Supernatural Prompts: 46-plush,16-guffaw,8-vintage,27-exhuberant,20-smirk

[my_sam_dean]

Title: Love Has Many Forms, Part 2
Author: my_sam_dean
Fandom: Supernatural
Pairing/character: Sam, Dean
Rating: R
Prompt: 46 - plush - 100 prompts for thought
Notes/Warnings: I own nothing Supernatural.


While his children grew and rested in the nursery, Dean got seat belts installed. He bought jumpers and buntings. He grabbed many pairs of socks and caps. Blankets of various sizes and weights conspired with the baby tales, so the children's books were a must.

Diapers, wipes, baby bottle warmers, spit up rags, bibs, and bouncy chairs were packed into the Impala. Two car seats were ready, awaiting their precious cargo. The babies' backpack held changes of clothes, diapers, ointment, formula, bottles and the camera.

Dean didn't want to miss a moment of his babies' lives. When it came to naming them, his son had a gigantic name to grow into, Knut Dean Winchester, while his daughter's name was softer, Linnae Sam Winchester.

Over the days, Nurse Lacy had taught him the basics of baby care. He'd given each of them a bath, changed them, fed them, dressed them and watched them sleep. When he was up at the nursery, he performed the all cares he could for Knut and Linnae. The nurses were always nearby if he had a question. His confidence grew and soon he was just caring for his children. It didn't matter that they were in the hospital. He could take just as good care of them at home.

He tried to be healthy. The cafeteria food wasn't as bad as hospital food is made out to be, but it wasn't exactly delicious. Vending machines were more tempting and bad habits died hard. He slept but he was still tired. He began to feel rundown and knew he was walking a fine line.

For being such a huge change in Dean's life, there wasn't any fanfare when Knut and Linnae were released. Dean pulled the Impala around. He helped the nurses get them strapped in the back seat. They had their pacifiers and blankets pulled up under their chins.

"Call us if you need anything." Nurse Lacy was reluctant to let them go.

"I've got both work and home, Nurse Lacy," he reminded her as he patted his pocket with his cell phone and smiled. She blushed. "I'll call you with updates and let you know where we settle down."

"I'd really like that. And, Dean, you'll continue to be an amazing father. Don't doubt yourself." Her face was earnest and she needed him to know what she felt deep in her bones. Dean nodded at her, showing that he understood, that she'd seen something when he was with the babies, some kind of gift, and he believed her. That's when her face relaxed into a smile.

Luckily, he'd unpacked the car and put the bags that they needed in their room earlier that day. Dean stopped to say, "Hello," to the lady at the front desk. He wanted to let her know about the babies if anyone complained, and that he was doing the best he could to keep them quiet.

"You don't look so good, Sir. Should I get you something?"

Dean looked at the lady behind the desk and couldn't believe what he was going to ask. "Do you have kids?"

"No. I have nieces and nephews, but they aren't babies anymore."

"I'm going to call my brother but he's still a few hours out." He showed her a picture of Sam from graduation and told her that he would come asking for a key to their room. "Do you know of a responsible person who could help me out with these two until he gets here?"

"Sure do. Just a minute."

He scrunched down by the baby seats. "Hey, angels. I'm going to get someone to help us. We're going to be okay."

"This is Felicia. She is an expert on kids."

"Do you have any bags?" a little gal stood in front of Dean. "I can help you with the babes. I have a couple myself. Three under the age of five. They're terrorizing Grandma along with their cousins. I miss when they were little like this. Oh, golly! We need to get you to your room. I can take this baby seat here. Are you okay with the other one?"

She continued her constant chatter all the way to their room. When he was in the bathroom taking Tylenol and changing into comfortable clothes, she spoke to the twins, telling them about her children or escapades of the neighbor kids.

He watched Felicia set out the items she'd need for the babies' bottles. He felt his family was safe. Before he fell asleep, he just had one harrowing phone call to make.

Ring. Ring.

"Yep."

"Sammy, can you meet me?"

Sam was irritated. "I'm at school, remember? I have classes and my name is Sam."

"Have I ever left you high and dry when you needed me?" he hated resorting to guilt but needed to use whatever means necessary.

Sam thought back to the trouble Dean got him out of over the years that their dad never found out about. "What do I need to bring?"

"Clothes. Plan on being gone about a week."

"What are we hunting?"

"We're not."

"Are you hurt?" Sam held his phone with both hands as he ran across campus.

"Just sick. I'll be okay but I need you here. Oh, don't shoot the lady in the room. She's here to help me."

The bratty part of being little brother reared its ugly head. "Why can't she stay? You're paying her by the hour, aren't you? Bet she has great bedside manners."

"Thought you were an adult. Guess not."

Sam sighed, wondering why he felt he had to jab Dean like that when he'd missed him terribly the whole time he'd been gone. "I need to notify my professors before I leave. Is there anything that I should pick up on my way?"

"Some Tylenol and Gatorade would be good."

"Got it."

Dean hung up. He never was big on goodbyes.

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His joints hurt. He ached and he thought he might have groaned out loud. A lady's face came into view. "It's been four hours. Here's more pills."

Through blurry eyes, Dean tried to see the rest of the room. "Babies?" His mouth was dry and his tongue stuck to his teeth.

She propped him up so he could swallow the medicine. "They are fine. Both of them has eaten twice, a little each time. Don't worry about them. You rest."

"Sam?"

She placed a cool hand on his forehead and pulled his covers higher. "No one has asked for you yet. I won't leave until he's here. Sleep."

He tried to remember his conversation with Sam. He had said he was coming, right? Did he say that he was hours away? That made no sense. Did Sam even have a car? Sam was going hunting. What was he after? All the unanswered questions boggled his fevered mind as Dean fell back into oblivion.

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Felicia fed and changed the babies with an efficiency that only came with years of experience. She'd never had multiples. She was usually diapering a baby while chasing a toddler. Her house was not dull.

Dean worried her. She had made sure he had Tylenol every four hours and couldn't think of much else to do for him. He would kick off the covers and she would put them back on. He was tossing and mumbling about creatures and demons, things she hadn't thought about since she was little. She'd had nightmares about hell and its residents. It sounded as if he was running from the same things.

She sat on the bed with her ankles crossed, cradling Knut to her chest. He'd just finished his bottle and was being a stubborn little bugger about burping. Linnae laid next to her, sound asleep. The only noises in the room were Knut sucking on his fingers and Dean thrashing in bed.

Sam stopped outside the hotel door and couldn't hear anything. It was odd that Dean wasn't at one of those cheap motels on the edge of town. Why would he spend the extra money on a hotel, especially for a whole week? He was in the process of trying the keycard when he heard Dean yell.

He slammed the door open with his gun drawn. There was a woman in a maid uniform sitting on the far bed. Sam remembered Dean asking him not to shoot the lady in his room but still found it unusual. He stepped further in the room and saw Dean.

"What's wrong with him?" he demanded as he looked from Dean's sweaty forehead to her terrified face.

"I don't know. He just asked for help." Felicia had a difficult time getting the words past her lips.

