Notes: So this one took a little longer than expected to write, but it's done. And it was a challenge to say the least. Spent quite of bit of time debating on how this chapter should go, because where it's now ended up was never part of the original plan. A few small changes to some of the original outline happened here but I hope that in the end it has made this story better overall.
So more explaining later on, because if you've been waiting, and I think there's maybe like two readers over here that might be curious as to how this story turns out – I'll let you read on now. Hope you enjoy it!
"Chill, Mama Bear," Dean uttered, feeling Manda's whole body completely tense up against him, watching as her head darted around to look. He rubbed his hand into the small of her back to calm her. "It's just Sam coming back with whatever you wanted. I know the sound of my car anywhere, and that's it."
Manda turned her head to look back at him. Her expression was a tad guilty since she knew he was right. The distinct sound of his Impala became apparent to her as it got even closer now. "Yeah, sorry. Force of habit lately. I'm on high alert at all times, obviously."
"Don't be." He just tightened one arm around her, and ran his hand up her back to her cup her neck then. "I know you're wound way too tightly for one very damn good reason. Can't blame you for that, but try to relax right now, all right? I'm here, Sam's back. Let us keep watch tonight while you take it easy." He somewhat ordered and assured her all in one, his tone demanding her not to argue. "For your sake and the baby's, Manda… hell, mine too – just frigging let me protect you for the rest of today, 'kay?"
She gave him a quick nod and leaned a little more into him then. Taking it easy sounded tempting, so did being able to stop looking over her shoulder for one night. Dean would keep her safe right now, she just wasn't sure she could let her guard down.
Dean laid a quick kiss on her forehead, thankful she wasn't putting up a fight about it. "Good. Now are you gonna slug me again if I get Cass out here? I want to know if he needs to hide the baby or if he can help you out with stopping Zachariah from jumping your dreams whenever he wants. He's gotta know something that'll work, or at least know of somewhere to hide you for the next few months since you won't go home." He looked past her for a moment to watch as Sam pulled his car to a stop near hers.
Searching his face, seeing him still try to protect her anyway he knew how, Manda shook her head, unable to refuse him. But she really didn't want to have to see Castiel or possibly have him read her mind again. He could figure things out, and she hadn't actually told Dean about the kind of dreams Zachariah was making her have. There was also the most important part of her plan and what she still needed to do to carry it out that he couldn't find out about. "No, handsome, I won't slug your pretty face again. I'll see him for you. Even let him work whatever angel mojo he can if it helps keep the baby safe, but only if you don't mind doing something for me in return?"
Sam got out of the Impala then, lifted a brow towards Dean with a small grin on his face. He hadn't expected to find his brother and the female hunter this way when he returned, but he was relieved to see it. They had obviously worked a few things out in the time he'd been gone. He saw but ignored the older Winchester's look to keep his mouth shut and started to get the few bags of things he'd picked up out of the car.
"What's that?" Dean asked, turning his attention curiously back to Manda then.
"I'd like to get a picture of you, Sam, and me… a family shot just in case. We don't have a timeline on ending the apocalypse, so if by some chance I actually make it that far, or in the event that one of you doesn't make it, I-I just want our kid to know who their family is and what they look like," Manda said, running one of her hands up his arm now. "Is that… is that too much to ask for?"
Seeing the look on her that he always found hard to say no to, he just put his hand on her shoulder then. It wasn't too much to ask for, and it made sense to him. Sam had grown up only knowing what their mom had looked like from what few family pictures they did have, and that was all Dean had left of her himself besides some memories. So if Manda actually had their child and if he wasn't able to be around or if him or Sam died out there, or even if she died afterwards, then that picture might be all that was left for the kid to know who their family had been or what any of them had looked like. "No. I'm sure we can do that later. Right, Sammy?" He shot Sam a look that said he wasn't really asking him, he was doing it whether he wanted to or not.
Sam had three bags in one hand and was holding a pie box in the other as he walked towards them. "Yeah, we can," he agreed, giving his brother an odd look. "But are you sure you want me in it, Manda?"
