Dean sat waiting anxiously in Amber's office. He had decided to bring the papers back to her early this morning; he hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, his thoughts on a constant loop of 'what if...'s.

Amber steps back into the office and hands him a mug of coffee. "I was surprised to see you here so early Mr. Winchester, you said you have already made your decision?"

Dean simply nods in indication, and pulls out the form, handing it over to her. "Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Amber asks as she takes the form from Dean, glancing over it.

"Never been more sure of anything in my entire life ma'am." His voice is a little ragged; raw from the internal debate that had been battling ever since he signed that form. But in the end, he knew that was what needed to be done. Hell, in the end Dean couldn't deny that this was what he wanted to do.

Amber smiles, relief visible in her eyes. "I have to admit, I was very glad to hear your decision. It'll take a few days of course, paper work and everything, but by the beginning of next week you will be able to pick Isabel up and take her home"

"Home..." Dean mumbles quietly, thinking about the life they live. Was he making the right choice, bringing Isabel into this? Was this really what was best for her? Would he even be a good dad?

Amber nods. "Yes, Mr. Winchester. In order for this to be finalized, we'll need to know your permanent address," she pauses. "You do have a permanent address, don't you, Mr. Winchester?"

"Uhh, umm, uh yeah. Yes. I've just been uhh, traveling, a lot." He smiles, trying not to look like he's lying.

"Alright, may I go ahead and have that address, and we'll just get this all out of the way now?" Amber picks up a pen and flips her notebook open to a blank page, ready to write, and Dean panics slightly; then does something that surprises him a little. Dean gives the only address he can think of, the only home he has ever had. In Lawrence, Kansas. He watches Amber scribble down the address when it hits him that he has no idea what to get for Isabel, no idea what she'll need once he picks her up. "So, um..." Dean laughs nervously as he runs a hand through his hair. "I uh, don't...well, what will Isabel need?"

Amber carefully sets her pen back down and regards him for a moment. "Well, she'll need clothes. You'll have to find a good formula to feed her, diapers for changing her. You'll need to find a car seat compatible with your car so she's safe when you're driving."

A car seat in the Impala? That was a weird thought, though Dad had put one in for Sammy when they first started hunting but that was the only time there had ever been any other seat in the car and it hadn't lasted long. Dean nods, making a mental note to get all of those things before he picks up Isabel. He wants her to have everything she would need. "Um, alright. Do you know a place in town where I could find all of that?"

"There's a little shop on the corner of King and Fifth, you should probably start there. They can help you out with the sizing of the clothes she'll need. Then you can get formula and diapers at almost any grocery store. And if you ever have any questions, you can always call." She smiles reassuringly. She has a feeling about this boy. He's going to make a great father.

Dean nods slightly, "Corner of King and Fifth...got it." He smiles and stands up, knowing he should get back to the motel before Sam wakes up. "Thanks for your help; you'll call me when you hear anything about when I can pick her up, right?"

Amber smiles "Of course, and like I said, if you have any questions, you know my number. Don't hesitate to call."

Dean nods again. "I'll be looking forward to your call." He smiles, almost in disbelief, as he walks out of her office. He walks out to the Impala, and barely even registers anything as he drives back to the motel. He quietly unlocks the door and slips in, trying not to wake Sam.

As he steps further into the room he sees Sam still asleep on his bed. He slips off his jacket and sits on the edge of his bed, putting his head in his hands. "God, I hope I made the right decision..." he mumbles quietly to himself, unaware that Sam is really lying awake in the other bed.

Sam stays silent. He'd known when Dean left, that he wasn't going out for coffee or breakfast. He knew Dean had gone back to that office. But he honestly couldn't figure out what decision he had come to. Sam could see it going either way. Dean will tell me when he's ready. Sam thinks to himself. He just hopes it's soon, because this could end up affecting him just as much as it will affect Dean himself.

Sam, deciding to let Dean think he is slowly waking up, stirs a little and groans as he rolls onto his back and looks over at Dean. After a few minutes he breaks the silence and asks "Hey, man...you okay?"

