Whoo! I am on a roll! And guys, *looks up teary-eyed* I know I promised to upload this like, an hour ago, and I'm so sorry for being so late! I-I just... I feel like I've failed you by updating so late! Ha! It's that hilarious? Me, not updating in time. What a laugh.
Anyway, here's the Christmas fic I promised you all. It IS connected to the Monster and the Defective so. Ye. Here. We. GO!
"DEAN!" Her voice rang throughout the two-story house, even echoing faintly to the neighbours. He remained unresponsive, staring intently at the TV and whatever Christmas movie was playing. So she stomped down the stairs, a bundle held protectively in her arms as she came to a stop before him and blocked his view.
"Dean." She said again, this time quieter but no less stern. Dean leaned around her, still staring at the TV so as not to miss anything. She glanced back over her shoulder to see what had captured his attention so and she smiled lightly: How The Grinch Stole Christmas. But turning back to him, she knew that no matter how funny the movie was that he was watching Dean would not escape her wrath.
"Dean Winchester." She held her bundle with one hand and put her other on her hip, cocking it to the side prissily. And yet he still didn't answer her so she picked up the remote and turned off the TV. When he protested she ignored him and instead put her bundle onto his lap.
"Jo!" Dean whined, staring at the remote in her hand intently but not being able to reach it with the bundle on his lap. Smirking, one of Jo's eyebrows rose a fraction.
"It's your turn to put Marie to bed," She commanded, watching with amusement as Dean picked up the little girl in his lap, bouncing her a few times on his knee before putting her on the ground. Their daughter, Marie Ella- named vaguely after both of their mothers- wobbled a bit before she managed to balance on her stubby legs and toddle away from her parents with a tired giggle.
"Dean," Jo sighed, making to go after the small toddler before Dean leapt to his feet, reaching for the remote. She shrieked and fell back, holding the remote behind her, other hand pressed flat to Dean's chest. He grinned down at her, pushing her back with his weight and strength.
Taking the hand against his chest into his own hand, Dean reached past Jo for the remote. Taking a quick look around to make sure Marie was out of the way, Jo suddenly pushed forward, her leg wrapped around Dean's and they tumbled to the ground.
Joanna laughed, the remote held above her head, away from Dean. She was straddling his waist, using her light weight to hold him down and she never noticed as his legs intertwined with hers and he grabbed her wrist, quickly flipping them.
Dean's hands now pinning Jo's above her head, he reached up with a sultry smile and plucked the remote from her hand.
"Dean," She whined, her golden hair spread around her face like a halo. He stared down at her for a moment, drinking in her features before leaning slowly closer, his lips pressed to hers in a chaste kiss.
"Ah, guys!"
Quickly looking to the doorway, Dean and Jo laughed in Sam Winchester's face as he slapped a hand over his eyes, Marie Ella on his hip.
"Little bit of privacy, Sammy?" Dean smirked before pulling away from Jo and helping her to her feet. Sam peeked between his fingers hesitantly before breathing a sigh of relief and putting Marie on her feet. The little toddler pushed away from her Uncle's leg and waddled over to her parents, Dean lifting her into his arms.
Marie giggled as Dean threw her above his head, catching her and throwing her up again. Jo watched with half amusement, half wariness as her daughter went into the air for the third time before her father caught her safely into his arms.
Before she went up again, Marie yawned widely, leaning her head against Dean's shoulder and curling her arms up to grab his shirt. Jo reached out and ran a hand through the girl's downy, golden-brown hair.
"Time for bed," She whispered, taking the remote that Dean handed her and following the brothers up the stairs. Sam stopped at one door, waving goodnight to the trio before going into his room and falling into a deep sleep on his stomach.
Dean and Jo moved on, listening to Marie's soft breathing as she was drifted off to sleep by her father's walking pace. They came to the second last door on the landing, opening it as quietly as they could.
It was a beautiful room, painted a light blue and filled with all the toys and decorations that a child could want and more. In the centre was the car shaped bed that was just the right height for Marie to climb in and out of.
It was this bed that Dean sat on the edge of, slowly lowering Marie down into it and covering her with the Bugs Bunny blanket. Whispering sweet nothings to his daughter, Dean stroked back her hair and sat next to her, ensuring she drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
"I'm going for a shower," Jo called out softly to Dean and he nodded in acknowledgement, never straying his attention from Marie. With the door being closed quietly behind her, Jo made her way to the simple bathroom, stripping of her clothes and heading to the shower.