"Of course," she replied. "You're the only uncle this baby's got, Sam. They're a little short on actual family members from both sides since I've got none left, and it's just you and Dean on yours, so…"
"Okay… guess we'll snap a family portrait later then." Nodding, Sam found it hard not to notice that the female hunter and his brother were still somewhat in a bit of an embrace. Manda had clearly been crying from the look of her eyes, and Dean was just holding her closer than he normally did in front of him. He silently exchanged a look with Dean then to ask if everything was okay.
"Is that pie?" Dean asked, ignoring the look and giving a short nod towards the box in Sam's hand. Things weren't okay, they just were as okay as they were getting for right now, but Sam would probably want to know how things stood between them now that they'd talked. He also didn't want his brother to figure out there was one thing he didn't want to do at all the more he thought about it – let her go off on her own again. Even if he knew it was her best bet, he still didn't like the idea of it, never mind actually letting it happen.
"It is," Sam said with a sigh. Of course Dean had changed the subject. "Manda said…"
"That I might share it with you," she cut Sam off. "If you played nice, Winchester." She smiled at Dean and then pulled away from him, taking the box from Sam's hand. "Thanks for grabbing all that, Sam."
"Chambers, you can't eat a whole freakin' pie!" Dean protested with an unbelievable look on his face. "Even if you're eating for two, you're not eating the whole thing by yourself. You wouldn't."
The younger Winchester shook his head as he walked towards Bobby's house then. "Maybe that's why she also made sure I got you a burger, Dean."
Dean eyed Manda curiously, wondering what that was all about. "So this is how you plan on making everything up to me? With food?" Not that he was actually complaining about it. She knew he wasn't likely to turn down either the burger or the pie if either was put in front of him.
Shrugging a little, Manda's smirk held a flirty look to it. "Well, we're most likely not having any form of sex tonight, so food it is. Plus, I'm starving. Knowing you, by now you gotta be too."
Blocking her from walking away by holding out his arm, he just gave her one deep look, and then leaned in to kiss her softly at first, taking it a little deeper when he felt her return it. "Yeah, I could eat…" he trailed off, giving her one more open kiss. "And just so you know, maybe I… maybe I missed you a little these last few months," he softly whispered then. "But I swear to god, Manda, if you make me worry like that again…"
She smiled sweetly, gently patted the spot over his heart with one hand while holding the pie in the other. "Got it. And, Dean, I missed you too. More than a little, just so you know. So why don't you grab that angel blade for me and then bring your ass inside. You wouldn't want me to eat all this pie on my own, would you? Because I might. Baby's totally got your taste for it. I've been craving pie at all hours lately. It's disgusting."
Chortling as he watched her walk away up to the house from behind, he smirked. Don't be so sure we aren't having sex tonight, Chambers. We're both here, it's been months since we've seen each other, and we always end up in bed. That's just us. And come on, you're still smoking hot, even more so for that knocked-up glow or whatever it is you got going on right now. So I'm game if you are, but either way you're not sleeping alone tonight. That's for damn sure, he thought before reaching for the angel blade on the hood of her car and making his way up to the door to head inside.
[ - ]
Having eaten the burger and fries Sam had picked up for him first and then devouring most of the pie Manda had willingly shared with him, Dean held off on calling Castiel until after everyone had ate and once Sam and Bobby had been brought up to speed on everything. They'd both been filled in on Zachariah knowing she was pregnant, and that Manda now had the angel blade in her possession thanks to it being hidden in her Chevelle's seat by her granddad years ago.
He waited until he was alone for a moment and then made the call. Not wanting to explain what was going on to Castiel over the phone, he only stated there was an emergency and they needed the angel to get over to Bobby's pronto.
Bobby had muttered something about calling some other hunters to find out exactly who was after the boys, and Sam had offered to look into ways to keep Zachariah out of Manda's dreams, so they were both busy in the library when Dean closed the doors between it and the kitchen. He wanted a bit of privacy for this. He stood there sipping by the table sipping a beer, waiting not just for Castiel to appear but for Manda to come back from the bathroom as well.
"Dean," Castiel said from behind him a moment later. "What's the emergency? You don't appear to be in any danger." He looked around the room, quickly coming to the conclusion nothing was amiss and there seemed to be no threat in sight. So he wasn't completely sure why he was here.
