DC BigBang fic: It's a (new) Winchester's life (2/6)

[skiing_pelican]

Chapter 2



As the days went by, Dean got more and more used to being a girl. Sam pestered her with a huge amount of jokes, teasing her on every occasion. When Sam's jokes where particularly bad, Dean usually gave him the finger and said: "I'm a chick, but you're a bitch!"

Much to Dean's exasperation, Cas started wearing his blasted suit-tie-trench coat combo again after the next time he got naked. Dean could try to talk to him as much as she liked, but Cas just didn't get it into his angel brain to change for any other reason than when Dean commanded him to.

The family got used to Dean's changed appearance and voice very quickly. It was easy to forget about it since Dean still acted and talked the same way. She even moved the same way, the same broad legged manly stroll she always had. At first, her depth-perception and movements were a bit off, causing her to stumble or be clumsy from time to time. But she got used to her shorter limbs and lower eye level quite fast. It still happened that one of them would freak out (except Castiel) because Dean was doing something particularly girly, like catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror before going out the door. Most times, Dean didn't even notice when she was behaving in a "girly" way, and when she did, she couldn't help it, was considerably flustered and pretended it didn't happen. Even when it was things she was not immune to as a man.

Like the evening when she and Cas had been alone in the house all day. They ended up crashing on the couch, Cas sitting and Dean laying, resting her head in his lap, staring up into his eyes. Cas kept tenderly stroking through her hair. Sam nearly dropped the bag when he entered the room and found them like this.

"Dude, where's Dean and what have you done to him?" he exclaimed mockingly. Dean and Cas' increasingly open affectionate behavior was slowly freaking him out. He wasn't used to anything like that from Dean, and he suspected it could be the girly hormones. But at the same time, he was happy for Dean. It was just weird.

"What's your problem?" Dean snorted. She was too exhausted to really care about Sam finding them like this.

"Oh, nothing." Sam chuckled.

"Sam, shove it! I've had hot steaming girly sex all day, I'm tired now and don't need your jokes!"

"Too much information!"

Sam vacated fast. He still couldn't wrap his mind around his brother having "hot, steaming girly sex". Not that he wanted to.

But most of the time, Dean was the Dean she always was. They still went on small hunts. But even after small hunts, Castiel was getting worked up about every little scratch Dean brought home. Bobby was as bad as Cas, and he scolded Dean on a regular basis for not taking good care of herself.

"I'm not a baby!" Dean complained angrily on more than one occasion.

"But you'll be having one!" Bobby usually yelled back.

And Dean still liked to drink beer. A lot. She simply forgot she should stop with it. But with four others in the house, there was always someone near to snatch the bottle out of her hand. Even Gabriel cared about it, although Dean suspected he only did it to annoy her.

They also faked a new FBI badge for her and got her a new suit for the hunts. A suit, not a coat and skirt combo. Then all insisted she cat walk in her FBI outfit to check if she looked professional enough.

"This is stupid." Dean still insisted, standing in the middle of Bobby's study, her arms crossed defensively in front of her. She wore neat black dress pants, a white blouse and a matching black blazer. Sam looked her up and down, enjoying this way too much if the dimples in his cheeks were anything to go by.

"I think that'll work." he announced. Gabriel nodded. The archangel was leaning lazily against the armrest of Bobby's sofa. Bobby just stared at her thoughtfully, scrubbing one hand over his beard.

"What?" Dean asked, agitated. "Can I change back now?"

"Just one more thing. Wait." Bobby murmured and disappeared upstairs. When he came back again, Dean couldn't believe what she was seeing. Bobby was holding a pair of pumps in his hands.

"Ain't looking professional without heels." The older hunter insisted.

"I don't think real agents wear heels." Sam pondered, but he grinned about Bobby's idea.

"Might be, but people only know 'em TV agents. What's it called? CSI or somethin'?" Bobby replied.

"True." Sam agreed, grinning even wider.

"You can't be serious, I ain't wearing heels!" Dean complained.

"Now stop fussing and try them on. They're not even high. If we're lucky, they'll fit. And don't ya dare fuck 'em up, those were Karen's favorites!"

