Chapter Text
“Gabriel.”
To say that Castiel was astonished was an understatement. For all they knew, Gabriel was dead. To see the archangel now, leaning nonchalantly against the wall of the hallway, was as unexpected as it was extraordinary.
“The one and only,” Gabriel smirked, pointing at his younger brother, “I never thought you to be that scheming.”
“Actually, that is your domain, brother.”
“Touché...” Gabriel drawled, making a throwing gesture as if to dismiss the fact, “You're more the strategist, though. So what are you up to?”
“You already know,” Castiel growled, “or you would not be asking.”
“I do,” Gabriel grinned lopsidedly, “And if I had not been indispensable until recently, I'd be offended that I'm not invited to your little holiday conspiracy.”
Of course, Castiel did not take the bait.
“Indispensable?”
“Yeah...” Gabriel somewhat squirmed under his brother's scrutinizing gaze. The archangel sure did not want to explain himself. “I was... indisposed, so to speak.” Forcing a grin that could not fool his younger sibling, he cheerfully stated, “But I'm here now, so what's your plan, Cassie?" Gabriel wanted to know.
"For now, I have to go and help Jody," Castiel replied. "Could you keep an eye on the house while I'm gone?"
"Do I look like a guard dog?" Gabriel scoffed.
"What do your looks have to do with your capability of keeping the house safe?"
"Oh, little brother, you really need to work on your social skills," the archangel chuckled. "Yes, I'll stay. Do what you've got to do and be back as soon as possible."
"Shouldn't take long," Castiel remarked, "with my wings restored."
"Yep," Gabriel smirked, tapping two fingers at the back of his head to indicate his angel radio, "Aunt Amara let me know."
"She seems to be busy these days."
"Well, she was gone for very long. Sure has got to make up for lost time."
"Anyway, brother. Thank you." Before he left, though, Castiel once more returned to the brothers' room.
Stepping up beside their bed, he fondly asked, "How are you?"
"Better," Dean replied. "Almost warm again."
"Good." Skeptically, Castiel looked at the empty cocoa mugs.
"It wasn't much," Sam answered the angel's unspoken question about the hard liquor. "We're fine. Thank you."
"You should rest," Castiel told them. "I'll help wrap up the case."
"Right! Jody!"
Reminded of the sheriff who still was stuck in the blizzard, Dean already pushed back the covers to get up and help her.
"No, Dean," Castiel insisted, pushing him back down with a hand on his shoulder. "You need to rest. I'll take care of everything."
"But, Cass..."
The angel was having none of it, tucking him back in and lightly brushing his hand over the hunter's forehead. Dean closed his eyes and was asleep.
"Cass?"
Sam's confusion was understandable but irrelevant as Castiel sent him to sleep with a gentle touch.
For a long moment, the angel stood and watched the brothers sleep. Then, he was gone with a flap of his restored wings.
xXx
Dean woke to comfortable warmth and Sam's scent in his nose. When he opened his eyes, his brother lay close beside him, sprawled out prone and a pillow bunched up between his arm and head. In a way, he was a mirror image to Dean who still snuggled under the blankets and into his own pillow.
With a contented sigh, Dean relaxed and was about to go back to sleep when he felt a tingling at the back of his mind. It was the tell-tale sensation of somebody watching. Instantly, he suspected that Castiel was once more sitting or standing beside their bed and watching over them. Over the years, Dean had managed to teach him the meaning of personal space, but observing them sleep was a habit he could not break.
Torn between ignoring the angel or telling him off, Dean studied his brother's face instead, catching himself doing just the same. Groaning at his own failure, Dean stretched and turned around on his other side, intend on going back to sleep. Noticing a figure astride a chair right next to the bed stopped him.
“Hello, bitches.”
There was no mistaking the naughty welcome or the flaming red hair.
“Charlie?” Dean blurted out, sitting up. “Am I dreaming or dead?”
“Neither one nor the other,” she replied with that infectious grin of hers.