"I'm picking Isabel up in a few days." Dean mumbles just loud enough so he won't have to repeat it.

Finally Sam speaks up. "So you turned in the form? And," he pauses and swallows hard on nothing. "And you're sure this is what you want?"

"Yeah, I mean, I'm sure that I don't want Isabel living in that place, and I'm sure that I want her to know she has someone who loves her, and I am sure that…that I love her." Dean stops then, all too aware of everything he just spilled to his brother. He looks up at his brother then, making eye contact for the first time since he stepped into the room. "Sam, I know I just saw her, but...I do...love her, you know?"

Sam suddenly realizes just how important this really is for Dean. And in that instant, that moment when Dean let his defenses down; he can see, really see, the raw emotion and love he has for his daughter; and suddenly Sam knows that Dean is doing the right thing, and that Dean needs support. Sam intends to give Dean that support.

"Okay, do you know what size clothes she'll need? She'll need new things. And diapers. Oh! And something for her to eat. I mean, I made an A in anatomy class, so I'm pretty sure you can't breastfeed." Sam says with a slightly bemused grin on his face.

"No, really?" Dean asks sarcastically, thankful for the slight change in mood. "I, uh…I'm not sure what size of clothes she wears. She's four months, so still pretty small." He smiles as he remembers holding Isabel in his arms just yesterday. "Amber says I'll need a car seat too. I have no idea where to start with that either."

"We can probably get one in a baby store. I'm sure there's one in this town somewhere," Sam says. "And clothes for babies are usually labeled by age for size, so that shouldn't be too hard."

"Yeah, Amber mentioned a store I should check out for clothes. Said they were really helpful there. I think she said it was on…Fifth Street. Yeah, Fifth and King."

Sam nods "Alright, we can go by there whenever you want."

Dean thinks it over for a minute. "Can we go now? I just want to make sure we have it all before I go get Isabel, and since we don't know when that'll be..."

Sam smiles a little. "Yeah, we can go now."

Dean stands up. "We can start with the store Amber told me about and get the basic stuff, then we can go to the Wal-Mart down the street and pick up diapers and formula."

Sam stands up as well; his mind still reeling with a bit of shock that he was having a conversation with Dean about diapers and formula. "Um, yeah, that sounds like a good plan." Sam reaches over to his bag, grabbing a fresh change of clothes and quickly tugging them on before walking toward the door. "Let's get going."

"Yeah, let's go." Dean says as he pulls the Impala keys out of his coat pocket and walks out of the room.

Sam follows Dean out, and they both climb in the car. The engine starts up a few seconds later and Dean pulls out of the motel parking lot, heading toward the intersection Amber had said the store was at.

When they pull up to the store, Sam casts a sideways glance at Dean. This was just all too surreal. He kept waiting for himself to wake up and realize it had all been a very freaky dream, but no. This really was happening. "Hey Dean?"

Dean turns and looks at him. "Yeah Sam?"

"Are you buying this stuff as you? I mean, I don't really think you should buy her stuff with stolen identities."

Dean turns and looks down at his hands resting on the steering wheel, he'd thought about it after Amber had told him what he needed to buy. But in the end, Isabel deserved so much more than stuff bought with fake identities. He wanted to buy the stuff for her. Not as James Kendrick, but as Dean Winchester. It still won't be honest money, it's what he earned hustling pool the night before he got the call from Amber, and up until this moment he's never felt bad about not having any honest money.

He swallows and finally speaks up. "Yeah, you're right. I'm gonna pay for it in the cash I have left over."

Sam smiles a little. "I've got some cash too Dean, we can manage this. Now, let's go figure out what we want to get her." And with that Sam swings his door open and steps out onto the pavement, heading for the store without waiting for Dean.

Dean watches Sam get out and walk into the store without him, and he laughs as he climbs out of the car. As he walks into the shop behind Sam, Dean glances around and tries to take in all the stuff in the store. "Whoa...this is a lot of baby stuff..." he mumbles "Where do we even start?"