"You always bring your kids to work with you?" Sam scoffed. He put his gun back in his jeans, figuring as long as she knew it was there she wouldn't try anything.

"These are his kids," Felicia pointed to Dean. "I was here out of the goodness of my heart. Guess this is all your responsibility now." She rose to her full height of five feet and huffed as she stomped past him.

Dean was a dad? He had a baby? No, he had two babies!?

"Wait!" Sam called just before she reached the door. "I don't know anything about babies and Dean's in no condition to tell me. Could you give me a crash course, please?"

"Okay, but not for you. I don't like you. I adore those babes. Just for them."

She wrote down instructions for making a bottle and when each had eaten. She showed him the contents of their backpack and demonstrated how to swaddle them. "I work tomorrow. Well, six hours from now. My name is Felicia if you need to call."

"Thank you, Felicia." Sam was contrite after how he'd treated her.

"Not for you, the babes. Remember that." She closed the door and he wondered what Dean had gotten him into.

Title: Love Has Many Forms, Part 3
Author: my_sam_dean
Fandom: Supernatural
Pairing/character: Dean, Sam
Rating: R
Prompt: 16-guffaw - 100 prompts for thought
Notes/Warnings: None


A thin wail startled Sam from his light sleep. He clicked on the lamp and spotted two little feet that were kicking around. If the red face was anything to go by, he was about to be treated to an all-out scream.

"Shh, shh." Sam was fine with unbuckling the seatbelt but less sure about how to pick up the baby with his awkward hands. He worked his left hand under the baby's neck and his right under his bottom. He leaned over the seat so he could press the baby to him as quick as possible. "Look at your blue hat." He breathed a sigh of relief. "You must be a little guy." Sam continued to talk to him since it had made the boy stop fussing. "I'm not as quick as Felicia or Daddy, but I'll get your bottle coming right up."

After fumbling with the bottle and grabbing a rag, he settled in one of the chairs. "Let's rearrange ourselves here," Sam set the bottle on the table, made sure the blanket was snug and covering his feet before moving him to the crook of his arm. "There we go." The nipple seemed to startle the baby before he frantically searched for it and sucked like it had been days since he'd been fed. "This would be much easier if I knew your name. You're not holding back on me, are you? I could start at the letter 'A' and guess my way through the alphabet." His fingertip bushed against the newborn's cheek and Sam was amazed by it's softness. When he felt the tiniest squeeze and saw the miniature hand wrapped around his little finger, he could have cried. It was so beautiful. Dean had a daughter and a son. Well, he'd assumed they were Dean's by what Felicia had said. He tried not to get attached just in case they weren't Dean's and he was taking care of them for somebody else. But, it was already too late.

"Sam?" Dean croaked from where the top of his head stuck out from under the covers. "That you?"

"Yeah," he took the baby he was burping with him over to Dean's bedside. "How are you?"

"Every single one of my bones ache. Can you get me some Tylenol?" Dean struggled to sit up. Sam was looking for a place to lie the baby down while he got the pills. "Put him on my chest. I've missed him." He did as he was told and looked back at the two of them as if to make sure. "We're fine."

In the bathroom, Sam could hear their conversation. "So, have you and your sister been good for your Uncle Sammy? He'd probably let you get away with damn near anything. Don't grow too fast, Knut. I want to keep holding you like this."

Sam waited a few seconds to give them the illusion of privacy before coming around the corner. They exchanged the medication for Knut, who burped nicely when transferred to Sam's arms. "There you go, buddy."

Dean slid back down and Sam sat on the side of his bed. "Anything you want to elaborate on? I've packed for a week. I met a wildcat named Felicia. She hates me, loves the kids, don't know what she thinks about you."

"She knew about babies and came with a recommendation. I couldn't be choosy when an attack comes on so quick."

"Attack of what, Dean?"

"West Nile."

"What?"

"Got it after you were gone. Dad and I had separate hunts. When I missed our assigned place to meet, he found me and bought me in. Can you imagine? Taken down by a damned mosquito. I get relapses like this."

"Do you need to go in? What can I do?"

"Tylenol and rest. I've been trying to eat better and sleep more in order to prevent them but there will always be relapses. The stress of the worrying if they were going to find a reason to deny me the twins didn't help."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"About the West Nile? I'm telling you now."

"Well, about that, too. But, I meant about the babies." Sam was really hurt. "I could have helped and maybe you wouldn't be sick right now."

"I found out less than two weeks ago, dude. A phone call in the middle of the night and I was racing to the hospital."

"Where's their mom?"

"She didn't want them. I do. Before I met them or even knew there was two of them, I wanted them more than anything."

"I can see why, it's easy to do. What did you name the girl?"

"Linnae. It sounded pretty." Dean yawned.

"Want to give this one a kiss before I tuck him back in? Linnae should be up soon."

"Yeah," Dean breathed in the baby wash as he kissed Knut's head.

"I've got them, Dean. Get better."

Dean thought he answered Sam and told him to wake Dean up if he had any questions or problems but he fell off to sleep before he even opened his mouth.

Looking over at Dean's curled up form on the other bed, he appeared vulnerable. Sam never saw Dean that way, or at least he hadn't until now. Then, there were the two peas in the pod who only needed warmth, food and love.

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"What are you doing?" Dean was surprised when Sam plopped Linnae in his lap as he continued into the bathroom.

"Spit up." He answered over the running water.

Dean calmed his confused daughter and wiped her face. "That's what we have these handy dandy rags for."

"In. My. Hair."

"Good aim, sweetie. I've been after him to cut it for awhile but I think you'll be the one break him." She loudly burped. "That's my girl!" She smiled for her daddy and Dean dared anyone to tell him that it was because of gas.

"She okay?" Sam was toweling half his head of hair dry.

"Just had another huge burp hiding in there. Do we need to get you one of them ponytail holders?"

"I'll look for a rubber band or piece of twine. Are you ready to try some food?"

"Double Deluxe Cheeseburger with extra bacon?"

Sam shook his head.

"Damn. Had to try."

"Choices are salad, tomatoes, celery, Gatorade, sliced turkey or beef."

"Can we make a deal?"

Always leery of Dean's deals since he taught Sam four "cool" words to tell Dad and Bobby that ended up being swear words (Dean got in trouble for that in the end. The whole prank just screamed "Dean!" too loudly), he thought before he answered. "I'll listen to your deal but that doesn't mean I'll do it."

"Fine," the wind went out of Dean's sails. (He wished he'd been that careful with his wording when the head bully at a new school wanted to fight him after school. He'd whipped the kid good and thought he was home free. The fine print was that the bully's friends from the higher grades or other school just made Dean's life Hell instead.) "I will eat a tomato, half a stalk of celery, one slice of turkey and one slice of beef with one glass of Gatorade. In return, I get a basic cheeseburger with bacon added and a small fry."

"I won't have to worry about you trying to sneak candy up from the vending machines?"

"Nope. Can we just get something different for breakfast? We could try omelets with that egg substitute they advertise."

"I'm all for eating healthy, but I refuse to buy egg substitute at my age."

Dean scoffed. "I don't want any tofu near me."

