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Chapter Text

It was easy to remember a time when things were less complicated than they were now. Running through grass and trying to catch butterflies used to be her favorite past time, but the was a teenager now and that's when she had to grow up. In the world she lived in, it was necessary to be able to protect herself. Monsters were real, and they had orphaned her. There was a small blessing in the murder of her parents. Her adoptive fathers took her in and gave her an extra couple years left of her childhood innocence. Then she started asking questions, and they were answered honestly. Both men sat down with her and explained what had happened to her mom and dad. They were attacked by vampires. Her adoptive dad has a theory as to why she was kept alive, but her uncle wouldn't let him share it because it was 'too much information'.

Not long after those talks, she had tuned thirteen. Her dad took her out shooting for the first time. They were on Papa Bobby's property, and they made the slow trek to the sand bag with the red target sign on it. She looked up at her daddy's kind green eyes. "Listen very carefully to me, Abby, this is just practice. If you were ever in a situation where you were attacked, your enemy would not be stationary like your target is. This is to help teach you how to work a gun and how to aim. Once you've mastered that, I'll teach you how to shoot with a moving target. Do you understand?"

"Yes daddy."

Her dad went over the make-up of his favorite pistol. He explained what it would feel like when she would push the trigger, and that it would take practice before she could finally make a bulls eye. Her father was patient and gentle, while giving her tips on how to hold the gun and how to stand. Her first shot jolted her, but she now she knew what to expect and could focus on hitting the bulls eye. With both hands on the gun, she aimed it at the bulls eyes and pushed the trigger. Her second shot hit the bulls eye. She looked up at her dad and was met with a wide grin. "That's my girl!" He praised, gently removing the gun from her clasped hands. He leaned in for a hug and kissed her forehead, "Very good, babe. If you can make the bulls eye another five times in a row, we'll move on to speed. Sound good?" He asked.

"Okay daddy."

Once she had successfully hit the bulls eye five time in a row on her third try, her uncle came down to watch. "Abs, let me see you get a bulls eye," he asked, his smile reassuring. So she did. Twice. She looked over at him and could see her uncle giving her a big smile. "Good job, sweetheart. Just as good as your old man over there," he praised. She grinned, passing the gun to her dad so he could safely put it away. She went over to her uncle and looked up at him. He was quite tall and she was quite short. He placed his large hand on top of her head, pushing her hair out of her face, "Why don't you get cleaned up, and your dad and I will get some ice cream. Sound good?" He asked.

She smiled, "Yes! Vanilla and strawberry please."

"Of course. Did you really think your uncle forgot your favorite ice cream?" Her uncle asked, looking affronted at the thought.

"Uncle Saaaaaam," she said.

"Alright kiddo, go get cleaned up. Your dad and I will go and get that ice cream." Her uncle promised. She ran up the property to the house, carefully stepping over the line of salt and racing up the stairs to the shower. She easily pulled off her sweaty and dusty clothes and stepped into the hot water. She quickly washed her hair and body, before stepping out with a towel wrapped around her. She padded into her room and changed into a pair of denim shorts that reached mid-thigh and pulled on a black tank top. She pulled on her black converse and braided her wet hair. She hurried out of her room and down the stairs just as the front door opened.

"Dad!" She yelled happily, seeing her father clothed in his trench coat. She eagerly ran into him for a hug, and he met her. He wrapped his arms around her and dropped a kiss on top of her head.

"Hello Abigail," he said, his voice raspy and deep.

"I missed you," she admitted, nuzzling into his chest.

"I missed you, too, love. Where's dad?" He asked.

She looked up at her dad's bright blue eyes, "Daddy and Uncle Sam went to get ice cream!"

"They did? I'm assuming your first lesson on how to shoot a gun was successful?" He asked, taking her hand and leading her into the living room to sit on a worn out couch.

"Yeah, dad's a great teacher. We were out there for and hour and a half and I got eight bulls eyes," she shared happily.

"That is very good. Your father was very good at handling a gun at your age," her dad shared.

She knew that she wasn't related to them by blood, but as her grandpa said, "Family don't end with blood." She knew she took after here green-eyed father because he was the one who found her alone and scared in her childhood home. He scooped her up in his arms and hid her face in his neck when he all but ran out of the house. It took a while before she would let her uncle and her other father to care for her. She was attached to her savior, and often wanted his help and attention more than anyone else's. Uncle Sam explained that it was the trauma of the events and her being so young. She latched onto someone who met her needs, and it happened to be her shorter dad.

"Hey Cas," her grandpa said when he entered the living room.

"Hello Bobby," her dad replied.

"Abs, how was the lesson?" He asked.

She told him what she told her dad and he looked impressed, and very proud.

"That's great, kiddo," he praised.

She perked up when she heard the familiar sound of the Impala. She stood up and walked to the window. Sure enough, her dad and uncle were slamming the doors to the black muscle car and opening the back doors to grab the groceries. She moved away from the window and hurried out front. "Do you need any help?" She asked.

"I think we got it, babe, if you could just hold the door open," her dad asked.

She did as she was asked, watching her dad and uncle walk inside. She closed and locked the door.

"Cas!" Her dad said happily, "You're back."

"Hello Dean," her father said, a tone of amusement in his voice.

"Let me just put this stuff away. Come on Sammy, we've got some ice cream to spoil our favorite girl with," her dad said happily.

She followed them into the kitchen to watch as Dean pulled out her favorite glass bowl and the ice cream scooper. He went to work on scooping out three scoops of vanilla and two of the strawberry. He pulled out a spoon and stuck it in the bowl. "Here you go, Abby," he said. She took the bowl, "Thanks dad," she said, leaving the kitchen to go sit on the couch. A few minutes later her father sat next to her and draped his arm around the back of the couch to bring her blue-eyed dad into a side hug and to share a quick kiss. "I missed you," her shorter dad said. "I missed you, too," was the response.

Her life was abnormal, constantly being thrust into the supernatural world, but she had two amazing dads, an uncle who would do anything for her, and a grandpa who taught her everything he knew.

She couldn't be more happy.

Chapter Text

It was the standard clues all pointing at a vampire nest. A nest that was more bloodthirsty and sloppy than usual. Dean had his suspicions that it was an older vampire creating new ones and letting them run amuck around town to have blood feasts and then returning to their nest to sleep off the coma. Sam didn't disagree and Castiel seemed to mourn the loss of each human brutally drained of their life source. It was relatively easy to find the nest, but when they arrived and scouted out the barn nestled in the middle of nowhere, the three hunters realized that the vampires were out hunting again.

"Can vampires get drunk off of human blood?" Dean asked, "Because they're feeding more than the usual bloodsuckers."

"Dean, we need to find them or other people are going to fall victim to the uncontrolled thirst," Sam said.

"Yeah," Dean agreed.

"It seems as if whoever is in control of these young vampires are letting them run rampant in certain areas. Downtown, central, and it looks like they're going to the upscale residential areas," Castiel pointed out when they climbed back into the Impala as he stared at the map.

"Tell me where to go Cas," Dean instructed as the pulled away from the barn.

Castiel directed Dean into the residential area Castiel figured would be the most likely to feed at. "It almost seems as if the older vampire robs the houses of the people they feed off of," Castiel said.

"Well, this would be the place to do the robbing," Dean scoffed.

"Dean! There! Someone just went into that house!" Sam pointed. Dean parked in front of the house and each hunter reached for their choice of blade. They ran into the house. They could hear the screams of the people who inhabited the large house. The three raced up the stairs and into the open room where they found a male vampire straddling a female in the large king sized bed.

"Hey!" Dean yelled.

The vampire turned to face them, his chin resembling one who just ate a bunch of raspberries. The vampire hissed.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic," Dean said, before lunging and beheading the vampire. He checked the pulse of the woman and sighed when he couldn't find one.

All three turned when they heard struggling from downstairs. Dean looked at the woman's hand and saw a shiny wedding ring, "The husband," Dean said as they hurried down to the first floor where they saw a blonde female holding down the husband. Sam called to her, and beheaded her when she turned toward them. Dean and Castiel knelt beside the guy, covering the wound on his neck. The man tried to speak to them, before giving up and pointing to the wall to the right of him. Dean looked up and saw a family picture of the husband and wife holding a baby girl.

"Shit, where's the kid?" Dean asked, standing up. He ran up the stairs and threw open every door. He reached the third door on the left and opened it to reveal a little girl with curly brunette hair standing in her crib with tears sliding down her chubby cheeks. Dean gave her a small smile, "Hey kiddo." He gently walked over to her and lifted her into his arms. He grabbed the teddy bear and blanket in the crib. He draped the blanket over her and handed her the stuffed animal. He made sure she was completely covered and couldn't see any of the horrors that happened to her parents. With the little girl settled down in his arms he carefully made his way out of the room, down the hallway and stairs, and out of the house.

"Dean! What are you doing?" Sam asked, obviously confused as to why his older brother was willingly holding a child.

Dean pulled the keys out of his jacket and tossed them to Sam, "I need you to drive."

"Dean, that doesn't answer my question. What are we doing with the girl?" Sam asked.

"Look, she's an orphan now. The vampires have her scent, and they can track her down. We didn't hunt all of them down, so we're taking her so she's safe. No one can protect her more than us," Dean explained.

