Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Dark Angel or Supernatural characters. For this fic I changed the DA time line. The pulse has already hit and Alec is out of Manticore in 2009. The characters of Lexi, Jake and Jackie are from a Supernatural AU Verse that I write. This is my first DA fic so please be kind. I hope you like it. Wow fifteen chapters! I can't believe I've written so much. Thanks to everyone that has been reading this story. Reviews would be great.

December 24th

Dean woke up to find Lexi curled around him. The room was cold, much colder than when he had gone to bed last night. He made a mental note to stop in the hardware store and pick up an electric heater for their bedroom. If he wanted Lexi to stay put he would have to make sure she wasn't freezing up here. He rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand and sighed. He hoped that today was going to be a good day. Yesterday was okay but today was the first full day she was going to have to stay in bed and it was Christmas Eve. That was going to make it worse. Lexi had it in her head that she had to give the twins this amazing Christmas since it was their first time celebrating the holiday. Dean ran his fingers lightly up her arm before he disentangled himself from his wife slowly to keep her from waking up. He didn't want to start the morning off with an argument. He stopped at the window pulling back the blinds. The window pane had a good amount of frost on it while a fresh batch of snow began filling up the outside ledge. He had to get into town before the weather got bad.

Dean made his way down to the kitchen to start breakfast as he went over the list of things he needed to do today in his head. He stopped just inside the archway to the kitchen his eyes widening as he took in the scene before him. All three boys were in the kitchen making a huge mess. There was flour everywhere and God knew what else. "What are you boys doing?"

Jake smiled up at his dad looking very pleased with himself. "Making mommy pancakes!"

Dean quirked an eyebrow at the toddler who was covered head to toe in flour. "You sure cuz it looks like you made more of a mess to me."

"That's because Alec started a flour war." Ben snapped from his place at the stove. It was obvious that Ben disapproved of his twins actions which only made Alec beam with pride. "I ordered him to stop but he said since we're not in Manticore anymore he doesn't take orders."

"Oh really?"

Alec was pretty confident his dad wasn't going to yell at him too much if he was going by the spark in eyes. He could tell Dean wanted to laugh but thought better of it. Alec shrugged smirking up at his dad as he stated simply, "I was bored."

Dean sighed while running a hand down his face. This kid was gonna be the death of him. He wanted to yell, he really did but a part of him also wanted to laugh. Besides, they were trying to do something nice for their mom. He shook his head and gestured to Alec, "You're gonna clean this mess up after breakfast."

"Yes, sir."

"C'mon boys, lets eat and then we'll make your mom her pancakes. You can bring them up to her."

Dean carried the tray loaded with Lexi's breakfast up to their room while Alec kept up a steady argument on why he should've been allowed to carry it instead. Dean rolled his eyes but didn't respond to Alec's tirade. Instead, he reminded all three boys not to jump on their mom and to keep their voices down. Jake's excitement got the best of him when his father opened the bedroom door. Jake ran past him screaming as he dived on the bed next to his mom. "MOMMY! MOMMY!"

Lexi sat up wide eyed thinking something horrible had happened, "What's wrong sweetie?"

"We made you pancakes!"

Lexi bit down on her bottom lip, her green eyes filling with tears. Dean placed the tray over her legs kissing her temple as he did so. "No, crying today or tomorrow, Lex."

"Okay."

Dean perched on the edge of their bed letting his fingers trail over her hand, "After you eat how bout you come down with the boys to the kitchen to supervise the cookie making? You have to promise me though that you'll stay seated in one of the kitchen chairs though."

"I promise."

Downtown Sioux Falls

Jackie watched the people milling around the store fronts wearily. She always hated crowds even before the pulse but now they just made her twitchy. She could kill Sam for volunteering her to go into town with Dean. She tried to worm her way out of it but then Sam said he needed to stay behind to chop firewood and gave her those damn puppy eyes. She caved.

"You ready to do this Jack?"

"Yeah, let's get this over with."

"We'll meet in the diner in two hours."

