Author's Note: It's been a long time! My real life has gotten way busier, leaving me little time to write fanfic. But you didn't think I'd skip out on this wonderful tradition, did you? Welcome to the 5th Annual 25 Days of Hurt!Sam! It's hard to believe that it's been five years since I started doing this. I look forward to writing some more of your wonderful holiday themed prompts!

For those of you who are new to this, welcome! This is a collection of holiday hurt!Sam stories based on prompts you submit! It's my Christmas gift to all you wonderful readers. Before I can start writing though, let's go over some ground 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 abuse or extreme violence, etc.

One prompt per person! I want to write as many stories for as many people as I can. Please pick one prompt and submit that. If you can't decide, feel free to list out your ideas. To submit a prompt, leave a review. I don't have PM turned on so don't use that.

Sam must be hurt in this story. You can tell me how you want him to be hurt (i.e. fever, the Trials, etc.) or you can leave it up to me. Either way, Sam will be getting the brunt of the damage and someone else will take care of him. This doesn't mean someone else can't be injured but Sam will be the one getting hurt the worst.

Your prompt must have something to do with the holidays. Pick any aspect of this time of year and make your prompt revolve around that!

Prompts are fulfilled in a first come, first serve basis. I will also be closing prompts before the end of November to be sure I have enough time to get through a lot of them, if not the majority.

Without further ado, let's get this started! This is set during Sam's time at Stanford.

"Christmas time is here,

Families drawing near,

Oh, that we could always see

Such spirit through the year."

—Vince Guaraldi Trio, "Christmas Time Is Here"

His first Christmas away from home is not as joyous as Sam expected.

Sure, he's at the school of his dreams, and excelling no less, but as he walks out of the library after an intense pre-finals study group, he can't help but feel empty. The twinkling lights that adorn some of the campus buildings and the distant sounds of carolers doesn't uplift him like they usually do. This is normal with a capital N and everything that Sam has ever wanted and yet . . .

And yet, he's not happy.

"Dude," Brady starts as soon as Sam enters their dorm, "You look pissed."

Sam tosses his book bag on his bunk and sighs.

"Something wrong?" Brady questions, but Sam just shrugs.

What can he really say? That he misses his dad and Dean? As far as Brady is concerned, Sam doesn't really have a family, at least not one that he's talked about. Sam has kept his past a secret, only giving out information on a need-to-know basis. He's constructed a careful backstory for himself and he can't let his façade fail.

"It's nothing." Sam dismisses, a tired smile on his lips.

"Good," Brady perks up, a devilish grin alighting on his lips, "Cause we've got plans."

Sam's eyebrows raise, "Plans?"

"Christmas party plans," Brady begins and just when he sees Sam about to interject, he hastily adds, "Dude, there is more to life than studying for finals. Like girls. Really cute girls."

Sam's never been to a Christmas college party before. Maybe Brady has a point.

At least, it could take his mind off Dean and John for a few hours.

Except, Sam forgot how much a sap he becomes once he has one or two beers.

A lightweight, Dean would scoff with a teasing glint in his eyes. Either way, Sam finds himself morose, sitting at the bar, wallowing in his loneliness. He knew that when he walked out the door, that would be it. John would never accept Sam's choice to walk away from the life. And Dean . . . well, Dean had just stood there and let John tear into Sam, like he approved of their father's harsh tone and sharp words.

Why should Sam miss them?

But it's almost Christmas. A time for people to gather with family and even though he never experienced a true "normal" Christmas, he still misses the newspaper wrapped gifts and their father's lame excuse of a Christmas dinner. Maybe it isn't normal, but for Sam, it's home.

If you walk out that door, don't you dare come back!

Sam takes another swig of his beer, letting the liquid burn down his throat.

"Sam?" A soft voice asks and he turns his head. A beautiful blonde with the prettiest eyes he's ever seen comes to stand next to him. She smiles nervously, "It's Sam, right?"

He can't figure out how to make his voice work, but somehow, he nods his head.

"I'm Jessica." She introduces herself. She's wearing one of those tacky Christmas sweaters with dancing reindeer on it, but it looks flattering on her.

"I remember." They have econ together each Thursday and he's been trying to work up the nerve to try and talk to her for weeks.

"Brady said you were having trouble with your econ exam? Did you want to study sometime?"

"Yes!" He says it much too loud, but Jessica just laughs and God, it's a beautiful sound, a melodic one that lifts his spirits.

"Tuesday?" She questions and he quickly nods, "Great, I'll meet you at the library at about one." She grabs a drink before waving and disappearing in the crowd.