“But...”
“I was just waiting here,” she snickered as she got up from her seat. “You should wake Sam, get up and dressed. I'll let the others know that you'll join us soon.”
“The others?” Dean muttered at her retreating back. Quickly, she was out the door, leaving him to wonder whether her appearance had been real or just a dream. From somewhere else in the house, he heard indistinct murmur and other sounds of activity. Delicious scents wafted into the room.
Right, it's Christmas.
Prodding his brother's side, he woke Sam.
“What's up?”
“I was told we should get up,” Dean let him know, glancing at the clock above the door. Almost six. For just a second, he was confused. “Um, I take it it's early evening already.”
“You mean, we could just stay in bed until morning?” Sam chuckled softly.
“Do you smell that? I bet Jody cooked a Christmas turkey.”
Sam smiled at Dean with a fond memory, “I once had a real, whole turkey. For Thanksgiving.”
“I remember from your Heaven,” Dean sighed. “You were with your foster family.”
A pang of sadness hit him when he wondered for just a moment if it would not have been better for Sam if he had stayed with said family. He could have had a normal childhood, gone to school, graduated from college, become a lawyer. Sam could have lived the life he deserved. Instead, he had gone to Hell and back just like Dean had. Maybe worse.
“Hello?” Clicking his fingers in front of his eyes, Sam tried to catch his brother's attention. “Where are you with your thoughts?”
“Huh?” Shaking his musings off, Dean replied, “Far away, Sammy. Dwelling on the past.”
“We should get ready,” Sam suggested. “We don't want to keep Jody waiting.”
“Nope,” Dean agreed. “Because then we'd have a very disgruntled sheriff on our hands.”
“Not just the sheriff.”
Both brothers startled, looking at each other with surprise before they turned to the door. There, leaning against the doorcase, was someone they believed to be dead.
“Gabriel!” Sam called out, pushing the duvet back and standing in the bed. Climbing over his brother, he got down and crossed over to the archangel only to stop in his tracks right in front of him, uncertain about what to do as a welcoming hug seemed too informal. “Is that really you?”
“No tricking this time, Samshine,” Gabriel assured him, pulling him into a one-arm hug. “I'm real.”
“Where have you been?” Sam queried anxiously.
“Indisposed.”
Sam waited, but apparently, that was all the archangel was prepared to share.
“Well, you can tell us later.”
“How about never?” Gabriel shot back. “I didn't tell Cassie either.”
“We thought you were dead,” Dean stated as he pushed the duvet back and sat up on the edge of the bed.
“Well, at first, that's exactly what I wanted,” Gabriel shrugged, but then his mischievous grin faded, “Then... I wished you knew I survived.”
Sam had a bad feeling about this.
“So... where have you been?” he asked, “And when did you come back?”
Glowering at the prodding Winchester, Gabriel let go of him and took a step back.
“None of your business,” he replied evasively.
“So bad, huh?” Dean teased, but the look in his green eyes betrayed his flippant remark.
For a long moment, Gabriel held his gaze before he avoided it by casting his eyes down.
“Yeah, so bad,” he admitted. “Dad and aunt Amara took me in for a while. Actually, she's the one who told me I should come to visit tonight.”
“Amara.”
The brothers shared a suspicious look.
“Do you happen to know what she's up to?” Dean asked cautiously.
“No,” Gabriel shook his head, “but no worries, Deano. I'm sure her intentions are good.”
“Yeah,” Sam scoffed, “Just like sending the trickster.”
“Oh, c'mon, Samshine,” the archangel complained, “You aren't still holding a grudge about my killing Dean over and over again?”
“Well, actually, Dean should be your bigger concern there,” Sam dryly came back.
“I didn't take you for so resentful!” Gabriel groused. “I mean, glasshouses and so on...”
Now it was Dean's turn to scowl at the archangel. Then he noticed something that piqued his attention in a different way, and that was how Sam eyed the trickster intently. Also, whenever he thought Sam was not looking his way, Gabriel did the same with Sam.
