Chapter Text
Because it is in pain that we find the meaning of life.
Pain. That was the first thing Sam registered waking up. He opened his eyes, sleep clouding his thoughts still. Another stab of pain went though him, making him squeeze his eyes shut again tightly.
What was happening? His brain catalogued the pain, the registering the darkness. Hell, he thought at once. Sam breathed through the pain, teeth clenching. Automatically he sat up, and was surprised to see he could, that he wasn't held down. He felt some movement, then wetness against his face, hot and eager. Sam opened his eyes again to see that he was face to face with, not the Devil, but Bear. Feeling more movement at his side Sam looked over and saw Dean, alseep at his side. No, he was home. He was out. Dean got him out. Sam heard a chuckle though, from the chair in the corner of the room.
"Or maybe that's what I just want you to think." Sam didn't need to look to know who it was.
I'm not in hell, but a part of it's still here. Sam ignored Lucifer, instead trying to figure out what the pain that had woken had come from. He could feel really nothing now just whispers of memory of the pain.
Maybe it was a dream, maybe I was dreaming about hell. I was dreaming the pain. Sam thought, content with that explanation, he went back to sleep.
Sam woke again, gasping at the shock of pain going through him. Sitting up, Sam breathed through the pain again. He hadn't been dreaming about hell, he knew that. Looking around the room Sam's eyes landed on the clock, seeing it had only been just over a half an hour since he had last woken up. Running his hand over his extended stomach, Sam tried to think over what exactly he'd been dreaming about. A few moments later he fell a firm, and insistent kick under his hand. Sam smiled at his son's movements.
"Well good morning to you too, little one." He whispered.
"I know, it must be awfully cramped in there. You probably can't wait to get out." Sam smiled, then realizing what he'd just said the smile slipped from his face. Gasping, Sam looked down at his stomach, grinning again.
"That's it. You *want* to be out don't!" Sam whispered, excitedly. He was in labor, he was having contractions. Apparently, they were a little over a half hour apart at the moment. Sam turned to Dean, and began to shake him.
"Dean, Dean wake up! Wake up!" Dean woke up quickly, with a jerk.
"What? What's wrong?!" He asked, voice sleep rough. He became alert quickly though, a life time as a hunter meant you had to wake up quickly sometimes or possibly die.
"Sammy?! What's wrong?!" Dean said, worried. Sam grinned at Dean.
"I'm in labor." He whispered, almost not believing it himself. His son was going to be in the world soon. He'd be able to hold Mikey in his arms soon. Dean was silent for a moment, then spoke.
"You're what?!"
"I'm in labor!" Sam said again, more loudly.
"Dean our baby is coming!" Dean sat up quickly then.
"Really?" He said, excitement in his own voice now. Sam nodded.
"I think my contractions are about a little over 30 minutes apart!" Concern quickly flooded Dean's features.
"Contractions. Are you in pain? How bad are they?"
"They're not too bad, they're still far apart and aren't too intense yet. They were just enough to wake me. My water hasn't even broken yet Dean." Dean nodded, and Sam could see the 'pre parental panic' starting to set it. Dean rolled out of bed, and turned on the lights.
"We need to get you to a hospital then."
"Dean, we have plenty of time still."
"Then we need to pack. You need a bag."
"We've already packed one, for me and some things for the baby."
"The we need to double-"
"We already have, and triple checked." Sam said, grinning.
"Everything is ready to go. How about you help me out of bed and downstairs. You can make me some breakfast...." Sam hinted.
Dean nodded, moving to help Sam out of bed.
"Right. Make you Breakfast."
"Then when it's a more decent time we'll call Cas and Charlie and Kevin."
"Right, and Benny too, I'll call him." Dean said. Sam hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"And Benny."Sam sat on the couch, eating the final bites of the second serving of scrambled eggs and hash browns Dean had made. Bear was at his feet, clearly begging for bites of food, which Sam was happily giving him. Dean always told him not to, that it was encouraging him. Sam knew though that Dean did the same thing now and then though.
Dean was sitting next to him, arm slung lazily over his shoulders, his own plate of food empty and off to the side. They were watching a Dexter episode. Sam's choice. Dean joked that Sam loved it so much because of his 'thing for serial killers'. Sam wasn't really sure why he liked it, he just did.
Sam sucked in some air suddenly, squeezing Dean's thigh as he rode through his contraction. They were closer together now, and a bit more intense. Dean had called everyone, but told them he'd let them know when to come to the hospital. Sam just wanted it to be him and Dean right now, and Bear of course. Just for the last time before their lives changed together. They wouldn't really be alone like this for a very long time soon.
He knew they'd have to go to the hospital soon, he judged that he'd started his labor while asleep, and he'd been awake now for awhile. He was probably a few hours into his labor now. Yes, they'd go to the hospital soon, but not quite yet. They could finish this episode first. Then they'd go."Did I get everything?" Dean asked, looking over the few bags he'd piled into the Impala.
"Yep, that's everything."
"Alright. Let's go have a baby." Dean said, turning to Sam and smiling.
"Let's go have a baby." Sam repeated.Dean and Sam walked through the hospital doors and up to the front desk.
"Hello, how may I help you today?" The receptionist asked.
"Hi, my husband, Sam, is in labor." Dean said.
"Oh! Of course! Can I get a full name?"
"Sam Winchester."
"Winchester...like the gun?"
"Yep." They both answered at the same time, looking at each other and smiling.
The receptionist typed it into her computer.
"Alright Sam. Never mind, we already have all your information so you can just head right to the maternity ward. Just head to the elevators and you'll see a button labeled 'maternity' and they'll get you a room up there."
