Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Dean had decided to give the sofa another try but when he woke up the next morning, he heard the sound of little voices, that said “Shhh, Shhhh.” Dean laughed to himself until he felt a slight weight on his chest. Then the feel of something wet against his nose, followed by a soft “meow.” Dean opened his eyes to see the tabby stared down at him. He smiled before he turned his head toward the sound of the giggles before he sat up all the way.
“Daddy.”
“Daddy,” Megan echoed.
“Okay which one of you munchkins put the kitty on me?” he asked as he pretended to be angry, but only for a moment.
“Uh,” Amber said as she bit her lip because she thought she was in trouble.
“Abby did it,” Megan blurted out.
“No Daddy she did,” Amber said with a frown as she pointed at her sister.
So this is what it was like to have a sister, Sam all over again.
“Well who ever did gets tickles,” he said with a grin as they both burst out in laughter.
Cassie watched from the door, where she smiled as the scene unfolded before her. She should have known Dean would rise to the occasion. He seemed to surprise her all the time, especially lately with Megan.
Dean sat the kitten on the floor as he reached for both girls to tickle them. He was gentle with Megan because of her arm but she laughed louder than Amber as she enjoyed her father’s attention. Amber didn’t seem to mind as he tickled her tummy next. Cassie went all the way in the room to remind them why she sent them to get their father.
“Hey, hey, you two, I sent you to get your daddy for a reason.”
“Oh yea, Daddy the food is ready,” Megan said as she grinned at her mother.
“Yeah, Uncle Sam is going to eat it all,” Amber said with a laugh.
“Sam is eating?” Dean said as he put the girls on the floor as he feigned concern before he took their hands to lead them to the kitchen while Cassie followed behind.
“Sammy slow down save the rest of us some food,” Dean said to his brother who was in deep concentration over his plate while Mrs. Robinson readied her plate so she could eat.
Sam looked up with a “huh” expression on his face before he went back to eating.
Amber sat down beside Sam while Megan slowed around until Dean had a seat. She stood in front of him with a grin.
“You want to sit with me?” Dean asked before she nodded and looked in her mother’s direction.
“Sure, come on Baby Girl,” he said before he pulled her on to his lap side ways.
It was a good thing she wanted to sit with him since she needed to eat with her left hand since she was right handed. He fed her in between bites out of his own plate. Amber didn’t seem to mind as she smiled from her spot beside Sam. Sam shook his head, he had no idea how they had ended up in this situation. He knew that his older brother was in over his head, but he was happy Dean seemed to have begun to take it in stride. Sam recalled how hard it had been for Dean to say goodbye to Megan the first time and wondered how he would do so soon again. He watched his brother as he carefully feed his child, maybe too much so for her age, but Dean didn’t know any better. Sam grinned when Megan turned to her father to remind him she wasn’t a baby. Dean wasn’t insulted as he smiled at her with indulgence in his eyes before he tweaked her nose.
After breakfast, Cassie left for work while the rest wondered over to the park. Dean and Sam walked behind the girls and Cassie’s mother, Diane. Sam smiled as Amber took Megan’s hand as they giggled.
“Dean, I am afraid that I do not see how you are going to handle everything, though I admire you for even trying,” Sam said.
“Well first I have given Cassie the charms for Megan and herself as well as directions on what to do at the house. Diane knows everything Cassie does about the wards. Secondly, they can contact us at anytime if they need to. Finally, Megan is going to come stay with us after the babies come at least for a month, Cassie has agreed to that, so Megan and I can look forward to that time.”
“Um, well you have thought about it. You aren’t just hoping for the best,” Sam said with a smile at his brother.
Dean frowned.
“Dude, you thought I wouldn’t make plans for my kid? Who the hell do you think you’re dealing with?” Dean asked with raised eyebrows.
“I, …uh, I’m sorry,” Sam began to apologize.
“You are such a P*ssy,” Dean laughed as it became apparent to Sam that Dean was harassing him.
Sam had to laugh at himself. He knew Dean had a good heart, he was certain he would do his best despite the danger they were all in.
***
Erin’s visit to tell Aunt Jenny about her email from Sam did not turn out as well as she dared hope. The older woman ranted about her brother John as if he were a stranger.
“He was your brother, I cannot believe that you hate him even in death. All those years I lived under your roof you have never behaved with so little respect of my father. He is your own flesh and blood…”
“I call as I see it. When your mother died he was supposed to come back for you but he kept putting it off. Then he gave us some crazy tale about demons and monsters, well we thought he was drunk. Your uncle and I assumed the boys were with Mary’s family and would be fine…”
“But?”