Startled, Dean dug into his duffel to get out fresh clothes and hurried out to the bathroom.
“What have I done now?” Gabriel moaned, rolling his eyes.
“Nothing, Gabe,” Sam assured him. “Dean's just being... Dean.”
“Okay...”
Once more giving Sam a once over, Gabriel asked, “And what about you, Samshine? Am I detecting interest there?”
At that, Sam was certain that he blushed violently if the heat in his cheeks was any indication.
Gabriel smirked.
Threading a hand in the hunter's long hair, he encouraged him to let him close. As the archangel leaned in for him, though, he had to stretch and pull Sam a little down so their lips could even meet. When they did, it sent sparks of joy and confusion through the younger Winchester. Stunned, he did not reciprocate at first, but then he tentatively kissed back.
“Promising,” Gabriel murmured when he finally backed off. “And don't look so freaked out, Samantha. You know all angels are genderless.”
All Sam could do was gape.
xXx
“I have a weird feeling about this,” Dean muttered as he shrugged into his green shirt. “Remember how insistent Cass was about going to Sioux Falls in the first place?”
“He was concerned about Claire.”
“You really believe that, Sam?” Dean challenged. “I bet Jody's in on it... if it wasn't actually her idea in the first place.”
“How so?”
“I don't know, Sam,” he groaned. “She's a better actor than Cass after all. But remember what she said at the cabin?”
“No,” Sam mused, trying to recall what Dean meant. “She's said a lot of things.”
“Arthur Nolan,” Dean reminded him, “Jody said he was supposed to be at his sister's in Wichita, not bitten by a monster in Sioux Falls.”
“So?”
“So... so Jody pretended he was missing? Made up a case to get us here?” Seeing Sam about to object, he argued, “Seriously, there also were inconsistencies in the reports she showed us. The sheriff seemed pretty stunned when we figured out that we actually had a case. ”
Sam scoffed. “If she did... and I'm not saying I believe she did... then I'm sure she had a pretty good reason.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah,” Sam insisted, “because seriously, Dean. If she would've called and just invited us for Christmas, would you have gone?”
For a second, Dean just stared at his brother incredulously before he admitted, “Probably not. What about you?”
“Not without you,” Sam declared.
With a sigh, Dean leaned against the sideboard. Grimacing at his brother, he asked, “You think they screwed us over?”
“For our own good?” Sam came back dryly. “Yeah, I think that's what they did. The hunt was coincidental.”
“We almost froze to death,” Dean groused.
“True, but we were meant to be here, having eggnog, I bet.”
Snorting with displeasure, Dean tried to deal with his brother's apparent cheerfulness. Somehow, Sam seemed to take all this in stride which was disconcerting. After everything they had been through, Dean would have thought that his sibling would be more cautious and suspicious.
“And what about Charlie?” he pushed. “She's dead, Sam. Cass can't have pulled that one off.”
Thoughtfully, Sam scratched the back of his neck.
“He said that it was Amara who gave him back his wings,” he finally replied. “Apparently, she had her hands in Gabriel's return as well. Maybe she's also brought Charlie back.”
“Why?” Dean shot back heatedly. “Why should she do that?”
“I don't know, dude. Good things do happen.”
“Not to me.”
The return came so promptly that Dean had to be truly convinced of it which took Sam totally aback. Stepping up to his brother, he gently put his hands on his shoulders.
“You don't mean that, do you?”
Looking up at Sam, Dean's eyes shone with unshed tears. His gaze became unsteady, drifted away from his brother and he tried to turn aside as well.
“Hey,” Sam insisted. “Look at me, bro. You're not serious about that, are you?”
Dean squirmed, still avoiding to face Sam.
“Nah...” he drawled, only to take it back, “Yes... I don't know.”
Sam was still wracking his mind about how to reply when the doorbell rang. Excited voices and bouncing footsteps echoed down the hall. Then they heard Claire welcome whoever arrived on their threshold and urging somebody inside. Judging by the excited voices, the others greeted the newcomer warmly.
