West Coast

Chapter Twenty-three

'What are you doing, why are you covering her ears?' Sam asked, pulling Mary away from Jess's hands.

'She's like this close to talking, Sam, I don't want s-e-x to be her first word.'

'Come on, babies can't say that, not even the ones that can talk.'

Just then, Mary pushed herself away from Sam and reached across the table, making an insistent babbling sound that sounded almost like ' Cas!'

All three of them stared at her.

'You see!' Jess said.

Sam grinned. 'Looks like she wants to see her Uncle Cas,' he laughed, putting her down in Cas's lap.

'Hello, my little angel,' Cas murmured. 'Look at you, so big.'

Mary giggled.

'So what is this, are you guys back together?' Sam asked excitedly.

Cas and Dean looked at each other.

'Uh...'

'Oh, look at that, Sam, I don't think they've talked about it,' Jess said brightly. 'So how about we stop being weird about it?'

'Wait a minute, you haven't talked about it? How recent was this?'

'Well... last night... and this morning,' Dean said, awkwardly. 'Can we stop talking about it now?'

'You're right, you're right,' Sam said. 'We'll leave that to you guys.'

'Anybody want anything to drink,' Dean said loudly, getting out of his seat.

'Tea, please,' Cas said, bouncing Mary on his knee.

Mary grabbed one of the brushes Cas still had out with her chubby hand, and waved it around.

'Are you going to be an artist when you grow up?'

Mary screeched happily and wiggled around on Cas's lap.

Dean brought drinks in for everyone and sat back down.

'So, Cas, I have something for you,' Sam said, grabbing a box from his bag. 'Scrabble! You wanna play?'

'Are you serious right now?' Dean said.

'Yes. Scrabble is good for the brain, and I want to play with Cas.'

'Okay, can I play?'

'Dean, you don't know how to spell anything.'

'I was thinking we play by my rules, but whatever.'

'That's okay, Dean, I don't really want to play either,' said Jess.

'Oh, sweet, you can help me with these nurses.' Dean got up and switched places with Cas and Mary.

'I didn't realise I was so popular,' Cas smiled.

'Oh yeah, you've always been popular,' Dean said. 'In fact, I always thought you two had a thing on the side.'

Cas eyed up Sam and nodded. 'I can see it. You're an attractive man, Sam.'

Sam rolled his eyes.

'Yeah, you're right, you guys would have made a great couple,' Jess added, picking up a file. 'Oh, this one's hot.'

'Are we looking at nurses for me, or eye-candy for Dean?' Cas said, helping Sam set up the Scrabble board.

'Come on, we all know I already have that.'

Sam and Cas played until Cas's head started to hurt.

'Yeah, you guys should get going, we've got interviews this afternoon.'