A late Christmas story

My entry for SSA's Dean and pie fanfiction contest.

One-shot

Sam is 10, Dean is 14.

Merry Christmas everyone!

It wasn't a good Christmas for the boys that year. Sam had been grumpy, really grumpy and it was getting on Dean's nerves. He couldn't blame him though. Same time last year innocent, little Sammy had learned the truth about their family, about the things hiding in the dark. It was a tough memory for the ten year old and all the decorations were terrible reminders. Unfortunately, Sam's general bad mood and frustration had no particular direction and the kid tended to snap at anyone for the smallest of things.

And that was how the whole thing started. Poor Dean was just trying to cheer up his little brother but somewhere along the way he had said the wrong thing and it all went to hell after that. By the time they finished fighting both boys had forgotten what had started it in the first place. But they sure were pissed. In fact, that was quite an understatement. Dean was mad at his brother for being a "bratty little bitch" as he had said and Sam was just mad because his brother was tipping him off.

So Christmas Eve found the boys as separated as they could be in the small, filthy motel room. The older boy was watching TV on the couch while the youngest was reading a book, sneaking a peek every now and then at his tense brother, his expression showing more and more regret each time. It was Christmas Eve and for the 10 year old boy that meant a lot, even considering the events of last year. So the last thing he needed was for him and Dean to spent that special day like that. Especially when it was his fault. The kid was full of guilt and Dean wouldn't even look at him.

Sam knew he had to fix it somehow. Had to do something special for his big brother.

Too bad he had no idea what that special thing was.

"Hey, Dean?", he asked, his voice small with hesitation.

"What?" his brother snapped but missed the flinch on the boy's face.

"I… I'm going to go out ok?"

Well that definitely caught his attention. He spun around immediately, facing Sam with an incredulous look on his face. Sam widened his eyes at him, waiting for whatever hell he was going to give him.

"Have you lost your mind, Sam?" His tone was harsh but the kid wouldn't back down. He had to figure out a way to make it up to Dean and there was no way he'd manage to do that stuck in that motel room. "You're not going anywhere alone and there's no way I'm going out now unless it's an emergency. End of discussion". Dean stated and turned away from him once again.

"Relax, Dean. I'm only going to go to the store across the street. I'm sure I'll be fine".

"Don't ever be sure, Sammy". He still wasn't facing him. "And besides what the hell do you want from the store?"

I want to find something special to make you forgive me in time for Christmas? Yeah, he couldn't really say that aloud.

"Um.. Well… It's almost Christmas. I want to check the decorations. You know, the ones we never can afford?" Well, that was the wrong thing to say.

"Sam…" Dean warned.

"Hey, I'm not saying anything" he was quick to defend himself, raising his hands, palms open in a sign of peace even though Dean wasn't looking at him. "I just want to see them. Please? I'm sure you'd like me to get out of your feet for a while".

Dean smirked at the idea. Truth was he could use a little break. Ten minutes without Sam would be awesome after being stuck in this damn motel room for three days, especially when they weren't on speaking terms.

"Fine. Go ahead, observe the decorations, Samantha. But be careful. And don't talk to strangers".

"Yeah, coz they may be monsters", Sam said sarcastically, while putting on his jacket.

"It's not funny, Sam", Dean growled.

"I know, Dean. Trust me, I know". And after last year's events, Dean didn't doubt it.

He still remembered that night no matter how much he didn't want to. His brother's teary eyes, his scared voice, his despair… Dean shook his head at the memory. He couldn't protect Sammy from the truth but he was damn certain he wasn't going to let anything harm his brother. Not while he was still standing. Even at moments when he was pissed at him.

Therefore Dean was starting to get extremely worried when fifteen minutes later Sam hadn't returned.

He was beginning to feel uncomfortable at fifteen minutes. When they reached twenty he stopped paying attention to the movie on TV and began pacing around the room. At twenty five he began peeking out of the window waiting to see a mop of chestnut brown hair. All anger forgotten the only thing Dean wanted at the moment was to see his brother again.

