Santa's little helper's include-

Side kick-Bia1007

Beta- Eggylaine

All I want for Christmas

Dean felt someone shaking his shoulder, trying to wake him up.

"G'way," he grumbled turning on his other side.

"Eeeaa!" Sam yelled overly loud for 3:30 in the morning.

Dean grunted and looked over at the clock.

"Sam, it's not even 4am yet, go back to sleep."

Sam shook his head and when Dean saw the look on the kid's face he knew this was different from the other 3 times he'd been shook awake that night.

"Sam?" he asked sitting up in his small bed.

"I had a nightmare," Sam simply stated and when Dean flicked the lamp on he saw the tear tracks down the little kid's face. "Come here," he mouthed wide holding his arms out and Sam launched himself in them trying to burrow in Dean's t-shirt. "S'okay Sammy, don't cry, you're safe, sshh," Dean cooed as he rocked Sam back and forth in his lap.

When Sam soon settled Dean felt the kid relax. He knew Sam was falling asleep, thankfully, so he pulled his covers up round them both and settled himself back against the pillow. He also took note that next time they come here they need to get a double bed to replace this thing, it was so stupid you couldn't even push the two beds together because the extra bed was a pull out mattress thing on the floor.

Dean didn't drop off for another hour after Sam was snoring away, he was too busy praying the dream catching thing would work, he knew he shouldn't have wrapped it so soon, he should have given it to Sam and spared him the nightmare tonight.

'Stupid,' he thought to himself.

~S/D~

"Sammy, come on Sammy wake up, it's Christmas!" Dean cheered shaking his little brother at 8:35 in the morning, he really hoped the nightmare earlier wasn't going to bring Sam's mood down for the rest of the day.

Sam grumbled much like he had a few hours ago but unlike Dean, Sam opened his eyes then sprung to life jumping from the bed.

"Guess I don't need to ask if you're okay this morning," Dean chuckled then was pulled downstairs by his little brother who looked like he was on helium.

"Morning boys," John greeted already making coffee.

"Wow...when did you get all these?" Dean gasped seeing the tree surrounded by badly wrapped but much appreciated presents.

"That's for me to know and you to...not know," John smirked and Dean almost laughed when he noticed his dad was still wearing his sweats.

'I guess that's Christmas,' he thought to himself as Sam dived into the pile of gifts.

"How does this...work?" Dean had to ask.

"Presents, you kids make a mess, breakfast, then we cook, sound like a plan?" John asked sipping his coffee as he sat down on the sofa watching his boys open the presents, it wasn't much, not half the amount most kids would get but hey, they seemed to be enjoying themselves so screw the present police.

"Awesome dad!" Dean cheered when he unwrapped some AC/DC tapes.

Sam had resorted to smiling and jumping on his bum to say thank you, he was too happy to drop the presents and sign thanks as he opened a few books on the world war which seemed to be Sam's favourite thing right now.

"Cool," Dean beamed pulling his new Led Zeppelin t-shirt over his head.

Sam shuffled closer the fire and unwrapped his next present but stopped when he was pulled back on his butt.

"It's not that cold Sammy," John said warning the kid not to go that close again, especially if he had flammable things in his hand.

Sam nodded telling him it was, but he didn't move closer like the good kid he was.

John held his finger up telling Sam to hang on a minute, he ran upstairs and pulled the kids covers from the bed then sprinted back down, he laid them over Sam's shoulders then ruffled the kid's hair up as Sam grinned a thank you.

"Don't hog them all," Dean whined trying to get in them blankets too, John would have suggested going up and getting the other blankets for his eldest but he knew Dean was just being a goof and annoying Sam for the fun of it.

"Jerk!" Sam stuck his tongue out laughing as they played tug of war with the covers.

"Can I have these then?" John asked pointing to the still untouched presents.

"No!" Sam shook his head, forgetting he was cold and dived back for the pile of gifts, ripping the paper off.

Dean laughed and put the blankets back over Sam then went for his unfinished pile like his little brother.

"Hey dad, here," the eldest brother mumbled, placing something on John's knee.

John smiled, he was about to say you shouldn't have but he wanted to make sure Dean wouldn't get mad today, they all needed to look out for each other and themselves today so he would keep his trap shut and just accept the gift gracefully.

"Socks...oh man, really bright flowery pink socks, with bells on."

