Maybe This Christmas

"That does not look like a reindeer." I laugh at Charlie's Christmas cookie that was supposed to be Rudolph, but looks more like a rabid dog.

"Shut up!" She slaps my arm and tries to fix the cookie with more frosting.

I laugh as I place little red candies on my gingerbread man for decoration. Charlie came over last night and slept over because I was getting way too lonely in the house by myself. Dean and Sam have been on their hunt all week and they are coming home today. This is the longest they have been gone and I miss them so much it surprises me.

While they were gone Charlie and I put up all thee decorations for Christmas but I want to wait for Sam to get back to buy the tree. I don't want to put up the ornaments with out him. It was our tradition. Jess isn't here this year so I want to keep everything as close as I can to our usual Christmas.

"Ughh" Charlie groans, forcefully placing her cookie on the cooling rack with the rest of them "How come your cookies look great and mine look like they have already been digested?"

"Don't worry. I'm sure they'll taste good." I assure her.

"Who are you kidding, look at them" She says holding up her batch of cookies. They looked like Sam's pancakes.

My smile fades, "We'll just give those ones to Dean."

"Give what to Dean?" I hear from the doorway and look up to see Dean standing there with his bags.

"Ahhhh!" I screech running up to him and he picks me up off the ground in a hug, "I missed you so much!" I shriek, my voice filled with excitement.

"I'm gonna miss being able to hear." I hear Charlie say sarcastically as Dean lowers me to the ground.

"Haha. So funny." I say deadpanned turning to her, causing her to giggle.

"Hey Charlie."

"Hey, Welcome back."

"How's you're girl running?" He asks and I roll my eyes. More car talk.

"Great. No problems anymore…Well unless you count forgetting to put gas in the tank." She says dimly and Dean and I can't help but laugh.

"Hey, where's Sam?" I ask realizing that he has yet to come in.

"Ohhhh…" Dean smiles, "He's outside."

I can tell he is he has something up his sleeve. "What?" I ask standing on my toes, excitedly.

"He's getting your surprise off the car."

I take a deep breath in and jump up excitedly, "What is it?"

"Why don't you go see."

I smile before running to grab Charlie and pulling her with me outside. I open the front door and stop in my tracks as I see Sam standing next to the most beautiful Christmas tree. I clasp my hands over my mouth in shock and stand there taking it all in.

"What do you think?" Sam grins.

It is perfect. It is just like the ones we got in Stanford. It was extremely tall and it had just the right fullness. My shock soon wears off and I am left with shear excitement.

"It's perfect!" I yell running to Sam. I jump into his arms and wrap my arms around his neck.

"I figured you'd like it."

"Are you kidding? I LOVE it!" I exclaim, tightening my grip around his neck.

"I missed you, kiddo." He says quietly before lowering me down to the ground and checking me over to make sure I am in one piece.

"Don't worry the house is fine." I smile at him knowing that he was worried about leaving me alone in the house for so long.

"I hope so. What do you say about helping us get the tree inside?"

It is later that night, Charlie has left, and the tree has been decorated. We are sitting on the couch watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and drinking cocoa. Well Sam and I are drinking cocoa, Dean has his usual beer. As we watch the movie I have my notebook in my lap and make a list of the rest of the things we need to do to get ready for Christmas. It is a list of my families past traditions and recipes.

"What you workin' on?" Dean asks peeking over.

"Just a to-do list." I say not taking my eyes off the paper.

"What's on it?" Sam asks curiously.

"Just traditions that Jess and I had." I smile somberly looking up at Sam, "She might not be here this Christmas, but our traditions still can be."

Sam smiles at me and puts an arm around my shoulder, bringing me closer to him, "I think Jess would like that."

I look up at him and we share a smile before I lower my head and rest it against his side, watching the movie.

"Sam! I can't find the wrapping paper!" I yell as I rummage through the closet. It is Christmas Eve and I need to get Dean's gift wrapped before he gets back with the Chinese food.

"Here" I hear Sam walk up behind me and turn as he holds a roll of wrapping paper right in front of my face.

"Thanks" I smile taking the paper and walking over to where I left Dean's gift on the living room floor.

"So what did you get him?"

Sam walks over and sits across from me on the floor. I slide the old-fashioned wooden box over to him and let him open it revealing an antique gun.

"Do you think he'll like it?" I bite my lip nervously. I don't know why it means so much to me that he likes it. Maybe because in these past couple months Dean has really been there for me and I feel like I need to repay him.

"Are you kidding? He'll love it." Sam is still looking at the gun in awe.

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. This is the perfect gift for him." He closes the box and hands it to me carefully, "Where did you find it?"

"At the antique shop down town" I say cutting the paper. "The guy who worked there said it works well."

