Jellybean
"You can see why I was upset." Sam says as Michael just sighs and rubs the bridge of his nose.
"Yes. I do. Though not why you were surprised." Michael shakes his head. "She does this all the time. Constantly from the very beginning she was always testing boundaries, pushing, exploiting loopholes."
"She was?"
"Yes, with her brother aiming and encouraging her every step of the way. The oath you had her make was practically a challenge. Likely you didn't quite realize that yet, given she has, lately been more prone to just ignoring rules than circumventing them." Michael chides him but gently, as he can't really blame anyone for being as unsuccesful at dealinhg with or directing Gabriel as he has been.
"A challenge."
"When Gabriel sees a locked door, she looks for ways to see behind it. When she sees a pit, she tries to get across, she sees a rule preventing an action she tries to acheive the action a different way. It's actually a bit heartening that she took such efforts to work around the oath instead of just breaking it, or that she even made it in the first place." Much to Sam's surprised, Michael actually looks relieved at what he'd been told his sister did. True, she didn't kill or injure anyone, or cause it, but that's a fairly low bar. "I wish you had read her confession. This wouldn't seem to grevious an offense then."
"Maybe, I wasn't thinking, but she knew what I wanted and what she was doing. She knew what i was asking her no matter what technicalities she hid behind. We managed to get the legal issues mostly resolved. Though as soon as he's declared legaly dead, the conventions will be shut down and the website... she wasn't the only one affected by that, or even the one most affected by it."
"You mean the website dedicated to manufactured tales of explcit incestuous pornographic adventures between you and your brother? Are you truly unhappy about it's distruction?" Michael gives him a knowing look.
"It's an issue of free expression. I may not agree with the content, but things like that... it's not always just simple titilation. It can be about using familiar characters to work through problems and issues in the writers own life, things they're struggling with. It can give strength to others. For some people it's their only outlet. Whatever problem it represents, taking this outlet away from them doesn't make the problems go away. I really really dislike that thing, but it has a right to exist. And nothing is making me read it or deal with it if I don't want to."
"I see. I'll talk to Gabriel and see what I can do to encourage her to fix this. Please give the matter more consideration. I don't believe this incident is worth ending a relationship over, regardless of whether or not the relationship should exist in the first place. After all you both are willing to violate the laws of god and heaven for each other, this is an extremely petty thing in comparison. Perhaps if you discussed it with Alex it might help you gain some perspective. I'm not entirely sure why but it's surprisingly helpful." Michael suggests examining the monkey bars.
"I'll keep that in mind." Sam nods. "I don't suppose you have any actual intrest in the hunter and vessel school and sanctuary." He asks. If he can get both the archangels involved, perhaps it might ease tensions even more. It would definitely set a great example for the rest of the angels.
"Not especially. These instituitions wax and wane frequently. I try not to involve myself in such fleeting matters. Besides I don't pretend to understand much beyond the martial skills. I'm not especially skilled in combat on such a small scale. Such guerilla tactics were more my brother's specialty. Thank you for speaking with me, though."
"Any time." Sam rubs the back of his neck, and just stays there thinking when Michael leaves. He can't talk to Alex. She's Babe's freind and plus he doesn't want to put her in that position. Maybe his reaction was a little too extreme, but he's just so exhausted. A relationship's not supposed to be like that. It's not supposed to be in a battle of wits. He's not supposed to have to watch every word or try to manipulate her or trick her into not doing things. That's not what you do in a healthy relationship.
That's kind of what he did though, wasn't it? He tried to trick and trap her in a promise he knew she wouldn't break. He tried to hem her in so when he told her she couldn't do what he knew she'd want to do. He began manuevering, what's more he knew she was pissed off about it when she realized the extent of it. What does it matter, though? It can't work, the way things are with her and Dean, how could it ever work? Besides even if he took the wrong approach, she knew damn well how he felt and what he wanted and did it anyways.