“We should go and meet them,” Sam stated, nudging his brother's shoulder. “C'mon.”
Unwillingly, Dean followed him to the living room where the others had already gathered in the sitting area, some lounging on the sofa, others standing beside the coffee table. When the brothers entered everyone looked around at them.
“Hello, guys.”
Perplexed, both Winchesters looked at the newcomer, his lanky form clad in jeans, quilted vest, and baseball cap. They knew only one guy who ran around like that.
“Garth!”
Sam stepped forward first, accepting the hug in which the younger man wrapped him up instantly. His brother reacted more reluctantly but still did not avoid the embrace which was a good sign.
“Sam. Dean,” Garth's wife Bess greeted, shyly extending her hand. “It's nice to see you again.”
“Same to you, Bess,” Sam declared.
“See? It was a good idea to invite them,” Claire threw in.
“Still takes some getting used to,” Jody shrugged. “You, being a werewolf. I hope you don't take that personal, Garth.”
“Actually, it's somewhat weird being here among so many hunters,” Garth replied, taking Bess' hand as she scooted closer to him. “Still, thanks for the invitation.”
“I still can't believe you're here,” Sam said. “It's been too long since we've met. How are things going for you?”
As they spoke, Sam, Garth, and Bess wandered over to the dining table, sitting down there while Alex provided each of them with a glass of eggnog. Still standing in the middle of the room, Dean felt surprisingly awkward despite being in the company of good friends. Actually, he liked to think of most of them as family.
“Smile for me,” Charlie's cheerful voice startled him.
Dutifully, Dean forced his lips into a small smile.
“Not quite convincing yet, but I'll accept it as a good start,” Charlie said with a wink. “Beer or eggnog?”
“Beer,” Dean replied, grateful that at least that decision came easily.
“What's wrong, Dean?” Charlie prodded as she stepped up to the cupboard where the beverages were arranged. She uncapped a beer and pushed the bottle in his hand. “Is it because I'm back?”
“No, Charlie,” he sighed, “No, it's good to see you. C'mere.”
Wrapping her up in a tight embrace, Dean reveled in her warmth and the scent of her hair. Closing his eyes, he lost himself in her hugging him back enthusiastically. Before he knew it, a single tear trickled down his cheek.
“I love you, little sis,” he murmured close to her ear.
“Love you, too, Dean,” Charlie replied, also sounding a little choked up. “Come, let's cuddle on the couch.”
“Cuddle?” he scoffed.
“Yeah,” she smirked at him, taking his arm and dragging him to the sofa. “Even big boys are allowed to cuddle. C'mon.”
Laughing softly, he let himself be maneuvered down in the cushions. Charlie dropped into the seat beside him, shifting close, and leaning her head on his shoulder. Putting his right arm around her slender form, Dean held her against him. Inside, his emotions were coming to a boil. Though he felt grateful to Amara for bringing Charlie back into his life, he could not help but suspect a ploy. God's sister was up to something and he was pretty sure that it would not be good. That's what his gut told him anyway, and so far, he could always rely on it.
Well, mostly.
Sipping at his beer, he furtively studied the others who sat or stood talking until he noticed someone was missing.
“Where's Cass?”
“He said he needed to pick somebody up,” Gabriel supplied. “I'm sure he'll be right back.”
Scowling to himself, Dean accepted that information. Right then, the doorbell rang and he reflexively stood, reaching for his weapon that he did not carry.
“Hey, there! Easy, cowboy,” Jody chided, heading for the door. “First, let me check who's there. If they're dangerous, I'll shoot them myself.”
Accepting her words, Dean still followed her into the hallway. For a second, he felt as if he had never seen the place before. Glancing sideways, he noticed that the hallway was longer than it had been when he came from Jody's office.
“What the fuck?”