I wrap the gift in the blue snowflake wrapping paper and place a big blue bow on top. After I am done I crawl over to the tree and carefully place it underneath next to Sam's gift to Dean, Dean's gift to Sam and my gift to Sam. Mine weren't under there. They were probably going to wait until I went to sleep to put them under there. Sam knows that is what Jess did. Of course I had many more gifts then, this year it is just going to be Sam and Dean's. But I don't mind. I am just excited to have a family to spend it with.

As I am on my knees by the tree I look at all the lights and decorations. Luckily our ornaments were saved from the fire because they were kept in our storage unit. In front of me there is the ornament Jess made in the fourth grade. It was made of pine cones and glitter and had her name written in glitter glue on a fat piece of red ribbon. It was tacky and ugly to say the least, but we always kept them. My mom never wanted to throw away the things we made so we have about fifteen of these ornaments on our tree.

I sit down next to the tree and motion for Sam to join me "Come On". He gives me a questioning look as I wave my hand at him. When I start to lay down on my back he catches on to what I am doing and lowers himself down so we are both lying on our backs under the tree. It was something Jess and I did every year. 'It is the best way to look at a Christmas tree' Jess would always say. Sam always laughed at us when we did it and thought that it was silly, but I think it brought him comfort this year just like it did for me.

We are lying down for a half an hour with out saying a word. Our shoulders are touching and our arms at our sides. We only move when Dean comes back with the food.

It is nine o'clock at night and we are all in the living room. Sam and Dean are on the couch watching the twenty four hour marathon of A Christmas Story and I am placing the stockings on the windowsill because we have no fireplace. As I hook Dean's brand new stocking on the clip I look through the window and see fresh snow falling on the ground. A grin immediately comes to my face. What is better than a white Christmas?

"You guy's come here!" I yell only glancing back at them for a second. Sam and Dean immediately are beside me.

"What?" Dean asks, not knowing what to expect.

"Look!" I yell excitedly bouncing up and down with my hands on the windowsill. "Snow! It's snowing!"

Sam smiles, but his is more from my reaction. I look over and Dean is genuinely in awe of it. Sam told me that Dean has never had a real Christmas. I can see how he is letting it all sink in. I smile, it feels like in the Grinch when his heart grows and he finally accepts Christmas, because lets face it Dean is not the jolliest person around.

Of course Dean being Dean, when his moment is over he tries to wipe it off and act like nothing happened.

"You want a beer Sam?" Dean says walking over to the fringe and literally shaking off the emotions.

Sam looks at me and we smile at Dean's failed attempt, but decide to let him get away with it.

"Actually" I say walking over to the kitchen and grabbing the beer out of Dean's hand before he can open it, "You can't have beer."

"What?"

"It's Christmas eve. We always drink hot cocoa, eat Christmas cookies and watch old cartoon Christmas movies."

Dean looks a little put out, but I know that he and Sam want to help me follow all of my family traditions. "Fine." Dean gives an attempt at a smile. It looks almost as if someone was twisting his arm.

I walk over to the cabinets and take out the ingredients that I need to make it. "Don't worry you'll like it."

"Yeah, I better." Dean mumbles to Sam as he walks into the living room, beerless.

"You should probably get to bed" Sam looks down at me. It is really late and I am worn-out. I am lying on the couch and using Sam's leg as a pillow. Dean is on the other end of the couch and my feet are sprawled out over his legs.

"Noooo" I groan half asleep. "The movie isn't over."

"It's gonna be on again tomorrow. Come on." Sam says putting one arm under my back and one under my legs, picking me up.

I mumble something inaudible and nestle closer to Sam as Dean removes the blanket that was draped over me on the couch.

"Goodnight Jen." Dean says, rubbing a hand over my hair.

"Night." I mumble with my eyes closed.

"I'll be right back." Sam tells Dean before walking me out of the living room. He takes me up the stairs and into my room, placing me on the bed as I snuggle into the warmth of my sheets.

"Here you go" Sam says in a hushed voice as he places the comforter over me. I grab it and pull it tightly to my chin.

"Night Jenny." Sam says. He moves the hairs from my face and kisses me on the forehead.

"night" I murmur, turning in my bed to get comfy.

"I'll see you tomorrow." He whispers, turning off the light in my room. I hear the door close and fully give into the temptation of sleep.

I wake and immediately clutch to the covers. I try to warm myself and get back into my state of sleep. But as a gush of cold air wakes me up fully I become aware of the date. A smile immediately comes to my face and I jump out of bed. I run across the cold hardwood floors of my room and the hallway, sliding on the tube socks covering my feet. I don't slow down as I come to Sam's room and jump straight onto his bed.