"Okay," Sam said.

"Where's Cas?" Dean asked.

"He's still in the house. He's salting and burning the bodies. I'll go help him finish up," Sam said, looking at his brother one last time before heading back toward the house. Armed with his knife, he climbed into the back seat of the Impala and held the little girl in his lap. He gently pushed down the blanket covering her face. The little girl was fast asleep on his chest, breathing evenly and completely unaware of how different her life would be. She looked to be older than one, maybe two. Her brown hair framed chubby face and her eye lashes fluttered every few seconds during her slumber. The little girl was dressed in a pajama set, a tank top and shorts. She was still in diapers, too.

Dean knew that taking the little girl would mean extra work, but he couldn't leave the girl in obvious danger. Her dad made her presence known to them. He knew they were trying to protect his family, and Dean would protect his little girl from the monsters and horrors of the supernatural world. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep at night knowing that the little girl could die any moment. No. The little bundle was much safer with him and his family than anybody else.

An hour and a half later, Castiel and Sam had finished burning the bodies of the victims. Sam and Castiel slid into the car and turned to look t Dean, "She still asleep?"

Dean nodded, "We should probably get to a store. We're going to need some stuff for her."

Sam frowned, "We'll have to do in the morning. I can try a gas station and see if they have the essentials though."

"Yes, the child will need diapers, baby wipes, a bottle, milk, and food. She's probably eating solids looking at her size. She looks to be in between twelve to eighteen months," Castiel said.

"What's the date today?" Dean asked.

"July fifteenth," Sam answered.

"This is her first birthday then. We don't even know her name or age, so today's her birthday," Dean declared.

"Her name is Abigail Marie," Castiel said.

"How do you know that?" Dean asked.

"Her blanket. It has her name stitched on it," Castiel said, pointing to the corner where the name was stitched neatly into the blanket.

"Abigail," Dean whispered to himself, "Let's go to a gas station."

Sam started the car and pulled away from the house. The drive was silent as they all seemed to listen to the little girl breathing gently in her sleep. Sam and Castiel left the car idling while they went into the store to buy the essentials for the baby. They came back out laden with shopping bags and stored them next to Dean. A few minutes later they were driving back to the motel. They entered their room, Dean still holding Abigail and Sam and Castiel holding the bags. Dean eased himself onto the couch to not disturb the little girls sleep.

Sam began putting a carton of milk into the fridge as Castiel began to go throw the stuff they had been able to get for Abigail. Sam and Castiel after finishing opening up the packages each took a turn in shower. When they were both finished, Castiel stood in front of him with a wife beater and pair of pajama bottoms on. "I'll hold her while you shower," he said gently. Dean passed her over, careful not to jostle her too much. He kissed Castiel's forehead, before hurrying into the bathroom to shower. Minutes later he was showered and changed into an old shirt and pajama bottoms. He was glad to see the little girl still asleep in his husbands arms. Sam was sitting on his bed, watching Castiel and Abigail.

Anxious to have the little girl back in his arms, he went over to his angel and reached for the sleeping bundle. Castiel passed her over without complaint. Castiel and Sam both noticed the way Dean relaxed with the girl in his arms. They choose not to say anything.

The first night, Abigail slept in between Dean and Castiel peacefully and protected.

Chapter Text

It was another restless night of sleep for Dean. A four hour period of bits and pieces of his time in Hell that still plagued his subconscious liked an infections disease that had no cure. He wished he could say that he was desensitized by it after the years that had passed, but that would be a lie. His time in Hell haunted him because his worst fear was becoming a servant of it. The thought terrified him more than the monsters he hunted for a living.

The green eyed Winchester knew that he wasn't going to be able to fall back asleep. His body was awake and ready to conquer the day. He rubbed at his eyes and turned to look at Cas. His mind short wired at the sight of a little girl fast asleep beside him. What the hell... Dean thought, confused. It took a second, but the memories from the night before filtered through his confusion and gifted him with remembrance. A fond smile appeared as he continued to look at the little girl. She was cute. Freaking adorable if Dean was to be honest. She had curly brunette hair that framed her chubby cheeks and small ears perfectly. Thin side bangs swept over her small forehead. She had a small, soft looking nose. Long eye lashes fluttered against her pale cheeks. Two thin, pale pink lips pursed in her restful sleep. Gold studs adorned her tiny ears. Her hands were balled into fists resting on her tummy. He gently rubbed his calloused thumb over the little girls arm. Her skin was warm and soft. Dean sat up and slipped out from underneath the sheets. He figured he could get ready for the day while his family still slept.

With his clothes in hand after digging around in his duffel bag, he padded into the bathrom and closed the door before flicking on the lights. Dean had finished buttoning and zipping up his jeans when he heard a soft cry from the room. He opened up the bathroom door and could see Abigail sitting up with tears trailing down her cheeks. Her eyes squinted because of the light filtering into the room from the bathroom. He frowned, and made his way over to the upset girl.

"Wha's'ong?" Sam mumbled.

"I don't know," Dean replied, lifting the girl into his arms. Cas had opened his eyes and watched the scene with an intuitive look. Abigail had immediately quieted down when she was resting in Dean's embrace.

"It appears as if she was upset because she woke up to see that Dean had left her," Cas said. He wasn't surprised. Dean had come to her aid in a time of distress. He had met her needs, and therefore a bond had been established between the two. She also seemed to be taking comfort from the man's warmth radiating off of his bare skin. She had rested her head so that her face was hidden in Dean's neck and her arms folder so that they were in between both of their chests. Abigail was now quiet and drifting off to sleep.

"You're saying that out of the three adults in this room, she choose the emotionally stunted one?" Sam asked, a bit more coherent than earlier.

"Hey," Dean said, protesting his brothers comment. Sam gave him a look.

"Children are unusual beings. They put their trust in those that meet their needs. Dean responded to her distress, unknowingly, and she latched onto him. She finds comfort in being secure." Castiel said.

"How do you know all of this?" Dean asked.

"My father created your kind, and I have grown to learn everything I possibly can about you. That includes understanding how you interact and live when you are young," Castiel explained, "Children are more like the Father. They have the ability to love everything and do not judge."

Dean looked down to see her fast asleep, and he was still shirtless. "I guess that means she won't respond well if I handed her to one of you."

"She may start crying again," Castiel said.

Dean sighed and grabbed the small blanket that he had grabbed last night and moved to the couch. He sat down and draped the blanket over the small body. "Alright. Looks like I'm gonna be here until this little one wakes up," Dean conceded. He didn't really want to deal with a crying child, and she was pretty cute asleep like this.

Dean heard a snap and looked up to see Sam holding his phone up in the air, "That's being sent to Bobby," he remarked.

"Tell him he's a grandpa now," Dean said.

"He's gonna wring us alive for taking her with us," Sam said.

"Yeah, well, what were we supposed to do? Let them come back and kill her?" Dean asked rhetorically.

"I believe we did the right thing," Cas answered.

Dean looked over at Cas and smiled, "Well, looks like I willingly signed up for fatherhood."

Sam and Cas smiled.

"She is cute," Sam said.

"She's freaking adorable," Dean corrected.

"Her mother was very beautiful, and looks just like her. She will be a very pretty girl," Cas commented.

"That's going to create problems," Dean said, frowning just a bit.

"She'll be just fine as long as you're an actual father to her, and not a drill sergeant," Sam said understandingly.

Dean nodded, leaning against the couch a bit more comfortably and watched Abigail's body move to her gentle breathing.

Chapter Text

Sam and Cas had gotten up and started getting ready for the day. Dean continued to watch Abigail sleep as it approached seven thirty in the morning. He had been sitting with her now for about an hour. Sam and Cas were already dressed and eating breakfast Sam brought back from the diner down the street from their motel. His meal was waiting for him in the microwave. Sam was currently doing research on kids between twelve to eighteen months.

"It says here that she can eat solid foods, and should drink whole milk twice a day. I'm guessing once in the morning, and once before bed time. Since we don't know what she likes, it's going to be a trial and error situation, but we need to make sure she eats fresh food. Her body needs the vitamins to help her growth and development. I think we need to go back to Bobby's and settle for a bit. Her needs are a bit more important, and they can't be met on the road," Sam said, staring at his laptop while taking notes in a notebook.

"Yeah, I figured as much. What should we feed her until we get to Bobby's? Thankfully we're close to him, but this day trip just might turn into a two day trip because of the little one," Dean said.

"I have milk in the fridge in here already poured in the bottle. I'm guessing she's going to be more partial to foods easier to chew. Maybe a banana and yogurt will do. Calcium, potassium, and protein are all in it. That should hold her until Cas and I get back from the store. You're not allowed to go because we can't take her," Sam said.

"Alright, do we have a banana and a yogurt here?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, I have my vanilla yogurt I never ate yesterday, and there are bananas on the counter. You might need to slice them and then cut the pieces in half. She won't be able to have big bites of food." Sam said.

"Dean, will you check Abigail's tag on her pajamas, please?" Cas asked.

"Sure," Dean said, moving the blanket down a bit and gently lifting the tag out from the shirt. "It says 12 months to eighteen months. Good job on the age Cas," he praised.