"Yup, awesome huh?" Dean grinned very impressed with himself. Sam was in hysterics as John took off his very boring black socks and pulled on a pair of his new ones laughing as they jingled when he walked. "You like?" Dean asked trying to compose himself.

"Yeah, thanks son," John laughed taking his seat again.

"Sorry I didn't get you anything," Sam told them looking like he was about to break into tears.

"Yes you did," Dean told him and he put another gift next to his dad that he write 'from Sam' on.

"Matching boxers...wow you really are trying to turn me camp huh?" John laughed and he knew there was no way he was trying those things on, even for a laugh.

~S/D~

Sam was nibbling on a carrot stick he thieved from the kitchen while Dean was pealing them ever so carefully.

After a lot of jokes and laughter, books, CD's, tapes, new set of clothing and a lot off mess, Sam couldn't be happier, especially when he gave Dean his gift and vice versa.

"Dean?"

"Yeah Sammy?"

"I...."

"Yeah? You okay?"

Sam nodded then held the wrapped present tight to his chest.

"I got you something," the little kid smiled then held it out for his big brother to take.

"Made," John corrected.

Dean smiled, then opened the gift carefully. He pealed the tape off and slowly unravelled the hard lump in the middle of the paper.

He gulped in shock when he saw it...

"T-thank you Sam...I love it," Dean gasped choking on his words when he saw the amulet. He squinted when he saw tiny writing on the back of the bull shaped face.

"Dean, brothers always, love Sam."

'When did he write that?' John asked himself knowing it wasn't there when Sam had it round his neck yesterday.

Dean shocked everyone when he pulled Sam in a tight hug and almost squeezed the kid to death. Sam patted Dean on the back telling him he was welcome and John was on the sofa grinning at his small, slightly dysfunctional but loved family.

"Here, I got you something, I kinda wish I made it now too but...the store lady said it would work wonders for you, kid," Dean told Sam handing the kid his present.

Sam took the wrapping off much like Dean had done with his and when all the Snowman paper was off he saw the blue dream catcher with dangling jet black feathers.

"Thank you! I love it!" Sam grinned hugging Dean tight then pulling away and running up the steps to hang it next to his bed.

He grinned as he finished his carrot then jumped up to watch some crappy Christmas films.

~S/D~

"Not that much!" Dean yelled when his dad was about to dump a handful of salt on the potatoes.

"It said a pinch!" John whined defending himself.

"You wanna see a pinch?" Dean asked sarcastically, then took the salt from his dads hand, he picked up a tiny pinch with his thumb and finger then sprinkled it over the veg. "That is what you call a pinch."

"That was like 2 grains!"

"Exactly!" Dean said tossing the other salt over his shoulder for good luck but aiming for the sink so he wouldn't make a mess.

"What next Gordon Ramsey?" John asked his son looking at the list his wife had thankfully left them.

"Gravy," Dean told him dumping some Oxo in a pan.

"Hey Sammy, you wanna help?" John asked when he saw the little kid in the doorway.

Sam nodded and walked to the stove stirring the pan of whatever he could reach.

"Move out boys, I wanna check the turkey," John ushered them out of the way then opened the oven door.

"Not run away from you screaming yet, has it?" Dean joked.

"Smart ass," John laughed.

"Mint sauce?" Dean asked with his head in the fridge and Sam nodded eagerly.

"Sam?" John asked picking up on Sam's acknowledgement to the question he barely got.

"Dad what?" Dean asked looking at him, then Sam, then back to John again.

"He just nodded," John pointed to Sam while he whispered, confused beyond belief.

"Yeah..." Dean asked, wasn't exactly breaking news that Sam knew how to nod and shake his head.

"You asked about mint sauce, and Sam nodded," John gasped, his finger still pointing in the kid's face, which now looked like Sam wanted the ground to come and swallow him whole.

"But I was...?" Dean said motioning to the fridge where he was stood with his back to them both.

"Yeah..."

"And he just...?"

"Yeah..."

"So he can...?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh...oh my god...Sam...Sammy, can you hear us?" Dean asked looking at the kid.

Sam choked a sob and shook his head.

'No, no I can't! I can't! Please don't leave me please, I can't hear please...'

"Sam?" Dean warned walking to the kid and holding his shoulders. "Can you hear us?"

Sam blinked away the tears and shook his head once again.