Dean glared down at the heels as if they were the latest supernatural vermin trying to tickle her toes. Bobby was right, they weren't even that high, only a little bit more than an inch, and they were black without any fancy decorations. But when Bobby announced they were Karen's, Dean knew she couldn't dare to say one bad word about them or Bobby would throw a shit fit. Very reluctantly, she slipped them on. She wasn't happy to see that they really looked good on her slender feet, and that they fit perfectly.

"Now see if you can walk in them." Bobby ordered.

"Okay." Dean huffed and stood up, taking a few shaky steps.

"Don't put your weight on the foot before the toes hit the ground!" Gabriel supplied. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers and was standing right next to Dean, wearing ridiculous four-inch high go-go heels.

"See?" he grinned, walking back and forth through the study, without the slightest bit of discomfort, swinging his hips in the process and waggling his eyebrows and winking flirtatiously at Sam as he passed him.

Dean just stared at Gabe for a moment before she broke into barking laughter. Sam's face was red with second-hand embarrassment, but he also had to smile about his boyfriend's antics. Bobby raised his brows, looked at Sam, then at Gabriel and then at Sam again.

"You sure he's your boyfriend?" he asked with special emphasis.

Gabriel rolled his eyes and sighed exasperatedly, still standing securely on his ridiculously high heels and with a hand on his hips as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"I'm an angel. No gender, you buckos!"

"Okay Dean, if he can walk with these things, you should manage it too." Bobby said.

Reluctantly, Dean walked back and forth a bit, and Gabriel's advice really helped. After a few rounds through the study, she managed to be relatively secure. Bobby allowed her to take everything off again and store it away until she needed it. Gabriel snapped his fingers again, and his feet were clad in comfy sneakers. Castiel had watched the whole thing silently and smiled at Dean reassuringly when she sought his gaze.

* * *

After about two weeks, Dean's phone rang. She looked at the display. Ben. He wouldn't be calling if nothing was wrong, so she had to take the call.

"Hey Ben." she greeted him, completely forgetting about her girlyness.

"Who are you and where is Dean?" the boy asked.

"Oh," was all Dean said for a moment.

"Listen, Ben, I'm Dean. I know it's weird, but I got changed a bit. Tell me what's wrong!"

There was silence on the other end for a moment before Ben spoke up again.

"Give me Sam." he finally demanded.

"Sam!" Dean cried through the house. Sam was there in an instant. "Tell Ben here that it's really me."

Sam took the phone. "Hey Ben. Yeah, my brother is kind of my sister right now. Only temporarily." Sam handed the phone back to Dean.

Ben recognized Sam's voice. He was confused, but he had more important problems. "Okay..." he said slowly. "Can you come? Something strange is happening here."

"Ben, what's wrong?" Dean demanded to know. "Are you and your mom alright?"

"Yes, we are. But I don't know what's going on." Ben answered. Dean could hear fear in his voice.

"We're coming immediately." Dean promised.

* * *

Lisa stared, confused, at the little group that had gathered in front of her door. Sam was standing there, with a woman and a guy in a trench coat she had never seen before.

"Hi. We came as fast as we could." the woman spoke up. Dean braced herself for the explanation she was going to have to give.

"Dean?" Lisa asked incredulously, staring wide-eyed at Dean.

"Yeah." Dean smiled back. Ben appeared at Lisa's side and looked up at Dean curiously.

"Come in." Lisa said, gesturing them to follow her. They all went into Lisa's living room and sat down.

"You already know Sam, and that's Cas." Dean introduced, "Cas, Ben and Lisa."

"My pleasure."

"Hi." Lisa said. "You're a hunter?"

"Yes." Dean said.

"No." Cas answered.

"Yes." Dean repeated. "Well, kind of."

"So, how did this happen?" she asked, confused.

"Oh well, you're not going to believe it." Dean sighed.

Lisa smirked. "I didn't believe in monsters either, but I'm more open minded now. Try me."

"Okay..." Dean had no idea how to explain this. Hey, my boyfriend is an angel and his douchebag archangel brother turned me into a chick so we can have a big and happy family with a dog and a house and a white fence and a bunch of kids...

"... we ran into a trickster. They are very powerful, almost like gods. He thought it would be funny to change me."

"Oh." Lisa said sympathetically. "Can you get back to normal again?"

"Well, I..."

Cas stared at Dean, irritated. "Why don't you tell her the full truth?"