"We'll have to get her some clothes, she can't live in her pajamas," Cas claimed.

"Yeah, we're going to need a car seat for her, and some toys to keep her entertained on the drive there. Some more diapers I imagine," Sam listed, writing in his notepad.

"We'll need to call Bobby to tell him the job isn't done and that he needs to call someone else," Dean said, "We can't leave this town at the mercy of an uncontrolled nest of vampires."

"We'll call him on the way there," Sam promised as he stood up and grabbed the keys to the Impala. Cas stood up as well and pulled on his trench coat. Dean watched as they left and closed the door, locking it behind them. He looked down at the small figure laying contentedly on his chest, "Just you and I now," he murmured.

About half an hour after his brother and the angel left, Abigail began to stir. Her little hands reached her eyes and began to rub at them with balled fists. Dean watched fondly as the little girl woke up. He smiled at her when she looked up at him, "Good morning, Abigail," he said to her softly.

"Hi," she chirped back, smiling at him.

He couldn't contain his smile at the voice, so clear and child-like, "Hi there, Abigail."

She giggled. Dean carded his fingers through her soft brunette locks, easing the tangles from them, "Are you hungry?" He asked.

"Yes," she answered, lifting her pajama top up and looking at her belly.

Dean laughed, poking the soft and pale flesh. That earned a giggle from her. She pushed her top back down over her belly. Dean stood up, having a secure grip on Abigail and walked over to the kitchenette. He pulled out the bottle of milk and offered it to her, "Do you want some milk?" He asked.

"Yes!" She said, reaching out for it eagerly. Dean handed it to her and turned back to pull out the yogurt. It was vanilla flavored.

"Alright, Abigail, I'm gonna set you down on this chair, while I make your breakfast and you drink your milk, okay?" He asked, placing her on the chair.

"No," she whined.

"It's okay, I'll be right here." Dean comforted, releasing her. He smiled at her, "See? Still here."

She smiled, and he turned to slice and dice the yellow fruit.

He found a plastic spoon and carried the small bowl of bananas and cup of yogurt to the table. He set them down and picked up Abigail and took her seat. He sat her down on his lap and dipped the spoon into the yogurt, only scooping up a little bit. He raised it to her lips, and thankfully, she took it without complaint. He scooped up a piece of banana and offered it to her as well. Like a miracle, she took the banana and chewed it before swallowing. "Good girl," he praised. She smiled at him happily. He repeated the process of feeding her until it was all gone. She had finished her bottle, too.

He rummaged through the bags from Sam's shopping trip last night and pulled out a diaper and wet wipes. "Alright little one, let's change you." He said, a bit grossed out at what he might find. He laid her on the carpet and pulled off her pajama shorts and began unwrapping the diaper. He grimaced as he began to clean the little girl.

Meanwhile, Sam and Cas were in the baby aisle at Target. Or aisles. Cas was in the section of clothes, finding outfits for Abigail in her size. Sam was looking at car seats and was looking at his phone at the safety ratings for each seat before he decided on one to buy. The angel was having some fun picking out clothes for Abigail. He was picking out shirts, shorts, skirts, dresses, pajamas, and shoes for her.

Sam had decided on a car seat and set the box in the cart. He travelled down to the aisle with all of the toys. He picked out the age appropriate ones that could travel easily. He picked up a few bibs, and toys to chew on for when she teethes. With the essentials in his cart, he set off to find Cas in the maze of clothing racks. He caught sight of the angel and headed toward, his eyes widening at the amount of clothes in the cart. "Dude. That's a lot of clothes," Sam said.

"Yes, she'll need them," Cas said.

"Alright, how about we put some of them back, and we can go to the Target in Bobby's town and you can get more clothes. I just don't think they'll all fit in the Impala," Sam said.

Cas frowned, "I guess you are right," he said, picking through the clothes and returning some of them to their clothing racks. With a decent, and manageable amount, in the cart, Sam and Cas made their way to the registers. They waited in line for a few seconds before it was their turn. They unloaded their items from the cart. The cashier didn't even blink an eye, she just rang up the purchases and bagged them up. Sam's eyes widened at the total amount, but swiped his card nonetheless. He thanked the cashier, and Cas and Sam were on there way back to the motel.

Sam and Cas opened the motel door laden with bags and dropped them on the first bed, which just so happened to be Dean and Cas'. "Dean?" Sam called out, looking around the empty room. They heard giggles and laughter from the bathroom. Sam and Cas approached it and peered in through the open door. Smiles instantly appeared on their faces. Abigail was in the bath, bubbles surrounded by her and Dean gently washing her, tickling her every chance he got. "Hey Dean, we're back," Sam said.

Dean looked up and smiled, "Hey guys. I'm hoping we have some clothes for this kiddo."

"Yes, I'll bring you an outfit for her," Cas offered.

"Thanks Cas," Dean said.

"We have almost everything we need. I talked to Bobby on the way back. I gave him a list of what we didn't have and he's on his way to go pick it up. I promised him that we'd pay him back and he said, 'No need too. I'm a grandfather now, you idjit.'" Sam shared.

Dean laughed, "Sounds like Bobby."

Cas returned with an outfit and diaper. "The tags are all off," he said, placing the clothes on the counter.

Dean smiled at him, and turned back to Abigail who was splashing and playing in the water. "Alright kiddo, time to get out." He unplugged the drain and stood up to get a towel. He set it next to him as he lifted Abigail out, quickly covering her and rubbing her dry. He laid her on the towel and put the diaper on her. "Cold," she whined. Dean frowned, "I know sweetheart, almost done," he said, slipping on the ruffled yellow skirt. He picked her up and slid the white and yellow striped shirt over her head and helped her with her arms getting through the sleeve. He looked at her and chuckled. Cas would find an outfit that had bees on it.

"Alright," he said, standing up, "You've been fed, bathed, and changed. Do you want to play?" He asked, slipping on his own t-shirt.

"Play!" She said excitedly, running out of the bathroom. Dean laughed and followed behind her.

Chapter Text

Sam had began opening the small boxes of toys he had bought for Abigail. She had sat down and spread the toys around her, reaching for each one and playing with them for a couple minutes, before switching to another toy. Dean, Sam, and Cas were standing next to each other watching her play. She was infectious with her sweet smile and bright eyes.

"Alright, we should probably start packing up that way we can leave." Sam suggested to the trio.

"Yeah, she'll be able to play for a bit longer, but I want to be out of here before nine," Dean said.

"While you both pack, I'll go find some snacks for her, and a lunch. We'll have to stop I'm sure," Cas rambled, turning around and heading out of the motel.

Dean and Sam watched him leave, before they turned back to their respective duffel bags. Dean began to look at all of the things Cas had bought for Abigail, "Jesus, did he buy the whole store?" He said.

"Uh, no. When I found him, it was double that amount," Sam said, laughing.

Dean replied with a life of disbelief, "After I think I have him figured out, he does something like this."

"Up!" Dean turned to see the little girl toddling toward him with her arms raised.

"Hey kiddo," Dean said, picking her up with an already practiced ease. He balanced her on his left hip and packed with one hand. She rested her head on his shoulder, watching quietly.

"She really likes you," Sam commented.

"I know. It's terrifying," he remarked, looking at the little girl perfectly comfortable in his arms. She looked up at him and smiled, "Hi."

He smiled back, "Hi there."

Sam watched with quiet fondness at the pair interacting. He didn't necessarily like the means of how they had her in their lives now, but he could admit that she was someone worth saving.

Cas had returned with snacks and a lunch they could easily prepare. After loading up the trunk, and the car seat assembled and in the back seat, Sam took the keys to the Impala and sat in the front seat. Cas rode shotgun, and Dean was in the back with Abigail. "Man, this feels so weird," he commented.

Sam laughed, "You better get used to it. Until Abigail is ready to be held and comforted around other people, that's where you'll be."

Dean rolled his eyes, "Yeah, well, what do you want me to do? Make her upset on purpose? No. If I can prevent the crying, I'm doing it."

"Is that because you don't want the crying, or because you actually like the attention she bestows upon you?" Cas asked, rather sarcastically.

"Shut it, angel," Dean replied.

The drive they covered in that day was filled with stops every couple of hours to let Abigail run and play for a few minutes to exhaust herself so she would sleep during the drive, change her diaper, and get back on the road. She was a good sport about the drive, and only grew fussy when she was hungry or thirsty. Dean had seemed to meet most of her needs easily, just going through the basics of what a one year old must be upset about. Innocence was bliss when you only had to worry about eating, playing, and sleeping in life. Dean hoped she could keep that innocence a lot longer than Sam and he had.

"She's out for the count. Do you want me to drive Sammy?" Dean asked. He had been able to rest with Abigail, and he figured his brother must be getting tired.

"Yeah, I'll pull over as soon as I can," Sam replied. A few minutes later, Sam was pulling to the side of the highway and the two brothers changed spots. Cas was already asleep. Dean pulled back onto the road and continued the drive to Bobby's. They all had decided that the sooner they get there, the better. From what Dean could tell, they were four hours out. They would get to Bobby's at three in the morning.

