Dean Winchester hurried to throw on clothing and raced from his room. He slowed once he got to the living areas. "Hey?! Where's Sammy?!"
Adam made funny faces at Dianna. "Still showering."
Dean scowled. "He needs to get out! We're going to be late!"
"I can drive the Impala-"
Dean's fierce look made Adam stop talking. "No."
Adam huffed. "It's not fair!"
"This man is in love with that car." Benny turned a page in his book.
"It's unnatural." Castiel frowned.
"Stop talking about my baby!" Dean snapped.
Dianna screeched, waving her fists in the air.
He melted and went to kiss her cheeks. "Hey, Di."
Dianna sputtered baby chatter.
Dean felt better in his baby's face. "Ready for Mommy and Me?"
"That's not fair." Adam grumbled. "You're the only guy in a group of MILFs."
"This is so Di will have friends." Dean rolled his mint eyes.
"We're her friends." Adam protested.
"You're her uncles."
Adam muttered under his breath.
"Shut up, idiot." Dean pushed his head lightly before walking back to the bathrooms. "Sammy! Hurry up!"
"What's your rush, Dean?" Missouri walked up behind him. "You need to eat."
"I'm not hungry." Dean didn't even look at her.
"Do we have to go through this every morning? You know I'm gonna win."
He scowled anew and went back to the living areas so he could quickly eat.
It took another ten minutes but Sam finally appeared. "I'm ready."
"Trying to impress a girl?" Missouri teased.
"No!" Sam blushed.
"Trying to impress a boy?"
"No!" He paled.
Dean snickered.
Missouri shook her head. "Why are you primpin in the mirror for so long then?"
"I'm not!" Sam was bitter. Because he was lying. He was primping. He hoped to catch someone's eye while he was outside. He didn't care who at this point. He just wanted love.
Missouri read his mind. "Um hmm."
He blushed again, knowing she had. "So are we leaving or what?"
"Yeah." Dean stood up and went about unbuckling Dianna from her high-chair. "Come on, Di. We're going to Mommy and Me."
Dianna yelled.
Missouri and the men smiled warmly at the ten month old.
¥
Dean sat with Dianna in his lap as women went around in a circle saying their child's milestones. When it was his turn, he lifted his baby girl up, making her giggle. "I think she's going to start talking soon. She keeps saying "duh duh"."
The women clapped. "Go Di!"
Dianna giggled and hid her face in her dad's checkered shirt.
He hugged her tight, being with her soothing his (lifelong) agitation.
The group leader, Rhoda smiled warmly at daddy and daughter. "Who's next?"
¥
Sam came into the room Mommy and Me was held in at the community center and strutted to his brother and niece. He was hoping a single mom was looking but alas, no one paid him attention. "You ready?"
"Yeah." Dean picked Dianna up with her diaper bag and blanket. "Did everything go alright with my baby?"
"You're holding your baby."
Dean blinked.
Sam sighed. "Yeah. The clinking sound was a dime in the engine."
"How'd a dime get in my engine?!"
"Dean!"
"It was that- Adam!" Dean almost cursed. "He's riding in the trunk from now on!"
Sam was sure it was Adam but he said something wholly different. "How was class?"
Dean shrugged disinterestedly. "It was okay. But they said I should start introducing Di to mushy foods."
Sam's nose wrinkled. "Sounds gross."
"Totally. But it's the gateway to real food. Soon she'll be able to eat pie."
"Dean, stop forcing pie on everyone!"
Dean walked out.
"I guess that's a no!"
¥
Dean sat Dianna on a sofa and bunched a couple blankets around her. He set her giant teddy bear by her and a board in front of her, stating that she was now exactly eleven months old. He backed away and took a picture, getting everything in frame.
She clapped her hands off rhythm.
He smiled at his baby. She was getting so big. An ache in his heart restarted. Calliope was missing all of it. He sniffed and pulled himself together. "Want to listen to music?"
