Chapter Text
It had been nearly six years since Caitlyn had been born and the apocalypse had been inadvertently averted thanks to her miraculous birth.
Dean was sat in the driver’s seat of the parked Impala in Bobby Singer’s scrap yard with the little girl on his lap. “Drive daddy” she shouted as she tried to move the heavy steering wheel with her tiny fists.
“Not yet pumpkin” the ex hunter said softly. “It’s your birthday party tomorrow and we need to make some cakes and cookies, so we need to go to the store”.
The infant’s full, green eyes lit up with excitement. She tugged at her biker jacket and jumped up and down on her father’s lap, her blond pigtails swinging back and forth. “Yay! Cupcakes! Can we have Chocolate with pink sprinkles daddy!”.
The hunter laughed at his daughter’s animated display. “Of course baby girl. Whatever you want. Shall we ask uncle Sammy if he wants to help us?”.
Caitlyn needed no persuasion. She leapt off his lap and ran across the scrap yard towards the house. Dean freed himself from behind the wheel and ran after her. When he’d caught her up, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her into the house, upside down as she giggled happily. “Uncle Sammy! Help me!” the little girl shouted as she saw the younger ex hunter in the kitchen. “Daddy's tickling me!” she screamed.
Sam started to laugh at his niece as he held out his arms and freed the toddler from her father’s constraint. “I got you Caitlyn!”.
Dean sat down in the chair tiredly. It was exhausting running around after his daughter but it was worth every second having her around. He wouldn’t change her for the world. He would much rather run around after his daughter than monsters and ghosts. He looked to his brother. “I think she wants to ask you something”.
“Oh yeah?” Sam asked the little girl as he held her in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck. Caitlyn began to fiddle with her uncle’s hair, twirling strands around in her fingers.
“Sammy, it’s my birthday in the morning. Can you help us make cakes?”. “Sure sweetie!” the taller brother said affectionately to his niece as they rubbed noses. She wriggled around, indicating that she wanted to go down. She ran to where she knew the car keys were and handed them over to her father. “Can we buy things now? Please?”.
Dean sighed, but his face softened as he took the car keys. “Okay angel, let’s go”.
Sam smiled. “She knows how to win you around Dean”. “I know, but can you blame me?” the older hunter asked as he got to his feet. Sam looked on at his niece. He hoped that one day he’d meet someone to settle down with and start a family with. But for now, this had to do.
“Sam!” a little voice shouted out from around the corner. The taller ex hunter laughed at his niece’s persistence. “Coming” he replied as he put on his jacket.
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Their shopping cart was brimming with cakes, and pink glittery sprinkles to go on top and various other items. There was enough for the whole neighbourhood, even though it was just the three of them and Bobby.
Dean was standing by the clothes section in Wal-Mart trying to persuade his daughter to get a pink frilly dress. “Look at how pretty that is sweetie!” he said holding it up.
Caitlyn wrinkled up her nose. “It’s pink daddy….” She said disgustedly.
“I thought you could dress up like a princess” Dean said disappointedly.
The 6 year old ran down the next aisle, her father and uncle hot on her heels. She ran straight up to some biker boots and a black leather jacket. “I want these!” she insisted.
Sam rolled his eyes. “Yep, she’s definitely your daughter, without a doubt!”.
“What?! She chose these herself, not my fault. I wanted to get a pretty pink dress for her. She’s an independent little woman, growing up way too fast” Dean said with realisation at the statement. He missed not having his daughter being so dependant on him. But he didn’t dwell on that too much, there was so many things to look forward to with her in the future. She’d be starting proper school soon.
When her father didn’t reply straight away, Caitlyn jumped up and down on the spot. “Please daddy? I’ll wear the pink dress too!” she said diplomatically. That way that would make them both happy she thought.
Dean scooped his daughter up into his arms. “You can wear what you want pumpkin, you’ll look pretty in whatever, but you’ll always be my little princess. It’s your birthday tomorrow so you’re in charge!”.
Caitlyn played with the collar on her father’s leather jacket. “Can I get a tiara?”.
“Yeah, you can get a tiara too” Dean said. When his daughter squirmed around in his arms he put her down and she started to run off down the aisle again. “Caitlyn don’t run please” he started to say but he was too late with his words. He looked apologetically at the people who had to swerve their trolleys to avoid her.
Sam laughed. “Yep, definitely yours!”.
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Caitlyn had helped to decorate most of the cakes, but got too tired. She was stubborn and wanted to stay up, but Dean had insisted on taking her to bed because she was practically falling asleep at the kitchen table. “You’ve got a busy day tomorrow baby” he told her in order to coax her to go to bed.