Taking a sharp breath instead of jumping at the sudden arrival of his angel friend, Dean looked over his shoulder. "Cass… yeah, uh, about that…" His attention turned back to doorway of the kitchen as Manda came back.
Looking over then to see what caught Dean's eye, Castiel saw the female hunter stop dead in her tracks. Seeing the baby bump that was her stomach bulge out from the fitted shirt she wore, his eyes widened at for a brief second. So this is why she'd been missing, and if this was an emergency to Dean, it had to mean he was the father. "Ma-Manda's…" he stammered, taking two steps to be beside Dean. "How is this… she can't be… I guess this is the emergency you spoke of."
The older Winchester nodded, winked at Manda to play along with the flash of a sly grin. "Yeah… she's totally knocked up. Nice job there, Cass."
Manda looked the angel straight in the eye, and smiled a little mischievously as she took a step or two more into the kitchen then. "Yeah, Castiel. That was some magic touch you had," she joked. "I wasn't pregnant before that ten second heated encounter we had the last time we saw each other here."
"So, is there something you wanna tell me about what happened between you two?" Dean asked with a rough tone and a serious glare. He was trying his hardest not to laugh as he saw Castiel's get completely anxious.
"I-I can't be… I swear I'm not that child's father, Dean," Castiel replied nervously. "I didn't touch Manda in any way that would produce…" He faltered as he saw them both smirk at each other before they broke into laughter.
"I know," Dean replied with a short chuckle. "And before you ask – you knew the last we were all here that me and her slept together. So you're off the hook. It's mine."
Nodding, Manda just looked to Castiel, unable to read him at all. "If there was ever a time for Dean to be a father… end of the world, right?"
The angel looked between the two of them, not sure how they were joking about this. It was possibly the worst time for Dean to become a father, and the danger this put Manda in was possibly beyond what either hunter could imagine it to be. "Yes. Well congratulations then, Dean… Manda, but this is not a laughing matter. I hid Manda from all angels for you because of your relationship, but do you have any idea what Zachariah will do to her if he finds her pregnant with your child now? If you did, you wouldn't be joking about this."
"That's kinda why you're here," Dean said, clapping his hand on Castiel's shoulder. "Does that sigil work like everything else for a pregnant chick, like if she has it so does the baby? Or do you also need to hide the baby?" He paused, thinking about what he'd just said and how weird his life on any given day. "Wait, can you even do that to a not yet fully cooked bun in the oven? I mean… that's a lot of symbols to put on something so small…" Confusion settled in as he tried to imagine how that would even work because of how complex the sigil was versus a baby that was nowhere nearly fully developed yet.
Looking dumbfounded for a moment, Castiel just stared at Manda's stomach curiously, trying to figure things out. And then he turned his head to look Dean straight in the eyes. "Before I disobeyed, do you think I've ever done this, Dean?" he harshly asked. "I'm not sure how this works. Putting that sigil on a pregnant woman isn't in the angel guidebook. I don't know how this works on the… unbaked bread in an oven. Or what you mean by that," he answered, his honesty readable on his face. Shrugging out from Dean's hand then, he walked over to the female hunter. "But I do need to check a few things." He reached out to put his hand on her stomach without a thought or asking.
Manda moved so quickly that Dean barely noticed her do it. In that split second as Castiel reached out to touch her, she had withdrawn the angel blade from behind her and pointed it at the angel's chest just as his hand stopped in front of her stomach. He hadn't even known she had that blade on her now because he'd seen her put it in her jacket pocket that she had tossed on a chair in the hallway before they all had eaten. Yet, at some point she'd obviously slipped it into the back of waistband of her pants under her shirt. Manda was still so tightly wound that he worried what she was going to do right now, but at the same time he realized how truthfully ready and prepared she was to defend herself and their child at all costs. And that's when he had to admit he really couldn't have asked for a better woman to be having his baby, especially at this time.
"Move it or lose it," she warned him with a hard tone, a serious look on her face. "You can't just touch a pregnant woman's, let alone one that's a hunter, stomach without asking. Understand, Castiel?"
