Miracle of the Moment
Ro, this better not be a bad joke. Seth thought, stopping to double-check an address scrawled on the back of an envelope. I cannot see Dean living in suburbia.
Once he confirmed the numbers were right, he parked four hours up, careful to not be spotted. He took in the bungalow- its chipped paint, its broken shutters and its trimmed-albeit-brown yard. None of this seemed like Dean.
Had it only been three days since Roman suggested he visit?
Don't ask questions. Just go to this address.
What?
He needs you.
The front door to the bungalow opened with a loud crash as it collided with the side of the house. Seth stared, watching Dean wander out, wearing gray basketball shorts and an oversized Ambrose Asylum t-shirt that seemed too big for his slight frame.
As he squatted to put a plastic bag into a metal trash can, the fabric of the shirt clung in a way that told Seth exactly why Roman insisted he visit.
Dean was pregnant.
Holy shit. No wonder he disappeared. Seth thought. Why hasn't he told me? Maybe it's not mine. Wait, that doesn't make sense.
Thoughts ran rampant. This was more of a surprise than he expected. What the hell was going on?
The car grew hot. He rested his head against the steering wheel, trying to will the space to stop spinning. His hands grew cold and clammy, as his breathing grew heavier and heavier.
Dean left under the guise of injury. Seth took it at face value. After all, he'd had no reason to suspect Dean was lying. Then, something felt...off. There were no video updates detailing surgery or recovery. There were no official updates- just whispers and missed autograph signings.
None of that felt right.
Then, Dean went completely off the grid. This wasn't completely out of character. Yet, when he stopped answering the phone, it seemed really odd.
That was what prompted Seth to just talk to Roman.
"Holy shit." Seth found himself at a loss for words. A pregnancy explained everything. It was the only possibility he hadn't considered.
Someone gave a light tap on the car window. Seth gazed up, surprised to find himself eye to eye with none other than Dean. With a sheepish stare, Seth lowered the window. "Can I help you?"
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Dean retorted, stepping back. With one hand resting on the small of his back, he gave Seth a look that said I'm waiting-better make it good.
"Would you believe I was passing through?" He offered the first explanation he could think of, regardless of how lame it might have sounded. "I pulled over to check my map and there you were."
"Right." Dean rolled his eyes. "Totally convincing." His gaze narrowed. "Going to kill Reigns."
Seth now had the distinct feeling Dean had no idea Roman would go as far as to give his address out.
"Anyway, I guess I can leave. I'm looking for the house three streets over. Sorry for the disturbance!" Dean gave him a look full of so much venom that it stopped Seth cold. Then, his hand darted into the car and he pocketed Seth's keys.
"Come on."
Seth, being without his keys, had no choice but to follow Dean into the house.
Going to kill Roman. Seth thought, reluctantly following Dean inside.
"Herbal tea?" Dean asked, throwing the keys on top of the refrigerator. "I'd offer you something stronger but my body is no longer my own and the midwife says it's bad for Baby."
"Water's fine," Seth mumbled, pushing himself into a beige suede chair. "You okay?" Dean had never been pleasant but today, he seemed downright hostile.
"Peachy," Dean mumbled, thrusting a chipped crystal glass of lukewarm tap water at Seth. "I wasn't expecting company."
"How'd you know I was here?" Seth asked, watching Dean settle into his own chair.
"Mr. Jenkins." Dean nodded towards the giant house across the street. Seth could just see it through the kitchen window. "Hates the idea of me being alone in my condition."
"Good eyes. I was there for like a minute." Seth sipped the water, ignoring the stagnant taste. He drank only to be polite.
"He's a sweet old guy." Dean shrugged. He winced, adjusting himself in the chair.
"So, are we going to talk?" Seth gestured towards Dean's belly. He didn't want to rush the conversation but curiosity was getting the best of him.
"When I'm ready." Dean glowered. "You invaded my space so we do this on my terms."
Seth had had knee surgeries less painful than this conversation. He didn't know why Dean was so angry. It wasn't like Seth had intentionally ditched him.
He hadn't known.
Chill, Rollins. You don't even know if it's yours. Seth thought. Okay, that's a stupid thought. Of course it's yours. Dean's a lot of things but he's not unfaithful.
It was insane for Seth to realize everything that was going on. If he hadn't hunted down Dean, he wouldn't have known Dean was pregnant. What was he so mad at? How could Seth be supportive if he had no idea what was going on?
"Missed you. Hasn't been the same without you." This was true. Seth had had to change his entire way of thinking with Dean gone.
"Hmm." Dean chewed on the inside of his cheek as he stared at Seth. He rubbed circles around his bump, hissing as he focused on particular spot.
"Are you okay?" Seth asked, ready to act. "Dean?" He moved to jump up.
Dean shook his head, gesturing for Seth to stay seated. "I'm fine. The kid likes to jam their feet in places that feet don't belong."
"Oh." Seth settled himself further back in the oversized chair. "Does it happen a lot?"
"Not so much. Only when I'm worked up." Dean exhaled, still rubbing his belly.
"Why are you worked up?" Seth asked, setting the glass aside again. "Talk to me."
"Well, for one thing, you're the last person I expected to see." Dean sighed. "Second- I have no idea what to say to you."
Seth pursed his lips. Could Dean be embarrassed? What could he say to possibly make it better? As far as Seth was concerned, there were no hard feelings.
"Start at the beginning," Seth urged. He wanted nothing more than to rush across the room and give Dean a hug. He didn't think the touch would be welcomed so he resisted.
