Author's Note: It's that time of year! It always comes faster and faster each year. Welcome to the "3rd Annual 25 Days of Hurt Sam"! What is this, you ask? Have a Christmas plot bunny bouncing around in your head? Have the perfect holiday themed story idea, but no time to write it? You're in the right place. From the end of November until after the New Year, I will be writing holiday-themed prompts as a gift to all of you! I know last year, due to a death of a friend, I wasn't able to finish the 2nd Annual collection (if you have a prompt there and are still waiting for it, I've started updating there again) but this year, I'm confident that I'll be able to finish everything.

So, let's get some ground rules out of the way, shall we? This collection is based on prompts you submit. To submit a prompt, simply leave it in a review. I do not have PM turned on so do not PM me. Prompts can consist of a word (ex: Snowman) or a phrase (ex: Sam always loved seeing snowflakes first thing in the morning) or even a situation (ex: It's Charlie's first Christmas after losing her mother. Sam decides to surprise her, but manages to get her and him trapped in a cave during a snowstorm. Sam gets hypothermia and it's up to Charlie to take care of him and get them both out)

In order for your prompt to be accepted, you must follow the following rules:

I am a gen author. I do not write slash of any kind. Sorry! I do write canon pairings though.

I do not accept M-rated prompts. Nothing about rape or extreme torture, etc.

Sam must be hurt in this story. You can specify what kind of hurt you'd like him to endure (ex: drowning) or you can leave it up to me. Either way, Sam will be getting the brunt of the damage and someone else will be taking care of him.

Please do not submit multiple prompts. I want to write as many stories for as many different people as I can. If you change your mind and submit another prompt, I will ignore your earlier one and go with latest one.

Your prompt must have something to do with the Holidays. This is a Holiday collection so your prompt must be related to that. Pick any aspect of this time of year and make your prompt revolve around that.

Prompts are fulfilled on a first come, first serve basis. I will also be closing prompts at the end of November to make sure I finish in time for Christmas.

I hope you guys will enjoy this collection just as much as I will enjoy writing it. To get it started, here's a scenario I've always wanted, set during Sam and Jessica's first Christmas at Stanford. Enjoy!

"It must have been the mistletoe

The lazy fire, the falling snow

The magic in the frosty air

That made me love you!"

—Barbra Streisand, "It Must Have Been the Mistletoe"

Jessica Moore wiped the sweat off her brow as she finished scrubbing the last table. The café was quiet at this time of night; more so since most of her fellow student had already left to go home for the Winter Break. Three days before Christmas and she was really the only one here, save Maria who would stay for the rest of the night shift and Louis, who was listening to Bing Crosby's White Christmas as he rolled out his pie dough.

"You got plans for Christmas, Jess?" Maria asked softly as she turned up the jukebox. Barbra Streisand's silky voice filtered in the room, soft as an angel.

"Me?" Jessica smiled softly. Christmas time always made her feel more nostalgic. Maybe it was because she was still a freshmen, recalling memories from Christmases gone by when she spent them with her best friends and her family. Now, she was alone at this school, though by choice. Her mother had invited her to come home, but Jessica had been determined to try and make it on her own. She wanted to have that experience, of her first college Christmas away from home.

Now though, alone and working, she did sort of regret it.

"Jess?" Maria tried again, the older co-worker frowning somewhat as she tucked a strand of her chestnut hair behind her ear.

"No plans." Jessica answered quickly, placing the rag aside.

"Oh, well, you could come home with me, if you wish—"

The door jingled and Jessica immediately turned her head to see a tall young man with floppy brown hair walking in. He took a seat in one of the corner booths; his back to the wall and Jessica swore that she knew him from somewhere.

"You want me to take this?" Maria questioned, gesturing to the young man. "Your shift is almost done—"

"I've got it." Jessica replied with a grin. She moved towards the young man and pulled out her notepad. "I'm Jessica, and I'll be taking your order."

"Coffee please." He answered and his voice was strained, his brow furrowed. He has dozens of books spread out over the table and Jessica can't really make out what language he's reading in. It looked like, maybe, Latin?

"Cream and sugar?"

"No thanks."

"Pulling an all-nighter?" She inquired, somewhat curious.

He met her gaze, hazel eyes vibrant and so clear, before glancing back at his work, "Something like that."

