Summary: Sam and Dean spend Christmas with their angels.
Disclaimer: I do not own 'Supernatural' in any way, shape, or form and am not getting paid for this story, unless you count the reviews and comments that I hope you'll post. Hope you enjoy!
Author's Notes: This is a Song Fic inspired by the song, 'Angel at the Top of My Tree' sung by one of the best Country singer out there, Kenny Chesney.
The Angels at the Top of Our Trees
By: Last Winter Rose
Chapter One: The Gifts All Underneath
Dean couldn't believe it, of all the times Mother Nature could decide to have a snow storm, she had to pick this night. Sure it was Christmas Eve and they were in the middle of Montana so he guessed he should have known something like this was going to happen but still. Now they were stuck at a motel in a room with madly matched wallpaper, carpet, and well everything.
"Dean, is this correct?"
He turned from the window where he could barely make out the form of the Impala out in the parking lot, Castiel's voice pulling him from his thoughts. The angel stood by the round table in the far corner of the room, on top sat a small pine tree that almost reminded him of the one from that 'Peanuts' movie. Sam had just made it to the store and back before the storm hit, he had only went for some food and more beer but came back with the tree, lights, ornaments, and even some presents, insisting that since it was Castiel's first Christmas with them they should have a tree and gifts, although Dean was confused on where Sam had gotten the money for everything.
"Dean?"
"Yeah Cass it looks great." He looked over the lights and the few ornaments that the angel had already put on it. Sam had disappeared to the bathroom, the only place where he could wrap presents without them seeing what he got, leaving Dean and Castiel to decorate the tree. Dean looked one more time out the window before moving to one of the beds sitting on the edge and blowing a tired sigh out.
Castiel paused in hanging a red glass ball on the tree looking to Dean a concerned look on his face, "What is wrong Dean?"
"Nothing."
The angel didn't believe him, if there was one thing that Castiel had learned about his Hunter in the months that they've been together it was when there was something wrong, even when Dean said there wasn't. He set the ornament back in the box and joined Dean on the bed.
Dean waited for Castiel to say something but instead he just sat there, his head tilted to the side his blue eyes watching the elder Winchester. Dean sighed again, although Castiel told him many times before that he didn't read minds, he was sure that the angel could see right through him, plus he knew that Castiel wouldn't let him be until he gave some kind of answer.
"I've just never been a big fan of Christmas, that's all."
"Is it because you have it at the wrong time of the year?"
Dean smiled at the comments, Sam gave a quick run down of what Christmas was to the angel and was only greeted with the argument that they should be having Christmas not in the winter but in spring. Also that if they were celebrating the birth of someone why did everyone get presents, that wasn't what happens on everyone else's birthdays. "No, I just don't have too many happy memories of this time of year."
Castiel could tell that Dean was trying not to make eye contacts with him. He reach out covering Dean's hands in the Hunter's lap, he remind silent not wanting to push Dean but to let him know that he was there if Dean wanted to talk.
Dean looked at the pale hand covering his, "Most Christmases our dad was out on a hunt," he stated keeping his head down. He knew that he didn't have to explain anything but he always found it was easy to talk to the angel, even before they officially became a couple, Castiel would listen never interrupting, allowing Dean to get everything off of his chest. Dean went on, "I were be watching Sammy, making up stories on why dad couldn't be with us on Christmas Day, I don't even remember a time when dad was with us."
Castiel had a feeling that it was going to be about their father, he would admit John Winchester did his best he could raising Dean and Sam by himself but the fact that most of the time John wasn't even there was what ate away at Castiel. Dean always said that their dad did a great job raising Sam but in Castiel's eyes it was Dean that did most of the raising he even thought that Bobby did more than John, though he would never tell Dean that.
"I'm sure your father tried everything he could to be with you and your brother."
"Yeah, it's just…"
"Hey, why isn't the tree done?"
Both heads turned to Sam standing in the doorway of the bathroom, a few small boxes in his arms. He was looking between them and the tree waiting for an answer.
"I was still confused on the reasoning for hanging items in a tree, so Dean was trying to explain it to me." Castiel answered before Dean could say anything, he knew that Dean would prefer not to do anything for the Holiday and was only putting up with this for his brother's sake. It wouldn't help for Sam to learn about the bad memories that all of this was digging up about their dad.
Sam shook his head laying the presents to one side of the tree and started hanging the rest of the ornaments on it. Dean watched his brother, a grin passing over his lips. It didn't matter how old they were Sam still looked like a kid around Christmas, Dean wouldn't have been surprised if Sam still believed in Santa. Castiel stood moving to help Sam, after giving Dean a small kiss on the forehead, Dean mouthing a 'thank you' to the angel for covering his butt.
