Reckless and Brave

L. Please Come Home For Christmas (Part II)

(Holly's necklace at the bottom)

They made their way to the motel and as Dean entered, he turned on the light as his siblings followed behind. "How much do you think a meadowsweet wreath would cost?"

"A couple hundred dollars, at least." Sam guessed.

"This lady's giving them away for free? What do you two think about that?"

Holly shrugged. "It sounds pretty suspicious to me. Sammy?"

Sam nodded. "Suspicious is a good way to describe it."

They took off their jackets and the boys sat on the edge of their beds while Holly sat on a chair, bringing her legs up to her chest. After a moment, Dean said, "Remember that wreath Dad brought home that one year?"

"You mean the one he stole from, like, a liquor store?"

"Yeah, it was a bunch of empty beer cans. Holly loved banging on them to make music. That thing was great. I bet if I looked around hard enough, I could probably find one just like it."

Sam frowned at his brother. "Alright. Dude...What's going on with you?"

"What?"

"I mean, since when are you Bing Crosby all of a sudden? That's Holly's job. She's the Christmas junkie. Why do you want Christmas so bad?

"Why are you so against it?" Dean returned. "I mean, were your childhood memories that traumatic?"

"No, that has nothing to do with it."

Holly rested her chin on her knees. "Then what, Sam?"

"I--I mean, I--I just, I don't get it. You haven't talked about Christmas in years."

"Well, yeah. This is my last year."

Sam paused. "I know...That's why I can't."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I can't just sit around with Holly, drinking eggnog, pretending everything's okay when I know next Christmas you'll be dead." Dean nodded. "I just can't."

Holly looked up at her eldest brother sadly. "D, I don't know if I can this year. I mean, I love Christmas, but Sam is right. This is gonna be your last one, and, um, I can't bare it without you."

Dean nodded again, hearing the sadness in his siblings' voices as they fell silent.

--

Sam was on the couch reading a comic book. Holly was drawing at the kitchen table. Dean walked inside with a bag of groceries. "Thought you went out."

"Yeah, to get you and Holly dinner." He tossed Sam and Holly packaged food. "Don't forget your vegetables." He tossed the two of them another bag of snack food.

Holly frowned. "It's not chicken and fries."

"No, it's not, H, but tell you what. When Dad comes back, or if we go out, I'll get you chicken nuggets and fries, okay?"

Holly nodded, satisfied. "Okay."

"You're welcome." Dean said, taking off his jacket. He sat on his bed and opened a drink can.

Sam sat on the other bed. "I know why you keep a gun under your pillow."

Dean lifted his pillow to see his gun. "No, you don't. Stay out of my stuff." He glanced at Holly to see her eyes were, once again, glued to the screen as she watched a Christmas movie.