"You go to school at Stanford?" She felt compelled to keep talking to him, though she didn't know why. His eyes, maybe? The calming aura he seemed to project?

"Yes." He flipped a page of his book.

"Me too," She said softly before turning to go grab and a mug and the coffee pot. She filled it to the brim and then flashed a dazzling grin at him. "You have a good night."

Her shift was up and she needed to get home and feed her roommate's cat. Still, if she could, she'd stay.

There was something about this no-name stranger.

She just couldn't quite put her finger on it.

It was Christmas Eve when he she saw him again.

Maria had begged her to cover the night shift and Jessica, who had no good excuse to give, reluctantly agreed. She did need the money to pay for rent and Maria did have a boyfriend that she wanted to spend time with.

Who was Jessica to refuse?

So here she was, scrubbing tables and humming "Jingle Bells" under her breath as Louis continues to cook.

The doorbell rung and she glanced up, seeing the same man from a few nights ago. He limped in, skin pale and breath ragged. He slowly got to the booth and sat down, exhaling shakily.

"You doing okay?" She asked softly, giving him a cup of coffee.

"Fine." He gritted his teeth.

"You really don't look fine." She insisted. Then, seeing his shirt sticking to his left side, her eyes widened in shock. "Is that . . . is that blood?"

A few crimson drops had fallen onto the cushion.

"Don't freak out." He ordered sharply.

"Freak out?" She echoed. "Why on Earth would I freak out just because you're bleeding out in my booth on Christmas Eve?" She couldn't prevent the hint of hysteria from entering her tone.

"It's not that bad." He assured her, voice fading as his eyes fell shut for a few seconds.

"Hey, hey, stay with me." She gripped his shoulder and his eyes flew open. She used her pen to lift up the edge of his shirt and nearly gagged at the sheer sight of the jagged tears in his flesh and the blood leaking out. If she didn't know any better, She would've said that it looked like someone had taken a bite out of him.

"Don't freak out." He slurred.

"You need to go to the hospital."

"M'fine." He slumped over in the booth, going limp and unconscious.

"Hey." She shook him a bit; he didn't so much as flinch. "Hey!" Blood was flowing more steadily now and though she was an English major, she knew that only meant bad things.

And in that moment, Jessica Moore knew exactly what she had to do.

The waiting room of the E.R. was much too chilly, especially for December. Under the fluorescent lights of the lobby, Jessica did her best not to shiver in her jeans and t-shirt.

"Miss Moore?" A young nurse with a brilliant smile and gingerbread scrubs stood before her. "You brought in the young man with lacerations?"

"Yes." She rose from her chair. "Is he okay?"

"Fine," The nurse replied. "In fact, if you'd like to see him, he's right this way. He's your boyfriend, right?"

Jessica Moore was raised not to lie. Lying was, after all, wrong, but her mother had also taught her that sometimes, there were exceptions to this rule. Saying she was the girlfriend of a man she'd saved just to make sure she could see him and make sure he was all right seemed like a good exception.

"Of course." She lied.

"Right this way then."

She led her down twisting corridors until finally stopping in front of a brown door. The nurse pushed it open and motioned for Jessica to go in.

"Hey." The young man greeted, voice raspy.

"Hi." She wasn't sure whether to take a seat next to him or not. "I just wanted to make sure you were, you know, okay."

He smiled, brightly, warmly, and it made her stomach do somersaults.

"So." He started.

"So." She echoed. "Well, I guess I should go—"

"Jessica, wait." It was the first time he said her name; she froze in the doorway. "Could you . . . would you stay for a bit?"

"Yeah," She told him quickly, coming to sit in the chair. "Of course."

"My name is Sam, by the way." He tacks on and she chuckles. Funny, it only took a hospital run for her to get his name.

"Hi Sam."

A clock chimes 12 down the hall.

"Merry Christmas."

He grins and years later, when Maria asks her how she fell in love with Sam Winchester, this will be the moment Jessica tells her about.

"Merry Christmas, Sam."

Author's Note: I'm such a sucker for Sam/Jessica stories. Well, I hope you guys enjoyed! I look forward to seeing what kind of prompts you guys submit. I'll update again towards the end of this month and give you all a heads up as to when I'll be closing prompts. I will also be posting the prompt rules on my profile. Happy Holidays everyone!