Disclaimer: Crimson Peak is Guillermo Del Toro's property, Supernatural belongs to Eric Kripke, The Lodgers to Brian O'Malley. Emma, Constance and I are self-inserts. The old lady from Camden Market belongs to Chibimelodee.

Summary: Ghosts are real and everything happens for a reason. Is this why Marina and her friends find themselves trapped in Allerdale Hall a few days away from Christmas?

Author's note: This story was written for me by « Emma » and « Constance » from Chibimelodee as an Advent Calendar two years ago. Please note that all three of us are french and while we do know our way around English, we might still make some mistakes. Feel free to let us know! As the three girls are french and start to speak from this chapter, I'll put the translations of their sentences right next to them so you know what they say.

Second author's notes : These bonus scenes were written by me after discovering the full story my friends gifted me.

At the Candlelight

Bonus : Play and fangirls

Still sitting in Allerdale Hall, Marina kept watching as Emma and Dean were dancing on ACDC. Thomas raised an eyebrow, clearly not liking this type of music. The modern world had proved him, once again, how it had lost all the beauty of the past years. It sounded like something the cavemen could have come up with.

"So, your play... What is it about?" Sam asked the youngest of the french women.

She was grateful he tried to make small talk. It was a bit awkward for him, she assumed. After all, they didn't know each other, had no reason to even stay in touch afterwards.

"It's an adaptation of John Wilson's book called Hamp. It's about a WWI soldier who is going to be trialled and executed for being a coward because nobody really understands what PTSD is. Eugene Simon portrays Padre, one of the few soldiers who will try and save the soldier during the trial. Being a medic, he knows about shell shock."

"I never heard of Wilson." He said

"Neither did I until Eugene announced being in For King and Country. I found a copy on Amazon for less than five euros. It's easy to read, quick too."

"I'll look into it. I'm kinda curious to read it."

"I can't wait to see Eugene on stage!" She cheered, clapping her hands together. "I discovered him in Game of Thrones, he was so great I followed him in all of his other works!"

"Who did he play?"

"Lancel Lannister. My favourite character actually."

"You liked that jerk?!" Dean exclaimed from afar

"I loved him and cried myself to sleep when he died." She replied with dignity but also humour

"What's Game of Thrones?" Thomas asked

"It's a TV show!" Sean exclaimed, clearly happy and proud to be able to answer. "I've seen some episodes."

Marina looked at him, her expression being a perfect mix between surprise and worry. She didn't know when Sean had died but the way he talked, the way he acted, the way he dressed, it meant a long long time ago. He literally was a young man with an elderly vision of the world and the innocence of a newborn.

"And... Did you like it?" She carefully told him

"Not really. But I've only seen the first three episodes. Maybe it gets better? I really didn't like the fact that Daenerys got raped by her husband on her wedding night. Nor did I like a brother and his sister trying to make a baby."

Constance felt her husband freezing on his seat.

"I'll never watch that monstrosity!" He vowed.

His wife could only smile, nodding vigorously.

"The books are better." Marina said

Dean sighed.

"At least, Drogo doesn't rape Daenerys on their wedding night in the books." She continued, ignoring him. "I think you'd like Cranford best. It's a TV adaptation of the novel by Gaskell."

"I loved the book!" The baronet smiled

"We have the DVD at home." Constance told him. "They even made a sequel!"

"Okay, this is the gang of the books are better..." Dean lamented

"I'm part of that group! I love reading!" Emma exclaimed

"Say, Dean, you read comics?" Marina wondered

"Yeah."

"Then, you're a reader. Just because your book isn't novel-sized or shaped, it doesn't mean you aren't a reader. It has words, you can read them, then, you're a reader. Fuck those elitist jerks who say that classic books are the only way for you to be an actual reader!" She told her best friend's zing with so much passion she sounded like a preacher.

Marina felt all eyes on her, from amused to downright shock. Emma seemed used to it, Constance didn't mind, Dean was surprised but happy, Sam and Bobby were the same, Crowley and his mother were laughing, Castiel was the most neutral, Thomas seemed about to scream murder as he had never pictured her as the swearing type of girl and Sean looked at her as if she had transformed herself into something new.

"What?"