"Duh duh!" Dianna shrieked.
He picked her up and went to sit in front of the record player and began playing the album he played the most for her; Ella Fitzgerald's Someone to Watch Over Me.
¥
"Little Di's birthday is coming up soon." Benny pinched the baby's cheek, making her squeal.
Dean brightened, keeping his panic at bay. "We need ideas!"
"She's Daddy's Little Girl." Sam played with a pen.
"Because he dresses her like him." Adam snickered.
Dean looked at his daughter, who literally wore a green flannel shirt with blue jeans and brown boots. Which was exactly what he was wearing. "Shut up, Adam."
Missouri almost laughed aloud. "Boys! Di is going to be a whole year old next month. She needs to have a good time."
Castiel thought about it. "What should the theme be? She doesn't like television much."
"Neither did-" Benny stopped.
It was quiet for a moment as they got caught up in grief.
"It doesn't need to be TV." Dean cleared his throat. "It can be a music party."
"Aw Dean!" Sam bubbled up with laughter. "You're trying to make this baby a rocker?!"
"My baby is a rocker! But I was thinking jazz."
They all knew why.
"I think that's a lovely idea, Dean." Missouri told him.
"Thank you." Dean stood up. "Alright, time for Mommy and Me."
Dianna made a bunch of noise.
¥
Dean was running around like a headless chicken, trying to get everything ready for Dianna's birthday party. His princess was wearing a dress (for once) and playing with blocks on the floor while he got things ready.
He took all that crap out to the car and put it in the trunk before coming back. "Guys! Let's go!"
The men trudged from getting ready, wearing suits.
Missouri came from her room, wearing a nice gold dress that really went with her skin. "This is going to be so much fun!"
Dean smirked before grabbing his daughter. "Let's go, Di. You can't keep your fans waiting."
Dianna laughed and hit his nose.
¥
The party was going fantastically but Dean had a problem. People (namely women) continued to come up to him asking about Dianna's mother. He refused to tell them anything. He didn't know why he couldn't bring himself to say she was dead but he just couldn't.
The next day was Dianna's actual first birthday and he already knew he was going to have heart palpitations.
So he pasted a fake smile on his face and entertained. But he knew. This was going to take some time.
¥
Everyone applauded Dianna (Adam) as she (Adam) blew out her candle. She slapped her hands against the table, happy.
Castiel began cutting the cake.
Benny picked up the birthday girl and tossed her in the air gently.
Dianna screamed happily.
Women swooned.
Sam watched bitterly. Why wouldn't a woman look at him like that?!
Dean snickered before going to get his baby from Benny. "Ready for cake, Di?"
"Dada." Dianna grabbed his lips.
Dean's eyes widened. "Did you just call me?"
"Dada!"
Dean almost broke down in tears and turned to the party. "She can talk! She can talk!"
The party cheered.
The little girl's uncles surrounded her and her daddy, congratulating her. She beamed, showing off three front teeth.
¥
Dean rocked Dianna in her rocking chair slowly. She'd had a full day and was fighting sleep. It was near midnight but she just wanted to be up and looking at things.
Dean let her fight for a while before singing their favorite song to her. When he finished, she was splayed across his chest, snoring like him.
He kissed her cheek as the clocks struck midnight. "Night, Di. Happy birthday."
Suddenly a banging happened.
Dean jerked.
Dianna awoke crying.
Missouri raced in. "What's that?!"
"I don't know. Hold her. Stay in here until I come get you." He gave her the baby and barricaded the door.
Sam and Adam were walking down the hall with weapons.
Dean took one. "Today is not the day."
"We'll see." Sam hated this. Why couldn't they get any peace?
They rushed into the living areas, Castiel and Benny appearing seconds later.
A gust of wind swept through, making them avert their eyes.
When it died down, they turned back, preparing themselves for the threat.
But nothing could prepare them for what was standing before them.
Dean blinked wide eyes. "Calli?"