She went out like a light when he’d changed her into her pj’s and put her into bed. There wasn’t even time for a bedtime story because she had fallen asleep straight away.
The next morning, Caitlyn ran into her father’s bedroom at 6am to jump on him to wake him up. “Daddy! Wake up daddy! I’m 6!” she said, poking at his face and crawling all over him.
Dean groaned. It felt like he had only just got to sleep. His daughter’s excitement was so adorable he couldn’t find it in his heart to be mad for being woken up so early. “Yes, you are. And do you know what 6 year old's get for their birthdays?” he asked as he rolled over onto his back.
The green eyed little girl looked at her father in fascination as she shook her head. She tugged on the bottom of her ‘rock chick’ pyjamas. “Tickle monster” Dean growled as he sat up suddenly and pulled his daughter down onto the bed and started to tickle her until they both collapsed back down on the bed in an exhausted heap.
Caitlyn jumped back up and started bouncing on the bed again to stop her father from going back to sleep. “Can we have cake now?” she asked. “Not for breakfast. You have cereal and milk for breakfast baby girl” Dean said sternly, but kindly as he got up out of bed and followed his daughter down the stairs.
The commotion had woken Sam up and when he went into the kitchen, Caitlyn had a glass of milk by her side and was tucking into a cupcake for breakfast. Dean had given in to her. He was never able to say no to his darling daughter.
Sam rolled his eyes disapprovingly. “Cupcakes for breakfast?”. Dean scoffed and laughed. “What can I say, she’s got me wrapped around her little finger. And besides, as she’s pointed out to me, it’s her birthday today and apparently I told her yesterday that I said she could do whatever she wants today. My bad, didn’t realise 6 year olds were that smart!”.
“She’s totally going to screw you over, right?” Sam said practically. Why did he always have to be the practical one?
The front door slammed shut and the sound of footsteps got closer and closer to the kitchen.
Caitlyn put her cupcake down and ran out of the kitchen just as Bobby entered. He’d been on a hunting trip for a few days but had cut it short for Caitlyn’s birthday party. “Grandad Bobby! You came to my birthday!” Caitlyn shouted excited. “I’m 6 today!” she said showing all 5 fingers on one hand and one on the other hand.
Bobby knelt down and smiled at his grand-daughter. “Sure I did. We made a pinky promise, right?” he said as he held out his little finger to the little girl who then did the same. “Why don’t you go into the hallway, I got you a birthday present!”.
Dean anticipated the next move and intercepted. “Wait a second missy….what do you say to pop?”.
Caitlyn changed direction and ran back over to Bobby and threw her arms around him as he was still kneeling on the floor. “Thank you. Love you” she said planting a kiss on his cheek. Minutes later she was happily playing with her remote control cars and racing them around the hall.
Bobby had made himself a cup of strong coffee to try and combat his tiredness. “I’m going to hit the shower. 2 days of hunting ghouls, don’t make you smell so good!” he announced.
“Oh, that smell was you?” Dean teased. “I thought it was Sammy!” he said as he play punched his younger brother.
Sam was not a morning person and just scowled back at his brother as he stood up to pour himself a second cup of liquid caffeine. The younger Winchester had done well for himself since the apocalypse had ended. He’d gained a degree and was now lecturing at the University.
Bobby divided his time between trivial small fry hunts and manning his complicated phone system back at the house, like a call-centre for other hunters.
Dean worked from home, fixing up the odd car for clients in one of Bobby’s garages. He didn’t want some nanny looking after his daughter, so he was her sole carer and so called 'house husband'.
Caitlyn came running back into the kitchen with a pile of letters in her hands. She handed them straight to her father. “Mail!” she said excitedly.
Dean sorted through some of the mail and pulled out a card with familiar writing on, in perfect, neat calligraphy. “I think this one is for you princess!” he said.
“Me?” Caitlyn asked as her eyes lit up. “Yeah. It’s got your name on it, can you see? C-a-i-t-l-y-n, Caitlyn” he read aloud. He knew that she wouldn’t be able to open the envelope which was well sealed with almost an entire roll of sticky tape, so he seared through it with a knife before passing it back to his daughter.
She pulled out the card from the envelope and smiled at the cover and then turned over the page. After trying to read the words, she frowned and looked to her father. “What does it say?”.
Dean peered over and read the card. “It says Happy Birthday Caitlyn, from Cas” he said.
“Uncle Cas?” the inquisitive little girl asked. “Yep, Uncle Cas!” the older brother affirmed. Caitlyn’s face beamed happily. “How does Uncle Cass know it’s my birthday?”.
Dean opened his mouth to speak but he couldn’t think of how to explain to her so he looked to his brother.
Sam sat back down at the kitchen table with his fresh mug of coffee. “Because Uncle Cass knows everything”.