She stayed in there for a while, sitting on the floor of the shower before eventually the steady, beating rhythm of the water sent her into a restless sleep.
She slowly blinks away the black spots in her vision, rubs her eyes to speed up the process. She's in a room; a child's room that is painted pale blue and filled with toys and decorations for even the wildest child's dream.
She slowly gets to her feet and automatically looks at the car shaped bed that is the perfect height for a toddler. So natural is it to check on the bed and its contents, that when it is empty she lets out a horrified gasp and rushes over to it.
Confirming its empty status, she pulls back the covers and it is still vacant. So she spins around, searches desperately for the child that is meant to be gracing the bed. And she finds the child; in the arms of a monster.
The monster has eyes of darkest black and its hair is all spiked up at the front. Her child is asleep in its arms, fists holding tight to its shirt in slumber.
Her eyes widen when she sees the monster and her child, and she takes a few steps forward.
"Please," She begs, holding her hand out towards the monster desperately, "Give her back." She begs with all her heart; she would be willing to go to any length to get her child back from the monster.
The monster looks down at the sleeping child in its arms, stroking back the golden-brown hair atop the toddler's head. It seems to understand just why she wants her child back and it speaks her fears.
"You can't prevent this," It sneers, holding the child more firmly, "She'll grow up, evil and tortured."
She stretches out both hands now, feeling them shake as the tears begin to trek down her cheeks.
"I can raise her right; she'll be good." She begs for her child's life and innocence, fearing the horror the toddler will grow up into and how it will change the little girl's life. The monster smiles down at her cruelly and shifts its hold on the child, waking the little girl up.
The child begins to cry when she sees the black eyes of the monster's familiar face.
"Not if I can help it." The monster promises and she begins to scream for her child's safety.
With the cold water now pounding against her skin, Jo woke up with a shock, feeling a chill run up her back. She shivered, quickly turning off the cold shower and drying herself off, clothing herself in a fluffy bathrobe with her hair loose and damp.
She slowly walked to Marie's room, somewhat dreading seeing Dean after her nightmare. So it is that she hears what she doesn't expect to hear from Dean's lips as she nears the room.
"Hey Jude, don't make it bad.
Take a sad song and make it better.
Remember to let her under your skin.
Then you'll begin to make it.
Better, better, better, better, better, better, oh.
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, hey Jude."
Jo leaned against the door and listened as Dean finished his serenade and Marie Ella drifted to sleep finally. Feeling the doubt that had been building in her, Jo smiled faintly and pushed it all down as she walked into the room.
Dean was still sitting on the edge of Marie's fancy car shaped bed as the child slept.
"Hey," Jo whispered and Dean looked up before pressing a kiss to Marie's forehead and whispering something so faint that it couldn't be heard; but Jo had heard it often enough that she knew what he was saying.
"Castiel is watching over you."
Dean stood up from the bed and walked over to Jo, they both turned to watch Marie sleep for a few seconds then they closed the door and made their way back downstairs. The last thing Jo saw was Lucifer- that faithful, overgrown, ginger fluff ball of hers- racing into the room and leaping onto Marie's bed, curling protectively at the foot of the sleeping child.
Reclaiming the remote from the coffee table, Dean turned the TV back on and played his movie. Jo curled at his side on the couch, her head pressed to his chest so she could hear his heartbeat. The sound was mesmerising and it was sending her to sleep as Dean turned the volume down to a faint memory.
Screams. Shattered glass. Breaking. A wild hissing.
Joanna woke up with a lunging breath, her wild, brown eyes seeking out Dean's fanfiction green. They stared at each other for a moment then they both jumped to their feet and took to the stairs, following the sound of their daughters screams.
They passed Sam bursting through his bedroom door and he joined them, hair mussed up and half asleep. The trio reached the second last door on the landing and Dean slammed his shoulder into the wood without a thought for the handle.
They gathered in the doorway to witness the scene before them; an old hag with wrinkles adorning her face for all her long years of life was standing on the shattered window sill. Digging his claws into the blankets of the toddler's bed was Lucifer, his fur on end like static and a rumbling growl echoing through the room from his throat.