"So, a few eggs, green top onions, green peppers, and some bagels." Sam looked up from his list. "First, you eat. Then, I'll go to the store and pick up your fast food on the way back. Did you want milk or juice?"

He shrugged. He was too busy playing with Linnae. Actually, she had fallen fast asleep and he was still pestering her but she was refusing to wake up. "Look at this. She's like a little doll."

"Uh-huh. One that's going to wake up screaming soon if you don't knock it off."

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"I take back every bad word thing I said about you," Dean moaned as he chewed his first bite of his normally forbidden cheeseburger. "This is . . . uhm . . . so much better than I remember."

The tips of Sam's ears turned red. He coughed to get Dean's attention and said, "You might want to go eat in the bathroom if you're going to keep moaning and carrying on like that over a piece of food." He tilted his head toward the sleeping babes.

Dean went to the head of the bed and began to slam the headboard against the wall as he amped up the moaning and porn noises purely for Sam's benefit. After some guy on the other side pounded back at them, Dean quit with a smile. "That, Sammy, is moaning and carrying on, if you have ever wondered."

Sometimes Sam could just slap his brother silly. Still, it showed that he was feeling better.

Title: Love Has Many Forms, Part 4
Author: my_sam_dean
Fandom: Supernatural
Pairing/character: Sam, Dean
Rating: R
Prompt: 8 - vintage - 100 prompts for thought
Notes/Warnings:


The housing allowance from Sam's scholarship covered rent for a small apartment in Palo Alto. Sam worked after school and some weekends in the campus cafeteria. Dean stayed home with the kids. Sam put flyers up on campus advertising Dean's auto repair and maintenance abilities, so he could earn a little money on the side.

Dean's new friend, Melanie, was a stay at home mom with one son. They were able to take the kids places together, talk about lack of sleep, ear infections and which doctors to bring the babies to. Melanie usually came up to Dean's apartment in case Dean needed to lie down. She was the perfect backup babysitter.

Melanie's husband had run off before Brady was born. Every day of Brady's life, he'd never had a dad. Just having Dean and Sam in his life gave him some male influence. Plus, they were funny and nice.

Sam came home in his kitchen whites. Melanie was on the couch with Brady while Knut and Linnae explored their crib on their bellies. There were nests made of blankets to help support them and plenty of toys to keep them interested, but they didn't like the work of having to hold their heads up.

He bent down and gave each baby a kiss. "You guys are so cute! You almost make me forget about how much today sucked."

"Sam!" Dean warned from the kitchen.

After popping his head around the corner, he sassed back, "Well it did." He grabbed a warm piece of garlic toast and sat at the table. "So, how were things here?"

"Linnae got up when you did. She has to see her uncle off to school, keep Dad company for awhile as I sort laundry or make a grocery list, and then she's out. I get to dash under the shower spray a few times before Knut is demanding his breakfast. I thought that would be a name he'd have to grow into, but he's already there. Between the two of them, I can't tell which baby runs the house, but I know we lost control a long time ago."

"I'm not going to fight you there." Sam called into the other room. "Mel! Do you and Brady want to stay for supper?"

"Are you sure we wouldn't be any trouble?"

"We'd be insulted if you didn't stay," Dean settled it once and for all. He wiped his hands on a dishcloth and scooped up the peanuts in the living room. "Tummy time is over. How 'bout we eat? Yay!"

Suppertime was important. It reminded them that they weren't alone. Melanie was a single mom, Sam was a student, and Dean was a single dad. But, together, they created a family of their own.

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Winter drug on that first year. Sam was the only one who left the house on a regular basis to go to class and work. Melanie did the grocery shopping. All three babies stayed inside. There was a new strain of flu going around, much more serious than the regular seasonal flu. Melanie was able to get Brady both kinds of the vaccine. Linnae and Knut were too young.

Dean's immune system was weak ever since he'd had West Nile. Sam could pick up a tickle in his throat with a cough and s week later, Dean would be in at the clinic getting bronchitis. If Dean ever felt tired, he slept. That was just a rule. Melanie knew what kinds of foods to buy and Sam knew how to make Dean take care of himself.

When Melanie came sick with laryngitis, they nursed her back to health and showered extra love on Brady. He couldn't understand why his mom wasn't speaking to him.

Somewhere between the illnesses, cutting teeth and the splitting of household chores, they decided to let Melanie's apartment go. She was rarely there. Instead of the second bedroom being a nursery, Melanie had a single bed and Brady's crib in there. Sam and Dean had picked up two singles when they moved in. The crib made the room cramped but they had their eyes shut when they were sleeping anyway.

There were items that they'd done without but were so nice to have once they had them. Melanie had a few candles that smelled nice, a couple framed pictures and a little relaxing stand that had water running over rocks as if in a stream. In their nomadic lifestyle, they'd never put down roots. Maybe it was time to.

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Since Dean was able to get sleep when he needed it and was eating the healthy meals that Sam prepared, his episodes became less frequent. He was getting more time with Knut, Linnae and Brady and even got some color on his cheeks when the sun started coming out again.

Melanie took care of the house but since they shared childcare duties, she had more free time. She was able to take classes to find a new hobby. She met some new friends. There was even time in her life for a 'special friend' named Rusty.

"Are you sure you're cool with this?" Melanie asked Sam for the third time. "We don't have to have him over. I can just meet him at a restaurant."

"The point isn't where you eat, we want to meet him," Sam explained as he smiled.

"What will Dean do?"

"Pull the ultimate big brother act. Give him the third degree. Make sure he's good enough for you and Brady."

Melanie looked like she'd swallowed her tongue.

"What else did you expect him to do, honestly?"

She shrugged. "Will Rusty survive?"

"If he's the right one for you he will," Dean answered the question himself. "We all have to look out for each other, right? Who else would have told Sam that Toni was a skank?"

"I'm still so sorry for that, Sam," Melanie clasped her hands together. "I didn't expect Dean to repeat what I'd told him in confidence." She glared at Dean.

"Who else was going to know what she said when Sam and I left the room? Her claws were already coming out just because you happen to have Sam and I as roommates. Did you really want Sam to date her?"

"No. But you could have called her something besides a skank."

"I calls 'em as I sees 'em," Dean gave Melanie a hug as Sam grinned at them from the stove. "Besides, didn't want Sam to waste his time when he could be finding Ms. Right. That goes the same for you."

"I liked Rusty from the little bit I saw him," Sam piped up. "When he stopped by to take you out last time, he was very polite and told everyone goodbye, even the kids."

"That earns brownie points with me," Dean said. "Did he know their names?"

"Yep," Melanie replied as pried herself out of Dean's arms. "He's seen my pictures of them. I think everyone I meet sees those pictures."

"They are darlings. We'd hate to deprive the world--"

"Right, Dean," Sam interrupted. "Can you set the table? Let Mel relax with the kids until our guest arrives."

Dean grumbled under his breath as he went in search for the table cloth they had used once upon a time.

Melanie knew a good dismissal line when she heard one. It was much easier for her to play with babies than listen to brothers argue. Blues Clues was on the television and knobby rattles with bight colors were the toys of choice.

"Whatcha doing, Linnae?" Melanie sat on the floor.