They spent the next half an hour decorating the tree, the whole time Sam explaining everything to Castiel. Dean wasn't sure if the angel really didn't know all of this or if he was just playing knowing that it made Dean laugh.
After Castiel placed the last glass ball on it they all stepped back to admire their work. Dean eyes landed on the top, glancing through the boxes, he realized that they were missing something. "You didn't get an angel for the top."
"They didn't have one small enough and they were out of stars." Sam was moving the gifts under the tree, the green paper and gold ribbon standing out against the red ornaments and silver lights.
"Why would you put an angel in the tree?" Castiel asked.
Dean couldn't stop the laugh at the some what horrified look on Castiel's face, "Hum…Well…"
"You can thank Gabriel for that," Sam said putting the last present in place.
"Did somebody call my name?" In a second the Archangel was laying on his stomach on the far bed, his head at the foot, chin propped up in his hands, and his legs kicking back and forward in the air behind him.
Sam smiled at his angel. He looked like a school girl at a sleep over waiting for the next bit of gossip. "We were explaining the tree topper to Castiel and why it's an angel in most places."
Gabriel nodded his mouth forming a 'O' as he looked at the younger angel.
"Did you put one of our brethren in a tree for angering you?" Castiel asked.
"What have you been telling these two Sammy?"Gabriel asked Sam, who was shock, while Dean doubled over laughing. The elder angel took pity on Castiel, "I think the boys were trying to tell you that the angel is suppose to be me or at least to some people, others just put it up there to make the tree pretty." Gabriel twisted on the bed to sit on the edge, "Personally I like the star better." With a snap of his fingers a small silver star appeared on the tree's top, "There much better, now for those gifts." Another snap and more presents came from nowhere adding to the ones Sam had just placed there.
"Gabriel." Sam glared at the Archangel, he had told him once before that he didn't care that much that no matter the reason, small or big, Gabriel went right to his power.
Gabriel just grinned shrugging his shoulders and gave the answer he always gave, "Come on Sammy, what the point in having power if I can't use them." He stood making his way to the taller man, wrapping his arms around Sam's waist titling his head back to look into the hazel eyes staring at him.
Sam wrapped his arms about Gabriel's neck, loving the fact that they didn't mind showing their feeling in front of others, unlike Castiel and Dean. "I didn't say you can't use them, just limit what you use them for," Sam stated giving his angel a quick kiss on the nose before pulling away and going back to the tree. The new presents were wrapped in the same paper but there more for Sam than the other two.
Dean sighed dropping back onto his bed, sometimes he hated how much those two were meant for each other, Sam loved Christmas and Gabriel was well…Gabriel, what more did he have to say. "Well before you start putting prices on your mojo, wanna do something about this storm?"
Gabriel shook his head, "Mess with Mother Nature? No thank you."
"Wait, there's really a Mother Nature?" Sam asked looking like he always did when he learned something new, like a kid in a candy shop.
"Yep!" Gabriel nodded popping the 'p', "She reminds me a hippie from the sixty's but do not mess with her stuff, I learn that lesson the hard way." Sam smiled at the new information, Dean on the other hand looked ready to kill someone. "Come on Deano, I'm going to give you something better, an early present and I know just the right one," he said grinning towards Castiel.
"No thanks Gabriel." Dean didn't want any kind of gift most of all from the Archangel turned Trickster. True the angel had made up more than enough times for everything he did to them before he joined Team Free Will, he even pulled Sam back from Hell but there was something about being killed over a hundred times that can really turn you off of a person, even if said person was now dating your brother.
"Don't be a spoil sport, I think you'll love it," Gabriel went on ignoring Dean's protests, "in a way it's a gift for Cassy too." Gabriel wrapped his right arm about Sam waist pulling the young Winchester back to his side and away from the tree, "I'm going to take Sammy out tonight."
Dean stared at the Archangel. "How is that a gift for Cass and me."
"Oh please tell me you're joking." Gabriel rolled his eyes at the blank look from the human, "I'm taking Sam off your hands tonight, freeing them to do other things." He looked between Dean and Castiel bouncing his eyebrows. Dean's mouth dropped in shock, while Castiel looked away trying to hide the fact that his cheeks just turned a blight tomato red.
"I don't know Gabe, it's Christmas Eve night, I think we should spend it together," Sam argued.
"Don't worry your pretty little head Sam, I might have you back before Christmas Morning." Before anyone could say anything to that, Gabriel snapped his fingers.