Disclaimer: They're not mine. I'm using without permission. Characters belong to Eric Kripke.

Author's Notes: There's not much here and it's a bit of a lame offering after being away for so long. I have a Christmas story in the works – a crossover with Custodes Noctis. However due to some issues I've been having it is nowhere near being finished. Scar Tissue is also in the works as is four other stories. If I could just get a few hours to myself….

My thanks to Muffy for the beta…

Winter drabble
by Infinite Shadow

It was late or early, depending on how you looked at things. As he hadn't been to bed yet he settled on late. The room their father had dropped them in was freezing and hadn't warmed up in days. Each exhale of breath produced a tiny puff of cloud.

He was a little warm due to the layers of clothing he was wearing. Really, it was all of his shirts, one of his fathers, and two pairs of jeans, but who was counting. He had put every available blanket over his little brother just after he'd fallen asleep. As much as Dean wanted to join his little brother in his cocoon of warmth he couldn't go to sleep yet.

With a quiet sigh, he turned his attention out to the parking lot and street below. He knew all their stuff was packed up and ready to go. All he needed now was their ride.

The snow had been falling on and off for hours now, covering everything below in pristine whiteness and glittery sparkles. It was an odd spectacle for Dean. After all his father didn't much care for the white stuff and avoided it as much as possible. He tended to stay away from the colder states after October if he could, and as often as the boy had seen snow, he was more apt to see it on the side of the road or on the windshield in a mountain pass than falling gently outside their motel room.

But in that moment the sight of snow gently drifting down from above had him transfixed as he sat in the dark. It was the only thing visible in the middle of the night as they drifted through the single light in the parking lot. Dean sighed again as he stared. Snow always triggered a far away memory mix of fun and excitement, gentleness and peace, something that was never quite in his grasp anymore. For now, as he sat focused on the white flakes, and waited for Bobby to pick them up, he couldn't help but watch them fall gently to the harsh ground below.

As all things in his life he knew it wouldn't last. By morning it would be marred by garbage and footprints, or it would melt, but not until after they'd gone, or so he hoped. He really did hope his message had gotten through to his uncle. It would be difficult to keep Sammy from begging and pleading in his excited way to go out and play. His younger brother had been cooped up in the small room for far too long. As much as Dean wished they could he knew better. The parking lot and surrounding areas were just as filthy as they were before the snow covered them. It wouldn't be safe to leave the room anyway, not with the people he'd seen outside since they'd arrived.

The sight of familiar headlights brought a smile to his face. It wasn't the Impala, which brought a terrible pang of worry and missing his father he could never say out loud, but it filled him with relief. The silent peace he'd been sitting in was about to be disturbed. Not that he minded. Dean looked forward to getting warm and knew Uncle Bobby would blast the heat until the man was sweating and he had the feeling back in his fingers and toes.

In moments they'd be gone from here, in a warm car and safe. As his uncle pulled into a spot below he quietly walked over to the bed, gently nudging his little brother into minimal wakefulness before opening the door for his uncle.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Bobby glanced around the room, noting the mostly sleeping boy sitting up in piles of blankets and the other shivering in layers of clothing with his breath creating puffs of clouds. Gracing the oldest with a gentle smile to ease the apprehension around his eyes, he slipped off his heavy vest and slipped it around Dean's shoulders. Bobby gave a slight squeeze to his shoulders to release some of the tension before he walked over to the bed, removing his jacket, he wrapped it around the youngest child and picked him up.

Sam sighed and snuggled against his uncle before his eyes drifted closed and his breathing evened out.

Handing one of the two bags to Bobby, Dean followed the man out to his truck. Knowing he was finally going to be warm for the first time in days, and he was heading to one of his favourite places of all time, a smile graced his tired face.

The ten-year-old knew his uncle was upset with him. Not for the pickup, Uncle Bobby was never angry about picking them up, but for waiting three days after his father was due back to call him. But Uncle Bobby's lectures were short and at this time of year always ended with hot chocolate, marshmallows and cookies.

And on top of all that he and Sammy would be in a real home for Christmas, one of three he'd ever known. One he'd sworn to himself he'd never step foot into again, the second belonged to Pastor Jim. The other was the salvage yard that held dogs and auto parts. The best playground he could imagine going to, even in the fierceness of cold months.

"What're grinning at, boy?" Bobby asked as they pulled out onto the road.

Dean glanced at his sleeping brother next to him on the front seat and then up at his uncle. Heat from the vents was already making his skin tingle with warmth and the feeling just made him smile bigger.

"We're going home."