Four and half hours later, Dean was pulling up to Bobby's house and silencing the Impala. He leaned over and nudged Cas, "Cas, wake up," he said gently. The angel woke up a few seconds after, taking in his surroundings. He smiled at his angel before getting out of the car and opening the back door. He opened it to see a sleeping Abigail. He smiled at the sight before gently unbuckling her seat belts and lifting her carefully out of the car seat. Cas had woken up Sam. With Dean holding Abigail, the other two followed him into the house. Dean could see Bobby fast asleep at his desk.

"I'm going to take this rugrat upstairs," Dean said quietly. Cas and Sam nodded in response as they moved into the living room to take their respective spots. Dean carried her up the stairs and entered one of the rooms. The windows in the room were already salted. Dean gently laid the little girl down after pulling the blankets down. He pulled off his shoes and his shirt before climbing in beside her. He pulled up the blanket over them both and settled in. Abigail's gentle breathing lulled him to sleep.

Dean woke up four hours later to his biological alarm clock. He rubbed his hands over his eyes and turned over to see Abigail still fast asleep. He gently rubbed his thumb over her soft cheek, "Abigail, sweetheart, wake up," he murmured to her. After a bit of coaxing, her eyes finally opened and he realized for the first time how green her eyes were. "Hey there," he said softly, gently pulling her closer to him. She rested her head on his chest, sucking her thumb into her mouth. His hands carded through her hair as she woke up in the quiet room.

When Abigail decided she was awake enough, she sat up and looked around the room curiously. Dean sat up as well and pulled her into his lap. He tickled her belly. Her giggles rang through the room sounding like music to his ears. "Alright munchkin, let's go see what Uncle Sam, Cas, and Grandpa Bobby are up to," he said, picking her up and leaving the room. She was looking at her surroundings with curiosity as Dean walked down the hallway and stairs and into the living room. Bobby was awake and behind his desk nursing a cup of coffee. Sam was on the couch drinking a cup of water, while Cas wasn't there. "Morning," Dean greeted.

Bobby and Sam looked up. Abigail shyly laid her head down on Dean's shoulder, a bit unsure. "It's okay," he whispered to her.

"How'd you sleep?" Sam asked.

"Great, I even woke up before this one again," Dean said, tickling her sides. She giggled again. Both Sam and Bobby smiled at the noise.

"She's cute," Bobby commented.

"Yeah, and probably the most perfect one year old ever," Dean added, tickling her once more.

"Only times she's cried was yesterday morning when she woke up and saw that Dean was gone. He picked her up, sat down on the couch, and she slept for another two hours perfectly content in his arms," Sam shared.

"How old is she?" Bobby asked.

"Cas thinks she's in between twelve to eighteen months. Yesterday I said that since we don't know when she was actually born, that we'd say that her birthday was yesterday," Dean said.

"She looks a bit small to be one," Bobby said.

"She's petite like her mother was," Sam said.

"She's healthy?" He asked.

"From what we can tell, yeah. She eats really well, sleeps the entire night, plays by herself very well, from what we can tell she's a healthy twelve month old," Dean said.

"Kind of a coincidence with her having those green eyes and everything," Bobby said.

"Believe me, I know," Dean said. "Alright, well, this kiddo needs to eat. Bobby do you have whole milk?"

"Sam already gave me a list of food I should get, she has everything she'll need in the kitchen," Bobby answered.

"Thanks. Mind telling me where Cas is?" Dean asked.

"He mojo'd out of the house a couple minutes after he woke up," Sam answered.

Dean frowned, "Hm," and continued walking into the kitchen to feed the little girl in his arms.

Chapter Text

Dean knew that things with Cas needed to be discussed. It was obvious that both felt something for one another. With Cas gone, out of the blue, he felt on edge. The angel usually told someone where he was going. It was unusual for him to just mojo out of the blue, especially with his diminishing Grace. It drained a lot of the juice from him. Thankfully he had Abigail as a distraction for the day. He had to feed her, change her, play with her, and make sure she was kept safe from the many dangers of the life of a Hunter. He was able to watch her learn and act on her curiosity. Childhood was beautiful, and he couldn't believe that this precious life had been thrown into this life. It was like Sam and Dean's life, being thrown into the world of supernatural because of the loss of her parents.

Abigail was in the middle of the living room playing with her blocks. Dean stood up from where he was sitting down on the couch and crossed the floor and scooped the little girl up into her arms. She looked thrilled at the attention. He poked her nose, which earned a delighted giggle. "Alright kiddo, nap time," Dean said, tickling her. She giggled some more before resting her head on Dean's shoulder. He carried her up the stairs and into the room they slept in the night before. He laid her down and sat beside her. He began humming Hey Jude to her, watching as her eyelids grew heavy and finally slipped shut.

Setting the small girl down on the bed was a task, but once she was covered with the blanket he left the room quietly, keeping the door open so he could hear if she woke up. He jogged down the stairs and walked in to the living room to see his angel clad in his trench coat. "Cas?" Dean said carefully.

"Hello Dean," Cas replied, looking up at Dean.

"Dude, where have you been?" Dean questioned. He did it out of concern.

"I was called to Heaven," Cas answered.

Dean stood there for a few seconds before narrowing his eyes, "Would you like to elaborate?" He asked exasperatedly.

"I am a father." Cas answered, quietly.

Dean leaned back a bit, taking that in. "How?"

"She was born of my Grace. She's a fledgling," Cas explained.

"When did this happen?" Dean asked.

"This morning. It was brought to my attention that it was time for me to have my child, even though I am without a mate," Cas said.

"Mate?" Dean asked confsued.

"Each angel has a mate. Typically they are angels, in rare occasions they are humans."

"You haven't found yours?"

"Typically, the mates of angels know. They feel the bond connecting them. It is very rare when they don't reciprocate as they are intended to-"

"Cas. Have you found yours?" Dean interrupted.

"Yes." Cas answered, averting his eyes away.

"Who is it?" Dean asked quietly.

"I am not supposed to tell them until they reciprocate the feeling," Cas answered.

"Why? 'Cause it'll mess with Destiny?" Dean asked sarcastically.

"Essentially, yes," Cas answered.

"Cas. Who's your mate?" Dean asked, a bit stern with the angel. His gut knew what the answer was, and it was churning. This was foreign territory, the closest thing he came to having this was with Lisa and Ben, and look how that turned out.

"Isn't it obvious?"

Dean turned to see Sam leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He turned to Cas, "Does he know?" He asked, pointing to his brother. Cas nodded in defeat.

"Somebody better explain," Dean said, becoming frustrated with his best friend and brother.

"Cas has always been talking about this 'Profound Bond' you two share. He answers your prayers within seconds. Rebelled for you. Saved you from Hell. He sacrificed his Grace for you. He was able to resist Naomi and not kill you. He would not have done that unless you meant more to him than just another human," Sam explained.

"Are you saying..." Dean trailed off, looking from Sam to Cas. Cas refused to make eye contact with him.

"You are his mate," Sam answered, "and that also means that the fledgling is yours. Not only does it takes an angels Grace to help create a fledgling, but the angel also has to be in love for the fledgling to be birthed. Cas fell in love with you, therefore his Grace took on the task of forming the fledgling. A fledgling is born out of love, just like how when Grace comes into contact with anything on Earth, the Earth thrives off of it."

"How do you know all of this?" Dean asked turning to face his brother with a suspicious look.

"Gabriel." Cas answered, narrowing his eyes. He walked closer to Sam, "Gabriel can only explain that to you if it pertains to you."

"Are you and Gabriel...mates?" Dean asked.

Sam shifted, looking away uncomfortably, "Yeah. The only reason we don't have a fledgling yet is because his Grace is weak. He said we would have had a fledgling months ago."

"Months" Dean asked, "And where was I?"

"He visited my dreams," Sam shared in a whisper, "and would sometimes visit me when you were asleep."

"Even as an archangel, he should be able to have a fledgling. His Grace can't be that low," Cas said. "What aren't you telling us?"

"He's using his Grace to counteract the demon blood. He's trying to purify my blood with his Grace," Sam admitted.

"Can he do that?" Dean asked Cas.

"He's an archangel. His Grace isn't necessarily weakening him, but the control it must take to not burn Sam from the inside out is. It would create great exertion and control, and that's why his Grace is weak. Has it been working?" Cas asked.

"It has. Gabriel says there are only minimal traces of it left in my system," Sam said, a small smile on his face.

Cas gently reached to touch Sam's arm and his eyes widened, "You're almost completely clean."

"How did Gabriel figure this out?" Dean asked.

"He always knew, but an angel can't willingly use their Grace on just anyone. It's typically done out of love for someone. He had to wait," Sam explained. "It's not important. What's important is that Cas loved you before you knew about him. Dean, not only did he drop your soul back into your body, but he had to rebuild and mend your soul with his Grace. That's why Heaven sent Cas. He was the only who could successfully do it."

"That true Cas?" Dean asked, turning to face the angel.

"It is. I have known about your existence for a very long time. I loved you when you were in your mother's womb, and when I had to repair your broken and tormented soul when I raised you from perdition," Cas shared quietly.

"Dean, it's not everyday an angel falls in love with a human. We're the first to happen in a very long time. Centuries," Sam said.

"Who was the last one?" Dean asked.

"Michael. His mate was a human girl from the fourteen hundreds. She now resides in Heaven with him." Cas said.

