AN: So much thanks to all of you for the kind thoughts last chapter. Mummabro, YoungHopeful, taytay127, and eiralu I really appreciate the enthusiasm and the way that you all seem so invested in the characters. I think that I look forward to your comments as much as you all seem to look forward to the chapter updates. Thanks so much.

Cas stayed in Dean's room for some time that evening, before heading back to check on Lil and M. As he left, Dean tried to convince Cas to get him some crutches. "No, you need to stay in bed. I'll send you some company instead."

"I hate being cooped up like this. I feel like I need to move." Dean was already squirming around in his bed.

"Please, stop. I really want you to heal up. If you don't take it easy, it will take twice as long." Cas rested a hand on his leg and then turned to go.

"Sorry, I just get antsy in these kinds of places." Dean seemed to be trying to still himself. Cas knew though, that he would be squirmy again the moment that he was out the door, so he decided not to think about it and just leave.

The halls were quiet but well lit. He decided to check the waiting room first. He found Sam and Jess in there along with Bobby. No Lil. "Hey, all. Where's Lil?"

Bobby snorted and shook his head awake. Sam and Jess each gave a slight start at Cas' voice. Bobby spoke first. "Lil is with her mom. We decided to give them some privacy. How's Dean?"

"He could use some company to distract him. He is antsy about moving and not being in bed. I told him that I would send one of you his way."

"We'll all go. You should go check in on M. I don't think that she is doing any better." Sam got up and began gathering his bag and coat to head for Dean's room. "I did get the birth certificate paperwork done though, and I'll be filing it ASAP. So, if you are having second thoughts about this, you need to let me know now."

"I don't and I won't. Let me know if I need to do anything."

"I can handle it. You just go see her." Sam and the others made their way to Dean's room, and Cas headed out to M's.

He poked his head in the door and saw Lil sleeping on the edge of M's bed. M was awake and staring off at the ceiling. "You up for company?" He whispered.

"Yeah, if I don't have to talk much." She whispered back.

"How's Lil doing?"

"She is confused. She finally got to sleep though." M's voice was strained with the effort, so Cas sat at her side and just remained quiet. He placed a hand on her arm and let his thumb move about back and forth. He hummed a little tune into the silence. The tune was no particular song at first, but it gradually became something recognizable later. He stopped humming at the end of the song and M was just staring at him. "Was that Hey Jude?"

"I guess that it was. I sang it once at a karaoke bar, the night that I met Dean. I guess that it was hanging out in my head tonight."

"Karaoke, huh? You say it, but I really can't picture it." She cast him a wry grin that was blended with a little grimace of pain.

Cas tried to distract her with a little humor in his tone. "Oh, M, there is so much that you don't know. You are actually talking with royalty. I was crowned the karaoke king that night. I even have a crown somewhere to attest to the fact that no one has a higher rank in the world of karaoke than me."

She smiled at him, "Well, your majesty, let's hear this voice of yours."

Quietly, at first, he began singing Hey Jude. The words flowed out into the early morning darkness of the room. He was trying to keep his voice low so as not to wake up Lil. He pulled M's hand up into his and cradled it there while he sang. She stared at him through each verse and repetition, her eyes never leaving him. He didn't sing out all of the nahs at the end, but instead drew out one of them and let the note linger in the quiet room.

M broke the silence first, "Well, you have been holding out on me. It was no MCR, but it was beautiful all the same." She smiled and Cas leaned down to her hand and rested his forehead on it. He hoped that she would get through this. He hoped that this could be fixed. "I don't want you to beat yourself up over this, Cas." She held his gaze when he looked up. "I want you to know, that I don't blame anyone for this. I made my bed when I chose to work for Niveus and Lucky. I don't have anyone to blame for this but me. So, if you are planning to start some martyr thing over me, don't. Lil doesn't need that. Please promise me that you won't do that." He could tell that it was taking a tremendous effort for her to speak and he wanted to stop her.

"Okay, Megan. I'll try." He muttered out. "I just don't think that I know what anyone needs. I don't know what I have to give anyone anymore."

She laughed a little, but that appeared to hurt, so she suppressed it. "Oh, Cas, I wish you could see what everyone else sees. You are going to be so good for Lil. You are like magic, or some mythical creature that I never thought existed. You are our unicorn. You are saving us. You are going to bring magic into Lil's life. You are going to keep her connected to me even after I'm gone." She seemed to be struggling then.

"M? Are you okay?" Her face was showing strain. She closed her eyes tight then.

"Get Lil out of here." She was in pain. Cas looked down at her stomach as she moved her hands to it. There was blood. Cas quickly reached over and pressed the call button. He moved to the other side of the bed and swiftly scooped up Lil to remove her.

"I'll be right back, M. Just hang on." Suddenly M's doctor and several nurses poured into the room. Lil was stirring in his arms. He slipped past the growing crowd before Lil fully woke up.

They were in the hall heading to the waiting room when she opened her eyes. "What's happening?"

"The doctors needed to look over your mom, so I needed to move you off of her bed." He was trying to pull his face into a neutral place. "Did you get enough sleep?"

"Still sleepy." She had a full yawn that stretched out her little face.

He looked into the waiting room and noticed that no one was in there. He decided that they must all be in Dean's room. He strode out and made his way to that room now. "We are going to go meet Dean. Do you want to meet my friend Dean?" Cas was trying to fill the silence because he was panicking on the inside.

"Okay." They reached the room. He stepped into it with Lil and noticed that they were all sitting around Dean's bed. Dean had a breakfast tray in front of him. Dean looked up at him and seemed to see the worry on Cas' face.

"Well, look at this. We have more company. Is this Lil?" Dean asked as Cas set her down on the edge of Dean's bed.

She looked at him and seemed to be appraising him with her steady gaze. Cas spoke up, "I need to check up on some things. Could Lil stay with you for a few moments?"

Dean seemed to understand the look on Cas' face and gave him a slight nod. He then directed his attention to Lil. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

"I just woke up." She was eyeing Dean's tray of breakfast.

"Well, the hospital gave me this pile of food, but they didn't include the cheeseburger that I requested. I am guessing that if I eat this first round of food that they might give me the cheeseburger, but I hate muffins. I mean really, look at this thing. It has carrots in it. Eww." Dean was fully pulling Lil into his conversation.

"You want to eat a cheeseburger for breakfast?" She seemed very skeptical.

"Totally. I'll ask for bacon on it; that makes it a breakfast burger." Dean quirked up a smile at her. She seemed to be letting down her guard. "So, you want to help me finish off this tray of food?" Cas saw that there was some comfort being established, and so he slipped out the door.

Several quick strides took him back to M's room. He stood outside the door and peered in. They had brought in the crash cart. They were trying to bring her back. He felt himself falling back against the wall behind him. He gripped the corner of the wall to keep himself upright. The speed of the motions in the room was dizzying. Her body arched up as the doctors tried to restart her heart.

There was a rush of turmoil coursing through his bloodstream. He could see them failing. He could see them going through the motions and progress not being made. There was a narrowing of his vision. He was seeing less as though the world in front of him was at the end of a dark tunnel. Time passed and seemed to slow all at once. Eventually, the sound of the chaos turned to silence. Then he heard the doctor's voice break through, "I'm going to call it." Cas slipped down to the floor and felt the sobs wrack his frame.

Review, Fav, Follow. I almost convinced myself not to publish today, because I wasn't ready to let M go...