Chapter Text
It was a sunny day out in the Kansas country. Dean and Sam rode along the country road in the impala heading for a case they'd just picked up. The air was tense despite the music and everything outside. "Dean, We've been on cases that have involved your ex's before. We delt with my girlfriend dying before!" Sam tried to break the tension.
"Sammy, it's not that simple. She had a kid, she never mentioned having a kid before." Dean kept his eyes on the rode. He sat with his shoulders tight in and not nearly as relaxed posture as he usually did.
"So, it's been a year since you last saw her. She probably found another guy when you left."
"Yeah, yeah, maybe. But we also haven't had a case before that we went to because of someone we knew dying... Well, not since, not in awhile." Dean relaxed a little while Sam tensed at the same time. It'd been more times then they actually thought that someone died during or they came to a case because of someone they knew dying, but they didn't like to think about that.
"Just, it's not like you'll suddenly have to settle down to take care of a kid." Sam huffed as he looked back out the car window away from Dean. A small huff was heard from Dean and nothing but the music from the radio was really heard for the rest of the car ride.
When they arrived in Olathe, Kansas they headed right for a motel, payed, and parked. They both dropped their bags onto their respective beds, Dean going and laying on top of all of the blankets and sheets right away. "Okay, so the crime scene's already been cleaned up. We know this, and child services is looking for the father of the child. All in the newspaper. How do we get anything more now?"
"I'll see what I can find about similar cases. Maybe the house could still be worth looking at? I mean, traces of sulfur, cold spots, anything could still be there." Sam sat at the small table and opened his computer, "Could even be traces of her defending herself that the police ignored. That is if you gave her any of our methods for in the future."
"Uh, I don't think I did. But I can still check I guess." Dean stood up and gave Sam a pat on the back, "Thanks for letting me get comfy, Sammy." He then grabbed the keys for the Impala and headed out to the address they remembered being in the paper. Approaching, he parked right in the driveway of the now-empty house. Any furniture that hadn't been involved in the crime had been left, he could see that through the windows. The living room was totally stripped clean, definitely where most of it had gone down.
He went up to the front door and looked around before pulling out his lock-picking kit and getting right to work. "Excuse me, sir." Someone called out. Dean silently cursed himself before carefully removing the tools and turning around as he stood up, "Uh, Hey. Ya need something?"
"I'm with Child Services. I just came here to collect some of the child's things before we take them to their grandparents."
"Grandparents? Couldn't find the kid's dad or something?" Dean wasn't sure why he wanted to know, but anything they could find out about the victim and their life was the usual thing to do.
"No, I assume you're here just curious about the case." The person walked up, holding a key to the house.
"Oh, yeah. True crime's always kinda been my thing. Trying to solve old cases in my free time at home." Dean shrugged moving out of the way for them.
"Well, I can't let you inside. Law and all." They unlocked the door beginning to walk in.
"Ya know what, that's fine, but... um, do ya at least have a name for the father?" Dean knew this was his chance, the chance to know. He didn't exactly have the most common name like his brother after all.
"All the family and friends knew was a first name, Dean." The person decided to oblige, "Shockingly there are more Dean's in the world than you'd expect. No one had even met this Dean aside from her so we don't have a description to work with."
Dean nodded, holding back his shock. "And if he was found one day?"
"We'd give him the opportunity to take his kid home."
Dean nodded again and walked to the driveway to the Impala. He looked over at the house again, frustrated that he couldn't get inside and unsure if he wanted to go in. He got in the car, slammed the door shut, and drove back to the motel. "How'd it go?" Sam asked as Dean walked in.
"Horrid, Sammy. I just found out the one thing I was hoping wasn't true." Dean collapsed on the bed. "I didn't get into the house cause someone showed up. Child Service worker. Thankfully they were alright with me casually asking questions. Not that they could talk about the actual case with a random citizen... I learned that the baby is currently going to the grandparents, but also that she at least went around definitely telling people I was the dad."
"Wait, Dean, you're serious? She said you were the dad?"
Dean nodded in response, "I mean. I got a kid out there. I know they'll be safe with the grandparents, but I got a kid I won't even get to meet if I don't say anything."
"Then go meet them, say you were a friend or something."
"Sam, I got a kid. It's either keep the kid away from the life by not interacting... or see em and I just know i'm going to want to know that my kid can defend themself from what's out there." Dean stood up pointing to who knows where, "We know what's out there, Sammy. I'm not sure I can stand by thinking my kid could die because I didn't prepare them."
"So you wanna be like Dad then?! Live life on the road and never keep still? The kid deserves some normalcy too."
Dean sighed, "Then pray to god that no demon figures out who her daddy is..."
Sam shook his head, sighing, "Look. We just aren't in a position that a kid could be brought into our lives. I'd have to be part of raising them too."
"I know, I don't want the kid in my life either I just... Damn, the father instincts already kicking in, huh?" Dean ran his fingers through his hair.
Sam nodded, "Only makes sense you'd get protective fast though. You got a lot on your mind. Enough to immediately make you concerned, we've seen Bobby in danger because we dragged him back into it all after all." There was a moment of silence between the two, both unsure of what to do. It wasn't long before Sam made his choice. "Ya know what, she would be safer if she were with Bobby at least. Go see her."