"It's one of the perks of being a mate to an angel," Sam said, "instant access to Heaven."

"Where's the fledgling?" Dean asked, turning to face Cas. If he had a daughter he wanted to meet her.

"In Heaven. I didn't want to bring her down here without explaining everything to you. Depending on your reaction, I was going to make my move according to it," Cas answered.

"Her? The fledgling's a girl?" Dean asked, "I thought angels didn't have genders."

"Yes, but since I fell in love with a human, she doesn't need a vessel. She has the power to create her own form and identity, and she has decided to be a girl," Cas explained.

"Alright. Well, I want to meet her," Dean said, his hands resting on his hips. .

Cas had a small smile on his face when he disappeared. A couple seconds later he had returned with a small bundle cradled in his arms. Dean approached the angel and the fledgling. "Be careful, her Grace is not under control. It may shock you," Cas murmured. Dean looked to see a sleeping girl nestled in Cas's arms, fast asleep and sucking on a pacifier.

"Do you know what she's going to look like?" Dean asked.

"Yes. She has taken on my vessels eye color, your nose and lips, my hair color, and she has your skin complexion," Cas answered, leaning down to drop a gentle kiss to the infant's forehead.

"What's her name?" Dean asked, looking at the beautiful baby. He'd never met more beautiful newborn than the baby resting in Cas's arms.

"She has not chosen one. She wants us to choose one for her," Cas answered.

"How do you know?" Dean asked.

"I can read her Grace," Cas answered, "because she is made from my Grace."

"Ah," Dean answered.

"Bethany?" Cas suggested.

"Bethany...it's perfect." Dean agreed, looking at the sweet girl still fast asleep.

"Bethany Jo Winchester," Cas deemed, a finger softly trailing up and down the girl's cheek, still pink and brand new.

"Cas..." Dean whispered, unsure how to put what he felt into actual words.

"She deserves to have Jo's namesake." Cas responded.

"Can I hold her?" Dean finally asked.

"Yes, of course," he said, gently handing the baby over to Dean. Dean looked down at the small infant and smiled. He couldn't believe that this happened, that he was holding a life so innocent and pure, perfect in every since of the word. "Hello angel," he whispered softly to the creation made from the Grace of an angel who had fallen in love with his damaged soul. Something this beautiful made since for it to come from Cas, but not from Dean as well. Yet, his eyes weren't lying to him. He could see the traits the baby had taken on that were from him. "You are beautiful," he murmured to the sleeping baby.

Chapter Text

"When was she born?" Dean asked.

"She was born at eight thirty seven, minutes after I left. She could only be formed within the safety of my wings. My Grace helped form her Grace. It's why I left without saying anything," Cas explained, watching Dean holding Bethany as she continued to sleep.

"What'll be different? She's not a normal human baby, but she's not fully angel either, right?" Dean asked.

"Well, it's hard to say. She still has her needs that we have to meet: eating, changing, typical human needs. She won't cry as much, she'll have more patience than a typical human baby. She'll need more stimulation earlier on because her growth rate is triple that of a humans. She'll have the knowledge and capabilities of a young adult as a toddler," Cas said.

"Is that it?" Dean asked, looking at Cas with wide eyes.

"She has her wings, as well," Cas added.

"You mean thy aren't invisible?" Dean asked.

"When she matures, she'll be able to conceal them. For now, her Grace is being used to help her grow and stabilize. It's not worried about her wings at the moment." Cas explained.

"What do they look like?" Dean asked, in awe as he looked at this incredible being in his arms. His daughter.

"They look like mine, black, but with green tones. They're small, but they will grow rapidly over time when her Grace isn't focused on stabilizing her form," Cas explained.

"Can I see?" Sam asked. Dean looked up to see his brother.

"Yeah, yeah, of course. Come meet your niece, I guess," Dean said, smiling and laughing a bit. Dean had gently passed Bethany over to Sam when cries interrupted the joyful introduction of the new addition. "That's Abigail," Dean said, hurrying up the stairs once Sam had his niece securely in his arms. He walked through the open door to see Abigail sitting up with tear tracks on her cheeks.

"Hey, you're okay sweetheart," Dean said, lifting the little girl up in his arms. "What's the fuss little one," he murmured to her. She smiled at Dean, her hands touching Dean's cheeks. He smiled at her, and tickled her tummy. Giggles instantly bubbled through Abigail. "That's my girl," he said, leaving the room and walking down the stairs.

Dean felt like he was a bit overwhelmed with the changes in a short amount of time, but that was his life story. First taking Abigail on impulse, and then finding out Cas and him had a child. He would never admit to how grateful he felt to have a chance at being a father again, but he worried about what would happen to his kids. He was a Hunter, and nothing would change that.

He walked downstairs to see Bobby next to Sam as they looked at Bethany. Bobby looked up when Abigail giggled. "Can't you keep it in your pants, boy?"

Dean rolled his eyes, "Very funny."

"I took the liberty of finding out Abigails biographical information. She was born August eleventh at nine forty five at night. She weighed seven pounds and ten ounces at thirteen point thirty three inches. She was a week and a half premature, but was completely healthy. It appears that she is only eleven months old," Cas shared.

"She's not eve one yet? Jeez, she's a smart kid," Dean said, looking at the eleven month old. "Thanks for finding all of that out, Cas."

"It's the least I could do," Cas replied simply.

"Alright, looks like we're tackling fatherhood together because of our bond. We should probably, you know, figure things out between us," Dean said in a low voice, reserved only for Cas to hear.

"Yes, we should," Cas agreed. He turned to face Sam, "Will you be aright with Bethany?"

"Yeah, go work things out," Sam said, smiling.

Dean and Cas headed for the kitchen. "Let me get this little one set up with a snack and then we can talk about this bond," Dean said, setting Abigail down in a chair. He picked up a banana off of the counter and peeled it halfway. He quickly sliced and diced it into bite sized piece and placed them in a bowl. He placed the bowl in front of Abigail and dropped a kiss on top of her head.

"Alright, so, I'll admit that this thing between us has always been a bit more than just friendship. How long did you think it would take for me to figure it out?" Dean asked.

"A while. You did not respond to my courtship in the way I had hoped you would," Cas admitted.

"Courtship?" Dean asked.

"I asked for you to teach me how to be a Hunter, I wanted your approval. I always wanted to be your partner during cases. I wanted to understand you, and yet I still don't. You continue to confuse me. When you brought Abigail with us, it confused me because I always had the impression that you wanted to stay away from fatherhood, yet you welcomed Abigail no problem. I then delivered the news about Bethany, and you were fine with it. Almost pleased. I do not understand you Dean even though I reconstructed your soul with my Grace." Cas shared.

Dean half-smiled at the blue-eyed angel. He crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the counter, "Maybe that's why we have this bond. You understand humanity, it only makes since that you wouldn't be able to fully understand your mate. Keep things interesting and surprising. That's probably why Gabriel and Sam work. Gabriel probably doesn't understand Sam's multiple personalities." He half-teased.

"Dean, we have a child, and you also have Abigail, I would very much like it if we could be a family. The four of us," Cas admitted.

"Cas, you don't even need to ask. We can work on our Profound Bond while we work on how to parent the girls, and thankfully we have the basics covered. You're my best friend, and I'm willing for that relationship to be more, I guess," Dean said.

"Thank you Dean."

"Da-da!"

Dean's attention was diverted away from his angel and to the little girl on her chair with raised arms, "Da-da!"

"Did she just..." Dean said, trailing off. So many emotions were coursing through him. He couldn't believe this girl, this precious being, called him "Da-da." He felt happiness and joy for being the little one's father-figure and absolute terror of becoming an old John Winchester.

"Da-da," Abigail whined.

"Dean, I think she wants to be picked up," Cas piped in, noticing the unshed tears and unhappy green eyes.

"Right, right," Dean said, crossing the short distance and lifting the girl in his arms. "Hey there sweetheart," he murmured to her.

"I'm going to prepare a bottle of milk and honey for Bethany," Cas said.

"Wait. Honey?" Dean asked, "I thought honey was bad for babies."

"It is, for human babies. Honey is very useful for fledglings though. Raw honey is better than milk for a fledgling because it has more nutrients in it. She'll take it just fine, and her Grace will absorb the honey. It'll help to further stabilize her form as well," Cas explained.

"Ah," Dean said, watching Cas make a warm bottle of water and formula. He added half a teaspoon of honey and mixed it around. Dean left the kitchen, Abigail in his arms, and Cas following behind him. Sam was sitting on the couch with Bethany laying on his chest. He had his hands protectively and securely around the tiny bundle. "You want one," Dean teased.

Sam smiled, "Of course I do. Especially if they are this well-behaved."

"I don't know, your fledgling will be created out of Gabriel's Grace," Dean teased.

"That is true," Sam said smiling.

"Speaking of, when are you going to let him know that we all know?" Dean asked.

"He already knows." Sam stated.

"How?"

"Through prayer," Cas answered, "that's why I could always answer Dean right away. It was very hard to answer Sam because there was no link. Sometimes I couldn't even hear Sam's prayer even though he used my name."

"Well, looks like the angel on our shoulder saying wasn't too far off," Dean said, laughing at his own joke.

Sam rolled his eyes.