He definitely can't talk to Dean and he doesn't want to put Cas in the middle of things. Maybe someone who knows her, has been in a relationship with her, but doesn't hate her exactly. Maybe even one who does, honestly. That would be a weird thing to ask about, though. Could he even trust what they say? Sam walks back to the gym. Dean's probably still there. When he enters he sees a burnt out ring of fire around some sigils and an enormous greenish teddy bear trying desperately to remove it's own head.
"What the hell?" Sam exclaims. the bear stops struggling and straightens up revealing it's stomach. It's... a care bear? A green camo care bear. And on it's stomach the symbols are a shotgun and a shovel. Sam starts laughing so hard, he falls over, grabbing the handle of the door, but fails to keep even slightly upright. He ends up lying half in and half out of the gym just absolutely dying. The bear stalks over and kicks his leg.
"If you don't shut up and help get this thing off of me I swear I will sit on your fucking head." Dean's irritated muffled voice just makes it worse. As he might accidently suffocate his brother with his fuzzy butt, Dean take the high road and sits on his brother's stomach instead. "Dude, it's not that damn funny." But Sam's still just laughing. "Come on!"
"You're a Care Bear." Sam reaches over to look at a tag by Dean's fuzzy little bear tail. "You're... Hunter Bear. Oh, and machine washable." His voice cracks.
"Okay, that's kind of funny. but I'm dying in this damn thing and will eventually have to go to the bathroom. Will you please pull yourself together?" Dean cuffs his brother's head.
"The most lethal Care Bear of them all." Sam continues when he can catch his breath again.
"Sam? Dean?" They hear a young man yelling.
"Are you okay?" Dean looks down at his brother.
"That's what it says on the tag." Sam points out.
"As I can't see my own ass, I'll have to take your word for it."
Aiden follows the laughter to the gym to find Sam laughing fit to kill while a giant camo colored teddy bear just sits on his stomach and pats him on the head while shaking it's head. "I.. uh.." He temporarily forgets why he's there. "K-krissy's in labor. She's at Smith County Hospital. I tried to call but your phones are off."
"What? Now?" Sam stops laughing nad shoves Dean off. 'She's only six months."
"She spent alot of time in the abyss, actually, letting the fledglings see the miracle of pregnancy and getting away from Jo."Aiden rubs the back of his neck. "Its also the only place Jose let her go with Hara alone. She's more like a week early developmentally I think? I have the minivan so, you don't have to change."
"I don't think the head detatches." Sam says after searching all around for it in the back of Aiden's new used minivan. "I'm going to have to cut it off."
"So, um, can I ask?" Aiden looks back breifly.
"No." Dean snaps.
"Are you okay?"
"Do I fucking look okay?" He waves his paws making Sam choke back another laugh. "Don't start, just give me the damn knife. I'll do it myself." Sam just hold the knife out, handle first. Dean tries and fails to grip it with his oversized fuzzy paws for far longer than remotely reasonable. "Fine, just be careful, okay?" He growls. It takes pretty much the entirely ride there to get his head and paws off.
"Dean?" Sam pulls at the sawed off neck slightly. "Where are your clothes?"
"I think these are my clothes." He looks down himself. "I hate your fucking girlfreind."
"She's not my girlfreind anymore." Sam lets go and turns to look outside the window. "And no, we're still not talking about it."
"Fine, just get me something to wear while I cut this thing off. Even if it's just some damn scrubs. When did she go into labor?"
"Last night apparently. She called Hara who monitered the contractions and helped her sleep until they got close enough together. She's in room fourty seven in the maternity ward. Claire and Alex and the rest are in the cafeteria. There's a thrift store in the basement so if you want to get your brother a few things, Sam?"
"Sure. But you know we could just ask Cas to..." A glare from Dean shuts the suggestion down before he can even finish.
"I'll see you upstairs." Aiden takes off, racing into the hospital.
"My little brothers would have loved to see this."Hara says with mild dissapointment as Krissy rests back against him, exhausted.
"Not in a million years." She sighs and looks over as they weigh and measure the small baby boy. "Will you bring him over here?" She holds out her arms. "He's probably hungry."
"Oh good, you are brestfeeding." Hara gives her a gentle squeeze.
