"And that's the way it went down," said Ash, finally finishing his story.
Halfway through, he had served a strong, pungent liquor which Dean had just drank a second goblet-full of. They said that dizzy-drink is potentially dangerous for a mother with eggs, so Cas had an herbal tea instead.
Dean's hand was shaking around the goblet's base. Here was undeniable proof that he was indeed the King of Lawrence. He was sitting across from a being who had actually known his real mother.
His entire life up until the first deduction that Dorothy had made back in the city, Dean assumed that he would never know his parents. King ash's story was certainly proof enough—it added up perfectly with everything else that had been told or questioned.
"So do we tell Sam?" asked Dean, his lip twitching.
"Uh, if there was ever time," the king of the fairies said, "It'd be now."
Dean took his free hand and put it on Cas' thigh, giving it a slight squeeze for security. "Gotta find Lord Azazel," he muttered. "Gotta kill him-before he kills me. Or my family." His mouth was open as he stared at his empty goblet. The good feelings he carried earlier had drained away and only a sour froth of shock and fear settled in his stomach, mixing with the dizzy-drink unpleasantly so. "These eyes I've been dreaming about," he whispered, "They're Azazel's, like I thought. I bet. He knows where I am. Nobody is safe…King Ash?"
"Uh huh?"
"You have any idea how to kill Lord Azazel?"
The fairy king shook his head solemnly. "If I did, I prob'ly would have tried years ago. But ya know, something tells me that it ain't just a sword to the throat!"
Dean and Cas exchanged a grimace, which the king had to agree with.
"What do you figure is my next step?" asked Dean.
"I can't make that kind of decision for you," said Ash. "But, I will offer you everything my people can; the most bad-ass weapons we forge, the strongest potions, the sneakiest tricks, and a bit of advice that my pops gave me a long, long time ago… 'Talk to everyone but keep your guard up. Look at everything with two sets of eyes.'" He paused here to clear his throat. The butterflies and bees that always buzzed about his head were starting to settle upon his eccentric crown. "I think if you head out that way and ask the right folks, you'll figure out what you need to do and how."
"And I'm going with you," said Cas.
"No!" Both Ash and Dean yelled at the same time, causing Cas to frown.
"Cas," Dean sighed, "We have a baby now and another one on the way. It'd be irresponsible of myself as a father, an alpha, a leader, a king—what the fuck I am—to allow you to come with me."
"But, Dean, I've almost lost you already!" Cas cried. "We've been moving and moving. Death has almost pulled us apart on more than one occasion! I can simply stand here and watch it happen again!"
"If I may?" King Ash cut in. "Remember the prophecy that your mom talked about. She said the angel will bring a new era of peace. Now that he's here, don'cha think that Deal will be successful?"
Cas gave a low sigh. He looked down at the sleeping, winged baby in his arms and Dean touched his arm.
"You're a mother now," said the alpha. "That has to come before everything. Before me, before the Great Land."
"You can uh," Ash interrupted the conversation again, propelling it out of an awkward silence, "Give us a couple of days. We'll be able to outfit you in the very best stuff we got. Our crafters will be on it right away! But erm, until then…just relax. Spend time with each other and the baby. Things'll work out. I'll get'cha when we're ready."
After the fairy king exhausted any useful conversation, Dean and Cas went back to Sam and Ruby's for the night, where a nest had been made up for them and a cradle sat for the baby.
"How are you feeling, Cas?" Ruby asked when they returned. She was tidying up the area of chairs around the fireplace while the three toddlers chased their great big dog.
"Pretty well, actually," said Cas. He leaned over and nestled the baby into the crib's blankets. The child had just been nursed and was more than ready to sleep.
"And the other egg?" the fairy inquired, coming over to Cas now and observing his stomach. It was already beginning to protrude.
"It feels fine," said Cas, smiling more. He pointed to the dozing tot. "Better than he did. I wonder if being an angel made my pregnancy harder?"
