Jack's First Chistmas
A/N: Hey guys, hooray for holiday uploads! Hope you all had a great season and let's start off 2018 on the right foot. This is the direct follow up to Home Again. Until next time, ENJOY! R&R PLZ!
Jack was observant. For lack of understanding much of the world around him, he liked to look, examine, and learn. Humanity's complexities were unending and perplexing. People said things they didn't mean. They said things they did mean but felt shouldn't be said aloud. Sometimes they didn't say anything at all even when they wanted to. There was emotion in silence as much as there was in speech. The Winchesters rarely say anything but they felt so deeply that it became tangible. That is why he perceived something wrong with Sam after the return of his father Castiel. At first there had been joy, that much had been obvious. Dean's entire demeanour shifted having his partner back and so did Sam's, not as overtly so, but still they were happy. Then as time went on it moved to something subtler, softer. Castiel's presence was no longer a novelty but they were content except Sam became sad at times. They would be in the library or having food and Castiel and Dean would be sharing another 'sappy' moment that Jack had come to recognize, and Sam would smile but his eyes were sad. He had tried talking to Sam abut the tall Winchester insisted that nothing was wrong.
Now Christmas was coming and as Jack understood it, the purpose was to spend time with family and friends and exchange presents. The brothers took a real interest in celebrating with Jack and Cas which meant movie marathons and cooking with Dean and tree trimming and carols with Sam. They had snowball fights and drank eggnog and decorated the bunker. Jack was having fun but he couldn't stop noticing Sam's sadness. Finally he asked Dean about it in the library. "Dean? Is everything alright with Sam? He seems…upset sometimes"
The elder Winchester sighed, "Yeah I've seen it too kiddo but he says he's okay."
"Well then he is lying." Jack concluded. "Why would he do that?"
Dean pffted cluelessly, "God knows man." Dean left and Jack became thoughtful. He knew his grandfather was omniscient and omnipotent, if anyone would know what's troubling Sam, he would. He read the Bible and knew his grandfather had expressly forbidden the creation of beings like him but the way the Winchesters talked about him, it didn't seem like God was like that really. God had pardoned his father Castiel and Lucifer, he could not be as vengeful as the lore said.
With that thought, he sunk to his knees and began to pray. Grandfather? God? I need your guidance and help. My friend Sam, he is sad and I do not know why. They believe here on Earth that this time of year marks the birth of your mortal son Jesus and to honour that, we come together with our loved ones and give each other gifts. I would love to be able to give Sam something so that he won't be sad anymore. Please help me Grandfather. Jack opened his eyes and looked around, no one was there, he didn't notice however that his irises were glowing.
It took a few days for Jack's prayer to be answered. The family was having breakfast when all of a sudden Chuck stood beside the table. "Hello."
All of them sprang to their feet. "Chuck!" Sam exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see Jack," Chuck replied; Sam, Dean, and Cas were instantly wary and nervous whereas Jack smiled.
"You heard my prayer?"
"I did indeed," Chuck smiled back.
"Jack you prayed to God?!" Cas growled. "Why would you do something so foolish? Children like you are outlawed in Heaven. You could be killed."
Jack shrunk back chastised and Chuck came to his defence. "It was innocent request. And I'm not here to kill Jack."
"You're not?" Dean said skeptically.
"No," Chuck replied firmly. "But there is something I want to speak to Jack privately about." The others were hesitant but then again, this was God. There wasn't anything they could do to stop him. To ease some of their worries, Chuck agreed to chat with Jack on the stairs to the door while they stood at the opposite end, just out of ear shot.
Jack was still a little nervous. "You're not going to kill me?"
"No Jack," Chuck assured him gently. "I won't hurt you. If for no other reason than my own conscience."
"I don't understand," Jack's brow furrowed.
"I have had angels executed on spot for doing less than Lucifer ever did," Chuck sighed. "But I played favourites. Gave him a slap on the wrist and cleaned up the mess. Every single time. Everyone in Heaven, Earth, and Hell has paid for Lucifer's misdeeds except him. But not this time. As much as I worry about your power, I won't just clean up after him. You are my penance Jack, for my stupidity and failure as a father. Whether you become my redemption or my punishment remains to be seen."
"You mean whether or not I destroy the world," Jack said bitterly.
"More like where your heart and intent goes," Chuck shrugged. "No one is perfect. Not even me. You're destined to make mistakes like all living things but as long as you intend to do right, I can't fault you. Now about Sam."
