Two days later, Dean pulled his Baby up to Bobby's house. Sam got out of the front passenger seat as Bobby pulled his pickup truck behind them. As Sam opened the back door and bent to take Mary from the car seat, Dean opened the other back door and helped Liz out.
She smiled up at Dean and thanked him as she looked over at Sam holding Mary.
Dean took her arm and helped her up the steps into Bobby's house as Sam carried Mary with Rufus and Bobby bringing up the rear.
"You guys do know I'm not that fragile."
"What I know is that Doc said that you're not to lift anything at all, not to carry anything heavier than Mary, and get plenty of rest," Bobby groused. "And those instructions were for the next three weeks. So have a seat, lady, and get comfortable."
Liz chuckled. "Actually, I was thinking about taking a nap."
The four men stared at her and she laughed out loud.
"Listen, while I was in the hospital, the nurses told me stories of when their kids were born and that the best advice they could give was 'sleep when the baby sleeps'. Make hubby or other family members do as much you can get them to do. Since I don't have a hubby and you guys are the only family I have, so I'm taking advice, for once in my life, and taking advantage." Liz stepped toward Mary, sleeping in Sam's arms. "She's sleeping, so I'm gonna lay down and rest."
"Well, good!" Bobby nodded.
Rufus nudged him and Bobby frowned at him and shook his head. Then he looked at Liz. "You should probably go upstairs for your nap."
Liz frowned at them.
"What?" he asked.
"What are you up to?"
Bobby frowned as Rufus grinned. "Just go upstairs, already."
Liz frowned and walked to the stairs. She climbed the stairs, slowly, followed by Bobby, then Rufus, Sam and Dean. She went to the room Bobby had given her. She opened the door and gasped.
"Oh, Bobby!" Liz put her hand to her mouth. She looked back at him, then moved into the room.
Bobby and Rufus grinned at each other.
Curious, Dean and Sam maneuvered around them to look into the room over their shoulders.
Liz was gently touching a beautiful wood crib with bedding fit for a girl. She walked around the back and looked at them. "It's beautiful!"
"Well, I couldn't have you puttin' her in a dresser drawer or something."
"Excuse me," Sam said, and the other men parted to let him enter with Mary. He smiled at Liz and placed Mary in the crib.
She smiled up at him with moist eyes. Then she looked down at her daughter, then moved around the crib to hug Bobby, who smiled and hugged her back, briefly, before looking uncomfortable and clearing his throat.
"Hey, I helped!" Rufus grinned.
Liz moved from Bobby to hug Rufus.
"If you're handing out hugs," Dean grinned.
"You didn't have anything to do with it!" Rufus groused, releasing Liz.
She grinned. "It's okay. I'm in a hugging mood," she moved into Dean's arms.
He looked surprised, but hugged her back. Then he grinned. turning her away from the others, slightly. "If you guys could excuse us…"
Liz laughed and pulled back, punching his chest. "Don't get any ideas."
Dean grinned at her.
Bobby frowned. "So, you gonna get some rest now?"
Liz nodded. "Yeah. Thanks again, Bobby Bear, and Rufus."
Sam placed the light blanket over Mary. He smiled at Liz. "Sleep well," he said. Then he pulled his phone out of his pocket and showed it to her. "Call me if she gets fussy. You're not supposed to—"
"I know. I can carry her, but not lift her. I will call if I need to pick her up."
He nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder. Then he released her and walked out of the room, pulling the door closed behind him.
#
#
Over the course of the next few days, Sam became Liz's right hand. He was always there to help her with whatever she needed, whether it was lifting Mary, or putting her into the crib, heating bottles, keeping an eye on Mary while she showered, or anything else.
Dean, Bobby and Rufus took turns cooking, grocery shopping and kicking each other out of the house when they became irritating to the third. After a week, Rufus left for a job and Bobby and Dean began to work on one of the junk cars in the yard.
The furthest Sam went from Liz and Mary was Bobby's office with a book or the kitchen. When they were upstairs, he worked at the table in Bobby's room. When they were downstairs, he worked at the desk in Bobby's office.