Confused, Dean was about to go and retrieve his weapons when the voice answering Jody at the door piqued his attention.
“Kevin?”
Too stunned to think about his actions, Dean shoved the sheriff aside as he strode up to the door, staring at the young man of Asian descent who had died on his watch, killed by Gadreel who had possessed Sam back then.
Finding support on the door jamb, effectively blocking the entrance, Dean stood and could not make up his mind about what to do next.
“I didn't allow God's sister to bring me here so I could freeze on your threshold,” Kevin muttered.
Dean felt shoved from behind and stumbled out into the cold. It was already dark again and thick snowflakes were softly tumbling down.
“Come on in,” Jody told him and Kevin followed her inviting gesture, pausing just inside the door to turn to the hunter.
“Dean. No need for you to freeze either.”
Shaking off his rigor, Dean made two quick strides forward and briefly hugged the prophet.
“Kevin, wow. I can't believe you're here. You said something about Amara. Do you know what's going on?”
“She just told me she wanted to bring me back to life,” Kevin replied. “I disagreed and we compromised.”
“Compromised?” Dean prodded. “What do you mean? Are you going back?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I don't belong here anymore, Dean,” Kevin explained. “I know that now. I agreed to come and spend the holidays with you and Sam. Then I'll go back to Heaven.”
“But...”
As nobody had bothered to close the door, all three of them heard and saw the car pulling up in the driveway. Due to the headlights, they could not make out who was driving. When the engine was killed and the driver alighted from the old Pontiac, Dean's jaw dropped. First, he did not want to believe it, but nothing, from the boots over jeans to sweater and baseball cap, could deny who they belonged to. Meeting the sparkling eyes in the weathered, bearded face of the older hunter, Dean tonelessly muttered, “Bobby.”
Then he darted forward, throwing himself into the older man's embrace.
“'tis good to see ya, boy,” Bobby groaned, choked by the Winchester's hold on him.
Dean hardly heard him. He also did not pay attention to the other two figures getting out of the vehicle. All his suspicions were momentarily forgotten. Right at that moment, Dean just marveled at holding his surrogate father in his arms and feeling him hug back. He did not even feel the cold.
“What's up?”
Sam's voice finally made Dean look back over his shoulder. Eyes wide with wonder, he mouthed and gestured at his brother what he could see himself. A second later, his younger sibling barreled into them, throwing his arms around the grizzled hunter.
“Bobby!”
“You're squeezing me, you idjits,” Bobby groaned through clenched teeth but tightened his own hold on them even more. Sensing them quiver, he let go and took a step back, demanding, “Let me look at you, boys. Apparently, you're doing great. Except for the cold that is. Inside, everyone!” With that, he waved at the other two who came with him and it was only then that the brothers noticed two women they also did not expect to see.
“He's right,” Ellen sternly ushered them on, “Let's get inside first.”
Taking each of the Winchesters by an arm, she marched to the front door and pushed them through. Then she let Jo and Bobby pass before she followed and shoved the entry closed just a second before she got tangled in the boys' arms, both hugging her enthusiastically. Sam also pulled Jo into their embrace.
“I still can't believe it,” Sam muttered. “What's happened?”
“That's what I'd love to know, too,” Bobby groused. “One minute, I slouched in my armchair in heaven, reading a book and minding my own business, when that woman walked in and told me that I was to be a gift.”
“Amara,” both brothers announced, letting go of the women.
“Actually, she didn't introduce herself,” Bobby all but grunted. “Just asked how I felt about spending a couple more years with you, hunting, or whatever. Well...”
“Amara's God's sister,” Sam explained. “She was released from her prison when we removed the Mark of Cain off Dean.”
“Whoosh?” Kevin made in unison with the respective gesture over his head.
“Long story,” Dean warded off, “My demon days are long over.”
“You've been a demon?” Jo blurted.
“Yeah.”
“How about we take discussions of any kind to the living room?” Jody suggested to the whole gathering. “Instead of standing in the hallway. C'mon. Warm yourselves up, have a drink... the turkey will soon be done. Girls, how about giving me a hand?”