Cas looked around for Dean and noticed that he and Sam were gone. The inevitable was already happening. He took a deep breath and got into the nice.
"Ruby…"
"Hm?"
The fairy's bright wings fluttered expectantly.
"Many things are happening," Cas said rather quietly.
"I gathered."
"Dean is leaving me to find this Lord Azazel."
"Ohh," Ruby cooed. The little girl came to her now and grappled at her legs. "I'm sorry."
Cas forced himself to smile. Looking at his hands that sat in his lap. He stopped himself before he spoke more of what Ash said—it wasn't up to him to declare the truth about Sam and Dean. Ruby waited. Cas took a stiff breath before he continued to speak. "Truths will come to pass. Some for better, but some for worse. Either way," he looked up at Ruby now, "We must accept it."
Unaware of what Cas was implying, the fairy nodded. "I get it," she said. "Well…I'm going to put the children to bed now. If you need anything, get me or Sam. You can wake us up. That's fine."
"Thank you," said Cas.
She rounded up the toddlers then disappeared into the home's second room. Not long after, Sam came in looking chipper and went the way that Ruby had. Finally, Dean returned. He went to the fireplace, which had smoldering embers burning away, and stared at it for a few moments in silence. Cas watched the entire time.
"Dean…"
"Yeah?" Dean muttered. His face was focused on the dying flames with his jaw tight.
"How did he take it?"
"Didn't tell him yet."
"What?!" Cas gasped. "Dean, he's going to find out. I think you of all people ought to tell him! You remember what King Ash said."
"Yeah, I know." Dean blinked slowly, still staring at the fire. He shifted on his heels and clasped his hands behind his back. Cas saw his chest rise and fall heavily with strong breaths. "I'll…I'll figure it out." He remained there for a while after they both stopped speaking.
"Oh, Dean…darling…please come to bed. Tell him in the morning."
"I will," Dean sighed. He stripped down to his underwear and joined Cas in the cozy guest-nest. He lay on his back and took Cas into his arms. "How's the little one?"
Cas made sure that he, too, were on his back so that the next egg was safe. He held Dean's fingers between his own. "He is well. Hungry, always hungry. But he doesn't fuss much and I'm thankful."
"Good," said Dean. He cuddled into Cas more and eventually leaned down to kiss his neck.
"Dean," Cas sighed, closing his eyes and tipped his head back. "Don't tease me. You know I'm with egg and can't get my nasties out."
"Mm I know," Dean whispered. He kissed Cas' flesh longer before he rested back into the pillows. "Just got to feel you close to me…before I uh, before I go."
In the morning, Sam was up early and offered Dean a line to go fish with.
"Oh, man!" said Dean. "I haven't caught anything in—well, too long by my standards! Gonna come with me?"
Sam shook his head. "I have things I need to work on," he explained. "Orders from King Ash, actually. I don't normally care or follow up, but I will this time."
Dean laughed forcibly. His first shot at talking to Sam already went out the window!
"What kinda orders are that important?" he asked. Sam just pressed his lips together and smiled. Then it occurred to Dean, and he blushed. "Ooh! You mean—for—for me?!"
"Yep. Just what I should do, you know?"
"Right! Hah…haha!"
Dean was impressed that Sam, who clearly was not fond of the fairies, was suddenly doing what they wanted him to. He didn't know that Dean was his brother, yet he was going out of his way to help him.
"Hee-eere!" Ruby sang out from the fireplace. She had a cauldron boiling that she brought to the kitchen table now. The toddlers gathered around a bowl and began eating a mush with their fingers. Ruby knelt down, got some clay cups from a box, sprinkled different herbs into them and poured hot water into each. "Cas, this one's for you," she said, pointing to one of them.
Cas had the baby out. He held him in one arm as he came to the table and took a seat to drink the tea. "Thank you," he said.
