Archive of Our Own

Bobby sighed. The boys were always in danger and he wished he knew better how to keep them safe! "Easier when they were kids!" He said out loud.

The lights flickered a moment and he stood up fast, gun in hand.  He looked around but nothing else moved.

Suspiciously, he cleared the house, heaving a little sigh of thanksgiving that there wasn't something around waiting till he relaxed.  Satisfied he sat down again and took a long swallow of whiskey. "Keep my boys safe tonight, Cas," he pleaded.

Crowley grinned and snapped his fingers unbeknownst to Bobby. "Wish granted."

Castiel watched Sam and Dean with a small confused frown. "What is wrong with you boys? Why am I here?"  He'd been sent very suddenly to where the boys were with an urgent need to keep them safe. Now he wondered what sort of situation he was in.

Dean's lower lip quivered. "Cas. You be my friend?"

Cas studied the innocent face of one of his best friends. "Yes. Where's Sam?" The angel asked.

"He's in the closet," Dean said, toying with Castiel's tie. "He gots scared when the man camed."

Cas was confused. The boys looked like themselves but something was clearly wrong. "Who came?" He asked patiently.

Dean waggled his hands in a confused way.  "A black man camed to us an he made us feel diff'ent."

Castiel walked to the closet and opened it.

Sam was sitting there, big eyes turned upward. "Ca?"

The angel looked at Dean, back at Sam and then very slowly closed the closet door. "I'm not good at this."

Sam started to cry and Dean hurried over. "He don' like the closet! Let 'im out!"

Castiel quickly opened the door again and Sam tumbled forward. He started crying louder.

Cas put his hands over his ears. "Make it stop!!"

A moment later, the crying ceased because Dean had taken Sammy's thumb and put it in his mouth.

Castiel breathed a sigh of relief.

Both boys were looking at him like he was supposed to do something.

"Can you stop looking at me?" He pleaded.

Dean sat on the floor and patted Sam's back. "He gon' look affer us, Sammy."

Sam rolled onto the floor and wiggled until he saw his backpack.  The silver zipper tab caught his eye and he reached for it. He giggled every time it flapped back and forth.

Dean was crying now however, which was something Castiel had never seen. Why were they acting so childish?

"I'm not sure what to do!" He said to Sam. "Can you make him stop?" Sam ignored him having found that he could suck on two fingers at once. Cas pondered his next move. "Hush," he told Dean.

The youngster breathed in a shaky sigh. "Okay."

The angel tried to understand what had happened but he couldn't access the information. Someone was blocking him. Unfortunately, in order to release the boys from whatever this was, he needed to figure out where it came from.

Dean had completely stopped crying now, apparently over his panic attack at their current situation. He was pulling out a magazine from his bag.

Cas breathed a sigh of relief. The quiet helped him think. He was about to leave when he looked again at the boys. He had to stay. He had to leave and he had to stay! How would he do this?

He looked at the magazine that Dean was looking at.  Busty Beauties.

Dean opened it and made a face. "Cas, yucky?"

Castiel shrugged. "May I see?" He took the magazine, studying the nearly naked woman on the page. Why did Dean like to look at these?

"I want a snack," Dean said instead.

"I don't have any snacks," Cas pointed out. "I don't need to eat."

"Snack!!" Dean yelled, swinging out and hitting at Cas' chest.

Castiel gave Dean a wry look. He couldn't hurt an angel. Why was he hitting?

Sam started to whine, looking at Cas mournfully. "Ca! Ca?"

"What does he want?" Castiel asked.

Dean shook his head. "I think my baby Sammy is hungry too!"

"Can you speak?" Cas asked Sam.

Sam babbled and waved his hands. He flapped a hand harder and his lower lip wobbled.

Dean studied him. "Oh. Guess he had to go potty, Cas. Sammy is wet."

Castiel was way out of his realm of expertise. "What should we do?" He asked, looking at the toddler and the child.

Sam was crying fretfully now.

"Change him?" Dean asked in that straight forward child like manner that he'd taken on.

Cas shook his head. "I don't know how to do that." There was altogether way too much crying for his liking.

Unfortunately, no one else was there. He glanced at Sam again. "I've never changed anyone." He tentatively touched Sam's forehead but he wasn't magically dry.  "Very strange." He said. What manner of spell was this?"

By this time Sam was crying louder.

Cas looked to Dean for help. "Why do you both consider shedding tears a helpful response? Just talk to me."

"He doesn't wanna be wet," Dean said starting to cry again too, Sam's mournful tears too much for him. Everything was strange and scary.

