Sam paced around the hotel room. It was after eleven and there was still no sign of Dean. On his way home from the doctor's office, he had stopped at the local library and picked up some books on pregnancy. He knew that it would be different for him, but at least he wanted to be as prepared as he could. He really knew nothing about pregnancy and how it affected a body. If he was going to convince Dean that it was going to be okay, he needed to least seem a bit knowledgeable on what to expect. Unfortunately, after flipping through the books, he was feeling overwhelmed so he just set the books aside.

He also slipped into a carryout and picked up some sandwich fixings and some milk for himself and some beer for Dean. Sam had hoped that a couple of beers would relax Dean enough so that they could have a civilized conversation about the baby. Sam debated about going out and looking for Dean, but he knew that his brother would only ridicule him, calling him a "mother hen" in more ways than one. He took one more look out the window and sighed, letting the curtain fall back into place. He gave up watching and stretched out on his bed. Placing a hand over his still flat abdomen, he fell asleep thinking about the baby.

Sam was startled awake by a bang on the door. He could hear someone fiddling with the lock. He slipped out of bed and grabbed his gun and cocked it. The noise at the door continued. It sounded like someone was trying to pick the lock and doing a poor job at it. Sam barely moved the curtain to view the outside of the door. He rolled his eyes as he slipped the safety back on to his gun. He yanked the door open, and his brother fell forward landing on his hands and knees.

"Dean, what the hell are you doing?" Sam demanded.

"Key winnot wort," Dean slurred as he stumbled to his feet.

Sam stared at him in undisguised surprise. "My God, are you drunk?"

"Of corsh not," Dean tried to sound indignant.

Sam tried to hold in his laughter. "You are too. I can't believe it."

Dean threw himself across the nearest bed, which happened to be the one that Sam had been lying on. "Show wha I am?" He slurred as his eyes drifted closed.

Sam shrugged. "I've just never seen you this wasted. You've always held your liquor better. How much did you drink anyways?"

Dean sighed deeply. "Don know or stare."

Sam shook his head. "If I live to be a hundred, I will never forget this day. Dean Winchester is drunk!"

"Sud up," Dean replied. He cocked one eye open. "Is late…why you'd still up?"

"I was waiting for you, you dumb ass," Sam answered. "I was hoping to talk to you."

Dean rolled over. "Otay…talk."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Not tonight…not while you're like this. Go to sleep. We can talk in the morning."

"Don't ell me wat to do," Dean groused. "I give s'orders."

"Yeah, right," Sam muttered as he turned off the light and settled into his bed. He laughed into the dark when he heard Dean snoring.

The next morning, Sam woke to the sound of the shower running. He glanced at the clock and saw that it was just shy of seven o'clock. Sam opened his laptop and checked his email while he waited for Dean to exit the bathroom. When he finally did, Sam grinned widely. "Good morning, Dean."

Dean gave Sam a wary look. "Good morning."

"How are you feeling this morning?" Sam asked.

"I'm fine," Dean replied. "What's with you?"

Sam laughed lightly. "Well, after last night, I just thought you might be feeling a little rough."

Dean shook his head. "Nope, I'm fine."

"No headache? Nauseous?" Sam asked in disbelief. "No need for a greasy pork sandwich in a dirty ashtray?"

It finally dawned on Dean what Sam was getting at. He couldn't help but laugh at the memory of Sam hanging his head over the toilet after getting drunk at the haunted hotel, and he only made it worse by throwing out the suggestion of a greasy pork sandwich served in a dirty ashtray. He couldn't help himself by teasing. "I may have a pork sandwich for lunch, but for breakfast, I think I'll have some scrambled eggs and toast with a side of both bacon and sausage with a big mound of fried potatoes. Then I'll wash it all down with a steaming cup of coffee." Dean laughed even harder when Sam blanched and bolted for the bathroom. He felt a twinge of remorse when he heard Sam heaving.

Sam gave Dean a dirty look when he left the bathroom. "I hate you."

Dean shook his head and laughed again. "I've heard that before."

Sam crossed to the bed. "This is so not fair. You go out and get yourself plastered last night, and I'm the one puking this morning."

Dean shrugged. "So, I don't suffer hangovers. Sue me. Besides, I'm not the one who's pregnant."