"These are more herbs that'll help you get through your pregnancy," Ruby explained. Cas took a sip and almost burnt himself. "Careful. I just made it."
Sam and Dean had different kinds of tea but they all tasted great. They joined everyone at the table. Dean was quiet. He watched Cas as he manipulated the baby beneath his nightshirt for a meal.
"I have to say," Cas began, smiling at Ruby, "My milk production has increased even in the short time that I've been here."
"There are herbs for everything," Ruby said with a laugh, hunching over slightly. She sipped her tea and pat one of the little boys on the head. He was sucking mush off of his fingers and staring at his mother with wide brown eyes. The three of them were incredibly cute.
Cas glanced over at Dean momentarily and chuckled beneath his breath. "I'm impressed with your kind's knowledge," he said, still addressing Ruby, "And once more, your hospitality."
Sam laughed. "They're great," he said, "If you can get passed how crazy they are." Ruby didn't respond to that but stuck her tongue out to her mate.
Once the tea had been finished and Ruby began to clean up, the children were still eating their mush (which had been explained as a pudding made from certain seeds and fruits) while Dean picked up his fishing line to leave.
"Catch something proper to eat," he said.
"I'll join you," said Cas.
"Please."
The put their angel baby into a wrap that Ruby taught them how to fold, which kept him tucked up against Cas' chest but gave the mother the complete use of his arms. Sam told them where a nice creek was and they followed his directions down there.
The morning sun came through the trees in a most delightful way. It sparkled between the trunks that expanded seemingly forever in all directions. The forest was quiet and the air was cool. The lush grasses the stepped between, using toe paths that had long been worn to dirt, were wet with morning dew. Cas was happy to be outside.
Dean walked slightly behind with the fishing line in one hand and the other resting upon Cas' lower back. It wasn't right for Dean to be in front. Though the fairies said that the forest was safe, being a hunter, Dean knew that nature had a funny way of handing out surprises. To be a good alpha, he had to keep his precious beta in his sight at all times.
They settled down on a sandy bank along the creek and Dean cast his line out. The water appeared to be about three feet in the deepest. It was crystal clear and trickled by peacefully. He could already spot large fish swimming downstream.
"This is a good place," Cas said. He lay on his back with the baby resting upon him and propped his head against Dean's thigh. Looking up, he watched the trees move gently in a mild breeze. They parted around the creek to give a perfect view of the pale morning sky. The baby cooed softly and Cas touched him.
"I like it, too," said Dean.
They sat like that for a long while. The fish would swim by but none of them were interested. Secretly, Dean and Cas were happy about that because they were enjoying the quiet time so much. Cas tucked a hand into the baby's wrap and touched his stumpy wings. Feathers had been growing in since the day he hatched, and it was only a matter of time until they started to itch. It was certainly different—and not to mention difficult—to accommodate the baby's wings, but Cas was happy to cut holes in each piece of clothing. He wondered how their child's life would be as he aged.
"Dean," Cas said softly at last, breaking a long, wonderful silence.
"Yeah?"
"I don't want you to leave."
Dean gave a heavy sigh. "I know." He tugged the line and tried to lean into against Cas more. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," said Cas. "I have been thinking…did you see Abaddon before we left the town?"
"No, don't think so."
"Well, she has been terribly sad since Cain passed. I was keeping an eye on her because the depression was so heavy when I noticed that her children were being cared for by Rowena. I'm sure she trusts her, but still…it's a shame that Abaddon's own feelings are preventing her from being the mother she should be. I don't want to be like that."
Dean smiled. "That's pretty noble of you, Cas."
"Thank you," Cas said with a shy chuckle.
There was a strong tug on Dean's line suddenly. He sat up and pulled, grinning. "Woah-hoh!" he called. "Got one! Got a big'un!"
He pulled and pulled until a great, sparkling fish came flying out of the creek. Cas gave Dean some space and watched with amazement, petting the now-asleep baby.
"Gonna eat good today!" Dean cheered.