Well, he thinks, at least things are turning around.

But they're not.

The loneliness strikes again, that empty feeling that's tearing him apart. He wants to call Dean, to hear his voice, but Sam knows he can't. Who knows if his brother would even pick up? Dean has always been John's perfect little soldier. If John had told Dean not to answer, then there is no way that Dean would.

"You've got the Christmas blues." Brady deduces as they drink a cup of coffee in the library.

"That's not real—" Sam dismisses, flipping a page in his econ book. He wants to be prepared for his study session with Jessica in a few days.

Brady rolls his eyes, "It is! Why do you think shrinks are so busy this time of year?" Brady pauses to let the information sink in, but Sam dismisses it.

He doesn't have the Christmas blues.

Not even close.

Though, he may have a fever and a cold.

As he nearly hacks up his lung for the fifth time in the past hour, Brady's had enough.

"Dude, you've got to go to the health office."

"It's nothing."

Brady glares, "Maybe they can give you some cough medicine though. I can't sleep if you keep that up."

Sam supposes that's a fair point and as much as he dislikes going to doctors—John always wanted him to tough it out—he will if only to assuage Brady.

How he ended up in the hospital though is a bit of a blur.

Turns out the fever wasn't that mild and the cough, well that was a sign of fluid in his lungs.

"Walking pneumonia," The kindly doctor informs him, "Your symptoms aren't as severe as what we would see in normal pneumonia cases, but it's best to keep you here until the course of antibiotics is done."

Sam wants to disagree. He's never liked hospitals—too many close calls, too many sleepless nights—but this is what normal people do. They don't run away with the medicine in tow. They stay put and trust their doctors.

"How long?" It's hard to talk with the nasal cannula and the medicine running through his veins. He feels a bit loopy, but he hasn't been coughing in a while so that's a plus.

The doctor frowns, "Until after Christmas, I'm afraid."

Sam's face falls.

"Is there anyone we can call for you?"

Dean. He wants Dean here.

"No," Sam lies, "I'm fine."

The fever spikes in the night.

Fire licks at his sides and he sees hazy figures of nurses, whispering nonsensical words as they place wet towels on his forehead. The room spins and moving his body causes needles to stab him. He finds himself crying, but he doesn't care. He's alone and scared. Is normal worth this? He just wants—

"Dean."

There's a burning at his I.V. and then blissful darkness.

Sam can't quite believe what he's seeing.

"Dean?"

The figure sitting in the well-worn chair across from his hospital bed is definitely his older brother, but Sam can't quite tell if he's still hallucinating or not.

"Hey, Sammy." Dean's voice is hoarse and he's got five o'clock shadow, but it's definitely his brother in the flesh. He smiles tightly and pats Sam's arm. "Merry Christmas."

"What?" Sam's voice is parched and Dean hands him a cup of water. Sam drinks it greedily, relishing the cool sensation along his throat. When he puts the water aside, he takes in his brother, committing every feature of his brother to memory.

"You feeling better?" Dean questions softly, "You've been out of it for a bit."

"What happened?"

Dean winces and Sam knows it must've been bad. Bad enough for Dean to come and risk John's wrath anyways.

"Your fever spiked and the pneumonia resisted the medicine they first gave you," Dean replies softly, "Looks like they've finally got some antibiotics that are working."

Silence.

Faint Christmas music echoes down the halls.

"What are you doing here, Dean?" Sam's wanted him here more than he could ever express, but he always thought it would be impossible. Dean would never go against John, would he?

"What do you mean?" Dean retorts sharply, "You were sick, Sam. They called Bobby and gave him a damn heart attack when they said you were in the ICU. Of course he called me—"

"But Dad—"

"Screw Dad!" Dean shouts, tone harsher than Sam's ever heard it. "You think I'm just gonna let you sit here on your own?" Dean folds his arms across his chest, his eyes blazing with fury, "C'mon, Sam, you know better."

Sam does know better. He's always known that Dean's loved him. He always believed that Dean would come back, that they would somehow get over this impasse together. He just never thought it would happen anytime soon.

"By the way," Dean smirks, "A hot blonde chick stopped by. Said her name was Jessica."

Sam blushes, ducking his head.

Dean laughs.

"Dude, you're telling me everything!"

And that's how Sam spent his first Christmas away from home, in the hospital, with his big brother by his side.

Author's Note: I'm a bit rusty from a lack of writing, but I hope you all still enjoyed. I'm looking forward to writing more often! Please review if you have a moment! Thanks!