SUPERNATURAL – A HOLLY JOLLY WINCHESTER CHRISTMAS EVE

When I was a kid, Christmas Eve night was so exciting. I couldn't sleep, far too excited for Christmas morning, seeing what Santa and his reindeers had brought and whether he had eaten the mince pie I'd left for him. Oh, and wondering which reindeer ate the carrot I left, cos' I imagine Rudolph couldn't eat all the carrots the children left for him!

As I got older, it changed. I became a hunter after I lost my sister to a demon. Mum and Dad were always worried for my safety, but I made sure to come home for Christmas. And I kept my word. But this year, it's different again. I had no call from them.

I was in New York on a vacation, but I was soon sucked into the hunting life again. That's when I met Sam and Dean Winchester, two of the bravest hunters I've ever met. I'd heard all the stories about them, and I really looked up to them. It was like a fangirl meeting their hero, not gonna lie.

But anyway, we worked together on many cases and we became really close friends. Not only did we hunt together, but we also had fun together.

It's now Christmas Eve, my first Christmas away from home. Sam and Dean had asked me if I'd like to spend Christmas with them, so I wouldn't have to spend it alone.

"It's the worst time of year to be alone," Dean pointed out. "I figured you'd like to spend it with us, perhaps?"

"I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to, but we'd really love your company," Sam said.

I smiled. "I'd love to spend Christmas with you," I told them, "Thank you."

So, here I am, in the bunker. I'd spent the whole day making the bunker look even more festive. Sam and I decorated the tree together, hanging little baubles on the branches and chatting away. I then went to my room and brought a collection of brightly wrapped parcels and placed them under the tree. Sam and I observed our handiwork.

"Looks beautiful," I said. I breathed in the scent of the pine. "Reminds me of home."

"But something's missing…" Sam wondered. He smirked, pulling out an angel from the box of decorations. The angel had bright blue eyes and blonde hair.

Now, Sam could have easily put the angel on the tree himself, but he didn't. He turned to me, and, with no warning, picked me up, sitting me on his shoulder. How his shoulder didn't buckle under my weight, I'll never know. Sam watched as I put the angel on the tree, holding me tight as I did so. He then caught me in his arms and put me back down as I looked at the tree.

"That's better," he grinned.

Dean then came through, holding three mugs in his hands. He put them down on the table before looking at the tree. He smiled, his cheeks adorned with a rosy glow.

"The tree looks great, guys," he said.

He then started playing Christmas songs at a rather high volume, all of us singing along and dancing around the bunker, forgetting about life outside the bunker walls, banishing the demons away.

Then my favourite song came on. 'Holly Jolly Christmas'. It always made me smile and got me in the Christmas spirit. Dean had tucked something up his jumper, and he held it above his head next to me. I looked up and laughed.

"Mistletoe," I laughed.

Dean's eyes then grew wide like the lonely pup in a Christmas shop. I smiled, pulling him closer and kissing his lips. He then held it above me and Sam.

Sam blushed a little as he looked at me. Without warning, he then picked me up so we were both in line with the mistletoe, and he tenderly kissed my lips before putting me back down.

"Well, I say we should watch a Christmas movie," Dean said, dropping onto the couch.

"I agree. What do you think, Sam?" I said, joining Dean.

"I think it's a great idea," Sam said, "but I don't know…"

"What we should watch?" Dean finished the sentence, turning Netflix on.

"Can we watch The Polar Express?" I asked shyly.

"That's not a bad idea," Dean's face lit up.

Dean found it on Netflix and turned it on. Suddenly, Sam went off to the kitchen.

"Sammy?" Dean called, a little confused.

Sam came back with a can of squirty cream in his hand. And mini marshmallows.

"You didn't think you could get away with making hot chocolate and forgetting the cream, did you?" he smirked at Dean. Sam squirted some on top of his drink, before sprinkling some marshmallows on top.

"You want some?" he asked me.

"Sure," I said. Sam squirted some cream on my drink and sprinkled some marshmallows on top. "Thank you," I smiled. Sam smiled back, before turning to Dean.

"Dean?"

"I don't want any on my drink… I want it in here!" He pointed to his comically open mouth.

Sam rolled his eyes and laughed. "Alright, seeing as its Christmas…"

Sam got up and moved to be next to his brother. He shook the can up and held the nozzle towards his brother.

"Okay, open wide, Dean," Sam laughed.

Dean opened his mouth and Sam squirted some cream into his mouth. He closed his mouth once it was full of cream, looked at his brother and couldn't contain his laughter. He spluttered a little… And some of the cream went flying into Sam's face. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Early Christmas present," Dean laughed.

