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Disclaimer: The characters of Supernatural do not belong to me.
Sam
“Okay, Daddy, here we go.”
The nurse handed the little screaming bundle over to Sam, who gingerly took her into his arms. His heart was beating rapidly and his hands were shaking. The nurse must have sensed what Sam was thinking. She grabbed his hand and smiled at him warmly.
“You’re gonna do fine. But babies smell fear. If you’re scared, she will be too.”
Sam nodded. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. You’ve got about ten minutes before we move Jess back to the recovery room.”
“I can go with her, right?”
“Absolutely. You three need to stay together right now. You just focus on baby girl right now.”
The moment came that Sam had known was coming for months now. He’d had mixed feelings about it, from nervousness to excitement to absolute fear. But right now, the only thing Sam felt was joy. Pure joy.
Kayla’s name had been picked out almost as soon as Jess found out she was having a girl. She’d approached Sam nervously, hand on her stomach, and told him something that Sam hadn’t seen coming. Before she’d been born, Jess had three-year-old twin sisters, Katherine and Layla. Jess’ mother, Leslie, was three days away from giving birth to Jess when Katherine and Layla were hit by a car and killed. After getting over the shock of such a big part of Jess’ history that he didn’t know about, it was Sam that came up with Kayla as a name. After getting Leslie’s permission, Kayla’s name was set.
For the months after that, the idea that Kayla was an actual person was something that Sam hadn’t been able to wrap his mind around. He saw all the baby things piling up, but the thought that Kayla was an actual baby just seemed bizarre. Sam hadn’t been around other children that much growing up, and hardly ever had he been around babies. Now that Kayla was here, in his arms, that fear didn’t abate in any way.
The second that Kayla was placed in his arms, she stopped screaming. She stilled, her eyes unfocused but finally open and looking around. Sam felt a smile creep up on his face, and he instinctually started to rock Kayla gently.
“Hey there, Kayla. I’m Daddy. I’ve been waiting on you for a long time now.”
Kayla murmured and yawned, making Sam chuckle.
“I know. You’ve had a big day, huh? Mommy has too. She’s sleeping right now, but she’s ready to see you too.”
Kayla whined a little, squirming and poking one tiny hand out of the pale pink blanket the nurse had wrapped her in.
“Shh. I know. I know you want Mommy. You’ll see her soon, I promise.”
The nurse walked over and grabbed Sam’s arm. “We’re ready to go back to the room. You want to put Kayla in the bassinet?”
The thought of putting Kayla down made Sam feel terrified. “Can I walk with her?”
The nurse smiled. “Sure. Just follow us.”
On the walk back to the maternity ward, Sam walked slowly and carefully, the fear of dropping Kayla nearly strangling him. He kept one eye on Kayla and one in front of him, taking the chair next to Jess’ bed and waiting for her to wake up. He sang a song to Kayla and soon enough, she was asleep again. With a kiss to her forehead, Sam whispered,
“Sleep tight, baby girl. Daddy’s got you.”
Dean
Dean pulled up to the house and picked up the blanket in the seat beside him. He couldn’t believe how nervous he was. Sam had called two days earlier, and the joy in his voice almost made Dean glad that Sam had left years earlier.
The fight that had separated Sam from the family was one that Dean had fought to forget. It was one of the most painful nights of his life. Sam fighting so hard to be able to leave him and John, putting splinters into Dean’s heart that had never fully healed, and John telling Sam if you leave don’t come back. Those words were the only time that Dean had ever truly hated his father.
But that was the past. It was over and done with, and Dean was determined for things to be better. His father and Sam had not made up yet, so Dean still had a ways to go, but he had his own relationship with Sam. For now, that had to be enough.
Distance, of course, had changed the close relationship Dean had with Sam. They no longer told each other everything simply because they weren’t able to talk the way they had been before. This had never been as evident to Dean as the day Sam called and excitedly announced he was getting married.
Dean hadn’t even known that Sam had a girlfriend.
Dean made it back for Sam’s wedding, and he came to view Jess as his own little sister. Because of her, Sam and Dean kept in closer contact with each other. Jess made sure that Sam called Dean and kept him updated of his life at least once a month. She called Dean herself a few times to ‘keep tabs on my older brother’ and to invite him to family functions. Because of Jess, for the first two years she and Sam were married, Dean had a real Thanksgiving, a real Christmas, and a real birthday. For the first time ever, Dean could see why Sam had fought so hard to have the life he'd made for himself.
Now, Dean found himself amazed that Sam’s family had grown even more. Dean couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. He’d always wanted to have a family of his own, but it never seemed to be in the cards. He knew by then that he’d never leave the hunting life, and putting a wife and children through the life he’d been raised in just seemed cruel.
But as jealous as he felt, Dean was also proud. Sam was a kind and loving husband, and Dean knew he’d be just as kind and loving of a father. He’d never said this to Sam, for fear that it would start an argument between him and Sam that would result in a further split in the family, but Sam reminded him of John in the days before hunting. A man whose whole life, whole heart, and whole being was wrapped up in his family. First his wife, and now his daughter.
Dean took a breath, got the blanket out of the seat, and walked up the steps of the house.
Jess greeted him as she normally did, with a big smile and a hug, though Dean took note that she grimaced slightly. He asked if she was alright and was brushed off by Jess assuring him that it comes with the territory. Sam, grinning ear to ear, came out of the bedroom with a tiny bundle in his arms.
“Hey there, Dean. Got someone ready to meet you.”