"When the test turned up positive, I panicked. I mean- I didn't want you thinking I did this on purpose." Dean rubbed his belly faster as he spoke. "I left because I panicked." He shrugged. "Can't wrestle when I'm knocked up so getting away made sense." He sighed. "By the time I figured out I'd done something stupid, it was too late. I didn't want to rock your world."
Like this wouldn't? Seth thought. Oh Dean logic.
"I mean- I swear it's yours." Dean shook his head. "I haven't been with anyone else." He stared off into the distance.
Seth winced, suddenly feeling like they were in the midst of a Hallmark movie. He trusted Dean but also understood his ex-partner was running on pure instinct.
"Dean, you're fine." Seth leaned back, sinking further into the plush suede. He still resisted the urge to rush across the room, take Dean in his arms and tell him everything would be okay.
He wanted to but he didn't. It was up to Dean to set the boundary and clearly, Dean didn't want to be touched.
"Seth, do you hate me?" Dean's voice sounded small and far away.
Seth stopped to contemplate the answer. It wasn't that he hated Dean. He didn't think he was capable of that. He just needed a chance to think and formulate the right answer. He didn't hate him but he also wasn't happy.
He just kind of accepted it for what it was.
"No. I mean- I wish you'd told me when you found out but I don't hate you." Seth shook his head to emphasize his point. “Just a shock.“
“It was to me too. I got the recall notice on my birth control, didn’t think anything of it and we see where it got me.“ Dean sighed again. “Really couldn’t believe it.“
Just our luck. Seth thought. No child is a mistake but this is a really strange situation.
“Is it a boy or girl?“ Seth asked, beginning to chew on his lower lip.
“Don’t know. There are so few good surprises. Figured it be good to wait,“ Dean said, shifting positions. “I do get girl vibes though.”
A mental image of a little girl with Dean’s eyes and Seth’s frizzy hair crossed his mind. It made his heart flop in a weird way.
He realized what the feeling meant.
He wanted that.
“Do you want to feel the baby kick?“ Dean asked, pressing his hand to a spot on his lower belly.
Seth didn’t need to be asked twice. He stood, moved across the room and squatted in front of Dean. It surprised him to find out Dean was OK with being touched.
Dean seized him by the wrist and pressed his hand into the spot he'd been touching.
Seth pressed down, Dean's belly warm and firm beneath his hand. It took a moment before he felt something hit in the middle of his palm.
"They've inherited your rainmaker knee." Dean gave Seth a bemused look. "Super active."
"That wasn't a foot?" Seth asked, feeling another spot.
"Nope. That was a knee." Dean laughed. "Surprised me too when I figured out Baby was everywhere." He moved Seth's hand to another spot. "That's a punch. Made it a point to learn where every part of them was." He moved Seth's hand to a third spot. "And that's a foot."
Seth blinked, taking in the miracle of everything he'd just felt. It was a lot to absorb.
There was a human baby in there.
"Each movement never fails to amaze me," Dean said, keeping his grip on Seth's hand.
Seth could have pulled away but he didn't want to. He didn't know what the future would bring but he'd like to think it would include Dean and their child.
It just felt right.
"About time."
Seth stopped, leaning on the doorframe for support. His chest burned as his breathing grew heavier. He'd just run up seven flights of stairs, doing everything in his power to get there.
"Dean, I just ran up seven flights of stairs," Seth panted, walking toward the hospital bed. "How are you feeling?"
"I pushed a baby from where the son don't shine." Dean ran his fingertips over the clear-sided bassinet. "How do you think I feel?"
"He handled it like a champ," Ava, their doula commented. "You would have been so proud."
Seth hated the fact he missed the birth of their baby. Dean hadn’t been due for another two weeks. Seth had been preparing for his paternity leave to start.
Of course, their child would have other plans.
“Tell me.“ Seth had no idea what Dean had had. He’d insisted on waiting until Seth could be there in person. Seth settled himself in a chair next to the bed.
"Take a look." Dean nodded toward the bassinet. "Go ahead. Unnamed baby won't break."
His stomach churning with unease, Seth picked the baby up. To be fair, this was the first time he'd ever really held a baby.
The baby had a ton of dark hair covered by a pink and blue striped hat. Their eyes were framed by long, dark lashes- reminiscent of Dean. When the baby's eyes opened, Seth was amazed to see a miniature version of Dean staring up at him.
He rested the baby's body in his lap with one hand protectively cradling their head.
With a gentle hand, Seth peeled back the baby's white blanket. Then, he read the baby's sleepsuit.
Surprise. I'm a girl.
"We have a girl," Dean said, giving a content side. "A beautiful baby girl who also needs a name."
"What happened to the name we picked?" Seth asked, shifting his grip so her head rested in the crook of his arm.
"Think it fits her?" Dean asked.
"Micah Anne." Seth tried the name. 'Micah, clean your room." He cradled her tight against his chest. "Micah Anne Ambrose. It doesn't sound right."
"No but Micah Anne Rollins does."
Seth double-took, glancing from their daughter to Dean and back. Using his last name had never come up. What could it possibly mean?
"I mean- we don't have to use your last name if you don't want to,"
"No." Seth pursed his lips, contemplating an answer. "I think I'd like that."
"MIcah Anne Rollins." Dean tried the name himself. "I like it."
So do I. Seth thought. It fits.
"Well, hello, Micah Anne Rollins." Seth spoke, addressing the baby.
"We're so glad you're here." He gave her a soft smile.
Looking down, he swore the baby smiled back.
-Fin-