"Sam, do you mind if I feed Bethany?" Cas asked.

"No, of course, she's your kid," Sam said, gently cradling her and passing her over to Cas's waiting arms. Cas gripped her and moved to sit on the couch next to Sam. He sat the bottle next to him and gently used his free hand to caress Bethany's cheeks.

"Come on, little angel," he murmured to her softly, "it's time to eat."

Bethany's eyes fluttered open. He smiled at her, "Hey there angel," he spoke quietly. He took the bottle and eased the nipple between the babies two lips. Bethany took the bottle with no problem and drank it. Dean watched in absolute wonderment. Not just at the sight of Bethany taking the bottle and that her eyes were open, but at how well Cas was with her. Especially with him sitting there and being so gentle with her.

Sam was watching Bethany and Cas as well, and he knew that they would have a fledgling of their own very soon, but he didn't know how much longer he could wait. Especially after holding precious Bethany.

"Dada," Abigail said.

Sam looked up at the noise and could see Abigail patting Dean's cheek. "Did she just call you 'dada'?"

"Oh, uh, yeah. She called me that when Cas and I were talking. Apparently I wasn't paying her enough attention," Dean said, tickling the little girls sides.

"That was fast," Sam acknowledged.

"Tell me about it, I freaked out. Cas had to snap me out of it," Dean said.

"Yes, she said it three more times before I intervened and pulled him out of his thoughts," Cas shared.

"Three times?" Dean asked.

"Yes, it seems as though she accepts that you are her new father." Cas answered, looking up.

Dean looked at Abigail and smiled, "She might as well be my daughter."

"Considering how she completely attached to you and grows upset whenever you leave her, yeah, she pretty much is your kid," Sam said.

"Well, she might not be blood, but she's family now," Dean said, leaning in to kiss Abigail's forehead.

Chapter Text

It was clear to everyone in the room that Abigail did not like it when somebody else tried to interact with her. The only person she put up with was Cas, whether it was because he was around more than the others or not, Dean was able to leave the little girl with the angel to take care of Bethany. Dean had absolutely fallen in love with Bethany. The sweet little bundle was an absolute joy to take care of. She was getting so big, especially within the last week. It was like he could actually sit there and watch her grow. Surprisingly, Abigail did really well around the baby. She was always very gentle and quiet around her. His daughters were absolutely beautiful, and perfect.

Cas had surprised Dean even more by his willingness to be a father to both girls. Not just a father, but a really good dad. He was patient and gentle with each girl, and when he was with Abigail he let her take her time to finish a task. He helped when he felt like the little girl needed it, but other than that, he would watch as Abigail figured out with block went through the slot or when she ate her snack a bit too slow. Cas never rushed her. Dean could see why that patience was necessary. He always felt hurried and rushed when he was around his old man, so he could imagine the effect a patient father would have on a child. Abigail blossomed. She was being nurtured and taken care of in every aspect that she was finally warming up to the other men in the house. She let Sam finally pick her up a week after bringing her home with them. Dean could remember Sam's face, pure delight and shock. Sam lifted her up and she had patted his cheek. He smiled at her and tickled her belly. She giggled until she was breathless. Soon after that, she had let Uncle Gabriel pick her up. (He had randomly popped in a week after Bethany's birth.) She had taken to the funny angel who would drop everything to go and play with her, whether it was pretending to be a horse and letting her be a cowgirl, or if it was reading a book in character.

It took a couple days after relying on her uncles that she had let Bobby comfort her because Dean and Cas were tending to Bethany. She had fallen over and stood up crying. She had toddled over to Bobby with raised arms. The gruff old man lifted her up and comforted her and tended to her knee. After a few kisses belly and raspberries to her belly, she was perfectly fine sitting in his lap listening to him read to her. Dean was relieved to see his oldest take so well to the other men in their lives. Although whenever she saw him, her face would brighten and her smile grow so big it could melt his heart. He tried so hard to make sure she was having his attention as much as possible. He would take her out on a walk and let her play in the dirt and splash in the water. He would pick her up and throw her into the air and catch her. And late at night he would read her Goodnight Moon and let her fall asleep on his chest. Cas would join him after he had put Bethany down in the bassinet at the end of their bed. They would share a small kiss, still testing things out between the two of them, and Dean would fall asleep, knowing his angel was watching over their small family.

Gabriel had become a permanent member to their odd family, harmonizing with the others in under a week. Dean didn't mind the archangel, and even found his pranks to be a bit funny now that they were harmless and mild. The archangel had let Dean watch as he did the last purification on Sam. It looked intimate, but with the pained expression on both faces he knew that their was nothing more to it. The Grace glowed in between Gabriel's hands placed on Sammy's bare chest. After a minute and a half, Gabriel removed his hands and sucked in oxygen. Sam instantly held Gabriel up, running his hands over the angels face as he murmured his thanks to him. Dean smiled, taking his leave. After an hour, Sam and Gabriel came down the stairs with smiles on their faces and looking a lot better.

"All clean?" Dean asked as he held Bethany to his chest.

"Gabriel says so, we just want Cas to confirm," Sam said.

Dean didn't know when the last time he saw that smile full of hope and pure happiness. He had to resist hugging Gabriel and thanking him for being able to put that smile on his little brothers face again.

"I would love to help," Cas said, standing up from his position on the couch. He reached out for Sam's wrists and held on as he let a very small amount of Grace flow from him. After a few seconds he smiled, "It appears as if Gabriel was successful and removed all of the demon blood from your system."

Sam grinned, and pulled Gabriel into a hug, "Thank you," he said to him.

He watched as Gabriel smiled, "Anything for you."

Dean grinned at Cas, and Cas returned the smile with his own. "Alright, so, when's the baby due?" Dean asked.

Sam pulled away from Gabriel, "Yeah, Gabriel, when's our fledgling due."

Gabriel laughed, "As soon as I recharge my batteries, I'll go up to Heaven."

"Ah, welcome to parenthood Sammy." Dean said.

"You're going to be an uncle Dean," Sam reminded.

"Which means cousins for our kiddos," Dean said happily, shifting Bethany so he could cradle her in his arms. Her bright blue eyes were bright and curious. Her wings were swaddled in the blanket with her. Dean could remember the first time he saw them. He was absolutely amazed by the delicate things, and how beautiful they looked. He gently stroked them, much to Bethany's delight. They were soft and silky to the touch. He could feel her Grace radiating through them, just like he could see her Grace shine in her eyes. It was exactly like her dad's. Dean could see Cas's Grace in his too blue eyes. Cas and Dean decided to keep Bethany's wings private, letting her decided to show her uncles and grandpa when she was ready to.

Dean remembered brushing Bethany's wings and an odd question coming to mind. "Cas, will I ever be able to see your wings?"

Cas turned to face him after he finished dressing Abigail. "If you wanted to see them, all you needed to do was ask."

"I know I saw a shadow of them, but I want to see the real deal," Dean said.

"I can show you when we're not in a confined space," Cas promised.

"Okay," Dean said smiling.

Later that night after the girls were put in bed, Cas and Dean took a walk outside. The sun was below the horizon, but it was still light out. Cas pulled off his trench coat and handed it to Dean. He had a look of concentration on his face as his wings began to materialize. Dean's eyes widened as the large, dark black wings began to show. They were massive and powerful, sleek and elegant, and utterly perfect. Dean approached them and saw that the bottom feathers looked to be singed white.

"Why are these feathers white?" Dean asked, his hands brushing over the feathers.

Cas's wings twitched at the touch, "They were burned when I lifted you from Hell. Angel wings can burn, and they change color after coming in contact with the fire. It's like how your skins scars after a wound heals. My Grace can mend and repair my feathers, but damage from the Hell fire always has lasting effects."

"You don't like them," Dean clarified as he ran his hands through the feathers, approaching Cas slowly.

"They are disgraceful," Cas said simply.

Dean frowned as his hands met with Cas's arms, "You're ashamed of them."

"Yes Our wing are a symbol of our purity and righteousness, and mine have been eternally tainted by the Hell fire." Cas explained.

"Cas. They make you, you." Dean said, "Look, it's not necessarily about how they were scarred, but the means by which they were scarred.

Cas frowned, "I do not understand."

Dean frowned, trying to think of a better way to explain it to Cas. "It's like what Sam said. Heaven sent you to rescue me from Hell because you were the only one who could. Not only that, but you reconstructed my soul. You mended it by using your Grace in the most intimate ways possible. With your help, I never had to go through what Sammy did. I wasn't plagued by my time in the pit because your Grace cleansed and, I don't know, protected me. Cas, you were the only one who could make me whole again. That meant another angel could have rescued me and brought me to you for you to fix me up. But you didn't, you led the rescue mission down there to save me. The means by which they were scarred, Cas, an eternal reminder to both of us because of the sacrifice you laid down for me. Do you understand?"

Cas nodded, "I think so."

Dean half-smiled, "Okay, Cas. Don't you go forgetting it either."

"I couldn't even if I wanted to," Cas answered honestly.

Dean chuckled, "Yeah, I know, angel."

"You know, my wings are not just a part of me, they're their own being. We work together as one, and whenever you're around me...they hum." Cas shared.

Dean smiled, "Do they? And what does that mean?"