Castiel wasn't prepared for any of this. "I will get Bobby," he said and disappeared.

"Cas?" Dean asked.  The angel wasn't there. He cried for another minute and then got to his feet.

"Sammy stop cryin'. I  help you." With clumsy fingers he unzipped Sam's jeans and pulled them off with some help from Sam who wiggled until they were off.

The wet underwear came off and Dean found some dry ones. They were a little crooked but they were dry.

"Sammy?" Dean asked. "You just a baby?"

Sam nodded a little.

Dean frowned. "You can't talk?"

Sam shook his head.

"I feel like that too. It's like I can't think right but I'm still in my body." Dean patted his brother's hand. "Maybe it's a spell?

Sam nodded again. The man in the black clothes had done something but he couldn't understand.

Dean's brain couldn't comprehend the immensity of what he should even do.  "Cas will figure it out," he promised.  Where was Cas? He couldn't look after a baby.

A moment later there was a strong wind and Cas was back with Bobby in tow. "Sam needs you."

Bobby took in the pantless Sam and then Dean then shook his head. "What in God's green earth did they do this time??"

"I believe it's a spell of some sort," Cas explained.  "The trouble is, we have to find the cause or the being responsible  to release the spell."

"An' I'm guessin' you have no idea who it is," Bobby said with an eye roll.

"I haven't had time to look," he said in frustration. "The boys couldn't be left alone in their current state."

"Yet you left 'em to come get me." Bobby quirked an eyebrow. "If ya'd told me they were little uns I'd have stopped arguin'!"

"I-" Castiel looked perplexed for a moment. "Well I needed you. I had no other way. And we were only gone for half an hour."

"You're damn lucky they didn't hurt themselves or I'd kick your butt!" Bobby went towards Sam still sitting on the bed. "Hey Sammy, where's your pants?"

"They gotted wet," Dean said solemnly. "Sammy cried an' cried and then Cas went away so I gotted some fresh undies for Sam from that big bag."

"Oh. Well good job, boy." Bobby smiled as Dean beamed with pride through his leftover tears.

"Thinkin them undies are Dean's though," Bobby said. "They're pretty baggy on Sam."

"What do you suggest then?" Cas asked. "This is not something angels are taught to deal with."

"Well if he cain't even ask for the bathroom I reckon one of us will be changing diapers." He looked at Castiel with a pained look.

"Oh I know nothing about such things," the angel said quickly.

Bobby rolled his eyes. "I'll make a list and you get your feathered butt down to the grocery store. Prob'ly Walmart will do the trick."

"Wall mart?" Cas asked, confused again. "They sell things besides walls?"

Bobby opened his mouth to answer then thought better of it. "Just ask someone to help you. Do you drive?"

"No....?" He said cautiously.

"I'll call ya a cab then. Here." He handed the angel a piece of paper scrawled with a quick list. "Get ever'thin' on this list." He handed him a credit card as well.

Cas nodded holding tight to the scrap of paper and the card.

"Be back here as soon as you can." Bobby pushed him into the now waiting cab, gave the driver a roll of cash with instructions and then went in to try and figure out what the hell had happened to his boys. They were both quiet now.

Dean was sitting on the floor showing Sam the naked women from the magazine. "This one looks like a mommy, Sammy. She pretty."

Bobby considered for a moment the shook his head.  "Oh no you two. That's inappropriate stuff to be lookin' at right now," he said, taking it away.

Sam immediately shrieked and Dean whined loudly.

Bobby raised his eyebrows. "We're not gonna have that now. Here." He handed them a pamphlet with a dog on it. "Look. A pup."

Dean took it and Sam smiled through his tears. He said something unintelligible but was content to look at the dog. The two giggled together over whatever Dean said.

Bobby smiled nostalgically. He remembered when Sam was just a little guy. Those two were thick as thieves. He saw Dean fidget for a few minutes before he suddenly clued in. "Dean, go to the bathroom."

Dean shook his head. "I looking at the dog wif Sammy."

Bobby got up and carried Dean to the bathroom. "Don't need you wettin' your pants too."

Dean stood quiet while Bobby pulled his pants and underwear down. "You gonna sit or stand?"

"Ima big boy." Dean said and sat down on the toilet.

"Alright, well good."

Once Dean was done, Bobby helped him wash his hands. "I hope Cas gets back soon."

He walked out of the bathroom and looked around. "Where's Sam?"

Dean shrugged.

"Sammy," Bobby said, starting to look under the beds. "Where'd you get to?!"

Sam giggled and Bobby turned to find him squished under the table.

