AN: Mwuhahahahaahahha ... I have managed to post despite the most crap-tastic internet connection of all time. There are a couple of things which I do not time to write, but I promise I will upload once I do have the time (and internet). Wish I could write more, but I will say Merry Christmas! Enjoy ~ Ella

UPDATE 12/29/2010: I added a scene at the bottom ... because I forgot it the first time around. Oops.

Chapter Twenty-Five

December 25

Sarah could not imagine a better Christmas.

That morning was as different from the normal, traditional Christmas Sarah had ever had. To start with, her younger brother did not wake her up at some ungodly hour. In fact, she slept in until ten in the morning, only to find that everyone was already downstairs. They did not open presents as soon as everyone was up. Mostly because there were no presents besides what Sarah got for everyone, and she completely forgot as Sam, Dean and Katie told them all about the creature they had been hunting. When Dean asked what the envelops under the tree were, Sarah decided to make them pay for almost missing Christmas and told them they could open presents after a group dinner.

Bobby had gone shopping a few days ago and Sarah was pleased to note he had picked up a surprising number of baking supplies. So Sarah had grabbed Katie and forced her to enjoy festive baking. Katie had grumbled about it good naturally, she much rather preferred to eat baked goods then actually make them. It was one of those relationship dynamics which suited each other perfectly for being roommates.

For Christmas though, Katie grudgingly let Sarah drag her into some crazy cooking schemes. They let Bobby handle the turkey, because every time they opened its legs Dean would make a lewd comment which would cause both girls to dissolve into laughter. After the tenth time of trying to stuff the turkey, Bobby had announced he would do the damn bird. As pay back, Sarah roped Dean into making a salad. When Sam looked way too happy at his brother having to do the salad, Sarah decided to even things out and gave Sam the task of stirring gravy. Castiel seemed to be oddly missing at the moment Sarah was barking out orders.

With the dinner almost done and Sarah checking on everything, she noticed Dean and Sam trying to sneak away.

"Hold on you two!" She called out, before they could disappear. "You need to help set the table."

"Set the table?" Dean asked, incredulously. He could never remember a single time he had set the table in his life.

"Use the good stuff," Bobby said roughly as Sam and Dean went to grab the generic dishes, not about to argue with Sarah. "Never get to use the damn stuff anymore. Might as well."

Sarah smiled brilliantly at Bobby. "Excellent!" she cheered.

After a few minutes, she went to see if the table had been fully set. She twitched a bit when she saw the knives and forks on the wrong side. It didn't really matter, but she felt her childhood training coming through. Her dad always said that manners were a necessity of life – people always noticed and appreciated when people followed them. Biting her lip, she started to correct the mistake, but wasn't fast enough as Dean walked back into the room.

"What're you doing?" He asked suspiciously.

"Nothing," Sarah said. "Um, just on the wrong side is all."

"Wrong side?" He said. "It's cutlery, how does that have a wrong side?"

"It's not important," Sarah said quickly, finishing the switching. "It's just something I noticed."

"Sure, where do the potatoes go?" Dean asked, holding up the bowl of mashed potatoes.

As the turkey was getting carved and the table was set, Sarah started to worry that Castiel was still not there. She pulled out her cell phone and sent him another text, letting him know dinner was in ten minutes. He had said he would make it. It was starting to worry her that he still wasn't there. She tried to hide it, but Katie, after pulling the apple pie out of the oven and smacking away Dean's hand, cornered her in the hallway.

"Okay, what's wrong?" She asked seriously. "And don't dare say nothing – because you have been checking your cell all day obsessively."

"It's just Cas," Sarah muttered, knowing she couldn't lie to Katie. "He should be here. I'm starting to get worried."

"Do you think it has to do with the … you know … apocalypse?" Katie asked, also starting to get worried.

"I don't know, I mean, it's been really quiet on the whole world destruction side of things," Sarah whispered, not wanting the guys to overhear. "Plus, I mean, I can't remember what happens next. It's like I know the end and beginning of season five, but the whole middle part is all jumbled."