"Yeah?" Lisa asked, staring at Dean.

"Oh...well..."

Sam sighed. His brother/sister/whatever was such a douchebag sometimes, and Cas never knew when he should keep his mouth shut.

Lisa turned her gaze to Castiel. Castiel stared directly into her eyes and spoke, completely calm. "Dean and I are life companions. I am an angel and my brother Gabriel changed Dean into a woman because we want to raise a family. Gabriel will turn him back after our child is born."

Lisa's jaw dropped. Her eyes flicked from Dean to Castiel and back again. Dean was red as a tomato.

"Oh, well, that's great!" she finally managed to say. She had no idea what to think of this. It sounded like a bad joke, but with Dean, you never knew. And it was kind of hard to decide which little detail in his speech was the weirdest. Her eyes finally lingered on Castiel.

"You're an angel?" she whispered incredulously, as if she was afraid to ask it loud.

Suddenly, the lights went out, and when they came back again huge, shadowy wings spread out on the wall behind Cas. The lights flickered again and everything was back to normal. Lisa and Ben just stared in awe. Dean was impressed herself. Cas didn't show off his wings often, but when he did, he made a point out of it.

"You're such a drama queen." she grinned and poked Cas in his side. Cas didn't react, still holding Lisa's gaze intently. Dean got a bit jealous and poked harder until Cas turned his attention back to her.

"Gabriel, as in archangel Gabriel?" Lisa finally asked.

"Yes." Cas answered patiently. "Only an archangel has the power to manipulate matter in this way. But this is not of importance right now. Please tell us why you have called us."

Lisa slowly nodded. "It started a week ago. The lights on 7th street began to flicker, right at this bar, and my breath was freezing. I got away from there as fast as I could. Next day, 5 young men were found in the parking lot behind the bar. And 4 days later, another man died, but I don't know where."

"Sounds like an angry spirit." Sam suggested.

"I'll be right back." Cas disappeared with a flutter of wings.

Lisa and Ben stared at the empty spot.

"He does that a lot." Dean commented.

Cas appeared back. "It is not an angry spirit. All the dead are at rest. It must be something very powerful to be able to hide from me."

"Or it's a human psychopath killer and we have nothing to do here." Sam pondered.

"Lisa, Ben, why don't you go out of town for a while? I don't feel comfortable with you still here." Dean suggested.

Lisa nodded. "Ok. Call me if you need anything. And...thanks for the help."

"That's our job." Dean said, with a flirtatious smile on her lips. The motion was so trained into her that she didn't even notice.

Sam cleared his throat. "Okay, we should probably go and check out that bar. You know anything about the bar, Lisa?"

She shook her head. "Not much. It's a place where young people go to hook up. I stopped going there since the last three guys I met there ran off after hearing I have a son."

"Oh, ok." Sam said sympathetically, "Thanks. We should go now."

Lisa glanced one last time at Cas and Dean before leaving to pack her things. She couldn't really wrap her head around what Cas had said. Maybe he'd been messing with her, but he looked so serious.

* * *

They stopped first at a motel to get some rooms. Since Cas said it was a powerful being, they knew it wouldn't be done in one day.

"You shouldn't be here." Cas grumbled. He was more concerned than ever about Dean. He didn't want her to get into any danger.

"Why? Because I have boobs now?" Dean asked. "I'm still a hunter, you know, Cas."

"You are endangering yourself." he replied gravely.

Dean snorted. "Cas, I have to take care of this. I have to help Ben and Lisa! And besides, I'm not pregnant yet! ...I think."

"I do not like to see you in danger." Cas admitted quietly. He had hoped Dean wouldn't be in danger anymore after the apocalypse was stopped. That she took the chance to stop. But hunting was in the Winchesters' blood, and they didn't stop. Couldn't stop. Cas didn't want to lose Dean and their future family. He couldn't resurrect her again, not without permission of the heavenly host.

"Hey." Dean said and came close to Cas, stroking her thumb tenderly along his jaw. "I'll take care of myself. Don't worry."

Cas nodded silently. He didn't need to add that he would be making sure nothing happened to Dean. Dean kissed him softly before she pulled back again.

"Ok, it's a hook up bar. I should probably dress girly." Dean said, smirking. She went for her duffle bag and dug up the skirt and a tank top, plus the pumps.