"Where did you get this?" Castiel paid no attention to her order, but still didn't touch Manda as he easily grabbed the angel blade and disarmed her of it with just as swift a motion as she pulled it on him. He could easily see how prepared she was to use the blade on him even if she knew he was no threat to her. She was carrying Dean's child. He wouldn't harm her, couldn't. She was to be protected now. She had to know that much. Peering at her a little funny, he sensed how on edge she was and that she was actually very aware of the danger she was in because she was pregnant with Dean's child.
Dean noticed that she hadn't even blinked or backed down one inch when Castiel took the blade off her. The way she held herself together and so coolly when she needed to reminded him of himself, and that fearlessness she had when she needed it was something he'd always loved about her. But she had to know she was safe here and with Castiel. "Manda," he said her name in a way that held a stern warning to it. "You know Castiel's on our side. He won't hurt you anymore than he'd hurt me. Isn't that right, Cass?"
"It is." He kept a watchful eye on the female hunter then. "You're Dean's soul mate, and the mother of his child now. I would never do anything to harm you or that child, Manda. I'm not like Zachariah." Castiel held the blade out for her to take back then, knowing she wouldn't actually use it now. He'd taken a brief look inside her mind to know she knew that was the truth. "Both of your lives are safe with me. And yes, I understand that now. Personal space, I think Dean has called it." The look on his face then said he still didn't quite grasp it though.
"I did. It is." Dean walked over and took the blade from Castiel before Manda could grab it. "But, uh, I'll take this. At least until you're ready to play nice, Chambers."
Manda rolled her eyes at Dean before looking back at Castiel. "Sorry about that, Castiel. I know you're not the typical angel. I'm just…" she stopped, gesturing towards her midsection.
"One fully loaded hormonal hunter ready to strike," Dean muttered quietly, going to put the angel blade on the table before turning back around.
"Protective of your unborn child," replied Castiel, casting a disapproving look at Dean. "Given the circumstances, it would be very concerning if you weren't being this cautious. A Winchester heir is extremely valuable, and will be a highly sought after target. But may I… would it be okay if I touched your stomach now to see if your child is hidden?"
Nodding, Manda just took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.
Watching, Dean stood there noticing how carefully Castiel reached out to touch her this time. He seemed hesitant to for a second, like he was assessing the female hunter who was trying to relax but still seemed uneasy about the whole thing. "So, Cass, you know how I told you before we knew her granddad had an angel blade for how he got the house warded, just not where it was. Well, Manda figured it out where he hid it once she knew about all of it. He left it hidden in his car that he left to her when he died, and that's where it was this whole time."
"Yes, you told me Eliot Chambers killed one of my brothers or sisters for that reason. Possession of that blade confirms he did. Us angels don't give them up willingly, or just lose them." Curtly nodding, Castiel placed his hand on the small bulge of Manda's pregnant stomach, going completely quiet while he gazed intently at her, checking for what he wanted to know. "The sigil was passed on to your baby. You're both hidden. Which is maybe why I felt some resistance at first when marking you…" he muttered, moving his hand slightly again. "I'm still cut off from most of my powers, but she appears to have been conceived the night before I hid you. So how did I miss the fact that you were pregnant when I saw you? Or feeling the presence of her life in your womb?"
"Sh-she?" Manda asked with surprise, her voice cracking just a little. Her eyes shifted from Castiel to her stomach, her lips curled into a sad, half-smile at the thought of having a daughter then. She hadn't really wanted to know whether she was having a boy or a girl yet because she wasn't sure she was even going to make it to full term, not with Zachariah after her. All she wanted was a healthy baby despite everything, and for that baby to actually be born in a few more months.
Dean gulped, that tiny bit of information seemed hard to swallow as he heard it. He wasn't even sure how the angel could get that from just touching, but he had. "H-h-her?" His eyes flitted back and forth between Manda and Castiel, and then landed back on the female hunter's stomach. His eyes went wide as it fully registered in his head that he was going to have a daughter. "It's… a girl? A baby girl?" He took a step towards them then.