"Ya tryin' to  hide, kiddo?" He asked with a chuckle. "Good thing you ain't any smaller. I'd lose ya."

Sam started to crawl out and bumped his head on the table. He gave Bobby a wide eyed look, his bottom lip quivering dangerously. "Now now, come let me take a look." Bobby rubbed his large hand over Sam's bumped noggin. "There now. You're alright."

Sam looked ready to cry for a few more moments then decided he was okay, crawling out of his hiding spot.

He patted Bobby's knee with one hand, talking a streak.

"Ya don't say," Bobby said. He found some crackers and sat Sam on the floor. "Dean come have a snack."

"Bobby?" Dean said in a small voice. "It break."

Bobby turned around to find Dean standing there with a knife and two broken pieces of their EMF reader.

"Geez, boy! Whadja do that for?" Where had he even found the stuff?

Dean shrugged. "Snack?"

"Gimme the knife."

"No. Mine."  Dean held it to him.

Bobby frowned. Dean was stubborn as the devil. "It's sharp," he said trying to reason.

Dean set his mouth in a stubborn line. "Like it."

Bobby nodded. "Course ya do.

Gimme the knife, kid. It ain't a toy...leastways not right now."

He held out his watch to Dean. "I'll tradeja."

Dean's face lit up and he dropped the knife to Bobby's relief.

"I sure hope Cas is back soon. I need help with you two. I only got eyes on one side a' my head, ya know?"

Bobby made a snap decision and searched the whole room for weapons. He shook his head at the three guns, five knives, a shiv and two more EMF readers that were within easy reach. Definitely not good for Dean to find and play with at this time. He put them all up on the top shelf of the kitchenette cupboard.

Dean saw it and pointed, forgetting his crackers. "I want."

"No," Bobby said.

Dean started to cry, falling on his bottom and sobbing.

"What now??" Bobby asked in perplexity.  "Them ain't toys, boy."

"Toys!" Dean sobbed pointing to the cupboard.

Bobby shook his head and pulled Dean to his feet. "Cas will be back soon with food an' stuff."

He checked his watch that he'd picked up off the floor. "Shoulda left that angel with you guys and done it myself."

Ten minutes later, Cas showed up, carrying a single bag of takeout.

Bobby's eyes widened. "Where's the stuff??"

"I donated it," Cas deadpanned.

Bobby's face turned a dark shade of red. "What-?!?"

"Relax. My friend is bringing it in." He grinned at Bobby and opened the door for the cabbie, loaded down with bags and towing a large box behind him.

"You couldn't have helped him?" Bobby asked with a shake of his head.

The cabbie went out and returned with another box and nodded at Bobby. "Don't call me again."

He left before Bobby could say anything else.  He looked at the pile of bags and boxes. "Did you get extra stuff?"

"The cab driver helped me pick a lot of things he thought we might need. And I bought toys. Because they're children."

Bobby sighed deeply and shook his head. "Let's eat. Kids are starved."

Sam sat on Bobby's knee and ate fries and small pieces of chicken strips under Bobby's careful supervision. "Don't trust him not to choke," he said to Cas. "Guess we have to treat em as kids for now."

Cas nodded and stared at Dean shoving a handful of fries into his mouth. "Will he choke?"

"Watch him, will ya?" Bobby said, giving Sam the straw of his cup. "I got my hands full."

Cas watched Dean pull the lid of his cup off and blow bubbles into his pop. "Dean, you're making a mess."

"Oh my gosh! You idjit! Stop him!" Bobby grabbed a napkin. "Here." He moved Dean's cup away. "I cain't do everything!"

Castiel looked confused. "He doesn't listen."

"Rarely does," Bobby agreed.

Once the boys were satisfied, he told Cas to unpack stuff and let the boys help so he could eat his meal in peace.

Castiel gingerly gave Dean a bag with crackers and cookies to put away. "It goes in the cupboard."

A few seconds later tearing plastic was followed by chocolate cookies rolling everywhere. "Oh. Bobby. Dean opened the cookies?" He looked at the older man still at the table.

Bobby held up a hand. "Give them each a couple. Can't even eat a chicken burger in peace."

Bobby finished eating and they put away the snacks while Dean and Sam polished off the bag of Oreos.

Bobby looked at the two. "Great. Now they need a shower."

"But won't they need....help?" Cas asked looking at the boys liberally covered in chocolate interspersed with icing.

"I can unpack." Bobby looked pointedly at Castiel. "Your turn to help out."

The angel heaved out a put upon sigh. "I don't want to."

"Tough," Bobby said unsympathetically. "You bathe em."