"Speaking of that," Sam began. "We need to talk about the baby…a calm, rational discussion. I don't want any yelling or name calling. I know this won't make any sense since yesterday I told you it was my body and my decision, but I need your understanding and more importantly, your support."

"What if I can't?" Dean asked. "What if I can't understand?"

"Then just give me your support," Sam answered quietly. "No matter what happens with the baby."

"What do you mean by that?" Dean became alarmed. "Did something happen after I left yesterday?"

"No…well, yes…no, not really," Sam stammered.

"Sam!" Dean interrupted. "Start making sense."

Sam shook his head. "There's nothing wrong with the baby, but the doctor gave me a few more things to think about."

"Like what?" Dean asked.

Sam sighed. "Well, not only do I have to give up hunting, but I will have to stay here in Elk Point. There's going to be a lot of appointments and tests, plus who knows how many more rules he'll come up with as this pregnancy plays out." Gesturing towards the stack of books from the library, he continued. "Plus, trying to make heads or tails of this stuff…"

"And all this stuff has made you rethink your decision?" Dean questioned barely daring to hope that Sam had changed his mind.

Sam shook his head. "It's not necessarily that stuff that has caused me to question my decision."

"But you are questioning your decision?" When Dean saw Sam nod his head, he continued. "Then what did make you question your decision?"

"It was…I mean…I wanted…" Sam began rambling again.

"Sam, you're not making sense again," Dean interjected. "Whatever it is just spit it out."

"Okay, fine, I'll spit it out." Sam glared at Dean for a moment but then dropped his gaze to the floor. "It was you. It was your reaction that is making me question this. There, I said it. Happy now?" Sam stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door behind him.

Dean was stunned at the sudden turn of events. He went to the door and knocked on it. "Sam? Sam. What's going on?"

"Go away, Dean," Sam's muffled voice came through the door.

Dean shook his head. "Come on. I thought you wanted to talk."

"I can't talk to you right now," Sam replied.

Even through the door, Dean could tell that Sam was crying. Dean always hated being around people who cried. He was never sure how to react. "You know, you're being pretty confusing right now. You're flip-flopping awfully fast here. First, you want to talk, and now you don't. How am I supposed to deal with that? I mean…"

Dean's speech was interrupted by the sound of something breaking. Dean pounded on the door. "Sam? What was that? Are you okay? Sam? Answer me!"

"Dean…it hurts." Sam's voice was so weak that Dean barely heard it through the door.

Dean tried to open the door but found it locked. "Sam, the door's locked. You have to let me in."

"I can't. Help me, Dean. Please, help me!" Sam cried.

"Are you away from the door?" Dean yelled.

"Yes, Dean," Sam answered. "Hurry!"

Dean reared back and kicked the door in. "Sam!" He yelled as he took in the room. Sam sat on the toilet seat, hunched over grasping his abdomen. Dean felt a moment of panic when he was hit by an overwhelming odor, but relaxed a bit when he realized that it was just his own bottle of aftershave which was lying shattered on the floor. He grabbed a towel off the rack and used it to push the broken glass and liquid out of the middle of the floor. He knelt in front of Sam and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Sam, what happened?"

Sam shook his head. "I don't know. It just started hurting really bad." He met Dean's look with fear radiating from his eyes. "Do you think I'm losing the baby?"

Dean couldn't help but worry for his brother. "I have no idea, but I'm taking you back to Dr. Forester."

Dean helped move Sam out of the bathroom and sat him on the bed and helped slip some shoes on his feet. He dialed the doctor's number while he slipped his own clothes on. "Yes, I need to speak to Dr. Forester…What? ...I don't care if he doesn't have office hours today. This is an emergency…Fine, my name is Dean Winchester. My brother, Sam, is in a lot of pain…Yes, it came on suddenly…Okay, yes, my number is 555-0922…Thank you." He flipped his phone closed.

"What was that about?" Sam asked.

Dean shook his head. "The office is closed. That was his answering service. He's supposed to call us back. Come on. Let's go."

Sam groaned. "Go where? If he's not at the office…"

"I'll make sure that he meets us there," Dean said. "Even if I have to hunt him down and hog-tie him."

Dean and Sam made their way to the car. Once Sam was settled, Dean rounded the car to get to the driver's side when his phone rang. "Hello," he snapped into it. "Dr. Forester…Yeah, Sam's in a lot of pain. He thinks he's losing the baby…Okay, we're on our way."