Castiel looked from one to the other, gauging their reactions and wondering if he'd just done something wrong. Both hunters seemed to have a nervousness that hadn't been there a moment ago. "You didn't know yet, Manda?" he asked, peering a little further into her mind to determine why she looked so shocked at the news. "But yes, this baby is female. And she is definitely yours, Dean. Manda had no doubt about that, and you really didn't either the moment you knew. But I can confirm for you that this child is a Winchester, yours and not Sam's."
Shaking her head, eyes misting over, Manda looked back up at Castiel then, not sure what else he might see now. If he could get all that from touching her and probably having a quick glance into her mind, there was no telling what else he might see if he looked closer.
"Okay, got it. I'm the father, Cass. Thanks." Eying Manda then, Dean saw her face pale. He couldn't tell if she was upset or sick or if it was something else. "Chambers, what's wrong?"
Her eyes darted to Dean's face. "I-I'm okay. I just didn't want to know what I'm having in case… in case the baby and I… you know…" Her voice faltered as her throat closed with the tears she pushed down.
Don't make it. He finished her sentence in his mind. Dean's eyes met hers with an apologetic look. He understood that was exactly why she hadn't wanted to know. That was also part of why he hadn't asked her outside earlier. Knowing this baby was a girl somehow brought more to worry about, more to lose. It also made this all a little harder to digest, and it definitely made the baby that much more real.
"In case? Your daughter is fine, Manda. I assure you you're both healthy and there is nothing to worry about there." Castiel didn't clue in right away as to why she hadn't wanted to know. He started to remove his hand, but it was in the last second while his hand had still been on her stomach that he got it. He had caught a glimpse of something that he probably shouldn't have – a flash of Zachariah threatening both her and her child. "Oh, that's not… so Zachariah knows. He's been visiting your dreams?" He eyed her suspiciously, knowing there was something she was hiding now. "And he's been threatening to kill you and your child."
Sighing, Dean looked at Castiel, wondering how he had figured that out so quickly. "Of course that son of a bitch knows. Why else do you think I called you out here, Cass? That's the emergency," he snapped. "Zach finally picked up on it in her dreams, something about the baby having my scent. But we were right to think he'd try using her to get to me. He's been sniffing around her dreams for the last few months. Is there something that will stop him from doing that?"
With a few tears escaping, Manda nodded, but silently she did what she had to. Please, Castiel… please, whatever you saw, don't tell Dean. He can't know. Please, his child's life, not just mine depends on it. She begged the angel in her mind, hoping he would listen.
Giving her a strange look, Castiel met her eyes sensing her fear. He had heard her plea as he dug around in her mind for whatever she was trying to hide. He'd seen only a flash of what the higher ranking angel had done in her dreams but knew that glimpse was just a fraction of what Zachariah was actually capable of. So the panic in her plea and the tension she carried told him that whatever else she was hiding about it meant she truthfully believed Dean couldn't know and that her life as well as her child's depended on it. He narrowed his eyes at her and gave her a quick nod to say he wouldn't say anything just yet even though he wasn't sure how to keep this from Dean. "No, there isn't anything that will stop him for very long. I could try putting the Enochian warding sigil on her mind to keep angels out of it, but doing that might destroy Manda's brain. The pain of burning it in will be unbearable, and that's if she survives it."
Thank you, Cass. Just let me find an excuse for us to talk alone and I'll explain everything. Manda held his gaze for a moment longer, relief flashing in her eyes. "Uh… think I'll have to pass on that offer, as awesome as it sounds."
"Great," Dean uttered sarcastically. "So there's nothing you can do about that?"
"No," the angel replied, his face somewhat grim. He could tell his human friend was worried about both Manda and their child, and that he was feeling helpless to protect them. "I'm sorry, Dean, there isn't."
Rubbing his hand over his face, Dean just sighed. He turned around and paced the kitchen, not wanting either of them to see his disappointment or his worry. "Is there anything else you can do, Cass? Anything at all that'll help keep Manda and the baby safe until she can give birth?"
Tilting his head as he looked to the female hunter then, Castiel wasn't sure if there was anything he could do besides promise to help and protect her and that child if and when it was needed.
The doors between the library and the kitchen opened then. Sam poked his head through them. "Uh… Dean?"
"Yeah?" Dean replied, looking quickly to his brother. "What is it?"
