Song Remains the Same

Chapter 148: Ad Alterum Latus

Song Remains the Same

148 / Ad Alterum Latus

"Papa was a rolling stone, wherever he laid his hat was his home -
and when he died, all he left us was alone."
— The Temptations

Five Days Later

She stirred out of a deep sleep to the newest sound in life: Castiel's rich, throaty voice alternating between humming and singing softly. While the angel had never been able to carry a tune and his attempts were pretty cringe inducing, Alex smiled fondly with eyes still closed—she thought she recognized the melody of the Friends theme song.

Sure enough, her theory was confirmed when he sang some lyrics: "I'll be there for you, when the—hmm, hmm, hmm, hmmm... I'll be there for you, da-da-da, hmm, mm, mmm, mmmm..." Cas crooned in a strained, pitchy voice, forgetting most of the words. Opening sleepy eyes because she couldn't bear to miss a moment more, Alex found the source of sound a few feet away from the bed. Dreamlike, she contentedly watched her new favorite sight, unable to believe this was her reality: Cas gently holding their child in his arms. He was simultaneously delicate and confident as he repeatedly switched his weight between both feet to rock the infant. Father and son held mutually enthralled eye contact—and to look at Cas, you'd think there was no one and nothing else in the world except his wide awake, fascinated baby boy. "So no one told you life was going to be this wa-aaay," Cas sung badly, his expressions very animated as he circled back to the beginning of the song—the part he remembered best. "Your job is a joke, you're broke, your love life's the awa-aaay—"

Alex chuckled with a bursting heart... at the wrong lyric, at how his voice broke adorably when he tried to sing higher pitch, at the unexpected song choice, and at how much she loved him. Cas looked over, hearing that she was awake. The pair shared a soft, knowing smile. "Good morning," the angel greeted. In his eyes, saw saw how she felt: a constant state of tender wonder and thankfulness.

"Morning," she replied, voice hoarse from sleep. Turning slowly onto her side, she took her time against the protests of a sore, healing body. "How is he?"

Cas sat down carefully onto the bed near her. "Wonderful. Enthralling." He glanced at her almost jestingly. "And a little gassy."

An immature grin split her face. Turned out babies farted a lot more than either herself or Cas had thought. "Better out than in," Alex joked, then winced as she shifted to sit up—her breasts were painful and swollen. "Ouch," she grumbled, putting a hand to one and cursing this awkward period of drying her milk up. It wasn't unbearable, just highly uncomfortable and irritating.

Cas kissed CJ's head lingeringly, admiring him a moment longer before he carefully handed the baby over to Alex's ready arms. "I'll get the ice packs from the kitchen." He leaned over and kissed her forehead then touched her face sweetly, holding her gaze for a couple appreciative, tender beats.

"Thank you so much," Alex murmured, yet again brimming with gratitude for the intuitive and thorough way he cared for them. He replied without words, his smile growing a little more soulful as he caressed her cheek with his thumb. The gratitude was mutual, and deeply so—and even though Alex had once thought she couldn't ever possibly feel anything more for Cas, seeing him become a father had proved her wrong and left her tumbling even deeper in love. Compelled to kiss him, she craned her neck and he met her more than halfway with sweet lips. Peace and serenity washed over. Cas murmured that he'd be right back after they parted and then made his exit.

Settling back against the headboard and getting as comfortable as possible, Alex traced her son's impossibly soft, thick hair and looked him in the eye, kissing him hello and breathing in his smell. She still couldn't believe this was her real life. 'Obsessed' was putting it mildly—and 'love' didn't even begin to cover it. "Hey buddy," she murmured, every bit as amazed by him as she had been the first time they met. She chuckled softly at the onesie he wore: it was patterned by cartoon pickles wearing sunglasses. He cooed and gurgled, eyes traveling her face curiously. "You miss me while I slept, Ceej?" Brilliant blue eyes stared back at her quizzically and Alex felt her heart melting. It was all so brand new but already felt like he was growing way too fast. "Did Daddy scare you with his really bad singing voice?" she teased in a gentle, careful voice—the kind she never used. She had to chuckle at herself: This kid had made her soft. Like, ridiculously so.