Before he could say anything, Dean was holding a tiny, wriggling mass with dark hair and dark eyes. Dean stared in wonder. Kayla was nearly identical to a baby Sam. In Dean’s mind, he went back in time to holding Sam in his arms, feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders countered by the love that he held for Sam.
He’d thought it was impossible to feel that way about anyone ever again. While the way he felt about Kayla was different, he loved her just as much as he ever had Sam.
“Hey you. I’m your uncle.”
“Well come on, uncle Dean. You hold her and chat with me while Sam makes lunch. How’s that sound?” Jess asked.
“That sounds like a deal.” Dean said, not taking his eyes off Kayla, who’d grabbed Dean’s finger and was holding on tight. “You got quite there, kiddo. I’ll teach you how to use that to fight the boys off.”
“She’s three days old, Dean. Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it.”
Dean barely heard Sam, keeping his eyes on Kayla and practically cooing to her. The thought crossed Dean’s mind that his father should be there, but for once he didn’t care what his father was doing or what he thought. Kayla, Dean knew, would bring the three of them together one day. Right now, all he had to do was count his blessings.
“Dean? Are you crying?”
Dean jumped. He’d been so focused on Kayla that he’d forgotten Sam was even there. He sniffed and wiped his eyes.
“What? No.”
“You are.” Sam said with a grin. “No chick flick moments, huh?”
“Shut up, bitch.”
“Hey!” Jess reprimanded. “No cursing around the baby.”
“Jerk.”
Sam spoke from the stove, where he got the ingredients together for lunch. The four of them were interrupted by the return of Leslie, and for the first time in a long time, Dean felt at home.
John
John felt like the new student that had arrived halfway through the year.
Sam and Jess were on their way, baby Kayla in tow. John had seen Kayla once a few days earlier, but this was the first time he’d meet her officially. The rift between him and Sam was long from completely fixed, but the healing had begun and John felt a deep, powerful relief washing over him.
He’d been back living with Bobby for a week now, and he was grateful for his friend’s forgiveness. Bobby hadn’t said a single cross word to him, just made it clear that John was expected to help keep the house clean and help him with research for other hunters. John agreed readily, and he prepared for something else he never thought he’d live long enough to see.
Retirement.
The shock of his life had come the night before. Sam had called, and Bobby took the call like always. He talked to Sam a few minutes before he suddenly couldn’t keep his eyes off John. Bobby simply told Sam yes, then said that he couldn’t talk anymore and hung up the phone. He then said the words to John that were more unbelievable than retirement.
“Your son wants to bring your granddaughter to meet you tomorrow. You gonna be smart about it or you gonna be an idjit?”
John had barely slept the night before. He’d gone out that morning and bought a gift for Kayla, a pink teddy bear wrapped in a pink blanket that he hoped Kayla wouldn’t be too young for. It had been a long time since John had had to think about what was good for a baby, and he was certain at some point that he’d mess up.
Hopefully, Sam was more forgiving of his father than John had ever been of Sam.
He knew he didn’t deserve Sam’s forgiveness. He’d pushed Sam out the door to Stanford and never opened it back up for him to return. As time went on, pushing open that door and inviting Sam in through it got harder and harder. John’s pride got in the way, as much as he told himself it was about keeping Sam safe and away from the hunting life. Dean had tried to tell him that all he had to do was make an effort, just call Sam and ask him how he was doing, but John had proved that he was as stubborn as everyone said and never done it.
Until now.
Now, he determined, things would be different. Better. He would have at least a fragment of the life, the family, that he and Mary had planned for in the years they’d dated and been married. She wouldn’t be around to see it, but hopefully she would be proud of him anyway.
The doorbell rang and it was time.
Bobby opened the door and in stepped Sam first, holding a diaper bag over his shoulder. A woman came in behind Sam, who John had only seen once before when he’d showed up at Sam’s house unannounced the week before. Her name he didn’t remember, but he knew it was Jess’s mother. Next followed Jess, who gave Bobby a hug before John finally spotted her.
Dean had told John that Kayla looked exactly like Sam, but the resemblance was breathtaking to John. Kayla had the same shade of brown hair, with the same curly texture. Her big brown eyes were expressive, and when she spotted Bobby, she thrust both hands out towards him and laughed. Bobby took her and kissed her cheek, making Kayla laugh again. It was at that moment that Dean came in the back door, having left an hour before on a food run. Kayla spotted Dean and reached out for him too. John stood awkwardly to the side, introducing himself to Jess and her mother before he realized Kayla had gone quiet.
“Hey, Dad. You ready to meet your granddaughter?”
John smiled. “You bet I am.”
Kayla was staring at John, her pointer and middle finger in her mouth, just as Sam had done as a baby. She held an arm on Dean’s shoulder, looking to him for a moment before allowing herself to be placed in John’s arms.
“Hey there. I got something for you.”
John walked to the couch and picked up the teddy bear, handing it to a curious Kayla. Her fingers left her mouth and she cuddled the bear, before leaning up and planting a slobbery kiss on John’s cheek.
“You like it, huh?”
Kayla responded with a small hug, which started the process of putting John’s nearly shattered heart back together. John looked to Sam, who was softly crying. Without saying a word, John knew why. The thought, after all the heartache and strife that Sam, Dean, and he had been through, that John might one day hug his grandchild had seemed impossible. But here they all were. Kayla, keeping her arm around John’s neck, put an arm out and made her wishes known.
“Dada. Unc Dee.”
It had been a long, hard road, but thanks to Kayla, they were all back together.