"Yeah, yeah, just toss the little jellybean this way." She waves the nurse over. The nurse gives her a stern look indicating her thoughts on the proceedings. Not only did this young woman have neither the father or a relative in during birth, but she refused the iv entirely, would not keep the baby monitor on or stay in bed until her water broke and even then had this man actually sit behind her like they were in lamaze class and hold her in his arms the entire time, holding her hands, rubbing her stomach, and just generally getting in the way without actually getting in the way. They're lucky nothing went wrong.
"That bed's not big enough for three people." The nurse says cooly. When Krissy gives her a cool steady look that threatens extreme violence, the nurse decides it's probably best just to humor her.
"Aw, there's my little jellybean." Krissy coos taking hte crying baby in her arms. Hara unsnaps the shoulder of the gown for her and even goes to help adjust her slightly when she clears her throat. "Hara... boundaries." The nurse just sorts a little at this, and tries to turn it into a sneeze.
"Sorry." Hara looks over her shoulder, in rapt adoring fascination as Chrysander starts to suck. "I don't think he's latched on right... Just break the..."
"Hara, it's fine. Babies do three things, eat, sleep and excrete. We've.. ow! Shoot, yeah, hold on. I got it." She adjusts herself and the baby accordingly. "Aww, wook at his widdle hands and toes. My widdle jellybean is just a whole bunch of widdle jellybeans." She croons.
"You've acquired a sudden speech impediment. Have you had a stroke?" Hara puts a hand to her head to check. "Sometimes women have strokes after they give birth but I can't detect anything. Let me go get Raphael."
"No, Hara, that's just ... That's just how you talk to babies." Krissy informs him, mildly irritated, mildly amused.
"Really?"
"Yes. It's the law."
"It is not." Hara protests.
"It is so. Look it up if you don''t beleive me. " She teases.
"I don't have to look it up. Nobody would make a law like that."
"Really? Like nobody would ever ban a color for a whole day?" Krissy challenges. Hara suddenly feels alot less certain. Gabriel has caused quite alot of nonsensical rules and regulations to be passed and she had been on earth for quite a long time. "Where's Nat?"
"I'm here." He rushes into the room, stopping to frown at the sight of Harahel snugglings with Krissy and his child. Not an unfamiliar sight, but still he would infinitely prefer it if the angel was in a different, more feminine body. "And there's my widdle man." he smiles at the baby.
"Is... it's really the law?" Harahel looks up to the nurse who's trying not to laugh. She shakes her head and takes the chart out to the hall. "You're a jerk, Krissy." She just laughs.
"Isn't he beautiful?" Krissy smiles at Nat who drags a chair to the side of the hospital bed and reaches to touch the tiny fist balled up and pressed tightly against her breast.
"You both are." Thanatos gives her a kiss before sitting down. "Do you need anything? Are you hungry? Thirsty? Can I get you something to drink?"
"Watermelon vodka."
"Vodka is made from potatoes." Hara looks back, resting his cheek against Krissy's so he can see the baby better. "I think if you use watermelon it would be a wine. I'm not sure. though."
"Really Hara?"
"Oh, listen, he's making little noises." the angel sighs listening to the baby moan and fuss, dispite having his mouth full. "Hello, Krissy Junior, It's me your guardian angel. do you remember my voice? I bet it's all different now."
"I thought we were having a boy." Nat looks up confused.
"We are, we do.. just..." She waves it off with her free hand. "Our little jelly bean is a boy jellybean."
"And don't worry. It's perfectly normal for his testicals to look like that." Hara says reassuringly. Krissy got a little worried as they didn't mention that the baby would have balls the size of a soft ball thanks to his mother's hormones in the womb.
"What?" Thanatos sounds alarmed.
"It's fine. He's fine. Hara, do you think you could go get me some chicken nuggets and a shamrock shake? Do they still have those or is it too late? I know St. Patricks day was a while ago."
" One of them must have some left. If they do, I will find it for you." Hara gently gets out from behind Krissy and vanishes.
"Chrysander." Thanatos smiles at the baby. "I wish my mother could see you."