"You have to be tired," Liz said to him, finally. "You're up when I'm up and I think you're up when I'm sleeping. When do you sleep?"
Sam smiled. "Don't worry. I sleep."
She shook her head. "Listen, I'm going to lay down with Mary. Why don't you lie down on the other side of the bed? It's more comfortable than that couch. Maybe catch a few zs. I'll keep an eye out."
He frowned. "What?"
She tilted her head up at him. "You heard me. I won't take no for an answer." She moved to the bed with Mary in her arms and stretched out on one side, with Mary in the center of the bed. There was a lot of room on the other side of the bed.
Sam frowned.
"Just lay down, Sam! If for no other reason than makin' me happy that you're actually getting some rest," she scolded.
Sam nodded. He sat on the edge of the bed opposite from her and pulled off his boots, then carefully lay on his side, facing her and Mary. He was reminded of the time they spent in the hospital together when she placed her hand on Mary's little abdomen and he smiled, placing his hand over hers.
Just like in the hospital, she freed her thumb just enough to hook over his as she closed her eyes.
He lay there, watching her, intent on getting up once she fell asleep, but it wasn't long before sleep claimed him as well.
#
#
It was late in the day when Sam walked down the stairs, running his hand through his hair. When he got to the bottom of the stairs, he found Dean and Bobby sitting in the study, watching him.
"Hey," he nodded to them.
"Just wake up?" Bobby asked.
Sam chuckled, a bit embarrassed. "Yeah. Didn't mean to fall asleep, actually. Must've been more tired that I thought."
"Were you asleep in Bobby's room?"
"No," Bobby answered for him. "I went into my room when we got home. Nobody was in there."
"Sammy, you old dog! Did you actually sleep with Liz?"
Sam looked irritatedly at Dean. "Yeah. Actually, that's exactly what happened. I slept with her - and Mary - and that's all."
Dean's eyes narrowed at him.
"We're friends, Dean," Sam insisted. "And that's all it is."
"If you say so," Bobby muttered, returning to his book.
Sam tilted his head. "Really? Bobby? You, too?"
Bobby shook his head and leaned back in his chair. "None of my concern, Sam. Hell, I think she'd do pretty well with either of you boys, but you have to know what you're gettin' into."
Sam shook his head and moved to the kitchen to get a beer. "Well, since, like I said, we're friends, I'm not getting into anything."
"And how does she feel?"
Dean's eyebrows rose, and he looked at Bobby, then back to Sam, who looked confused.
"What do you mean? She feels the same, of course."
"Does she?" Bobby asked. "She was half out of her head with worry the last time the two of you went on a hunt. Think that's because you're friends?"
"Half out of her head?"
"Why do you think she didn't get out of bed for two days?!"
Sam shook his head. "C'mon, Bobby. Ask her and she'll probably say it's a mixture of friendly concern and pregnancy hormones."
"I know what she'd say. But don't make that the whole truth."
Sam frowned. "You think she might want more than—"
Bobby shook his head. "Not gonna suppose to know what goes on in a woman's head, son. All I know is that you better find out sooner than later. I'd hate to see either of you hurt."
Dean looked at Sam, studying him, then he stood and walked out of the house.
Sam frowned after his brother and then looked at Bobby, who shrugged and turned back to his book. He pressed his lips together and followed Dean out of the house.
#
#
Sam found his brother with his car, as he expected. "Dean?"
Dean turned and glanced at Sam. "Yeah?"
"You okay?"
Dean took a breath and pressed his lips together, thoughtfully. "Just thinking."
"About?"
"About what Bobby said. About Liz asking you to be with her during labor. About Mary…"
Sam tilted his head with his eyes drawn together. "What about it?"
"Maybe we should take off for a little while," Dean said.
"What? Dean, we can't!"
"Sure we can. Liz's got Bobby. Rufus will be back. Jody's been here twice this week."
Sam shook his head. "But why?"
"I…" he took a deep breath. "I don't know know how to say this, okay? So give me a minute and don't just get pissed."
Sam straightened. He frowned. "Oh-kay," he said, slowly.