She smiled and drool dripped from the corner of her mouth.

Melanie ran her fingers through the girl's thin hair. "Look at that smile. Here, let me dry you off a little." She grabbed a rag to dry Linnae's face off. "There you go. All dressed in pink with lace and ruffles. You like your dress I picked out, don't you?"

The knock on the door interrupted the fashion talk. Melanie stood, brushed non-existent wrinkles from her skirt and opened the door. "Rusty. Come on in."

"These are for you," he blushed as he handed her a dozen flowers, each one a different kind.

"Thank you." She kissed his cheek. "I'll get something to put them in. Come with me and I'll introduce you to the guys."

"Guys," Melanie started as soon as they entered the kitchen. "This is Rusty. Rusty, this is Sam by the stove and Dean is by the table."

"Hey," they replied back in unison.

"What do you like to do, Rusty?" Sam tried to make him feel at home as he reached a vase for Melanie's flowers.

"I work in the Administration Building at the College. It's all mostly paperwork, but it allows me to do what I enjoy in my time off. I have a cabin where I fish in the river and can hike in the woods. It's nice to leave the city behind. What do you do?"

"I'm studying to be an attorney and work in the kitchen. Most of my free time is spent here," Sam replied.

Dean sighed. "Can't say I've been doing much besides being a dad. They keep me busy."

"I bet they do," Rusty smiled.

A dust up was heard from the other room. Brady yelled gibberish.

"I'll go check on that." Melanie slipped past Sam and Rusty.

Sam took the top bowl from the stack next to him. "I'd better get this dished up before the natives get restless."

That was the start of a great meal, a new friendship and a budding romance.

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One by one, many changes were made around their household. Dean had received a letter from a solicitor. The twins had been named as benefactors in an estate. An enclosed note from their great-grandmother explained how she and her family had a falling out. She had never even met Tami. A private investigator had tracked the twins down. Dean, as their father, inherited a home in a small, quiet town.

The Winchesters, Melanie, Brady and Rusty made the trip to Shadow Lake. They had rented rooms at the Grand Motel, the only place available in town. After the two-hour drive, the kids were cranky. Melanie and Rusty swore they could handle the little sleepyheads. Dean gabbed the key and address and he and Sam were able to walk to their destination.

It was white and had three steps up to a wide veranda. There was a porch swing hanging beside a huge picture window that had stained glass across the top. It was a pattern of a flower stretched side to side. There was a matching window on the other side of the front door. There was no doubting the love and care that had gone into the home.

Inside, there was a little entry with a bench to sit on and keep shoes under and coat hooks. Further in, the living room and dining room were wide open. The ceilings were high and the woodwork faming them was detailed.

The dining room held a dining set with a large wooden table and six matching chairs. There was a china cabinet in the corner.

In the living room, there was a fireplace, couch, armchair and roll top desk. There was a freestanding box television with a video/DVD player placed on the top.

Cabinets in the kitchen went all the way to the ceiling. Sam was thrilled with all the shelf space. A pantry was next to the kitchen and had supplies used for canning.

"There must be a garden," Sam turned in the small room to tell Dean. "Looks like they did quite a bit of canning. That would be better for you than anything from the store."

"Do you have any idea how to do that? 'Cause I don't."

"We can learn. They have books on everything."

A half-bath that was just off a small bedroom that was the last room downstairs.

"How many baby gates do we have?" Sam asked as he counted the steps until the landing and turned to see how steep they were.

"I don't think the removable ones from the store are going to cut it. We're going to need something sturdier for when they are older. And, the spindles are too far apart. We'll come up with something." Dean led the way up the remaining stairs.

The second floor had three large bedrooms, a full bath and a narrow door which led to the attic. There was a room to one side of stairwell in the attic. To the other side, there were items covered in sheets.

"What could all this be?" Dean reached out to pull on the light cord.

"Family heirlooms," Sam's voice was full of awe. "Looks like some furniture, extra linens. Here's a cradle. Wouldn't that have been neat to have when the twins were smaller? There' probably a highchair up here somewhere. Should we search for it?"

Dean nodded. "We 're not on a schedule. I'd like a rocking chair or recliner in the nursery."

Sam continued exploring the area.

"Sam, I'm done with hunting, for good. If a creature finds us, that's different--no one touches my family. Are you going to go back to hunting?"

"No, I'm not going to hunt. But, are you going to be able to make a clean cut with the friends we've counted on?"

"I never said it would be easy. I don't want to have an injured hunter knocking at my door in the middle of the night. Knut and Linnae don't need to know about that kind of life."

"They deserve the childhood we missed out on."

"It is a nice house, small town and has an area school. We could just stay here in the summer. You're still on scholarship at Stanford, right?"

"Yeah. I should graduate from Pre-Law in two years."

"Knut and Linnae will be running around getting into everything by then. Still going to want to continue to Law School with the rugrats underfoot?"

"I was thinking of taking some time off before Law School. I don't want to miss out on them growing up. I feel like I get a childhood when I see their faces light up at something new. Just seeing the world through their eyes is amazing."

"I guess that's a good reason. After all, they'll be forced into schooling soon enough. You can hear about all the trouble they got into at school while we're sitting around the supper table. I guess I could get the added bonus of getting called to the principal's office. Want to tackle that problem when it comes up?"

Sam laughed. "No way, Dean. They are your kids and you're all alone on that one. Knut will either get in a fight or get caught kissing a girl."

"Linnae could get in a fight. She's just got it in her."

"It'll be interesting. Very interesting."

The two of them locked the house up and walked back to the hotel.

"It feels safe here," Dean said. "We know what is really out there, but this town seems friendly. One bar, one motel, two churches and one community park. It has places where everyone seems to fit in. Maybe I could fit in, you know?"

"You can do anything you set your mind to. You're the one that told me that."

"Guess I did," Dean looked up and down the street. "Is this something you want?"

"I think I might."

Title: Love Has Many Forms, Part 5
Author: my_sam_dean
Fandom: Supernatural
Pairing/character: Dean, Sam
Rating: R
Prompt: 27 - exhuberant
Notes/Warnings: None


"You look pretty in all of them," Sam waved his hand and sighed. "Which one do you like best?"

"I'm not sure. What do you think, Dean?" Melanie turned to face him wearing one dress and holding the other two choices. "Just be blunt with me. I can take it."

Sam shot a warning look at Dean, trying to remind Dean that Melanie was their friend and they wanted to keep her as a friend. But, Dean wasn't looking his way.

He bit his lip as he studied the dresses. "The one with the flowers--I just don't like. It's too loud or Hawaiian or something." Melanie set that dress down. "The pink one showed more cleavage, if that's the look you want. The one you're wearing is more modest. The bottom and sleeves do that flirty-ruffle thing. It's form-fitting and the muted colors show off your face."

Sam's jaw dropped.

"Wow. I didn't expect that much detail. Thanks." Melanie turned back to the dressing rooms.

"When did you grow up?" Sam asked Dean.

"I want her to be happy. When she looks back at her wedding, I want her to remember how beautiful it all was because she deserves it."

