Trails To Happiness

Lil Bro

(Narrator POV)
Dean and Castiel were happier than imaginable in their lives as time went on.

Their businesses were thriving (well, everyone in the family had a thriving business at the moment), and Claire was crawling around the house like a maniac while making all kinds of noises (including 'Pa' for Cas and 'Da' for Dean).

She had just turned one in February and the two men had a big blowout for her, even though she would have no memory of it. Still, they tried to make it a special day full of things she loved (like nature shows and cherry jello).

The giant cake was mostly for Dean.

Speaking of Dean, he and Cas had just turned 25 (Dean before Claire's birthday, Castiel after it) and celebrated by getting tattoos.

Dean got Claire's name (Clarity) and her birthday at the top of his right bicep in a beautiful font while Cas did the same, but at the top of his spine. Dean also got Jody's birthday on his left bicep (if he has a tribute to one of his moms, then he should have a tribute both of them).

Charlie had been back home a lot more also, as she was looking for an apartment for her and Jo to live in once the blonde graduated. (They were 'secretly' dating, but everyone had already kind of guessed by the looks they gave each other. Nobody would mention it until they were ready though.)

(Gabe and Pam were also dating now, but that had come out shortly after Bobby and Jody's wedding when the two were caught making out in Gabe's car. Poor Dean had been scarred for life at the sight.)

Another addition was added to the ragtag group when Pam finally met the owner of the magic shop. A witch named Rowena who happened to be Crowley's some-amount-of-centuries-old mother.

Who woulda guessed?

She somehow effortlessly weaved herself into their lives (like most members of the family had), and soon she was almost like a mother/grandmother figure to most of them.

Rowena quickly joined in on spoiling the crap out of Claire, too.

So Dean liked her.

Sam liked Rowena too. Partially because she was the one who came up with the idea to make Jess an engagement ring instead of buying one, and then she helped him design and create it too.

Oh, by the way, Jess said yes.

Not that there was ever any doubt that she would.

One more new thing was that Dean and Cas had another dog added to their list of animals, along with some stray cats that showed up (but stayed outside) and some ducks that liked the pond they had.

The dog was a German Shepard named the Colonel, who Dean met on a hunting case he went on in the fall.

He had gone on a simple hunt like he occasionally (but very rarely) did. Dean was called by someone asking for some assistance in the supernatural, and so he went, only to find that the one witness was a dog.

Getting creative (and taking some inspiration from Rowena), Dean found a spell that allowed him to talk to dogs for a certain amount of time.

Next thing he knew, he was being trailed by a snarky old doggo who laughed at his misfortune.

Safe to say, they were like kindred spirits.

Dean couldn't bring himself to say goodbye when the case was done, and so he took him back home with him.

"Don't get mad." He had said the moment he walked in the door. Castiel looked up from where he was reading to Claire on the couch.

"I love it when you start a conversation like that." Cas said back with some sarcasm in his tone.