Dean couldn't help it. He loved Halloween. He always had. It was his most favorite holiday. Halloween had been a blast when he was a kid. Sure, most of that stuff was campy now, and a lot of it was on the lame side, but that was all part of what made Halloween fun. It wasn't just a Sabbath or a night when the spirits could more easily inhabit the world. Or move around freely and without worry of detection.

Halloween was the only holiday where he had some good memories of his Mom and Dad.

Mom would always bake fresh apple pies the morning of Halloween while Dad would check that the flashlight had fresh batteries in it. As the pies would cool on a rack, they would dump the candy Dad picked up the night before into a huge bucket Mom would place by the front door for when kids came knocking. Dad would then pack him, and Mom into Baby and they'd drive around to look at all the Halloween decorations before going to pick out his Halloween costume.

People had decorated liberally and freely then, taking part in the fun and festivities. He could remember how there were big, hairy spiders in thick, cottony webs, flying bats with red eyes, and grinning skeletons set around tables playing poker. Some people even went above and beyond, designing make-believe cemeteries and haunted houses that they opened to the public.

Grinning witches stirring cauldrons or riding broomsticks, vampires smiling toothy grins, and other monsters covered window displays and doors all around downtown Lawrence. The Monster Mash would pump out over store sound systems, mixing with the excited jabbering of kids searching for the perfect costume all for going around town to get free candy.

And what isn't there to love about getting free candy? He mused as he sifted through the bags of candy he snagged on his store run for one of the peanut butter and chocolate shaped pumpkins he snagged at the checkout counter. Everyone loved free candy.

Well, not everyone, he thought as he shot a look at his brother. Sam never got a chance to appreciate the holiday like he had. He had only been five-months-old at the time of his one and only Halloween. He couldn't remember that night like Dean did. He hadn't gotten to enjoy the fun of Halloween.

He didn't know how that last Halloween saw Dean dress-up in a pair of mechanic coveralls like Dad while he wore this teddy bear costume Mom had gushed over. Man, Dean thought as he started emptying out the grocery bag. Wish I had a picture of him as that teddy bear.

It would be well worth whatever retaliation Sammy came up with.

After that yellow-eyed son of a bitch killed Mom, well, there were no more Halloween's for them. No more dressing up in costumes, going out to look at decorations, fresh-baked apple pies or trick-or-treating.

Halloween became just another night of hunting the monsters in the dark.

"Aha!" Dean crowed as his fingers found one of the pumpkin-shaped candies at the bottom of the bag. He pulled the candy out and held it aloft, triumphantly. "Found you!"

"Dean," Sam extolled on one long breath, "what the hell's wrong with you?"

"What?" He glanced at his brother as he unwrapped the candy and stuffed it in his mouth. "It's Halloween, man."

Sam rolled his eyes. "It's always Halloween for us."

"Yeah?" He pilfered through the bag for another pumpkin. "What's your point?"

"Nothing." Sam resumed scanning whatever he found on the internet. "Just go back to enjoying your sugar rush while I actually search for something that will help us find whoever is killing people."

"Oh, I plan on enjoying myself, Sammy," he assured him as he unwrapped the pumpkin. "Best part of Halloween is right here."

"Whatever, Dean."

"Hey, I can't help it." A grin tugged at Dean's lips. "I love Halloween."

"Yeah." Sam's lips kicked up at the corners. "I can see that." He shifted the computer around on the table. "Another body was found early this afternoon. Just hit the local papers."

Dean licked chocolate off his lips as he browsed the article.

"Same as all the others?"

"Yup." Sam nodded. "Chest tore open and heart ripped out."

"Call Bobby," Dean said as he grabbed handfuls of candy and shoved it in his pockets. "Tell him to meet us at the morgue."

"Yeah, okay." A frown creased Sam's brow. "Do you think it's a bit of a coincidence that these murders are all happening today?"

"It's Halloween, Sam." Dean looked at him as he popped another candy in his mouth. "Everything weird happens tonight."

A/N: Hello, all! Hope this finds you well!

This is loosely tagged to season 3 but is not set in one particular episode.