Disclaimer: Supernatural and all its characters belong to Kripke and the CW.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!! Hope you don't mind reading a Christmas fic now that the holiday is over.
Congrats to misschick and deangirl1 who knew that Ellsworth was the name of Jim Beaver's character in the series Deadwood.
Previously on Supernatural- As soon as they disappeared Dean started up the snowmobile and drove out into the night.
SNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSN
Dean wiped the snow off his visor and sighed. The light snow that had begun falling minutes after they left had now become an almost blizzard making it impossible to see more than a couple of feet ahead. Slowing even further he kept his eyes glued to the road ahead and tried to ignore his little brother's shivering. Dean knew he needed to stop somewhere and take shelter until the snow stopped. Sammy couldn't afford to be out in the freezing weather much longer. Besides there was no way they would make it to Bobby's house with conditions like they were. Knowing that the surrounding forest was littered with small hunting cabins he watched for any sign of a side road. "Come on, come on" he muttered as they slowly made their way down the snow covered road.
Sammy snuggled closer to Dean as the icy wind pummeled his back through the blanket. Shaking from the cold he tightened his grip on his big brother hoping that they were almost to Bobby's house. He didn't think he could stand being outside much longer. He was cold, wet, and just wanted his daddy.
At Bobby's place
"Caleb, when you and John go on hunts with Bobby, who usually checks into the hotel?" Jim called out searching the shelves for a phone book.
"Bobby does. Why? Something wrong?" Caleb questioned from the doorway. He walked over to the shelf frowning as he noticed the scribbled writing in his friend's treasured Bible. "What's going on, Jim?"
"It's John's boys. Dean left a message saying that there was a fire at their apartment building. He and Sammy managed to escape without getting caught and are holding up in a friend's house." Jim explained. "There was a report about it on the radio right before we got here. They said federal agents were already on the case. At the time I remember wondering how the FBI managed to get there so quickly."
"You think Bobby and John are posing as the feds to find Dean and Sammy." Caleb concluded walking over to the couch. Leaning down he pulled the phone book out from under the battered piece of furniture and held it out.
"It has to be them. Even the federal government couldn't get agents to this area that fast. Not in this weather." Jim pointed out opening the book. He swiftly thumbed through the phone book stopping at the section in the back marked hotels. "You know what federal id Bobby uses?"
"Uh, yeah, I think so." Caleb stuttered. "It's Ellsworth or it was the last I heard.
"Thanks" Jim replied scanning the listings. "Why don't you go put on a pot of coffee. I have a feeling we're going to need it."
With the hunters
The three hunters silently exited the abandoned barn and sadly headed for the car. After a full day of searching, they were no closer to finding the boys than when they started. And their latest lead had been so promising, too.
They'd been on their way into the police station to check in when a young man in a business suit stopped them. The young man, whose name was Thomas, had informed the "agents" that he had seen a pony galloping down his street the morning before. When asked why he hadn't shared the information earlier, Thomas told the three that he had left town that morning and hadn't heard about the missing boys until he returned home an hour before. Thanking the man the hunters had raced to their car and sped out to Thomas' neighborhood which was on the opposite side of town from the apartment building. After knocking on doors for hours with no luck, the weary men had started for the motel when the old barn came into view. Thinking it looked like just the kind of place Dean might hide out in the men had stopped the car and walked up to the decrepit building. Noticing what could have been small footprints in the snow leading up to the door they had quickly made their way inside and thoroughly searched every inch of the barn. All three men were heartbroken when no trace of their boys was found.
On the service road
Dean could have danced for joy when he saw a dirt road come into view. He carefully turned and drove down the road praying that the road led to one of the hunting cabins his Uncle Bobby had told them about. Several minutes later those prayers were answered as the road ended in front of an old log cabin. Dean grabbed the flashlight out of his book bag before turning off the snowmobile's engine. He placed the snowmobile keys in his bag and untied the ends of the blanket. After helping Sammy off the vehicle, he climbed off himself, grabbed their bags from the storage hold, and threw them over his shoulder. Flashlight in hand he led the way up the three steps to the porch stopping at the cabin's door. Dropping their bags he reached a shaking hand out, turned the door knob, and pushed the door open. "Stay here Sammy" he ordered before stepping into the cabin.
Dean stood just inside the doorway and shined the flashlight slowly across the room. He searched the room twice looking for anyone of anything out of the ordinary. Once he was sure it was safe he walked back out, grabbed their bags, and motioned for Sammy to come inside. After settling his freezing little brother on a chair, Dean glanced around again for a way to warm up the tiny room. Spotting an oil lamp on the floor beside the door he bent down and picked it up. He lit the wick and turned the knob to the brightest setting before holding it up and looking the room over. Besides the chair there was a well worn sofa and a wooden table that was leaning to one side. A ratty old mattress and blanket was thrown against one wall while a fireplace took up most the opposite wall.
Not seeing any firewood Dean walked back out to the porch checking both sides for firewood and coming up empty. Deciding he'd have to improvise Dean stepped back inside and glanced around eyes coming to rest on the rickety old table. Grinning he quickly made his way over. Several well placed kicks later he loaded his arms with the "firewood" and carried it over to the fireplace where he dumped it. Opening his book bag he took a few pages out of Sammy's coloring book and set them under the wood. Flicking his lighter Dean lit the paper and grabbed the poker that was lying by the fireplace. He carefully tended the small flame watching as it grew into a roaring fire. Getting up he walked to the other side of the room, pushed the mattress to the floor, and drug it stopping a few feet in front of the fireplace.
Sammy watched as Dean broke the table and started the fire. Wanting to feel the warmth of the flames he stood and quickly walked over beside Dean. He held his hands out in front of him sighing as his hands slowly began to warm up.
Dean straightened the blanket on the mattress and then plopped down on the edge. Grabbing Sammy's hand he pulled his little brother down to sit beside him. Taking the closest end of Sammy's blanket from him Dean climbed under the blanket and threw his arm around his little brother pulling him closer. They huddled close together in front of their warm fire as the winter storm raged outside.