And in the old hag's arms was Marie Ella, awake and screaming with all her might. Tears were running down the child's cheeks and when she saw her parents and Uncle she reached out for them desperately, making grabbing motions with her hands.
"MARIE!" Jo's voice broke the night sky and she lunged forward with the brothers quick on her heels. Dean dodged around her and he reached for the old hag only to grab air as she leapt from the window sill.
Jo and Marie's screams followed her down as she hit the ground with nary an injury, making off with the child in her arms into the distance.
Dean cursed angrily, immediately spinning around and upturning Marie's bed despite the cat on it that leapt away to safety. Sam was still looking out the window pensively, slowly turning to watch his brother wreak havoc on the room. And Jo; she was on her knees in the centre of the room, staring numbly at Dean with unknown tears upon her skin.
Breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling with the anger and rage pouring through his being, Dean bared his teeth in a snarl. He was standing next to Jo, trying to calm himself for all their sakes. When Jo hiccoughed, tears running down her cheeks for her stolen child, Dean grabbed her upper arm and pulled her up to him.
She turned, grabbing his simple grey shirt and fisting the material desperately, her brown eyes seeking out his.
"Marie…" She began to mutter deliriously, "My little girl, Dean! Bring her back to me, please. Just, bring her back. Please!" Not being able to bear it, Joanna let her face fall against Dean's shoulder and she started to sob, tremors wracking her body.
Dean wrapped a comforting arm around her waist, silent for a moment then he turned to his little brother who was still staring out the window.
"What was that?"
"Grýla, the devourer of disobedient children." Sam clicked something on his laptop, scrolling through a few pages as he relayed the information.
Dean was pacing through the living room, livid and waiting for action. Across from Sam on the armchair was Jo, her feet curled under her body as she fiddled with the id bracelet on her wrist.
"Over the past hundred or so years, there's been a string of murders," Sam glanced up at Jo before focusing on his brother, deeming him the more calmer to take the news, "Children." As thought, Jo let out a ragged gasp and Dean only stared down at Sam, his jaw clenched in anger.
"During the first recorded occurrences, all during Christmas and Christmas Eve, it was children that disobeyed their parents." Sam scrolled down further, looking up in time to see Dean about to voice something, so he cut over the obvious question.
"Through the years it seems that Grýla's taken some liberation with the murders. She's not only killing disobedient children," He hesitated, re-reading the words before him a few times to ensure he was right, "She's taking children whose parents did something wrong; in penance for their wrongs she's punishing them through their kids."
"Which is why she took Marie," Jo whispered and the brothers both turned to her; it was the first she'd spoken since she'd begged Dean to save her, their, daughter. She was staring at a blemish in the carpet but she turned her gaze to the brothers, watching them fiercely.
"We have to find her." She got to her feet and when Dean reached for her she brushed past him and sat beside Sam, staring at the laptop intently for information. "Have you got anything on where she might be?"
Sam gaped at the woman beside him for a few moments, replaying the fact that she'd just ignored Dean over and over through his head. He almost wished that they still had their mind link so he could pry away her barriers and find out just what was wrong. Instead he let out a little shrug accompanied by a sigh as he gestured to his laptop.
"Nothing so far but I'm looking." He promised with a sad smile that lingered a little too long on his lips, proving that it was fake. Turning away from Jo, Sam started his research, unwittingly hearing the soft chime of the clock that marked 12 o'clock and the beginning of Christmas; 24 hours left to save his niece. He chanced a glimpse at the pair in the room and sighed; and maybe, just maybe, save the relationship that was breaking before him.
She is standing in a room. It's familiar. The walls are a pale blue and the bed that takes up the centre of the room is shaped like a car. Toys are abundant and scattered everywhere. As she watches, standing there helplessly, a lifetime flashes before her in flickering colours.
A small toddler, a girl, running around the room, her father running after her and laughing as he swings the child into the air.
Flash.
The same girl but about the age of seven. Another man with shoulder-length hair, her Uncle, sitting with the child on his lap as he reads her a story. She reads along with him and when they reach the end, she runs to the bookshelf and picks another.
Flash.