After pondering that for a few seconds, Caitlyn was happy with the simple explanation. She slid off the chair. “Can I go and put my dress on now?” she asked.
The older brother had convinced his daughter to go with the dress and tiara, but as long as she could wear her biker boots at the same time. “Yeah, I’ll come up in a minute to help you out”.
“I can do it daddy” Caitlyn shouted back as she ran heavy-footed up the stairs.
Dean shook his head in amusement. He had tried letting her dress herself but that always ended with her putting things on back to front or inside out. Looking back down at the table he saw that a note had fallen out of the envelope from Castiel. He picked it up and read it. ‘Dean, I have been reliably informed that 6 year old human girls enjoy something called Hannah Montana. I hope this is acceptable and I’ve got it right this year.. Cas’. Laughing, he handed it over to his brother to read.
Sam grinned back. “Well it’s an improvement from the Christmas card last year”. “Yeah I suppose. But if only he knew that this was a Miley Cyrus free house! Do you think they have ‘Google’ and ‘Youtube’ up in heaven?” Dean asked his brother.
“Uh…I don’t know Dean. Why don’t you ask Cas the next time he shimmy shakes his ass down here” the younger ex hunter said back when he’d finally stopped choking on his sip of coffee.
Dean scoffed. “You’re meant to be the smart one, Mr-I’ve-Got-A-Degree”.
“Yeah in law” Sam smirked back.
“Whatever!” Dean sniped as he threw a dishcloth at his brother as Bobby appeared, fresh from his shower. “Do you know what Dean? Your 6 year old daughter is more mature and better behaved than you.
“Sam started it!” Dean protested.
“Did not, Dean!” Sam argued back. “Why do you always have to be a jerk?”.
“Okay, Sam, go shower, Dean, go check on Caitlyn, because right now she’s currently got herself all tangled up in her dress…..and I’ll clean up this mess….” Bobby said as he surveyed what looked like a disaster zone in front of him.
Dean rolled his eyes and ran upstairs to his daughter’s bedroom where she had indeed got herself stuck. He tried to resist laughing and he tugged the pink dress off and turned it around the right way. Once the dress was on and zipped up he reached for a brush and dragged it lightly through her long blond hair. “What are doing with your hair today then pumpkin?”.
Caitlyn’s nose wrinkled up as she thought about it. “Plaits…..”. “Okay” Dean said as he expertly twisted strands of hair around each other and secured it with a hair tie. He never thought a few years ago, he would know what plaits are, let alone be able to do them on someone’s hair, less so, his own daughter’s. “All done baby….” he said as put the tiara in her hair.
The blonde haired girl twirled around. “Do I look pretty daddy?”.
“Like an Angel….beautiful….” Dean said sincerely as he hugged his precious little girl. “Biker boots daddy….” Caitlyn insisted as she sat down on her chair for her father to put them on.
As Dean picked up the first boot and put it on her daughter’s foot, the little girl sighed.“What’s up sweetpea?”.
“Where do babies come from daddy?” Cailtyn asked innocently.
Dean nearly fell back on his knees at the impromptu question. “Um….well….I think that Uncle Sammy should answer that question. He’s very clever…..”.
“Where did I come from? My friends have a mommy and a daddy….” The six year old asked, with a look of confusion on her face. “Do I have three daddies?”.
Once he had secured the second boot on his daughter’s other foot, he picked her up and put her on his lap. “I guess so sweetie, because you are so special. You were a gift from the Angels, daddy’s precious gift. You grew in my tummy until you were ready to come and meet me. Daddy, Uncle Sammy and Grandad Bobby love you all so much”.
“I grew in your tummy?” Caitlyn asked as she looked at Dean’s stomach with curious fascination.
“Yep” Dean said. “But it’s a secret, shhh! That's why you are so special”. He needed to change the subject before she asked anymore awkward questions. He was definitely going to get Sam to do the awkward ‘Birds and the Bees’ conversation with her. “How about we go and open more presents. And then you need to blow out the candles on your cake!”.
“More Cake and presents?!” Caitlyn asked as she ran down the stairs before Dean had even got to his knees.
All the years of harsh hunting had taken its toll on his body. Raising his daughter had been the hardest yet most rewarding of all. “Caitlyn!” he shouted as he ran down the stairs and caught up with his baby girl. “Come here munchkin”. Once they were both down stairs, Dean carried his daughter into the kitchen and placed her back down on the floor. “I present to you, Princess Caitlyn” he said proudly.
Bobby and Sam both smiled at each other, and then at Dean when they saw the six year old. She really was beautiful. She was a mini version of Dean, full pink lips, freckles, bright green eyes and Blonde hair. A gorgeous, happy little girl, full of energy and full of life.
