a/n: as always the demma babies don't belong to me. they're ramenreignss' intellectual property, i'm just doing what i do best, borrowing. this is a sequel, i guess, to my first demma baby fic unlike your bedtime stories. blame the movie 'knocked up' for this existing because 'daughter' by loudon wainwright is always on repeat for me after i've watched 'knocked up.' it's the best father/daughter song, imho, so you can listen while you read if you want.
~*~everything she sees, she says she wants~*~
(everything she wants, i see she gets)
that's my daughter in the water/every time she fell, i caught her/every time she fell
"daughter" – by loudon wainwright
Having more kids or whatever wasn't something Dean and Emma talked about. Logan was a surprise, so if another came along it wouldn't be a big deal and if they didn't have any more that wouldn't be a big deal either.
They'd deal with another kid if and when they came along.
So when Emma came to him one morning and confessed she was late, Dean's mouth just quirked upwards, that lopsided smirk he was famous for appearing, and asked, "You sure you wanna go down the baby road again, Blondie?"
Emma shoved him in the shoulder, laughing, as he cried in faux pain. "You know I'll go down any road with you."
His nose wrinkled, as he shook his head, "You're so fucking cheesy, Blondie."
"Swear!" Logan, who was now three, came running into the kitchen with his unruly curls falling in front of his bright blue eyes. "Daddy swore! Get the jar Mama, get the jar!"
"Just remember, short stack," Dean bent at the waist, picking Logan up. "All that money that goes in the jar is going to pay for you to go to college. That's why I swear so much, so you'll get into a good one."
"That's not what Auntie Nikki says." Logan said, tilting his head back to look into Dean's eyes. "She says you swear cause you're a…" He faltered slightly, sounding out the word. "Lunatic and that's what they do. They yell a lot, too, she says. Like when you're on TV. What's a…" Again he faltered with the word. "Lunatic?"
Through his dusty blonde fringe, Dean glared at Emma, "I told you, you should've made Thing Two your bestie or whatever. Thing One is evil. She's corrupted our kid, which was supposed to be my job! Now, what the hell are you gonna keep me around here for?"
A punch to the shoulder came next, making Dean look down in his arms. Logan fixed him with a glare, not unlike the one he wore inside the ring. "Stop swearing! It's bad manners! Specially in front of Mama! Uncle Roman says you're not supposed to swear in front of ladies."
"Oh, well, if Uncle Roman said so…" Dean mumbled, sounding put out before digging his fingers into Logan's sides and tickling him while he squirmed and howled with laughter before wriggling out and running down the hallway screeching, "Can't catch me!"
Emma just laughed as Dean took off. Leaning back against the counter, she put her hand to her stomach, and thought, i could do this again. we could do this again.
"Emma's pregnant again." The words were so soft, Roman wasn't sure Dean said anything at all, so instead of responding he arched a brow.
"What do you want me to do?" Dean grumbled. "Take out a fucking billboard? Emma's pregnant again, jesus. You losing your hearing already old man?"
"Who are you calling old, Ambrose?" Seth piped up from the backseat, clearly having just woken up because his voice was gravelly with sleep. "You're the same age as Ro, which makes you both old." He laughed at his own joke.
"Can it, Junior. This is grown-ass man talk." Dean remarked, casting a glare in Seth's direction who glared right back, jutting out his chin while Roman, who was driving said, "I'll pull the car off the road if I have to, and leave both your asses to hitchhike to the next city, so don't fucking test me."
"Look what you did!" Seth crowed. "Now Dad's mad!"
"You started it!" Dean shot back.
Roman shook his head. "No one would believe that you had a kid who's three." He jerked his head in Dean's direction before turning to Seth, once they had stopped at a red light. "Or that you were about to get married. When I got called up to the main roster, Hunter never told me he signed me up for babysitting duty, too." He mumbled, hitting the gas when the light turned green. "I should get a raise for dealing with ya'll. Talia and Leia are more mature than the two of you."
When things had calmed and Seth was busy texting Nikki about wedding plans, Dean turned to Roman and reiterated, "Emma's pregnant again."
"Get whatever bullshit is going through your head right now, out. You ain't got shit to worry about, man. Logan's a great kid, and that's not just Emma."
