A/N: So this is the last of my season stories. This one is for you BP, DR and CF, you bring out happiness and love to many, especially for me. Hope everyone enjoys this short one. Let me know with a comment. NC
Disclaimer: Don't own SPN, this story is my own creation for the enjoyment of others.
The snow the night before had turned the landscape into a picturesque perfect scene. Snow blanketed every object that was out in the open giving it a crisp, clean look. The air still held a chill as flakes danced along on the small breeze blowing from the north. Trees limbs hung with a coating of sparkling white, making them seemed dressed for a ball. The snow glistened under the occasional rays of sun that filtered through the patchy clouds floating across the sky.
The forest had an eerie, almost, supernatural feel surrounding it, with its quietness and blankness of color except of an occasional splash of evergreen. The forest was void of its usual noises that were heard in nature as if all creatures, big and small had decided to stay home in a cozy nest, den or burrow. The only break in the silence was the crunch of footsteps in the snow.
The small boy trudged through the fluffy snow, walking in the footsteps of the older hunter trying to keep up. He looked up again and squinted as the brightness of the snow hurt his eyes. Small puffs of breathe could be seen with each exhale he made.
"Dee!" the younger boy called to his older brother who was not in sight anymore.
Not realizing he was being heard by the youngest Winchester, Bobby grumbled louder than he meant to.
"Where the hell is that hard headed brother of yours? Never listens to a thing I say." mumbled the grouchy old hunter. "I should leave his dumb ass out here and let him find his own way home."
"Uncle Bobby." Sam's voice quivered. "You wouldn't really leave Dee out here alone would you?"
Bobby looked around at the child following in his tracks and saw the frightened, panic look on his face. Huge tears filled his huge, hazel eyes as he stared up into his grizzled face. He could kick himself for saying that loud enough for the kid to hear. He knew how the young one clung to his older brother, with a fierceness he had never seen before. He wore his heart on his sleeve and showed every emotion on his small face. Not like his older brother who would pass out before letting you know anything was wrong. The boys were as different as night and day, but one thing was damn sure, one could not live without the other by their side.
"Awe Sam, I was just talkin', ya know I wouldn't leave him out here alone." Bobby said gently to the boy patting his covered head. "Now come on, let's see where he went and pick a tree so we can get home out of the cold. Hot chocolate sound good to you?"
"With marshmallows?" he asked smiling up through his tears.
"Of course."
"Uncle Bobby!" a male voice called from deeper into the trees. It echoed back making it hard to pinpoint the location it came from. "Over here!"
"Well at least he's alive and somewhere near." Bobby grumbled under his breath. "Come on squirt; let's find that ornery brother of yours."
Bobby turned and began to walk toward where he thought the boy's voice had come from letting the youngest continue to walk in his tracks behind him. After making his way through a patch of pine trees, he saw a red watch cap sticking up to the left.
"Dean, son you ok?" he called to him.
"Uncle Bobby, I found it, over here." a voice answered him before a face appeared from the other side of the tree.
"It's 'bout time, not like there's not a hun'red trees out here to choose from."
"Dee!" Sam called out to him pushing past the older man to reach his brother.
"Hey Sammy." Dean smiled down at him. "What do you think, perfect, right?"
Dean proudly stood by a small fir tree about his height that he had knocked the snow off its branches. Sam stood back and looked at the tree seeing an almost magical appearance to it. The shape couldn't have been more right and the size would make it easy to decorate.
"I like it. Uncle Bobby, look Dee found us a Christmas tree." Sam said with a huge grin plastered across his face making his dimples stand out on his red cheeks.
"I see that." Bobby agreed. "Well let's get this bugger cut down and back to the truck. I for one could use a strong, hot cup of coffee."
"Dee, Uncle Bobby said we could have hot chocolate with marshmallows." Sam told his brother, the excitement in his voice making the older hunter smile.