Suddenly there was a flash of light and the form of Castiel appeared in the kitchen, standing nonchalantly, arms folded across his chest.
“Uncle Cas” Caitlyn shouted excitedly as she ran up and hugged the angel around the legs and tugged at his trench coat.
Castiel smiled and looked down inquisitively not sure how to interact with the small human child in front of him.
“Hello”. “Did you bring me a present? It’s my birthday today” Caitlyn said.
“Caitlyn, don’t be so rude!” Dean said embarrassed at his daughter's rudeness.
“Of course I did” Castiel said, a smile beaming across his face, seemingly proud of himself.
Dean quickly took control of the situation. “Princess, why don’t you go into the lounge and play with your cars, and I’ll be in in a minute, okay sweetie?”.
Caitlyn nodded her head and grabbed Sam’s hand. “Come on uncle Sammy, let’s race my cars”.
“Where’s her present Cas? I’ll need to check that it’s…..suitable” Dean said, as he remembered last year the menagerie of animals he had plucked from a flood last year. The herd had comprised of several sheep, cows, ducks, chickens, and a lonely donkey. The older Winchester had freaked out at the sight before him in Bobby’s yard and chastised Cas to within an inch of his life, ordering him to return the animals to a safe haven other than Singer’s Yard. This year they had agreed that Dean would vet any presents. He knew that the Angel meant well, but lacked the common sense and practicalities of being human.
“Outside” Castiel said as he went to put his hand on Dean’s forehead to zap them outside.
“Nope, I can walk” Dean said.
“Suit yourself” Castiel said as he used air quotes. He looked at the older brother for a sign of approval.
“Not quite Cas….you’ll get there….” Dean smiled at his faithful angel.
Once outside in the yard, Dean saw a selection of different things all wrapped up in paper lined up. He looked at Castiel who looked very pleased with himself. The Angel walked over to the first package, the biggest of them all and clicked his fingers to reveal a Pony with a bow on its head. Dean shook his head.
Castiel frowned and clicked his fingers again, making the Pony disappear and revealing a puppy.
Again, the hunter shook his head. Bobby wouldn’t be pleased with a puppy running around his house.
Castiel kept clicking his fingers to reveal a basket of kittens. “Have you got anything that’s not er….an animal? Something maybe house trained?” Dean asked.
The Angel’s face screwed up in concentration until he made everything disappear and then another package appeared instead of it. “Try this!”.
Dean looked on as the Angel clicked his fingers one last time to reveal a miniature Chevy Impala just like his own, but this one was the perfect size for a small child.“Wow! Cas, this is amazing…..she’ll love it!”.
Castiel smiled at the compliment. “I am a little confused though, I thought girls like dolls and boys liked cars….”.
“Well, my daughter is special, you should know that. She’s definitely a little princess but she follows her daddy. Cas, this is brilliant! I mean, how did you know she loved my car?” the older brother asked out of curiosity.
“She told me….” Castiel said as if the answer was obvious. “Well….I can hear her thoughts…..I know what she’s thinking….”.
“What? You have this connection with my daughter and only now you thought to tell me about it?” Dean said. “Really? Well, what is she thinking right now?”.
“That she wants her cake and to blow out her candles” Castiel said. “Then she wants the rest of her birthday presents…”.
Dean was more than intrigued at the apparent connection between the Angel and his miracle child, but he pushed the curiosity to one side and signalled for the Angel to follow his lead back into the house where he found Caitlyn kicking Sammy’s ass at racing her remote control cars around the lounge. “Hey pumpkin pie, do you want to blow out the candles on your cake now?”.
The blonde girl nodded her head and put her hands out to be picked up by her father. “Okay sweetums” the blonde ex-hunter said as he signalled to Bobby to light the candles on the cake that they had baked the night before after Caitlyn had gone to bed.
Bobby carried the cake over to the table and placed it in the centre, six pink candles flickering and burning bright, set against a darker pink butter icing with silver decorative balls around the edges. The little girl’s eyes lit up and she smiled and beamed back at Dean who was still holding her in his arms.
Dean moved his baby girl lower in his arms so she could get a better aim at blowing out the candles.
“Make a wish Caitlyn…shut your eyes and wish for something that you really want….then blow out the candles…..”. Caitlyn closed her eyes and silently made her wish before blowing out the candles in two big breaths.
Castiel closed his eyes and emanated a light towards the two Winchester brothers whilst they were blissfully unaware and too immersed in watching Caitlyn’s happy face that she had managed to blow out the candles.
The Angel locked eyes with the little green orbs of Dean’s daughter and nodded his head once, solemnly for confirmation. The little girl’s wish would come true….in about 9 months time.