A/N: In this chapter, it's Evy's first birthday, and Sam is determined to give her a birthday party.

"Come on, Dad! It's time!"

John groaned. "Sam, why are you so set on your sister having a birthday party? She won't remember it!"

"Yeah, but we will." Sam said. "Dad, come on. It'll only take a minute. Please?"

John stopped himself from laughing. Sam was more excited than Evy would have been if she'd known what exactly was going on. So John stood up and followed Sam into Bobby's kitchen. There was a big birthday banner hanging up above the stove. Evy sat in her high chair, grinning and giggling as Dean ducked just out of her eyesight for a few seconds, then jumped back in front of her with a "boo!" Bobby was placing a candle on a somewhat sloppily made chocolate birthday cake. As Bobby lit the candle, Sam placed a kiss on Evy's cheek and took the cake carefully over to her.

"Happy birthday to you…"

John found himself smiling as they finished singing to her and Sam demonstrated how to blow out her birthday candle. Evy paid very close attention to Sam's instructions. She tried hard to mimic him, but it wasn't working. Finally, Sam stood just behind her. He blew at the same time she did, and when the candle was finally blown out, Sam praised her as if she'd just found the cure for cancer. Evy giggled, then waited rather impatiently as Bobby cut her a piece of birthday cake. John started to turn and go back to his research when he heard Evy yell for him.

"Daddy!"

John turned back around and nearly wept. Evy had a fistful of birthday cake in her hand and was holding it out to him. She held up her other arm, waving him over to come and pick her up. John obliged, pulling her out of the high chair and propping her up on his hip. Evy attempted to give him the cake in her fist, but missed and ended up smearing it down the side of his face. Sam waited with baited breath; John was sometimes very impatient with Evy, and when she did things like that, he tended to turn and run. But when Evy started giggling, Sam was pleasantly surprised that John did too.

"You are quite the silly one, aren't you?" John asked.

Evy reached up with her hand and pulled some of the smeared birthday cake from her father's face off. She put it in her own mouth, making John laugh even harder. He hugged Evy close, then finally the tears he'd been fighting started to slip out. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his scratchy beard and muttering,

"Love daddy."

"I love you too, little one." John answered. "Happy birthday, my sweet girl."