"Sounds like a plan."

Dean headed into the five and dime in search for a present for Lexi. Normally, he would buy her jewelry and some lingerie, this year though, he was stumped. He walked aimlessly around for a few minutes before a pretty brunette asked him if he needed any help. Dean flashed her a smile, "Yeah. I'm looking for something for my wife. Um, do you have any of those baby books?"

"Baby books?"

"Yeah. Um you write their firsts in them...I dunno what you call them."

"Oh you mean a keepsake journal. Yes, we have them. Follow me."

Phillips Avenue Diner

Dean strutted into the diner feeling quite pleased with himself for finishing up his Christmas shopping. He glanced around quickly to see if Jackie had arrived yet, once satisfied that she wasn't in the diner he snagged a booth by the window. He took a pack of Camels out of his front jacket pocket tapping it against the palm of his hand before fishing in his jacket pocket for his zippo. He flicked it open and lit a cigarette taking a long drag. Dean closes his eyes and exhales, knows he should quit smoking but with the last few days he's had, he deserves to smoke. Truth was he's cut way back, partly because Lexi has been on his ass about it and the other because since the pulse hit they've become expensive as hell. He used to be a pack a day guy but now it's two or three cigarettes a day. There were certain times when he had to smoke; like first thing in the morning, or when he was drinking or after a roll in the sack with Lexi. That was the only time she didn't get on him for lighting up, she would pluck the cigarette from his fingers and take a drag herself.

A young waitress approached his booth, coffee pot in hand, asking if he wanted coffee or something else to drink. Dean gestured at the coffee pot flicking cigarette ash into the ashtray as he asked what kind of pie they had. He didn't really need to ask since all diners were pretty much the same. They all had the main three: apple, cherry and blueberry and since it was around the holidays there might even be some pumpkin or sweet potato. After reciting the list of pies she asked, "Are you ready to order or do you need some more time?"

Dean smiled at her, "Not yet sweetheart, I'm waiting on a friend."

He watched her walk away, enjoying the view as she swung her hips. She reminded him of Lexi from back in the day with her v-neck t-shirt and jeans that hugged her hips and ass. He smiled to himself, he always loved waitresses and wondered what kind of panties she had on. Dean took another drag off his cigarette shaking his head as he brushed the thought away. The girl was way too young for him and besides that he would never cheat on his pregnant wife, he wasn't that big of a scum bag.

Jackie arrived a few minutes later looking put out. She dropped her shopping bags on the floor as she slid into the booth across from Dean. She grabbed his pack of Camels helping herself to a cigarette and scowled before lighting it. "I hate people."

"You're antisocial, ya know that Jack."

"Oh fuck you, Ace. Like you're not."

Dean smirked at Jackie before calling the waitress over. They both ordered slices of pie, apple for both of them and black coffees. They sat in silence as they ate, which was unusual. Dean would normally be making obscene happy noises as he ate his pie. Jackie looked up from her own slice of pie and watched him for a moment her eyebrow raised, "Dean, you ok?"

"Hmm?"

"It's not your fault what's happened with Lexi."

Dean blinked and then lowered his eyes to the table. He didn't want Jackie to see how torn up he was over the situation. He was trying to put a brave face on, not just for Lexi but for everyone. "Wh...why would you say that, Jack?"

"It's what you're thinking isn't it?" She questioned quietly while studying him over her mug of coffee, "You had sex with her that afternoon. I heard you, Ace. You guys were really going at it."

"I...yeah. I shouldn't have..."

"Stop. Did the Doctor say it happened because you had sex?" Dean finally took his eyes off the table to look at her. He shook his head no but Jackie could see the doubt and guilt he had, it was written all over his face. She sighed and said softly, "Then stop beating yourself up over it. You did nothing wrong. Shit happens all the time, Ace. Especially to us."

"You're right..."