"Not to mention we kind of arrived in the '09 hiatus, so it's not like we even have episodes to go by," Katie muttered. "I'm sure he's just … busy. Like, none danger-related busy, and we're just worrying over nothing."

"Yeah," Sarah agreed, not able to stop worrying. "Yeah, I mean, he makes it to the end of season five …"

"Yeah," Katie agreed, but not sounding very sure about it.

For a minute both of them just looked at each other. They both could not ignore the one big difference between season five on the television and the season five they were living; never had two female characters from another reality been featured on television. But could that make such a huge difference?

"If we don't see by tomorrow, then we start freaking out, okay?" Katie suggested.

"Okay," Sarah agreed. "I … I'm going to light the candles."

As everyone sat down to dinner, Sarah could not help but notice the empty plate across from her.

The sound of whooshing made Sarah jump up so fast her knee hit the table, creating pain to radiate down her leg. Turning around, she felt relief flood her system as Castiel stood there in his trench coat.

"About damn time," Dean said, piling spoonfuls of potato onto his plate.

"We saved you a seat," Sarah told him, walking over to give him a quick, friendly hug. Pulling away she added, "I'm happy you made it."

As Castiel and Sarah took their seats, a hushed silence fell over the table as no one was quite sure what to say or do. Bobby had never had a big sit down dinner since his wife passed. Dean and Sam had never had anything like this, unless Sam counted that one Thanksgiving. Cas didn't eat, so he was just staring at people. Katie and Sarah both looked at each other, desperate to think of something to say.

"Mmmmmm, so good," Dean moaned with a mouthful of potato and turkey, breaking the awkward silence.

Laughing, Sarah was glad to see the conversation start up. As she started to get full, Sarah took a mental step back. Looking around the room Cas and Dean were talking about something – or at least Dean was talking as Cas looked confused … something about a mistletoe. Sam and Bobby were regaling Katie with past hunts.

It was absolutely perfect. Sarah was full of turkey, and the candles flickered around them making everything a hazy moment of perfection. Every face around the room was happy, and Sarah could appreciate the rarity of that. Feeling a bit choked up, Sarah was surprised and embarrassed to find tears building behind her eyes. Of course it was only then that she realised Sam and Dean had forgotten to put out napkins.

"You're upset," Castiel pointed out, causing everyone to turn and look at Sarah.

Blushing, she shook her head, not trusting herself to speak as the lump in her throat grew.

"Did we do something wrong?" Cas asked, tilting his head and looking very serious.

"No," she got out. "No, these are happy tears."

As Castiel tilted his head a bit more, Sarah laughed and smiled at each of them.

"This is just what I wanted. It's perfect," she said. "God! Does anyone have a tissue, this is so embarrassing."

Turning to Dean, Castiel asked in a low voice. "Why is she crying then?"

"Dude, do not look at me – Sammy's the bitch," Dean shook his head.

Sarah felt her eyelids start to droop. The turkey was hitting her. They had moved into the living room, the tree lights on, and the tinsel sparkling in the dimly lit room. Sarah leaned her head against Castiel's knee, happy to bask in the comfort of the moment. Castiel, Katie and Dean sat on the couch, with Sarah cross-legged on floor, her side up against Castiel's leg. Sam had brought in the kitchen chair and straddled it, with arms resting on the back. Bobby was on the other side of Sarah. Together they semi-circled the tree, happy to be with each other and completely relaxed.

Sarah was therefore surprised when she realised she had almost forgotten something. Laughing she jumped to her feet and ran over to the tree.

"What are you doing?" Dean asked, his arm flung over the back of the couch.

"I almost forgot," Sarah said, shoving the different envelopes into her arms. Cradling them, she went back to her seat on the ground against Castiel. "Everyone's presents. So, um, Dean first. You need to open this envelope first."

Dean took the plain white envelope a bit suspicously. It was a lot heavier than he had suspected. Quickly tearing into the package, he was surprised when a small keychain fell out. Holidng it up, he read the plastic covered side that said AC/DC.