"I never thought I'd have one rugrat…"
"Seriously, Dean," Seth looked up from his phone. "Like Rome said, Logan's great and it's not all because of Emma. You're there, too. You're a good Dad. And do you really think the two of us would blow smoke up your ass about that kind of thing?"
Dean didn't answer, instead he just turned and looked out the window. He knew Seth was right; he and Roman wouldn't blow smoke up his ass about being a good Dad, but sometimes he couldn't help but doubt. Even when Emma would tell him, as they laid curled up in bed together, at night; always assuring.
"Do you think you'll be showing by the wedding?" Nikki, Brie and Emma were at catering when the engaged Bella Twin asked the question.
"Oh, my God, Nicole!" Brie shouted. "You can't just ask that!"
"What?" Nikki's tone was innocent. "It's an important question, Brianna. Maybe Emma doesn't want to waddle down the aisle as one of my bride's maids. Did you ever think of that? Like, no offense." She turned to the blonde, smiling as she patted her hand.
Brie, meanwhile, shook her head. Giving Emma a sympathetic smile, she said, "I apologize for Nikki's lack of tact. One of these days, Mom's going to tell the truth about the two of us being adopted."
Emma, however, wasn't the least bit offended. Smiling at Nikki, she assured, "I won't be showing yet, so no waddling for me."
Nikki stuck her tongue out at Brie who sighed, "Leia doesn't even stick out her tongue, Nicole."
"Ugh, if these pictures weren't going to be passed down from generation to generation, I'd make you wear something so ugly."
"You would not. Even if they weren't going to be passed down, you would not. You love me too much."
"Stop it, Brie!" Nikki shrieked as Brie reached over to pinch her cheeks.
The twins began slapping at each other while Emma could only think about how Logan would react to having a sibling. Since she was barely two months along and showed no signs of a bump, she and Dean were waiting to tell him. She, even though she never said, always hoped he would have a brother or sister. She loved her brothers and while Dean had been an only child, she couldn't imagine her son growing up that way.
And now, she caressed her slowly growing stomach, he wouldn't have to be.
"A baby?" Logan cocked his head to the side, bright blue eyes flickering fast between each of his parents. They were all sitting on the floor of his room. He had finally stopped moving the fire truck he had been playing with back and forth, focusing all of his attention on them.
"Yeah," Dean let out a heavy breath, fingers sifting through his fringe. How the fuck were he and Emma supposed to do this? "A baby. It's, uh, they… Mama's… It's…" He sent Emma distressed look, as if help me out here, blondie, was stenciled into his pupils.
Emma struggled not to laugh. It was the same look on his face when he had learned how to change a diaper from Roman. Utterly panicked. It was adorable. Not that she'd ever say so out loud.
Moving from the floor, the blonde plucked the stuffed kangaroo – a gift meant more as a gag from her brothers, but something Logan cherished just like the stuffed snake, much to Dean's chagrin and the elephant with its blue bow that had been the gift from Talia and Leia – from the shelf just above his bed. Sitting back down, she smiled when Logan's little hand immediately reached for the toy.
"Thank God it's not that creepy ass snake." She heard Dean mutter under his breath, but let it go. Later on she would tease him mercilessly about his fear of snakes.
"C'mhere, Lo," Her voice was warm and gentle, Dean unable to keep the smile off his face as Logan easily settled into his mother's lap, looking at her with rapt attention just the way he did. "Okay, so kangaroos have pouches. See?" She demonstrated by pulling at the stuffed animal, and Logan nodded. "And inside those pouches is where their babies – they're called joeys – grow until they're big and strong and ready to come out. That's where your baby brother or sister is right now, except instead of a pouch, they're in Mama's tummy."
"Here?" Logan pressed his hand to Emma's still small bump, eyes wide with wonder.
"Right here." Dean covered Logan's hand with his own. "You were there, too, short stack."
"Really?" Somehow his eyes widened further, making both Emma and Dean laugh.
"We have pictures and everything. Just like we'll have pictures of this baby. Do you wanna see your pictures, Lo?"
"Uh-uh!"
"You ever gonna make an honest woman out of Emma?" Roman was tying Dean's tie as they, along with Seth, were getting ready for the wedding.
Dean just shrugged. "I dunno. Someday, I guess. Maybe… Shit," He remarked. "How would I know? Blondie's never said anything about getting married and whatever."
"Knowing Emma she doesn't want to scare you off." Seth's tone was knowing as he took the lint roller to his suit.