Nodding, Sam said no more about it as he saw Melanie returning from purchasing the dress.

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That summer, the Winchesters were a part of a beautiful union of two soul mates. The small country church was filled to capacity on the day of Melanie and Rusty's wedding. Knut and Linnae toddled down the aisle holding Dean and Sam's hands. They were scooped up when their feet got too tired. Brady was supposed to walk his mom down the aisle but he freaked at the last minute. There was some shuffling of bodies but the problem was resolved quickly.

Rusty held Brady up at the altar. Two nice ladies got to coo over the twins. Sam and Dean walked Melanie down to meet her groom.

Photos were taken of the newlyweds, family, and one of everyone who attended the celebration (except for the poor photographer. Someone had to take the picture.) The background was the Winchester porch. When everyone had squeezed in to get the picture taken, the photographer had some of the men sit on the steps. A few of the smaller children were perched on the railing, secured by a parent or relative standing next to them.

The reception was held at the Winchesters' house. It had the advantage of a huge yard. The children could run and play while the adults talked on the porch and sipped iced tea. Children laughed and played tag. Most of them had changed out of their good clothes so they didn't have to worry about getting dirty. The girls were trying to stay clean but the boys were, well, boys.

The wedding cake was displayed inside. Sam had worried over that cake all week because he wanted to get it exactly right. He'd been pouring over magazines for just the right one to make. Dean was better when it came to modifying anything, so he explained how Sam could make a simplifier version of what caught his eye. When Melanie saw her cake, she started to cry. So, Sam's cake was perfect or damn close.

An impromptu ballgame broke out. Men left their suit coats near the house and joined in the fun. After all, they were just big boys at heart. Some girls played but none of the women did. For awhile it looked like Melanie was going to join a team. Dean could tell from the gleam in her eye that she wanted to be out there, but she was being too ladylike. Instead, she cheered the loudest for both teams.

Slowly the party dwindled down. Guests left as the children tired out and needed to sleep. The sun set and crickets sang their nightly tune. After saying goodbye to the last guest, Melanie crept up the steps to check on Brady. It was one more last time before she and Rusty left for their week long honeymoon at the cabin. She'd never left him overnight before.

"Did you remember your cell phone? She'll make you turn around and get it, wedding night or not." Dean advised Rusty.

"I've got the charger, too. Phone's no good without a battery."

"Damn right."

Sam set a box on the table. "Here is a Honeymoon Survival Kit. Don't look at me, it was Dean's idea."

"Well, I thought we could throw a few things together for you."

"Dean made a Honeymoon Survival Kit?" Melanie sounded unsure. "Is it safe to open?"

"Gees! What type of guy do you take me for?" Dean spoke up. "Do I need to have Sam vouch for my good intentions?"

"I'll vouch for Dean on this one, only because I know most of what is in there. I also have a picnic basket with containers of food and desserts."

"You've both done so much for us already," Melanie was going to start crying all over again. Rusty knew that mascara was waterproof and his new wife was putting it to the test.

"We really enjoyed helping you plan your wedding. It will be fun to have Brady with Knut and Linnae for a week." Sam assured her.

"Are you sure a week isn't too long?"

"Not a problem at all. Call whenever you want to check on him." Dean knew that it was going to be quite often.

"Did we leave all the numbers?" Melanie pointed to the fridge.

"They are listed on our fridge. We even have Rusty's school contact information and we know he won't be there. We'll just spoil Brady rotten and then give him back to you."

"Thank you for everything." Melanie hugged Sam and Dean. "Today was wonderful."

"It was exactly what we'd hoped for," Rusty thanked them. Dean tried holding a hand out to Rusty but Rusty ignored it and gave Dean a hug anyway. Sam bypassed the handshake and went straight for the hug.

After waving to the newlyweds and wishing them a safe journey, they returned inside and locked up.

"So, what did you put in their Honeymoon Survival Kit?" Sam asked as soon as the door was closed.

"Candles, matches, lotions, aspirin, champagne, strawberries, chocolate sauce, two disposable cameras, sunscreen, bug repellant, band-aids, condoms, a strip poker game, and massage oils. What did you think I would have in there?"

"I don't know. Porn magazines. Sex toys. I expected the strip poker."

Dean stood in the middle of the kitchen and asked, "Should we get started on this mess or leave it until morning?"

"Put what needs to be cooled in the fridge and leave the rest," Sam suggested. "You know they're going to be up soon."

"Figured."

A few minutes later they checked on the three little angels who were fast asleep. As for Sam and Dean, they fell asleep as soon as their heads their pillows.

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"He's fine, Mel. He misses you but we tell him all the time how much you love him and that you'll be back soon. I'm not kidding. Sam would not let me joke about something as important as that. You enjoying your time alone? Really? Okay, Mel. You'd better put him on." Dean rolled his eyes and sighed. "Rusty? What the hell are you doing out there in that cabin? You're supposed to be romancing your lady. Instead, you go fishing by yourself at the break of dawn and leave her alone in bed! The fish can wait. It's your bride that I'd worry about getting away! Wine her and dine her, man. If you can't cook, take her out to a nice restaurant in town, even if it is twenty miles away. Do they have cloth napkins? Yep. That's the one you should go to. Apologize profusely for that fishing thing. You really stepped in shit with that. I'm sure she'll forgive you. One goof isn't bad."

"Don't be so mean," Sam grabbed the phone away. "Rusty? It's Sam. Don't stress out. Just enjoy your honeymoon. Make Mel laugh. She's not complicated. She'll tell you if she's mad. Okay. Bye!" Sam closed the cell phone and counted to ten. He still felt angry so he counted to ten again.

Dean wasn't difficult to find. He was in the kitchen premixing formula for the bottles.

"I can't believe you made Rusty feel like dirt over something he did on his honeymoon."

"I was trying to give him pointers."

"You weren't doing it very nicely," Sam sighed. "Is there going to be a problem now that Mel and Rusty are married?"

"No. I'm just tired. I'll apologize the next time they call." Dean put the caps on the bottles and set them in the fridge.

"That's good."

A baby's cry sounded through the house. "Brady." They said at the same time.

Dean picked up a bottle, burp rag and went to feed him. Sam sat in a chair in the living room listening to the peace and quiet. They didn't get to hear it much. Silence soaked into his pores as he melded with the chair, making them one. Then, there was a whimper that changed to a piercing scream.

"I'm coming, Linnae. Uncle Sam has your bottle and I'm bringing one for Knut, too." Sam dashed up the stairs as fast as he could with the three baby gates securely in place.

"Oh, baby," Sam put all of the items he was carrying down on the dresser. Then, he grabbed Linnae. He changed her diaper and she squawked at the indignity of it all.

Sam, ever the talker, had Linnae smiling as she sucked on the nipple. Formula crept out the sides of her mouth.

"Don't need you spilling it on your clothes. It needs to go in your tummy." Linnae looked at him with big eyes as if she could understand every word he said. He smiled down at her as he wiped her chin off.

"How's she doing?" Dean stood in the doorway with Brady, who was whimpering.

"She's fine. What's up with Brady?"

Dean shrugged. "Got the blues? Misses Mom? Pick one."