Dean closed his phone as he climbed behind the wheel. "That was the doctor. He's going to meet us at the office."

"Good," Sam replied. "Does he think I'm losing the baby?"

Dean shook his head. "He didn't say. He just said to get you to the office."

Sam brushed away some tears. "He knows…just like I know."

Dean's only reply was to gun the Impala.

Dean paced around the empty waiting room. He felt helpless. He had wanted to stay with Sam, but the doctor was adamant. Once he had helped Sam into a gown and settled in the exam room, the doctor insisted that he leave the room. He kept thinking about the look on Sam's face when he said he thought he was losing the baby. For the first time, he stopped to look at the situation from Sam's point of view. He suddenly realized that this wasn't a passing fancy, but that this baby meant a great deal to Sam. He also realized that Sam was willing to give the abortion option a second thought because of him. Guilt began to eat at him. How could he have been so insensitive? He threw himself into one of the chairs and slouched down. He sighed heavily as he desperately hoped to get the chance to make thing right with his brother.

Once Dean had left the exam room, the doctor started asking questions as he set up the ultrasound machine. "When did the pain start?"

"About ten, maybe fifteen minutes ago," Sam answered.

"Is it a sharp, stabbing pain, or more of an intense ache?" The doctor continued.

"It was a real sharp pain when if first hit me. It was so bad that I had to sit down. I even knocked over Dean's shaving kit as I tried to get to the toilet to sit down. As time has gone by, the sharpness has decreased some. Now, it's more achy," Sam explained.

The doctor nodded. "On a scale from one to ten, with ten being the worst, how bad was the pain when it first hit, and how bad is it now?"

"It was definitely a ten when it first hit," Sam began. "But now it's probably a seven or seven and a half."

The doctor squirted some gel onto Sam's abdomen. "You said you were in the bathroom when the pain hit. What were you doing?"

Sam brushed at the tears that slipped from his eyes. "I was hiding my tears from Dean."

"So, Dean was after you again about getting rid of the baby?" The doctor asked.

"Not really," Sam answered. "We were discussing it, but he wasn't being nasty about it. I still got upset though. The idea of terminating this pregnancy…well, I guess I don't have to worry about that now."

"Let's take a look before we get too morose." The doctor moved the wand over the area that he had found the baby before.

"You think there's a possibility that I haven't lost the baby?" Sam asked.

The doctor studied the monitor which he had turned away from Sam. After a few moments, he broke into a smile. "I can say with certainty that you haven't lost the baby." The doctor turned the monitor so that Sam could see it.

Sam was amazed to see the baby moving on the screen. "But I was so sure," he mumbled. Still watching the screen, he asked the doctor. "Then what caused the pain?"

The doctor turned off the ultrasound and wiped the gel off of Sam's stomach. "I'm sure that it was a result of your body trying to adjust to being pregnant. Remember, a male body is not designed to carry a baby. The change in hormones, the provision of nutrients to the baby, or even just the presence of the baby, even though it is still very small, could have caused the cramping."

Sam nodded. "So, will I have this through the entire pregnancy?"

"It's hard to tell," the doctor answered. "I'm not saying that you being a man is the only possible reason for this. There are some women who experience severe cramping in their first trimester. In some cases, it's a precursor to a problem, and in other cases, it doesn't mean anything. Don't worry. I'll be keeping an eye out for potential problems."

"So, I'm okay?" Sam asked.

Dr. Forester updated the chart. "Things are looking good at this point, but I want to keep you here until the pain goes away."

Sam nodded. "I guess I should let Dean know what is going on. It's not going to be easy. I still have to make a difficult decision, a decision that could change both our lives."

The doctor sighed. "I will be the first to admit that I don't know you or your bother that well, but from what little I've seen your bother likes to have things his way. In this case though, he can't call the shots. I know I said it before, but you can't let him bully you into something that you don't want to do. I sense that you want this baby, but if you decide that terminating the pregnancy is the right course of action, I will respect that also. I just want to make sure that it is your decision. You're my patient and therefore my priority. Can you understand that?"

Sam nodded. "I do understand, and you're right. There is a part of me that really wants this baby, but Dean is also right. A baby would mean huge changes. Can I justify those changes to myself?"

"I wish I could give you an easy answer," the doctor said. "But there isn't one. I just don't want to see you unduly influenced by your brother."