Sam looks up at him from a rack of clothing he'd been flipping through and laughs. "Let's start with clothes." he says as he holds up a little pink outfit with flowers and frills all over it, then laughs as a slow grimace spreads across Dean's face.

"My kid will never, never, wear ruffles Sam. Never."

Sam laughs and puts the outfit down. "What if Isabel likes ruffles, pink, and lots of flowers?"

Dean considers it for a moment. "Maybe, when she's older...and if she knows that that's what she likes then she can pick that stuff. But for right now, I'm picking out the clothes and she is not getting anything with ruffles."

"Fine, fine. So what do you think we should get her?" Sam asks as he continues to flip through the racks, glancing everything over.

"Ummm, I'm not sure yet." Dean said as he started to look through the clothes. Dean soon spots a small outfit, red with Bugs Bunny on it. "Oh, we are so getting this," he says picking up the outfit and tossing it to Sam. "Bugs Bunny is awesome."

Sam catches the outfit in question and looks it over. "Yeah, I guess he is, but Isabel is a girl, Dean."

"What, girls don't like Bugs Bunny?"

Sam sighs, unable to hold back a laugh. "Okay, okay, Bugs Bunny it is." He flips through some more things before lifting up a little pink nightgown with a single heart on the front. "Alright, compromise. Pink, but no ruffles."

Dean looks at the pink outfit for a minute, before sighing and nodding his approval. "Fine, I suppose one pink outfit won't hurt."

Sam laughs and they continue to look throughout the store and Sam soon finds out how picky Dean becomes with what they are going to get Isabel.

"It's gotta be perfect, Sam. She's my daughter. It's has to be perfect." Dean would say; the emotion showing in his voice every time he spoke the words.

"Perfect. Yeah, okay." Sam says as he holds up a light green jumper with a stitching of a bunny on it. "This alright?" He knows they only need a few more things. If he could just get Dean to agree to a couple more outfits, they could grab a car seat and travel crib, and get outta there.

Dean turns and looks at the jumper Sam is holding up. He nods slightly. Yeah, that'll work...if we just get a few more plain jumpers then I think that'll be enough clothes."

Sam laughs "Then a car seat and travel crib..."

"Travel crib?"

"Yeah, she's gotta sleep somewhere Dean. And before you even say it, it's been proven that it isn't safe for a baby to sleep in a normal bed, even if a parent is there."

"Oh. Okay. Travel crib. Right," Dean says as he pulls a couple more jumpers off the rack and adds them to the pile of things they're going to buy. "Right, I think we're done here, now where are the car seats at?"

Sam turns and spots the car seats up against the back wall. "Looks like they're in the back..."

Dean nods and is already heading in that direction before Sam can finish talking.

Sam follows his brother into the back and they scan through the area trying to find a car seat that'll fit the impala and work for Isabel.

"Hey Dean? I think I found one..." Sam calls and Dean quickly walks over to him "It's a carrier, but when you go anywhere you can just click it into the base and it's a car seat too."

"Wow. Fancy, convenient…I like it." he laughs. "Okay, so we'll get that one. What was the last thing you said? Oh yeah, travel crib?"

"Yeah, they're…" Sam pauses and looks around the store for a second. "Over here." he says as he walks over to them.

Dean looks up at the simple travel crib. "Sam, that isn't gonna fit in my car..."

Sam rolls his eyes and laughs. "They're collapsible; it'll fit, and it should make it easier to take it down and put it up as we move around."

"Oh." Dean says and looks at the travel crib for a few more seconds. "Well, it works for me. We ready to get out of here?"

Sam laughs. "We better be. I don't think a lot more would fit into your car. Let's just get to the check out, and hope we have enough cash to pay for all of this."

Dean laughs with him as they walk up to the register to check out. He watches carefully as the price steadily increases to an astonishing amount, and is just grateful he's good at hustling pool.

Once everything's bought and paid for, they head out and load everything into the Impala.

They both climb into the car and Dean drives back to the motel room. After arriving and unloading all of Isabel's things, Dean sits on the edge of the bed, exhausted from the lack of sleep he has had since he got the phone call from Amber.