"Let's swap. We're going to try the porch swing." Sam picked up another blanket and tucked Brady as close as possible to him. When Sam made the swing sway, Brady closed his eyes in the breeze that was created. "Do you like that? Huh?" Sam kept up a running dialogue all by himself and Brady quieted down. He gripped Sam's shirt in his fist and he looked ready to cry, but he was brave.

For the first forty-eight hours, Brady demanded Sam's attention. As soon as Sam picked him up, Brady would get a death grip on him and he'd just tag along with whatever Sam was doing. Brady didn't care where he was or what he was doing. It was who he was with that he was concerned about. After that, Sam still got up with him at night but Brady was familiar with his surroundings and able to handle the days.

Melanie and Rusty came back looking refreshed and stress-free. Then, they stepped into the Winchester House of Chaos.

Sam was trying to make lunch and it wasn't going so well. Something had spilled in the oven and the fire detectors were sounding off. The noise scared three little ones who added their cries to the mix. Dean was dripping wet, sitting on the floor, trying to comfort three babies at once. No one noticed when the couple was back.

Rusty went to investigate the smoke coming from the kitchen. He opened windows on the way to a frazzled Sam. He was running water over something in the sink that sizzled. After Sam noticed Rusty, he removed the batteries of the nearest smoke detector. He moved the stepladder around until he had all of them that were going off.

Melanie stepped over some toys and picked up the nearest squalling one. Dean smiled at her and held the other two, rocking them and trying his best to calm them. Sam came in, took one from Dean, and the babies were easier to comfort one-on-one. It also helped that it was finally quiet except for the ringing in their ears.

When Rusty walked in, Dean handed his bundle over. "I was in the shower when all hell broke loose. I'm going to get dried off and dressed in more than just my underwear." He was walking toward the staircase when he called over his shoulder, "If any of you are wondering, these steps are killer with wet feet!"

Chuckling, Sam shook his head. "He did come flying down here. I didn't notice what he was wearing."

"I didn't either," Melanie told him, "but I used to help with laundry. I saw your undies when I washed them. Boxers aren't that big of deal."

Sam's ears turned red and he suddenly found the floor extremely interesting.

Rusty cleared his throat and whispered to Melanie, "Honey? I don't think Sam wants to be reminded of you and his underwear."

"It's not like it's a big deal." Melanie used her regular voice and not a whisper back.

"Maybe to him it is."

"I lived with these guys. They're not shy around me."

"It's different now that I'm here," Rusty was trying his damnedest.

"Why?" She gave him a look of utter confusion.

He gave up and shook his head. "Never mind."

Even the babies were silent until Dean came back. "Hey, guys! What did I miss?"

"Nothing!" Sam, Rusty and Melanie replied in unison.

Dean felt like he'd entered 'The Twilight Zone' but he didn't ask any questions.

Title: Love Has Many Forms, Part 6
Author: my_sam_dean
Fandom: Supernatural
Pairing/character: Dean/ofc, Sam
Rating: R
Prompt: 20 - smirk
Notes/Warnings: None


Knut was sleeping, sorta, while Linnae squirmed and wailed in Dean's arms. It had been a long night and was stretching to an even longer day.

Knock. Knock.

Dean kept hushing and kissing Linnae on his way to the door. On the other side was an older woman that he didn't recognize.

"Hello there!" Her smiling blue eyes twinkled with kindness and life. "I'm a little late, but I thought I'd bring over a little 'Welcome to the Neighborhood' treat and introduce myself. My name is Anna. I live in the blue house across the street."

After Dean remembered his manners and opened the screen door. "Please, come in. Sorry, I'm a little scattered today. We were up most of the night."

"Are they sick?"

"Teething."

Anna looked at the baby after setting the cake she brought on the end table. "Poor thing. What's her name?"

"Linnae. Her brother, Knut, is asleep in the playpen over there. He finally wore himself out. I'm Dean, and my brother Sam is at work at the factory."

"Can I hold her?" she asked. "Between the two of them, I bet that you haven't been able to grab a bite to eat. I can sit with these darlings while you do whatever you need: nap, shower, run errands. I raised four of my own, each a year apart. They have big careers that took them far from here."

Never having left the twins with someone that wasn't family, Dean found it difficult to trust Anna, even though his gut told him that they'd be fine. "If you're sure it's no trouble."

"No trouble at all. I miss having babes around the house." Dean carefully handed Linnae over to Anna's waiting arms. "Oh, sweetie," Anna held her close and rubbed her back. "I wish I could make it all better."

Dean watched her closely. She had started rocking side to side. He could hear her humming a tune as she rested her cheek atop Linnae's head. Her small feet stopped kicking. Her hands slowly hit against Anna's chest until the fists opened enough to grab Anna's blouse tightly and hold on with all her might. What she was doing with Linnae was working.

"I think I'll grab a shower if you'll be okay down here."

"We'll be just fine. Take all the time you need," she answered Dean before she turned her attention back to the baby in her arms.

Fresh from the shower, in clean clothes, he told her, "I feel reenergized, body and mind."

"The babes can wear you out, but you are lucky that you get to spend time home with them. You don't miss any of them growing up."

He didn't want her to think that he was lazy. "About that, I also have West Nile. I have to eat healthy foods, get enough sleep and keep my stress level down or I'll get sick. That is why I don't have a job out of the house."

"What happens when you get sick?"

"High fever, muscles tight and achy, very tired and all that helps is Tylenol and lots of rest. I'm not aware enough to care for Knut or Linnae to stay with me when I'm that sick. Sam stays home and takes care of the three of us."

"I'd gladly watch these angels anytime. Just bring them over."

Sam came home from work, feeling grimy from the long hours in the factory. He spent his time with a great bunch of guys, but it was mind-numbing and repetitive. The best part of his day was coming home to the nearly toothless smiles of the twins.

"Anything interesting happen at work?"

He stopped after taking off one boot to look up at Dean, "You're kidding, right?"

"Never know."

"A group of guys were thinking about playing poker this weekend. I thought we could play over here but I didn't say anything to them. What do you think?"

"Man, I haven't played poker in so long. Do they know how bad you suck at it?" Dean smirked.

"No. They can't all be great at it either. It's for fun. Probably just as excuse to get out of the house, drink beer and chow down on snack food."

"They wouldn't mind the kids?"

"Hell, most of them have kids. A couple of infants aren't going to bother them. I listen to them complain about teenagers. I think we've got it easy with this teething bit."

"That's just plain scary."

Sam laughed. "Did I hit a nerve, Dean?" Silence. "Okay. So what about poker?"

"Yeah. Go ahead and ask." Dean set a couple cold ones on the table. "I met Anna today."

"Who's she?"

"Possibly our saving grace. She lives in the blue house across the street. She raised four kids and she comforted Linnae while Knut slept and I got a shower. She's offered to baby-sit if we need her."

"Really? Were any of her kids twins?"

"I think they were each a year apart. She tried giving Linnae a cool washcloth to gnaw on and it made her feel better."

"Hmm. I wouldn't have thought of that."

"Guess raising kids isn't any more of a science than it was when you were little. It's still ruled by trial and error."

