(Pictures Dean and Sam took above)

Chapter Eight, Trip to Philadelphia Zoo

(December 17th 2005)

It's been a few weeks since the Lake Montico incident and the Demon on the plane, and a few days since the case involving Bloody Mary and during all this Dean has not let Amélie out of his sight, not that he hardly ever did. Just the thought of losing his daughter is enough to make him physically sick to his stomach. Of course, Sam has been worried too, but he just doesn't have the connection with Amélie that Dean does, albeit, it was his own fault. That's what happens when you miss out of the first three years of a child's life. Now, Dean was driving while keeping an eye on Amélie who was asleep in the car seat with her blanket wrapped around her and Coco and Pascal cuddled to her chest.

She loved Pascal and her other cuddly toys and often cuddled with them but Coco would always be her favourite as it was the only thing for her mother. Dean couldn't help but smile at the sight, he loves how innocent and pure his baby girl is. He just hopes that she can stay that way until she is older and maybe even longer than then. And he will endeavour to make damn well sure it stays that way.

Christmas was quickly approaching and Dean had already ordered Amélie's Christmas presents to be delivered to Charles and Claudette's house until they arrived. Right now, they were taking a break and going to the Zoo as a family day out and they also had a Santa's Grotto there which was an added bonus. Hopefully this year he can get a picture of his baby girl with Santa as the previous years she's been scared of him. Dean was excited. He was always excited to see his little Princess's face light up in glee and happiness. He was suddenly pulled from his thoughts by Sam jumping awake; another nightmare it would seem.
"Where are we? What case are we going to?" Sam asked, stretching his long arms as much as he could while still in the Impala while Dean let out a long sigh.

"I've told you like a million times already, Sam!" Dean hissed, trying to express his anger and annoyance at his brother while also trying not to wake up his daughter. "It's nearly Christmas so I'm doing things with my daughter. Hunting can wait! We're going to the Philadelphia Zoo and to Santa's Grotto, then we're going back to New Orleans for Christmas. Don't like it, leave!" Sam sat there shocked at his brother's tone and how he'd practically told him to leave. Biting back the angry retort Sam nodded and sat there in silence as he stared out the window with his arms crossed. Dean thought he rather looked like a petulant teenager. It was rather tense in the car as the silence and tension could be cut with a knife; that is until Amélie woke up from her nap.

"Hi baby." Dean grinned, looking at her through the rear view mirror for a second before turning his attention back on to the road.
"Hi Daddy." Amélie beamed at him. She looked over at her Uncle Sammy biting her lip nervously but turned away when she spotted he had a scowl on his face. Dean, of course, noticed this and shot his brother an angry glare before he turned his attention back on to his daughter.
"Did you have a nice sleep, Princess?" Dean asked, smiling when she nodded enthusiastically. He was so relieved that her nightmares seemed to have stopped. "Guess where we're going?" Dean asked.
"Where Daddy?" Amélie asked excitedly.
"We're going to the Zoo and they have a Santa's Grotto there so we get to see Santa too." Dean beamed when Amélie squealed excitedly, practically bouncing in her car seat as she spoke rapidly to him, Coco and Pascal.

"Daddy. Daddy, look." Amélie cried excited, pointing out the window as they pulled into the car park of the Zoo.
"I see baby." Dean chuckled, putting the Impala in park and turning off the engine. "Hold on. Wait till I come get you." He added sternly, when he saw Amélie went to undo her seat belt. Amélie huffed but let go of the buckle as she spoke excitedly to Coco and Pascal as she squirmed in her seat waiting for her Daddy. As soon as she was out she grasped her Daddy's hand bouncing in the spot as she held tightly to Coco and her Princess rucksack was on Dean's back Pascal had been left in the car. While they paid the entry fee, paying a bit extra so it could go towards the donation and paying to see Santa; Sam couldn't help but feel sad that Amélie wasn't this excited with him. It's been two months and he was getting frustrated.

Much like they did at Disneyland Dean snapped up pictures of his daughter looking at the animals in wonder with a large smile on her face and her eyes sparking, and got Sam to take pictures of the two of them. They saw some feeding shows which Amélie found amazing and so did Dean as their own father never took them to a Zoo, or to anything normal and, before this Amélie was too young to understand so it was a new and amazing experience for both of them. They visited the Zoo gift shop and Dean treated his baby girl to a Penguin cuddly toy which she absolutely adored and dubbed 'Happy'. He then treated her to some books he thought would be good for her.
"I thought you said buying her things wasn't a good idea?" Sam asked snidely.