"I won't," Sam replied. "I'll weigh his concerns, but the final decision will be mine."

The doctor nodded. "Okay, I'll go get your brother for you. You just relax."

Sam returned the nod. "Thanks."

Dr. Forester returned to the waiting room. Dean sat in one of the chairs. He was leaning forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees and stared at the floor.

"Dean," the doctor called to him.

Dean was instantly on his feet. "How's Sam? Is he okay?" Dean asked in a rush.

Dr. Forester nodded his head. "He's okay for right now. I want to keep him here for a while just to keep an eye on him."

Dean sighed in relief. "Can I see him?"

"That's why I came to get you," the doctor answered. "The only thing is I don't want you to upset Sam. It's not good for him."

A guilty look crossed Dean's face. "I won't. I promise."

"Good, Sam's still in the exam room," the doctor replied.

"Thanks." Dean moved past the doctor and down the hall. He paused for a moment outside and took a deep breath to compose himself. He quietly entered the room. "Hey, Sam," Dena said.

Sam turned to face Dean. "Hey, Dean, did the doctor talk to you?"

Dean looked at the floor and nodded. "Yeah, he did."

Sam began to fiddle with the blanket that covered him. "We need to talk."

"Yeah, we do," Dean replied as he moved the chair closer to Sam's bed and sat down. "But let me go first."

Sam gave Dean a wary look but nodded.

Dean cleared his throat and began speaking, although he didn't look Sam in the face. "When we were driving here, I saw the look on you face, and I suddenly realized how much the baby meant to you. I'm sorry that I was acting like such a jerk about it. I should have never pushed you to terminate the pregnancy. It wasn't my place. You were right. We could've worked out any 'babysitting' conflicts. If I could go back, I'd change how I treated you. You're going to make a great dad someday. I'm just sorry that it's not going to be now."

Sam gave Dean a confused look. "Just what did the doctor tell you?"

Dean looked up at Sam. "Well, he said that you were going to be okay, but that you had to stay for a while, and that I wasn't to upset you."

Sam gave Dean a faint smile. "Dean, I'm still pregnant."

Now it was Dean's turn to look confused. "What?"

"I didn't lose the baby," Sam replied. "I'm still pregnant."

"But…but…the pain…you were so sure," Dean sputtered.

Sam laughed lightly. It was unusual to see Dean at a loss for words. It only lasted a few moments before Dean got indignant.

"I'm glad that you find this funny," Dean huffed. "Does he know why you were in so much pain?"

Sam shrugged. "He thinks that it was just a bodily reaction to being pregnant."

"Because you're a man?" Dean asked.

Sam shook his head. "He couldn't say for sure. My gender could be playing a part in it or maybe not. The doctor says that some women have bad cramps during their pregnancies."

"So the baby is okay and everything?" Dean tried to make sense of what Sam was saying.

Sam nodded. "He did another ultrasound and everything still looks good."

"So…" Dean slowly began. "When you said you wanted to talk, it was about the baby. Right?"

"Right," Sam sighed. He really wasn't sure what to make of Dean's contrite attitude. "Did you mean what you said earlier?"

Dean picked at some imaginary lint on his jeans. "Yeah, I did. I may not understand or even agree with it, but since it means so much to you, I'll deal with it."

"Thanks, Dean," Sam said. "I know that this doesn't make sense to you. I don't know if I really understand it myself. All I know is that even though I didn't ask for this…hell, I didn't do anything to cause this…I feel this intense connection to this baby. I know that the pregnancy will be challenging, but I want to do it. I need to do it."

"Then we'll do it," Dean told him. "We'll find a place here in town, and I'll find jobs that I can do by myself for awhile and that are within driving distance."

"Really? You'll do that for me?" Sam asked in astonishment.

"Of course, I'd do it," Dean answered. "You're my brother. This is important to you, so it's important to me."

Sam's eyes filled with tears. "You'll never know how much that means to me."

Dean smirked slightly. "Just remember, I get the fun job of being 'Uncle Dean'."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Great, just what I need, you as a role model."

Sam felt the weight lift off him. The decision had been made, and he had his brother's support. The first big hurdle had been cleared. He finally felt like he could relax for the first time since he took that damn pregnancy test. The two brothers fell into an easy conversation while the doctor came in and out of the room to monitor Sam's condition.