He never knew when he first laid eyes on these two rag muffins that they would have melted his heart and found a special place there in it. The older boy was much wiser than his eleven years of age and had lost his childhood the day his Momma died. You could see the knowledge in his eyes and also the hint of something more that a child his age should never have. Bobby knew he knew about the things in the dark and had probably seen more than most adults. And the youngest one, seven, still sheltered from the path his father had taken and the older knew about. His face a picture of innocent and wonder, always questioning everything. If only he could stay that way, but Bobby knew he would learn the truth way before he should, even if his brother did what he could to shield him from it. They had wormed their way right into his life before he knew what was going on. Now he looked forward to every chance he could to see the boys.
"Move back and let me get this tree cut down."
Bobby pulled a tree saw out of his jacket pocket and knelt down in the snow pushing branches out of the way to get the trunk. He began to saw the trunk near the ground with a steady back and forth motion. Dean bounced back and forth from one foot to the next in anticipation of having a real Christmas tree. Holidays were not happy times for the boys and they usually spent them alone in some crappy motel room with barely enough food to keep them alive. Both looked forward to the times they got to spend with Uncle Bobby knowing he let them be kids for a short time.
"Whew, ok. Dean lead the way, let's get it home and get out of this snow." Bobby said looking up as more snow began to fall from the darkening sky. "Watch out for yer brother."
"I know, that's my job." Dean said solemnly taking Sam's hand to help him troop back to the truck parked at the end of the forest.
Damn, that boy could be intense, Bobby thought as he shouldered the tree and followed them toward the truck.
spn
The coffee with a little shot of whiskey helped Bobby to ward off the chill from their excursion in the woods. He sat back propping his feet up as he watch the boys string popcorn for the tree. He had found an old tree stand stuck back in a corner in the attic and set the tree up in the corner near the kitchen doorway. Dean was helping Sam with his thread that had gotten tangled before going back to working on his own. He was amazed at the patience that boy had for his little brother. He never got impatient with him, nor got mad at him when he messed up. He was more a father to that boy than their real father was.
"I found some old Christmas balls and lights you can put on the tree Dean."
"Thanks Uncle Bobby, it's going to be the best tree ever."
"I bet it will be."
"Uncle Bobby, do you have an angel for the top?" Sam asked looking up from his popcorn string.
"No son, I don't think so, why?"
"All the trees I've seen have an angel on top. I asked my teacher about it and she said it was so they could watch over the family and proclaim the baby Jesus's birth. I thought we should have one to watch over us."
"Well, I guess that's right." he commented forgetting how serious the boy could be at times.
"So what you want for Christmas Sammy?" Dean asked.
Sam looked down at his hands and let out a short breath. "I want Daddy to be here with us for Christmas." he whispered softly as sadness settled around Sam.
Dean looked over at his brother before answering.
"You know Dad would be here if he could Sammy. He's out there doing his job, helping people." Dean told him bumping his shoulder to his little brother's shoulder trying to make him feel better.
"Dean, I'm gonna go see if there's any more decorations downstairs. You two stay here ok."
"Sure Uncle Bobby."
"When I get back I'll get us some dinner started."
spn
Bobby got up and headed toward the kitchen and the door for the basement. He went down the steps and over to a side door leading outside so he could make a cell phone call. Bobby dialed the number and waited for it to be answered. He growled madly when it went to voicemail.
"John Winchester you bastard, there ain't no monster more important than yer sons. Get your head outta your ass and get here for Christmas. If you care anythin' for them boys, you'll be sure you're here and give them the Christmas they deserve, you hear me." he huffed when he was cut off and hung up his phone. He hoped John would let go of his obsession for revenge long enough to actually be a father to his sons. Those boys needed their Dad if he would just see that.
spn
Bobby dug around for some wire and looked through his rags looking for an old tee shirt. He found what he needed and began to craft as best he could an angel for the top of the tree. After nearly thirty minutes, he leaned back and looked at his creation. It might not be the prettiest angel, but it looked pretty good with what he had to work with. Gathering up his creation, he lumbered to the steps and headed back to the living room and the two boys.
"Will this do for your tree topper?" Bobby asked Sam holding out his homemade angel.
Sam looked up at the angel in Bobby's hand and jumped to his feet to carefully take it from his hand. Sam's eyes sparkled with excitement as he looked up into the hunter's face.
"It's perfect Uncle Bobby."