"Bobby needs to have a word. He's got info." Looking to Manda and then Castiel, Sam just nodded at them. He hadn't heard too much of what was being said on the other side of the door, but knew by the look of him that his brother hadn't liked it.
"We're not done. Can it wait a few minutes?" He still had more to ask, more to figure out, and was a little hesitant to leave Manda and Castiel alone at the moment.
"It could, but I think you're gonna wanna hear this, ya idjit." Bobby's voice came from behind the desk.
Taking a deep breath and yet rolling his eyes, Dean just nodded. "Yeah, okay." He turned around and looked back at both Castiel and Manda. "Can I trust you two to be alone for awhile?"
"Of course," Castiel answered. "You have nothing to worry about, Dean. I give you my word I'll look after Manda and your daughter."
"Go on," Manda assured him as rubbed a hand along her stomach. "We'll be fine. There's a few things I want to ask your fairy godmother about anyway."
"My fairy godmother, huh?" Dean chortled then at her comment, but wondered what she wanted to ask the angel as he watched her rub her hand along the side of her baby bump. She looked somewhat off now. "Hey, you okay?"
"Think maybe I had too much pie. Feeling a little queasy, that's all," she replied, breathing out a little sharply. "Might need to get some fresh air and to take it easy for a few minutes."
"Whoa, you can never have too much pie, sweetheart." He winked at her, and then looked to Castiel. "All right, you keep a close eye on her and get me if something even seems wrong. Got it?"
"I do, and yes, of course," the angel replied. Watching as Dean went into the library and closed the doors to leave them alone. He turned to face Manda then. "You didn't have too much pie, did you, Manda? So what are you not telling Dean? And what is it that you don't want him to know?"
"It might have been the pie that made me nauseous." She shrugged and went to grab the angel blade off the table. "But do you remember how you told me there'd be truth in that message from that woman?"
Castiel watched her shove the angel blade into the back of waistband of her pants and under her shirt. He knew she wasn't going to use it on him, but could tell she just needed the comfort of having it on her. "I remember everything."
"Okay. And you really meant what you said… I can trust you with my life, my child's life?"
The angel nodded. "You can. And yes, both your lives are completely safe with me. I will do everything I can to protect you now. That is what Dean was really asking of me, wasn't it?"
"Good. And it sounded like it, but you and I both know there's nothing you can do to protect my daughter or me, Cass." Manda turned around and cocked her head towards the doorway. "Now come on. I really do need the fresh air, and for Dean not to overhear a word of what I'm going to tell you."
Notes: So update posted and done. How was it?
Originally Castiel was never supposed to be in this part of the story. Dean and Manda were supposed to spend a little more of a meaningful time together at Bobby's and then part ways. In the outline from back in the day, Bobby was going to be the one to who finds out what Manda is still hiding. All these years later of coming back to this story and working to finish it up, it now seemed right to have it be Castiel tuning into that and being the one to find things out. And he's there at Dean's request, so... this might get a little interesting. Because how is going to keep anything he learns from Dean? Now I hope I didn't butcher Castiel here, or have him going too far out of line because as I said, he wasn't supposed to be in this part, but that's how it went as I worked on this one.
Now where this story was always going to go is still going to happen. That includes Dean being in the dark about what Manda is up to and what she's still going to do. Does Dean ever get the whole story? Or a break? No. If you have an inkling that whatever she's up to would be something he wouldn't like, well... who knows, you could be right.
So what might Manda be hiding? And what exactly is she planning to do? Good questions. Any ideas?
I liked having Dean and Manda joke a little with Castiel there at first. Also decided that the baby's sex reveal happened now and not later, and was something they both got to find out instead of having it happen later on. Because originally it wasn't going to come to light in this part just yet.
I hope that despite all the challenges to write this chapter, you enjoyed it. I'm not entirely pleased with how it turned out, because I feel like it might just be filler or lacking any sort of decent writing. But, either way, it's done. On to the next, which I will try my best to write and post as soon as possible for anyone who might be liking this story. It really feels like I might be rambling to myself over here, so enough of that.
Thanks for stopping by and reading! Your comments and feedback are always welcome and would be greatly appreciated.