Here's chapter four. The brothers are finally finding their feet and the babies are showing them the realities of parenthood !
It took three days, but the brothers finally managed to figure out some semblance of a routine. They cleared out one of the spare bedrooms and took it in turns to spend the night on mattresses on the floor to watch over the little beings as they slept. Not that Dean would admit it, but they were kind of cute, something Sam had absolutely no qualms admitting out loud.
Whomever was playing night guard would wake with the babies and begin the daily schedule by changing diapers. Then it was a bottle of warm milk before a bowl of oatmeal. Sam kiboshed the idea of bacon and eggs, despite Deans argument that the protein might make them grow faster, but Dean did sneak them each a pancake on his duty morning. The floor was proving to be a dangerous and distracting place for Cas and Crowley to continue eating so Dean had made a trip to Target and purchased a couple of travel booster seats that clipped to the chairs in the library and had solid harnesses that would even keep Crowleys top heavy body (he had a big noggin) safely secured.
The difference between the two was obvious. Cas was petite with his shock of dark hair, piercing blue eyes and his little wings that would flutter when he was happy and flatten out dangerously when he was in the throes of a tantrum, which thankfully didn't happen often. He had a couple of inches over Crowley who was more chunky with dark hair, dark eyes, his tail and the aforementioned big head. Dean joked that as soon as he learned to balance it, he would be off and walking in no time. No time came on the second day when he managed to take a few steps before toppling over, by day four he was off!
Sam made progress on the parchment and managed to figure out the curse should lift after 'the phase of the blessed moon passed', which as best as Sam could figure should anywhere between three days or seventeen years! While it was a blow to their fight against the darkness, Dean wasn't as pissed as he let on as it also gave them a little down time to rest and regroup. Dean threw himself into the research, helping Sam and subtly encouraging his brother to get his eight hours in the rack, which was especially easy when it was Sam's night duties. 'Can't leave the little ones unsupervised.' Dean would argue.
Dean took a morning off research and toddler duty to give his Baby some much needed love in the form of a tune up and full detail. Around lunch time he left the garage and reentered the bunker, walking the hallway that would lead to the library while wiping his hands on an old t-shirt. He shoved the rag into his pocket as he stepped into the library where Sam had been watching the mini Angel and micro demon. Cas came running towards him, his eyes closed and mouth stretched into an adorable grin. He had his teeth clenched and was panting in and out through his nose with his arms held out wide. Dean bent and scooped him up and hugged him close while Castiels little arms wrapped firmly around Deans neck.
"Cas missed you." Sam said, not even looking up from his computer.
"I can tell." Dean said unsuccessfully trying to pry the Angel from his neck. "What about you Crowley? Did you miss me?"
Crowley looked up from where he was sitting on the blanket with blocks scattered around him. He pulled his soggy tail from his mouth.
"Gah." He burbled.
"Nice to know." Dean sat and readjusted Castiel on his lap. "So what have you got. Find anything useful." He asked his brother.
"Not really. I've gone about as far as I can with the parchment, Cas'll have to finish that when he changes back." Sam said looking at the little Angel in Deans lap. "Rowena thinks she might be onto something. She's been talking with other covens."
"Thought she had been blacklisted with other covens." Dean said as he absent mindedly stroked his fingers through Castiels wings.
"Apparently the witches can see somethings going on…"
"A blind man can see somethings going on Sammy."
"Whatever." Sam said throwing Dean an unimpressed look. "Either way, the witches have agreed to help Rowena if and when the time comes."
"Awesome." Dean said.
"She also keeps asking about Fergus, and if we have seen or heard from him." Sam added guiltily.
"And what did you tell her?"
"That he was off in the deepest pits of hell searching for a weapon that could be used against Amara."
"And she bought it?" Dean asked.
"Yeah. I guess if she hadn't, she'd be on our doorstep by now. I feel kinda bad though, I mean, this could be her chance to fix things between her and Crowley, be the mother she never was, make up for lost time, you know."
Dean did know. He understood exactly where Sam was coming from, having lost their mother at such young ages, he would give anything to give Sam a second chance with Mary.
"I get that Sam, but do you really want her here? Now? Plus we don't know she'd do anything different this time around. She'd be more likely to drown him than nurture him." He argued.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Sam sat back and looked down at Crowley who'd toddled across and was now holding on to Sam's leg and looking up at him with his large dark eyes.
"I think he's getting tired." Sam said as he picked Crowley up and sat him on his knee. Crowley leaned against Sams chest and brought on little hand up to play with his hair.
"He's kinda cute like this. It's a shame we need him full sized and full powered to take out Amara." Dean said leaning across the table to ruffle Crowleys hair.
"Maaaa!" The little demon complained pushing Deans hand away and leaning back against Sam.
The brothers sat with their respective celestial beings on their laps enjoying a moment of peace until a deep rumble sounded from Crowleys butt. Sam sat straight up.
"Oh god!" His face screwed up when the scent of sulphur wafted up. " I really hope that was just gas."
When a second, wetter noise followed, Sam looked at Dean with sheer panic. Dean chuckled then gagged when the smell hit him too.
"That's vile!" He waved a hand around.
"You do it. Please Dean? I can't do another one. This is the third today!" Sam begged.
"But you're the one who keep insisting on feeding them all those vegetables." Dean argued.
"No, no please? I'll pay you!" Sam was getting desperate.
"Fine, but you're on dishes for the rest of the month, and laundry!"
"Deal! Wait? Where are you going?" Sam asked as Dean stood and began to walk from the room.
"I'm going to find one of the old gas masks. You honestly think I'm going to deal with that without the correct protective equipment?"
"Well at least take him with you!" Sam said lifting the chunky little demon from his lap. "Oh crap!"
"What?" Dean asked.
"He leaked through." Sam gagged and thrust Crowley in Deans direction.
Dean carefully put Cas down and took the other child as Sam rushed past to change his own pants.
"That's not gonna dissolve his leg or anything is it?" Dean asked holding Crowley at arms length.
"Gah!"
"Good chat. Come on Cas, let's go change this stink bomb, and we may as well change you while we're at it."
Cas followed Dean down the hallway, his little wings fluttering happily, to the bedroom where they had set up the changing station and mattresses for them to sleep.
"You be careful." Dean warned the little Angel as he climbed and bounced around on the mattresses, keeping himself occupied while Dean dealt with Crowleys full diaper and dirty clothing.
He bundled it all up and put it in a trash bag, then redressed Crowley in a fresh diaper and clean onesie.
"You keep this up little man and we're going to have to buy you new clothes." Dean said as he lifted Crowley from the desk.
He quickly changed Castiels diaper then left the little ones on their mattresses while he took the bag to the trash in the kitchen. When he came back he was carrying two bottles of warm milk.
"Ready for a sleep?" He asked the boys giving them their bottles.
Cas plopped down in the middle of his bed but Crowley crawled over to Dean and pulled at him until he sat down and let the little demon crawl into his lap. Five minutes later, Crowley was asleep and Cas was investigating the empty bottom drawer of the desk.
"Not sleepy, huh dude?" Dean asked.
Cas just dropped his empty bottle in the drawer and wandered out of the room. Dean transferred Crowley to his bed and picked up the empty bottles and followed the winged menace back down to the library.
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