Sam ran over to the tree and tried to get it on the top but was too short.
"Here squirt, let me help." Bobby offered picking him up and holding him close so he could set the angel on the branch that stretched up toward the ceiling. He sat the boy down and stepped back surveying it deciding it wasn't too bad.
"Come on Sammy, help me string the lights and popcorn and then we can put the balls on it."
"Ok." Sam said taking one end of the string of lights and working it into the tree limbs.
"Make sure the plug is where it can be plugged in Dean."
"Got it. Do you have an extension cord?"
"Yeah, in the pantry, hold on I'll get it."
The boys spent the rest of the late afternoon decorating the tree. Dean made sure that each ball was in just the right spot and the lights were spread out evenly throughout the tree. Bobby cooked dinner while the boys worked on decorating; occasionally glancing in when he heard a raised voice or something fall to be sure everything was ok.
spn
"Ok boys; let's eat while the food's hot and then we'll plug in the lights."
"Yea!" Sam cried. "Come on Dee, we gotta eat."
"I know Sammy I'm coming." Dean chuckled at his brother's excitement. It made him happy to be able to give Sam some semblance of what a real Christmas was like. He tried to be sure Sam had as normal life as he could provide for him.
"Ya know, ya gotta go to bed early tonight so Santa will come." Bobby told the small boy as he climbed into a chair at the table.
"Uncle Bobby, do you think Santa will be able to find us this year?" he asked the older man.
"What'd ya mean Sam?"
"Well, we don't have a home and other Christmas's we were in different motel rooms and he didn't find us 'cause we didn't have a chimney for him to come down. Do you think he knows we're here this year and will find us?"
Bobby looked at the small boy who stared at him with such hopeful eyes and swallowed hard so his voice wouldn't crack before answering.
"Yeah Sam, I think he'll find you this year." he assured the child getting up to get coffee so he could wipe the tears from his eyes. He had never seen a child who was so attuned and sensitive of the things around him.
Dean looked over at Bobby as he took a seat, feeling he had missed something important.
"Dee, we gotta go to bed early, Bobby says Santa will come tonight. He said he knows we're here." Sam told him with a serious tone.
"Ok Sammy." Dean told him knowing there would be a couple of things for him in the morning. Bobby had let him get a couple of things for Sam with money he had earned helping him in the garage. These would be his gifts from Santa. He had wrapped them and let Bobby hide them in his bedroom so Sam wouldn't see them.
spn
Sam and Dean stood in front of the tree waiting for Bobby to plug the lights in and light the tree. Sam's eyes were wide with excitement and he twitched anxiously waiting to see the tree glow in its splendor.
"Are ya ready?"
"Yes." the boys said in unison.
Bobby reached down and plugged in the end of the lights bringing the tree to life. The lights glowed softly and began to blink on and off lighting up the faces of two young boys.
"Dee, it's...It's awesome." Sam sighed unable to take his eyes off of the tree. He sat down in the floor and just stared at it.
"Yeah, we did a good job there Sammy." Dean agreed sitting down beside him and putting an arm around his little brother's shoulders.
"You boys wanna watch the tube before bedtime? I'm sure there's a Christmas program on one of the channels I get."
"Yes." Sam said turning enough to see the screen but still see the tree too.
spn
"Bedtime you two." Bobby announced when the program went off.
"Go on Sammy, I need a drink of water." Dean told his brother pushing him toward the stairs. "I'll be up in a minute."
"Ok, don't be long." he said looking back at his brother and communicating silently to him.
"I won't Sammy." he told him nodding he understood.
It still amazed Bobby how the two could talk more without saying a word than when they actually talked out loud.
"Uncle Bobby, will you put my gifts to Sammy under the tree before you go to bed." he whispered to him.
"Sure son, I planned on that."
"And they're from Santa and Dad."
"Ok." he said trying to keep the sadness from his voice. What this brother would do for the other so he would have a real Christmas was unbelievable. He didn't care if he didn't have a gift as long as his little brother did. Both were going to have a huge surprise when they got up the next morning because Bobby had picked up gifts for both the boys. There was no way he would let them go without presents to open.
spn
"Sammy what are you doing?" Dean asked as he wandered into their bedroom. "You're letting all the warm air out."