The car bed is gone. In its place is a normal single bed that is decorated in pink and purple linen. Most of the toys that once dominated the room and brought it to life are gone, replaced by makeup and accessories. The girl again. She is thirteen and is sitting on the bed, painting her nails. The woman watching the flashes turns to see her older-self walk in and begin to braid the girl's hair.
Flash.
Blood. There is blood everywhere. It coats the walls that are no longer blue but now a messy red. The carpeted floor is rich with it and when she looks up there is splatters of blood on the ceiling even. Standing in the middle of the room, where there had once been a bed, is her sixteen year-old daughter. Her eyes are black.
She is coated in blood as well and it drips from her skin, running in rivers to drip against the floor. She is barefoot and dressed in only a white dress that once could have been considered innocent but not anymore. Not with the red blood staining it and destroying the purity of the girl.
In her hand is a knife, curved and bloody, a tad on the rusty side. The girl tilts her head and smiles at her.
"What's the matter, mummy? You don't think I look pretty like this?" The girl glances down at her dress and smiles like it is the greatest thing ever.
"Sweetie…" She reaches out for her lost child, hoping that she will breach the gap and they will hug.
Before she can even consider it, a monster with black eyes walks past her and comes to stand next to their daughter. It wraps an arm around her shoulders, like it is proud of her. It turns and grins at her, mirroring the bloody smile on its daughter's face.
"No, please!" She screams, still reaching out desperately.
"You can't save her," The monster sneers, ruffling her hair proudly. She is beginning to cry and she uses the hand that had been stretched out to wipe away the tears angrily.
"I don't want this for her. I don't want her to turn into a-a," She can't seem to finish the sentence so the monster finishes it for her.
"A monster?" It scoffs, running a hand through its messy brown hair. "This is how you'll raise her; in a life of destruction, fire and death."
She goes to scream in defiance but there is a placating hand on her shoulder and she turns to look. It is a woman, older than her, with brown-blonde hair and eyes just like her own; mellow brown.
The woman smiles a little and whispers to her, almost like she is sharing a silly secret but no-one else is allowed to know. "Being a mother isn't easy. You never know if you got it right or not." The woman moves her hand to her face, brushing back a lock of golden hair. "But give a little love, Sweetie, and you'll be fine."
The woman backs away till she is standing to her right.
"Mom?" She wants to stand beside the woman but she knows that comes with a price so she turns back to the pair before her; the monster and her little girl.
"Please don't do this; I don't wanna hurt you." She begs and as before, another voice joins the group, somewhere to her left. She turns to it and there is her guardian Angel with his shoulder-length brown hair.
"You have to kill them," He demands, gesturing wildly to the black-eyed duo. "They're monsters." He takes a commanding step towards her, focusing all his attention on her with kaleidoscopic green eyes. "It's the job and you know it."
She listens to her guardian and then, when he has finished talking, she turns back to face front. Slowly, she looks at all those surrounding her; they are her family and she must choose.
The monster and her daughter; accept what will happen and surrender.
The woman; that even in the darkest of times, Love will always triumph.
Her guardian; fight for all it's worth and do the job right.
She is torn, unable to decide so she looks at their features, judging their expressions for their worth. She will be the Judge, Jury and Executer in this place.
They are unmoving and both smile that leering smile, covered in blood while their black eyes glisten with hatred.
She is smiling kindly, not making any gesture to rush the processions as if she knows that the right choice will be made.
And he? He is wearing an expression of rage and fire, willing to murder those closest to him to finish the job.
Looking upon these four, she smiles lightly at each one; she knows what she will choose. She has always known, really. Deep down within her very being.
So she turns to the woman, her mother. "I will love my daughter no matter what." She smiles back in return with a light bow of her head.
To the black-eyed monsters that mean more to her than anything. "I will accept her for anything she becomes." She looks her daughter intently in the dark depths of her eyes before moving on.
Finally she is confronting her guardian Angel. "And if I must, I will take her down." He seems to glare at her for a moment but it is soon replaced with a placated and content smile.
She is watching her family, at ease for the first time in a long while. As she feels the nails of reality digging into her brain, pulling her to the real world, the woman's face suddenly hardens and she points an accusing finger at her.
"If I ever come back to life… I'll kill that boy for touching you." Her mother raises an eyebrow challengingly and everyone knows whom she is threatening.