As if on cue, the flutter of wings startled everyone but Gabriel. Recognizing Castiel, Claire and Alex went with Jody to the kitchen. The others kept their attention on the angel, especially as he did not come alone.
While Sam paused reluctantly, Dean stared for a second incredulously before he charged at the newcomer with a joyous grin all over his face.
“Hey, brother,” Benny muttered, returning the bear hug Dean wrapped him up in just as fiercely.
“Benny,” Dean all but sobbed. “How did you get out of Purgatory?”
“Wait,” Sam cut in, “Let me guess: a tall, dark-haired woman in a black dress?”
“Yeah,” Benny confirmed. “How'd you know?”
“Let's say, you're not the first she visited,” Dean replied, taking a step back, but still keeping a hold on the shoulders of his friend whom he had relied on during his year trapped in the monsters' afterlife.
“She must be an extraordinary being,” Benny stated. “I told her why I should stay and... well, she made me an offer I could not refuse.”
“What kind of offer?” Dean asked, suddenly uneasy. Maybe Amara did have an agenda after all.
Instead of an answer, Benny reached up to his face and pulled his upper lip back to show his teeth.
Scowling, Dean took a closer look. Then his eyes widened in surprise.
“She made you human?”
“Yes.”
Stunned, the former vampire watched mixed emotions play across the hunter's features.
“C'mon, Dean. That's awesome. I'll get to live a real life.” His gaze drifted to Sam. “I'm not a threat anymore. No need for anyone to hunt me down.”
“But still,” Dean muttered, studying his friend intently. “It's been a part of you for so long.”
“I can do very well without sucking on blood bags,” Benny scoffed. “Actually, I've heard something about a turkey? Sounds delicious.” Sniffing, he added, “Smells delicious.”
“Right,” Dean laughed. “It's Christmas day.”
“Exactly,” Castiel threw in. “Which is the reason why Amara chose this day to present you with her gesture of gratefulness.”
“She's grateful?” Dean muttered.
“Of course,” Castiel returned, cocking his head to the side, giving his charge that look he usually got when he did not understand. “You set her free. You reunited her with her brother. You gave her back her family.”
“She told me so before she left with Chuck,” Dean mused aloud, “but... I didn't think... I don't know what I thought. This is...” Looking around at all their friends gathered around them in the relatively small space of the hallway, he shook his head incredulously. A grin cracking his features, he went on, “awesome... and unbelievable, and...”
“Dean,” Sam murmured, leaning toward him, “I think I know why Billie was so pissed.”
“Yeah,” Dean beamed, locking his gaze with Charlie who grinned right back. “Because Amara is awesome.”
Dean did not care that tears of joy ran down his cheeks. Still holding Benny, he put one arm around his brother's shoulders. The Darkness found the light within herself and gave him back the people he called family in exchange for him reuniting her with her relatives. Despite seeing them all right with him, he still could hardly believe it was true. For the first time in a long time, or more likely ever, Dean felt happy.
“Yeah, I know,” Sam murmured, squeezing his brother's upper arm. “It's hard to believe. It's a miracle.”
“It's a gift,” Dean told him with conviction. “Let's celebrate. Merry Christmas, everyone.”
“Merry Christmas, Dean,” Castiel calmly hushed close to his ear.
Craning his neck, Dean looked at his best friend. Somehow, the angel seemed to glow tonight, almost as if his grace was giving off a shine. Maybe that was because he had his wings back. Dean was so happy for his angel. Part of him wished he could touch those wings, let his fingers run through the flight feathers and hear Cass moan with pleasure.
Shocked by his own thought, Dean pushed it away and joined the others that began to move back to the living room. Upon entering, though, everyone paused at finding just another newcomer to be present.
Lounging in the chair at the head of the table, a glass of scotch in hand and a smug smile on his lips, was the King of Hell.