"Do you know what's bothering him?"
"I think so," Chuck nodded. "Jack I lied to Sam a while ago."
"Why?" Jack frowned. "This family is very fond of lying."
God snickered. "Yeah you could say that. I didn't lie completely though. What we were talking about wasn't totally beyond my power but it would have a required a lot of time that we didn't have and energy that would have certainly drained me. But now there's you."
"Me?"
"Your powers are a combination of the two most formidable sources of energy in creation, an archangel's grace and a human soul. There is a reason that touching a soul recharges grace and why archangels are so invincible. Their strengths are unparalleled and together… you may very be as powerful as me if not more."
"Wow," Jack gasped.
"Yes," Chuck patted his shoulder. "So I think with your help, we may able to make Sam happy again."
"Okay!" Jack agreed instantly. Over the next week and a bit, Jack was constantly off with God, doing He knew what. The Nephilim would leave immediately after breakfast and come back just before dinner starving and out of breath but ridiculously happy. They badgered Jack to tell them what was going on but the young man wouldn't say a word. God had sworn him to secrecy and it kind of made sense that you really didn't want to break a pinky promise with the Creator. Jack did let slip a few things but none of it made sense. He idly commented about walking along Madison Avenue but in the same tone mentioned seeing a quasar explode.
"What are they even doing?" Sam whispered to Dean and Cas one time.
"I guess when God is your grandfather, fishing and lunch means New York and outer space," Dean supposed.
"This has to be the oddest bonding time I've ever heard of," Cas remarked.
"I never thought I'd meet someone with a more whacked-out family than us," Sam grimaced. "Then again he does have THREE dads." Cas coughed amused while Dean's eyes narrowed with disgruntlement but they let the subject drop.
Christmas morning, Jack was the first one up. He banged on Cas and Dean's door since he was strongly forbidden from ever barging in. "WAKE UP CASTIEL! WAKE UP DEAN! WAKE UP! IT'S CHRISTMAS!". He did however bound into Sam's room and nearly jumped on top of the moose. "SAM! SAM! IT'S CHRISTMAS! GET UP!"
Sam woke with a series of grunts and snorts, "Suh wah? Huh? Ya Jack? I'm up. I'm up." He rose wearily but managed a bit of smile at Jack's exuberance.
"Time for presents right?" Jack said eagerly.
"Breakfast then presents," Cas corrected from the doorway. Dean had nagged him into getting more clothes so the angel wore deep blue pyjamas and a robe.
Dean appeared next to him in sweats and a t-shirt. "He's right junior, let's get some grub then we can open our stuff."
Jack's smile did not dim. "Alright." He ran off to the kitchen leaving Sam to pull on his owns sweats and shirt and join Cas and Dean in following him. When they got there, they were shocked to see an entire breakfast laid out for them. A tower of pancakes, a mound of a scrambled eggs, toast, coffee, bacon, everything and anything basically. Jack sat in his place, already tucking in.
"Jack did you do this?" Cas asked dubiously.
"No," Jack denied through a mouthful of pancake. "I suspect Grandfather did. He mentioned something about breakfast last week."
"Jack swallow then talk," Sam said out of reflex more than anything else. For lack of anything better to say or do, they all sat down and enjoyed God's bountiful breakfast. Jack just about inhaled his food in record time and waited with barely contained excitement for them to finish.
Finally Cas acknowledged his fervent anticipation. "Alright Jack, you may go look at the presents but do not open them before we get there."
Jack was out of his seat before Cas was halfway done speaking. "I won't," he called behind as he disappeared.
"Is every Christmas going to be like this?" Sam asked mildly.
"I hope so," Dean sipped his coffee. "Come on, let's go make sure he doesn't tear through those boxes like the Tasmanian devil."
Coffee in hand, Sam, Dean, and Cas ventured into the front area where they had set up the tree and stopped short at the sea of gifts. Sea was very apt word, at some points it looked like there were waves in the amount of packages on the floor. "Now this is an act of God," Dean pointed a finger.
"Definitely." Cas agreed.
Jack was rooting amongst the gifts. "Hi," he beamed at them. "I'm just getting the ones I chose for you. I want to save them for last." Jack carefully plucked out two and declared himself done.
