An Arranged Marriage

Chapter 36

3 Months Later

Sitting sullenly on your bed, your hand resting on your slightly swollen belly, you stared down at the picture in your hand. It was one of the few pictures you had, and it was probably your most prized possession. It was a picture of the two of you, sitting at the library table. Sam had taken it for you, much too Dean's annoyance. But you had wanted it, wanted something normal after your trial with Lucifer the first time.

A tear slipped down your cheek, and you hastily wiped it away. You had been doing that a lot lately. Shedding tears. Sure, you could blame it on the hormones from your pregnancy, but you knew that wasn't the only culprit.

You were missing Dean, more than you had ever thought possible. A piece of your heart was gone, down in that cage with him. You could only imagine what he was going through, your nightmares bringing those thoughts to life.

Sam and Cas had been wonderful, attentive and kind. They were busy, trying everything they knew to bring Dean back. But as time went on, the hope that he would come back diminished, their smiles faltering.

Today was worse for everyone. The silence echoing through the bunker was deafening. Sam and Cas were in the library, going through every single book the Bunker held, waiting for the moment you came and told them you were ready to leave. They had been walking on pins and needles around you, knowing how hard today was going to be for you. It was the three month check up of your unborn baby. A day that Dean should have been there for. And no matter how excited you were for the life growing inside of you, you couldn't find it in yourself to be excited. How could you be, when Dean should have been by your side.

A soft knock broke up the silence before Sam stuck his head in your room. "You ready to go?"

"I guess," you sighed, slowly moving off of the bed.

"Isn't today when you get to know if it's a boy or a girl?" He asked, trying to bring a smile to your face.

"I hope it's a girl. Dean would have loved having a daughter," you said, following him down the hallway to where Cas stood waiting.

"You don't have to do this Y/N," he told me. "I am perfectly able to tell you how your baby is doing, and if it's a boy or a girl."

"Thanks Cas, but I really think I need to do this," you assured him. You wanted something normal, even if that meant getting the sonogram of your baby. A keepsake in case...

You could feel tears threatening to fall once again, and you took a deep breath. Sliding onto the backseat of the Impala, you stared silently out the window as Sam drove down the highway. "So, I was thinking after the Doctor's visit we could go to that one store? That has all the used baby stuff. We need to start decorating the nursery."

"Not yet," you whispered. "I can't think about that yet."

Sam sighed while Cas stayed silent. "Y/N, I know this is hard. We're all missing Dean, especially you. But this is something we'll need to think about doing."

"Sam, please," you pleaded. "I just want to go to the Doctor's, and then we can figure the rest out later."

"Fine," he answered, pulling up to the nondescript brick building. "Do you want us to go in with you?"

"How awkward would that be?" You finally cracked a smile. "I bet the nurse would love that."

"We're here for you Y/N. I hope you realize that." Cas finally spoke up. "I know you want Dean here. We all would gladly trade places with him so he could be here. But since we haven't been able to bring him back yet, you have us. You'll always have us."

Reaching up, you squeezed his shoulder before climbing out of the car. "Maybe we could go look at things afterward," you gave in. Smiling sadly down at the two men, you took a deep breath before walking into the clinic. The receptionist was bubbly, immediately guiding you to a small, sterile room. Sitting down nervously on the table, you tried to control your breathing while you waited. A window was off to the side, the town park in the distance. A young mom pushed her daughter on the swing, smiling as her daughter giggled. An older couple walked hand in hand, their faces weathered and wrinkled, contented smiles on their face. A couple of older kids ran around the playground, A man sat off to the side, at one of the rickety benches cloaked in shadows. You caught yourself staring at him, wondering what his story was. Why he was sitting there, all by himself. If he felt as alone and out of place as you did.

"Good morning Mrs Winchester!" The Doctor exclaimed as she stepped into the room. "Ready to see your little one?"

Smiling at her, you leaned back, letting her pull your shirt up to show your slightly swollen belly. "This will be cold," she warned before spreading the cold gel across your skin. Sucking in a breath, you kept your gaze outside, watching the man outside. The longer you sat and stared his way, the more you began to have this sense of familiarity. But that couldn't be right. Everyone you had grown up with had more than likely died in that horrific incident. You didn't know anyone in town, only Sam and Cas.

"....your baby is looking very healthy!" The Doctor exclaimed, pulling you back from your wayward thoughts. "Ready to know if it's a boy or girl?"

Nodding, you glanced outside once again, but the bench was empty. Whoever that person had been, they were long gone now. Shaking the feeling of unease, you turned back to the Doctor. "You have a very healthy little girl. Growing nicely for how far along you are. Would you like this printed?"

"That would be great," you said, watching as she pressed some buttons on her tablet.

"While that prints, let's get some more information. Is the father in the picture?"

"No. He's dead," you whispered, feeling your breath get lodged in your throat, your heart rate picking up.

"I'm so sorry to hear that. Is there any health information we should be worried about?" She asked you. Shaking your head, you took the picture she had printed. "That's great. How about I see you back here in a month? Keep taking those prenatal vitamins, and call if you have any concerns."

Quickly scheduling your next appointment, you stepped out into the cool fall air. Both men had been watching the door, smiling widely as you slid onto the backseat. "And how is the baby?"

"She's great," you answered, handing over the sonogram.

"It's a girl?" Sam exclaimed, his eyes wide.

"It's a girl," you assured him, a real smiling breaking on your face for the first time in three months. "I'm having a baby girl."

"Dean would love having a baby girl," Cas spoke up as Sam pulled away from the Doctor's office.

"I agree. A baby girl is perfect!" Sam said, turning the car towards town and that store. Staring out the window, you saw a quick glimpse of a man peeking around the corner, his face still bathed in shadows before you couldn't see him anymore.