Honey Apple Pie

Epilogue

'Go,' Alfie said, shooing Cas out.

'Will you-?'

'I'll call everyone, just go.'

'Okay... okay.' Cas wrung his hands, then ran out to the car, where Dean was waiting. He threw himself into the passenger seat, and Dean peeled away.

Cas forced himself to take some calming breaths. 'Are you all right?' he asked Dean.

Dean opened and closed his mouth several times, and sighed without saying anything.

'Dean, it's okay,' Cas said, squeezing Dean's leg.

Dean hadn't had to use his signs for several months, and seemed frustrated at needing it now. He drove on, perhaps faster than was strictly legal, but they made it to the hospital in good time. Dean parked the car, somewhat haphazardly, and they both sprinted into the hospital, and up to the maternity ward.

They met Angela being wheeled in.

'Oh, hey, you sure got here fast,' she said with a huge smile on her face. 'Come on, let's go.'

They went onto the ward with her, and she climbed onto a bed herself.

'How are you guys doing?' she asked after the curtain was drawn around them. She looked up at their faces, and struggled to suppress a laugh. 'Don't worry, we're not going to be here very long, I'm already almost there.'

Cas nodded.

'Maybe you guys should take a minute,' Angela said sympathetically.

Cas agreed, and pushed Dean back out into the corridor.

{Dean, are you all right?} Cas said, taking the lead with his signing.

Dean rubbed his face. {I'm scared}

{It is scary} Cas signed. {But it's exciting in the best way. We're ready for this, aren't we?}

Dean hesitated a moment, then nodded.

{This was all your idea, you can't back out on me now]

Dean laughed and kissed Cas. {Let's go back in}

Angela was having contractions in quick succession when they returned, and was just about ready to go to the labour room. 'I told you it wouldn't be long,' she said, panting hard.

'Do you need anything?' Cas said anxiously.

'I've already got some ice chips, don't worry.'

They waited with her for a while longer, before they were moved to a private room with the midwives.

'I'll be honest, this is not taking as long as I thought it would,' Cas said weakly, as Angela puffed through another contraction.

To her credit, Angela gave a short laugh.

'Okay, honey, it's time to start pushing,' one of the midwives said.

'Yeah, I sorta got that,' Angela gasped.

Cas held Angela's hand on one side, and Dean's on the other, squeezing both hard, though Angela gave as good as she got.

It didn't take long, and soon they heard the gasp of the baby's first breath.

'Congratulations,' the midwife said, 'it's a girl.'

Dean immediately burst into tears, and watched the newborn use her whole body to join him in crying.

The baby was placed on Angela's chest at first, and Cas stared down at her in wonder. 'She's beautiful,' he said through a lump in his throat.

The midwives cleaned her up and wrapped her in a blanket, then brought her over to Cas and Dean.