FIC TITLE: The Home for Wayward Children
Author- PTBvisiongrrl
Part- 11/? (I promise nothing.)
Date- 11/26/16
Rating – PG-13/T (at least for now…I will clearly warn if it changes)
Pairings/Characters- Sam/Dean brother bond; Dean/Castiel romantic relationship
Word Count- 2,428
Genre- Angst, Family, Romance
Warnings- Spoilers- AU for Season 11. I had already written this before the finale.
Disclaimers- Unfortunately, I don't own any of these characters, and make absolutely no profit from taking them out to play…so please don't sue me. If I did own them, there would be a lot more shirtless Winchesters and Angels of the Lord getting some on the show!
Summary-
At 39, Dean has taken more hits than a NFL quarterback, and his body has begun to feel it. His bones practically grate against each other when he gets up in the morning, and the rain makes him want to ball up into the fetal position until the Tylenol and Jack kick in. But if there isn't hunting, what is there? All there has ever been is hunting things and helping people, the family business. Well, maybe it's time to help other people hunt things and expand the family.
Chapter 11
Dean smiled at Cas's exit, glad the ex-angel not only wanted to marry him but wanted Claire to know as soon as possible as well. "One more thing settled," he said happily, looking to Sam and Charlie. Charlie was trying to nonchalantly wipe a tear away and Sam was smiling wider than Dean could ever remember him smiling, even as a child. "What?" he demanded, turning gruff.
"You two are so—" Charlie started, only to be quickly and decisively cut off by Sam.
"Meant for each other," Sam ended Charlie's sentence before she made a mistake of epic proportions and said cute. "I'm just really, really happy for you two, Dean."
Dean narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth, knowing that while the sentiment was true, it was NOT what Charlie was going to say. "Thanks. I mean that. I know that I can be difficult about this, but I really love Cas. He's it. No one else, forever."
Sam's smile crinkled the corners of his eyes as it got impossible bigger. "And with a Winchester, it might really BE forever."
Dean laughed as expected. "So, now in addition to getting the kids ready for school, and into a new routine, and starting a huge web business, we have a wedding to plan. In a week." He looked up at the ceiling, thinking details through in his head. "Great."
Charlie closed her lap-top and stood up. "Well, you can sit and think about that while I go print out the new identity documents, and then while Sam and I start working on the database. "
Dean nodded distractedly, barely acknowledging the other two now that his mind had a list to make.
S & D/C… S & D/C… S & D/C… S & D/C… S & D/C…
Later that night, kids in bed and Charlie and Sam ensconced in the library, Dean lay beside Cas, wrapping himself around Cas's lean, hot-as-a-radiator body. Cas wrapped an arm around Dean's broad shoulders, pulling Dean in good and tight, and placed the empty arm up and behind his head. Both men started talking at the same time.
"So will Saturday—" Dean began.
"Claire will be here on—" Cas also began.
The men smiled at each other, and Dean nodded to let Cas continue. "Claire will be here on Friday. Her classes are done in the morning and she will drive immediately down. She insists that we must have new suits for the wedding, and she wants to help pick them out."
Dean grimaced. "I hate suit shopping. But cool that she will be here so soon."
Cas agreed about clothes shopping. "Maybe we could just wear jeans and button-downs?"
Dean sat up abruptly. "No! She's right. We can't get married in what we wear every day. Its supposed to be a special occasion."
Cas was slightly taken aback. "Okay, I understand the need to make it special. But do you really want suits? I thought you would appreciate a more casual approach."
Dean snuggled—not that he would admit to doing so, outside the four walls of their bedroom—back down. "Every other part is already casual. I want a couple of special things. But maybe not suits."
Cas conceded. "I can deal with suits, if you want, or not, if you want. What else needs to be special?"
"Sam is my best man, and he has to wear a suit, too, if we are. I want pictures, like posed pictures. You and I, both of us with Sam, you with Claire, and one of the whole brood." Dean studied Cas's blue eyes. "That's one thing that I really regret. Hunting lifestyle meant not a lot of normal, and certainly not that many photos. I remember my mom, but I only have a couple of pictures of her. Not many more of my dad. I want pictures to help me remember when we are old and gray and senile and they are, too."