"If he wants to buy his daughter some things I don't see how it's your business." A tall red haired man said, as he walked past them with his own kids, who were a little older than Amélie.
"It's fine, don't worry." Dean assured the man. "He's a little sore. My daughter, his niece, hasn't warmed up to him yet."
"Well maybe he should get that stick out of his arse and actually pay attention to what she wants." The man added, glaring at Sam. "If you want educational books for her, check out that section over there." He added to Dean, pointing to a large white stand that stood only a few feet from them.
"Thanks. I'm Dean and this is Amélie." Dean said, holding out his hand.

"No problem. I'm Tim and these rug rats are Ruth, Kim and Zack." Tim introduced, shaking Dean's hand before he headed to the check out with his kids, kissing his wife when he got there. Sam noticed the sad look on both Dean's and Amélie's faces as they watched Tim greet his wife, and his kids greet their mother happily. Shaking his head and turning away from the sight Dean looked down at his precious daughter.
"How about we check out those books, baby?" Dean asked, holding out his hand which Amélie quickly and tightly latched on to.

***

After lunch it was time to head over to Santa's Grotto. When they arrived the line wasn't too long thankfully and they only had to wait a few minutes before it was their turn.
"Go on baby. It's okay." Dean said, crouching down in front of his daughter who was looking at Santa rather nervously while clutching tightly to Coco and to his hand. "I'm sorry she's shy." Dean apologised, to the man dressed as an elf. "It's okay baby. I know you can be brave for Daddy and there's other children waiting to see Santa."
"Would you like your Daddy to come with you, sweetie?" The elf asked. Amélie nodded her head quickly. "Come on then." He smiled, leading Amélie and Dean over to Santa while Sam stood by the queue waiting for them. "Santa, we have a shy little girl with her Daddy." The elf introduced.

"Ho ho. Don't be shy sweetie I'm not going to hurt you." Santa said kindly, as he smiled down at Amélie who gave him a shy smile back. "Oh, what a beautiful smile. What's your name and who's that handsome cat in your arms?" Santa asked, crouching down in front of Amélie and Dean, the former who was trying to meld in with Dean's leg.
"Amélie and Coco." Dean introduced, when Amélie whispered too quietly.
"That is a beautiful name and a perfect name for a handsome cat. Did Daddy give him to you?" Santa asked.
"No, Mummy did." Amélie said a little more loudly now, stepping closer to Santa.
"Shall we have a picture and you can tell me what you'd like for Christmas." Santa said, smiling at the little girl. Once Santa was sitting back in his chair Dean carefully placed Amélie on his knee, placing a kiss on her forehead before he stepped back reluctantly so a picture could be taken.

"Now, what would you like Santa to bring you for Christmas?" Santa asked. But what Amélie said next caused not only Dean to tear up and his heart to break but also everyone in the vicinity too.
"I want Mummy back. She in Heaven and Daddy's sad. I want Daddy happy." Amélie stated. Santa cleared his throat a couple of times, blinking back his own tears as he had not been expecting that; and neither had her father by the look on his face.
"I'm sorry to hear that but what would you like if I can't make that happen? A pony? A doll?" Santa questioned. Amélie sat there thinking about it for a moment.
"A Pwincess Belle doll, pwease Santa?" Amélie asked.

"Okay then. How bout you and your Daddy come and see my reindeers and sleigh, and have another picture. Then my elf Toodles can give you your present." Santa said, leading Dean and Amélie to the back of the room where said sleigh and reindeer were. After another picture taken by the elf Toodles, Amélie and Dean got to stroke and feed the reindeer for a bit before they washed their hands, and accepted the present from Toodles with a Merry Christmas and headed back to Sam.

***

After a fun day at the Zoo Amélie was asleep in the back of the impala as they headed to a nearest, decent motel before they continued their journey home to New Orleans in the morning when Sam brought up the dreaded question.
"Did you know she felt that way? Or that she was going to ask that?" Sam asked Dean seriously, a frown upon his face. He was still kinda annoyed at being told off by a complete stranger; showing Dean just how alike his younger brother and their father really were.
"No. No, I didn't." Dean replied, his throat tight as he looked sadly at his sleeping daughter through the rear view mirror. Despite her reply to Santa she was sleeping with a small smile on her face, so he at least knew she had a good day. But he knew he needed to talk to Bobby or even Charles and Claudette about this when they got to the motel. He needed advice before he spoke to his daughter.