* * *

Sam eyes went wide and an astronomical grin spread on his face as he saw Dean voluntarily in a skirt and heels.

"What?" Dean huffed at him.

"Hey, you're looking nice!" Sam grinned. "Nice and girly. Why didn't you wear skirts before? I'm sure all the chicks dig it!"

"Shove it, Sam!" Dean grumbled. "I'm just dressing up for the job."

"I'm never going to hear the end of this..." she muttered as she went to the Impala.

* * *

The bar was a rather tiny bar at the end of the town, crammed with young people trying to hook up, like Lisa described it. Dean gave an experimental swing of her hips and instantly, the gazes of a lot of hormone filled young men were glued to her hips. Dean was more than uncomfortable. Yeah, she liked feeling attractive, but she didn't want random dudes drooling over her. She had never taken interest in any other dude. Cas was the only one allowed to drool over her, damn it!

She noticed that some of the gazes flicked to a spot behind her and turned back to the bar in defeat. She looked over her shoulder to find Cas glaring at the guys.

"Damn it, Cas, how can I talk to anybody if you scare them away?"

"The interest they took in you is not administrable to our case." he growled possessively.

"Wrong. If they want to get in my pants, they'll tell me everything." Dean explained.

"Do you always solve your cases through flirting with strangers?" Cas asked, with a voice like icy venom.

Oh. So Cas was jealous. This was going to be interesting. "Not always. But lots of times." Dean grinned at him. "Why don't you try it yourself? I saw this cute blonde over there wink at you." Dean shot a glance in her direction. "Wouldn't toss her out of my bed. Oh, if I had sex now with another chick, that would be hot lesbian sex, right?"

Dean's brain shut off and lingered a moment in her very male sex fantasy, until Cas caught her attention back.

"We should concentrate on the case." he said, agitated.

"Ok, find someone to flirt with." Dean grinned. "See? Sam is already working."

Sam was really already speaking with two girls. Since Dean clearly didn't want him here, Cas decided to join Sam. Dean smirked. She was already looking forward to some hot and angry make up sex.

Dean strolled over to the bar, not forgetting to swing her hips. She felt kind of stupid and cheap, but it had the intended effect. Before she could open her mouth to order something, there was already a tall blond guy next to her, saying "Hi" with a flirtatious smile on his lips.

"Hi." Dean smiled back. Really, he wasn't her type. Tall, blond, muscular... sure, the blue eyes were a plus, but they were not as bright as... wait, am I comparing random dudes to Cas? What is wrong with me?

"Can I get you something to drink?" the guy asked.

Not the newest pick up line. "Sure." she answered anyway.

"What will you have?" the barkeeper asked.

"Whiskey." Dean ordered. The eyes of the guy got big, and he looked intimidated for a very short moment. But he was a manly man, so he had to order something at least as strong as the woman.

"For me, too."

"Sure you can handle it?" the barkeeper asked Dean.

"Sure. Better ask him if he can handle it." Dean joked. The guy shrugged his shoulders in a way of saying no problem! and smiled at her.

The whiskey was there in a moment, and Dean downed it without a blink. The guy downed it as fast, but Dean noticed that he didn't really appreciate it all that much. Are all dudes that obvious? Am I that obvious? Dean suddenly asked herself.

"So, what's your name?" he asked.

"Dea... Deanna."

"I'm Jake. Haven't seen you before in this small town."

Dean shrugged. "I'm visiting some family."

He seemed relieved. "So this black haired guy I saw you with is your brother?"

"Yeah. He's pretty overprotective. Gets on my nerves all the time. I like my freedom, you know?"

Dean tried to smile suggestively at him, but she didn't really feel like it. This guy was so not interesting. Besides, he was a dude. Dean never took interest in any dudes (except Cas).

But it seemed to work anyway, if the guy's toothy grin was anything to go by. "That's cool." he said, "So you need to escape? I know a good place."

Geez, do I look like a desperate slut? "Sounds good. But I think Cas would go crazy if I disappear already. He's all worked up about the murder that happened here. You know anything about that?"

The guy pondered for a moment. He wasn't really interested in the topic, but like Dean predicted, he would talk about anything to keep her attention. "Not really, sorry. You shouldn't worry about that too much, this is a safe town, usually."