"I'm making a wish on the Christmas star." Sam said leaning out the open window and gazing up at the night sky.
"Can you even see the stars out there?" he asked. "Come on, don't need you getting sick. Close the window and get in bed."
"Ok, I'm done wishing anyway." he said pulling the window down and wiggling under the covers.
"Nite Sammy, sweet dreams." Dean called to him knowing without asking what he was wishing for.
"Nite Dee." he whispered back. After a few minutes he rolled over and looked at Dean. "I'm too excited to sleep Dee."
"Well close your eyes and try." Dean yawned snuggling deeper into the warm blanket as the hint of coolness spread through the room from the open window. "Think of happy thoughts and close your eyes."
"Ok. I'll try."
Ten minutes later Sam whispered loudly to Dee.
"Didn't work, still awake Dee."
"Sammy, the sooner ya go to sleep the sooner Christmas will be here."
"Ok." Sam said closing his eyes again. He began to hum softly to himself until sleep slipped in and sent him into the dream world.
spn
"Dee, Dee wake up is it Christmas?" Sam asked his brother as he shook him awake.
"S'mmy too early." Dean mumbled burying his head back into his pillow.
"Come on Dee, wanna see if Santa came last night." he begged shaking him again. "Maybe my wish came true."
"Ok." Dean moaned wiping the last of sleep from his eyes to squint at his little brother. "You been to the bathroom?"
"No." Sam replied slipping from Dean's bed and padding to the bathroom across the hall.
Knowing he would be back shortly, Dean roused himself out of bed and waited to use the bathroom. A few minutes later Sammy ran back into the bedroom looking expectantly at Dean.
"Did you wash your hands?"
"Yes."
"Good, let me use the bathroom and we'll go down."
"Hurry."
spn
Bobby was sipping his coffee when he heard the pounding of feet coming down the steps. He figured the youngest would have them both up early, so he got some coffee in him and he needed to put the turkey in the oven. He had gone all out with all the trimmings for their Christmas meal.
"Dee look!" Sam cried in amazement at the gifts around the tree. He looked around the room and glanced past Bobby into the kitchen like he was looking for someone. His expression went to one of excitement to one of sadness in the blink of an eye when all he saw was Bobby standing in the doorway. Dean stepped to Sam and put a hand on his shoulder steering him into a hug.
"Merry Christmas Sammy." Dean mumbled quietly to him trying to take away some of his sadness.
Bobby saw the boy's hopes get thrown out the door and cursed John Winchester for his damn stupidity. How could John not see the precious gifts he had standing in his living room, wanting nothing more than to have their father with them for Christmas. It would take all his will power not to shoot the sonovabitch the next time he saw him.
spn
All three turned their heads toward the door when stomping and a loud knock sounded at the door. Bobby headed for the front door, pausing to pick up a gun from a bookcase before continuing to the door to see who it was.
"Bobby open up." a familiar voice grunted from the other side of the door.
"'Bout time." Bobby huffed at him as he opened to door wider to let him in.
"Hello boys."
"Daddy!" Sam cried running into his father's open arms.
"Dad?" Dean questioned, pausing before following his brother accepting the warm hug.
"My wish came true." he told him hugging him tightly as tears ran from his eyes.
John hugged his boys to his chest as he blinked back his own tears of happiness.
"Coffee?" Bobby offered heading for the kitchen for a refill.
"Yes." John replied carrying his son into the living room.
"Look Daddy, Uncle Bobby and us went into the woods and got a tree and we decorated it too. And Santa came last night." Sam babbled.
"I see, that's a nice tree and you boys did a good job fixing it up." John nodded. "Santa left a few things for you in the Impala too." he told the boys sitting a bag by the tree with gifts in it.
"Oh Daddy, I got the only present I need." Sam said hugging him again. "I love you."
John looked over the head of his son at Bobby who was standing in the doorway with two cups of coffee watching them. John saw the look of satisfaction on his grizzled face and just nodded, thanking him for this moment with his sons.
THE END