"They see you as another suitable companion. They want to protect you. They feel pleasure when you are near, especially with a soul as bright as yours. They are stronger when they are near you." Cas said, frowning a bit, while also looking lost.

Dean could see Cas's wings twitch. He moved his hands back onto the feathers, carding through them gently. "My soul helps strengthen them?"

"Yes. Our relationship is already rare with the whole angel and humans destined to be mates, but I can now sense your soul. You're feeling joy. I can tell by the brightness of your soul. It's bright, blindingly so in this form, and it's changing into different shades of white, while also glimmering. I'm not reading body language, I'm reading your actual soul." Cas said in genuine amazement.

"Are you saying the emotions of my soul effect your wings?" Dean asked.

"Yes. When you're happy, my wings feel light and relaxed, thrumming with quiet contentedness. I can only imagine how they will react if you are in danger, or upset."

"What do you mean?" Dean asked.

"If you are in danger, my wings will want to protect you. They'll give me a boost in my Grace. Kind of like an adrenaline rush in you humans. If you're angry or upset, they'll be on edge. They'll want to comfort you until you are not upset anymore," Cas said, his stare clearing up from the foggy look before. Dean knew that Cas was looking at him, and not his soul anymore.

"Your wings are incredible," Dean said.

"Thank you, Dean." Cas said, his wings thrumming happily underneath Dean's touch.

Dean removed his hands from the beautiful black wings and smiled at Cas, "Thanks for letting me see them."

"Of course," Cas replied.

Dean watched as the wings disappeared. Without his wings, Cas looked small. The wings made him look extra powerful and in control, definite soldier for Heaven. Now he looked like Dean's angel; his trench coat wearing angel who loved humanity more than his father, who loved all of the creatures, and who willingly sacrificed himself for Dean every time he could. Although Dean loved Cas's angel form, he loved this Cas. The Cas with the too blue eyes, soft expression, and gentle soul.

Chapter Text

Two weeks before Abigail's first birthday, Bobby received a call from an old Hunter friend of his. Apparently there was a nest of vampires. A large nest of vampires. Enough to actually raise concern for Bobby. "Boys, I think we need to go on this hunt," Bobby said regretfully as he held Bethany.

"What will we do with the girls?" Dean asked.

"We take them with us, and we'll have one or two of us stay with them if we need to go out for the job," Bobby said.

"Then Cas and I will just stay here," Dean said.

"We're going to need your help, boy," Bobby sad, "I'm supposed to round up as many hunters as possible."

"How many are there?" Sam asked.

"Close to twenty," Bobby answered.

"How many Hunters did your friend round up?" Dean asked.

"He's got three who are willing to help. If I get the four of you, then that'll raise our numbers to nine altogether," Bobby sighed, sitting down on the couch to shift Bethany so that he could cradle her.

"Bobby, these are your granddaughters we're talking about. I'm not going to put them in danger, and I don't really want other Hunters to know that I took a kid, and that my other kid is an angel," Dean said, lifting Abigail up.

"Bobby, Gabriel will make up for Cas and Dean. He's an angel. He walks in alone and releases his Grace into the nest. They'll be torched within seconds," Sam said.

"Sam, that'll just prolong you guys having a fledgling," Dean protested.

"It's okay, this needs to be done," Sam said with a smile.

"The Hunters won't like being outdone by an angel," Bobby said.

"Well, it's the easiest and most effective way to get rid of the vampires. They'll get over it," Sam said.

"The three of us should pack then. We need to get to Colorado sooner than later," Bobby said, standing up and passing Bethany off to Cas, "Tell your angel to get his ass down here."

Sam rolled his eyes, "Will do."

"Somebody called for my ass?" Gabriel said, appearing beside Sam.

Dean laughed, "Good one."

"Why thank you brother Dean. What's this about a hunt, my love?" Gabriel asked, turning to Sam.

"We're going to need your Grace," Sam said, taking Gabriel's hand as they walked up the stairs to their room.

"Dean, I can stay here with the girls if you want to go," Cas said, speaking out loud.

The green eyed Winchester shook his head, "No, I want to stay here with you and the girls. They'll be able to handle things."

Cas nodded as his eyes shifted to Bethany. He kissed her forehead, "She's so alert," he commented.

"I swear she's growing like a weed," Dean added.

"She is growing quite quickly," Cas agreed.

"How are her wings?" Dean asked.

"Growing, which means she might be in a bit of pain," Cas answered, letting his fingers caress over Bethany's cheek.

"The poor kid has to deal with teething and growing wings. She sure is a trooper," Dean said, watching as Cas lowered her onto a blanket spread out on the carpet floor. He sat beside her and watched as Bethany's blue eyes looked around the room. Dean enjoyed seeing this side of Cas. He was always so in tune with both girls, and seemed to love both equally.

"Her Grace must be helping with the pain, and it must be soothing to have mine near as well. My Grace must be helping with the pain," Cas murmured.

"Dada," Abigail said, "Hungry."

Dean turned toward his oldest and smiled, "Are you growing too? You sure have been hungry little one," he said to her, poking her belly. She smiled at him, "Hungry dada."

"Alright, alright, let's go an get you something to snack on," Dean said, walking over to the kitchen. He pulled out a yogurt cup and grabbed a spoon. He went back into the other room to sit on the couch. He sat Abigail on his lap and opened the cup, and dipped the spoon into the creamy mixture. She hummed in delight when she had her first bite of the vanilla yogurt. Dean smiled at the sound.

Bobby, Sam, and Gabriel came down the stairs with their duffel bags in hand. "Alright, well see you boys later. Abby come give me hug," Bobby said, crouching down. Dean helped his little girl off of his lap and watched as she toddled over to Bobby. Bobby pulled her into a hug, He kissed her cheek, "You be good for your daddies, you hear?"

Abigail frowned, "Papa leaving?"

"Yeah, sweetheart, papa's going on a trip with Uncle Sam and Gabriel. We'll be back soon," Bobby answered.

"No, papa leaving, no," Abigail whined. Dean could see his daughter tightening his arms around Bobby's neck.

Dean could see that his surrogate father looked torn. Especially since he probably never experienced this before. "Papa's leaving, but I'll come back, okay. I need you to do something very important, okay?"

Abigail looked at him, "Importan'?"

"Yeah, you see, I won't be here, which means somebody has to keep an eye on your dads. Do you think you could do that while I'm away?" Bobby asked.

Abigail looked at him for a bit, "Okay, papa."

"That's my girl. Alright, give me a kiss," Bobby said. Abigail kissed his cheek and released him. Sam was the next one to bend down.

"Hey sweetheart, give me a hug," Sam said. Abigail did so. "You be good. Papa gave you a very important job." Sam said.

"Unc'e Sammy leave, too?" Abigail asked.

"Yeah, sweetheart, but I'll be back soon. I love you," he said, kissing her forehead. He hugged her one last time before standing up.

Gabriel crouched down, "Come here squirt."

Abigail was near tears at this point and flattened herself into Gabriel's chest. "Hey, no crying, love." Gabriel murmured, lifting her up. He kissed her cheek, forehead, nose, cheek, and repeated until he saw a smile. "There we go. Look at that pretty smile," Gabriel smiled at her, "Listen, when I get back we'll play horsie, okay?"

"Horsie?" Abigail asked, lighting up just a bit.

"Of course! I'm going to miss playing with you. Now be good for me, okay? Uncle Gabe loves you," he said. Abigail kissed his cheek. He hugged her one last time before putting her back down.

Bobby and Sam were frowning, when Gabriel finally spoke up, "This should not be as hard as it is. They're not even my kids!"

Dean smiled, "My girls have you guys wrapped around their little fingers."

All three smiled because they didn't really mind all that much.

Dean hugged Sam and Bobby, "Be safe, and don't do anything I wouldn't," he said, watching as the three headed out of the house. Cas waved to them.

Dean yelled out the door, "And call when you get there!"

"Alright!" Sam yelled back.

Dean rolled his eyes. He turned to see Abigail standing on the couch and looking out of the window waving. He smiled at he sweet sight, thankful to have a family who could love on his children. He turned to see Cas cradling Bethany. "It's quiet," Cas murmured.

"Yeah," Dean said, listening to the silence, "A bit weird."

"Indeed it is," Cas agreed.

Chapter Text

Having the house to themselves was strange for both Dean and Cas. It was a bit too quiet for their liking. The TV was constantly on for background noise and they tried to fill the room with conversation. Abby helped with her small vocabulary and Bethany was beginning to babble and coo at them. Dean was sure he saw a smile a couple of days ago. Abby's new favorite past time was trying to get her little sister to coo at her. Cas and Dean would watch the two little girls with affectionate looks. For a two week old, Bethany resembled a two month old. Cas wasn't lying when he said that she would grow and develop faster than a human baby. Dean was a bit upset that they wouldn't be able to experience this age for as long as other parents, but he knew that his youngest was special.

While they were watching Abby moving on to play with her toys, and Bethany lying on her mat to look up at the ceiling and around the room, they were talking quietly.

"How many fledglings can an angel and a human have?" Dean asked.

"As many as the angels Grace will allow them to have," Cas said.

"What's the average amount?"

"Usually only one. Angels just want to get the process over with. They see fledglings as a hindrance. There are very few who take joy in it. It's very upsetting."