Not quite four hours later, Dr. Forester came in for the last time. "Well, Sam, it's been an hour since your cramping has subsided. I think it would be okay to let you head home."

Dean smiled. "That's great news, isn't it, Sam?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, it is. Thanks, doc. I'm sorry to have made you come in on your day off."

"That's my job," the doctor replied. "Don't worry about it. Now, I want you to stay off your feet for the rest of the day. Tomorrow, you can do light activities as long as you feel up to it."

"Is there anything that he shouldn't do?" Dean asked.

The doctor was taken aback slightly at this perceived sudden interest. He looked at Sam who just shrugged. Turning back towards Dean, he said. "I don't have a set list, but basically, he needs to avoid activities that could cause abdominal strain or injury. Without a uterus, the baby doesn't have as much protection as it should. Other than that, it should be up to Sam to set his own pace."

Sam nodded. "Sounds good to me. Hand me my clothes so we can get out of here."

"There's one more thing," the doctor interjected.

Dean and Sam paused and looked at the doctor.

The doctor continued. "Just because the pain this time was just cramping, I don't want you to assume that's what it is if it happens again. I want to check you out anytime you experience that kind of pain. I'll leave word with my receptionist and answering service to give you top priority when you call."

Sam nodded. "Thanks, again. I hope that this won't happen again."

"I hope so too," the doctor replied. "But I've learned over the years to hope for the best, but plan for the worst. Now, go ahead and get out of here."

Dean followed the doctor out of the room while Sam got dressed. "I want to thank you for what you've done for Sam," he addressed the doctor.

Dr. Forester gave him a look of unbelief. "Tell me something, Dean. Why the sudden change of heart. Yesterday, you were dead set against Sam having the baby, but now you're concerned?"

Dean sighed. "Yesterday, I was reacting as a selfish jerk. Today, I realized how much the baby means to Sam. I know that I tend to come off as an arrogant, bossy, smart alec jackass, and I hate showing emotions. I don't want to appear weak. Sam, though, he's my brother, my only family. I'm sure that I don't show it, but I would do anything for him. I would even die for him if it came to that." Dean blinked against the tears that were building in his eyes. He ran a hand over his face and cleared his throat. "That probably doesn't make any sense coming from me, but that's how I feel. I do love my brother." Dean shook his head and gave a short chuckle. "But if you tell anyone that I got emotional, I'll deny it to my dying day."

The doctor smiled. "I have no intention of revealing this conversation. I just wanted to make sure that you weren't going to do another turn around and upset Sam again. His emotional health is just as important as his physical. Do you understand?"

Dean met the doctor's look, defiance showing once again in his eyes. "Yeah, I understand."

"Good," the doctor replied. "Take Sam home. He's probably dressed by now."

Dean turned and headed back to Sam's room. He rapped on the door and opened it slightly. "You decent in there?"

"Yeah, Dean, come on in," Sam answered. "So what did you say to Dr. Forester?"

"Oh, I was just telling him that you make the best mixed berry cobbler," Dean smirked.

Sam rolled his eyes. "I'm being serious here."

"So am I," Dean replied. "I think he expects one when you come in next week."

"Dean…" Sam growled.

Dean shook his head. "Dude, chill. I was just checking to see if you needed any special care."

"And what did he say?" Sam asked.

Dean shrugged. "He said you need a pink fluffy robe with the matching pair of fuzzy slippers."

Sam groaned. "I don't know why I even talk to you. Can we just go now? We need to stop by a store on the way home."

Dean raised an eyebrow. "For the robe?"

Sam sighed heavily. He wished Dean would be serious for a moment. "For your information, we need to stop by the grocery store. We need more milk and I, personally, would like something more than cold cuts for dinner. Plus we need more mayo. The carryout last night only had a little jar."

"Dinner has to be something for the microwave, since that's all we have in the hotel room." Dean countered.

"How stupid do you really think I am?" Sam shot back a bit disgusted. "I had already figured that. But they are doing wonderful things with microwavable meals lately."

Dean laughed. "Come on, Sasquatch. Let's go get you your food fix. Plus, I need a beer after today."

Sam shook his head. "After last night, I would've thought you'd learned your lesson."

Dean gave Sam an innocent look. "What about last night? I didn't have a problem. So, I slurred a few words…no big deal."

"Whatever," Sam replied as he left the room.

Dean laughed some more as he followed Sam out of the room.