"Cas and I talked about it," Sarah said, leaning her head against Cas's knee. "We wanted to get you something you would actually keep with you, and well ... you always have your keys."

"Unless I steal them," Katie teased.

"Ugh, thanks," Dean said, smiling slightly down at the keychain.

Getting up again, Sarah walked over and gave him a tight hug. As she leant away, she gave him the second envelope. "Now this one, you are not to open. Only open it when you think that there is no hope left. Promise?"

Dean's green eyes searched Sarah's blue ones for a moment. She was completely serious. Nodding slowly, Dean took the envelope and folded it into his pocket.

Smiling, Sarah handed out the other presents. Sam got a letter and a keyboard duster for his laptop. Bobby another letter and cheap coasters with funny sayings. When Sarah turned to Katie, she smiled apologetically.

"There was nothing to write in a letter," Sarah shrugged. "So, I just made this."

Pulling a small friendship bracelet from her back pocket, Katie laughed. "Wow, this is like grade five all over again."

"I know," Sarah chuckled, as Katie quickly tied the pink, purple and blue bracelet on.

"I love it, thank you," Katie said, getting up to hug Sarah. "And actually, Sam and I have something for you as well."

"What?" Sarah asked, completely surprised.

"Well, in my backpack I had this thing I had been working on, for your birthday," Katie started to explain as Sam went to get the laptop. "... but I didn't get it done in time. So I was going to make it your Christmas present. Then the whole, being dragged to another reality happened, and I didn't have a computer to finish it up on. So I approached Sam with the idea and we've been working on it for weeks. So, well I hope you like it."

"Okay," Sam muttered, opening up a file on his computer. "And ... here we go."

Flipping the computer over to face everyone, Sarah was amazed to see a video collage of all the home videos Katie had taken over the years. Starting from a video when Rob had been born, and her six year old self held her younger brother beaming up into the camera. Sarah moaned and borrowed her head against Castiel's leg when it showed her eight year-old self at a dance recital. Wearing a "pumpkin" custom that was actually just an orange garbage bag. Then it was her and Katie in high school, hanging out by the lockers after school. Sarah at thirteen singing into a hairbrush. Sarah and Katie laughing at the camera at the age of twenty, pointing towards the pancake they had managed to get stuck on their apartment cieling. It showed her moving into residence in first year. Olivia and her, wrapping their arms around an annoyed Rob, serenading him to "Lost Together" by Blue Rodeo. Her parents, her siblings, her friends, their faces flashed by in tiny snippets of video. As the video wrapped up, Sarah wiped her eyes. After giving Katie a shaky hug, she walked over to Sam and gave him one as well.

"Thanks, both of you," Sarah said. "That was great."

"I was just the computer," Sam shook his head, his long hair falling into his face. "It was all Katie."

"He's being modest," Katie laughed. "We're just happy you liked it."

"I loved it," Sarah said.

As Sarah made her way up to bed, she walked with Castiel to the front hallway.

"Are you upset?" Castiel asked, surprising Sarah. When she looked at him questionly, he continued. "That you could not spend the holidays with your family?"

Pausing, Sarah thought about it. To be honest, until the video played, she had not even thought about the family she was missing. It had been different than other years, but would she change it?

"No," She answered truthfully. "I'm too grateful that I got to spend it with you."

Putting her hand on his arm, she gave him a big smile. Raising one hand to loop around his neck, she brought his face down, closer to hers. Lifting herself onto tiptoes, she gently brushed her lips against his stubbled cheek and pulled away.

"Merry Christmas Cas," Sarah said softly, as she left him standing in the front hallway.

UPDATE 12/29/2010: So, I liked the line the original chapter ended on, but this answers the "what are Sam and Katie up to" question. I hope it wasn't a let down.

AN: It's short and sweet, but it is one of those original ideas of mine, which, when I started this story - I had this in mind. It was one of the reasons I was all 'hmmm ... I'm going to be busy all month, I should write/post a chapter a day!' and decided not to wait until January. So ... to everyone: MERRY CHRISTMAS!

~ Ella