“Hello, kids,” he greeted jovially. “Am I in time for the roast?”
“Crowley,” Sam uttered, almost making it sound like a curse.
“Dear Moose,” Crowley chided, “And here I thought you'd be happy to see me.”
Stepping up in front of the group of humans, Gabriel snarled, “And here I thought a self-respecting demon like you would avoid Christmas like the pest.”
“My dear Archangel,” Crowley replied, sipping at his scotch, “A pagan holiday usurped by the Christians? What's not to love?” Lifting his glass he toasted, “To Moose and Squirrel who once more saved the day.”
“So what?” Dean spat, “You're just here for the scotch?”
Holding up his tumbler to look at the swirling liquid, Crowley smirked, “And the turkey.” When he turned to the hunter, his gaze fell past him on the seraph and his eyes widened, “Oh, Feathers! You're looking marvelous all plumed up. Seeing you and all the others here, I think my foster daughter must have had a field day.”
“She's not your foster daughter,” Castiel hissed back.
“Easy there, Feathers,” Crowley soothed. “I'm sure Amara wouldn't mind. She's lived with me for a while after all. She's called me uncle, as a matter of fact.”
Snorting, Castiel stepped forward with the intention to argue, but then he paused. Glowering at the demon, he let him be.
“What about you, kids?” Crowley prodded, making an inviting gesture at the dining table. “You want to eat standing in the entrance?”
“Certainly not,” Jody declared, stepping up right next to the King of Hell. “Do you intend to cause trouble?”
“Me?” Crowley chuckled innocently. “Not at all. It's Christmas. I'm all for a festive dinner with my friends.” With his latter words, he smirked at the Winchester brothers again. “Dean, my bestie, you believe me, don't you?”
Having everyone's attention focused on him, Dean felt responsibility weigh him down. Thanks, Crowley, for making me the bad guy. Glowering at the King of Hell, he decided.
“Just ignore him, guys. He's an attention-whore, so he'll leave when we don't pay attention to his antics.”
“Squirrel! Why so hostile?” Crowley chuckled. “I'm as tame as a kitten, and if push comes to shove, you'll still have your archangel. Right, Gabriel?”
“Crowley,” Dean groused, waiting until the demon faced him, “Can it.”
Opening his mouth to argue, Crowley froze at the death glare the hunter shot at him. Smiling jovially, he just gestured at the chairs around the table.
“Well, then,” Jody said. “Take a seat everyone. Do you all have enough to drink?”
“Yes, Jody, we're good,” Sam replied as he sat down to Crowley's right.
“I've got my beer,” Dean stated, taking the seat to Crowley's left. “Charlie?”
“Oh, no,” she rushed to say, shoving somebody else in his direction. “You've got to sit with Castiel.”
“I don't have to sit next to Dean,” Castiel stated with confusion.
“Right,” Dean agreed.
“But his brother's sitting right opposite as well,” Charlie said, maneuvering Castiel into the seat and dropping down in the chair beside him. “I'm good here. And we can still talk, right?”
“Right,” Dean sighed, though he felt strangely gleeful to be so close to his angel.
“You're both idjits,” Bobby groused as he sat at the other end of the table. “But it's your kind of crazy, and we all love you just like you are.”
“Thanks, Bobby,” Sam chuckled.
“We love you, too,” Dean replied, happily watching everyone else sitting down as well.
Then Jody and Claire came in with the first bowls. At once, Jo and Ellen jumped back to their feet to go and help them. Quickly, they brought all the sides to the table. Baked potatoes and dumplings along with gravy, red cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and green beans wrapped in bacon, cooked pears and cranberry sauce made the table bend even before they presented the perfectly browned turkey.
Rising from his seat, Crowley gave everyone pause.
“Allow me to carve the bird?” he asked, holding out his hand to receive the knife.
Jody hesitated before handing it to him.
“Thank you, lovely sheriff,” the King of Hell smiled. “Now, who'd like a piece of the drumstick?”
The End