"Scare me of? Like, I'm scared of a fucking piece of paper?"
"Don't let Nikki or Brie hear you say it's just a piece of paper," Roman's tone held a knowing edge as well as he shook his head. "They'll go Fearless Nikki and Brie Mode on your ass, man. Besides, it isn't just a piece of paper or a ring. It's more than that, but don't think you and Emma have to get married. Cause you don't. You guys are just fine the way you are."
Roman felt his phone vibrating in his pocket and slipped the device from his pocket. He knew Brie wasn't showing him a picture of her maid of honor dress, because she was as secretive about her dress as Nikki was hers, saying she wanted it to be a surprise. It was more romantic that way she claimed, even though they weren't getting married.
Instead what he found was a text from his wife along with a picture; Logan in his suit, holding the rings on the pillow and next to him was Leia in her flower girl dress. She wanted him to ask Dean if it was okay if she posted the picture to her twitter. She had already asked Emma, but she wanted to ask him too, just to be sure.
"Hey," The big man's voice was low as he tapped Dean on the shoulder. "Brie wants to know if she can post this to her twitter? She already asked Emma, but she wanted to ask you too, just to be sure."
Dean looked down at the screen of Roman's phone and it was like all the air was sucked out of his lungs. He wasn't one of those weirdo parents who showed off pictures of their kid to anyone and everyone, running around with like a million on their phone or always posting to facebook and twitter. Emma wasn't like that either… or at least she had toned it down. Except for on holidays. Her followers always looked forward to seeing Logan's Halloween costume or what crazy Christmas hat he'd wear.
Dean didn't really get it, but if it made the two of them happy, cool. Cause that was all he wanted.
"It's cool." He kept his voice detached, but Roman knew what that picture meant to Dean. What his brother wasn't saying. That picture of his son in a suit standing with the daughter of his brother, meant Dean had something he didn't always have; a family.
Logan held tightly to both of his parents' hands as they walked into Dr. Blake's office. Today they were going to find out the sex of the baby and they wanted Logan there. Since Emma was healthy and her pregnancy was progressing normally there wouldn't be any need for a vaginal ultrasound, so Logan would be able to come.
His eyes were wide with wonder as he looked around, trying to take everything in all at once.
"This must be Logan," Dr. Blake's familiar warm tone floated into the room as he shut the door behind him. "I remember you when you were just a grey blob that your Dad couldn't find on the ultrasound machine." He laughed while Dean glared.
Logan giggled, tilting his head to look at his Dad. "You couldn't find me, Daddy?"
Dean ruffled his unruly curls, "You're too good at hide and seek for me, short stack."
"And how are we doing, Emma? I see your morning sickness has subsided, that you're not cramping or experiencing any discomfort or heartburn. Is there anything you think I should know before we start the ultrasound?"
"No, I don't think so. Other than the baby's moving quite a lot lately."
"A little acrobat, huh? Well, let's see if this acrobat is a little brother for Logan or a little sister."
The shock of the gel hitting her skin still made Emma wriggle and clutch Dean's hand, which made Dr. Blake chuckle as he moved the transducer over her bourgeoning bump. Logan's gasps of awe and "wow" could be heard in the otherwise quiet room until Dr. Blake announced, "There we go, baby, that's it. Open your legs. And look at that," He turned to the family, smile on his face. "A bouncing baby girl."
"Girl?" Dean's tone was strangled as he blinked.
"That's right; a bouncing baby girl. Congratulations, Logan, you're going to have a little sister."
"Like Leia and Talia?" Logan asked Emma.
"Just like Leia and Talia." She assured, smoothing her hand over his curls. "But you'll have to be very careful with your little sister at first. Babies need to be treated gently. They're very small and squishy when they first come out of their Mama's tummy, a little red too. But soon you'll be able to play with her and help Daddy and I feed her and dress her. You can teach her all the things that you know, like how to read, color…"
"Wrestle?" Logan piped up, small body practically vibrating.
"As long as you're careful."
"What the fuck do I know about girls?" Dean looked like he was going to crawl out of his skin as he paced Brie and Roman's living room.
Brie thought about calling Roman, he looked so distressed, but she decided not to. She could handle this. Not that she would ever call herself and Dean friends, per say, but they were family. Rising from the couch, she ran her fingers, soothingly, over the thrumming pulse in his wrist.