"Okay Dean, let's get you cleaned up." Cas glared at Bobby but took the child into the bathroom.

Bobby heard plenty of screaming and splashing before Cas and Dean reappeared, the former drenched from top to bottom and the latter clean and now naked.

"C'mon boy. Let's get you dressed. Did he pee?"

"On me?" Castiel grimaced. "Yes."

Bobby grinned. "Least his bladder's empty."

He found the new pajamas that Castiel had brought back for Dean and put the shirt on. "You gonna stay dry all night?" He asked.

Dean just looked at him with wide eyes and wiggled to be let go.

"I think we better play it safe." He took one of the adult diapers out of the package and managed to fix it snugly around Dean's waist before putting the soft pants on. "Okay. Into bed." He pulled the covers back.

Dean lay down, still watching him then snuggled into his pillow obediently.

If he thought Dean's bath had been loud, Sam's was worse.

Castiel's demands were interspersed with curses. "Sit down! I cannot hold onto you and wash you-" A terrific crash and Sam screaming pierced the air.

Bobby hurried into the bathroom to find Sam on his back in the tub and a now shirtless Cas, his pants dripping. There was more water on the floor than in the tub.

Bobby stepped gingerly through the water and pulled Sam upright. "I take it he didn't sit."

"No." Castiel said with a growl. "He fell just as I predicted."

"He's clean enough." Bobby said, wrapping as much of Sam in the small towel as he could.

Dean was sitting up when they came out. "Sammy okay?"

"Oh yeah," Bobby said with a smile. "He'll be right as rain once he has dry pjs on."

Sam had stopped crying at least and was scrubbing his eyes wearily.

When Bobby lay him on the bed to diaper, Sam didn't even squirm. "My lil Moose is sleepy," Bobby said, finishing with his diaper and pjs.

"Sammy can sleep by the wall with me," Dean said, pointing to the empty spot.

Bobby didn't argue. He lay the sleepy toddler beside his big brother and nodded in relief when Sam put his thumb in his mouth, eyes closing.

Ten minutes later both boys were asleep. Cas had changed into dry clothes and was sitting at the table staring morosely at Bobby.

"Okay, spit it out," Bobby said softly.  "What's got your panties in a twist?"

"That experience was humiliating," he huffed, his lips in a thin line. "Why would you tell me to do it?"

"Cuz I need your help," Bobby said simply. "Can't look after these two with only one o' me. You get to be a big brother until this wears off."

"What does a big brother do?" Cas asked.

"Help look after the younger ones." Bobby finished organizing the stuff Cas had bought. "It ain't easy looking after younguns."

"I don't know how mothers do it," Cas said darkly. "They are strange mysterious creatures."

****

Two days of what Bobby termed "the weirdest days since these two were borned" went by and both boys were still alive, no thanks to Castiel. He was out of his depth and many a "are you an idjit?!" crossed Bobby's lips as he attempted to keep both boys safe.

"You suck at being an older brother," Bobby sighed when he once more stopped Sam from eating a crayon that Dean had dropped. "You gotta watch this one like a hawk. He's into everything."

"Why?" Castiel asked.

"Because he's mentally two. Barely two, I might add. He's a baby. Terrible twos ring a bell?"

Cas shrugged.

"Ya just gotta watch him all the time."  Bobby picked up the three crayons that had rolled off the table. "Dean, keep your crayons on the table."

"Okay," the youngster said agreeably, accidentally dropping another one with his elbow.

Bobby found a small container and put the crayons in it. "Sammy wants to eat em if they're on the floor."

Dean looked up from his picture of a purple, green and yellow raccoon. "Okay."

Cas managed to distract Sam with a ball. He rolled it across the floor and the little one chased it. "Why does Sam smell so much?" He asked.

"Aw man, I was hoping it wasn't that," Bobby groaned. He got a clean diaper. "Are ya any closer to figuring out what happened?"

"I've been here with you," the angel said a tad sarcastically.

"We gotta get these guys somewhere safe anyway," Bobby said, dousing Sam with baby powder. "Gosh boy. I ain't exactly enjoyin' this part. At least Dean has that under control." It had quickly become clear that Dean's tenuous grasp on toileting was leading to more problems than it was worth to Bobby. He'd been in diapers as well. "Bobby I gotta go potty," had become a catchphrase to get him to the toilet unless he wanted to be changing more dirty diapers.

"Where will we take them?" Cas asked.

"Ima call Ellen," Bobby said, slowly getting up. "My knees ain't lovin changin' diapers on the floor neither."

"I brought a change table," Castiel said with an eye roll. "You sent it back."

