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Dear Santa,
I know you’re probably not real, and if you are you’re probably one of the things my family and I hunt (not that either my dad or brother will talk to me much about it), but it’s Christmas and there is something I really want wish. My big brother Dean will tell me dad won’t miss Christmas, not this year. But he misses every year. And Dean will say “dad had something really important Sammy, but he wanted to be here”. But I don’t know if I believe it. I want to, but our dad doesn’t even get a tree or decorations for Christmas. He says stuff like, “that crap is waste of time, Sammy”. I don’t think holidays are important in his book. My brother tries but it’s hard to get stuff like trees or decorations when you’re just a kid and you have a dad like ours. So I guess what I’m asking for…what I wish for, is to have one Christmas like everyone else. One normal Christmas with a tree and decorations and maybe even eat a meal together. I even have the perfect gift for dad even if he doesn’t have one for me.
Sam Winchester
Dean put the note back under Sammy’s pillow. His chest hurt. And a single slipped down his cheek. There was still hope for Sammy, why did their dad have to drag him down too. He wasn’t like Dean. He didn’t want to follow in their father’s footsteps…or at least he wanted to see his other options first. Dean never thought like that...maybe he never had the chance. And now here Sammy was, paying the price for being a Winchester. He deserved to have a more normal life. Not always moving around, having decent meals, a decent education. Hell, the kid’s a giant nerd.
Dean had to do something. If he couldn’t give Sammy the life he deserved right now, he sure as hell would try to make his wish come true. He could manage probably a crappy version of a tree and decorations but he doesn’t think he can get John to stick around or come back for Christmas. He checked to make sure Sammy was still in the bathroom before getting to work on his plan. They had a heated day, Dean found out Sam had read John’s journal and they had to have “the talk”. They did have one last conversation before Sam went to bed though. Sam had asked to burn the letter he wrote.
“Why, Sammy? What it is?” Dean asked feigning ignorance.
“It’s..nothing. It’s just, I read in a book once that if you write down something you wish on a piece of paper and burn it, It’s more likely to come true. Like a spell with less power.”
“Where did you…never mind. Where is it?”
Sam pulled out the letter. Dean reached for it but Sam quickly pulled it back to his chest. “You can’t read it Dean. It won’t come true if someone else reads it.”
“Fine.” Dean said as he rolled his eyes. Stubborn as always. He took Sammy to the bathroom. “Here.” He handed Sam his lighter. “Be careful and keep the paper over and in the sink. Got it?”
Sam nodded. It went without incident and without setting off any smoke alarms. “Thanks, Dean.” Sam gave him a tight hug before leaving the bathroom.
“Yeah, sure, whatever. Now get some sleep okay?” Sam nodded again, but with a small smile this time.
So, he waited until Sammy was asleep before going about his plan. He snuck out with one of John’s less used credit cards, hid a small saw from one of the weapon bags John didn’t take with him, and went to gas station a mile down the road. They had cheap holiday decorations, some tinsel crap, lights that probably didn’t all work, and some plastic bulbs for a tree. The young hunter grabbed a basket full of the decorations and a more expensive frozen pizza and a two large bottles of soda. It was Christmas and it was for Sammy. Screw what John said. On the way to the register he also threw in a stuffed Moose and a roll of wrapping paper. Maybe Sam was too old for stuffed animals but there isn’t a whole lot to choose from in a gas station. And hey, a Moose is huge so maybe it’ll be “get tall charm” for Sammy. The kids way too small, Dean thought.
The cashier gave Dean a look but didn’t ask questions. If Dean was being honest the guy looked like he started his holiday celebrations early. Next, he went and grabbed the saw he stashed and cut down a small tree from the side of the road. It came up to Dean’s waist at most but hey, a trees a tree right?
He quietly snuck back into the hotel room and got to work. He put the tree in an unused pot with some water and set it in the corner by the window. They he got the pizza going in the crappy motel oven. While that cooked, Dean did his decorating. He put as much as he could on the small tree then put the rest on the curtain rods and curtains in the case of the bulb ornaments. He wrapped the moose and drew a bow on with marker and put it under the tree. When the pizza was done he plated it and with the soda brought it to the table. Now to get Sammy.
He went to Sammy and gently woke him up.
“Hey, Hey, Sammy. Look. Dad was here.”
“Wha…..Dean..? What are you…” he stopes mid-sentence with wide eyes. “Whoa! Dean, look! A tree! And a present! Is it for me? And pizza! Dean this is awesome! But where’s dad?”
“He…uh…couldn’t stay. But he wanted you to have this”, handing Sam the present, “and said we deserved a little treat.” He said as he nodded to the pizza.
Sam gave him a doubtful look. He may be young but he’s smarter than both Dean and John give him credit for sometimes. “Did dad really do this Dean?”
“Yeah, of course, Sammy. He was..” Dean paused as Sam gave him what could only be called a bitch-face. “Fine. No. He didn’t. He hasn’t been back yet. But I wanted you to have a nice Christmas ok?”
Sam smiled at his big brother. “Thanks, Dean. I think it’s great.” He gave his brother another hug.
“Yeah, Yeah. It was nothin. Now open the gift so we can eat the pizza.”
Sam laughed and complied. Dean always thought with his stomach. He opened the moose and laughed some more. “A moose? Dean, where did you go?”
“Just the gas station up the road. Took one of the old mans cards he doesn’t use much. That was the best option trust me. Besides maybe it’ll bring you luck to grow big and strong. You know, like a moose.” He laughed with Sam and lightly punched his arm.
“Ow, Hey. I’m strong!”
“You’re as tiny as that tree, Sammy.”
Sam rolled his eyes. “Whatever.” He walked over to his bed and pulled a something wrapped out from under it. “Here. I want you have this.”
“Isn’t this for dad?” Dean asked, hesitant to take the proffered gift.
“Dads not here, Dean. You are. I want you to have it.”
Dean nodded, getting a little choked up. He opened it to find the ugliest necklace he’d probably ever seen. Sam must have seen something on his face so he went on to explain, “it’s an amulet I got from uncle Bobby. He said it’s real special and will protect you.”
Dean, still feeling choked up, managed to get out a, “thank you, Sammy. I love it.”
“Yeah?” He asked with hopeful puppy Sam eyes.
“Yeah.” He gave his little brother a tight hug. “It’s the best gift I’ve ever gotten. Now, how about that pizza?”
Sam smiled and nodded. Once they were comfortable on the couch, with pizza and soda, watching the snow fall outside, Sam thought that maybe wishes do come true. “Merry Christmas, Dean.”
“Merry Christmas, Sammy.”