An Hour Later

The snow was falling heavy by the time Dean and Jackie got back to Bobby's. The glow of lights from the windows reflected off the fresh snow, the smell of burning wood and the smoke coming out of the chimney made Dean feel like he really was in a Kinkade painting. The snow crunched under his boots bringing a smile to his face. He almost, ALMOST, wanted to sing a Christmas carol until Jackie slugged him in the arm. He smiled sheepishly at her and quickly made his way into the house.

The fire was roaring, the smell of cookies baking and the sound of his brother singing all assaulted him when he walked through the front door. Dean and Jackie looked at each other eyebrows raised as they hung their coats and dropped their shopping bags in the hall closet. Dean tilted his head listening to Sam's off key version of 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer' before turning to Jackie with a smirk on his face, "Sammy must've broke out the egg nogg early."

"That shit's disgusting."

"Not the way Sammy makes it. It's mostly rum with a splash of egg nogg."

They walked into the kitchen to find Sam singing Christmas carols and rolling out sugar cookie dough while Lexi sat at the kitchen table with Jake in her lap helping him decorate cookies. Ben and Alec were also decorating cookies with Bobby's help. Dean looked around the kitchen surprised. He expected this kind of behavior from his wife not from Sam and Bobby. "What are you guys doing?"

Bobby stared at Dean as if Dean had grown a second head and said gruffly, "It's Christmas Eve ya idjit what does it look like we're doing? We're making cookies for Santa."

"Um okay..."

"Yeah daddy." Jake chirped brightly smiling up at Dean, "We make cookies and we leave food outside for the reindeer. You help with cookies too."

"ME? Nah, that's your mom's thing..." Jake looked up at Dean with big innocent puppy eyes, his lower lip quivering. Damn Sam for teaching him to make that face. Dean sighed and took the empty chair next to Lexi, "Okay, okay. I'll help. I need some of that egg nogg first."

It had taken Dean over two hours and several stern warnings to get the boys to bed that night. He wasn't really angry with the boys, the three of them were overly excited for tomorrow, which made Dean feel warm and happy. His twins were acting like normal boys their age, he couldn't ask for anything more than that. Still, he gave them a stern talking to about staying in bed until he came and got them in the morning. Alec pouted and asked why he couldn't stay up to see Santa for himself. Dean pushed Alec's blonde hair off his forehead, making a mental note to take the boys to get haircuts in a few days, smirking, "Somethings you just gotta believe in kiddo."

It was a little after midnight once Dean returned downstairs. He found Lexi sitting on the couch with her feet up just like how she promised him he would find her. He joined his wife on the couch lifting her legs and placing her feet in his lap. Sam and Jackie were sitting on the floor in front of the fire as they finished wrapping up their gifts. Dean leaned forward swatting at Sam's shoulder playfully, "Good haul this year little brother."

Sam smiled at his brother but it was bittersweet, "We never had a Christmas like this when we were kids. I always wished..."

"Yeah, me too, Sammy."

Sam brightened suddenly, a wide dimpled grin on his face, "We're the ones that have to put their toys together...we get to play with them too then...we have to make sure they work properly right?"

"Exactly, little brother."

"Such children." Jackie and Lexi laughed simultaneously.

Lexi shook her head and nudged Dean with her foot, "That's why you bought that remote control car and the train set."

"No," Dean protested attempting to look offended, "I bought them because boys like cars and trains."

"Okay, Dean but don't forget to eat the cookies for Santa."

Dean looked over at the plate of cookies that were sitting on Bobby's desk. Propped up against the plate was a note in Ben's careful handwriting that said, 'For Santa.' He smiled sadly remembering the last time he had seen a note like that. It was his last Christmas with his mom, actually, it was the first Christmas he can remember. He was three. They had baked cookies together earlier that day while his dad was at work. Right before she put him to bed that night she let him carry the plate into the living room and place it on the coffee table. He couldn't write back then, so his mom had written the note. Dean watched her place it against the plate feeling excited that Santa really was coming to bring him presents. Dean turned his attention back to Lexi, a small smile tugging at the corner's of his mouth, "I won't forget."