"Perfect, thanks." Dean said, steering Sam towards the elevators."Alright, we're just gonna hook you up so we can monitor your vitals. Now did you want anything for the pain? We can start getting an epidural ready for you."
"Uh, I think I'm good for now." Sam said, watching the nurse finish up.
"Alright, let me know if you need anything else then. Know though after a certain point we won't be able to give you one so make sure you make up your mind before then. The doctor will be in to check how dilated you are shortly." The nurse said, before walking out of the room.
Sam turned to Dean after she'd left.
"Have you called everyone?"
"Yep, they're going to all be here within the next hour. Also Jody is flying down."
"What? She didn't need to do that! She was just down here when I.. you know.. passed out."
"Yea well, you really think she's gonna miss this? She's gonna be like a surrogate young grandma to our kid." Dean joked. Sam laughed at that. Then he reached out and took Dean's hand.
"We're gonna have our son soon Dean." Sam said, a soft smile on his face.
"Yea Sammy," Dean said,
"we are.""Alright Sam, you're already about 3 and a half centimeters dilated, so you're making good progress." Dr. Paul said, taking off his gloves.
"Now, you're water hasn't broken yet?"
"No, it hasn't." Sam answered.
"Well, expect it to soon then. If you're able to, I suggest walking a but up and down the hall, it can help the labor process." Both Sam and Dean nodded at that.
"Now, I know you've suffered a miscarriage before, so I want to just remind you everything looks great so far. You've carried to term, and both you and the baby are very healthy. We're also going to be taking extra precautions just in case. You and your son are in good hands Sam."
"Thank you doctor." Sam said.
"Alright, well, I'll be in here in around an hour unless you need me in here sooner. Just try to relax, drink pretty of water, and let us know if you need anything." Dr. Paul said before walking out.Sam had a death grip on Dean's hand. His contractions were becoming worse and closer together. His water had broken earlier, while he was walking up and down the hall with Dean. After that, everything just seemed to have sped up. Charlie, Cas, Kevin, and Benny were all out in the waiting room. They'd been kicked out earlier when it was apparent that Sam was getting close to delivering. Another contraction came, and Sam gritted his teeth through it, before falling back into the pillows.
"Dean." Sam moaned.
"Sammy I'm right here. Want me to get you the doctor? We'll get you an epidural." Sam shook his head no. He'd been to hell and back, he could handle this, no matter how bad it got. People did it all the time. Maybe he would finally get a good memory from pain."Alright Sam, you're fully dilated, think you're ready to start pushing?" Doctor Paul asked. Sam nodded.
"Alright, the membrane of skin is opened, no problems there. So when you feel the next contraction, bear down, Ok?" Sam nodded, already feeling his next contraction. As soon as it hit he bore down, squeezing Dean's hand. As soon as it was over he collapsed against the pillows behind him, breathing heavily.
"Good Sam, that was really good. Now get ready to do it again.""You're doing great Sammy, amazing. You're almost there, just remember, we're gonna have our son soon! You're doing so good. So strong, amazing. You're amazing." Dean was murmuring into Sam's ear, a constant stream of encouragement and reassurance.
There was another person in the room though, on the other side of Sam.
"You think this is pain? Remember hell? God, look at you, crying over this. This is nothing. You're so weak, so pathetic. You really think you can do this? You can't!"
I can, I am. thought Sam He did his best to ignore the Devil, instead focusing on Dean's voice. "Just think, you'll be able to hold him soon. Not to much longer, doing so good Sammy, I love you so much." Sam just squeezed Dean's hand, throwing occasional insults at Dean, which he knew he'd feel bad for later but he didn't care about that right now. Dean was the reason he was pregnant, and Dean was the only person he could scream at and it wouldn't matter later right now. Everything he was saying at Dean was just bouncing off him, not affecting him thankfully. There was a moment though when Sam has yelled at Dean to get the hell out, and Dean had actually started to do so until Sam's contraction ended and he started crying for Dean to come back, don't leave him.
Sam was drenched in sweat, he felt exhausted in everyway possible. He just wanted to stop, and sleep for a week. The baby would surely wait another week, right?
"Alright Sam, get ready. You're almost there, I can see the head! Give me a big push and the baby will be crowning!" Sam sighed, and prepared to push again. He let out a yell of pain as the contraction came through him. It felt like he was being split in half as he felt his son starting to crown and leave his body.
"Amazing, you're doing amazing. Just a few more good pushes."
Dean pressed a kiss to Sam's temple before speaking again.
"Hear that Sammy? Only a few more pushes and you'll be holding our son." Sam smiled, despite the pain, he was so close to having his son. He bore down through another contraction, then another, until finally he felt all the pressure suddenly just flow out of him, and a moment later a piercing scream. Sam lifted his head up, to see the doctor lift the baby up.
"Congratulations! It's a boy!" Dr. Paul announced.
"My son." Sam breathed.
"Mr. Winchester, would you like to do the honors?" Dean, who was seemingly frozen looking at the baby looked up at the doctor.
"Yes. Of course!" He said, and followed the doctor's instruction to cut the chord. Then the nurse was taking the baby to clean and check him over quick before bundling him up with a blanket and bringing him over to Sam. She handed the baby to Sam gently, helping him cradle the new born against his chest before stepping away.
"Oh god." Sam cried.
"He's beautiful."
"He is." Dean agreed, leaning in, in awe.
"Welcome to the world." Dean whispered to their son.
"Do you have a name?" The nurse asked.
"Yes." Sam said.
"Michael Dean."