"I turned out fine."

"You just keep thinking that, Sammy." Dean smiled around the lip of the bottle as he took a sip.

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Dean was enjoying the evening with Knut and Linnae on the back porch. The breeze was cooling the hot, humid air of the day. The sound of an unfamiliar vehicle stopped in front of their house. Dean gathered the kids and walked through to the front door.

Jimmy, one of Sam's co-workers, was leading Sam up to the house. Dean set the twins in the playpen where they could amuse themselves.

"What happened?"

"I'm so sorry, Dean. There was a mishap at the factory. We made adjustments for a new product and goofed somewhere in the calculations. Sam's arm got cut up as a result. I feel so bad!"

"What did the doctors say?" Dean helped Jimmy get Sam in the house.

"They took x-rays just to make they saw all the damage. The long slash down his forearm required layers of stitches since it was so deep. He's on pain medication from the IV right now. I filled his prescription for pills." He gave Dean the bottle.

Sam was lying on the couch with his arm propped up. He was mumbling in his sleep and not making any sense.

"Where did you take him to?"

"St. Mary's. It's a half hour away. Sam's nurse, Jill, was sweet on him. She said she'll stop by to check on him."

"When do they expect him back at work?"

"Boss man said to take Friday off and he can start over on Monday. They'll just have him in the office until the doc approves him for physical labor."

Dean laughed, "Sitting at a desk is gonna drive Sam insane. Luckily, even though he's accident prone, he's also a fast healer."

Jimmy smiled. "Really?"

"I bandaged more banged up knees and elbows than the school nurse."

"So you'll be an old hand when it's Linnae or Knut?"

"Are you nuts? When one of my babies is hurting like that, I'll be crying right along with them. They'll probably learn to go to Sam when there is first aid involved."

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"You could have stitched me up."

“We don’t need the whole factory knowing that. What’s this I hear about a nurse named Jill?”

Sam looked confused. “Who?”

“Jimmy said she was interested when you were in the ER. Didn’t you notice? Count on you to be oblivious to some poor girl when she’s hurting herself falling all over you. Did you even get her number?”

“If I don’t know her name, why would I have her number?”

“I used to have so much hope for you,” Dean wiped away imaginary tears.

There was a comeback on the tip of Sam’s tongue but he was interrupted by a knock at the door. Dean went to answer it while Sam watched the kids. Knut was happy to roll his car around while Linnae eyed her uncle and blew bubbles around a ring that she was mouthing.

A beautiful woman dressed in scrubs followed Dean into the room. “Sam, this is Jill from the Emergency Room.”

“I was visiting my mom, she lives here. Thought I could do your wound check and save you a trip to County.” She was a tiny gal. Her red hair was swept back from her face. When she smiled, it made the world around her feel peaceful and serene.

“That’s very nice of you. Thank you for doing this." Sam stumbled over his tongue as he tried to thank her.

‘It’s not a problem.” Her hands were warm and gentle as she removed the soiled wrapping. Her slender fingers prodded at the puffy area. “It looks good. Keep it dry and clean. You can get the stitches out in about two weeks.”

“Do I make an appointment for that?” He asked as she re-bandaged it for him.

“You could.” Jill scribbled on a notepad and handed the sheet to Sam. “Or, I can take them out. I’m usually here on weekends.”

“Um, okay. Thank you.” Sam was embarrassing himself with his wonderful conversational skills.

“That number could be used for more than suture removal, if you’re interested.”

“Yes! I mean, yeah, I’ll be calling about stitches and the other . . . Here’s my number.” Sam was beet red and way out of practice.

“I’ll see you around, Sam.”

He stood and was unable to move as she walked to the door. “Bye, Jill!” With his mind swirling, mulling over what had just happened, Sam sat down before he fell.

“Smooth.” Dean was playing with the kids on the floor and had observed the whole humiliating exchange. “Want some pointers?”

“No.” Sam stomped upstairs to his room.

“And he thinks I’m the crazy one.” After wiping Linnae’s face with a drool rag, he gave her toy back. Knut made some car noises. Dean realized that he didn’t miss the hassle of dating. He had a good life.

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“He’s a little wobbly but he’s thinking about it. Come on, Knut. Just one step!”

Not to be outdone by her brother, Linnae decided she should get in on some of the excitement, too. She crawled over to the couch. In the process of pulling herself to stand, she bumped Knut. He fell to the floor and landed on his highly padded little butt.

He wailed out of surprise instead of being hurt. Linnae couldn’t figure him out. She dropped back to the floor and patted his head. He stopped crying and went back to the pile of toys they’d been playing with.

“I really thought he was going to this time.” Sam straightened up and checked the clock.

“He will. Linnae might beat him to it. Or, they might just take off running one day.”

“In opposite directions with our luck.”

Dean saw Sam glance at his watch. “You nervous about your date?”

“No. Well, maybe just a little."

“She has to be great if she can overlook what you’re like on drugs.”

“Most patients in the ER are in pain and on meds. I’m sure it wasn’t unusual for her.”

“I watched her force her number on you in our kitchen. Damn fine woman.”

“Language.”

He was met with an eye roll. “Really, Sam?”

“Want Anna to scold you when one of them blurts it out to her? She’ll know who they got it from.”

“Jill is still impressive.”

Sam smiled. He swooped Knut up and kissed him goodnight. Next, he did the same with Linnae. “I’ve got my cell.”

“I should be the one telling you that. If you have an emergency, you know where I am. Be careful with the Impala. It’s a babe-magnet.”

“With the car seats in the back?”

“Just means you have to rent a room. Don’t you dare be taking out those car seats. They’re hell to get in and I don’t want to think about any, uh, fluids getting on my seats.”

“Night, Dean.” Sam closed the door behind him and took a deep breath. He hoped his nerves would settle down as the date went on.

After he heard the Impala leave the driveway, Dean declared, “Bath time! It’s a happening time at the Winchester House tonight!”

Linnae and Knut stared at him as if he were under a microscope. Knut was too young to have a boy's aversion to water and his sister enjoyed anything when their daddy would sing to them. Giggles and bubbles filled the upstairs bath while Dean was teamed up on and soaked.

"Who wants to get out first?"

Knut raised his arms and squirmed while Linnae was too busy splashing to notice anything outside of her own little world.

"Looks like you're first," Dean engulfed him in a towel and dried him off. He helped Knut stand by the side of the tub so he could watch Linnae get out of the tub and Dean didn't have to worry about him scooting off and getting into something dangerous while his back was turned.

He was about to lift her up when he heard a splatter and felt a warm liquid soak into his jeans. "Knut?"

With a face of total innocence, he looked up at his father as he continued to pee on the rug and side of the tub. He quit when his bladder ran out.

"My fault," Dean said as he dried and diapered Linnae. "I forgot how tempting it can be to just let loose when you need to. Back in with you for a quick wash. I bet you'll grow up to love nature, but I'm not taking you camping. I hate camping. You can join Boy Scouts. Just don't expect me to be a nature freak."

Both toddlers started to babble at once as they were carried to their room to get dressed.