"You should get some sleep, man..." Sam says as he toes off his shoes and walks over to the other bed. "I know you haven't gotten much sleep lately, and once Isabel gets here things are gonna be crazy."

Dean sighs, knowing, not for the first time, that Sam was right. "I just, I can't sleep man. All I can do is think about her."

"I know Dean, but you gotta try. Because when she wakes up in the middle of the night wanting to be fed or held or changed? Especially changed? That right there; is gonna be your job."

"Yeah? Well what the hell are you gonna do?"

"As her uncle, I believe it'll be my job to spoil her," Sam grins at Dean.

Dean laughs and nods a little. "Is that so?"

"Oh, yes, it is so..." Sam says and lies back in his bed, grin still on his face "Now get some sleep."

Dean looks over at Sam, knowing how stubborn he can be. "Fine, I'll try."

Sam watches, making sure Dean's eyes are at least closed before reaching down into his bag and pulling out a book he'd been reading. He'd slept well enough the night before, so he figures he can just stay up and wake Dean in a few hours so they could grab something to eat.

Dean turns onto his side, back facing Sam and his thoughts start to take over again. Thoughts about all that was about to change, how his life was about to become so much different. Thoughts about being a dad, if he would even be a good dad.

After a little bit, Sam can still sense that Dean isn't sleeping, and he lets out a deep sigh. "You hungry man?"

"A little," comes Deans muffled reply.

"Alright," Sam says, closing his book. "Let's go grab something to eat."

-----

The call comes two days later. It comes in the morning and Dean reaches for his phone immediately, even through the sleepy daze he is currently in. Sometime last night he had passed out, his body no longer capable of going on with just a few randomly taken hours of sleep.

"Hello?" He says, holding the phone to his ear.

"Dean, great news. Everything's set." Amber says from the other line.

"Set?" Dean asked, still a bit fuzzy-brained. But the moment it hits him, he's sitting bolt upright in bed, feeling like he pumped up with energy from twenty red bulls. "You mean…with Isabel? Everything's set as in, as in I can finally go get her?" and he can't hide the hope in his voice.

"Yes, you can pick her up from the orphanage anytime today between now and four o'clock." Amber says. "Sorry to call so early, I thought you would want to know as soon as I did."

"No, I'm glad you called," Dean smiles, he can't wait to hold Isabel in his arms again, this time knowing she's coming back with him. "Thank you so much Amber...for everything."

"It was my pleasure Dean. I'm always happy to unite a family. And remember, any questions at all, just call."

"I will, thank you." Dean hangs up and turns to face Sam. "Sam! Wake up! We have to go, now!"

"Hmm..?" Sam groans still half asleep "Why?"

"Isabel, Sam! We can go get her now!" Dean says, already standing up and pulling on clean clothes.

Sam opens his eyes to meet Dean's, waking up quickly. "We can bring her back now?"

Dean grabs his keys. "Yes, Sam! Hurry up!"

Sam doesn't need to hear anymore, and he knows if he doesn't get moving soon, Dean might do something drastic. He quickly jumps up out of bed and drags on a fresh set of clothes before stumbling sleepily across the room and grabbing his shoes.

Once they're both fully clothed; Dean heads out, not even bothering to check that Sam's still with him. Everything was set on their end too. Dean had installed the car seat in the back, he'd set up the travel crib in the corner of the motel room, and he'd packed up a bag with some diapers, and a change of clothes for Isabel. Finally the moment he'd been waiting for was here, and he was prepared.

Sam gets into the car as Dean starts it up, wondering that if he hadn't gotten there in time if Dean would have just pulled out of the parking lot in his excitement, leaving Sam behind.

Sam has to quietly remind Dean to drive the speed limit a few times as they head for the orphanage, still getting there in only a matter of minutes.

Dean parks and shuts off the car, making no other movements for several moments. He looks out the windshield and up at the old building in front of them. His and Sam's entire lives were about to change. Not a small change; a big, very significant change. And somehow, after he got through his worries and fears about being a father and about messing everything up, he found that he knew, in the end, it was going to be worth it all.