"Good." So this guy was a fail. She didn't like talking to him anyway. Dean turned to lean on the bar, pointedly away from him.

"Hey," she asked the barkeeper, "do you know anything about that?"

The barkeeper looked up from the glass he was cleaning. "I've been asked about that a lot lately. Has nothing to do with this bar!" he insisted.

"That so?" Dean asked. "Why don't you tell me the full story? Oh, and a beer please, by the way."

The barkeeper took a bottle of beer and placed it in front of Dean. Dean reached for her money, but a bill was already laying on the counter, shoved in the barkeeper's direction from Jake.

"Thanks." Dean said, a little surprised. She wasn't used to this kind of treatment, even when she recognized it as something she had often done herself.

"You shouldn't care about that," Jake insisted, trying to regain her attention.

Wait... he is trying to buy my attention? Pointedly, she ignored him and turned to the barkeeper.

"Well..." the barkeeper explained, "the murdered guys were having a fight with a smaller guy, until I shoved them out. Curiously enough, the small guy encouraged the fight the whole time; he was smirking and joking about them. After I shoved them out, I told him he shouldn't mess with those hot-heads. He just laughed and followed them out."

The barkeeper shook his head. "There is no way he could've taken on all those guys alone. And the police said they didn't find any clues of a fight."

"You've seen that guy before?" Dean asked, sure she had found a lead.

"No, never before and never after. We're a small town, I know all the faces, even the ones that don't come here."

"What did he look like?"

Jake was impatiently tapping at the table. "Are you from police or something, that you have to make an interrogation?" he asked, agitated.

Dean ignored him some more.

"Really, a cute little chick like you shouldn't rack her brains over this. Leave it to the big guys."

Dean just glared at Jake before turning back to the barkeeper.

"A small guy. Long, blond hair. Was flirting a lot with men before he got in the fight. Couldn't make out much more though, I have to take care of customers."

"Thanks." Dean said.

"Hey, you really don't need to be afraid of this little psychopath." Jake smiled reassuringly at her, "He's left town for sure by now." He stepped closer, placed a hand on her arm and looked deeply into her eyes. "And besides, I'll look out for you."

Ugh. What a douchebag. Dean backed away. She also recognized this as something she did. A lot. But now that she was on the receiving end, it seemed sickeningly dumb.

"You know, I've been a marine." Jake told her. "You don't need to worry about some sick fucker when I'm around."

"Okay." Dean pressed out.

Jake moved even closer and covered her hand with his other one. "A young thing like you shouldn't hang around in a bar like this. I could take you home, I can think of some better things to do with a cute thing like you."

Dean could very well imagine the image Jake must have in his head. She stared at him angrily, but before she could start throwing the meanest insults she knew at him she felt fingers travelling over her thigh, sneakily lifting her skirt. Dean snapped. This was too much. Her hand was already flying to score a hard, solid punch right in his face when suddenly an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her away. Next thing she knew, familiar stubble brushed her face and warm lips pressed against hers possessively.

"Cas, what the hell?"

"Don't you dare touch her again." Cas growled furiously, glaring at Jake darkly. Jake looked shell shocked and retreated a little.

"Your brother, huh?" he said accusingly. But Cas' death glare made him step back even more. It seemed funny how such a big guy, a marine, could look like a slapped puppy, afraid of someone much smaller and thinner than him. Cas could be pretty badass when he wanted to.

"I do not want to see you in her presence again." Cas growled. His tone clearly warned not to mess with him. Jake still seemed shocked, but he also seemed to know when it was time to turn tail.

"Hey, Cas, you don't need to go all angelic wrath over him!" Dean said. Cas glared at Jake's back until the marine left the bar.

"I told you these men take the wrong kind of interest in you." he said softly. Dean rolled her eyes. Cas wrapped his arms around her and pressed her close, capturing her mouth again.

"Cas, wait..." Dean said reluctantly, trying to squirm her way out of his embrace. She had never been comfortable with kissing Cas in front of others. Unfortunately, Cas didn't care about that at all, he pressed her close and her attempts were useless. Suddenly, she stopped squirming when she realized something. Oh wait a sec, I'm a chick now so it won't be gay if I make out with Cas!