"Get up! Get up!" I yell shaking him and jumping on my knees.

Sam stirs, squinting his eyes, "What time is it?"

"Who cares? It's Christmas!" I yell pulling his arm to get him out of bed, but Sam barely budges.

"Sam!" I pull his arm stronger but still no luck, "Please." I say like a sad puppy as I stick out my lip.

I can hear Sam groan in defeat "Fine" he says turning over "Go wake up Dean." He tells me reaching for his Stanford sweater that is hanging behind him on his bedpost.

"Already up." I hear and turn to see Dean walking into Sam's room, rubbing the tiredness out of his eyes. "I woke up to some annoying screeching sound. What the hell was that?"

"Funny" I say deadpanned as I hop off the bed, "Can we go open presents now. Please." I beg to both Sam and Dean like a little kid, but when it comes to the holidays I love acting like a six year old.

"Let's go" Sam says pushing me out the door by my shoulders. I smile and take off running for the downstairs. I get to the stairs and run so fast I am surprised I don't trip. I step of the last step and turn into the living room.

Oh. My. God. My body is frozen in place. I'm speechless as I look at the scene in front of me. There are about a dozen more presents than I expected. I thought that the tree was going to look lonely with only a few presents underneath, but it looks just like our tree last year. How did Sam and Dean do this?

"What do you think?" Sam asks and I turn around to see Sam and Dean standing side by side with grins on their faces.

"How…How did you afford all of this?" I ask shocked. "You didn't steal it did you?" My eyes become wide with fear.

"No" Sam laughs, "I actually got a job as a substitute teacher. Just long enough to get some quick cash." He assures.

"And I picked up some hours at the local mechanic shop." Dean adds.

I bite my lip and suck in my tears of happiness. "You didn't have to do this." I tell them looking over all the presents.

"We know." Sam smiles, "But you deserve it."

I turn to Sam and Dean with a genuine smile on my face, "Thank you"

"Sure thing, kid." Deans says, "So are you gonna open your presents or what."

"Hey!"

I open my eyes to see Dean's head hovering above me. My eyebrows quirk curiously before I take the buds out of my ears and sit up. It is noon and I came to my room after breakfast to listen to music and relax for a bit.

"What's up?"

He looks at me about to speak but can't find the right choice of words, "Well…you see…" He covers his mouth as he clears his throat. I wait for words to form but instead I find a gold box held out in front of me. It is small and wrapped with a red ribbon.

"You already gave gifts." I say feeling like I would be greedy to accept the gift.

"Why don't you open it?" He suggests sitting down next to me, holding the box closer to me.

I hesitate before reaching my hand out softly taking it from his hands. Looking at him questioningly he gives me a nod to continue. I look down and untie the ribbon from the box. As I remove the cover of the box my chest rises faintly in anticipation.

When it is off my chest lowers and so does my jaw. I reach my hand in and pull out a silver angel medallion. Even though it is an engraving you can still see the angel's beauty. She has long flowing hair and a warm smile gracing her cheeks.

"It's beautiful" I breathe out, still staring at the jewelry. I run my thumb over the angels face before looking up at Dean "You didn't have to do this. It must have cost a fortune."

"Actually" Dean starts, "It didn't cost anything."

"What?"

"It was my mother's." He says, grasping it from my hands and tracing the angel with his own finger, "My dad had it made for her when she was alive. The angel is supposed to be her."

"She's beautiful"

He nods "Yeah, well after she died my dad said as long as I had this she would be there to protect me."

"Then why do you want me to have it?" I search his eyes which are slightly pained but also have the glint of a smile.

"Because" He looks up, "She'll look after you."

I grasp the necklace in my hand with a smile, "Thanks." I bring the necklace clasps behind my neck and attach them. It falls to my chest and I grab the medallion in my hands. I don't realize tears have fallen until I feel Dean wipe them off my cheeks with his calloused thumb.

"Sorry" I smile embarrassed, wiping the rest of the tears myself, "It's just…this is the nicest thing anyone has ever given me. Thank you Dean" I say as I wrap my arms around his neck. It takes him a second but he slowly wraps his arms around me.

I grin before pulling away and sitting Indian-style, facing him "You know, for the record, Jennifer Jeurgens is lucky to have a brother like you."

It takes him a moment to catch on but he chuckles when he does "Well, for the record," He starts looking me right in the eye "I'm lucky to have a sister like Jennifer Moore."

A/N: Damn you Anti-virus Action Virus!(Stupidest name for a virus ever btw!) My computer is out of commision until I get the virus taken off. But I had this story I wrote a while ago on my house computer and I really wanted to give you guys a christmas gift. What better way than with a Christmas story? So I hope you all enjoyed it!

R/R is a great gift. Santa would be proud.