"Pie?" Cas asked playfully. "Lots and lots of pie?"
Dean smiled. "Cake is traditional."
"And you can still surprise me," Cas hugged Dean. "I really thought you'd go for pie."
Dean shrugged, settling down, starting to feel the tired of the day in his bones. "Sometimes I can be a traditionalist."
Cas kissed Dean's forehead and turned them over so that he could big-spoon Dean. "Good night, Dean."
Dean's response was barely audible, followed quickly by a snuffley deep breath indicating sleep was here.
S & D/C… S & D/C… S & D/C… S & D/C… S & D/C…
Charlie and Sam spent the next six hours or so setting up the format of the database and the scanning schedule of the immense library. It would take a month or two of scanning to get enough up to offer a subscription service, but they could have an index of available books within two weeks. Users could search the index and request immediate scanning of the book for an extra processing fee. The site was tiered, with level of access to more arcane subjects costing more, and translation of texts even more than that. If there were enough people to subscribe, which Charlie thought there would be (between nerds and geeks simply curious to writers needing research information to magic users looking for spells…), it could eventually set the family up with a tidy nest egg. Not enough to stop working or anything, but enough to make them more comfortable and less worried about every penny.
The subject of Cas and Dean's wedding was ignored for the night, other than periodic comments about how happy the couple seemed and how happy that made Sam and Charlie.
"So," Charlie sat back in her chair, usual energy flagging now at 3 AM. "How are things with you?"
Sam smiled crookedly, a little taken aback. "Great. Why?"
"Just curious. I mean, Dean made it really clear that he is the Winchester responsible for all these kids. He's not hunting any more. He's even—gasp—settling down." Charlie closed her laptop and stretched, arms arching over her head. "You are getting a regular 9 to 5. That's big changes."
"Yeah, it is change," Sam agreed. "But it's about time. I mean, I am not giving up on hunting, but I don't want it to be my whole life anymore, either. I'd like a little slice of apple-pie nearly-normal." Sam bit his lip. "And, believe it or not, Dean is awesome with kids. Always has been. I'm glad he wants to do this. I think it's good for him."
Charlie leaned on the table, chin in hand. "But is it good for you? You two are so close, and this is so much change to throw between you all at once…"
Smiling, dimples showing the truth behind his words, Sam said, "For once, its healthy change. These kids—Dean and I know how they grew up. I understand what it's like, know what I wish I could have talked about back in the day but didn't have anyone to talk with but Dean. I'm hoping I can help these kids have as normal a life as possible."
"That's commendable, Sam. You are a really good guy." Charlie yawned, unable to help herself. "I want to do what I can to help you all do this paranormal Brady Bunch thing you got going. So, first thing when I get up, I'll get the skeleton of this database knocked out and set you up with a scanning station." Charlie yawned again, standing up. "Then, we're going shopping for wedding decorations and clothes."
Sam groaned. "Seriously?"
"You have five kids, a best man and probably a best woman, as well as two grooms, to dress. We aren't throwing some every day backyard BBQ here, dude." Charlie punched Sam in the bicep. "No wussing out here. You were the one going on about making this special, yadda, yadda, yadda."
"I know," Sam answered, dragging his own tired bones up and moving towards his bed. "I just, well, I forgot about the shopping part."
"Suck it up, buttercup," was all Charlie answered over her shoulder as she searched out her own bed.
S & D/C… S & D/C… S & D/C… S & D/C… S & D/C…
"You are not baking your own wedding cake, Dean," Charlie insisted. She was the last one at the kitchen table while Dean made more coffee, since she was the last one up this morning. (It was actually almost afternoon before she emerged.)
"Why not?" Dean questioned. "I'm a pretty decent baker."
"Because its YOUR wedding. You aren't supposed to do that much work." Charlie was cranky from lack of sleep, and getting crankier the longer she talked to Dean. "You have three jobs for this shin-ding, and only three jobs—look good, be on time, and write some kick-ass vows. I got everything else. After all, you now come with built-in help."
Dean grumbled, but Charlie's ire was squashed by the appearance of Castiel, who agreed with her. "Yes, Dean. There are other people to take care of the wedding itself. Claire expressed the desire to help as well."