Dean smiled. "Thanks for rescuing me." She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back hesitantly. Cas was more than eager, his lips parted under hers and he pressed her even closer.

Dean flushed. This was new, and something about showing everyone that she was Cas' was damn hot and turning her on. Even better was that no one would get the wrong ideas now, pointing a finger and accusingly muttering gay. Cas placed a thumb on her chin and pushed it down gently to open her mouth under his. His hot tongue wormed its way in and brushed against hers demandingly.

I've created a monster, Dean thought. But she smiled into his mouth, closed her eyes and simply enjoyed it. She welcomed his tongue and fisted her hands into his dark hair.

Someone cleared his voice behind them.

"Hey guys, don't you think we have a case to solve?" Sam asked. Dean pulled back and grinned at Sam's bitch-face.

"Sorry. You know I can't resist making out with hot chicks in bars!" she said as a way of apology.

Sam frowned amused. "Dean, Cas is a dude!"

"So, this time I'm the hot chick. Who cares?"

Ignoring Sam, she turned back to Cas and pulled him into another heated kiss.

"Fine, I'll solve this case alone!" Sam fussed and Dean could hearthe bitch-face.

Cas pulled back this time, but only to drag Dean into the nearest dark corner. He sat down on a bench, pulled her into his lap and they kissed again passionately. Sam gave up and turned away embarrassed at the point where Cas' hand snuck its way under Dean's skirt and dug his fingers into her thigh.

"I can't even count on Cas anymore." Sam muttered to himself. He made his way to the bar in defeat. This was highly irritating.

"Some brother that is." The barkeeper murmured amused.

"Yeah, she's really some brother." Sam sighed.

The barkeeper shot him a funny look.

Sam realised what he just said. "Uhm, I mean, I am her brother, and she's mine. Uhm, my sister!"

The barkeeper grinned.

"And Cas is... not her brother."

"Obviously." The barkeep stated, still smiling amused.

Sam decided that this was the point where he should probably shut his mouth. He didn't really know what to call Dean and Cas anyway. They were not married, technically, but they were planning on having a baby together and that counted more as a commitment in his eyes. Also, he should try not to freak out. Something was changing with Dean. Before she was a girl, she was even embarrassed when he found them kissing, and now they were making out in a bar in front of all people.

* * *

Dean and Cas finally broke apart long enough for Sam to drag them out of the bar, and they were making their way to the Impala. Cas had his arm still wrapped around Dean's waist and Dean was leaning against him.

"I can't believe it." Sam murmured.

"What's the matter, Sam?" Dean asked.

Sam forgot completely that he should be mad at Dean and Cas for letting him work alone. He couldn't help but be happy that Dean finally was comfortable enough with this whole relationship business to show it more openly. But something much worse than their behavior occupied his mind. "It's Gabriel."

"I know. What's wrong, Sam? Did you think he stopped messing with people just because he lives with us?"

"That's not the problem." Sam frowned. "You found out why he got in a fight with those guys?"

"No."

"Because he was trying to flirt with them." Sam looked like a kicked puppy. "Why does he still flirt with other people?"

Dean sighed. "I don't know. Ask him."

But Sam didn't ask him. He was much too afraid of what else he could discover.

* * *

The next few days passed without much action. Sam was awkwardly quiet around Gabriel, and was glancing at him insecurely. Gabriel didn't notice any of it. He was still the same smirking archangel. And he was still sweet to Sam, in his very own way. Sam was hiding his concern pretty well, though, and aside from that, everything was as normal as life can be in a hunter's house with a gender-swapped Dean.

Sam tossed the car keys at Dean. He had gone on the last supply run.

"I grabbed something for you," he said with a goofy grin.

"What?" Dean asked. She didn't like the sound of that.

Sam pulled several books out of the shopping bag and held them up. The first one sported a naked and highly pregnant woman, crossing her arms and legs to cover her more intimate parts. She smiled happily down at her huge, round potbelly. "The Big Pregnancy Guide" was written above her head. The second book was labeled "The First Year", and it showed a happy woman breast-feeding her baby. The third one showed a pair walking against a sunrise, each holding the hand of a girl between them. "Do's and Don't's"

Dean crocked an eyebrow at her brother. "This is a joke, right?"