After exactly half an hour Dean had had enough. He was going to get his jacket when the door finally opened. Dean was sure he had never heard a sweeter sound than his brother's hesitant voice.

"Dean…? I'm home…" he said, flinching at the sound the plastic bag made. It was supposed to be a surprise.

"Sammy! Where the hell have you been? I…" he trailed off, noticing the white plastic bag on his brother's hand and the look on his face that screamed busted. "… Sam, what is that?'

"A… peace offering?" Sam half smiled at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, coming closer to his brother. What was the little shit up to this time?

"I… Look, Dean I've been an idiot and… it kind of sucks being bored at Christmas Eve so… this is a… peace offering? Truce?" The boy gave his brother his puppy dog eyes on full force, hoping his time spent at the store was worth it. And what if Dean didn't like what he brought him? Dean had never tried that thing but Sam couldn't find anything else to get him.

"Depends", Dean smiled smugly even though he secretly knew there was no way he was going to be mad at his brother after that look he gave him.

"On what?"

"What'd you get me?"

Sammy's chuckle made a satisfactory grin appear on Dean's face. Yeah, they were so definitely going to make up.

Sam shyly offered his brother the bag, surprising him with his tense behavior. But what if he doesn't like it? Sam thought over and over again while Dean emptied the bag, to find a box and much to Sam's amusement smell it suspiciously.

"What is it?" he asked heading towards the little kitchen's table.

"A… dessert", he shrugged, trying to hide how much anxious he was to see the older boy's reaction.

Finally opening the box, Dean raised an eyebrow at his brother. "Pie, Sammy? Really?"

"It's blueberry pie…" he said as if that might make a difference. "And you… you never know, Dean", Sam added, chuckling nervously. "You might like it".

"Do you like it?" His tone was somewhere between curiosity and disbelief. Dean should have known better than to be prejudiced like that.

"No… But you always complain about lack of good desserts and well… pie is on the menu of a lot of diners so who knows? It might solve your problem…" the young boy tried to reason, already regretting his decision. Ok, next time he was getting his brother Snickers. Screw something special.

"Yeah, I guess…" Dean muttered, grabbing a fork. He knew Sam had given a lot of thought to that so the least he could do was to give it a shot. But that thing had better be worth almost having a heart attack at fourteen when the kid was late to come back.

Sam watched with interest as his brother tried the pie, chewing it with a thoughtful look on his face. And then Dean's eyes widened dangerously, so much Sam thought they would fall out of their sockets. It was kind of freaking the kid out.

"SON OF A BITCH!" he shouted at some point. Sam backed off further on his chair, his eyes wide and staring at his brother.

"What? What is it?" the young boy asked.

"That is the single most awesome thing I have ever eaten!" Dean shouted with so much excitement, so much adoration for the pie that Sam just burst out laughing right then and there.

"And imagine you were complaining about it five minutes ago", he said while trying to breathe through his laughing.

"Complaining? Would I ever do that about this piece of heaven?"

"Wow".

"Where did you get it? Show me! Come on! We need to get more!"

So just like that Dean grabbed his brother by the arm and dragged him all the way to the store, ignoring the peacefully falling snow and the amused stares from the people around them. All the while Sammy was laughing his heart out, happy that he and his brother were finally going along after a while (or more like running along).

And that is the story of the first time Dean Winchester ever tasted his love, also known as PIE. Needless to say, the boys spent the rest of the week eating said dessert… all the time… That night they had literally bought every pie the store had and when those were consumed, they bought more until their father finally came back. Sam's taste buds had suffered such a shock that week he never enjoyed it as much as his brother. In fact he hardly ate it at all after that. Ironically enough, he never managed to successfully bring Dean his favorite dessert either.

By the time John was back there was no sign of what had happened. But he would always wonder where all their money had gone that week…

Thanks for reading! Hope you liked it! Let me know what you think!