"A lady should never swear." Thomas kindly and softly told her

"I'm not a lady." Marina replied "I'm a chauffeur's and a stay at home mom's daughter from the north of France. I doubt I have noble blood in me. Besides, as my mom says, a cat's a cat, so if the elitists are fucking jerks, then I'm entitled to call them fucking jerks. That's their Latin names. Also... I just like swear words, I find them funny. I know two swear words in polish if you want!"

"You speak Polish?" Sam raised an eyebrow

"Just a few words. I have polish, german and Austrian roots from my mom's side of the family."

Constance's face lit up as she had an idea.

"Say, Marina." She started in french. "Didn't you bring your copy of Hamp along so Eugene could sign it? You could show it to Sam. I could go and fetch it but I'm afraid my head will move and not be in the right place anymore."

Sam blushed, still ashamed he came up with such a poor pick-up sentence.

"I'll go get it!" Sean proposed

"No, thanks, dear." Marina smiled. "First things first, you don't know where I stored it. Secondly, you aren't a taxi. And thirdly, I don't want you to see things you don't have to see."

"Like what?" He innocently asked

Marina's poker face made him go red in a few seconds. Dean only chuckled before grinning cockily.

"Oh, honey, you should let him, I'm sure he's dying to know!"

"No, I don't! Why would I want to know what her undergarments look like?!" Sean berated him, still as red as ever.

"Because you love her, duh!"

"I don't see how that explains it."

"The birds and the bees..."

"Dean, you don't use birds and bees to make a child, you have sex."

The hunter looked at the angel, actually shocked by how straight forwards he had been. Rowena had a burst of genuine laughter, managing to mumble that there was hope for the Irish baby yet.

"Lucky Charms is not as innocent as it seems!" He grinned

"I was a human before being an angel."

His voice had been firm and somewhat cold. And what bothered Marina was that she seemed to have been the only one to even notice it. Was it because of the zing they shared? That she was able to tell when he was upset? Or was it because she was good at it? She liked to think it was the first option, not only because it was more romantic that way, but also because she knew how downright stupid she could be when reading faces or assuming people's feelings, giving her a smackable head with the eyes of a simpleton when confused, the perks of her personality.

"Dean, what makes you think I even brought any in the first place?" She joked, hoping to ease the atmosphere.

Emma and Constance had a heartfelt laugh, Sean's cheeks became crimson, Thomas seemed puzzled but also to actually like the comeback, Sam and Bobby were chuckling, Castiel remained unphased while Crowley patted her shoulder, Rowena looking at her with pride.

"I wish you were my daughter!" She purred

"Mom!" Crowley grunted

"What? I would have had her after you, you'd be her brother."

As for Dean, he had remained silent for a moment, so stunned by the comeback he never expected, surprised by how defensive she was of her newly-found lover boy before he had a genuine grin.

"I earnt it." He admitted.

Marina smiled, quite proud of managing an answer for once, before she got up from her chair, taking Sean's hand.

"Why don't we go together?"

The sound of a waltz, much more to Thomas' taste, followed their departure. Marina quietly looked at Sean, his face going back to its calm nature.

"Are you okay?" She asked

"Yes, I am. Why?" He replied

"You seemed... A bit angry with Dean."

"I can't say I wasn't."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's silly."

"I don't mind silly things."

He sighed and she could see it was saddening him.

"It's just... I get Dean's mad I got him on a plane while I could have transported us here straight away, he was afraid. I know he isn't a bad man by all means! It's just... They know it's the first time since I died that I get to come down here. Before, I was too inexperienced to even be sent to places where incest would disrupt the peace of a realm. From the way I'm dressed, they understand I died quite some time ago. I know I might be a burden considering that. Still, it's not a reason to mock my awkwardness around modern things."

She squeezed his hand gently.

"How long has it been? Since you... Became an angel."

The young woman was refusing to even imagine him dead.

"Next year is 2020, right?" He asked

She nodded.

"Then, on the 21st of September of next year, it'll literally be a century."

"A hundred years?!"

"Yes. I died on the 21st of September 1920, in Ireland."

"How old were you?"

Marina could feel a sudden wave of pain in her heart, as well as deep grief.

"I was almost twenty-two."

"That's so young... How... how horrible..."

"My death allowed someone to live and have a long and pretty good existence."

She softly smiled.

"You're a hero then."

"I'm not..."