Light everywhere and she feels herself waking up. But not before a little boy, maybe eight, runs into the room and shrieks.
"Daddy! Marie!" And runs for the two monsters, one of whom raises her bloody knife with a cruel smile.
"NO!"
Yawning like a lion, Sam scrolled further down the internet page, barely feeling the tingles in his arm as Jo's sleeping weight made it fill with pins and needles. He couldn't see him but he could hear Dean in the kitchen, guzzling down alcohol like it would save him.
Sam sighed and shifted slightly, nudging Jo from her slumber without realising it. She lay there for a few moments, staring blearily at his laptop before her gaze zoned in on the clock in the bottom-right corner; 6:30.
Joanna sat up suddenly, refusing to follow her body's wants and needs to stretch, leaning closer to the laptop. She also seemed to ignore the fat cat that had been napping on her lap as he jumped to the floor, stalking away.
"Found anything yet?" She turned slightly to Sam but kept her sight on the screen, intently reading what was there even though she found no sense to it. With a gentle push, Sam moved her away from the laptop and continued to read at a fast pace.
"No." He breathed with a sigh of disappointment. Jo grimaced angrily, running a hand through her messy, golden tresses in frustration.
She glanced around the room before snapping back to Sam with a question in her eyes, "Where's Dean?"
Sam looked up with her and he nodded towards the kitchen, "Drinking himself to death." He muttered dryly, missing the look of hopelessness on Jo's face when he said this. She sighed from beside him and stood up without another word as she made her way to the kitchen.
Sam didn't acknowledge her absence, just kept reading; he knew he was close, he could feel it.
"Dean?" Joanna called out softly, finding the man in question sitting on one of the bar stools that surrounded the centre island. He was slumped forward on the bench, an almost empty bottle of beer in his hands, a few empty shots glasses and some alcoholic beverage in a bottle before him.
Jo walked forward cautiously but he didn't even acknowledge her presence so she leaned her hip against the island and looked down at him thoughtfully. While she watched him, he downed the rest of his beer and reached for a shot glass and the bottle. Only Jo's small hand on his seemed to stop him.
Finally his fanfiction green eyes looked up and locked with hers. The breath seemed to escape from Jo's lungs as she saw the hurt, guilt, regret and anger there, openly shown for her to witness. He shook his head lightly as Jo put her other hand to his cheek but after a moment he leaned into the contact with a sigh.
Keeping his gaze on her, Jo said softly, "You carry all kinds of crap you don't have to, Dean." Brushing her thumb reassuringly over his cheek, lightly dusting it across his lips so that he sighed and closed his eyes. "She didn't disappear because of just you."
Jo offered up a forced smile as Dean blearily opened his eyes to stare at her. Dean would have scoffed but he kept that down as he twisted their hands on the island bench so he held hers in his palm and intertwined their fingers.
"I am 90% crap. It's all on me," He shook slightly but before that even registered with Jo, Dean was smiling up at her coyly, "You could make nuns look bad just by being in the same room as them." He poked fun at her innocent demeanour and she let her mouth drop open even as the corner of her lips curled into a smile. Jo pulled her hand from his face and gently shoved him in the chest.
"I'm not a school girl anymore." Jo admonished, shifting her feet as Dean flicked her hair away from her face, twirling one of the locks between his fingers. He raised an eyebrow at her seriously.
"You could pull off the pigtails though, School Girl." Dean grinned up at her as Jo began to laugh quietly, dipping forward for a quick kiss that seemed to hold all her fears. Dean snaked his hand more firmly into Joanna's hair, pulling her closer to him, fighting to hold back his own fears in that moment by drowning himself in her presence.
"Guys!" Sam's voice cut them off and Jo pulled back hesitantly, missing his presence instantly. Dean rose to his feet beside her and he drew her after him by their joined hands towards Sam.
"What is it?" He asked gruffly, running his free hand over the light stubble that graced his jawline. Sam looked up, promptly noting their intertwined hands and smiling a bit to himself before returning his attention to the laptop.
"I think I know where Grýla is," The middle Winchester brother smiled self-satisfactorily to himself as he looked at the couple in front of him and their hopeful expressions. Not wanting to waste another moment, Sam forded on.