Sam was still grinning like mad. "Oh, I thought... since you're a dude, normally, I thought you'd need this more than any other woman."

Dean still stared at him incredulously. Cas, in the meantime, took the first book and started browsing through it.

"It may contain valuable information." Cas offered.

"See?" Sam grinned. "He appreciates my concern!"

"Bitch."

"Dean, the book states that the probability of conceiving increases if you lift your pelvis after coitus." he murmured curiously.

Dean stared at Cas, dumbfounded. Sam cracked into a hysterical laughing fit. Cas tilted his head, confused.

"I do not understand the humor of this."

Sam slowly managed to pull himself back together. "It's ok, Cas." he said, patting Cas' back. Little giggles still escaped his throat.

"But I wonder," Sam said, "how long it takes. I mean, you guys have been..." he raised his eyebrows knowingly and gestured between them, "you know, for a while now."

Sam still had some difficulties talking about that. But strangely, his discomfort about his brother's sex life was not greater than before the switch.

Right at that moment, Gabriel entered the room.

"Hey sweetie!" he grinned, and placed a very wet welcoming kiss on Sam's mouth. "Oh, and by the way, Dean's bun is already in the oven!"

"Really?" Sam asked. Everyone stared at Gabriel in surprise. But after the first moment of shock, Cas was immediately hovering over Dean's belly.

"Congrats, Dean." Sam said. He was happy for the two, they deserved this.

Dean curiously stared down at her belly and laid a hand on it. Cas smiled at her happily and covered her hand with his own. She still couldn't really grasp the fact that there would be something growing in her belly. For now, she wasn't happy or sad, she was not even confused. She simply lacked understanding.

Finally, she asked what everyone was silently wondering. "How did you know before Cas?"

"Hellooo?" Gabriel asked, drawing circles around his head. "Archangel! The little soul 's still too small and weak for a tiny baby angel like Cassie to notice. Can't be older than a few days."

Cas turned his head to glare daggers at his brother. Great, Dean thought, now he isn't only fucking around with Sam, but insulting Cas also!

"I feel it," Cas said gravely, "when I concentrate on it."

Dean had reached the point where he didn't want to deal with Gabriel anymore.

"Gabe, you're a stupid son of a bitch! Pull your head out of your ass and think about what you're doing or saying for one freaking time! First, you screw my brother around and make him unhappy, and now you go after Cas? I'm sick and tired of it by now!"

Gabriel's eyes went wide as moons. "I'm making Sam unhappy?" he asked.

"Yeah!"

Gabriel turned to Sam, looking up at him with huge puppy eyes. "Is that true, Sammy?"

Sam didn't know what to answer. Gabriel looked so sorry. "Where did I screw up?" Gabriel finally asked.

"You're never considering how Sam might feel before you open your pie-hole!" Dean happily scolded. "And what about that bar where you flirted with random dudes and ganked them later?"

"I had to make sure they deserved it!" Gabriel defended himself.

Dean was really getting going now. "I'm sick of you screwing around with my little brother like you don't give a damn! And don't insult Cas like that, 'cause he's pretty bad ass when we deal with fuckers while you're somewhere sticking candy in your throat!"

Gabriel was silent for a moment. His gaze was hard, face in a blank mask and he seemed to be imploding on the spot. He was about as bad at admitting feelings as Dean, if not even worse.

Gabriel took a step toward Sam and touched his arm. With a flutter of wings, they were gone.

* * *

Gabriel flew them to their room. He wanted to talk to Sam alone. Sam was wearing the biggest, sorriest puppy-dog eyes Gabriel had ever seen.

"I'm sorry, okay?" Gabriel said, almost whispering. "I screwed up." He looked so small and apologetic in that moment, Sam couldn't really be mad at him much longer.

"It's okay." Sam pulled the smaller man into a hug. "Just... don't forget what Dean said."

Gabriel smiled up at him. "I'll make it up to you, promise!"

"Thanks." Sam leaned down to kiss his trickster.

Gabriel kissed back. He was fighting with himself. There were three little words floating around in his head, but he couldn't get them out.

But Sam seemed happy anyway, so it was okay for now. Sam's world was perfect. His lover had apologized, his brother (sister, whatever... this is too confusing!) was getting a family, and the hunts were sparse and far between. He couldn't be happier.

Chapter 3