"Really? Literally, you want her with him right after what you said moments before?"
"The other choice is possibly risk three lives that know nothing. If something went after her, the grandparents would be dead too." Sam stood up, closing the computer. "Besides, always gotta ask the family at some point. And we could actually get more out of you being a father compared to being police."
Dean smiled sadly. He knew Sam wasn't wrong, but it all felt so... domestic. He sighed and nodded, "Right, don't suppose you already have their address, do you?"
"Course I do. I wouldn't have said to go if I didn't" Sam put his own jacket on and headed out, Dean following behind them.
Both in the car, Sam was driving this time. A rare occurrence. Dean was internally freaking out too much this time to drive. It was a lot more real when you were sure you had a kid out there. Sam comforted him and they worked through what they would say on arriving at their house. Dean wasn't confident about any of it, he wasn't sure he could fake anything about their relationship or how the child came to be. He didn't even know the things she'd told about him.
"Sam, this isn't gonna work. I'm gonna sound like I was the best boyfriend I could be when, for all I know, she was shitting on me constantly." Dean stepped out of the car in front of the address Sam and driven to.
"Dean, calm down. It's still worth a shot." Sam didn't stop to comfort him as he headed to the door, Dean slowly behind him. Sam motioned that Dean should be the one to knock.
Dean glared at him, but pretty much agreed and knocked roughly. The door opened and it was the child services person he'd met earlier. "Hey! You again..."
"Hello, I know you said you were interested in the case, but you really shouldn't-"
"He's not here about the case." Sam interrupted, "I'm Sam, this is my brother... Dean."
Dean looked at the floor as he saw the surprise raise on the person's face.
"Oh my, I'm so sorry. I should've realized when you asked about- Um, please come in. I was about to leave, but I c-"
"No, no. I wanna see my kid. But I don't want some government worker negotiating me getting my kid while I see them for the first time." Dean looked up and put his hand up, going into his aggressive defensiveness.
They nodded and hurried past them to leave. Dean started to walk in when an older woman peaked her head into the hall and then approached them. "excuse me, boys, but who are you?"
Dean took a deep breath to put his game face on, "look, I-I'm sorry I didn't call. She never gave me your number, I barely even knew about the kid before she-" Dean's tears forming were only half fake. He couldn't believe he was doing this. Sam went and grabbed his shoulders comfortingly.
"Dean, it's alright. Kid's safe after all."Sam let go as Dean looked back at the woman.
"Y-you're the Dean our little Megan talked about so much." She asked quietly. Dean nodded and the next thing he knew he was pulled into a tight hug. He hugged back even though he didn't care for hugs much. "She always said such lovely things about you and how she wished you weren't always so busy to care for your child. I am Anne, her mother." She had pulled back.
"Nice to meet you, Anne. This is my brother, Sam. I couldn't come here alone, I was terrified of what it would be like." Dean half-laughed in the sadness he actually was starting to really feel. She said kind things about him, even if a lie, all for their kid.
Sam gave a small wave as Anne went over and shook his hand with both of hers, "Thank you, young boy for coming with him. It's good to know he cares for his family." Sam couldn't help himself from smiling.
The two of them were brought to a very barren nursery. Dean saw the bassinet and walked over to it, seeing the baby inside. "Hey there, little guy. You sure look like my kid." Sam went over and saw aswell.
"She's got your eyes, Dean."
Anne sat down in the rocking chair next to them. "If you wish to take her, you can. I'm far too old to care for her and my housekeeper has her hands full with me as is."
"I-I don't know. I don't want to leave her here, so far from where I work, but She also needs someone really looking after her." Dean looked at her, forgetting what was planned and what was just him for the moment. Sam noticed this and decided he'd take care of the actual investigating part.
"I still don't understand though, what happened to Megan? How could someone kill a single mom like that?" Sam sat on another chair in the room.
"I wish I knew, but it couldn't have been anyone from our small town. I just know it. No one is that strong to tear my child into pieces." Anne held back tears.
"Hey, hey, now it's gonna be okay. We're gonna find out who did this." Dean looked at Sam with a nod before kneeling next to Anne, "But also, I think you need help taking care of this kid. I know I can't be there, but I've got a friend. His name's Bobby. Let me take her there to stay with him."
"Oh, you dear boy. You are so kind. And you are the little darling's father. I trust you, no need to even change custody. Just take her." the statement made it easier than they expected. Dean nodded, looked at Sam, and then gently picked up the baby.
"She got a name?"
"Her Name's Laura."
Dean smiled before the two brothers left, baby in arms. He made it clear that Sam should drive again. Sam nodded and first helped Dean get settled in the passenger. He then got in the driver seat, looked at Laura one more time, and then put his eyes on the road as they made it back to the hotel. "Dean?" Dean looked over. "We should buy a car seat for her and then one of us take time to get her to Bobby. He might not like we didn't ask him, but there's no way he'll tell us no."
"You focus on the case, Sammy. I wanna spend time with my kid." Dean smiled down at Laura. "She's my responsibility."