"The lore states that on Christmas Eve, Grýla will collect the guilty, misbehaving children and punish them on Christmas by eating them. She would live off their misdeeds." He looked up and stopped at the blanching look on Jo's face as she thought about her daughter. He grimaced apologetically.
"It says that she eats the children while the sun is setting and that the only way to kill her is with-"
"But where is she?" Jo cut over him impatiently, shifting her feet anxiously.
Sam glanced at his laptop to confirm his findings, "She's at the old abandoned warehouse near the river. Legend says that she enjoys the dark and dilapidated and also finds strength from the flowing water because it washes away all the misdemeanours of the children after she devours them." Again, he felt regret at his choice of words when he looked at Jo but he shrugged it aside. Too late to take them back now.
Nodding slowly at the rush of information, Dean looked at Sam, "So how do we gank her?"
Not knowing why his little brother glanced slyly at their Christmas tree, Dean waited patiently for the reply.
"She can only be killed with a branch of Evergreen through her heart."
And suddenly Dean was wearing the same mischievous grin that adorned Sam's face as the brothers turned to the Evergreen Christmas tree brightening the room. Jo, for all her knowledge and wisdom, didn't understand what they were on about until she remembered a distinct memory of Dean wanting a real Christmas tree and her obliging with an Evergreen.
Following their gaze to the tree that she had spent hours on perfecting, Jo felt a rumbling protest in her stomach but then her gaze fell on the Angel atop the tree and the tiny trench coat Sam had put on it. Her eyes wandered lower to the decoration Dean had made; a Christmas-themed photo frame with Dean and Marie Ella smiling out of it. She stared at the image of her daughter for a moment, remembering how the sound of Dean and Marie's laughter had filled the air just before the camera captured the father-daughter moment.
Looking back to the brothers, Jo put one hand on her hip and pursed her lips, "So what are we waiting for?"
They were armed. Armed and ready for anything.
Jo had her shotgun in her hands, a stripped branch of Evergreen tucked into the loop of her jeans like a sword. She stood just outside of the Impala, waiting impatiently for the brothers to get into gear as she stared at the looming warehouse.
It was old and decrepit, mould sneaking its way from the base to the rafters. Boards were broken here and there, rotted through and the front door had once been padlocked shut but that had rusted away to mere nothings. Each window was broken, most likely from vandals and vagrants.
All of this Jo took in before Sam and Dean were at her side; they both had their handguns out, the Evergreen in their other hand. She glanced over them both and went to say something before she heard something that broke her to the core; her baby girl crying.
With nary a thought to the consequences, Jo took off for the warehouse, Sam and Dean quick on her heels. Her shoulder collided with the broken front door and she tumbled through, lifting the shotgun.
By the light that poured through the holes in the walls and roof, the sun streaming through broken windows, a horrific scene was laid out before the trio.
Little Marie Ella was in a cage that would only be fit for a savage beast and even then that would be stretching the limitations. It was rusty beyond compare, flaking sharp and deadly pieces of metal. A big, chunky, brand new padlock kept it closed. Marie, in her one-piece pyjamas, stood shakily on her feet, clinging to the bars. Jo practically flinched when she thought of all the rust and poison that could be seeping through her daughter's blood stream from the prison.
In the centre of the warehouse, directly beneath a shaft of light was a typical witch-style cauldron, large enough to hold a child in if what the legends spoke of were true. Water was boiling in its depths, steaming and spitting from the heat the orange flames roiled its way.
Several general items littered the area around the cauldron; a large, wooden ladle- a crusted bowl- filthy, ragged blankets and clothes- and a crate. Dark stains splattered the floor like a bad dream.
Hunched over the cage, staring greedily down at Marie was the hag. She reached out a curled nail for the toddler, running it down her cheek and leaving a faint, red mark.
"Don't touch her!" Jo roared, cocking the shotgun and holding it against her hip as she aimed the barrel for Grýla. The hag whipped around and like that, a mirage flowed over her.
Where the hag stood there was now a beautiful young woman; her black, curled tresses were pinned into an elaborate bun that left pieces trailing over her golden, tan skin. Blue eyes that seemed to spark with mischief were watching them intently above a delicate, button nose and ruby-red, cupid-bow shaped lips.
The dress that hugged her curves was black with streaks of red racing down its figure. It swayed and swished as she walked towards them, revealing just a hint of the tall high-heels she wore to accentuate her height and bearing.