"It was for infants!" Bobby said in frustration. "They wouldnta fit on that. I swear you need lookin after too most o' the time."

"I don't eat crayons though," the angel maintained stoutly.

"Oh gosh," Bobby said, having a brief giddy vision of Cas being under the spell too. "Thank God!"

That night, after the boys fell asleep, Bobby handed Cas a beer and got his whiskey. "Been a long day," he said at Cas' questioning glance.

When the lights flickered, Bobby jumped up, grabbing the gun he always had nearby and looking around wildly. Cas  leapt towards the bed to protect the boys.

"I'm not here to hurt anyone," a voice said behind them.

"Crowley!" Bobby and Cas said in unison.

"You caught me," he said with a sly grin.

"What did you do to my boys!" Bobby demanded in an angry whisper.

"Just what you asked for," the demon said blandly.

Bobby frowned. "I didn't ask for this!"

"Oh but you did!" The demon grinned. "I quote. " Easier when they were kids!" End quote."

Bobby opened his mouth in disbelief. "You frigging dumb head. I didn't mean I wanted them to be kids."

"No, I suppose not," Crowley said stroking his chin. "Be careful what you wish for."

"But I didn't--!!!" Bobby almost punched the wall.

"Are you going to change them back?" Cas demanded.

"But we're having so much fun." Crowley grinned.

"We certainly aren't," Cas blustered. "I had to work twice as hard to keep them safe and they didn't even leave the room."

"Hush!" Bobby cautioned. "The boys are asleep."

The angel subsided into a morose silence.

Crowley rolled his eyes. "No. I won't change them back. I can't. The spell will break on its own in four days."

"Four -!!" Bobby shook his fist and raised to strike but Crowley had already disappeared.

Cas sighed. "That kind of spell. It's a tricksters spell to teach a lesson. It lasts a week."

"Well that's all fine an' dandy but what are we supposed to do with them for four more days?!" Bobby's face was red with anger.

"We already almost lost Dean when he got outside. Sam's been pulling himself up on the cupboards where the guns are hid. They're sick n tired of this room."

"Can we take them to your house?" Castiel asked.

Bobby thought of all the weapons within reach of Dean's hands and of Sammy crawling around on his old plank floors. "Don't think that's an option. Dammit." He got his phone out and placed a call to Ellen a long time friend. He didn't say much, besides saying he needed a safe place for the boys for a few days."

Packing up the myriad of toys, books, clothes, and all the other paraphernalia that they'd gathered  took some doing the next morning.

"Watch them!" Bobby said firmly to Cas with a hard look. "An I don't mean just lookin at em neither. Make sure they don't get into anything while I'm packing the car."

Castiel stood in front of the boys, arms crossed and staring at them until Sam started to cry.

"What now??" Bobby said in frustration.

"I was watching them."

The older man shook his head. "Cain't ask you to do anythin' right."  He gave Sam a purple plush octopus and a sippy cup of milk. "There ya go, bud. Dean you want milk?"

The youngster nodded, looking askance at Castiel. "Cas being scary."

"Of course he was," Bobby said, snapping the lid on a second cup. "Cas, just sit on the other bed so ya don't scare em. Do they need changing before we go?" He answered his own question with a "probably."

Within an hour the car was packed, boys changed and buckled into the back seat with a book and a toy each and another cup of milk and Bobby in the drivers seat.

"With Ellen you should be able to manage without me." The angel looked cautiously, hopefully at Bobby.

"No way! You ain't getting outta this that easy." Bobby shook a finger at him.  "You stay with me for at least the next day and I'll give ya the go ahead.  These two are a handful."

"I know," Cas grumbled.

*****

Ellen listened with a disbelieving look as Bobby gave her the entire rundown. "You're pulling my leg." She looked at Dean standing behind Bobby and Sam standing a little unsteadily, holding Cas' hand.

"You're joking. Right?" She grabbed a bottle of beer and held it out to Dean. "Not funny."

Dean gave her a confused look. "Milk?"

"You're serious," she said slowly, lowering her hand.

"Do I LOOK like I'm kidding?" Bobby asked strongly.

The loudness of his voice startled Sammy and he started crying.

"Ah, fudge," Bobby muttered. "Sorry kid."

"This been happening a lot?" Ellen asked, stepping forward.

"Too much," Castiel said grimly. "So much noise."

Dean turned to his brother. "Here Sammy." Dean lifted Sam's hand and the little one stuck his thumb in his mouth.

Ellen was still in shock but she pushed it aside, pulling Dean close for a hug. "Hey buckaroo. You want a cookie?"