There was nothing for it but to just dive right in. They started with all of God's gifts first. Jack definitely got the most, running the gamut of everything from toys to clothes to media to weapons, but there was some really good stuff for the others. For Dean; ammo, a new leather jacket, a brand new grenade launcher, an assortment of pastries, some rock and roll memorabilia – including one of Bon Jovi's jackets, and the full boxset of Doctor Sexy M.D. For Sam: some lore books that may or may not have been plucked from the library of Alexandria, some personal reading books, a new tablet, a new laptop, all with unlimited access to Kindle, Netflix, and any other streaming service, and a lifetime gift card for the Juice Bar. For Cas; six new suits, a new trenchcoat, a large jar of organic honey, several books, an extensive collection of popular movies that Dean swore they would binge on into the New Year, and a new angel blade that was engraved with some runes that gave it more power.
"This is so cool," Dean examined it. "Not as cool as a grenade launcher but pretty awesome."
"Chuck hooked us up," Sam had already started tapping away on his new tablet. "I probably won't ever need to troll around libraries again."
"My gifts next?" Jack asked.
"Sure," Dean invited. Jack took one of the packages next to him and handed it to Cas.
"Thank you Jack," Cas began unwrapping it. It was a flat, square velvet box. Inside there was an ornate, silver medal on a chain with an image of St. Joseph on one side and Corinthians 13:7 etched on the other. At the unspoken question, Cas explained with a smile. "It's about love. Specifically, it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Thank you Jack." He repeated and gave the boy a hug.
"You're welcome," Jack grinned. "Dean, next." He gave him the other package. "Hope you like it."
Dean flashed him a smile as he ripped open the paper. He peeled back the wrapping and paused, some unreadable emotion on his face. "Wow," he said softly. He showed them a baseball glove and a ball.
"I got one too. I thought we could play some time," Jack said blithely
Dean slipped on the glove, "You got it kid." He pulled him in for a tight embrace.
Jack let go and turned to Sam with fresh excitement. "Wait here Sam, I had to hide yours. I couldn't wrap it." He scampered off and Sam watched him go.
"Wonder it is," he thought aloud.
"No clue," Cas putting on his necklace.
"You earned that," Dean said clapped his shoulder.
Jack poked his head around the doorway, "Ready?"
"Ready!" They chanted back.
Jack walked back in only he wasn't alone. The other three got to their feet in awe. Sam was stunned speechless with tears pricking his eyes. Gabriel was there. His hair was a bit fairer and he'd grown a beard but otherwise he was exactly the same, complete with candy bar in hand. "Hey Sammich, my nephew tells me I'm your Christmas present."
"Gabe…?" Sam sounded like he dared not believe it.
"The one and only," the archangel held his arms out.
"So you were alive," Cas surmised.
"What?!" Sam spun on him.
"At the time, I had assumed it was a trick by Metatron," Cas said by way of explanation.
"To be fair, I didn't really correct him either," Gabriel jumped in. "My power was next to nothing. I went into hiding in Heaven after my run-in with Lucifer until all the angels fell and my grace broke. It took Dad and Jack-o tag-teaming it with a couple of quasars to get me back up and running."
"But Chuck said -" Dean began but Jack cut him off.
"Grandfather told you that it was beyond his power and you didn't have enough time to bring back Uncle Gabriel. Actually, it would have drained him to rebuild an archangel's grace by himself and taken a long time. So he asked for my help but it still took over a week and we needed more power."
While he was speaking, Sam had crossed over to Gabriel, holding him close. "New York?" he thumbed Gabe's cheek.
"Uh-huh, got back into porn to support myself."
"Of course you did," Sam chuckled throatily.
"On the upside, I made a mint. Just call me sugar daddy."
"Not a chance," Sam mock-glared.
Gabe sighed, "Fine, I guess just daddy wo-" Sam silenced him with a kiss. Cas, Dean, and Jack whooped and clapped, laughing when the height difference forced Sam to pick the archangel up and hook his legs around his waist. The pair broke apart but stayed as they were. "You gonna put me down?" Gabriel asked bemusedly.
"Nope." Sam tightened his grip. "You're my Christmas gift remember?"
"Oh yeah," Gabe twisted to look at his nephew. "I know it's weird coming from the present but thanks Jack."
"Really, thank you," Sam added gratefully.
"You're welcome," Jack grinned.
"GROUP HUG!" Gabe crowed from his perch and such was their happiness that they didn't hesitate to bring it in.
"Merry Christmas," Jack wished.
"Merry Christmas!"