Without even blinking an eye, the brothers joined Jo in wielding their guns at Grýla. She smiled tauntingly at them, shooting a glance over her shoulder at Marie before looking the parents up and down.
"Well, well. You certainly do make a handsome brood." She chuckled softly, allowing her manicured nails to click together. "I bet she'll taste delicious." She stopped not far from the trio yet she kept herself between them and the child.
Tilting her head to look at them, she wrapped an arm around her waist, holding the elbow of her other arm so that her fingers could drum a pattern across her lips.
"Save the chit-chat for later. We want Marie." Dean snarled, thumbing back the hammer of his handgun. Grýla sniffed the air distastefully.
"I don't like guns; they're ever so painful. And they happen to leave blemishes in my clothes," She picked at her dress, "Do you know how hard it is to find something that matches me in this day and age?" She sighed at their silence, resuming her position daintily.
When she went to speak again, Jo cut over her. "Just give us back our daughter and we'll let you go."
In the face of the warning promise, Grýla laughed, "Let me go? Oh, you must think me a fool. I know you better than you might think; after all, the Winchesters are famous amongst us monsters." She spoke the word like it was a bad taste in her mouth. "No, I have a better idea." She took a few steps forward, ignoring the guns that trailed her.
She stopped next to Sam, reaching out to drag her nail down his cheek. He pulled away sharply but she was already walking back towards Marie, staring down at the child with unabridged hunger. She looked over her shoulder at them, licking her lips.
"At the coming of sunset, I will devour your child in penance for your sins and then as an after-course, I will feast on the brother and relish in his misdeeds." She shivered lightly, letting her eyes roll into her head as she let out a breathy whimper, already imagining the tastes.
Grýla sucked on her lower lip lightly enough to bring the blood rushing to it before her eyes snapped open with a grin. The next thing the trio saw were her nails elongating into claws as she tore her way towards them, hissing like a cat possessed.
The brothers went to work, blocking the attacks that Grýla sent their way and responding; they fought with synchronised minds, anyone would think, by the way Dean would take a swing at Grýla and Sam would finish the move that his brother had started. They went on in this fashion, their handguns forgotten on the ground from where their opponent had batted them to.
The Evergreen branches swung fiercely, sometimes nicking Grýla, other times missing her by a long shot. She never seemed to let them linger too close to her heart. The fight took them all across the warehouse, bringing them in a roundabout circle back to the cauldron.
With the fight raging around her, Jo ran to the animal cage. She put her hands through the bars and hugged Marie tight.
"Marie, Marie, Marie. Sweetie." She smiled through her tears and she could hear Marie's own tears slowly vanishing as she relished the hug from her mother. Pulling back and aching as Marie Ella started to cry at the loss of contact, Jo set to work on the cage.
It was rusted beyond belief and had left brown stripes across her skin and clothes from the lightest of touches. When Joanna tried tugging at the metal it bent slightly but not enough to break or make a gap for Marie to get through.
"Mumma," Marie reached through the bars and Jo quickly grabbed her hand, pressing a kiss to it. She looked around, searching for anything. And so her gaze fell to the giant, wooden ladle. Jo snatched it up and took in a deep breath before putting it through the bars and leaning back.
She dug her heels into the cement floor, using the ladle to lever the metal out of place and create a gap. She bent one bar to the left then started on the next one and bent it to the right. Just as it widened enough, the ladle snapped in half which didn't concern Jo so it was tossed to the side.
"Marie." Jo reached through the gap and grabbed her daughter, lifting her through and free. She fell back, Marie cradled against her chest as she cried out in relief; she was safe.
Crashes. A curse.
Jo looked up, watching from an upside-down perspective as Sam was sent flying, Grýla throwing his broken Evergreen to the side as she confronted Dean.
"Marie, sweetheart, Mummy wants you to stay here." Jo gently put Marie on her own two feet, backing away slowly. The little girl burst into tears and Jo rushed to quiet her, whispering sweet nothings.
"It's okay, it's okay. Mummy will be back," She smiled and wiped away Marie's tears before turning away. She would have to be quick before Marie cried out again.
"Son of a bitch!" Grýla had managed to twist Dean's own Evergreen branch around and it was pierced shallowly into his side. His hands were wrapped around the branch over hers, pushing against her strength to remove the timber.
