man, looks like her Mama. My friend, you are in trouble."

"Yeah, don't I know it."

After the kids were put to bed Dean, Lexi, Sam, Jackie, Victor and Bobby sat around the kitchen table going over the intel that Victor had brought with him. Dean was studying the map in front of him along with the blue prints Victor had in the folder, "So, there's nothing around these buildings?"

"Nope, nothing. It's smack dead in the middle of nowhere. So, how you wanna do this Dean?"

"We're gonna hit 'em hard and fast. You guys get the kids out and I'm gonna take out Lydecker."

Victor rubbed his chin while looking straight at Dean, "And how do you suggest we sneak into a secret military operation?"

"Easy man," Dean smirked as his eyes fell on Lexi, "We got our own genetically enhanced chick right here."