"Wait... You said you died in Ireland, in a basement, drowned by ghosts. In 1920. And I noticed you have a wooden leg."

"How did you?!" He stuttered, taken aback.

"A very close friend has a false leg as well." She explained. "You were of age, you died in Ireland, in 1920... So, you were a soldier? You fought in the war for Ireland's independence?!"

"I'm surprised you know about it."

"I'm a history nerd. Did you fight with the IRA?"

"No, I sided with the RIC. Which made me look like a pariah by most of the people in the village. Ireland was suffering, still painfully recovering from the great famine. We deserved better, yes. But not by murdering our neighbours. It was not the right way, it'll never be the right way."

Marina was looking at him with pride in her eyes.

"I wish I could be as brave as you." She confessed

"You know, our Father sees everyone. You have your own way of being brave. He sees all the good things you do."

"I'm just being a decent human being. Besides, I don't think he likes me very much, I'm not even baptized."

"Some who are baptized don't even do a third of what you do to help others."

They arrived in the bedroom the girls had shared for several days. Marina took her bag and Sean was actually impressed by how small it was. She had packed the essentials, only the essentials. After a few seconds, she took out a hand-me-down book, quite slim, with a white and sober cover.

"Let's go."

When they came downstairs, Constance and Thomas were waltzing again, the bride's train following her every move, floating around her as if she was floating in the air. Dean was awkwardly trying to follow their example and dance with Emma, much to the woman's pleasure. And somehow, Rowena had managed to have Castiel waltz with her as well. He was a good dancer but was quite stiff and cold.

"Got it!" Marina said as she sat near Sam, handing over the book

"Thanks!"

He read a few pages, nodding approvingly.

"It's really nice." He said

"I can lend it to you." She offered

"I don't know when I could return it to you and I don't want to ruin it with our lifestyle."

He raised an eyebrow as her face lit up.

"I know! We could all go to the play!" She exclaimed. "I have enough money on my account to buy you all tickets."

"Oh no, no, don't do that! Don't get broke for us!" The American pleaded.

"Yes, why would you even think of that?" Crowley asked

"You saved us all." She replied. "Consider it a thank you gesture and a Christmas gift."

"Why don't you just send your baby angel over to steal some tickets?" Crowley suggested

"And not support Eugene's work? No, thank you."

"I can go and pay!" Sean offered

"Sean... Once again, you aren't a taxi and do you even know how to use a credit card?" Marina asked without malice.

"You insert the credit card into a machine after the cashier entered your bill's amount on his cash register machine, then you enter a secret code and the money is directly taken from your account."

Sam's jaw almost dropped.

"How did you..." He started

"I watched The Simpsons!" The angel told him

"How did you even pay for the burgers?" Marina inquired

"Father wouldn't have sent me down here without some preparation."

"I can pay Dean and I tickets." The hunter offered

"Nope, my treat!" She insisted

"I'm a bit embarrassed."

"Don't be!"

"I'm definitely wondering if she's not your sister." Bobby grumbled

"Guys!" The young woman said. "We're all going to see Eugene!"

When Dean saw Sam's look, he knew he couldn't argue back.

Facing the door, Marina's heart was beating so fast she was wondering if anyone around her, from the staff to the security guards, could hear it. She could feel her gust twisting and her hands slightly shaking from both excitement and also stress. What if she stuttered in front of him? What if she made a fool of herself? She was by herself, everyone was waiting in the foyer, and she was glad they had a good time. Even Dean, who didn't really like theatre, admitted the play was nice because the subject interested him. For once, he could have a real talk with Thomas other than professional. The baronet had been impressed by the play and quite touched by the subject. Her hands-on her book, trying to control her emotions, she waited to be called in. She still couldn't believe that, for her twenty-seventh birthday, her friends had organized a road trip to England so she could see Eugene live and even meet him afterwards.

"You can go." A woman told her as she left.

She knocked on the door and Eugene's warm, sunny voice, echoed. His face immediately lit up and he smiled as she entered, clearly nervous and happy at the same time.

"Hi, Marina! I'm so glad I can finally meet you, three years after I suggested to Rosie I could film a small video for you."

Emma and Constance smiled as their friend joined them, a dreamy look on her face.

They had won their bet: This birthday would be the best birthday Marina had ever had.

The End