"She's two hours away until the day before, Cas. What else can she do to help?" Dean questioned.
"Claire informed me that she will be bringing decorations with her and the cake is already ordered, via internet, at a local bakery." Cas made his way over to his grumpy fiancé and wrapped his arms around him. "Jody has agreed to take pictures, and to organize the food with Donna."
"Donna's coming to this, too?" Dean cringed. "Who else?"
"Krissy," Cas added. "That is all. Unless you can think of anyone else you might like to invite?"
Filling up a mug as soon as the coffee was ready, Dean threw it back and refilled it before handing off mugs to Charlie and Cas as well. "No, no one else. It's fine. I don't have anything to worry about this week then, except chores, school registration, and food shopping."
"And Jerry and Petie," Morgan chimed in from the doorway. "Y'know, if I'm going to be at school and all."
"Yes, you will be in school," Charlie answered her. "Tomorrow. I got your results back and will finish up those school records today. I gotta say, I'm impressed. You tested at a senior level in high school."
"So I get to start a new school as a senior, after the beginning of the year?" Morgan looked stricken. "That should be fun."
Dean tried to make Morgan feel better. "Would you rather be a junior? Charlie can do that."
Morgan bit her lip and shook her head. "No. I don't want to spend any more time in school than I have to. But if I'm a senior, I should already have taken the SAT and applied to college and stuff, shouldn't have I?"
"Yes," Charlie agreed. "If you were going to four-year college directly after high school. But if you want to start at the local community college, or take a year off, you are fine."
"Why would she want to take a year off?" Dean barked, truly puzzled. School had never been his thing, but he wanted his kids to have a normal life. That meant hitting milestones like college on time. "If she's missed deadlines for other schools, then it'll just have to be community college for a year."
Morgan looked torn. "I don't know if I want to go to college. I never thought about it before. I didn't realize I was that smart."
Dean looked upset at her words. "Just because you haven't been sitting in a classroom learning stupid crap doesn't mean you haven't been learning. But you aren't as old as most seniors. You could sit back for a year as a junior and plan."
"No," Morgan shook her head. "If I can get out faster, I can get a job faster."
"No," Dean and Cas both countered. "School is your job."
Cas reached across the table and wrapped his hand around Morgan's. "School is your one and only job right now. It is my and Dean's jobs to take care of you. You do not have to worry about getting a job to pay bills and such."
Charlie decided to intercede. "Let's put you in junior classes. Give you that time to figure out what you want to do and plan for it accordingly. You are three years ahead of where you should be, age-wise. Given how you were raised—" Charlie held her hands up in a defensive gesture before the three hunters at the table could voice the dirty looks they shot her way—"some extra time with your peers, doing regular activities, would be good for you. No matter how excellent your parents might have been, there is no way you have psychologically escaped the scarring of knowing the things that are really out there."
Dean's shoulders relaxed a little, because he couldn't argue with that logic. Life as an adult hunter was reason enough for PTSD; Dean and Sam had lived the life long enough to figure out how they had been mentally scarred as children by the experience, even if they had come to terms with it. Dean wanted to spare Morgan as much of that as possible. "I think that's a good idea."
When Cas thirded the idea, Morgan ceded. "Okay. I guess being two years younger than everyone is better than three. I won't be as much of a freak."
"Thank you," Dean told Morgan. "So, Monday we register you and Rosie."
"Rosie is right on track, with sixth grade," Charlie added. "And I already checked out the local school and hacked into the records…"
"What?" Dean demanded, eyes wide. "I thought we had to do this legit—"
Charlie shook her head, a frown on her lips and eye brow raised. "Relax. I was just checking the bus schedule. It stops about a quarter mile away, at about 6:45."
Dean calmed down. "Oh. Okay, great. I won't have to pick up and drop off them." When Dean had considered the school process, he hadn't factored in the two smaller children he would have with him when he picked up the girls. The bus made that much easier. "Thank you," Dean managed to press out, feeling a little foolish that he had been so quick to jump on his friend.
Charlie smiled and winked. "No worries, Dean-o. But now that that's taken care of…we have wedding shopping to do!"