"If you're startin' to feel something for her, you gotta tell her."
"Dean! I—"
"Will you just wait?!" Dean held up a hand, facing his brother fully. "I'm not sayin' it's a bad thing. She's a great person, Sam. I think she's a fantastic catch and have no idea why she would want to have anything to do with either of us. Bobby and Rufus included. Hell, if she wasn't raised in The Life, she probably wouldn't have! But it's a lot. She's not just makin' plans for herself now. She has to plan for that little girl."
"I know," Sam nodded.
"Well, you gotta tell her if you just want to stay friends, too. Because what if she's feelin' something more? What if she is gettin' feelings for you? She should know if it's not gonna go any further, don't you think?" Dean's green eyes looked at his brother with concern on his face.
Sam nodded, his hair falling into his face. "I do. And you're right. But, Dean, right now, I'm helping a friend. Do I think she's great? Yes. And I agree that she's too good for any of us! I can't speak to what might happen in the future. But, again, for now, we're friends."
Sam straightened and took a breath. "I appreciate your instinct to protect me - and your instinct to protect her, and Mary, but you don't have to." He reached out and grasped his brother's shoulder, tilting his chin downward as he looked at him. "But I'm not going to leave." Using his free hand, he pointed from himself to Dean and back. "We're not going to leave. Liz needs our help and we're going to stay."
Dean frowned, but nodded. "Just keep in mind what I said. If you think your feelings are changing, you have to tell her."
Sam nodded. "I will. Definitely."
Dean took a deep breath. "Good. Now," he shrugged away from Sam. "Get off me, Bitch."
Sam grinned. "Jerk."
"I'm gonna install Mary's seat in Liz's car and start it up - it's been sitting idle for a while." Dean grumbled.
Sam nodded. "Good idea." He turned on his heel and headed back to the house as Dean stood there for a moment and watched him.
#
#
"Sam," Liz looked over at him as he rocked Mary in Bobby's office chair two weeks later. "Could you take me into town?"
He frowned. "Sure," he nodded. "But why?"
She smiled. "Because I'm meeting Sheriff Jody but I still can't drive."
He nodded. "When?"
"Around ten."
Sam nodded. "Why are you meeting Jody?"
Liz grinned. "Don't worry about it."
His eyebrows rose. He cleared his throat and looked down at Mary again.
"What was that?" she asked.
He pressed his lips together and tilted his head. "I said 'I can't help it'."
Her eyebrows rose. "Can't help what?"
He looked at her. "I can't help worrying about you."
Her lips parted in surprise. "Oh!" She smiled, then looked down, then back at him. "Okay, then."
Sam frowned and nodded, focussed on the baby in his arms.
"I'll go get ready, then," she smiled, turning and walking up the stairs.
He watched her disappear up the stairs and looked down at Mary, looking up at him with her eyebrows drawn together. He grinned at her. "Hey, don't judge me," he said, softly.
#
#
After greeting Jody Mills with a hug, Sam, carrying Mary's carrier, and Lizbeth followed her into a door that was next to the window of the drugstore that was nearest Bobby's scrapyard. Inside, there was a narrow stairwell that led upstairs.
"So, it's not big, but it has everything you should need. Two bedrooms, one bath, kitchenette with a dining table, couch, recliner…" Jody opened the door at the top of the stairs and they filed in.
Sam frowned and looked at Liz, who was smiling. "An apartment?"
Jody grinned. "Well, yeah! Mr. Johnson, the owner, is too old to climb those stairs anymore, so I've been taking care of the place for him for a while. When Liz asked if I knew of any place, I thought this would be perfect!"
Liz smiled up at him. "And he's giving me a job downstairs and says he'll work around Mary's sleep schedule. "
Sam frowned. "Ah, Jody, could you give us a minute?"
Jody looked surprised, but shrugged. "Sure. I'll be checking out the hinges of the bedroom closet."
Liz chuckled. Then took a deep breath and looked up at Sam, expectantly.
"You're moving out? Where did this come from? Since when?"