"Hey," She kept her voice purposefully soft. "You thought you didn't know anything about babies before Logan came along, and look at you now. You know how to change a diaper, check for a fever, how to make macaroni and cheese, do voices for bedtime stories. You're a great Dad, and having a girl isn't going to change that."
"Do you hear yourself right now? Boys I understand, but girls with their bows and dresses and all that pink and purple shit, I don't understand those. Girls are for guys like Ro and Seth. Ones who are…"
"Stop before I go Brie Mode on your butt, Ambrose. Talia and Leia adore you. They love when you come over with Logan, so they can have Uncle Dean time. Talia has always loved you, ever since you and Roman and Seth teamed up way back. And she doesn't just love anyone. I, swear, I've had job interviews that were less stressful than meeting her for the first time. She's like Roman, she doesn't just give her loyalty and love to anyone. She's selective. Leia might love everyone she meets, but not everyone means the same to her. You'll be a great Dad to your little girl."
"You and Thing One are adopted, right? Like, there's no fucking way you're twins."
Brie laughed as she reached into the pocket of Dean's jeans. Opening his wallet, she pulled out a twenty dollar bill and handed the leather back, saying, "The F-word's worth ten dollars in this house, and you used it twice; that's twenty dollars in the swear jar, Ambrose."
He shook his head. "Between Thing One and me, Talia and Leia are going to some fancy Ivy League school or somethin'. You and Big Man should thank me and her. Like, build us statues or soemthin'."
"I don't think you need to go to Yale to be a butterfly, which Leia wants to be when she grows up. Just like Harvard doesn't have a degree for Divas."
"Divas? Talia wants to wrestle?"
"Today, she does. Tomorrow she could want to be a firefighter or paramedic. It changes like the weather. Girls, do that; change our minds at the drop of a hat. But she'd make a really great trainer, if you ask me. She always helps with Roman's injuries when she's here. She's teaching Leia how to take care of him, too."
Dean only nodded and he felt his body stiffen as Brie hugged him from behind, which earned him a pinch of his arm, making him glare over his shoulder. She took it stride, smiling brightly as she murmured into his ear, "You'll be great. Don't worry."
Dean still had his doubts about Brie telling him he'd be great, and they were only magnified when he held the squirming pink bundle that was Juliette Dashwood-Ambrose in his arms. She was cleaned up, the chord cut, and wearing the standard pink hat that kept falling in front of her eyes.
Little wisps of blonde, so light, you could barely tell they were there unless you looked closely peaked from under the hat. Her fists were clenched tight, until he bounced her and then they'd loosen. Bleary blue eyes the same steel as his own blinked until they focused and her little mouth opened, letting out a plaintive cry.
"Hey, don't do that." He was sure he'd never spoken this softly before, not even with Logan. "I gotcha, Jules."
Juliette seemed like such a big name for someone so tiny. But Jules was small, just five letters and seemed to suit her just fine. Plus, Emma smiled when he called her that, and anything that made his Blondie smile was good enough for him.
She settled after he traced her cheek with his thumb, reminding himself to be gentler than he'd ever been until now. She felt weightless, like he could hold her in the palm of his hand, and he probably could've. His palm spanned the entirety of her head. One little foot could be grabbed by just his fingers and he had room to spare.
She was so different than Logan. Happier except when she'd cried just a little. He was always wriggling and scowling, so much like him, desperate to move around, to explore, and to not be confined.
Jules was calmer; more like Emma, which terrified him. She'd be all bouncy and bubbly; never afraid of anyone or anything, wanting to be friends with everyone, so trusting and innocent.
He'd have to teach Logan how to look out for her. And, fuck, a heavy sigh escaped him as he looked at her blue eyes again, there'd be boys showing up at the house wanting to date her and thinking they were good enough for her.
He'd have to teach Logan to take care of his Mama, too. Cause he'd for sure be going to prison once Jules got older. He knew she'd be pretty, too pretty already.
But for now Jules was small enough to hold in his arms, to rock back and forth, and needed him for everything and anything, and fuck, had he ever been so in love before?
every time she blinks
she strikes somebody blind
every time she thinks
she blows her tiny mind
that's my daughter in the water,
who'd have ever thought her
who'd have ever thought
that's my daughter in the water,
i lost every time i fought her
yeah, i lost every time
soundtrack "daughter" by loudon wainwright