“Hold on, I found out Ben had had the same conversation with him, except Ben seemed to believe him. I thought they were both nuts.”
“My father never lied to me. When I was old enough to understand, I did. He told me all he knew. He told me things that even Sam and Dean do not know. Aunt Jenny, I am the freaking missing link.”
“I have no idea what you mean. But you are wrong I do not hate your father, but I felt sorry for him. I kept you here so you would not be poisoned by his revenge on whatever it is he had to avenge.”
Mary watched from the corner of the room as she cringed.
“Snooping again?” the Yellow Eyed Demon asked her.
“Look, you don’t need anymore Winchester blood why don’t you move along?” Mary asked.
“Well maybe blood isn’t what I’m after. I know it pains you to see me hanging around your only daughter, but I promise she is safe,” he said before he faded away.
Mary didn’t breathe easy, she knew what Erin meant about the missing link but she was curious as to what the YED was up to.
Erin turned on her aunt with confidence in her eyes.
“I’m sorry if you don’t approve of how my father lived his life or chose to raise my brothers, but I can’t do anything about that. I am thankful for all you have given me but the next time we speak you will have to initiate contact. I have several projects to complete before I go visit my brothers.”
Erin hugged Jenny stiffly as she left her former home for the last time. Jenny watched her from the window before she headed to the telephone. She racked her fingers through her stylishly long red hair.
“Yeah, she is gone. She believed that I hated my brother that was hard to pull off. Missouri what is going to happen?”
“Honey, she needs to be free of ties from her upbringing when she visits her brothers. It’s what John wanted, it sounds like you did well.”
“Okay, well call if there is anything else I can do.”
“Absolutely.”
Mary stood in shock at what she heard of the conversation. She had decided to hang around a few more minutes only to hear that Missouri was in cahoots with Jenny. She sighed, what the hell is going on?
***
That night, Ari watched Chet from the patio as he grilled the steaks. They had decided the slight cool none humid night was a great opportunity to relax outside. Jo walked around to bring Ari a cold virgin daiquiri while she carried a bottle of Budweiser for herself and a Coors for Chet. She sat the drinks down on the table as they waited to eat.
“Hey Chet, those almost done?” Jo asked with a smile at the older man.
“Yeah just about, a few more minutes and it will be done.”
Ari laughed if Chet wasn’t so much older than Jo, they would be a perfect couple. She loved to tease him and he seemed immune to her smart-ass attitude.
Ari rubbed her stomach as she took a deep breath. This is a nice beautiful night, Dean will leaved Missouri to come home tomorrow morning, I should be happy, she thought. Ari was concerned because it seemed to her that her stomach had doubled in size in the last week. Though the idea of her being fat was a constant struggle in her mind her most persistent fear was one of rejection from Dean. She looked down at her wedding ring for reassurance something she had begun to do often during the day. Thankfully her fingers had not swollen so much that the ring wouldn’t fit, it was something that made her smile.
Jo noticed Ari’s distress and asked her what was wrong. Ari hesitated to tell her even though they had begun to get closer since the discussion that was forced on them by Dean.
“It silly, you know I actually read its common to feel really disfigured while you are pregnant,” Ari said as she bit her lip.
“Well you are having twins, you kind of need to be big,” Jo said with a smile.
“That’s what Dean says.”
“I guess he has been reading those books Sam got for him, at least he is learning something.”
“Yeah he has been better than I expected from him.”
“He can be surprising,” Jo said before she noticed that Chet was bringing the food to them on plates.
Chet grinned at the two ladies as he handed each a plate with a steak, and a baked potatoes. The salads were already on the make shift table. They all sat down to enjoy their meal as the sun settled into the horizon.
“It’s a beautiful night,” Chet said a bit wistfully.
“Yeah, it is nice. I am getting used to this country living. Mom would have loved it here,” Ari added sadly.
“Well, but you believe your mother is in a better place for her condition right?” Jo asked as she took her first bite of her meat.
“I do she had been sick a while and since she didn’t want medicines it’s good she died in her sleep. It was peaceful and I think she could see that I would be fine with Dean. She told me once after I met him that he was… the one.”
“Cool, you were taken care of and so she was a peace,” Jo added.
***
That night after everyone was asleep Dean spoke with Sam again about Erin. He still couldn’t believe that he had a sister. All the years he assumed it was only him and Sam he never considered they had a sibling.
“So what now I have the shining too?” Dean said to Sam as they sat on the patio while they cleaned their weapons, mostly for something to do.
“Well it is weird that you would dream about her. But I do think it was just a memory from when you had that break down. I mean you were young, though it sucks that Dad did this.”