Liz smiled. "Yes. A need to be independent and I never intended to live with Bobby for the rest of my life - especially not with a baby. I mean, a scrapyard isn't exactly toddler-proof."
"But you haven't been cleared to drive or pick up Mary yet."
"That appointment is tomorrow and I've been very well behaved, done what I was supposed to do for the past three weeks. I'm sure Doc will give me the green light for both of those."
Sam frowned. "Does Bobby know?"
Liz bit her lip and looked downward as she tilted her head. "Not yet. I wanted to check out the apartment first."
Sam frowned deeply, but fell silent.
Liz looked up at him. "Sam," she put her hand on his arm, opposite of the one holding Mary's carrier. "It's not like I'm moving across the country. Just a couple miles away. I just need to try to stand on my own two feet. You know it drives Bobby crazy to have me living with him, sometimes - it drives him crazy to have you guys there for an extended period of time and he thinks of you as sons!"
"He's not going to be happy," Sam said, with his eyebrows raised and drawn together in an expression of deep concern.
"But, in the end, he'll understand. Can you?"
Sam nodded, moving his arm so that his hand captured hers, lightly. "I've gotten used to you and Mary being there. It's going to be an adjustment."
Liz smiled. "I know. And I'm used to having you guys around, but I have to be able to stand on my own two feet."
He nodded. "As long as you know, we're always going to be around. You can't hesitate to call us when you need us."
Liz grinned. "Well, I'm stubborn—"
"No!" he sounded aghast.
She laughed and jerked her hand from his, then used it to lightly swat at his arm. "But I'll remember." She turned.
As she walked to the bedroom looking for Jody, Sam took a moment to take a breath, frowning after her. Then he straightened, forced a smile, and followed her.
#
#
"You did what?!"
Liz couldn't help but wince at the volume of Bobby's voice. "Now, Bobby Bear—"
"Don't 'now Bobby Bear' me, Lizbeth!"
Sam nodded at Liz when she looked at him, then looked at Dean, surprised to find his brother glaring at him.
"It's not that I don't appreciate you lettin' me stay here and all of you helping me with Mary, but I have to be able to stand on my own feet," she explained, keeping her voice low and even.
Bobby frowned deeply at her. "But Mary's not even a month old! Doc hasn't fully cleared you—"
She waved her hand. "The only limitations I have now are not lifting anything over 10 pounds and certain physical activities that I'm not likely to be doin' anytime soon, anyway. But I can care for Mary on my own and stock shelves."
"So, what you're saying is that you don't need us anymore so you're leaving," Dean growled.
Bobby and Sam looked at Dean with surprise, then looked at Liz, who suddenly had tears in her eyes.
"Oh, Dean!" She moved quickly to hug him.
He let her hug him, but didn't reciprocate.
She pulled back and looked up at him and touched his cheek. "Look at me."
He swallowed and looked at her, frowning deeply.
"I will always need my family," she smiled. "You, Sam, Bobby - even Rufus - are the only family I have, and I would hope you would always want to be a part of Mary's life." She looked down at his chest. "I just hope you can understand that I need to prove to myself that I don't have to depend on anyone else on a daily basis to raise my daughter." She looked up to him again, with raised eyebrows.
Dean glared at her, then nodded and pulled her into a hug, then released her and stepped away to where Mary was watching from her carrier seat. As Liz returned her attention to Bobby, Dean pulled the baby out of her carrier and cradled her in his arms.
Bobby frowned at Liz. "I know you need to do this, Lizzy. I can even understand why. But why now?"
Liz shrugged. "It just happened. Jody stopped by to see Mary. We were talking, and I mentioned that, eventually, I would have to move out of here and get my own place. She mentioned Mr. Johnson and his apartment. We called him; he was… great and we arranged to see the apartment." She looked at Bobby again. "It just happened."
Bobby frowned, deeply. "Well, I guess it'll be nice to have some peace and quiet around here again."
She beamed up at him and hugged him. "Thank you, Bobby Bear!"
He hugged her back and dipped his head to speak into her ear. "But you don't forget you have help if you need it. Don't be so stubborn that you don't call when you need us."
She looked up at him and smiled. "I'll remember that."