Sam wiped the cream off his face with his hands, licking it off his fingers with a smile.

"Tastes good," he smiled. "Thanks, Dean," he laughed.

Sam settled down beside us and pulled up a blanket as we watched The Polar Express. I could tell Dean hadn't seen it by his reactions to everything. I snuggled down, drinking hot chocolate and basking in Sam and Dean's company.

Once the film finished, I swore I heard the flutter of wings. I furrowed my brow and turned to Sam and Dean, my ears pricked.

"Did you hear that?"

"That flutter?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, it sounded like…"

"Wings. Angel wings," Dean answered. He turned around and jumped up off the couch. Sam and I stood up. Behind us was, indeed, an angel. An angel with dark-blonde hair and whiskey-brown eyes.

"Merry Christmas!" he said enthusiastically.

"Gabriel?" Sam wondered aloud.

"What are you doing here?" Dean asked.

"Well, pardon me for spreading some festive cheer!"

I was shocked. "Gabriel… As in, the archangel?"

Gabriel smirked. "Guilty." He held his hands up with a grin.

"Oh, God…"

"What?" Sam asked, turning to me, "What is it?"

"Well, you know about the Nativity story, right?"

"I was there!" Gabriel said like a child. "Yeah, I had a leading role in that. Don't know why schools cast girls to play me in their Nativities, though. I mean, a dude could play me just as well…"

"I played the Archangel Gabriel… well, you, I guess, in a school Nativity once."

"I saw," he smirked. "You were the best of the lot."

I blushed. "Thanks, Gabriel."

"How come you're here?" I asked. "Oh, God, I'm not gonna…"

"No, you're not having a baby," Gabriel laughed.

"Thank goodness!"

"I just came to say merry Christmas to you guys. Oh, and I left you all a little something. It's under the tree. But do not open it til' tomorrow. Alright?"

We smiled. "Well, thank you," Sam smiled. "That's kind of you."

He then looked up. I followed his gaze, and saw a little sprig of mistletoe that had just formed above him and me. I looked and saw the passion in Gabriel's eyes.

I laughed a little, Gabriel's eyes growing wide. I leant towards him and kissed him on the cheek. He then caught me and spun me, passionately kissing me on the lips, like in the old movies.

He smiled as he pushed me back up.

"Merry Christmas," he smiled.

Then, Gabriel disappeared.

"This has been the best Christmas eve in years!" I told Sam and Dean as we settled back down on the couch. I noticed something under the tree. It looked like…

"Is that a trench-coat?" I asked.

Dean walked over, picking it up and staring at it.

"That means that…" he started.

"More angels," Sam said to me.

"Merry Christmas."

We turned around, and there was a dark-haired blue-eyed angel behind us. Dean rushed over and hugged him. The angel looked a little shocked, but he hugged Dean back.

"Cas! You came for Christmas, I hope?"

"It's Christmas eve," Cas said. "But yes, I'll be here for Christmas."

Sam came forward and hugged Cas too. "Glad you're here," Sam told him.

Cas then turned to me. He walked forward, his blue eyes staring.

Sam placed a hand on my shoulder. "This is Castiel, he's also an angel."

Cas held my hand in both his hands. "It's so good to meet you." He then turned to Dean. "Why is she in the bunker, may I ask?"

"Well, her parents haven't called, so we asked her if she wanted to spend Christmas with us."

"That's very noble of you, Sam, Dean. Real essence of the Christmas spirit. But your parents are coming for Christmas."

I stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"They'll be coming here. I'll make sure of it. I'll make sure they come."

I flung my arms around him.

"Castiel! You're the best, thank you so much!"

Cas broke away and smiled. "You're welcome."

He then looked at Dean's face, and wiped his finger against the corner of Dean's mouth.

"What have you been doing?" he asked with furrowed brows. "What is this solution?"

I laughed, wondering what Cas was really thinking it was.

"It's only whipped cream, Cas!"

"Oh…"

Sam joined in laughing as Cas licked his finger.

"Why would you eat this?"

We all laughed together as we all settled back down on the couch. I curled up with the Winchesters as Cas perched awkwardly on the end.

"Are you our Christmas gift from Gabriel?" Dean smirked.

"No. I'm nobody's gift…"

"Well, you're a gift to us," Sam smiled. "We were about to put on another movie, you want to join us, Cas?"

"I'd love to. Thanks," he smiled back.

We all settled down, me curling up to Sam, Cas shuffling a little closer to Dean as The Nightmare Before Christmas started to play.

How lucky I was to spend Christmas with the people I loved. Not only my actual family, who would be arriving with Castiel tomorrow, but my second family.

What a Holly Jolly Christmas this truly would be.