"Cookie!!" Dean grinned, wiggling away.

Sam let out a cry for attention.

"You want a cookie too?" She asked.

He smiled happily and Bobby sat him at the table where Dean was waiting impatiently. "COOKIE!!"

Ellen gave them each three homemade chocolate chip cookies and refilled their milk cups. She sat beside Dean, making sure he didn't stuff all three cookies in at once. "Bites, babes. Here." She broke the cookie into pieces. "One piece at a time.

Bobby was giving Sam a small piece between his sips of milk. "This kid loves his milk."

"Most babies do," she said.

When they'd had their cookies, Bobby took them into the living room to change.  "My Sammy boy is more n just wet."

Ellen put up a hand. "There's a lotta stuff I'll do but I haven't changed a diaper since Jo was potty trained.

Castiel quickly shook his head. "I'm not doing it this time."

"You're kinda useless, angel boy. Go get the rest of the boys' gear inside." Bobby lay Sammy on the floor, pulled off his jeans and shook his head. "You smell bad, boy. Whadja eat?"

Sam giggled and grabbed at Bobby's beard.

"Ow! Ya stinker. Leggo," Bobby said with a chuckle, untangling Sam's hand.

Once both boys were changed and smelling much better; Bobby and Ellen sat down to discuss current jobs that they were looking at.

Cas sat on the sofa, watching the boys empty the small cardboard box of toys. "I'm going to make Crowley pay for this," he sighed, when Dean brought him a balloon to blow up.

Dean shrieked with glee which made Sam giggle when Cas let it go and it flew around the room until it was empty then fell limply to the floor. Dean found it and brought it back to Castiel again. "More!"

"This is not what I was created for," the angel sighed.

After lunch, the boys napped under Ellen's firm hand.

Bobby smiled as he heard every one of Dean's arguments go straight out the window. He didn't have a choice. He was tired enough that the crying tantrum didn't last long.

"You have a mother's touch," Bobby said. "Dean wouldn't nap for me at all. And it's been almost four days of this!"

"How'd he get so stubborn?" Ellen asked Bobby with a glint of humour in her eyes.

"Well now, wouldn't have nothin' to do with his mama an' daddy. They still had all theirs," Bobby grinned.

Castiel came in slowly, hesitantly. "Bobby, if you can spare me for a day, I think I may have a way to change them back sooner."

"What's the plan?" Bobby asked eagerly.

"I believe Crowley was lying, when he said there was no way. He has a spell but it takes a lot of power. If I can convince Crowley to do it we can break the spell together."

Bobby looked hesitant. "You wanna mix your power with Crowley's? Ain't that a recipe for trouble?"

"I'm not uniting with him," Cas explained. "I'm just using his power and mine to break the binding."

"So the boys will be back to normal by like midnight or something?" Bobby asked.

Cas smiled a little. "Something like that."

"Alright, I got Ellen to help. Get going and don't let that demon punk push you around." Bobby gave Castiel a knowing look. "Just get my boys better."

Cas grinned. "You're looking after me."

Bobby waved a hand of dismissal at him. "Leave before I change my mind."

Ellen and Bobby chatted over a beer until Dean rolled off the couch and woke himself up, by falling.

Bobby went and hauled him to his feet. "You're bein noisy. Sammy's sleepin'." He looked at the mat on the floor where Sam was laying under his blanket. "C'mon."

Dean followed Bobby to the bar where Ellen was still at a table.

"Aw baby, did you bump your head?" Ellen asked, running a hand over his hair.

His whimpers were cut off with a yawn and he wiped his face on Bobby's shirt. "Sit on you."

"Oh man," Bobby said, pulling Dean onto his lap with effort. "You're really too big, kid. Sammy's too big too but he don't know better."

Dean buried his face in Bobby's chest and suddenly started crying.

"Hey hey hey," Bobby said, concerned now. "What's up, buddy?"

"I wan' mommy." Dean continued sobbing.

Bobby's face reflected his grief. "I'm sorry I can't give you your mama."

Ellen rubbed a gentle hand over his back. "How about I step in for today, okay? What do you need?"

"I nunno," Dean said, his sobs tapering off. "Miss her."

"Course you do," Ellen got a paper towel and mopped up his face. "There now.  Let's see what we can find for a snack."

Tears forgotten, Dean eagerly followed her to the pantry.

Bobby went to check on Sammy and almost had a heart attack when Sam was not on the mat anymore.

"Sammy," Bobby said, striving to keep his voice even and a bit playful. "Where ya hiding? Don't wanna give your uncle Bobby a heart attack now."