"Sam? Come on you can tell us, please?" Dean begged while John stood back giving them space.

"Sometimes," Sam admitted and pulled away from his big brother thinking he was going to toss him out on the street and he would lend a helping hand by going before they kick him out the door.

"Sam...dad Sammy can hear," Dean gasped.

"Yeah...I got that, well uh...okay, today we have Christmas then in the new year we take Sam to get looked over, make sure he's okay, maybe he won't need this operation after all to be able to hear."

"Sammy, you can hear kiddo, Sammy you can hear!!" Dean yelled jumping up and down on the spot, his face brighter than the snow outside.

Sam shook his head once again and didn't join in with the celebration.

"Samm-!!" Dean yelled again, but noticed Sam was still crying... "Sam? What's wrong?" Dean asked as he stopped the jumping and went back to comforting his little brother. "Sam? Aren't you happy?" Dean asked referring to the hearing.

"Dean maybe he just needs-"

"Shut up!" Dean snapped then turned back to Sam. He pulled the kid with him to the upstairs bedroom and made Sam sit down on the bed. He looked the kid right in the eye and smiled sympathetically. "Sam what's wrong? Don't you wanna be able to hear?"

He'd never asked the kid about it before, it would be hurtful and rude, but right now he needed to know, but what if Sam really didn't want to hear? What if he would rather have hospital appointments and pain for the rest of his life as opposed to being able to hear? And why would he want that in the first place?!

"I don't want you to leave me."

"Hey, hey, no matter what happens, no matter who can hear or not, we're brothers, got it?"

"Really?"

"Really, now come on, it's-- we --- eat and I ---sorry--- he kicks---for---rude."

Sam squinted not understanding that last sentence.

"Sorry, I was just saying...it's Christmas, we got food to eat and I gotta say sorry to dad before he kicks my ass for being rude."

Sam wiped his tears and let Dean pull him back downstairs.

"You boys okay now?" John asked.

"Yeah uh, I'm sorry for-"

"Sh! It's Christmas, let's just have fun today, you boys go tidy up and have fun with the...toys for a while, I'm gonna attempt to cook," John said walking back to the kitchen leaving his boys to enjoy themselves.

~S/D~

"S'it good?" John asked with a mouth full of turkey.

"Awesome," Dean nodded and the look on Sam's face said it all.

"So, I might not be able to make toast but I make a mean Christmas dinner huh," John laughed.

Sam giggled and Dean chuckled.

"So pie or Christmas pudding for desert?" John asked picking up the empty plates.

"PIE!" was Dean immediate answer.

Sam was about to say he didn't want anything else but Dean's face told him to zip it and just eat.

"Sir, yes sir," Sam mocked saluting Dean.

"Come on, let's go watch some TV."

Sam followed his big brother to the living room.

They flicked through the channels and Sam was given the choice of the Muppets Christmas carol or Grinch.

"Dad's got the hots for..." Dean pointed to the screen as Kermit the frog was singing.

Sam giggled and shook his head, he really hoped that was a joke.

"What's so funny?" John asked when he came in with 3 plates of desert, pie for Dean, Christmas pudding for himself and a little of both for Sammy.

"Oh, nothing."

John shook head then handed the plates out. Sam was looking at his like it was alien so John nudged him and pointed to the plate.

"Get that down you kiddo, all you can eat today,"

Sam nodded then ate carefully, trying both sides of the desert and smiling when he liked both.

"Good?" Dean asked with a mouth full of pie.

Sam nodded eagerly then went back to smiling and eating his food, his eyes drifted to the screen again and they all sat watching till they fell asleep with warm stomachs and happy smiles on their faces.

'Christmas is awesome,' Sam thought whilst dreaming of new years.

~S/D~

"Night boys," John whispered as he tucked them both into the same bed. He checked that Sam's new dream catcher was tied to the bed post right, 'wouldn't want them to wake up with feathers in their mouths.'

He watched them for a few more minutes, just watching their chests rise and fall and the faint smiles on their faces.

After he let out a long yawn he told himself he needed to go to bed too. He walked to the door, closed it carefully then walked to his own room and got himself under the covers.

"Thanks Mar," he said to his angel who helped make this day more special than he ever could on his own.

TBC...

Hope that was okay x

Just need to say, I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you for all the love this year dudes!!! I shall see you when I see you!!!