"Well, when we take him to see the fledgelings we can try and find her." Krissy offers. "I just wish my parents were as easily accessable. Though I'm fairly sure my father's churning in his urn right now about my having a demigod."
"I know my brother's not to happy either. He feels a bit... left behind."
"Well, maybe if he stops drugging and raping women he can fall in love and work on his own family." Krissy is entirely unsympathetic.
"Are we a family?" Thanatos ignores her jab and just gives her that look he does so often now, the one with the 'marry me' eyes.
"Yes, maybe not the kind you'd prefer, but..." He kisses her mid sentance.
"Nat, she just had a baby." They hear Claire at the door. "Hey, sorry we're late. Jody has this thing about going slower than a snail with arthritis."
"It's called not violating the laws of physics." Jody replies, shaking her head. "Congradulations. Krissy, he's adorable."
"He's so cute." Alex quickly follows. "Do you need anything?"
"No. Hara's off finding me a shamrock shake."
"It's almost june! What is he going to search every restaurant in existence for one with some mix left? You are so spoiled." Claire gives a disgusted sigh. Krissy just smiles.
"Nothing else you need, sweetie?" Jody pats her head.
"Just rest, and not to be covered in my own blood. And I really hate to say it, since you came all this way, but do you think you could give us an hour or two?" Krissy asks reluctantly.
"Of course. Come on, girls, lets get something to eat while we wait." Jody ushers them back out of the room.
"The Winchesters and her freinds are in the cafeteria." Thanatos informs them.
"Thanks, Nat. And again, congradulations." Jody reaches to close the door behind her.
"Thank you. I'll come ang get you when she's feeling ready for visitors."
"Hey," Jody walks over to windowed wall where Sam is, as the girls wait in like. "Where are Aiden and Josephine?"
"They went to pick up a few things they forgot for taking them home." Sam gives her a nod. "They'll be back soon."
"How're you doing?"
"Fine."
"You look good. Been working out?"
"I'm fine, Jody." He looks out the window. She just pats his shoulder and goes to the table with Dean.
"That's a new look for you." She appraises Dean's suitpants and salmon golf shirt.
"It's been a long day." He rubs the back of his neck. As that's clearly the only explanation she'll get she decides to change to a subject she knows he'll discuss.
"How's Sam doing?" She asks quietly. Dean breifly glances over at his brother.
"Well, he laughed today for the first time since the breakup. And Michael actually came to plead his sister's case, if you can believe it."
"Feeling guilty huh?" Jody says wisely. "Did it help?"
"I don't know. And I don't think I had much luck with Gabriel either, honestly." Dean gives a sigh. Jody smiles and kisses his forhead for the admission. "He's miserable. And just hell to live with."
"I know. You should have seen him the last time they broke up. It was awful." Jody sighs. "I should have stopped them."
"Stopped who from what?" Dean looks up at her.
"He didn't tell you why they broke up?" Jody looks surprised and whispers the tale into his ear.
"Yeesh. Hell hath no fury." Dean actually smiles a little. "She should have known better, though."
"I can't exactly throw stones, I thought she got off easy. I can't believe you two didn't do anything to her."
"Well, she was just this pathetic little awkward thing who made a bad decision."
"I hate to break it to you, but criminals are rarely the smart dashing, attractive and charming people you see on tv. For the most part, they're pretty pathetic creatures. But being pathetic isn't any more of a justification than being exceptional."
"That's what she said." Dean gives a slight laugh.
"I'm sorry. I don't see a dirty joke in that anywhere." Jody frowns at him.
"No, that's what Gabriel said. And she called me misogynistic. Me." he puts his hand to his chest. Jody just raises her eyebrows and looks away without a word. "Really?"
"You are a bit... old fashioned."
"You think I'm racist, too?"
"What? No!"
"Beause old as in old fashioned is usually racist as fuck."
"Dean." Jody breifly takes hold of his face. "It's okay. You're a hunter, raised by an army man. moved around a lot, no mother, no sister, no grandmother, all you know about women is general is from social media.... and porn." She adds quickly. "It'd be stranger if you weren't a bit backwards in some aspects. But you know, there are men alot worse with less excuse and you're... you know, you mean well."