No answering giggle came. Bobby started looking around the living space and then came into the bar. "I can't find Sam!"

He looked under the tables, hoping to find the baby "hiding".

Ellen looked up. "He's not sleepin anymore?"

Bobby shook his head. "I just went to check on him."

Ellen followed him to the living area and they looked together. There weren't many hiding places. "Where could he be?" She asked, starting to feel concerned.

"Ya think something took him?" Bobby asked with trepidation.

Ellen's concern was quickly turning to panic.

"Ash!" She yelled, running back into the bar and startling Dean into looking at her fearfully. "Sorry Baby," she said.

Her son ambled in. "Oh hey Dean, what's new?"

"He's under a spell. Watch him! Bobby and I gotta find Sam!" Ellen held up her hand to ward off any argument. "Later!"

She and Bobby dashed. Outside and split up, yelling for Sam as loud as they could.

Bobby was starting to panic hard now, looking around. How far could Sam have gotten in his current state? He prayed that Sam had just gotten the door open and that some demonic force hadn't kidnapped the baby.

Ash was sitting at the table with Dean feeding him cookies when a muffled cry caught his ear. "What the hell?" He muttered. "Stay here!" He told Dean sternly, and quickly headed to the living quarters where the muffled wailing got louder. He tracked it to a closet where the door was closed and slowly opened it.

Sam sat there blinking up at him, sucking his thumb quietly now that he'd been found.

"Whatcha doin in here?" Ash asked with a head shake. "Bobby and ma are turnin' the whole yard upside down lookin for ya." He helped Sam to his feet and led him outside. "Ma! Bobby!" He called.  Bobby was on the other side of the highway at this point, his heart pounding because he was sure he'd lost the little stinker. He looked up and relief washed over him so hard, he grabbed his chest. "Sammy!" He cried, running towards the house. He grabbed the youngster in a bear hug. "You scared uncle Bobby."

"Where was he??" Ellen demanded.

"In the closet," Ash answered. "Heard him crying."

"You little shit!" Ellen said with a relieved laugh.

"He musta woke up and went to the closet to do his business and then couldn't get out," Bobby said wrinkling his nose. "Geez I hope Cas gets this done soon!! I'm about tired of changin' diapers."

"Yeah, not somethin' you signed up for at this age huh?" Ellen jibed.

Bobby changed both boys and then took them outside to play under his supervision.

Sam was thrilled with every rock he found and showed them to Bobby. Dean found a stick and was pretending to shoot things.

Once Sam had stumbled more than twice in three steps nearly pulling Bobby off centre, he brought them in and got the box of toys, sitting down to watch them.

He remembered when Sam was really two, just a wee mite back then and John didn't have much time for them so Bobby took them in a lot. He'd been wiry little fella with no end of energy.  Bobby had his hands full keeping up with the kids then too.

Bobby hadn't really known Dean that young because Mary had still been there. He sighed. So much heartbreak these two had gone through.

Cas suddenly appeared. "I've convinced Crowley to help me. The boys won't remember anything from this so it would be best if you get rid of everything. The spell will break at 11 tonight."

Bobby heaved a sigh of relief. "Good. I'm too old for this."

Sam held his arms up to Castiel. "Ca!"

"What does he want?" Cas asked.

"He wants to be picked up," Bobby said. "Musta missed you."

Cas looked torn for a moment then pulled Sam into his arms. "Hi child Sam."

Sam put his head on Cas' shoulder and sucked his thumb.

Castiel looked at Bobby in wonder. "He is hugging me."

"He's a sweet kid," Ellen said. "You gonna stick around?"

Cas shook his head. "I need to find a few things before Crowley and I meet."

"C'mon big boy," Bobby said trying to take Sam.

He whined behind his thumb and held harder to the angel, shaking his head.

"C'mon Sammy," Bobby cajoled. "Angel boy has to go so you can get better."

Cas escaped Sam's grip and left quickly with Sam's shrieks ringing in his ears.

They calmed the baby down with a cup of milk.

"I'm kinda gonna miss the cuddles," Bobby admitted, patting Sam's back. "He's cuddly when he's tired."

"He's also in diapers and he's a handful," Ellen reminded.

"Yeah yeah, I know." Bobby groused with a grin.

Ellen and Bobby fed the boys dinner which was harder than usual because Sam was not a happy baby.  He whined and didn't want to eat. He grabbed the mashed potatoes off Bobby's plate, and plastered them all over his face.

"Just tryin ta feed you here, kid!" Bobby exclaimed.

