"So, uh, Charlie⦠whatcha been up to?" Dean asked the redheaded young woman with a forced smile.
"Not much." she admitted. "I quit my day job, I'm thinking getting into something new."
"Like what?" Sam inquired. "Looking for a hunting position?"
Charlie Bradbury chuckled. "Um, no. Please no."
Cue awkward silence. Sam shuffled his feet a bit. They both loved Charlie half to death, but this might've been a bad idea. Dean's bad idea anyway; he was the one who suggested the take Charlie in for the holidays. Ever since she pulled the plug on her mother, things hadn't quite been the same with her and this was the first Christmas without her physically being there. Both brothers knew how difficult it was to lose a mom.
"You guys are so weird. What do you normally do on Christmas eve?"
Simultaneously, Dean responded with 'drink' and Sam with 'sleep'.
Charlie pinched the bridge of her nose. "Okay, way lame. How about I go to the store, pick up some groceries and make you guys dinner?"
Both Winchester nodded. "Yeah, alright."
"Hey, Charlie, here's some cash." Sam handed her a couple twenties, but she shook her head. "It's Christmas and I'm staying at your house so the least I can do is pay for my own groceries."
An hour later, she was back in the kitchen cooking. Christmas music from the 1940s drifted from the record player and into the living room where Sam was doing some research and Dean was sprawled out on the couch, "resting his eyes" but not sleeping, of course.
Abruptly, all the lights went out. Sam immediately leapt to his feet, assuming the worst, and Dean grunted and fell off the couch. He quickly recovered, standing by his brother's side. "Get the salt!"
"Dudes, chill. Candlelit dinner. Ever heard of one?"
They ventured into the kitchen where Charlie had fixed a large dinner with candles spread down the table, giving the whole room a warm, yellowish hue. The two sat down as Charlie rattled off the dinner's menu.
"On this side of the table we got a Honey Baked ham, because it's the best brand, green beans with garlic and lemon juice, sweet potatoes, French bread with honey butter and of course, some beers."
"Damn Charlie," Dean complimented, "you inviting anyone else over?"
She smiled amiably as Sam gave his approval as well. "Looks amazing."
AN - Hello again! This was based off the prompt, "Charlie is spending the Christmas eve with Sam and Dean because it's the first Christmas she's had without her mom. They're trying to make her feel at home and it's awkward." Thanks for reading! :)
