Route 66, Oklahoma - 2010

They don't notice it at first, not with how exhausted they all are after a long hunt. Elizabeth is almost asleep, one hand on the car seat and her head bouncing lightly against the window as Dean takes a slow curve that'll bring them into Chandler. It's not until Robert shifts impatiently under her hand that she opens her eyes and realizes that it's quiet, too quiet.

The cassette has stopped.

"Maybe he won't notice," Sam whispers. He may not have a soul, but he's well aware of how cranky Robert can be without his tape. As if Robert lives to prove his favorite uncle wrong, he opens his mouth and lets out a wail so loud that it could be used as a tornado siren. "Or not."

"What happened," Elizabeth asks. She sits up to look over the seat, squinting at the tape player. Her glasses had been broken by a vengeful spirit and her contacts are waiting for her at Bobby's place.

"It ate the tape."

"So put in the backup."

"That was the backup," Dean says with a wince. "Remember? The original tape got lost when we moved back to Kansas." She does remember, it had made for a miserable night trying to get the baby to sleep. "Maybe we can find a copy somewhere." Robert's screaming goes up an octave and Elizabeth starts patting his chest.

"It's alright, Robbie, Mommy's here."

"Song," Robert whines, kicking his feet. "Song, please!"

"Your tape broke, baby. Mommy will buy you a new one as soon as we get home. We could listen to one of Daddy's tapes." Robert shakes his head so roughly that Elizabeth worries about whiplash. "Shh, it's okay. Just go back to sleep, Robbie. We'll be home before you know it."

"No! I want my song!" She's really regretting teaching her kid how to speak. "Want my song! Want my song!" His cheeks have gone red in his anger and Elizabeth wisely moves his sippy cup out of reach. The last thing she needs is him chucking the cup at Dean's head and making them wreck. "Daddy!"

"Christmas, Christmas time is near," Dean sings, off-key and desperate. "Time for toys and time for cheer. We've been good, but we can't last. Hurry Christmas, hurry fast." Robert's chanting stops, but he's still glowering. "Want a plane that loops the loop—"

"Me, I want a hula hoop," Sam joins in. Their voices harmonize a bit once the panic drains from them, a pleasant noise that has Robert settling back a little. Elizabeth joins in as well, lightly tapping the song's rhythm against Robert's belly. "We can hardly stand the wait, please, Christmas, don't be late!"

"Alvin," Robert laughs, showing off his pearly whites. "Alvin!"

"Want a plane that loops the loop. I still want a hula hoop! We can hardly stand the wait, please, Christmas, don't be late! We can hardly stand the wait, please, Christmas, don't be late!"

They've sung themselves hoarse by the time they stop at a motel for the night, Dean bouncing Robert lightly as they enter their room. There are only two beds, which means Dean and Robert take one while Sam and Elizabeth take the other (they learned the hard way that Robert doesn't like to share his daddy at night).

Robert's sound asleep the second his head hits the pillow, lips parted with gentle breaths and no signs of his tantrum to be found. The hunters watch him for a long while despite their growing exhaustion, even Sam having to smile when the toddler lets out a quiet coo.

"It's a good thing I love him," Sam says.

"Yeah," Elizabeth agrees.

"Our son is a holy terror," Dean adds.