What's So Great About Normal

Title: What’s So Great About Normal
Rating: PG-13
Author: Reportergirl13
Fandom: Supernatural
Pairing: Dean/Jo, Sam, Bobby, Ellen
Word Count: 1,190
Prompt: from Lucklessforhim Roses



Dean felt ridiculous as he stood outside the hospital room with a dozen red roses in his hand. He stared at the door with such concentration you’d think if he focused hard enough he could make it disappear. He let out a heavy breath and shook his head.

He knew he was being a bitch that he needed to just man up and go in the room...but it wasn’t that easy. He hadn’t seen Jo in close to a year and if he walked through that door…his life was going to change forever.

Under normal circumstances Dean wasn’t the type of guy to dole out flowers, but considering why he was there, he felt it was the least he could do. He took a deep breath, pushed the door open and walked inside the small room.

Startled, four heads looked up at him and he froze. He hadn’t realized everyone would be there. He shuffled his feet slightly as he cleared his throat and scratched the back of his neck.

“Uh…hey.”

Jo looked from him to the flowers he held awkwardly in his hand. She gave him a warm smile.

“Hey there Deano? Those for me?”

“Yeah…I thought about getting you a new 10-inch Bowie…but I figured these might be a little more practical.”

Jo chuckled lightly. She could always tell when Dean was nervous because he turned the humor up a notch. Dean’s eyes swept over Bobby and her mom before landing on Sam and the small blue bundle in his arms. His body tensed as Sam looked up at him with a grin.

“It’s about time you came in here. I was beginning to think you were gonna stand out there all night.”

Dean shrugged.

“I was thinkin’ about it. Hey Bobby…Ellen.”

Bobby stood and cleared his throat.

“Hey son…I could use some coffee. You guys wanna go down to the cafeteria…get some food?”

Ellen stood as Sam nodded. He walked over and placed the baby in Jo’s arms before squeezing her shoulder lightly and smiling. Bobby patted Dean’s back and Ellen glared at him as they walked out of the room followed by Sam. He sighed, walked over to the bed, and plopped down heavily in the plastic chair.

Dean placed the roses on the small table near the bed and the room was quiet for several minutes before he spoke in a low voice.

“How could you not tell me?”

Jo held the baby closer to her body and placed a kiss on his soft head.

“I’m sorry.”

Dean raised an eyebrow at her and attempted to control his anger.

“You’re sorry? Jo…you had a baby…my baby…and I had to find out from your mother? Who by the way called me ranting and raving how she was gonna cut off my balls for knocking up her baby girl and taking off…I gather you didn’t tell her that I didn’t know there was a baby to leave.”

Jo gave him a sheepish look.

“It might have slipped my mind.”

“Mmm I bet.”

When he didn’t say anything she decided to break the silence.

“Do you want to hold him?”

Dean sat up straight and hesitated before nodding.

“Sure…okay.”

Dean watched as Jo leaned up slightly and winced. He stood quickly and shifted closer so she didn’t have to move as much. She placed the baby gently in his arms and he carefully sat back in the chair as he looked at the tiny person in his arms.

Dean was officially freaking out. He’d never held anything so completely innocent and vulnerable in his arms before. How was he going to be a father? How was he going to raise a son in a world where he couldn’t even keep his younger brother safe?

Jo watched as a million thoughts ran through Dean’s head. She could sense the fear coming off him in waves.

“I didn’t want him in the middle of a war.”

His head shot up and he gave her a look of confusion.

“What?”

“You asked me why I didn’t tell you. We were in the middle of an apocalypse when I found out…and I didn’t want them to be able to use him or me against you. So…I took myself out of the fight before anyone found out…”

He nodded. Dean wasn’t unreasonable. He could understand wanting to protect your family, but they’d defeated Lucifer two months ago. She should have come to him then. He watched as his son wiggled slightly in his arms and he moved the baby closer to his body.

“It’s been two months Jo…you should have come to me then…I…”

She cut him off.

“I’m telling you now…I know it’s late…and I know I was wrong, but what’s done is done. We don’t get to go back and do it over. I did what I thought was right at the time. The question is…now that you know…what are you going to do about it?”

Dean looked away from his son and at the blonde lying in bed in front of him, with a slight glimmer of hope on her face. She was right. He could be angry, but regardless they couldn’t go back and change it. What counted was what happened from here on out. After he sold his soul to bring Sammy back to life, he’d reexamined the things that were important to him.

Thought about what his life meant and what he was leaving behind in the world. There was only one thing that was definite when it came to hunting. Death…at some point it’ll catch up with you no matter how good you are and Dean didn’t want to regret what he’d done with his life the next time death came knocking at his door.

He smirked.

“I guess you’re stuck with me for a while.”

Jo let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Her face softened and she shrugged off his words.

“I guess I wouldn’t hate that.”

Dean stood and nudged Jo’s side with his hip gently.

“Move over.”

Jo shifted and Dean climbed carefully onto the bed next to her. He moved around for a minute to get comfortable. He lifted his arm so she could lean against him as he held his son in one arm and Jo in the other.

She closed her eyes and breathed in his sent before letting out a content sigh. Dean could feel her breathing evening out, but he had one more question before she made her way into la la land.

“Jo…”

“Hmm.”

“What’s his name?”

“Jonathan Anthony Winchester…John for short.”

She yawned and he had to fight back the tears. Dean had always wanted a normal family. Instead he got his dad, his brother and a whole shit load of issues. He’d been to hell and back, literally, but if this is how it ended…if he had to go through all of that to get to this point.

To have the family he’d always been so desperate for…then he’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. He’d never be normal…and neither would Jo…but hell…what was so great about normal anyway?