Thanks for reading! Reviews spark joy! if you enjoy this AU check out my series of one shots in the same world :)
Sam was planning to ask Sophie some casual questions about baby shower themes and preferences, but when he got to the library and saw how she and Dean were sitting, he immediately reconsidered.
Dean had Sophie on his lap in one of the library armchairs, with his left arm around her, pulling her tight into his chest, and her head tucked under his chin. She was mostly asleep, one arm wrapped carefully around her belly.
Dean's laptop rested on an end table and his gaze continually drifted back and forth between his wife and the information on his computer screen. Every few minutes he'd jot something down on a pad of paper balanced on his knee. A bottle of gatorade, a bottle of Tylenol and a couple of melting ice packs sat on the floor at his feet.
The posture was so intensely protective, possessive even, that Sam didn't dare come closer. He was about to leave when Dean's gaze drifted up to spot him in the doorway. Sam thought he saw Dean's grip tighten further around his half conscious wife.
"What do you want?" Dean asked.
"I take it the doctor's appointment didn't go like you wanted it to?" Sam asked, sitting down at one of the reading tables.
"Not exactly," Dean snapped.
"What happened, man?" Sam asked, "She was a wreck when you got back then you disappeared for a bit and now…" Sam gestured at the general situation.
"They accused her of drug seeking," Dean said, raking his free hand through his hair and then closing his laptop.
"They accused her of what?" Sam couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Yep," Dean said, "Won't give her anything for the migraines. Wouldn't even run labs. Brought me in after they were done with her - by which point she was in tears, by the way - to tell me that they were concerned she might have a narcotics problem."
"And then…" Sam prompted.
"And then they told her that if she wanted to have the baby at this hospital she'd be having a c-section under general anesthetic," Dean continued, rubbing his temples, "Which of course she was upset about. And then, inevitably after last night and then all the stress today, she got a migraine on the way home," Dean said, "Second one in twenty-four hours. Though that headache last night may have just been a bad seizure aura…it's hard to tell. She threw up for a bit and eventually I think she just got too tired to even…"
Dean shook his head, putting his other arm around Sophie and pulling her closer.
"By what…an hour ago when we came in here she was just so drained and so listless, she could barely keep her head up. I managed to get some electrolytes in her and check her vitals and everything's fine but…" Dean trailed off, "I'm worried about her, Sam. I'm really freaking scared right now. Looking out for just you was hard. I worried about you all the damn time. And then Sophie came along. And I worried about her all the damn time. And now the baby. Who I should be able to feel confident about, right? Because it's just safe and still inside her and if I can just protect Sophie I can protect it too…but when Sophie's so sick I just…Sam, what if they both die?"
"Nobody's dying, Dean. She's gonna be fine. Take her up to Sioux Falls as soon as you can," Sam suggested, "So if something does happen…"
"At least there's a real ER?" Dean finished, "Yeah. That's what I'm thinking. I talked to Jody and she says we can come stay with her as long as we need. I just need to get Sophie healthy enough to make the drive."
"Anything I can do?" Sam offered.
"Can you make dinner tonight?" Dean asked, "I hate to spring that on you but I just don't want to leave her right now."
"Of course," Sam agreed, "I wouldn't want you to either. You're doing great Dean. I know it doesn't feel like it right now, but you are. What can she keep down?"
"Your guess is as good as mine at this point," Dean replied. Sam got up and made his way out of the library, heading for the kitchen. He glanced back over his shoulder when he reached the door and noted Dean hadn't moved, hadn't reopened the laptop. He stroked the back of Sophie's head gently and whispered to her. And Sam just prayed, prayed so hard, that someone in Sioux Falls would have answers.
"Hey Sam?" Dean called as his brother reached the door, "Can I talk to you about something?"
"Of course," Sam said, returning to his place at the reading table, "What is it?"
"Why are you and Cas being so weird about this?" Dean gestured at Sophie's belly.
Sam panicked for a minute. They were being weird because they were planning a party. And both of them were shit at that. But he couldn't out the surprise. Not yet. And not with Sophie here. He was pretty sure she wasn't listening. Pretty sure she was asleep. But he couldn't ruin it. So he…improvised.
"You have to admit it's a little unorthodox," he hoped this was a believable line of reasoning.
"This is the part where I remind you that when you were sent to literal hell you made me promise to go try and have a family with her," Dean retorted, "And then, in case you've forgotten, you came back and went and hunted with other people for almost a whole fucking year because you didn't want to disrupt that. You left us to mourn while you weren't even dead because you wanted me to have a shot at a normal life."
"Dean I…" Sam started. But Dean didn't let him finish.
"And now," Dean continued, "We've got a place to live. She's got all the health stuff under control…at least she did. Which was a disaster while you were gone by the way. Absolutely a mess. And so it makes logical sense. But you can't just…"
"Dean!" Sam snapped. His brother was mad. Mad about the doctor. Mad his wife was hurting. And he was spiraling. This needed to stop.
"I'll talk to Cas," Sam said, his voice getting gentler now, "And I will do anything I possibly can to make things less weird. Unorthodox or not, please know I'm happy for you."
"Just make sure you tell her when she's not comatose?" Dean suggested.
"Promise," Sam said.
Oh Dean had no idea how thoroughly he and Cas were going to share their well wishes and congratulations.