"Hey!" Jo shouted all her rage, the Evergreen clutched so tightly in her fist that she could feel a tiny trickle of blood. Grýla turned to her with a hiss and shoved Dean away. Breathing as calmly as she could, Jo ran forward and Grýla crouched, ready for action.
Clearing her mind, Jo feinted to the left and Grýla followed after her. So when Jo darted back to the right, the monster was awfully confused and the huntress snapped the Evergreen around and through Grýla's heart.
"No…" She mumbled, looking down at the branch through her chest with such a confused expression. This wasn't how it worked. She was supposed to win. "No, no, no."
"Oh yes." Joanna snarled and she shoved Grýla back into her own burning, bubbling cauldron. Screams filled the air and there was a shimmer upon the wind as the beauty before them faded to reveal the old hag. Her high-pitched shrieks turned to gargling bellows that eventually drifted to silence.
"Mumma!" Marie screamed, running as fast as her tiny legs could carry her. Jo crouched to scoop her daughter into her arms, rising back up to a stand. She pressed her face against Marie's hair, just breathing her in. Laughter bubbled up and Jo laughed again and again, not stopping.
She spun on the spot, spinning Marie in her arms and listening to her daughter's shrieks of laughter. Strong arms enfolded Jo's waist and Dean was there, he was laughing with them and pressing kisses to Marie's face and Jo's lips.
While the trio swayed on the spot, Sam stood to the side and he smiled kindly before turning away and walking away to the car. So he never saw Jo run up behind him and tackle his back. All he felt were her arms wrap around him in a tight hug.
"Thank you." She whispered and he nodded.
"No problem."
Pulling away with a cheesy grin, Jo held out her hand and Dean walked up to take it. She stretched out her other arm, the crook of her elbow offered to Sam. With a laugh he linked his arm with hers and the trio left the warehouse, Marie tucked safely against her father's chest, deep asleep.
"Open this one!" Jo shoved a brightly wrapped present in Dean's face eagerly. He began to unwrap it slowly, carefully peeling away the wrapping paper in a way that made Jo impatient.
"Hurry up!" She whined, taking a moment to bounce the toddler in her lap and offer her a drink of water.
Sam burst out laughing as Dean finally opened his present to reveal a tool kit. He clapped Jo on the back for her good job in finding the perfect gift. Dean crowed in joy, putting the tool kit down and reaching over to kiss Jo.
"For my baby!" He laughed and dove into the pile of presents beneath the destroyed Evergreen Christmas tree to emerge victorious with a badly-wrapped gift. He chucked it at Sam who caught it deftly before pulling off the wrapping paper with ease. He scoffed and held up the contents to show the others.
"Really Dean?" He held up the Busty Asian Beauties magazines with a sceptical raise of his eyebrow.
His older brother smiled back cheekily and shrugged, "God knows it's the only action you'll ever get." He smirked as Sam sighed in mock exasperation.
"Gif!" Marie shrieked suddenly, reaching towards the pile of presents. Her father obliged by handing the toddler a large present that she tore into. She ripped away the wrapping to reveal a small trike, Batman style.
With glee evident in her smile and laughter, Marie Ella dove at the wrapping paper and began shredding it further, throwing it into the air like confetti. Dean blinked at her, looking at the trike then back to his daughter.
"But… Batman?" He just continued to stare at Marie even as Jo and Sam burst out laughing. Marie relished the attention, showing off her growing teeth when she grinned.
Smiling back at her, Dean scooped her up suddenly and tickled her belly. She giggled and wormed about, trying to escape.
Jo sighed happily, staring around at the three surrounding her. She tilted her head before reaching out a hand to Dean and stilling his movements. He put Marie back down amongst the wrappings and even Sam looked over at Jo's nervous face.
Marie stopped destroying everything for a moment to stare up at the silence.
"Guys?" Jo looked around at them all before grabbing Dean's hand and pressing it to her stomach.
"I'm pregnant."
And that's it. Now, I don't imagine that I'll update this and continue it. You'll just have to use your imagination as I;m currently working on sooo many different stories for different fandoms... But if I ever do decide to do so, in the far future when I'm 30, single and have 11 cats (already got 1) then I'll be sure to let you know.