Through the Fire
Castiel
Castiel had always envisioned a life filled with child-like laughter and warm summer days spent in the park. Ever since he had learned Dean was pregnant, that dream had shifted from a distant thought to an urgent reality. Every minute his partner's belly grew rounder tightened Castiel's heart with a mixture of anticipation and love. They had imagined nursery colors, names, and lullabies, but none of that prepared him for the chaos that enveloped them on that fateful evening.
The day began as any other. Dean insisted on preparing his famous burgers, claiming it was a craving that just couldn't be ignored. Castiel had watched Dean—handsome and strong despite the extra weight—flit about the kitchen with joy. But as the afternoon waned, a shadow crept across Dean's face; the joy had slipped away, replaced by a deep furrow of worry.
"What's wrong?" Castiel had asked, concern prickling his instincts. Dean brushed it aside, but excitement turned to nervousness as the sun dipped below the horizon.
Hours later, Castiel had fallen asleep on the couch, dreaming of their growing family. His dreams shattered along with the sound of Dean's distressed scream. Heart pounding, Castiel bolted upright, his gut twisting as he raced to the bedroom.
He found Dean on the floor, writhing in agony, his hands gripping the doorframe as if to pull himself up. "Castiel!" Dean called, his voice a trembling mixture of desperation and pain.
"Dean! What's happening?!" Panic seized Castiel as he rushed to his partner's side.
"It hurts! Cas, it hurts so much!" Dean's breath hitched, and he collapsed against Castiel, who hastily wrapped his arms around him.
Trying to steady their breathing, Castiel pressed his forehead against Dean's. "Just breathe, honey! We're going to get through this."
But Dean's face twisted in torment, another contraction ripping through him like a lightning bolt. Each wave came faster, more furious, each one dragging a scream from Dean's throat that sent chills racing down Castiel's spine.
Dean
Pride had infused Dean when he'd first seen those two pink lines on the pregnancy test. He had been terrified, but as the weeks progressed, he embraced the dream of being a parent with every fiber of his being. Yet, no amount of baby books or Pinterest boards had prepared him for this hell: the contractions increasing in intensity, the fear etched in Castiel's eyes, and the sheer agony that consumed his body.
"Dean, focus on me! Look at me!" Castiel implored, always the anchor in the storm. But as another contraction tore through him, Dean screamed, incapable of doing anything other than succumbing to the pain.
"I can't… I can't do this!" he cried, tears streaming down his cheeks, blending with the sweat on his forehead.
Panic had invaded their sanctuary, and as minutes stretched into what felt like an eternity, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. He had no idea how long they had been on the floor, but the rhythmic contractions had shifted to a chaotic frenetic dance, ebbing and flowing without any sign of progress.
Sam
Sam had entered the scene moments later, clenching the doorframe in shock. The chaos hit him like a wave, threatening to pull him under. The sight of Dean, contorted in pain, sent dread scrambling through him. The instinct to protect surged within him as he assessed the situation.
"Dean? Cas?" Sam's voice broke slightly, fear creeping in. Castiel held Dean, whose face drew tight with pain, breathless and distressed. "What's going on?"
"Help! He's… he's in so much pain!" Castiel cried, voice trembling with fear. Sam rushed forward, bracing himself against the whirlwind unfolding before him.
"Dean, can you tell me how far apart the contractions are?" Sam asked, masking his panic with a calm façade.
"Too close… too close!" Dean gasped, sweat soaking his shirt, his body quaking.
Panic crashed over Sam as he glanced at Dean's pallor. It wasn't just labor; something was desperately wrong. "I think…" Panic ignited into a fire within him as he assessed the growing emergency. "I think we need to do an emergency C-section."
"NO! NO!" Dean screamed, a new wave of horror washing over him. "I… I can't… I don't want to—"
"It's alright, Dean," Castiel soothed, though his voice was laced with worry. "We just want to keep you and the baby safe." Yet, Castiel's face drained of color at the terrifying mention of surgery.
But time was running out. "Dean, listen to me. This can save you both. You have to trust us!" Sam met his brother's fearful gaze, desperation clawing at his insides.
Castiel
As Sam's hands went to work, the gravity of the situation solidified in a brutal clarity. Castiel could barely focus, his hands steadying Dean's trembling body, fighting against the instinct to pull away from the horror unfolding before him. Dean continued to scream, each cry ripping into Castiel's soul.
"Hold him still, Cas," Sam instructed, his voice gruff with concentration as he prepared the field as best as he could.
"Dean, I'm here. I'm right here," Castiel said fiercely, grounding himself as he gripped Dean tighter, forcing himself to remain strong as Dean writhed beneath him.
The first cut was made, and blood blossomed outward. Castiel felt the world tilt, his vision growing spotty. "Sam! I… I can't—" He choked, bile rising in his throat.
"Breathe, Cas! Stay with me!" Sam urged, determination drowning out the chaos around him. Blood pooled, and Castiel's heart raced with each frantic scream Dean let loose, an unholy mixture of anguish and fear.
Dean
Each slice sent waves of fire through him, a pain unlike anything he had ever experienced. But as the pressure in his belly began to ebb, a distant hope flickered beneath the agony.
"Keep going," he gasped, each word a battle. "Please, just… don't stop!"
And then, in a moment that felt like eternity, a cry shattered the silence—a cry so fragile and perfect it rang through him as a divine echo.
Sam
"Got it! I… I have him!" Sam shouted, the relief that surged through him puncturing the tension in the air. He held up the tiny life, swaddled in crimson, and for a moment—just a moment—the world quieted.
"Dean," Castiel breathed, eyes wide as he took in the sight.
"We… we did it," Dean whispered, tears streaming down his face as he looked at their baby, a fragile miracle.
Castiel
Choosing to focus purely on Dean, Castiel cupped his partner's face, holding him steady. They had survived the storm together. "You did it," he murmured, wonder lighting his heart.
Together, they had faced the darkest of nights, a journey leading to hope. And though scarred, they emerged stronger. In that small space—rich with a new life—their family had found its beginning.