"How many do the angels who like the fledglings have?"

"It's not necessarily how much they have, but how often they can produce a fledgling over time. My brother once had a fledgling every fifty years, which for us, is like a decade for you."

"So, let's say I wanted another one in a couple of months, would that be possible?" Dean asked suggestively.

"You want another fledgling?" Cas asked, turning toward him.

"I would love to have another fledgling, especially with the way they age. Beth is going to be a year old by the time she's four months old," Dean said.

"You are sure about this?" Cas asked.

"Cas, now that I have Abby and Beth, I would like to have another one. Create a big family. We already know Sam and Gabe are going to have at least one, probably two. Our kids will get to have cousins, and uncles, and a grandfather. Something Sammy and I never had."

"We can have another one," Cas promised.

"Plus, our Grace has been restored now that you've had Beth. You're an angel again," Dean pointed out.

"Returning to Heaven was helpful in that since, it restored my Grace," Cas smiled.

"Beth sleeps a lot now, but when she's is fully mature, will she sleep?" Dean asked.

"I don't know. She is her own being. She may have to sleep, maybe not as long as Abby does, but maybe a couple hours to regenerate."

"Well, at least I know she won't be awake all alone," Dean murmured. "What about her Grace?"

"What about it?"

"Will she have as much mojo as you?"

"She may have more. Fledglings are always stronger than their parents. Combining you and I together...she'll be very strong, very powerful. Any fledgling we have together will have certain strengths, but they will never be weak."

"Alright, so we keep her humble. We teach her right and wrong, make sure we instill morals into her. I won't let Heaven taint her."

"It'll be easy. She'll listen to us and obey, what's important is that we teach her to rebel when we are in the wrong. Respectfully of course, but I will not teach her to be an angel who accepts our word as truth. She needs to learn to judge."

"She's not going to be a mindless soldier. I want her to value humanity and love it as much as you do," Dean said.

"She will. Her father is human, and her older sister is human. Her uncle and grandfather are human. She will learn to love humans because she will be associated with them for most of her life."

"I don't want them to grow up as soldiers, but we also can't ignore the fact that evil is out there. Monsters are very real, and I want them to know how to defend themselves."

"I agree. Maybe when they reach a certain age we will teach them the basics and work our way up. When did you first shoot a gun?" Cas asked.

"Twelve, thirteen? Around that age."

"When Abby turns thirteen, you can teach her how to use a gun. Until then, we can teach them safety measures, how to use salt, which monsters are affected by iron, what flickering lights mean, how to look out for signs of a supernatural creature. I also think it's important to let both know that not all creatures are bad. Some of them were never given a choice, and to weigh the pros and cons of keeping a creature alive."

"Unless they're leviathan or a demon," Dean said.

Cas smiled, "Even some demons can be helpful. Crowley is completely on our side. He even has a few of his demons watching over us."

"He does?" Dean asked, confused.

"Yes, they keep a perimeter around the property."

"When did this happen?" Dean asked, feeling a bit on edge that he didn't know that demons were guarding the property.

"A couple days after bringing Abby home."

"I will never understand him," Dean sighed, standing up to pick up Abby.

"Despite what you think, he's quite fond of us now. He's finally learned that having the Winchester's on his side is better than a new evil creature rising to power."

"It took him long enough."

"Well, I'm pleased that we have his protection because the angels certainly won't offer it. Plus, demons can play a bit dirtier than angels. Nothing will be able to get us as long as they're on watch and don't bring too much attention to themselves."

Dean "hmmph'd" and went to pick up Bethany from the mat. He brought her to his chest and kissed her forehead. Dean and Cas had researched everything a baby needed for healthy growth and development, and touch was really important. Both Cas and him did skin-to-skin contact with both Beth and Abby. They did skin-to-skin with Beth three times a day, and once with Abby. Cas was also big on massage therapy. Beth seemed to enjoy it, too. Touch was vital to a human babies growth and development. Without touch early on in a child's life, it would stunt the cognitive development and they would learn to dislike touch.

Cas and Dean maybe went over board with cuddles and skin-to-skin, but they could see how much it was helping Abby and Beth. Plus, both fathers enjoyed the quiet time with their daughters. Cas took care of Beth's skin-to-skin morning and night, while Dean took care of Beth's afternoon skin-to-skin and Abby's skin-to-skin at night.

Bath time was always entertaining to the two men. Abby loved the water and loved to play with her small set of bath toys. She became a bit fussy when they tried rinsing her hair of the baby shampoo. It was nice to be alone with Abby and Beth and not have to worry about the others. Sam checked in regularly, updating them, and asking about the girls. They would then put the phone on speaker and let Abby talk to each uncle and her papa.

Dean enjoyed the domesticity with Cas and his two girls, but he was a Hunter and it was driving him a bit nuts that Sam, Gabriel, and Bobby weren't home just yet. The plan to attack the vampire nest was becoming a bit more complex, and they wanted to make sure the only casualties were the vampires. Dean offered pointers, and felt helpless that that was all he could offer. He knew his extended family would be home soon, it was just the waiting part that pout him on edge. Thankfully, his daughters were great distractions.

Chapter Text

Bobby, Sam, and Gabriel returned August third. Gabriel looked absolutely drained. Sam and Bobby were bruised and cut up, but nothing that appeared to be fatal. Abby was thrilled to see her uncles, and Dean had to stifle a laugh when she ran into Sam's legs and a pained look crossed his younger brothers face. Sam picked her up and hugged her tight despite the pain he was in. "Hey there, Abs."

Abby pulled away and reached for Bobby, "Papa, papa!"

Bobby smiled and took her from Sam. "Hey there princess. Did you watch your daddies like I told you to?"

"Yes!" She replied happily.

"Good girl," he said, hugging her tight.

Abby kissed his cheek, "Down."

"Abby," Cas chastised.

"Please!" She added.

Bobby laughed and set her down.

She ran over to Gabriel, "Horsie, Gabe, horse!"

Gabriel smiled at his niece, crouching down to be on her level "Squirt, Uncle Gabe is really, really tired. I'm going to go take a nap, but we'll play horsie as soon as I wake up, okay?"

Abby frowned, "Gabe sleepy?" She patted his cheek.

"Yeah, kiddo, I'm sleepy. We'll play soon, okay?" Gabriel said with a tired smile.

"Okay," Abby relented.

Gabriel hugged her and stood back up to go up the stairs to the room he shared with Sam. Sam followed, "Sorry, the fight took a lot out of him," he apologized.

"No worries, Sammy, the two of you get some sleep," Dean said, "Abby, come here, sweetheart."

The little girl listened and ran over to Dean. He lifted her up and settled her in his lap, "So how was it?" He asked Bobby.

Bobby groaned, "Probably the most strenuous fight I've ever been in," he said, walking over to the recliner.

Cas was holding Bethany, but he stood up and offered the little girl to her grandfather.

"She's gotten big," Bobby acknowledged.

"Yeah, she's growing like crazy. How were all of the hunters?" Dean asked.

Bobby cradled Bethany, and looked up at his son, "Well, we all managed to get on the same page and act on a plan. A lot of different ways of going about destroying the nest of new vamps. Butted heads for a while."

"I can imagine. What was the final plan?"

"We let Gabriel walk in to the area most concentrated with vamps and he unleased his Grace. Knocked a lot of them out, but there were a few who weren't, so we all stormed the building they were in and started decapitating the live ones. After they were all dead, we decapitated the ones who were blinded by angel Grace and stacked the bodies in one pile, and the heads in the other and burned them. There was about twenty, twenty five new vamps living in the building. Whoever recklessly creating these new vamps definitely has a plan underneath it all. If I didn't know better, I'd say an army is being created." Bobby said.

"Great. A vampire army. Just what we need." Dean said.

"Apparently, Garth found a vampire nest with about ten newly formed vamps as well. He was able to gather a few hunters to go take care of them, but it's becoming a problem. First with you boys, then this nest, and then the one with Garth, something's brewing, and it's nothing good, boys," Bobby said.

"Yeah, well, three nests of baby vamps is not random, it's organized. Think it's the Alpha?" Dean asked.

"Hardly. The Alpha can't possibly be at three places at once. I'd say it's his little minions."

"Should we summon Crowley and ask him?"

"It'd probably be a good idea," Bobby said, almost regretful that they had to ask the King of Hell.

"We can do it after Sam and Gabe wake up. He already knows about Abby, but I'm not sure he knows about Bethany. Apparently, he has demons surrounding the property. It happened a couple days after Abby was brought here. He might know what's going on, now that I think about it. Why else would he post his guys around us for protection unless he knew something." Dean said.

"Well, we should definitely ask. What are we going to do about the girls?" Bobby asked.

"Well, he knows about Abby, but I don't know if he knows about Beth. Plus, since she's an angel, Crowley's true form might scare her. She may not be able to distinguish his demon form from his true form. Cas can take her upstairs. We'll summon him during her nap." Dean said.

"That sounds fine. Today or tomorrow, Dean?" Cas asked.

"Tomorrow. Sammy and Gabe are going to be asleep for a while, best not to wake them up. We can wait." Dean said, looking down at his oldest to see her fast asleep on his chest.