“But he had his reasons, I mean look how that damn thing has haunted our every move.”
Of course he would agree with dad.
“Damn it Dean you still can’t find it in your stubborn head to be angry at Dad?”
“No, I can’t. He did things to protect us, Sam, he thanked me for all those years that I obeyed him. For not bucking his every word, for taking care of you though I would not have considered anything else.”
“Seriously, Dean, you and Dad had chick flick moment?”
“Yeah, I guess we did,” Dean said with a smile.
It was the moment before he had told Dean that he might have to kill his brother. It would have been a good time to share about his sister, Dean admitted to himself.
“We're still missing some of this puzzle I think,” Sam said.
“Well we know the demon wants you to go “dark side” to help his cause.”
“Yep.”
“We know Dad basically hid Erin away though she knows what we do, which will help when she comes to visit.”
“Yeah she mentioned she wanted to come when the twins are born.”
“We will have a house full then, huh, with Missouri, Megan and Erin plus two crying infants,” Dean said with a huge grin.
Sam laughed to himself, Dean was getting used to the idea.
“Yeah, those two o’clock feedings will be fun for you and Ari.”
Dean groaned, so maybe he hadn’t thought so much about that part yet. He really enjoyed sleeping through the night, but oh well. He smiled when he remembered his earlier conversation with Ari.
{Flashback – earlier that night}
Ari came in after the meal on the patio to find her she had a message on her cell phone. She assumed it was Dean and it was. She listened then returned his call.
“Hey,” she said with a sigh.
“How are you tonight?”
“Fine, we just had a nice outdoor meal. There was an awesome sunset that I wished you could have seen.”
“Sounds nice. So you said Jo is leaving,” he said as he surveyed the area outside out of habit while he leaned against the car.
“Yeah, but not til you three return. She insists she is going up North for a bit to see some friends, but will visit us again.”
“Well she is a big girl, I think she will be fine.”
“Dean I am big as a house, I wouldn’t blame you if you…” Ari blurted out.
Dean heard the fear and anxiousness in her voice. It bothered him that she was still insecure about her weight. It was one of her faults that frightened him.
“If I what? Sweetie, you have to get pass this. It’s not healthy.”
“You will see what I mean.”
“What I will see is that you are going to have those little ones very soon. You know I really can’t wait now.”
Good idea change the direction of her thoughts.
“No?”
“Sam thinks I may even be getting better with kids,” Dean laughed.
Ari laughed too, he was already really good with Amber.
“Well I thought I would warn you.”
“We have two months to go, right?”
She nodded then realized he could not see her.
“Yea about that, the doctor said they would probably be early.”
“Good to hear, I am impatient to meet little John and Gary.”
“Thank you, Dean, I hope you don’t regret this.”
The only thing I regret is bringing all of the innocent people I love into my hell. I hope she won’t regret, us.
“No Sweetie, I love you,” Dean said and he meant it. It was no longer just words he said to get used to saying them, they had meaning. He groaned inwardly, he would die for his family he swore that to himself everyday. Then the thoughts of leaving them with hopes that they would be safer without him and Sam around would come to him. Ari had no idea how much he wanted their lives to be normal. Though she had accepted the supernatural elements with stride but wrestled with her weight issues in her head. Maybe we all have our own personal demons to fight.
{End Flashback}
“Well I know it will be hard but believe it or not I look forward to it.”
“I know Dean I can tell. Your attitude has gone from what the hell to I can do this in the last seven months,” Sam said.
“Okay Uncle Sammy, you can be godfather is you take some of those feeding times in my place,” Dean teased.
Sam beamed. He hadn’t thought about that much. He was going to be an uncle again, this time he would see the babies while they were small. He loved kids; his heart soared. He had spent most of Ari’s pregnancy worrying that Dean might split. More than once he had panicked when he saw the Impala gone with Dean inside of it then been relieved when his brother returned from an errand. He could never allow Dean to find out he had such thoughts about him because he would be truly hurt. He smiled at his brother as he put his gun back together. It was only fitting the Winchester brothers would know how to handle guns.
Missouri phoned Bobby after she got off the phone with Jenny to tell him that Erin would be in the mix after the twins were born.
“Well at least John will get his last request, his children would be all together again.”
“He would have loved to see it I’m certain, but the time was never right,” Missouri said as she settled down to sit on her sofa.
“Those boys are going to be surprised to see their sister is a full fledged huntress.”
Missouri laughed, yeah they will be. But the time was finally ripe for the Winchester children to come into their own. John would be happy despite his present location.
TBC