January 2001

He had $13.38.

It was enough.

Dad was gone, wouldn't be home for at least two more days, and Home Alone was playing at the dollar movie theater downtown.

Sammy had been mesmerized by the commercials for the movie for the past several months.

Dean had shoveled snow and washed windows and taken the trash out for the apartment manager, who kinda maybe had the idea he wanted to earn a little money to buy his brother something nice for his birthday all on his own.

It wasn't like they'd be here long enough for her to realize Sam's birthday wasn't until May anyhow.

Dean had $13.38, which if he calculated correctly, should be enough for two bus fares downtown and back, two movie tickets, and a popcorn for them to share.

The smile on Sammy's face when Dean announced where they were going was worth the blisters on Dean's hands.

They went to the 2pm movie on a Saturday. The driver looked at them for a long moment when they got on the bus alone, but Dean could pass for 14 or 15 when he tried, so the man just didn't say anything. The lady at the ticket counter realized that Sam was much more excited about the movie than Dean, and told Dean he was sweet to bring his little brother and give their mother a break.

Dean led Sam to the counter and paid for one medium popcorn. Sam pulled a dollar out of his pocket and asked if they could have a root beer too. Between the change Dean had left and Sam's dollar, they were a quarter short. Dean asked the girl if they could get a small popcorn instead.

Sam flashed the puppy dog eyes.

She gave them the drink and medium popcorn and told Dean not to worry about it.

Sam sat wide eyed and silent through the whole movie, only a few times turning to Dean to whisper "Did you see that?"

Dean nodded each time. Yes, he did see that.

They watched until the credits rolled and the lights came on. As they stood to leave, Sam hugged Dean.

When he released his older brother, Sam looked up at him solemnly.

"Families should always be together for Christmas." He pronounced.

Dean just nodded.

That night, while Sam was asleep, Dean slipped out of the room to walk down the street. McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, KFC, and Arby's were all within two blocks of one another. Dean managed to collect $4.71 that had been dropped in the drive thrus.

The following day, he laid out his carefully counted change on the table, and pried off the glued-on sole of his shoe to retrieve his emergency $5.

"Sammy, how would you like to go to the movie again?" he offered.

Sam squealed and bounced and hugged Dean again.

"We don't have enough money for popcorn and a drink this time, so let's put some stuff in your backpack." Dean continued.

During the movie, while Sam munched on smuggled cookies and a juice box, Dean pulled out his composition book of a hunter's journal and took notes.

A/N - Just a little headcanon that popped up when I started thinking about Winchesters and traditional Christmas movies. Sam had to get the idea from somewhere, right?