Ellen laughed. "Nostalgic feelings gone."

Bobby bathed the boys after they'd eaten. His experience was much less wet than Castiel's.

Sammy was distracted with a small cup and Bobby took the chance to wash him clean. "There ya go! All clean and ready to be yourself tomorrow."

Sam looked up at him and grinned. "Da."

"Aw man," Bobby said softly. "I'm not your dad, boy." He felt a tug at his heartstrings. Maybe in another life.

Ellen met him at the bathroom door. "I'll get him into bed. You give Dean a bath."

Bobby nodded. "Put a diaper on him though. He's gonna be wet way before eleven."

He bathed Dean, who was less squirmy but more stubborn. He tried to get away from Bobby's hands and cried when his hair was washed.

The rest of him was washed in record time then Bobby pointed at the toilet. "I'm not puttin a diaper on you tonight. That would just be awkward."

Dean emptied his bladder to Bobby's delight and he dressed Dean in his usual, boxers, jeans and T-shirt. "Jammies?" Dean asked.

"Not tonight," Bobby said. "You'll thank me in the morning."

Sam had already fallen asleep.

"We'll take  off that diaper just before 11." Bobby looked at Sam, asleep with his thumb in his mouth. "Sure kept me on my toes."

Ellen nodded. "Good thing they won't remember! Sam would be so embarrassed!"

The two chatted for several hours, drinking whiskey, before Bobby looked at the time. It was one AM. "Aw damn, Sam's diaper..." He quickly got up and tiptoed to where the boys were sleeping.

Sam was sprawled over the couch on his stomach and Bobby knew right then he'd fucked up. There was no way he was pulling that off. He wondered if the spell had broken?

All the baby stuff had been squirrelled away into a storage shed and the remaining diapers had been buried in the trash pile.

"Hope we won't ever need that again," Bobby said, locking the door firmly.

He made sure Dean and Sam's regular bags were on the floor by the couches they were sleeping on.  Things looked as they should.

He looked at Dean's face in the moonlight. He looked like himself but it was hard to tell. "Guess we'll find out in the morning." He still wasn't sure what to do about Sam's diaper.

******

It was seven in the morning and Bobby was working on a third cup of coffee when Dean wandered into the room and flopped onto a bar stool. "Coffee smells good," he mumbled.

Bobby shot Ellen a look of relief. "Drink up boy," he said with a grin.

Dean yawned and accepted the steaming cup.

"Bobby....?" Sam's voice floated out. "Uh, can you come here?"

Bobby gave Ellen a look. "Oh boy!" He hurried to the washroom where Sam was standing, pants undone, hands over his crotch. "Did Dean prank me last night? Was I blacked out?"

"Why?" Bobby asked seeing a way out.

"I'm wearing a diaper," Sam whispered, looking at Bobby with concern.

Bobby was thinking fast. "Holy crap Dean must've pranked ya." He hoped he sounded serious.

Sam looked at him and whispered. "Dammit Bobby, I pissed myself. It's...wet!"

"It's a one off," Bobby said. "Every guy pees himself now and then." He sure hoped there wouldn't be any residual effects!

Sam looked at him in concern. "I don't know if I should clobber Dean or thank him."

Bobby shrugged. "Maybe both, huh?"

Sam showed up in the bar a few minutes later. "What the frigging hell, Dean?!"

"What?" Dean asked, already grinning. Seeing his younger brother riled up always gave him joy for some reason.

"Oh you know!! Don't EVER do that again!" Sam smacked the back of his head.

"Ow!" Dean growled. "What'd I do??"

"Like you don't know!" Sam snarked.

"I saw the opportunity and took it," Dean grinned, no idea what had happened but he'd take the credit for a good prank.

Bobby made up a story that they'd stopped over at Ellen's on their way to Montana for a job and the boys believed them.

They were getting into the car with Dean behind the wheel when Cas suddenly appeared beside Bobby in the backseat. "I see it worked."

Bobby gave him a look. "What worked, Cas?" He made a slitting throat motion.

Dean looked back. "What worked?"

"The spell broke," Cas said, obliviously.

Bobby facepalmed audibly. "Shut up, you feathered idjit!"

Cas clued in and looked at Bobby then Dean and Sam who were both looking at him now.

"What spell?" Dean asked slowly.

"Aw geez," Bobby groaned.

Cas smiled a little hesitantly. "Uh....I um....put a spell on Bobby that he would not drink for 24 hours."

The boys looked at him in disbelief. "Even you couldn't pull that off," Sam laughed.

Bobby grinned. Thank God. This was a secret the boys would never need to know.