"They're ready to see visitors now." Thantos announces from the entrance to the cafeteria, just as the girls get back to the table. "But not everyone at once. We don't want him getting overstimulated."
"You boys go up." Jody nudges Dean.
"Yeah, we just got our food." Claire sits down and hands Jody a sub and drink.
"Thanks." Dean gets up. "Sam?" He calls his brother over. "C'mon, we're going to see Krissy and the baby." Sam nods and follows him over to the elevator. "It's so werid thinking of krissy being a mom. I mean,she's young enough to be my daughter. So like, that makes me a grandpa? Do Iook like a grandpa to you?" Sam just shrugs. "I still keep thinking of her as that sassy little kid who had a crush on me."
"Yeah." Though Sam doesn't sound like he's paying much attention.
"You know, have you considered cutting her a little slack?" Dean says despite how much it grates him to suggest it.
"Who, Krissy?" Sam looks over to him confused.
"C'mon, man. Don't make me say it." He pleads, nudging his brother's arm. Sam just stares at him in disbelief. "I mean, do you remember when Cas betrayed us ? Broke your wall, killed hundreds, maybe thousands, declared himself the new god and then wanted forgiveness?"
"That's different, Dean."
"Yeah, that's way worse that what she did and she had just as good of a reason."
"Okay, yes, but it wasn't for as good of a reason at all. He was trying to protect us, and all of humanity by preventing another apocalypse. She just wanted vengeance. And furthermore..." Sam raises his voice when Dean opens his mouth to protest. "The biggest difference is that Cas realiazed what he did was wrong,k and tried to stop and corrected what he could, felt shame and wanted forgiveness. Gabrielle rerfuses to admit that she did anything wron, in any way, does not regret it even a little and isn't the least bit sorry. She doesn't want forgiveness, she wants approval and vindication and I can't and won't give her that."
"Wait, so you just want an apology? Did you tell her that?" Dean demands and presses the elevator button. Sam just gives him a look as if he's stupid for asking. "Why the hell not?"
"Because I don't want a fake one given just to appease me. I want her to understand what she did wrong, and why I'm upset as well. Why the hell are you even... you couldn't be nice to her when we werre together? You have to start now that we're over? Why are you saying to forgive her when you know that if I did you'd go right back to bitching about us being together all the damn time like before." Sam angrily turns to his brother.
"Because you're miserable without her. Miserable and angry and just like in permanent PMS mode just like all the time." Dean retorts.
"See now, that's one of those misogynistic things they were talking about. And of course I'm miserable. We just broke up. it's not a pleasant event, Dean."
"You broke up weeks ago. I know you, Sam. I know your break up routine. How it goes is, you pretend nothings wrong and that your're not upset but cry in your pillow at night when you think I can't hear you for a few day. I keep you busy with stuff you hate, but do anyways because you don't have a good reason not to go. You get all quiet when 'your song' comes on, I eventually get you to laugh a few times, check out a few girls and the healing begins. By now you should be smiling and even laughing and ready for the 'you can do better' speech without ripping my head off, at least. This... this is as different as it was after Jess. It's different from that too, I know. Greif over death isn't nealy the same and a break up but Sam, the only time you ahve laughed or given a real smile at all these past weeks was because of that damn prank of hers. I love you , Sam, and I want you to be happy. She makes you happy. God only knows why, and honestly I doubt even he does, but it's true. I'm just sorry it took me seeing you like this to make me appreciate that."
"It's okay." Sam sighs and rubs the back of his neck. "We should probably start making more demon traps at the school and stock up on holy water." Dean raises an eyebrow at him. "You know, for the influx of demons that's coming."
"What? Why?" Dean looks alarmed. He hasn't heard anything and they haven't caused anything. They haven't really done anything lately.
"Because I'm pretty sure Hell just froze over." Sam gives his brother a grin.
"Oh shut up," Dean tries to scowl and shoves his brother into the opening elevator doors, the smart ass.