"Maybe Uncle Sammy will take you camping. Hm. I don't know if Girl Scouts do much camping. You could both join Campfire and then I wouldn't have to worry because you would be together." Dean shook his head as he realized how much he was talking to himself.

Snuggly warm in their pajamas, Dean rocked them in the rocking chair. When both were asleep, he kissed their foreheads and laid them in their cribs. "Goodnight Princess and Sir Pees Alot. Love you."

The work of bath time still wasn't done. He had to wipe up water that has splashed on the tile, clean where Knut had marked his territory in the cutest fashion (it was going to be a good story to tell the girls when it came time to date) and throw the laundry in the wash.

Even alone, Dean continued the weekend evening routine of he and Sam. Baked a small pizza for each of them, brought the food into the living room along with the beer to the coffee table in front of the couch. He made himself comfortable and turned on the scary movies. The newer ones he could just rip apart with the stupidity of the characters. The older ones, the black and white ones, were the ones he loved. It as a great way to unwind.

When Sam arrived home from his date, Dean was crashed out on the couch. He'd finished one pizza, a few beers and just couldn't stay awake any longer. It was late enough that they were showing an old black and white horror movie that Dean would have loved.

Sam locked the doors, put the leftovers in the fridge and sat down by Dean.

"Hey, hey, Sammy," his sleepy mind tried to remember what he'd wanted to ask him. "How was Jill?"

"We had a good time. I didn't like the restaurant she picked but I've eaten worse."

Dean smiled. "Our various concoctions trying to make spaghettios and macaroni and cheese more edible? Is that what you could be referring to?"

"That would be considered worse. But, their fettuccine alfredo with chicken sucked. You have to try pretty hard to wreck it as bad as it tasted."

"Why didn't you send it back?"

"That'd be real classy on a first date. Anyway, I had my arm around her during the movie. She moved closer to fit into my side."

"Did you kiss her?"

Sam's face turned red, "A few times."

"Any sex?"

"No!" Sam was indignant. "She's a nice girl, Dean!"

"So, by the third date then," Dean murmured to himself.

"She invited all of us on a picnic tomorrow. All we have to do is bring the kids."

"What did you tell her?"

"That we'd be there. It's supposed to be a sunny day. There's no harm in having a few sandwiches and pushing the twins in the baby swings."

"You're right. Does her mom like kids?"

Smiling, Sam replied, "She loves them. She ran a daycare in her home until she got too old to chase them around all day. At the library, she runs story time."

"If it means that much to you, we'll go."

Dean resigned himself to what he considered 'family dating'. If Jill wanted Sam, she would also be getting Dean, Knut and Linnae. If she couldn't handle that, it was better if she left early.

The picnic was a hit.

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"He's still really sick," a male voice said.

A female replied, "How much work can you really miss?"

"I've already taken two for this attack. They've been great, but . . ."

"Are the kids ready to go?"

"Yeah."

"I'll take them to Anna's. You need to put everything that you need to tend to Dean on the table."

"Are you sure she can do this?"

"I know so."

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Dean hurt. He was overheating and his limbs felt as if they'd been crushed. His eyes were too heavy to open. So, he listened. When, he didn't hear anything, and Knut and Linnae were never that quiet, he assumed that they had been taken to Anna's house. His head pounded from thinking. He drifted off to sleep.

An unfamiliar voice broke through the haze of Dean's mind. "Sit up. It's time for more medicine, Dean."

Using a tremendous amount of energy, Dean opened his eyes and was met with a beaming ray of sunshine.

"You need two Tylenol and I have a glass of water. That's what Sam told me you'd need."

He was stunned while she gently helped him sit up. After swallowing the pills, Dean croaked out, "Where are the babies and Sam?"

"Sam is at work and Anna has the twins. Do you want something to eat?"

Her words were comforting and he found himself mesmerized by her baby blue eyes. He couldn't help but stare.

"Dean?" She frowned. "What is it you need?"

She tilted her head to look directly at in Dean's eyes. Strands of her straight blond hair fell out of her ponytail.

"What's your name?" he asked.

Smiling, she replied, "I'm Daisy, one of Jill's friends."

Dean's eyelids were getting heavy and began drooping. She helped him ease down back into bed.

"You need your sleep," Daisy told him as she tucked the blankets in around him.

Knowing everyone was safe, he fell into a dreamless slumber.

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The open windows allowed the warm spring breeze to make its way through the Winchester household. Sam was still at work at the factory. Daisy had taken to Knut and Linnae and came over nearly every afternoon to play with them. She kept them occupied and prevented them from being underfoot while Dean prepared supper.

Since the twins started toddling around, unsteady on their chubby legs, Dean found himself getting relapses of his illness more often. Chasing after the little escape artists was more draining than hunting had ever been. He had no clue how Daisy kept them on the blanket while she read them a book. In the end, it didn't matter how she worked her magic, it was just that she did. Otherwise, the Winchester clan would never eat a hot meal. It would be cold cereal or sandwiches three times a day.

"This is a blue truck. This is a yellow truck." Daisy's voice drifted in from the other room.

"Uck!"

"Le!"

"Yes, Knut. That's a truck. Linnae, we'll read about a dolly next."

"Le! Le!" Slap.

"No hitting the book. We'll read 'Dolly's Day Out' next."

Dean peeked around the corner. Daisy was putting Linnae on her lap, trying to comfort the distressed little girl. Her lip drooped for a second before she started to cry. Knut's eyebrows drew together as he stared at his sister, clearly not understanding why she didn't want to read about trucks.

"How's it going in here?" Dean sat on the blanket and took Linnae from Daisy's arms. Linnae stopped fussing immediately. She wasn't spoiled. Daddy's little girl was just, well, Daddy's Little Girl.

"I guess she doesn't like trucks," Daisy replied.

"Yeah? I think she gets tired of being the only girl in the house. It's really nice of you to come over in the afternoons."

"I like making them laugh. It's a good laugh, not a mean one." She said the last sentence in a whisper to her hands which were folded in her lap. Dean wasn't sure if he was meant to hear it or not.

"Growing up is tough. Sam and I moved around a lot. We were the new kids at school and that made us different. What we found out later on was that we're all different--different color eyes, different hobbies, different heights." Daisy looked up at Dean with a tentative smile. "Hey, you don't want to be as big as Sam. Do you?" Dean joked.

"I don't think I need to be that tall." She had an honest to goodness grin on her face. "I'd like his hair, though."

"Brown hair?"

"No. Wavy." She ran her fingers through her hair as she thought about it.

"He didn't have waves when his hair was short. I've been bugging him to get a haircut for years."

"Don't do that! His hair is pretty. He should keep it that way."

"I'll tell him you voted to keep his brown mop. He'll be happy to hear that." Dean stood with Linnae in his arms. "Are you staying for supper?"

"You sure it's okay if I stay?"

"Of course. Can you grab Knut for me?"

"Up, little boy. Are you hungry?" Knut waved his arms at Daisy, bouncing on his butt and squealing. She had her arms full of joy when she walked into the kitchen.

The four of them had a nice supper, punctuated by giggles and various cajoling to get the little ones to eat.