Like And Sub One Shots

First Day of School

"Where's her book-bag?" Dean calls from Mary's bedroom.

"In here!" Cas responds from the living room, double checking to make sure everything she needs is inside. Crayons, check; pencils, check; markers, check; jacket in case she gets cold, check; folders, notebooks, and paper, check, check, check, everything seems to be in order.

"Papa, what do you think?" Mary's voice squeaks from the doorway. He glances up and smiles.

"Sweetheart, you look beautiful." Cas had picked her outfit out maybe five times last night. She's wearing a blue dress with soft pink flowers all over. She has leggings on beneath it, the same pink as the flowers, and she has cute white dressy shoes. She had picked those shoes out last week when they went shoe shopping. She insisted she wear them today. Her hair is pulled back into a simple ponytail. And lastly, her arm is latched around her stuffed moose, with a very original name of "Moosey." It's the same stuffed moose Sam had given her when she was a baby. She goes everywhere with it, and Dean and Cas decided to let her bring it to school for at least the first day.

"Are you ready for school?" Cas asks, his breath hitching slightly. He is not ready to send her off to school yet, hell, he'll probably never be ready. But she wants to go, wants to start kindergarten.

"Lets get this princess to school, don't want her late on her first day." Dean chokes out. Both of them are taking this hard.

"You guys aren't going to cry again are you?" She asks.

"Of course not," Cas shakes his head, but he knows darn well he's going to cry again.

"Shut your face and get in the car." Dean jokes, shooing her out of the house. With a heavy sigh, Cas goes out to the car, carrying the back-pack with him. Mary is bouncing excitedly in her seat when he gets out there.

Cas slides into the front seat and Dean pulls out of the drive. The closer they get the more Cas dreads it.

"I'm gonna make a lot of friends, right, daddy?" Mary asks from the back.

"Of course you will, princess." Dean glances at her in the rearview mirror. "You're gonna have a blast, kindergarten is the best year, no worries and full of fun." Satisfied with his answer, Mary smiles and starts humming. Cas glances back as sees that she's rocking Moosey in front of her, humming to it.

Finally Dean pulls into the elementary school. Now that they're here Mary looks a bit apprehensive.
"I don't wanna go by myself." Mary murmurs, hugging Moosey close.

"It will be okay," Cas get a out and goes to let her out. Cas helps her put on her book-bag, it's nearly as big as her. "Moosey will be there to support you." He brushes back some stray hairs.

"You're going to school too?" Mary asks.

"Yup, I have to teach the students." Cas nods.

"I'm scared," Mary sighs. "Are you?"

"Only a little, but there's no need for you to be scared. School is fun." Cas kisses her forehead.

"Ready to go, princess?" Dean calls. Mary nods, grabbing Cas' hand then grabbing Dean's. They walk her into the school. Some other children have parents with them as well, but others are walking in alone.

At Mary's classroom, they pause.

"I don't wanna go," she takes a step back.

"Sweetie, you have to," Cas says softly.

"But I'm going to miss you guys." Tears start forming in her eyes.

"We will see you after school gets over." Dean murmurs. Both he and Cas are fighting tears.

"But, I want to see you all day." Mary sniffs.

"So do we, but you have to go to school to be smart like papa." Dean smiles. "Here," Dean slips his necklace up and over his head. "As long as you wear this, everything will be okay." He slips it over her head. She grips it tight.

"Okay, but if it's not fun I'm not coming back." Mary says with finality in her voice. She has far too much sass for a child her age.

"That's a deal." Cas chuckles. He and Dean crouch down and pulls her in for big hugs. Cas doesn't want to let go. Each man kisses one of Mary's cheek.

"Bye, princess." Dean kisses her one more time.

"See you later," Cas sighs. Mary turns and steps into her classroom. 
Silent tears start to stream down Cas' face, and looking over at Dean he sees he's trying his hardest not to cry.

"She's going to be okay," Cas grips Dean's hand.

"I know, she's in good hands." Dean nods towards the cheerful woman who is greeting Mary with a smile. She looks up at Cas and Dean through the door and gives them a nod, as if to tell them Mary will be okay. Mary turns and blows them kisses then she scampers to her desk.

"Come on, you have school too." Dean pulls Cas, who is sniveling.

"She's grown up too fast," Cas sniffs. "Before we know it, she's gonna be going to high school, moving out, getting married. I don't want my baby to grow up."

"We will always be there for her, no matter how old she gets. But she is not getting married, not till she's sixty." Cas smiles and hugs Dean. Dean is right, no matter what, they will always be there for her. She will not know what it's like to have an absent father.